Acts 19:18-22

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.

Kingdom of Heaven 

The kingdom of heaven is major theme in the Gospel of Matthew. Jesus used the parable of the yeast to illustrate the effect of the Kingdom of Heaven to those who believe it. He told in Matthew 13:33, ³³ “The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into a large amount of flour until it worked all through the dough.”

The effect of yeast in the dough is very visible. Similarly, when the Kingdom of Heaven has come upon a person’s life, there’s, for sure, a practical and visible transformation in the life of believers. When the Ephesians saw the power of the name of the Lord Jesus, many believers came out and testify openly in public.

1.  Public

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.

A drachma was silver coin worth a day’s wages. If we assume $80 is day’s wages and multiply that with 50,000, that’s $4,000,000. Imagine, you were taking a video of that $4,000,000 worth of scrolls being burned in public. Collectors of antiquity would have felt sorry about it. There would have been thousand of backlash or different comments in the internet if it happened these days. There was no high-technology printing press at that time, so, to have scrolls, one must be rich.

Those Ephesian believers who formerly practiced sorcery didn’t mind burning their $4,000,000 worth of scrolls as testimony of their new-found faith in the Lord. What made them wasted their investment? Why did the Ephesian believers make such unanimous decision to destroy their scrolls?

 ²⁰ In this way the word of the Lord spread widely and grew in power.

When the Kingdom of God has come upon a person’s life or when Christ has truly become king in the believer’s life, the act of righteousness becomes apparent in many practical ways. God uses the believer’s life as testimony of God’s power. As our faith grows, to spread the good news is a practical result. Do you have a story to tell publicly of what the Lord has done in your life? Witnessing is instant effect when the Holy Spirit has filled our life. Christ has been allowed to perform as king in the life of the believer if there is a visible practical change in one’s life.

Horoscope

Before internet became popular, horoscope served as comfort to many. When internet conquered the public attention, Social Media have taken over the place of horoscope. Are you still reading horoscope?

Even with much preaching against horoscope, there were Christians who assumed that horoscope is not harmful. Social media contribute news updates, popular sayings, humorous stories, pictures or videos. How many Christians would subscribe to updates about news around the world but find little or no time to read the word of God?

Not a few individuals could not help but to visit their Social Media account everyday. If social media has become your master, you’ve become its slave!

Do you know if the Lord has delivered you from that kind of slavery?

When the Ephesian believers have grown deeper in their faith in Christ, they were convinced that sorcery was no good for them spiritually. Likewise, if you deem it profitable for your spiritual growth to use social media, then, keep it. If social media has become an addiction or not, you’ll know as you grow spiritually mature.

When the Lord is at work, there will always be progress of spiritual life.

2.  Progress

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.” 

For missionaries like Paul, going places is vital for gospel progress. Paul always sought opportunities to spread the gospel. Did God give him visions what to do and where to go? Did God tell him to go to Jerusalem or Rome? Paul was not comfortable of staying in one place. He even planned to go to Rome. Did Jesus give him the vision or desire to go to Rome? What made him decide?

²² He sent two of his helpers, Timothy and Erastus, to Macedonia, while he stayed in the province of Asia a little longer.

Paul was the preacher and he had companions helping him behind the scene. Paul travelled with his missionary team. Paul’s mission team were his understudy or disciples. When Paul deemed that Timothy and Erastus were ready for new assignment, he sent them to Macedonia to visit the churches they planted.

It serves best to have mission partners. Mission endeavor isn’t a lone ranger assignment. There are various challenges in the mission frontiers. The enemy of the gospel knows very well the weaknesses of humans. Finances, power, morality, or idolatry are common distractions or disturbances to our focus.

Each believer is given a mission assignment. The enemy could easily devise a strategy to disturb us if it cannot stop us from our mission focus. Problems and challenges in life are obstructions to smooth progress of the gospel. That is one reason we have to allow Christ to perform His kingship in our life—to guide us on the right step we need to make.

How do you rely upon the Lord when problems and challenges visit you?

We are Afraid!

David was the greatest king of Israel not because he had great soldiers. He was actually surrounded by scared followers. David cannot rely upon his army and that help him always sought the help of God who made him great.

In 1 Samuel 23:1-5, When David was told, “Look, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah and are looting the threshing floors,” ² he inquired of the Lord, saying, “Shall I go and attack these Philistines?”

The Lord answered him, “Go, attack the Philistines and save Keilah.”

³ But David’s men said to him, “Here in Judah we are afraid. How much more, then, if we go to Keilah against the Philistine forces!”

⁴ Once again David inquired of the Lord, and the Lord answered him, “Go down to Keilah, for I am going to give the Philistines into your hand.” ⁵ So David and his men went to Keilah, fought the Philistines and carried off their livestock. He inflicted heavy losses on the Philistines and saved the people of Keilah. 

Have you ever proposed something but your acquaintances rejected it or they think it’s worthwhile? Don’t fret or feel sorry about it. Sometime, people around us are not in the same page we are in. They cannot see the vision we want to pursue. God allows hesitation on their part for us not to rely upon people but to rely upon the Lord and ask for His go signal when to proceed.

Are you expecting something but it comes out differently? When God allows us not have our expectations come true, God might want us to rely more upon the Lord and not on our experience, talent, or connections.

What practical thing can you testify that God is actively at work in your life?

As we progress in our spiritual life, there is progress or deeper dependence upon the Lord. Whatever stage of life you are in, you need to rely upon the Lord.

To have faith in God is to trust Him in every aspect and part of our life.

We need to seek the Lord’s help to help us grow in our faith in Him and for us to completely trust Him.

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