Hello, it’s good to have you with us today as we continue our study of the book of Acts. If you have your Bible with you, I’d invite you to go ahead and turn with me to Acts chapter 19, which finds Paul ministering in Ephesus, where he has been focusing so much of his time and energy on preaching and teaching the Word of God and edifying and raising up leaders for the church there in Ephesus. And, like we talked about last week, he had an absolutely grueling teaching schedule; but he knew that the Ephesian Christians had to go deep before they could go wide. They needed to be poured into so that they would have an abundance out of which they could pour into others; because you can only take someone else as far as you yourself have gone. You can’t teach others what you do not know yourself. And so Paul pours into the lives of these Ephesian Christians (as he says in 20:27) the whole counsel of God. Now in verse 10 of our passage last week we saw the effect of this. God rewarded that kind of mindset. It says…
Acts 19:10-12 (LSB)— 10 This took place for two years, so that all who lived in Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks. {Now look with me at verses 11-12…} 11 And God was doing extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul, 12 so that cloths or aprons were even carried from his body to the sick, and the diseases left them and the evil spirits went out.
God’s Validation– And so we see that Paul is performing many great signs and miracles. Now, if we want to weigh the veracity of something, what do we turn to? Wikipedia, right? No, we turn to the Word of God. Now this is important because keep in mind that there was no New Testament at this time by which you could measure the authenticity of someone’s teaching. And so what God did was He validated the message of the apostles with signs and wonders, which is what we see here in our passage today. Paul affirms this in his second letter to the Corinthians, in which he says in…
2 Corinthians 12:12 (LSB)-- 12 The signs of a true apostle were worked out among you with all perseverance, by signs and wonders and miracles. {The writer of Hebrews also says…}
Hebrews 2:3-4 (LSB)-- 3 how will we escape if we neglect so great a salvation? That salvation, first spoken by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard, 4 God also testifying with them, both by signs and wonders and by various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit according to His own will.
Signs & Wonders-- And so we see that signs, wonders, miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit showed those who heard the apostles (and here Paul in particular) that what they were saying was authorized by God. And if you will remember the life and ministry of Jesus, you will note that this was also how God validated Jesus’ own ministry and identity. Remember how Peter had pointed out in his sermon in Acts 2:22s, saying…
Acts 2:22 (LSB)-- 22 “Men of Israel, listen to these words: Jesus the Nazarene, a man attested to you by God with miracles and wonders and signs which God did through Him in your midst, just as you yourselves know--
What Sign Would You Like to See?-- By the way, if you could have witnessed any one of those miracles, which would you choose? Seeing the man born blind receive his sight would probably be right at the top of my list, not just because it would be amazing to see a man receive a new set of eyeballs, but also because of his reaction to that miracle; seeing him step into a world where (for the first time) he could see. I think it probably took him a little while to see just because of all the tears. And I’d probably not see much of him either because I feel like I would be crying right along with him.
Great Authority-- But whatever miracle of Jesus you would choose, keep in mind that Jesus was doing works that far exceeded anything that could be attributed to demonic activity (though some tried to attribute it to that). No, Jesus had authority over the winds and the waves, over sicknesses and demons, and even over the power of death. And so the signs validated His message and the otherwise unbelievable things He was saying; not only that He was of God, but that He is God the Son; the very God they worshipped in the flesh. Now as difficult as that was to accept, it had to be true because His miracles were things only God could do; and God would never validate a false prophet. And in a similar way, God would not validate the messages of followers of Jesus if they were indeed followers of a false prophet. But Paul was performing these kinds of signs, which showed that God was undoubtedly with Paul, who (by extension) carried the true authority of the name of Jesus that dovetailed with a message that therefore HAD to be true.
Misunderstanding Paul-- Now many of the Ephesians were not yet thinking about the name of Jesus. They were thinking about the name of Paul. They thought that Paul was something special. They thought he was the originator of all these works, not realizing that he was merely the means through which God was bringing them healing. And that is something that Luke is very careful to highlight. He says in verse 11: And God was doing extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul,. Now the people do not yet understand this, which is why we see them obsessed with obtaining some of Paul’s possessions. It says in verse 12 that cloths or aprons were even carried from his body to the sick, and the diseases left them and the evil spirits went out.
