#BibleStudy. Expressions of Faith. Acts Ch 19. “…who are you?”

 

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.

Acts 19:13-16

Have you ever intervened in a “situation” and ended up with one or both parties asking, “Who do you think you are?”

• When that happens, you often back-peddle to avoid conflict…
• Even if you’re right.
• Especially if you’re wrong. 

In this passage, the sons of Sceva are doing the right thing with the wrong motivation.

• They’ve cast out demons in the past for money.
• This demon in this passage isn’t going anywhere.

Why?

• