The Word of God Changes Lives

Transcript

GR 1623
11/27/2011
The Word of God Changes Lives
Acts 19:8-20
Gil Rugh

The Book of Acts in your bibles and the nineteenth chapter. Paul has embarked on what we refer to as his third missionary journey. Those travels that he took carried the gospel out into the Gentile parts of the world focusing first on the Jews in the towns where he went but the prime impact of his ministry would be on Gentile peoples. He is known as the apostle to the Gentiles. Paul is in the city of Ephesus. He had a brief stop here at the end of the second missionary journey. He had been over here in Corinth and so on his way back coming over to Caesarea he’s going to come across—he stopped at Ephesus and in Acts 18 verse 18 Paul took leave of the brethren and set out to sea for Syria. Priscilla and Aquila are with him. Verse 19, “and they came to Ephesus, and he left them there;” Priscilla and Aquila remained behind at Ephesus and while he’s there he entered the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews. When they asked him to stay for a longer time, he did not consent, but taking leave of them saying, “I will return to you again if God wills,” he set sail from Ephesus and came to Caesarea went up to Jerusalem and evidently then down to Antioch.

He’s had a good reception on a brief visit here at Ephesus then he comes, really journey’s down here to Caesarea, evidently went up to Jerusalem then he went back to Antioch then he journeyed through this region here and he comes down into Ephesus where he is when we come to chapter 19. The first part of the chapter the first six verses we looked at he met some disciples of the man John, John the Baptist not John the Apostle but disciples about 12 of them who had been followers of John the Baptist. They had evidently responded to John’s preaching to repent in preparation for the Messiah and they may have known about the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ as Apollos did at the end of chapter 18 but he didn’t know about the coming of the Spirit and the establishing of the church with the work of the Spirit. Then when Paul in verse two asked them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” They said we haven’t heard whether the Holy Spirit’s come, we don’t know anything about that. They knew the Holy Spirit would come because as followers of John the Baptist remember John had preached, “When the Messiah comes He’ll baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.” Not knowing about the Holy Spirit’s coming Paul tells them and they are re-baptized. Followers of John the Baptist now identify themselves with the Messiah of Israel, Jesus Christ. Verse 6, “Paul laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them” and again we have the manifestation or sign with “speaking with tongues.” We noted that happens when key groups, the Jews in Acts two, the Samaritans evidently in Acts eight, the Gentiles in Acts 10, now the disciples of John the Baptist in Acts 19 and this is the last record of speaking in tongues in the Book of Acts. What goes beyond this with these 12 men were not told, probably they joined themselves with Paul and would submit themselves to his ministry during his time at Ephesus assuming they’re from Ephesus and are remaining here.

Verse 8 picks up telling us about Paul’s ministry in Ephesus itself, the city there so in effect we leave these 12 men. They may be a nucleus and join other believers here because remember Priscilla and Aquila are at Ephesus. Paul left them there I assume they’re here they’ve had a ministry here, Apollos has had a ministry here earlier and had been further instructed by Priscilla and Aquila so how many believers are here we don’t know but we know there would be a group of believers here and the Jews who were here were receptive. They had asked Paul on his previous visit to stay longer so when we pick up in verse eight, “he entered the synagogue and continued speaking out boldly for three months, reasoning and persuading them about the kingdom of God.” A three-month ministry in the synagogue shows that there is a receptiveness here because this is a long time.

On other occasions, Paul had a shorter ministry in the synagogue because very quickly, the reactions of the Jews has been negative but here in Ephesus the Jews in the synagogue are willing to hear him again and again. That openness on his prior visit has continued and he has the privilege for three months to present the word of God in the synagogue. You’ll note it says “he entered the synagogue and continued speaking out boldly.”

