2023-05-07 Abusing the Name of Christ

ABUSING THE NAME OF CHRIST (Acts 19:11-20) Date: ____________________ Read Acts 19:11-20 - One prosperity gospel preacher (Norvel Hayes) says one should not pray to God about your problems, but talk to the disease, or checkbook, or whatever directly. "Don't say, 'Oh, God, remove this sickness from me.' Say, 'Flu, I refuse to let you in. Go from me in the name of Jesus! Nose, stop running. Cough, leave me in Jesus' name.' Say, 'Cancer, you can't kill me. I will never die of cancer in Jesus' name'." I can think of no greater abuse of the name of Christ than that - to use his name to play God. Adherents to the prosperity gospel love Jn 16:23b: "Truly, truly, I say to you, whatever you ask of the Father in my name, he will give it to you." They say, "See, just say, 'In Jesus name' and you can have whatever you want." But they fail on 2 counts. First, we must always use Scripture to interpret Scripture. This promise is qualified elsewhere like I Jn 5:14: "And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us." It's not our will but God's will we seek in prayer. That's what it means to pray "in Jesus' name." It's not a formula; it's submission. Notice our text at 17b: "and the name of the Lord Jesus was extolled." How did that happen? By someone using Jesus' name like magic, or by humble submission to the sovereignty of God? Using Jesus' name like a magic formula can only lead to disaster. To pray in the name of Jesus means to seek the Father's will - just as He did. His name is not a magic incantation. The desire to control God by saying, "in Jesus' name" is folly. Here Luke shows us the Real Thing, the Satanic Counterfeit and the Appropriate Reaction. I. The Supernatural Standard (The Real Thing) The real thing's astounding. God was "doing extraordinary miracles" - literally displays of power, not ordinary - thru Paul. But please note: God was doing it; Paul was the instrument. People were being healed at Paul's hands, and demons were being exorcised. It was an amazing display - God's power! But some, who were unable to come to Paul, got hold of "handkerchiefs or aprons" that he wore and these became instruments of healing. These were the tools of Paul's trade. "Handkerchief" (σουδάριον) was a word derived from Latin carrying the root meaning of sweat. This was a sweatband, or cloth Paul used to wipe away the sweat from his tentmaking. Aprons were protective pieces of leather. Both became channels for the power of God in this unique situation. As the sick or demonized people touched them, they were healed. Now, things to note. First, the healing is initiated by God, not Paul. Paul preached, but at times, God's power broke forth unexpectedly - not compelled, but sovereignly bestowed. Second, there is no sign Paul advertised this, encouraged it or that it became a normal part of his evangelism. Third, note the healings are undeniable. immediate and thorough. There are no theatrics; no partial healings or healings that failed later. Everyone was amazed at this undeserved and unsolicited outpouring of the power of God. So why here and not elsewhere? Bc God was using this means at this time to authenticate the message and the messenger. Paul later says: II Cor 12:12: "The signs of a true apostle were performed among you with utmost patience, with signs and wonders and mighty works." God wasn't doing mighty works through just any and everybody. They were particular to the apostles as bringing a message from God. It was intended to elicit faith. Heb 2:3 "how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? It was declared at first by the Lord, and it was attested to us by those who heard, 4 while God also bore witness by signs and wonders and various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will." These weren't miracles for their own sake; these were signs that Jesus was still at work; that the gospel was true. That was the point. Not the miracles, but the message! So was this a model for gospel presentation? We can't say that. Paul didn't repeat this everywhere. This was a divine outpouring of God's Spirit to bring Ephesians to saving faith. But it was not an ongoing pattern. This was God addressing the inherent ignorance of the Ephesians until, having come to faith in Christ, they could be taught the error of their superstitious ways, as we will see. Meantime, Satan's power was broken and the Word got a hearing. Note the result of all this: 20 So the word of the Lord continued to increase and prevail mightily." The point was to grow the Word of God, not to grow miracles. Even in Jesus' ministry, the Word was the priority. In Mark 1 He heals Peter's mother-in-law. People swarm the house as He heals late into the night. Next morning, the sick are back. But Jesus is gone. The disciples are frantic. They didn't want to waste a great start! But where's Jesus? They found him praying privately. Peter says, Mark 1:37b: "Everyone is looking for you." "Come on, Jesus. People are excited. Don't blow it." But 38 "And he said to them, 'Let us go on to the next towns, that I may preach there also, for that is why I came out.'" The Word was the priority. The miracles affirmed credibility until the NT was written. As that written Word appeared, the miracles diminished. That doesn't mean God never does miracles, but as the written Word appeared, the primary reason for miracles was completed. Miracles are addictive. But the real thing isn't begged for, it's bestowed; it's not partial, it's complete; it's not manipulated, it's poured out; it's not "maybe", it's undeniable. And the greatest miracle of all, which renders the other unnecessary, is the Word. Martin Luther said, "I have covenanted with my Lord that he should not send me visions or dreams or even angels. I am content with this gift of the Scriptures, which supplies all that is necessary, both for this life and that which is to come." That's just another way of saying II Tim 3:16-17: "All Scripture is breathed out by God and is profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness 17) that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work." In the Word, God has given us all we need; anything else is just icing on the cake. II. The Superstitious Substitute (the Satanic counterfeit) Now a humorous interlude. Wherever God is at work, Satan is quick with a counterfeit. He's not a pitch-forked demon dressed in red; he comes as "an angel of light" (II Cor 11:14). He's a counterfeiter who dupes many. Here he works through some itinerant Jewish exorcists with surprising results. Demons are always at work behind the scenes. But during Jesus' ministry and the apostolic age that followed, they were particularly