Who Are You

Acts 19:13-15

Then certain of the vagabond Jews, exorcists, took upon them to call over them which had evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth

I know with a title like that, some of you are expecting a blood-washed, spirit-bought, Bible thumping child of God. However such is not the case. Now I am not calling some of you a bunch of good for nothings. God is and there is a big difference between how he does and what I do. See, God might say something about your identity or what have you. But he calls it like it really is. On the other hand, when I do it you all say that I am mean. Look here at the terms reserved for those who still held unto Moses' law. The text calls them vagabond, exorcists, and Jews all in the same breath. If you asked me, personally I do not feel this is the proper place and time for a discussion on the practice of exorcism. Now I am not saying that all exorcists do not the work of the Lord. Yet when you talk to Jesus, he can bring up almost anything. Moreover how many know that when you walk with him he can bring you through almost anything. It appears that some demonic entities had crept in among the believers and those who were not to cause trouble. The text does not say exactly who was troubled. Maybe that is not for you to know. Regardless, we see there indeed was a problem. I like how the church seems to ignore it. Rather it is left into the unbelievers and those without to see the need. Now is not that a dangerous place to be. These happenings make two things clear. First, the believers and church elders ought to have been the ones to respond to the demonic attack. Second there is a distinct recognition of the power in Jesus name. Remember how we looked at the authority God had over Paul such that the illnesses and other things fled. Now I wonder why these unbelievers who recognized him did not call upon him themselves. For the text says salvation is found in no other. Could it be that was their fundamental error. To me after hearing this, the Lord's names for them make a little more sense now. So also was the whole of the Galatian probl summed up right here. Galatians 3:1-9 tells of the bewitched and foolish church that neither walked in nor taught the truth. More than this, the text says these also were disobedient to it. Those of you who know your Scripture will point to those angels held captive for their disobedience and loss of their position. It seems the position these were standing in was even worse than that of those at Corinth. These were not ignorant of the truth. Had not the gospel of Christ been "set forth" plainly before all. For was he not also crucified in their midst as it were by their very behavior. It seems this is a reference unto Hebrews 6:6 as if what he has done was not already enough. Paul then has only one question for such. How then has the Spirit of the Lord come? Was such under the Mosaic law or under the preaching of Christ and him crucified. So we see that the Spirit under the Mosaic law was dependent on the works of man. David found this out when he prayed that God remove not his Spirit from him due to his sin. Then you know that the flesh cannot profit you at all. That is like saying that what you did got you in prison and by the Lord, what you do can also get you out. Some of you who have been through it know that deliverance is not possible without an act of God. For this reason, such teaching is frankly foolishness.

And there were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jew, and chief of the priests, which did so.

Here the text focuses on who did such things, rather than those that are bound. For the sake of time, I will not name them again. Once was enough. Why could these not just turn to Jesus whom they preached in vain. If I call a man's name and believe in him not, what then does it profit. He neither warms my bed nor keeps my house. I am just out in the street screaming a name that does nothing for me. Yet how many of you know that when you call on Jesus name, it is never in vain. But when you call 1800 God. My Lord, he always answers. I call him at noontime and he is there. I call him in the night watches and he is not silent. I call on his name and he saved me. I call on his name and he delivered me. I call on his name and he brought me out of all my troubles. I call on his name and he straightens out my family too. Could it be that some of you need a call-on-God moment today. So these Galatians have suffered many things. Let these also not be in vain. Abraham their forefather called on God and believed him. Yet God counted him as righteous before him. The text says the Lord ministers the Spirit among you and works miracles also. He does so by the ones he sends. Be they angel spirits or his ministers flames of fire. When was the last time you saw one of these show up preaching the Mosaic law. 'Do this, do that, bend over bsckwsrds and you will be saved.' My friends, I can't even touch my toes without his help. So then faith comes by hearing and that by the Word of God. Remember those who called upon him as a curse only to find themselves in his house later. It seems then that God will not leave these foolish men alone. See now what he will do about it.

And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye?

Some bold evil spirit got up and spoke the truth. How many of you know they can only deceive the willing. Speak his name and they must tell you the truth. I can hear you now saying 'how do you know?' Cause it is happening before you right now. All those in bondage did not consent to be carried off willingly. Deception according to James comes when you are carried off of your own lusts and enticed. Yet these that dared to cast them out by his name were not. Well you might ask why. The evil spirit testified that Jesus and Paul were known unto him. See, Paul came after Jesus for was he not under the Lord's control. These seven sons, a Jew, and a chief priest were not yet known before God or the devil. The evil spirit himself probably wondered why not which is why he said something. Even the demons believe in him and tremble. Such is for no other reason than the fact he is their Lord, their maker, and their judge. See the Lord of the harvest call forth his reapers be these yet good or evil. The term reaper is closely related to the destroyer whom he rebukes for the sake of his people. He stands before you now as Lord of the harvest. Some of you are just waiting on him to make that phone call. It will be short, direct, and to the point. Whether he calls them now to bring his children home or to judge the world is his call. Some of you have lost sight of his place. Here the God of the harvest used this demon to preach unto these men the truth. I do not know about you, but ministry in the brokenness is hard. Whether you are just one man or many, it is clear these were in need of some deliverance. Remember then those children of faith that make up Abraham's house. Only God could preach the gospel unto such a messed up man like Abraham knowing full well he would influence the whole world. The Arab and Jewish people alike refer to their father Abraham to this very day. It takes something God-shaped to bring great good from such awful events. So it also takes God to know this for such is his Word, his world, and his history. Is it any wonder then that God "justifies the heathen through faith" blessing all that believe on him using the Abraham of faith.