This unashamed presentation of the gospel characterizes Paul and others in the ministry of the Book of Acts. Remember when Paul was anticipating going to Rome, he told the Romans in Romans chapter one verse 16, “I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ” and a manifestation of not being ashamed is being bold in the presentation of that gospel. If we’re honest as believers we find it easy to be ashamed, hard to speak up, hard to be too bold with the gospel. Paul said, “I’m not ashamed of the gospel.” He’s very open, very clear, very bold and confident in the presentation of the gospel. This characterizes the presentation of the word. You know people like go say, “oh, we want a church like the Book of Acts” but you know what characterized the ministry in the Book of Acts, boldly giving out the word of God.

Just look at a couple passages where this is stated, back in Acts chapter two were at the very beginning of the church. Peter preaching, he says in verse 29, “Brethren, I may confidently . . .” and the word translated confidently is the same word were talking about translated boldly. I may boldly say to you “. . . regarding the patriarch David that he both died and was buried . . .” he goes on to say no holding back no reservation, here are the facts of the word of God. He comes then in verse 32 and 33, “This Jesus God raised up . . . to which we are all witnesses.” “. . . having been exalted to the right hand of God . . .” he sent the Holy Spirit. That bold open presentation of the truth of God.

Come over to chapter four. Peter and John have been arrested. The rulers and leaders in Israel gathered together, Annas verse six of chapter four is there, Caiaphas all who were of high priestly descent. They placed them in the center, what happens? Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them . . . he goes on to clearly present the truth of Christ and no holding back; “the One you crucified,” as we noted when we studied this, “whom God raised from the dead.” Verse 12, “There is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.” Now as they observed the confidence, the boldness of Peter and John they’re speaking with confidence, with boldness. We’re not talking about arrogance, cockiness but that full assurance of the truth of the message, that unashamed presentation of it. Sometimes we can be so timid in trying to get it out, get around it, like were not sure and this is something that maybe you might be interested in. This is the truth of God; let me tell it to you clearly! Even the unbelieving Jews are impacted by the boldness they have in the presentation of this message.

Still in chapter, four look down in verse 29. After they’ve been threaten and warned not to preach and so on, they’re praying now Lord, take note of their threats, “and grant that Your bond-servants may speak your word with all confidence” . . . with all boldness. The same word our translators go back and forth between bold and confident but the same Greek word with boldness and down in verse 31. “When they had prayed, the place where they had gathered together was shaken; they were filled with the Holy Spirit and they began to speak the word of God with boldness.” We ought not to be ashamed to speak up. We want to follow the pattern of the Book of Acts have a church like the Book of Acts a life like those so greatly used of God in the early years of the church. We need to be bold with the truth that God has given us. Remember Paul wrote to Timothy and reminded him God has not given us a spirit of timidity that’s not from God. When the Holy Spirit is controlling a life there is boldness with the truth of God and it characterizes these men in their ministry.

Over in chapter nine of Acts verse 27. Here Barnabas introducing Paul to the leadership in Jerusalem. “Barnabas took hold of him brought him to the apostles and described to them how he had seen the Lord on the road and that He had talked to him and how at Damascus he had spoken out boldly in the name of Jesus. And he was with them moving about freely in Jerusalem speaking out boldly in the name of the Lord.” We don’t have to say, “well boy what do we need for the church to be like the church in its early years as recorded in the Book of Acts.” We need to be bold with the word that God has entrusted to us, not timid, not afraid, not ashamed, bold. Oh, I don’t want people to think that I think I’m right. I don’t think I’m right I think God’s right and I’m not here to tell someone what I think; I’m here to tell people what God has said and that’s what you are to do. Right? Those we have contact with; not a matter of sharing opinions. This person has their opinion I have my opinion, someone else has their opinion; it doesn’t matter, here’s what God says we need to be bold with that truth.

Over in chapter 13 verse 46, Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly—spoke out boldly, and said. “It was necessary that the word of God first be spoken to you; since you repudiate it judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we are turning to the Gentiles.”