visible, perhaps a result of Satan trying to counter the defeat he knew was imminent with Jesus' appearance. So, Jesus healed many demon-possessed people. And from Lu 11:19 we know others were trying to copy Him. Now, we find some in Ephesus which was rife with superstitious beliefs - a "cesspool of the occult." Ephesus was home to the Temple of Diana, one of the 7 wonders of the ancient world. Longer than a football field with a gorgeous ceiling supported by 127 marbled pillars which rose 60 feet in the air, inlaid with gold and rare gems. It gleamed on a hillside just outside the city, visible for miles. It housed the multi-breasted image of Artemis, supposed to have fallen from the sky, and was a center for temple prostitution. It was a center of superstition and the black arts. Jewish exorcists found a ready audience in Ephesus, as evidenced by ancient magical papyri itemizing various spells to foreign gods. These practitioners are identified as 7 sons of Sceva - a "high priest". These exorcists practiced magic, like Simon the magician in Acts 8 - and like Simon, when they saw God's power, they wanted it. But instead of trying to buy it, they thought it simply involved invoking the name of the Lord Jesus. They saw "Jesus" as a magic name. But they are in for a surprise! 13b) They said, "I adjure you by the Jesus whom Paul proclaims. . . .15 But the evil spirit answered them, "Jesus I know, and Paul I recognize, but who are you?" You can hear the sarcasm. Demons always knew Jesus - like when He confronted a demonized man in the synagogue in Capernaum one day. The demon said, "I know who you are - the Holy One of God" (Lu 4:34b). Demons never doubted that Jesus was the God He claimed to be. These demons knew Paul. He had special power as an apostle, to be used at a special time, prior to the written NT, and a special place - Ephesus, the heart of occult practices. But the demon sneered at the fake: "Jesus I know, and Paul I recognize, but who are you, you little pipsqeak?" F. B. Meyer says it's like the demon says, "You little dwarfs, you lilliputians, who are you? I know Paul! I don't know you, I have never heard about you before; your name has never been talked about down in Hell. No one knows you, nor about you outside of this little bit of a place called Ephesus." He empowers the man to beat them, strip them and run them off. What a picture! And what a warning not to abuse the name of the Lord Jesus like a magic wand. Charlatans still exist, turning God into a sideshow. One "evangelist" offered blessed handkerchiefs, dipped in the Jordan, guaranteed to bring healing -- only $15. He seemingly didn't notice Paul wasn't selling anything. God's power, as shown in Acts 8, isn't for sale. Similar offers of hankies or prayer cloths that have healing power abound - just send your money. It's by God's grace that they're not stripped naked and beaten. It's a test. Will we be fooled by such chicanery, or will we have a relationship where God is in control? Costi Hinn wanted to play pro baseball, buy houses and make money. So, he sowed a seed - working for Uncle Benny as a catcher. He says, "I was the benefactor of the theology we taught which primarily makes Jesus your magic genie. If you rub Him right and do all the right things, He will bless you and you will have everything you want." He was taken in by counterfeit miracles, but he began to see the hard cases shoved aside - began to wonder why they weren't going to hospitals - began to see they were living like kings on money from naïve people who couldn't afford it. One woman said, "I view the HS like the genie of Aladdin." That's treading on dangerous ground. We can have the same cliched prayers. What about "In Jesus name"? Is that a magic phrase to you? Say that, and God is obligated to answer. Guaranteed success. Is that what it means to you? Or does it mean, "I'm here in Jesus' name only - clothed in His righteousness and seeking His will, not mine?" What does it mean to you? Do you use it - or abuse it? Is it real or is it fake? III. The Superlative Submission (the appropriate response) Look what happened when the people realized the folly of their superstitious actions: 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." They brought all their magic incantations, spells, and occult books to the bonfire. They wanted nothing between them and Christ. They didn't try to sell them on the used market. They burned them up! They gave up dabbling in the spirit world except through Christ. They burned up 50,000 pieces of silver - over 150 man-years of labor. They gave up magic for a relationship; they gave up superstition for repentance; they gave up counterfeit for real. So, any superstition in your life? Some of you are messing with the occult - Ouija boards, fortune-telling, horoscopes, dark symbols and satanic games and toys. It's time to burn them. God told Israel in Lev 20:6: "If a person turns to mediums and necromancers, whoring after them, I will set my face against that person and will cut him off from among his people." Some of it's superstition; some of it's real evil spirits; it's all a way of going around God to get something, and God will not long put up with it. But the superstitions don't stop there? Ever say, "God, answer this and I'll go to church every week." "Save my son and I'll give to the school." "God, I've tithed; I've been faithful at home, now you bless my business." Listen - God doesn't do deals. He doesn't have to. He's God. He hears, empathizes, and answers in the way He knows is best, but He doesn't do deals; He's not into magic, and He will not allow Jesus' name to be used and abused. So, some of us need to bring our magic formulas to the bonfire this morning. Confess our sins, give up trying to obligate God and surrender to His great will. Conc - Joel Osteen writes in It's Your Time, "When you're in difficult times, it's good to remind God what you've done. 'God, I kept my family in church. God, I've gone the extra mile to help others. I've given. I've served. I've been faithful.' In your own time of need you should call in all those seeds you've sown." Want to know what God says to that? Mt 7:21 "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 On that day many will say to me, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?' 23 And then will I declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.'" They had superstition; they never had the Savior. They gathered glory to themselves by using and abusing the name of Jesus. They are all around us. Don't be taken in. And make sure it's not you. God doesn't bargain; but He saves to the uttermost those who throw themselves on His mercy. Let's pray. DONE 7