Paul in Ephesus (Part 2)

HOOK

DO NOT FORGET TO UNMUTE

It’s the 7th day of January— Thursday— Happy birthday Caleb Ballinger

Yesterday right here at “The Message” we started with chapter 19 and the first part of that chapter spoke about the return of apostle Paul to Ephesus— if you remember, towards the end of his second missionary journey, enroute back to Jerusalem and Antioch, they stopped at Ephesus where he left Priscilla and Aquila promising that if it is the Lord’s will, he shall come back— and so he did— on his arrival to Ephesus he asked some disciples what baptism did they receive— they replied and said, John’s baptism— Paul explained the John’s or water baptism is the baptism of repentance and there is another act of grace which is the baptism in the Holy Spirit that gives them power— and so from this we learned:

BAPTISM OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IS A SEPARATE ACT OF GRACE

BAPTISM OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IS DONE THROUGH THE LAYING OF HANDS

This section was quite long so we split it into two— and today we will cover the other half from verse 11 to 22— open your Bible to ACTS 19:11-22

When studying the Bible, look for words that defines the CHARACTER of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit— keep an eye on COMMANDS to obey— good EXAMPLES to follow, and bad examples to avoid— PROMISES that you could claim— sins to CONFESS— CHALLENGES you encountered— and ENCOURAGEMENT to keep you going

READ ACTS 19:11-22

BOOK

Acts 19:11–22 NIV

11 God did extraordinary miracles through Paul, 12 so that even handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him were taken to the sick, and their illnesses were cured and the evil spirits left them. 13 Some Jews who went around driving out evil spirits tried to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who were demon-possessed. They would say, “In the name of the Jesus whom Paul preaches, I command you to come out.” 14 Seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this. 15 One day the evil spirit answered them, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know about, but who are you?” 16 Then the man who had the evil spirit jumped on them and overpowered them all. He gave them such a beating that they ran out of the house naked and bleeding. 17 When this became known to the Jews and Greeks living in Ephesus, they were all seized with fear, and the name of the Lord Jesus was held in high honor. 18 Many of those who believed now came and openly confessed what they had done. 19 A number who had practiced sorcery brought their scrolls together and burned them publicly. When they calculated the value of the scrolls, the total came to fifty thousand drachmas. 20 In this way the word of the Lord spread widely and grew in power. 21 After all this had happened, Paul decided to go to Jerusalem, passing through Macedonia and Achaia. “After I have been there,” he said, “I must visit Rome also.” 22 He sent two of his helpers, Timothy and Erastus, to Macedonia, while he stayed in the province of Asia a little longer.

WHAT: Some Jews who are not followers of Jesus invoke the name of Jesus to drive out demons

WHERE: Ephesus where Paul establish a base location for his ministry

WHEN: Third Missionary journey of Paul [52-57 AD]

WHO: Paul, Seven sons of Sceva [Jewish chief priest— it is only here in the part of the book of Acts that the name Sceva was mentioned]

WHY: God taught them that the name of Jesus shall be held high— that the name of Jesus shall not be invoke if they do not believe in Him

LOOK

GOD DID EXTRAORDINARY MIRACLES THROUGH PAUL

That even handkerchiefs, or aprons was taken to the sick and they were healed— evil spirits even flee from them— Like the woman who was bleeding for 12 years— Luke 8:43-48

SOME JEWS WHO WENT AROUND DRIVING OUT EVIL SPIRIT TRIED TO INVOKE THE NAME OF THE LORD JESUS

The seven sons of Sceva was named to be among those Jews casting out spirits by invoking the name of Jesus— and you know what happened?— one day the evil spirit answered them, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know about, but who are you?”— the demon possessed man jumped on them and overpowered them— he gave them so much beating that they ran out naked and bleeding

Even the evil spirits recognizes the unique authority of Jesus’s name— Because the sons of Sceva were not servants of the true God

WHEN THIS BECAME KNOWN TO THE JEWS AND GREEK LIVING IN EPHESUS, THEY WERE ALL SEIZED WITH FEAR

From that day on— the held the name of our Lord Jesus in high honor

MANY OF THOSE WHO BELIEVED NOW CAME AND OPENLY CONFESSED WHAT THEY HAD DONE

Now let me put what we can learn from this in sentences that we can easily remember

TOOK

DO NOT INVOKE THE POWER OF THE NAME OF JESUS IF YOU DO NOT BELIEVE IN HIM

I MUST HOLD THE NAME OF THE LORD JESUS IN HIGH HONOR

SING

Agape Worship Team— I will rise