Unusual Miracles
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11 Now God worked unusual miracles by the hands of Paul, 12 so that even handkerchiefs or aprons were brought from his body to the sick, and the diseases left them and the evil spirits went out of them.
Paul was so filled with the Spirit of God that even the things left behind or borrowed from him remained with it's power. Even in Paul's absence, his possessions continued to hold his power and change the lives of others.
Paul was so filled with the Spirit of God that even the things left behind or borrowed from him remained with it's power. Even in Paul's absence, his possessions continued to hold his power and change the lives of others.
Story of the woman who was healed by touching the robe of Jesus. It is our faith in Jesus together with the power of the Holy Spirit that brings healing.
Story of the woman who was healed by touching the robe of Jesus. It is our faith in Jesus together with the power of the Holy Spirit that brings healing.
God works in mysterious ways. Not usually what we expect or would hope to see, God's works are of His own creation and will.
God works in mysterious ways. Not usually what we expect or would hope to see, God's works are of His own creation and will. What the world considers unusual, God considers worthy.
Just like the things that Paul left behind, we are the possessions of God, left behind to change the lives of others through His power. Even after Jesus left, His Spirit continues to work in us. We are unusual miracles! What the world considers unusual, God considers worthy.
13 Then some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists took it upon themselves to call the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, “We exorcise you by the Jesus whom Paul preaches.” 14 Also there were seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, who did so.
Traveling Jewish exorcists - for money, not for souls
'took it upon themselves'
These men thought they would cash in on what Paul was doing by associating themselves with the same Jesus as Paul.
I know a guy who knows a guy!
They were not called by Jesus or sent by Jesus because they did not know Jesus.
How can you speak for someone you have never spoken to?
How can you represent someone you’ve never spent any time with?
Back in my younger days, we would call these guys posers. It’s like the teenagers today who wear old band tshirts, but can’t tell you who was in the band or even name one song the band performed.
Being a skater as a teenager
Just as we would call those guys out, look what happens next:
15 And the evil spirit answered and said, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you?”
Acts 19:15
These men were called out by the evil spirit. Jesus is known, even Paul is known, but these men were not.
What a shot to their ego. I've never even heard of you! You have no business here! Come back when you get a clue! Major league burn!
These men knew of Jesus, but they did not know Jesus. Knowledge is not what makes you a follower of Christ, faith does. Knowledge of Jesus does not change your life, surrender does. Knowledge does not heal the broken, love does. Knowledge does not bring salvation, grace does.
Knowledge will not save you, only Jesus does.
How many people today are trying to use the name Jesus to get out of situations when they have no idea who He is?
How many people call themselves Christians today who do not have a relationship with Christ?
How many people claim to follow Jesus but show nothing of His fruit in their lives?
22 Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’
Wearing Christian tshirts doesn’t make you a Christian. Neither does listening to Christian music, sharing bible verses on social media, or even coming to church.
There’s nothing wrong with these things, I do every single one of them!
If you are here this morning and still trying to figure stuff out, I’m not trying to discourage you. But we need to understand that truly following Christ means more than just knowing about Him, it means spending time with Him. Learning more about Him, and getting to a place where we begin to want the things that He wants. The things that break His heart are the things that break our hearts. We want every piece of our lives to reflect who He is.
Maybe you’re not there yet, and that’s ok. None of us ever really get there completely, but we make the journey on a daily basis because we love Him and we know that He loves us. And we understand that life without Him is not much of a life at all.
16 Then the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, overpowered them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.
These posers were not only outed by the evil spirit but they were attacked and overcome by it. They had no defense, no protection, and no support. They had no power and no response to the attack. They escaped the house, stripped of their clothes and wounded.
Me when I try to act tough to my wife....JK, she has learned how not to leave bruises!
These fakers were outed by the evil spirit and overcome by the attack. They had no defense, no protection, and no support. They escaped the house, stripped of their clothes and wounded.
Tying in to what we talked about last week. Many of us are too easily overcome because of our lack of defense, protection, support, and power. We may know who Jesus is, know what He has done, we may have a bible in our house and we may even go to church, but it's our lack of faith that leaves us vulnerable.
Like Adam and Eve in the garden, without Jesus, we are naked. No matter what we try to cover ourselves up with, nothing this world offers us can protect us or give us the life we were created to live.
17 This became known both to all Jews and Greeks dwelling in Ephesus; and fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified. 18 And many who had believed came confessing and telling their deeds. 19 Also, many of those who had practiced magic brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. And they counted up the value of them, and it totaled fifty thousand pieces of silver. 20 So the word of the Lord grew mightily and prevailed.
God uses all things for His glory. He will use our victories and He will use our mistakes, but He will be glorified and His will be done.
God is calling us to respond!
A true encounter with Jesus produces a true repentance in us. It spurs in us not only a spirit of repentance, but an action and lifestyle of repentance. It makes us fear our lives without Him, causes us to confess our sins and motivates us to leave our old lives behind.
These people counted up the value of everything they had wasted, 50,000 pieces of silver!
And when we take stock of everything that was wasted, We can see just what it costs us to not follow Jesus.
Are you willing to let go of all the things you've wasted your life on?
time, money, effort, tears, hurt, emotions, love, hope, relationships, purpose, life.
Are you willing to let go of all the things you've wasted your life on?
Will you be recognized as Paul was? As a disciple of Jesus.
Is the Spirit of God so powerful in you that it changes the lives of others?
For Christians
If the only time you spend with God and His people is at Sunday church, then you maybe He is not as important to you as you say He is. If God is not working in your life, then He's probably not working through your life. If people don't recognize you as a disciple of Christ, then you have been identifying with the wrong things.
For Everyone
If you are here today and you're tired of wondering where you fit, you're tired of being overlooked, and you're exhausted from being overcome by all that this world is, you're tired of wasting your life on things that will never satisfy in the long term, then please know that Jesus has more in mind for you.
You can change your life today.
Let go of the world, religion and take a hold of Jesus.
We are the unusual miracles of God who the world said:
could never be made whole again,
never have purpose again,
never have hope again,
never be loved again.
But because of Jesus, we have been made perfect again in the eyes of God.
We are the unusual miracles of God created through the hands of others, and we are called and sent to create more miracles in His name. But we must be Of Him, By Him, but must be For Him in order to be With Him.
Do you know who's you are this morning? Do others know who's you are this morning?
Let go of your life and allow Jesus to work His miracle in you.