The Power

Fully Devoted: A Study in Acts  •  Sermon  •  Submitted
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The fully devoted follower recognizes the power of Jesus’ name and releases the pieces of the old life in order to live Jesus-first.  


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We find Paul in the city of Ephesus. When he came to the city he found some who were disciples of John the Baptist, but who had not yet heard of Jesus. Paul explains to them the gospel, they believe, are baptized, and the Holy Spirit falls on them similar what he had done at Pentecost. Paul continued teaching daily for more than two years and he saw a fruitful ministry begin to grow.
Acts 19:11-20
11 And God was doing extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul, 12 so that even handkerchiefs or aprons that had touched his skin were carried away to the sick, and their diseases left them and the evil spirits came out of them. 13 Then some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists undertook to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, “I adjure you by the Jesus whom Paul proclaims.” 14 Seven sons of a Jewish high priest named Sceva were doing this. 15 But the evil spirit answered them, “Jesus I know, and Paul I recognize, but who are you?” 16 And the man in whom was the evil spirit leaped on them, mastered all of them and overpowered them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded. 17 And this became known to all the residents of Ephesus, both Jews and Greeks. And fear fell upon them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was extolled. 18 Also many of those who were now believers came, confessing and divulging their practices. 19 And a number of those who had practiced magic arts brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. And they counted the value of them and found it came to fifty thousand pieces of silver. 20 So the word of the Lord continued to increase and prevail mightily.

Introduction

Ajibola
Perhaps you’ve heard stories similar to what I heard from Ajibola. Maybe it was from a missionary speaker who ministers in an exotic country.
I come away with this thought:
If the story is true, then how do I live in THAT kind of power?
**The fully-devoted follower recognizes the power of Jesus’ name and releases the pieces of the old life in order to live Jesus-first.**

We should not walk in the spiritual world blindly. (11-12)

11 And God was doing extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul, 12 so that even handkerchiefs or aprons that had touched his skin were carried away to the sick, and their diseases left them and the evil spirits came out of them.
Does anyone else wrestle with this idea?
My dad used to carry a handkerchief and I can guarantee you it did not carry anything miraculous!
Word here is the idea of a sort of sweatband or belt that Paul used while working - gross!
Many scholars struggle with this passage - some more liberal deny it actually happened - we shouldn’t use it as prescriptive (Pastor Tom sweatbands for sale)
The only other example of something similar is found in with Jesus and the woman with the issue of blood who touched Jesus’ garment and was healed.
Why I don’t believe it is a myth:
difficulty of the passage lends to its authenticity
Luke, the Greek doctor, would have explored the more naturalistic explanation before writing what he did.
The reason why God worked this way at Ephesus - Ephesus was steeped in magic - God was working within the culture to make the name of Jesus great.
Two things are the
Two things to not walk blindly:
Be Aware
There are two equal and opposite errors into which our race can fall about the devils. One is to disbelieve in their existence. The other is to believe, and to feel an excessive and unhealthy interest in them. They themselves are equally pleased by both errors and hail a materialist or a magician with the same delight.
— C. S. Lewis, The Screwtape Letters
We don’t often see events of the spiritual world play out around us for two main reasons:
Miracles to the frequency of that which we see here typically accompany new works of God that they might be an authentication of his work or his workers.
I believe we typically don’t see the spiritual world so visibly around us today because we don’t need to.
Satan knows that a culture that prides itself on being both naturalistic and scientific will not find attractive manifestations of the spiritual world.
Ephesians 6:12
12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, (not sometimes it is spiritual warfare) but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.
Whether we have seen it or not, we must not be blind to the reality that the spiritual world is not “out there” but “right here.”
ILLUST - Band of Brothers: Easy Company arrives at one edge of a town and are to rendezvous with another group of soldiers at the other end of town. They weren’t expecting a large group of German infantry with heavy guns and tanks swarming all over the middle of the town. Recognizing that if they can’t make contact with the other group of soldiers they may be abandoned, one young Lt. decides to run straight through the center of town - running right past the Germans and right next to their tanks. He was able to accomplish his mission of delivering the message and run back without being shot because the enemy was either too distracted or too stunned by his presence in their midst to do anything.
I feel it is similar for the church only in reverse order. The war is raging around us and we are oblivious or too stunned to actually engage and make any sort of difference.
Be Prepared
Ephesians 6:10-18
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. . . 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. 14 Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. 16 In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; 17 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, 18 praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints,
The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), .
The question is not “IF you will encounter spiritual warfare,” but “how are you currently engaged with spiritual warfare?”
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. 14 Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. 16 In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; 17 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, 18 praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, 19 and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.
The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Eph 6:10–20.
Today, right now, we are engaged in spiritual warfare.

