Acts 19:11-17 

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.

Model Person

Who is your model person? To whom do you pattern your lifestyle?

Many basketball players would like to be like Michael Jordan. For Canadians, how would you like to pattern your life as a Canadian? Or, how should Canadians give honor and respect to the queen?

Paying taxes on time is a practical way of giving honor to the queen.

Christians acknowledge Christ Jesus as the King of kings but how should Christians express or pay respect and honor to the King of kings?

Obedience to His instructions is a practical manifestation of respect to God.

Humans’ ways of giving honor to God falls short of God’s standard. Humans have no idea how high God’s standard is but with the Holy Spirit in us, our efforts will only be acceptable to God by faith. Only when believers are filled with the Spirit of Christ that respect to God is acceptable to Him.

Paul never obeyed God out of selfish ambition. In the midst of dangers, calamities, or persecutions, Paul obeyed God with gladness. The Holy Spirit bears fruit in his life. Filled with the Holy Spirit, God did extraordinary miracles through Paul.

The 7 sons of a Jewish chief priest tried to duplicate or imitate what Paul was doing and they were punished for their misrepresentation of truth.

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. 

Bible scholars suggest that the 7 sons of Sceva were practicing exorcism by casting out evil spirits. They invoked the name of the Lord. They thought that it was a mantra or hocus-pocus formula of exorcism to invoke the name of the Lord.

They use God’s name in vain. What does it means to pray in Jesus’ name?

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.

Interestingly, the evil spirit told those Jewish exorcists that it knew Jesus.

The word “know” that the evil spirit used expresses its personal experience. It was not just intellectual knowledge of Jesus. The evil spirit also said that it knew Paul. The word “know” is more of heard information or some kind of theory or idea not personal encounter. The evil spirit was telling the Jewish exorcists that it has deeper knowledge about Jesus and Paul more than them and they cannot scare the evil spirit by invoking the name of the Lord Jesus and Paul.

That terrible experience of the Jewish exorcists should remind us to respect Christ. The Lord Jesus does miracles in the lives of those who truly honor Him.

In what practical ways does God affirms that He is given high honor in our life?

1.  Practical

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.

God did extraordinary miracle through Paul to affirm that He is highly honored in the life of Paul. Paul was God’s vessel of miracles not just to display His power but to help believers know that when God is honored in the believer’s life, God would do miraculous things that are not normally common occurrence to humans.

It has never been heard that a handkerchief or aprons were used for healing before that extra-ordinary experience. The handkerchief was a piece of cloth Paul used to wipe his sweat while making tents and not a square piece of cloth to wipe running nose. The apron was a worker’s leather apron similar to a cook’s apron.

Those two garments or apparels used for practical things were identified with Paul.

Can we experience similar practical miracles God did through Paul? What is the latest miraculous experience you would like to share with others?

Esther

How would you maximize your experience as believer of the Lord Jesus?

The story of Esther reveals that an obedient child would be more blessed. In Esther 2:10, ¹⁰ Esther had not revealed her nationality and family background, because Mordecai had forbidden her to do so.

Esther was one of those beautiful women who were chosen to be the next queen. Esther did not tell anyone about her family and nationality background as per instruction of her foster father Mordecai. V.10 explains briefly that Esther was a very obedient child and never doubted the wisdom of her foster father.

The commandments of God are actually God’s instructions to reveal more of His power in practical ways to those who honor Him. Paul was not very much appreciated in Ephesus but he continued to honor his commitment to the Lord.

God affirmed Paul’s respect of Christ as Lord and God used him miraculously.

Those who would hold high honor to God will personally experience His miracles.

2.  Personal

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. 

Fear and giving high honor to the name of the Lord is a personal response that cannot be counterfeited. Man can deceive others or even themselves but not God. High respect of God is possible only when the Spirit of Christ is actively at work in our hearts. God would manifest in many practical ways His affirmation that we held Him in high honor in our life.

Obedience to God is a practical example. By human effort, we cannot obey godly command according God’s standard.  We need the help of Christ’s obedient Spirit. Therefore, when we obey the Lord cheerfully, we know that it’s Christ’s Spirit who enabled us to obey—that’s God’s affirmation that He is honored in our life.

When we allow the Lord as King of our life, we give Him high respect as our Lord. Our prayers become more powerful when we are dependent upon Christ. That is when the kingdom of heaven has come upon us—when Christ has become the king of our life. His miraculous activities through us will follow.

Elijah

In James 5:17-18, ¹⁷ Elijah was a human being, even as we are. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. ¹⁸ Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops.

Other translations say that Elijah was just an ordinary human just like any of us. God answered Elijah’s prayers because he held God in high honor in his life.

When God answers our prayer, He affirms that we also hold Him in high honor.

Consistency of coming to worship services is not out of obligation but because it’s Christ who inspires you to come and affirms that you hold Him in high honor.

Check yourself: Do you come out of obligation? Did the Lord inspire you?

If you feel that inner joy of coming consistently, God is honored in your life. When you sense that inner feeling of coming to worship service and desire to be here ahead of anybody, when there is warmth in your heart when you hear the word of God, and when you have cheerfulness to obey God’s command, those are manifestations that God is hold in high honor in your life. Christ is reigning in you.

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