They go on to give out the word of the Lord, the word of the Lord in verse 48, verse 49. Boldly-Boldly not backing up not becoming timid in the face of opposition, rejection. We lose our confidence and we say well maybe, maybe it’s the way I do it, maybe--well get good at it! Stand in front of a mirror and preach the gospel to yourself. Look at yourself in the eyes in the mirror and speak out the gospel so that it’s second nature it rolls off it just comes out of your mouth. How do we get so good at talking about other things, the football game? Did you watch the game? Oh yeah and there we go we don’t have to stop and think what would I say, how would I say well yeah, I guess I did watch the game didn’t I but no, when we get to the gospel, I’m not sure. Get sure! How can you be bold about something you don’t know about? I mean it ought to be second nature, first nature. It ought to just come right off our lips here’s an opportunity here I am with the gospel, boldly not trying to figure out now what should I say, oh boy here how would I approach? No, as I say get in front of a mirror get used to hearing yourself talking out-loud. Here’s the truth of God this is the word of God. When God tells you the way, were going to talk about that expression, to heaven here’s what God says. Just keep going over it and over it and over it look yourself in the eye so you don’t have your head down like you’re afraid. Look at yourself in the eye in the mirror so you can do it so when you’re out you just talk the gospel it just comes out I’m ready to talk, yes wherever all the time speaking out boldly.

Come over to chapter 14 verse three. “Therefore, they spent a long time there speaking boldly with reliance upon the Lord who was testifying to the word of His grace.” We don’t want to lose sight of the fact, “God it’s Your word; only You can enable me empower me. Lord, I don’t do this in my natural abilities, my natural strength but because You will enable me as Your spokesman to speak boldly” but then I have to prepare myself. He’s given me the word. Well I’m just praying the Lord will give me opportunity. The Lord gives me opportunities. They’re by me before I knew it was an opportunity because what? Well you know I’m never quite sure how to get into it, what to say. Do it! Get ready! They’re speaking boldly. One thing we should not be, we must not be ashamed of is the truth of God. If we’re not clear on it, how will the world ever come to understand the truth? Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of Christ Romans 10 tells us. We have to be clear with that. If we as believers don’t give a clear message how will the unbelieving world hear and know if we’re muddled with the message, how are they going to hear it?

Over in chapter 18 one more passage and we’ll get back to chapter 19. Chapter 18 verse 26 characterized Apollos. He didn’t have full understanding yet but with all the knowledge, he had of the word of God up to this point. “He began to speak out boldly in the synagogue.” Then they explained the word of God to him more accurately and he goes on with his ministry. God uses those that are not ashamed of Him, of His word, of the truth, not embarrassed to be associated with the message. Oh, I wouldn’t, I’m not embarrassed about Christ I just don’t—I find it hard to talk to people and like I say we have to get over it. I had to get over it. You know I didn’t like talking to people, I didn’t like—I was never up in front of people. I have to get over it.

Now I’m not saying you have to be a preacher in a formal sense like I am but we have to be bold with the truth. I mean people ought to see it in us not that their cocky with the truth. Not that they are self-confident but we have such confidence in God and the truth that He has given and we have become so immersed in this truth and this message that it is the thing we know best. I may not be able to talk much about this, about this, or about this but I can talk about the gospel at the drop of a hat. I am there on the gospel boldly and confidently.

So back to Acts 19. You know we read these things and we say, “oh, that’s wonderful and he was speaking out boldly for three months. That’s great!” Well but the Spirit of God put it here, not just as a history lesson, but so that we would benefit and learn and so that we might be used of God. You remember Paul ….. the Corinthians evidently didn’t think he was much to look at or much of a speaker but for some reason we look at him and who had a greater impact on his world than Paul. The Corinthians and those who were influenced by him said he’s not much of a speaker and he’s not much to look at but he writes pretty good letters but here’s a man who comes into town and preaches the gospel. People get saved what was it about him it wasn’t about his looks it wasn’t about his eloquence. What did he say to the Corinthians? “I determined to know nothing among you but Jesus Christ, and Him crucified.” Well that’s simple enough for any of us as believers just be bold with the message of the cross so Paul was “speaking out boldly for three months reasoning and persuading them about the kingdom of God.”

