“And he went into the synagogue and spoke boldly for three months, reasoning and persuading concerning the things of the kingdom of God. But when some were hardened and did not believe, but spoke evil of the Way before the multitude, he departed from them and withdrew the disciples, reasoning daily in the school of Tyrannus. And this continue for two years, so that all who dwelt in Asia heard the world of the Lord Jesus, both Jesus and Greeks” (vs8-10).
Be busy about the gospel (vs8-10). Paul gives us an example, “reasoning daily in the school of Tyrannus”. Christianity is no luxury cruise to glory. We have a great commission, and we’re to grow, improve, and stretch Christ out to the world, never letting ease interfere with ministry. There is time in the day for work and play, for the wife and the gospel, but the gospel is more than the most important thing in our life, a thing among others. The scripture says that Christ is our life (Col 3:4). Be about His business in your home, at work, where you are day after day. It is not only the apostle’s job, but every believer’s.
Secondly, Paul had power, and so do you, if you believe (vs11-12). “Now God worked unusual miracles by the hands of Paul, so that even handkerchiefs or aprons were brought from his body to the sick, and the diseases left them and the evil spirits went out of them”. You can’t work his miracles, but the GREATEST miracle is worked in you, even faith that works by love. The fact that you and I forsake all to follow Christ is amazing, because NO ONE does this, except by grace.
Make sure that your religion is fruitful. Don’t trust a weak Christ, and never let your religion be word only.
Finally, Christ’s name is magnified, when people fear Him, seeing His power, seeing that He must be TRUSTED for real (vs13-20). We read, “Then some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists took it upon themselves to call the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, ‘We command you by the Jesus whom Paul preaches’ . Also there were seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, who did so. And the evil spirit answered and said, ‘Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you?’ Then the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, overpowered them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded. This became known both to all Jews and Greeks dwelling in Ephesus; and fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified.” Not only is Christ needed, but He only saves by real faith. He is no pushover savior, whom you can treat any way that you decide, whom you can pretend to love as you see fit. He is the One that demands and receives total surrender, the faith that works by love, or He’ll embarrass and ultimately destroy us in the end.
This shocked me a few years back. I realized all that I knew was meaningless, and I’d go to hell, if I wasn’t heart devoted to Christ. I can know the doctrine, but if I don’t live for Christ with what I have, then I don’t know God. This made me determined that obedience would be mine, not because I’m strong, but because He MUST give it. I cannot be saved with word only knowledge; I must have power, so I cry out for Him daily, and He answers, and He’ll do the same for you.
If you’re sure that hypocrisy will be punished, and He must be honored as Lord, then come to Him by faith, admitting your weakness and need, and trust Him to meet that need, not only to forgive your sins by His death, but to give you REAL power by this same death that He died for you! Oh the blessedness of knowing that Christ will perform inside of you because He performed for you on the cross.
I charge you to have a real relationship with God, not like the sons of Sceva and the Jewish exorcists in pretence.
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