Magical Objects-- Now it was common in the ancient world to believe that magic could be transmitted through objects. And so, because of the Ephesian’s deep roots in magic, superstition, and the occult we find them treating things that had been in contact with Paul as they did any of the other magical artifacts of Ephesus. And so handkerchiefs, sweat bands, and aprons that Paul wore during his tent making were carried from his body to those who were sick and demon possessed. And amazingly, they were healed of their infirmities and the demons left them. Now does that mean we should practice these kinds of things? Ought we to order our prayer cloths from those televangelists so that we also can experience miraculous healing and blessings? Of course not, as all of that is deeply pagan. But what this does show us is that God was willing to heal through these means both as a loving temporary accommodation to them, seeing as (though in the wrong way) they were still reaching out, but also because they needed to have validated for them that Paul was in fact speaking for God; because that would open the door for them to be able and ready to receive his message, the Gospel of Jesus Christ. And, as we’ll see later in the chapter, they end up giving up these kinds of superstitious practices. But what we need to realize is that the reason they are willing to this is because they see something greater at work in Paul than anything they had ever seen before; a demonstration of the power and the authority abiding in the apostles who were preaching in the name of Jesus.
Darkness Pushed Out-- And so we see the evil forces that had been at work in Ephesus being driven out by the Light of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
A New Season— You know, late last year I remember I found myself in a department store in the Halloween aisle, perusing the after-halloween sales in preparation for our Church’s harvest party this coming fall. That’s the best time to snag next-years costume and items. And this aisle had wigs and prosthetic noses and a few gory items I won’t mention, save for a number of bottles of fake blood stacked on the shelves. Now when I turned to the other side of the aisle, I found facing me the first wave of Christmas items that were moving in and would soon push out all the Halloween items. And that is something I am always glad to see. Halloween is one my least favorite holidays (though I don’t even want to call it that). And I am always glad when all that dark stuff is cleared away and the shelves become filled with items that honor Christmas. But you know, standing there in that aisle made me think about what Christianity was really doing at this point (and really throughout much of) history, which we see particularly here in our passage today. And that was that, as the Gospel was being proclaimed, the forces of darkness were being overcome. The season of darkness was giving way to the power of Jesus Christ. The satanic was moving out and Christ was moving in. And, as we’ll see, those highly invested in the Halloween industry of that time (if I might borrow that imagery to describe the magic, sorcery, witchcraft, exorcism industry, and everything else of that nature going on in Ephesus); they were not happy about this and therefore resisted. And we’ll see this more later. But at this point it is simply important for us to note that, like with the slot-machine-winner who tripped, change is in the air.
A Stronghold of Satan-- Now this change did not come easily. People (even many Christians) were heavily involved in demonic practices. Some of the first Christians, after they came to Christ, only later came to realize the perverseness of these practices and eventually abandoned them. And this was particularly true in Ephesus. Remember that Ephesus was a key stronghold for Satan because it was [a center for the learning and practice of magical arts.] This kind of thing was everywhere. In fact, in antiquity, the phrase “Ephesian writings” (Ephesia grammata) was commonly used for documents that contained spells and formulae. So here is a place dominated with demonic stuff like this. And when you understand this, Paul’s letter to the Ephesians begins to make a little more sense because (as Clinton Arnold, in his study Ephesians, Power and Magic points out) it is the [most complete study of spiritual powers and of the battle Christians face against them]. They needed that epistle because amidst them was the cloud of spiritual darkness constantly working against them.
Forces Behind The Scene-- Now you and I are also surrounded by unseen forces of evil that are constantly at work against us, both individually and corporately. Behind our struggles with individuals or with our government is a battle going on that is just as real as the physical world. When you are praying for somebody who is not a Christian, there are demonic forces working against you. You feel them. Why do you think it is so easy to read ordinary books but find it so much more difficult to read the Bible? Why do you think you are able to carry on a perfectly normal conversation with another person (even if that person is not talking), but find it difficult to talk to God for any significant length of time? Is it because you are not spiritually experienced enough; or simply because it’s hard to talk to a God you cannot see? No, because even seasoned prayer warriors have said that the discipline of prayer (of making yourself do it) often continues to be something they struggle with; that they have to force themselves to do (at least initially); and then the blessing of God comes and often they hardly wanted to get up. But the reason it is so hard is because every time you pray, there are spiritual forces going on behind the curtain that you cannot see; some that are working very hard to render your prayers ineffective. And you and I need to recognize this. At your place of work or any other place, there are forces of evil that have a stranglehold on people’s lives. They are destroying them and will seek to keep them in that darkness. But you and I need to do what Paul did. He comes right into their darkness bearing the message of the Gospel. And people are made free. And so let us also be bearers of that light in the Ephesian places you and I abide in. Let us be faithful to pray for and lead people into the Light of Christ Jesus. Who knows how great a darkness could be overcome by the Light in you this week. Let’s shine brightly for Him. Amen.
