Untitled Sermon (3)

The Seven That Didn’t Hear from Heaven

Acts 19:11-20 11 And God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul: 12 So that from his body were brought unto the sick handkerchiefs or aprons, and the diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out of them. 13 Then certain of the vagabond Jews, exorcists, took upon them to call over them which had evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth. 14 And there were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jew, and chief of the priests, which did so. 15 And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye? 16 And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, and overcame them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded. 17 And this was known to all the Jews and Greeks also dwelling at Ephesus; and fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified. 18 And many that believed came, and confessed, and shewed their deeds. 19 Many of them also which used curious arts brought their books together, and burned them before all men: and they counted the price of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver. 20 So mightily grew the word of God and prevailed.

Ephesus was a wicked city, a city that was the center for the occult. And Paul was demonstrating God’s power right in Satan’s territory. Please remember wherever God is doing a work, satan always sends a counterfeit to work against what God wills to be done.

Warren Wiersbe’s wrote; “satan imitates whatever God’s people are doing, because he knows that the unsaved world cannot tell the difference”

The Seven that didn’t hear from Heaven: I believe were right at home in Ephesus.

i. Restless men. (v. 13) “Vagabond”

a. This word has an always negative connotation in our day.

b. In the 1600’s when the KJV was being worked on it meant:

i. Nomads. Drifters, Wanderers. Not under any authority.

ii. Respected men. (v. 13) “Exorcists”

a. Professional. Label, Title, Identify…

i. These were high priests sons…probably a member of the Sanhedrin.

b. They used incantations, charms, and were said to be able to set men free…

i. John Phillips “The Jews used the names of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Solomon, and so on. The greatest name is the name of Jesus and, much to the annoyance of the rabbis, some Jewish exorcists tried to enhance their reputation by invoking that all-glorious name.”

iii. Rebellious men. (v.13) “took upon them…”

a. In their own power.

b. Not under anyone’s authority.

The Saddest Part of this story:

It wasn’t the seven Brother’s whose reputation was ruined.

It wasn’t the book sellers and curiosity peddlers that lost their income.

It WAS the man who provided the temple for this evil spirit.

The Man wasn’t affected. “Where there is no power this is no transformation.”

Why was there no Power?

i. There was no Power because there was no Faith!

a. “to call over them…the name of the Lord Jesus…”

b. They were calling Jesus’ name like it was another one their incantations.

i. An Abracadabra or a Hocus Pocus.

ii. There was no Power because there was no Fellowship!

a. “We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth.”

Because there was no power;

They were stripped of their Dignity.

They were Battered and bleeding.

They were Wounded and Weeping.

If we don’t have the Power of God, evident in our lives. Working through us.

We will face the same fate, as the seven that didn’t hear from heaven.

And as bad as that is, we will see men and women leave our churches bound.

The Difference between the Seven Sons with Empty Guns, and the Apostle Paul that Beat them All?

i. His Reason was different.

a. Love. *For God. *For Others.

i. Not to be worship or respected by men, but because Jesus Christ knocked him off of his feet on the road to Damascus! He loved HIM because he was first loved!

ii. His Reputation was different.

a. Not just know by flesh and blood, but known by principalities and powers.

i. The demon said, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye?”

ii. “When the demon said, “Jesus I know,” he used ginōskō, meaning to know by experience, or by knowledge acquired.” John Phillips

iii. JESUS IS KNOWN BY EXPERIENCE EVEN BY THE DEMONS THAT ENDEVERE TO POSSESS AND OPPRESS US!

b. Paul was known by first name, by the minions of hell.

i. “The word used when the demon said “Paul I know” is epistamai, meaning to know by reason of proximity, or as the result of prolonged attention.” John Phillips

ii. Paul was at work in the proximity of the enemy!

iii. Paul was at war for a prolonged period of time!

c. With an urgency in my spirit, can I ask a rhetorical question, “I wonder if they know my name?”

i. His reputation was different because:

1. His Prayer life.

2. His Pure Life.

3. His Passionate Life.

iii. His Results were different.

a. (v. 17) The name of Lord Jesus was Magnified!

b. (v. 18) And many that believed came, and confessed, and shewed their deeds.

c. (v. 19) Fifty thousand pieces of silver worth of SANCTIFICATION.

d. (v. 20) So mightily grew the Word of God and Prevailed!