SCRIPTURE: Acts 19:11-17 – God did powerful things through Paul, things quite out of the ordinary. The word got around and people started taking pieces of clothing – handkerchiefs and scarves and the like – that had touched Paul’s skin and then touching the sick with them. The touch did it – they were healed and whole.
Some itinerant Jewish exorcists who happened to be in town at the time tried their hand at what they assumed to be Paul’s “game”. They pronounced the name of the Master Jesus over victims of evil spirits, saying, “I command you by the Jesus preached by Paul!” The seven sons of a certain Sceva, a Jewish high priest, were trying to do this on a man when the evil spirit talked back: “I know Jesus and I’ve heard of Paul, but who are you?” Then the possessed man went berserk – jumped the exorcists, beat them up, and tore off their clothes. Naked and bloody, they got away as best they could.
It was soon news all over Ephesus among both Jews and Greeks. The realization spread that God was in and behind this. Curiosity about Paul developed into reverence for the Master Jesus.
COMMENTARY: Often God allows us to experience unpleasant consequences of choices we make, sometimes so we realize how our choices affect our relationship with him and other people. For example, he might allow ugly parts of our character to be exposed, with embarrassing and painful results. He uses consequences to draw people’s attention to the thorny parts of their hearts.
Most people want to be known on Earth. Too many of us in the ministry value getting known above nearly anything else. We want to get more invitations and have a wider influence so we can do more for God—or so we tell ourselves. In hell they knew about Jesus, and they knew about Paul. I have asked myself: Does the devil know about me? Am I known in hell?
REFLECTION: Recall a difficult experience that helped you see more of your weaknesses or faults. Ponder the state of your relationship with God before the experience. How did it change? Think about your relationships with others, both before and after the experience. What changed? In other words, in what ways did your newfound awareness impact how you relate to others? Contrast these with feel-good experiences you have had.
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