You have to know the truth. If we’re ignorant of the word of God we won’t be effective with the word of God so that’s why we want to be immersed in the word and the truth. Paul can take these Jews and take them through the Scriptures as we’ve seen in earlier examples starting with Peter in Acts chapter two, showing them what the Old Testament Scripture says and how Christ fulfilled that and so on. He’s explaining that and about the kingdom of God, how the kingdom of God can explain the Messiah had to come and suffer and die so He could provide redemption so that when He comes to establish the kingdom there are people who have been redeemed by God’s grace. This is not in conflict with what the Scriptures prophesied about the Messiah coming to rule and reign. This is a necessary part of that because He must first come, suffer, and die because you must be redeemed to be prepared for the kingdom. What’s the message of John the Baptist; “repent” but what will be the provision for God to declare us forgiven? It will be the finished work of Christ on the cross. Persuading them about the coming kingdom. You know interesting Paul goes into these areas. People think today, prophecy, we’ve been talking about prophecy in our studies and here He is talking about prophetic matters in the kingdom of God. The truth of God we want to know it from beginning to end to the best of our ability.

Verse 9, “but when some were becoming hardened and disobedient, speaking evil of the Way before the people, he withdrew from them and took away the disciples, reasoning daily in the school Tyrannus.” Three months! You think well wow! There’s going to be a great response in the synagogue but there are two kinds of responses. Those who see their sin and the truth of the gospel and believe in Christ and those who don’t and there are both here and the word of God always works that way. It softens some, it hardens others and the truth of the matter is it hardens more than it softens. That’s what Jesus said when He talked about the broad gate, the broad way, the narrow gate, and the narrow way.

Come over to 2 Corinthians a passage we often refer to, 2 Corinthians chapter two verse 14. “But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and manifests through us the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place.” Always, in every place, we’re making Jesus Christ known. That would be Paul’s motto: Always in every place. We’re giving off the fragrance of the knowledge of Christ. We are a fragrance of Christ to God. That’s the prime focus. God is pleased when we’re talking about His Son, when we’re telling others about His Son. “We are a fragrance of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing.” You’ll note the pleasing fragrance is the same to God, its impact upon man varies. An aroma of life-to-life, death-to-death. Who is adequate for these things?

You know every time I talk about Christ something happens. It either softens or it hardens; softens or hardens something always happens when you talk to someone about Jesus Christ. “Who is adequate for these things” at the end of verse eight? We’re talking about the things that matter for eternity. Heaven and hell the eternal destiny of people. This may be the only time they will hear the message with this clarity. Who is adequate for these things?

Paul says we are “not like the many,” the hoypoloi “peddling the word of God,” acting as hucksters with the word, adulterating it making adjustments so it will be more pleasing to people. No, that’s Paul’s boldness. We are speaking as from sincerity; we’re transparent with the word. As from God, we speak in Christ in the sight of God. Down in verse five. “Not that we are adequate” chapter three. “Not that we are adequate in ourselves to consider anything as coming from ourselves but our adequacy is from God who has made us adequate as servants of a new covenant.” That’s where our adequacy comes from. We don’t go out because we have this ability and I am just a gifted person to talk to people about this. We go out with our weakness our frailties but God makes us adequate and He has as servants of the new covenant and the finished work of Christ

Back in Acts chapter 19. What’s happening? Some were becoming hardened. Today we’d have meetings and discussions and people would write books of why people get hardened because if your church doesn’t do this, doesn’t do that, or does this, it’s too traditional. The message is too much this, the music is too much that, we’re looking for all kinds of reasons. We ignore the word of God. The word of God hardens people who continue to resist it who refuse to bow before it and place their faith in the Savior. When they become hardened, they become disobedient and then they begin to speak evil of it. So you know over time they hear it, they become hardened to it they become more active in their opposition to it and then they become more overt in speaking evil of the way. It’s the common designation of the gospel. It is the way. What are we doing? We are telling people the way; the way that God has established.

