Terms & Conditions

Passage

Acts 19:11–16 CSB

11 God was performing extraordinary miracles by Paul’s hands, 12 so that even facecloths or aprons that had touched his skin were brought to the sick, and the diseases left them, and the evil spirits came out of them. 13 Now some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists also attempted to pronounce the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, “I command you by the Jesus that Paul preaches!” 14 Seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish high priest, were doing this. 15 The evil spirit answered them, “I know Jesus, and I recognize Paul—but who are you?” 16 Then the man who had the evil spirit jumped on them, overpowered them all, and prevailed against them, so that they ran out of that house naked and wounded.

Peak Interest

Have you ever watched somebody do something & told said, “I can do that too” because it looked easy?

Bellie rides on the top tube of my bike in Bolton

Problem

(Remember “God’s Word Comes Alive” from first Sunday in August from PR) Ephesus was such a spiritual place that even the Jewish faith got mixed with Greek sorcery (Archeaological evidence: https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/btv1b525030475/f4.image)

Travelling Jewish magicians who were under a certain high priest named Sceva tried to use the name of Jesus to perform miracles like Paul did, but it backfired on them

Video: DJ Khaled Plays Guitar

The magicians wanted to work Jesus on their own terms. Today’s New Age spirituality (Tarrot Cards, Manifesting, etc.) are simply efforts of manipulating God on our own terms too.

Jesus works on His own terms.

Even with the best intentions, like these magicians, we too can try to work Jesus on our own terms.

Point

1) ADDING Jesus

When these magicians discovered what the name of Jesus could do, they just tried to add it to their magical inventory.

Most people today are open to spiritual things but pick & choose what works for them.

Picture: ‘Symbolic Peace’ installation in Distillery District (same company of the big heart

It is also possible for us believers to pick & choose what works for us.

Luke 18:18-25 - Rick Young Ruler wanted the life of Jesus but didn’t want the lifestyle of Jesus.

If we want the life of Jesus, we need the lifestyle of Jesus. Not a 1st century itinerate Jewish teacher/capenter, but allowing His Word & His Spirit inform everything we say & do.

Jesus works on His own terms.

2) EXPLOTING Jesus

The magicians were doing magic for their personal benefit (Remember the witch from Acts 16:16-19 from “God’s Word Comes Alive” from first Sunday in August from PR), and they tried to up their value in the market by using the name of Jesus. In other words, they were EXPLOITING Jesus for selfish reasons.

It is possible for us to EXPLOIT Jesus through:

Fame & fortune (Celebrity Christianity)

Health, wealth & happiness (Properity Christianity)

Justifying our agenda:

Extreme: Marginalizing People Groups

Not-so-extreme: Social drinking, “love is love,” social justice vs. Biblical justice

Or as simple as putting “God-first” or a Bible verse in our social media bio and what we display on our feed is contrary.

Jesus works on His own terms.

3) RENTING Jesus

The magicians used Paul as a reference for the result they wanted from using the name. In other words, they RENTED Jesus but didn’t OWN Jesus.

(Remember “God’s Word Comes Alive” from last Sunday in July from P. Jill) In Matthew 25:1-13, Jesus told the story of 10 women getting ready for a wedding. 5 of them kept their lamps lit because they had oil. The other 5 had none and tried to borrow some. They went out to buy some since they got rejected, but by the time they got it sorted out, they missed the wedding. By the time they realized they couldn’t rent the oil, it was too late.

It is possible for us to rent our faith from:

Parents - Faith is forced in kids

Kids - Parents are content with kids’ involvement

Spouse - Usually the husband (This is true worldwide because Jesus compellingly empowered women)

Culture - Cultural Christianity/Christian Nationalism

Picture: Students at Camp Owning Their Faith in Jesus

Slides of our vision as a youth ministry

Jesus works on His own terms.

Person of Jesus

It is when we agree to His own terms that Jesus truly does His best work

Acts 19:17–20 CSB

17 When this became known to everyone who lived in Ephesus, both Jews and Greeks, they became afraid, and the name of the Lord Jesus was held in high esteem. 18 And many who had become believers came confessing and disclosing their practices, 19 while many of those who had practiced magic collected their books and burned them in front of everyone. So they calculated their value and found it to be fifty thousand pieces of silver. 20 In this way the word of the Lord spread and prevailed.

Play a chord on the guitar

What are His terms?

When our world is simply adding Jesus, Jesus isn’t an addition to our lifestyle; He is our lifestyle - JESUS ONLY

When our world is exploiting Jesus, Jesus isn’t exploited for our own benefit or gain but He speaks for Himself.

When the norm is renting Jesus, our faith in Him isn’t rented, it’s owned in encountering Him for ourselves

My journey of taking Jesus on His own terms

The truth is, we’ve all sinned & broken God’s terms, disqualifying ourselves from life with Him. Since God is still madly in love with us, He gave us His son, Jesus, & allowed Him to absorb our sin through an excruciating death as a way of getting us back without breaking His own terms. And He resurrected from the dead to prove that only through His own terms could with have life with God back.

Jesus works on His own terms.

Prompt/Practice

Nothing is working for you & you’re ready for Jesus to be the Lord & Saviour of your life so that He can do His best work in & through you

Lead in confession

Somewhere in your journey, you’ve taken Jesus on your own terms by one or more of the ways that we outlined, and you’re ready to surrender it in the fire so that He can do His best work in & through you.

(Response song: “I Speak Jesus”)

Whenever we come across a checkbox asking us to agree to the terms & conditions, let’s ask yourself, “Have I been taking Jesus on His own terms lately?”