We cannot take the name of Jesus lightly. (13-16)

“What’s in a name?”
ILLUST - Dickinson t-shirts
Recognize its power
13 Then some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists undertook to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, “I adjure you by the Jesus whom Paul proclaims.”
Ephesus was known for its magical arts.
Often, If someone was thought to be oppressed or possessed by an evil spirit, an exorcist would attempt to invoke the name of a more powerful spirit to cast out the old spirit.
They believed that by invoking the name of a spirit - calling out to it - they could manipulate and control the power of that spirit.
We have evidence of ancient magical texts attempting to figure out the name of the Jewish God - as the Jews understood God’s name to be so holy that they would not write it out, these magicians would write out every possible name of God by inserting vowels — hoping to use the power of the Jewish God.
We also have evidence of magical exorcists using Jesus’ name as well.
It is not the name itself that has the power - it is all that the name represents
The name of Jesus points to the Person of Jesus
Philippians 2:1-11
Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Respect its purpose
14 Seven sons of a Jewish high priest named Sceva were doing this (exorcism using Jesus’ name)
seven sons - or seven partners
Sceva - not THE official Jewish high priest - may not have been a priest - may have used the title thinking people would respect it more.
16 And the man in whom was the evil spirit leaped on them, mastered all of them and overpowered them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.
The power of Jesus’ name is not for our own desires. You can’t use the name of Jesus for personal gain.
How do we use Jesus’ name for personal gain
Receive it personally
Just because you know OF Jesus does not know you know Jesus.
15 But the evil spirit answered them, “Jesus I know, and Paul I recognize, but who are you?”
The demons know Jesus
19 You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder!
The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), .
Luke 4:31
31 And he went down to Capernaum,. . . 33 And in the synagogue there was a man who had the spirit of an unclean demon, and he cried out with a loud voice, 34 “Ha! What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? . . .
The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), .
Do the demons know you?
How? Why did they know Paul?
Hell staff meeting?
I wasn to become so dangerous to the hordes of hell that I make it to the demons’ wattch
If you are not covered by the blood of Jesus through trusting in him, then working in the spiritual world is a great danger!
The name of Jesus is the power for:
Freedom
Healing
Salvation
Acts 4:12
12 And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

We must rid ourselves of anything that hinders from following Jesus fully. (17-20)

17 And this became known to all the residents of Ephesus, both Jews and Greeks. And fear fell upon them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was extolled.
side note - the result of spiritual warfare should ALWAYS be that Jesus name is made famous - not yours, not mine.
“extolling” - mega
What would be your reaction if you saw the spiritual world open up right before you?
fear - not of God’s goodness or lack thereof but fear / awe of God’s greatness
18 Also many of those who were now believers came, confessing and divulging their practices. 19 And a number of those who had practiced magic arts brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all.
17 And this became known
What is the ‘this’ that caused fear among the believers?
That the demons were so powerful? No, they were believers - it was clear that Jesus was most powerful.
That the name of Jesus couldn’t be manipulated and used for magical purposes. No, they ‘extolled’ the name of Jesus.
It seems to be that these men were dabbling with Jesus as magic instead of being fully devoted to him as Lord.
T
side note - the result of spiritual warfare should ALWAYS be that Jesus name is made famous - not yours, not mine.
“extolling” - mega
What we see here is an awakening for the believers in Ephesus.
These were believers who trusted in Jesus AND held onto the things of their old life which they trusted in as well.
To trust in Jesus AND something else is to NOT trust in Jesus at all
Jesus + bank account
Jesus + our spouse
Jesus + my job
To fully commit to Jesus is not without sacrifice, however.
And they counted the value of them and found it came to fifty thousand pieces of silver.
about 50,000 day’s wages = $7 million!
These were believers who trusted in Jesus AND held onto the things of their old life which they trusted in as well.
They ha
To trust in Jesus AND something else is to NOT trust in Jesus at all
Jesus + bank account
Jesus + our spouse
Jesus + my job
**The fully devoted follower recognizes the power of Jesus’ name and releases the pieces of the old life in order to live Jesus-first.** 
Release of comfort
Conclusion
20 So the word of the Lord continued to increase and prevail mightily.
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