Back in Acts chapter 18 verse 25 concerning Apollos. “This man had been instructed in the way of the Lord;” up until the teaching of John the Baptist that’s as far but he’s talking about the way of the Lord. Down in verse 26 “Priscilla and Aquila” at the end of the verse “explain to him the way of God more accurately.” God’s message of life, come back to John 14, John’s Gospel chapter 14 verses we’ve referred to a number of times in our prophetic study where Jesus said “In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so I would have told you; I go to prepare a place for you . . .” and so on. Verse four “You know the way where I am going.” “Thomas said to Him, ‘Lord, we do not know where You are going, how do we know the way?’” “Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, the truth and the life . . .’” We’re talking about the way to God, the way of salvation, the way the Lord has provided for us to come to Him. It is the way.

Come back to chapter nine of Acts verse two. Saul before his conversion got letters from the high priest to carry on his persecution up to Damascus and in verse two, “he asked for letters from him, from the high priest to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, he might bring them to Jerusalem.” The “Way” you see that was clear, they’re talking about the Way. The way to God, the way to life. Chapter 19 where we are. Come down to verse 23. “About that time there occurred no small disturbance concerning the Way.” Over in chapter 22 verse four. Paul giving his testimony said, “I persecuted this Way to the death . . .” his opposition to the message. Chapter 24 verse 14. “But this I admit to you, that according to the Way which they call a sect, I do serve the God of our fathers . . .” Down in verse 22. “But Felix, having a more exact knowledge about the Way, put them off” . . . so this message it is about the Way. The Way, the way to God, the way to life, the way to heaven, the way that God has provided for man to be saved. There is only one-way; it is through the narrow gate and down the narrow road.

Come back to Acts 19. They oppose this three months. Paul do something wrong. Boy if he had made some adjustments maybe he could have had a long ministry in this synagogue. Maybe he was too bold. One thing about Paul, he was willing to let God do the work that only God could do. He’s a spokesman, he gives out the word and God does with the word what He will. If He withholds His saving grace here, these individuals in their sinful condition become more disobedient, more hardened and more opposed to the truth. Paul leaves the synagogue, took the disciples, those who were believers. They had believers before he came and those who had been converted under his ministry. He took the disciples.

No longer, would they be meeting in the synagogue and he goes to the school of Tyrannus. We don’t know about this school; it could be a place where Tyrannus taught. That Greek word “school” we just transliterated it basically over and that’s where we get the English word, school— Greek word. The school of Tyrannus, perhaps a building that had that name because it was associated with a teacher named after a teacher. We don’t know. There is a late manuscript from the 5th or 6th century so it’s quite a bit later but it does insert that Paul did this from eleven to four daily. Interesting thing about that, that would have been the time of rest in those days where they worked early and then they took an extended rest in the middle of the day.

Remember they didn’t have air conditioning and all those things but that was a rest time. Siesta as they would have it maybe in the south, the southern countries, and then they would go back to work so some speculate that if that is a true tradition, Paul would have worked at his trade in the morning. Then, this would have been a time when people would have been available because that was a break time. They could use that break time to come and he would be teaching. What his schedule was, we don’t know for sure, but that was an early observation.

Paul is ministering here in the school of Tyrannus daily so he’s a busy person as he often had to support himself as he ministered the truth here, there, everyday meeting, sharing the word, sharing the word, sharing the word. I sometimes wonder what he’d think with our schedules. How often do you get together? You know they are together regularly in the word, teaching presenting the gospel. This took place for two years. I have a ministry going on here, giving out the word, giving out the word, giving out the word. God is blessing it. I don’t know how many are saved over all but there are many churches established.

All those who lived in Asia heard the word of God so were over here in Asia. We don’t have the other cities on here but the seven churches of Asia, Colossi, Paul wrote a letter, Laodicea, Heirapolis and what evidently happened Paul doesn’t go out to these additional cities but people are here, hearing Paul. He has associates that do carry the word of God out, people who get saved to go out perhaps come to Ephesus for business whatever get exposed to Paul’s ministry, get saved go back. Epaphras is one who had a ministry. Turn over to Colossians. Colossi was one of the cities of Asia. Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians. Paul later writes a letter to the Colossians and he mentions some things here that let us know some of what was going on when he ministered there. In Colossians chapter one and he’s in a section giving thanks to God since he heard; verse four, “since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus” and so on so Paul’s heard of it, it’s not because of his direct ministry there. He hasn’t been there but down in verse seven, at the end of verse six he’s talking about the “gospel bearing fruit in their lives.”