Acts 19:10-12 (LSB)— 10 This took place for two years, so that all who lived in Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks. {Now look with me at verses 11-12…} 11 And God was doing extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul, 12 so that cloths or aprons were even carried from his body to the sick, and the diseases left them and the evil spirits went out.
God’s Validation– And so we see that Paul is performing many great signs and miracles. Now, if we want to weigh the veracity of something, what do we turn to? Wikipedia, right? No, we turn to the Word of God. Now this is important because keep in mind that there was no New Testament at this time by which you could measure the authenticity of someone’s teaching. And so what God did was He validated the message of the apostles with signs and wonders, which is what we see here in our passage today. Paul affirms this in his second letter to the Corinthians, in which he says in…
2 Corinthians 12:12 (LSB)-- 12 The signs of a true apostle were worked out among you with all perseverance, by signs and wonders and miracles. {The writer of Hebrews also says…}
Hebrews 2:3-4 (LSB)-- 3 how will we escape if we neglect so great a salvation? That salvation, first spoken by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard, 4 God also testifying with them, both by signs and wonders and by various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit according to His own will.
Signs & Wonders-- And so we see that signs, wonders, miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit showed those who heard the apostles (and here Paul in particular) that what they were saying was authorized by God. And if you will remember the life and ministry of Jesus, you will note that this was also how God validated Jesus’ own ministry and identity. Remember how Peter had pointed out in his sermon in Acts 2:22s, saying…
Acts 2:22 (LSB)-- 22 “Men of Israel, listen to these words: Jesus the Nazarene, a man attested to you by God with miracles and wonders and signs which God did through Him in your midst, just as you yourselves know--
What Sign Would You Like to See?-- By the way, if you could have witnessed any one of those miracles, which would you choose? Seeing the man born blind receive his sight would probably be right at the top of my list, not just because it would be amazing to see a man receive a new set of eyeballs, but also because of his reaction to that miracle; seeing him step into a world where (for the first time) he could see. I think it probably took him a little while to see just because of all the tears. And I’d probably not see much of him either because I feel like I would be crying right along with him.
Great Authority-- But whatever miracle of Jesus you would choose, keep in mind that Jesus was doing works that far exceeded anything that could be attributed to demonic activity (though some tried to attribute it to that). No, Jesus had authority over the winds and the waves, over sicknesses and demons, and even over the power of death. And so the signs validated His message and the otherwise unbelievable things He was saying; not only that He was of God, but that He is God the Son; the very God they worshipped in the flesh. Now as difficult as that was to accept, it had to be true because His miracles were things only God could do; and God would never validate a false prophet. And in a similar way, God would not validate the messages of followers of Jesus if they were indeed followers of a false prophet. But Paul was performing these kinds of signs, which showed that God was undoubtedly with Paul, who (by extension) carried the true authority of the name of Jesus that dovetailed with a message that therefore HAD to be true.
Misunderstanding Paul-- Now many of the Ephesians were not yet thinking about the name of Jesus. They were thinking about the name of Paul. They thought that Paul was something special. They thought he was the originator of all these works, not realizing that he was merely the means through which God was bringing them healing. And that is something that Luke is very careful to highlight. He says in verse 11: And God was doing extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul,. Now the people do not yet understand this, which is why we see them obsessed with obtaining some of Paul’s possessions. It says in verse 12 that cloths or aprons were even carried from his body to the sick, and the diseases left them and the evil spirits went out.