“Since the day, you heard and understood the grace of God in truth: just as you learned it from Epaphras, our beloved fellow bond-servant, who is a faithful servant of Christ on our behalf.” The way that’s put would indicate that when Paul was there carrying on a ministry, there were individuals, Epaphras being one, who went out but Paul stayed in Ephesus ministering but those associated with him would go and carry the gospel to another city in Asia Minor. Epaphras went to Colossi and carried the gospel there. Over in chapter two verse one. “For I want you to know how great a struggle I have on your behalf and for those who are at Laodicea,” another one of the churches mentioned in Revelation three, “and for all those who have not personally seen my face.” So you see, here’s another church in Asia. It says all Asia heard the word but Paul hadn’t been there because they hadn’t seen him personally. Over in Colossians chapter four verse 12. “Epaphras, who is one of your number, a bond-slave of Jesus Christ sends his greetings.” Verse 13, “I testify for him that he has a deep concern for you and for those who are in Laodicea and Hierapolis.” This is another city in Asia so Epaphras has had a great ministry there, the one from Colossi, and has carried the gospel back to Colossi.

You just get an idea as we come back to Acts 19 how the word of God was carried out. We’re told “all who lived in Asia heard the word of God” in verse 10 “both Jews and Greeks.” Even though Paul stays in Ephesus, other believers, faithful servants of the Lord took the gospel out and evangelized this area; it was a great ministry because churches are started. We have letters to the seven churches and there are more than just the seven churches. Hierapolis is mentioned as having believers there and so on so great ministry going on.

All right, what is happening? The focus is on people hearing the word of God. You’ll note, “they all who lived in Asia heard the word of the Lord.” That’s what has to happen. Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of Christ. That’s what we have to do! It’s a simple plan, people have to hear the gospel. No one gets saved without hearing the message of Christ. I mean that’s what we have to do, tell them, that’s what we’re doing, telling them, telling them.

Go tell them, “here’s what God is doing to support the ministry.” Remember these are days before we have the word of God complete and so He validates this new revelation. He’s giving particularly through Paul here by signs wonders and miracles. So verse eleven, “God was performing extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul, so that handkerchiefs or aprons were even carried from his body to the sick, and diseases left them and evil spirits went out.” So remarkable. Similar with Peter’s ministry back in Acts 5 where people brought the sick out hoping his shadow would fall on them. Not to mark these men out as something special in and of themselves but to validate them as God’s messengers.

How do you sort out in all that’s going on and in all the different religious ideas and that and the truth from error? Well you had the Old Testament, which was the truth of God, and now you have new revelation being given and Him validating that revelation in the ministry of His servants by true miracles. They’re irrefutable and here the handkerchiefs, the aprons, most think these would have been associated with Paul’s ministry in tent making or leather working. The handkerchief would be more like the headscarf that would be tied around the head to keep the sweat from coming down into your eyes and so on. The apron is one of the garments he would have used or rags that would have used in connection with his ministry or his work and so their connection with him.

We say, “well that sounds a little bit you know almost magical but his is a genuine miracle.” What is it doing? It’s validating Paul as a true servant of God declaring that the message that he is preaching is one to be believed and that’ll contrast the people that are in the magical realm false religion trying to promote themselves as having power from God. You have some Jewish exorcists, verse 13, but also some of the Jewish exorcists, who went from place to place, attempted to name over those who had the evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, “I adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preaches.” They say well “he cast out evil spirits,” at the end of verse 12, “in the name of Christ so we can do that.” When you get into magic, having the right formula becomes key. That’s why to these exorcists and sorcerers keeping their magical formulas secret was important, the power of having that, so they think here we can use the name of Jesus like as though there is some magic in that.

“Seven sons of one Sceva, a Jewish chief priest,” one of the Jewish leading priests and you realize how pagan Judaism had become. You have sevens sons of one Sceva, a Jewish chief priest doing this. They’re going around as exorcists. I mean they’re just promoting this pagan idea trying to what? Trying to get people to think they do something like we see the hucksters today on TV and that. They’ve a rag and water and they’re touching the TV or whatever, you know they’re going to do it so I love the way they put it. “I adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preaches.” They don’t preach Jesus but maybe there’s some kind of magical ability in this. The evil spirit answered and said to them, “I recognize Jesus, and I know about Paul, but who are you?” Almost humorous but the reality of it. The evil spirit knows whom Jesus Christ is, knows who Paul is but who are you? In other words, they recognize the authority of Christ they recognize the authority of Paul as the servant of Christ but you don’t have any power “and the man, in whom was the evil spirit, leaped on them and subdued all of them overpowered them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.” There’s no recognition here of who they are but there is a recognition they don’t have power; the work of the evil spirits is real. “They overpowered the men the seven sons. They are beaten their clothes are torn off they run out naked.” What’s it showing; the contrast between Paul’s ministry and these hucksters who would try to incorporate the name of Jesus into their pagan practice as though just adding that; well if the name of Jesus works we’ll add that too and we can cast out spirits using that name? Whatever works we do it but it doesn’t work and God makes a clear distinction between them. It’s common in the gospels the demons recognize who Jesus Christ is. They continue to oppose the work that Christ is doing but they know who Jesus is.

Come back to Mark 1:24 “What business do we have with each other” . . . this is when Jesus is in the synagogue and He’s casting out the unclean spirit out of a man and the unclean spirit cries out, “What business do we have with each other Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God?” “Jesus rebuked him, saying, ‘Be quiet, and come out of him!’ You see the demons recognized Him but Jesus is unwilling to have the testimony of demons even as at Philippi in Acts 16 Paul was unwilling to have the testimony of the demon possessed girl. Now what the demon says here is true, there’s nothing wrong with the theology, He is the holy One of God. He is the One who has the power to destroy the demons and He will one day cast them into hell so there’s a recognition there. Matthew chapter eight verse 29 and Luke chapter 4 verse 41 gives similar incidents.

Come back to Acts 19. This is consistent, this manifestation and support. Paul in 2 Corinthians told the Corinthian’s the “signs of a true apostle were performed among you” . . . by signs and wonders and miracles that validated his ministry as an apostle. These false teachers could not reproduce it, as the demons have no respect for them. This manifestation of demons characteristic of this period of time associated with the first coming of Christ to earth and the result the establishing of the church.

Demonic activity is still fully operational today although the overt recognition is not as clear to us as it was in those days, even as the personal bodily presence of Christ on earth is not the same today but there is the clear demonstration of the power of the gospel over demonic power even at this early time. Verse 17 tells us in Acts 19—“this became known to all, both Jews and Greeks, who lived in Ephesus; and fear fell upon them all and the name of the Lord Jesus was being magnified.” This clearly demonstrated the power of God. They recognized there is something different about the ministry of Paul and those connected with him. They’re afraid of opposing it the name of the Lord Jesus was being magnified and many people are being saved.

Many of those who had believed kept coming, confessing and disclosing their practices. They’re being saved out of this paganism. Many of those who practices magic brought their books together began burning them in the sight of everyone so you see “I’ve been saved out of my wretchedness, my falseness.” They bring all associated with their false practices, they commit it to the fire, and it’s quite a sum of money; they counted up the price of them and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver. You know we’re not sure how to identify that is this a denarii is this a drachma what is the piece of silver the particular coinage? However, we look at it, it’s a large sum of money. One commentator taking it says it would amount to fifty thousand days wages. Another put it this way. A man working seven days a week it would be pay for him for a hundred and thirty seven years. It’s a large sum of money. Now we would say boy maybe they ought to have sold those to the people who don’t get saved and then they could have used it for the work of the Lord. There is a complete break with paganism.