Magical Objects-- Now it was common in the ancient world to believe that magic could be transmitted through objects. And so, because of the Ephesian’s deep roots in magic, superstition, and the occult we find them treating things that had been in contact with Paul as they did any of the other magical artifacts of Ephesus. And so handkerchiefs, sweat bands, and aprons that Paul wore during his tent making were carried from his body to those who were sick and demon possessed. And amazingly, they were healed of their infirmities and the demons left them. Now does that mean we should practice these kinds of things? Ought we to order our prayer cloths from those televangelists so that we also can experience miraculous healing and blessings? Of course not, as all of that is deeply pagan. But what this does show us is that God was willing to heal through these means both as a loving temporary accommodation to them, seeing as (though in the wrong way) they were still reaching out, but also because they needed to have validated for them that Paul was in fact speaking for God; because that would open the door for them to be able and ready to receive his message, the Gospel of Jesus Christ. And, as we’ll see later in the chapter, they end up giving up these kinds of superstitious practices. But what we need to realize is that the reason they are willing to this is because they see something greater at work in Paul than anything they had ever seen before; a demonstration of the power and the authority abiding in the apostles who were preaching in the name of Jesus.
Darkness Pushed Out-- And so we see the evil forces that had been at work in Ephesus being driven out by the Light of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
A New Season— You know, late last year I remember I found myself in a department store in the Halloween aisle, perusing the after-halloween sales in preparation for our Church’s harvest party this coming fall. That’s the best time to snag next-years costume and items. And this aisle had wigs and prosthetic noses and a few gory items I won’t mention, save for a number of bottles of fake blood stacked on the shelves. Now when I turned to the other side of the aisle, I found facing me the first wave of Christmas items that were moving in and would soon push out all the Halloween items. And that is something I am always glad to see. Halloween is one my least favorite holidays (though I don’t even want to call it that). And I am always glad when all that dark stuff is cleared away and the shelves become filled with items that honor Christmas. But you know, standing there in that aisle made me think about what Christianity was really doing at this point (and really throughout much of) history, which we see particularly here in our passage today. And that was that, as the Gospel was being proclaimed, the forces of darkness were being overcome. The season of darkness was giving way to the power of Jesus Christ. The satanic was moving out and Christ was moving in. And, as we’ll see, those highly invested in the Halloween industry of that time (if I might borrow that imagery to describe the magic, sorcery, witchcraft, exorcism industry, and everything else of that nature going on in Ephesus); they were not happy about this and therefore resisted. And we’ll see this more later. But at this point it is simply important for us to note that, like with the slot-machine-winner who tripped, change is in the air.
A Stronghold of Satan-- Now this change did not come easily. People (even many Christians) were heavily involved in demonic practices. Some of the first Christians, after they came to Christ, only later came to realize the perverseness of these practices and eventually abandoned them. And this was particularly true in Ephesus. Remember that Ephesus was a key stronghold for Satan because it was [a center for the learning and practice of magical arts.] This kind of thing was everywhere. In fact, in antiquity, the phrase “Ephesian writings” (Ephesia grammata) was commonly used for documents that contained spells and formulae. So here is a place dominated with demonic stuff like this. And when you understand this, Paul’s letter to the Ephesians begins to make a little more sense because (as Clinton Arnold, in his study Ephesians, Power and Magic points out) it is the [most complete study of spiritual powers and of the battle Christians face against them]. They needed that epistle because amidst them was the cloud of spiritual darkness constantly working against them.
Forces Behind The Scene-- Now you and I are also surrounded by unseen forces of evil that are constantly at work against us, both individually and corporately. Behind our struggles with individuals or with our government is a battle going on that is just as real as the physical world. When you are praying for somebody who is not a Christian, there are demonic forces working against you. You feel them. Why do you think it is so easy to read ordinary books but find it so much more difficult to read the Bible? Why do you think you are able to carry on a perfectly normal conversation with another person (even if that person is not talking), but find it difficult to talk to God for any significant length of time? Is it because you are not spiritually experienced enough; or simply because it’s hard to talk to a God you cannot see? No, because even seasoned prayer warriors have said that the discipline of prayer (of making yourself do it) often continues to be something they struggle with; that they have to force themselves to do (at least initially); and then the blessing of God comes and often they hardly wanted to get up. But the reason it is so hard is because every time you pray, there are spiritual forces going on behind the curtain that you cannot see; some that are working very hard to render your prayers ineffective. And you and I need to recognize this. At your place of work or any other place, there are forces of evil that have a stranglehold on people’s lives. They are destroying them and will seek to keep them in that darkness. But you and I need to do what Paul did. He comes right into their darkness bearing the message of the Gospel. And people are made free. And so let us also be bearers of that light in the Ephesian places you and I abide in. Let us be faithful to pray for and lead people into the Light of Christ Jesus. Who knows how great a darkness could be overcome by the Light in you this week. Let’s shine brightly for Him. Amen.