You know we think today people get saved, nothing changes, and they stay in their false system and their false religious practices but they’re saved now. You don’t find that in the scripture. When you are brought out of darkness into light, you see and people who don’t see have never come out of the darkness into light. Here they are they’re bringing those things associated with their former religious practices and the financial cost and think of how much. I mean Ephesus was known for these kinds of practices. These are only the believers, you’ve got this amount of money invested in these things, and they’re consigned to the fire.

I mentioned – come over to 1 Thessalonians chapter one. We read this in our study earlier today, Paul talking about the testimony of the salvation of the Thessalonians in chapter one and verse five. He says “our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction; and the result of the power of the gospel in their lives,” verse seven, “you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia.” Verse nine, “for they themselves report about us what kind of reception we had with you,” and note, “how you turned to God from idols to serve a living and true God.”

You know we have just washed out the truth of Christianity by the idea, “well people they made a decision but they’re still in their paganism” and so we want to start calling them believers. I mean when they got saved they realized whatever the financial cost—it’s like Paul when he got saved, “I count all that I have but dung” (refuse) in Philippians three “for the surpassing value of the knowledge of Christ.” You know we don’t have true conversion we’ve a Christianizing of paganism. The gospel changes a life as we sang in the song from the inside out. “If any man be in Christ he is a new creature; a new creation old things have passed away behold new things have come.” We’ve created some kind of Christianity that is a comfortable Christianity and nothing changes. Nothing has to change in your life.

You don’t change your life to become a Christian but when you become a true Christian, you are born again by the power of God. You are made new and everything does change and your religion changes. You are now a worshipper of the true and living God, a follower of Jesus Christ. You don’t remain a liberal protestant, a Roman Catholic, any other system you come out. Amen? Thank you, there’s two of us. Now we’ve evangelical or Christian Mormons. What in the world? Where does it stop? We don’t want to be viewed narrow. You don’t have to come to our church, you don’t have to come to our church but if you truly get saved, you get out of that pagan group you belong to and get to a church where the word of God is believed and taught. There are no options.

They think, here Paul would say some of you, you know you may not want to leave you’re sorcery and your magical practices and I know you have a lot of money tied up so you know as long as you’ve trusted Christ…. That’s what is important you just go on and maybe down the road the Lord will lead you out of it. I don’t find that so we want to present a true Christianity unashamedly. Yes, Jesus Christ will change your life and if he didn’t change your life, that salvation wouldn’t be worth anything. He makes you so different he says you’re a new creature a new creation you’re born again, now you’re a child of God. You’ve been brought out of darkness into light now you’ve been set apart from Him. You are a holy one a saint set apart by God for Himself. Life will never be the same. Would we want it to be the same?

We ought to be bold with the truth of the gospel, the power of the gospel changes lives. It’s changing lives here at Ephesus. They brought it so verse 20 ends this section “so the word of God was growing mightily and prevailed.” What is growing mightily and prevailing? The word of God-the word of God-the word of God-the word of God. You can go to churches that claim to be evangelical and bible believing and hear nothing but sawdust, trivia, and drivel. Is it any wonder that nothing happens? The word of God was growing mightily and prevailing. That word of God that Paul was speaking out boldly in verse eight. That word of God that was hardening some, bringing out their disobedience, causing them to become more overt in their opposition, but the word of God is growing mightily and prevailing and here we are today. Why? Because the word of God was growing mightily and prevailing. Other things have come and gone but the word of God endures forever.

Let us pray together: Thank You Lord for the great honor and privilege not, only, of our salvation but also the privilege of being entrusted, we these earthen vessels entrusted with the glorious treasure the truth of the gospel. Thank You for your word. Thank You for opening our blinded eyes to see and believe the truth concerning Your Son. Thank You for making us lights in the midst of the darkness of this world to tell others, men, women, young people old people boldly unashamedly the truth of the gospel that You might use that message to accomplish the work that only You can do. Use us to that end in the days of the week before us we pray in Christ’s name. Amen.


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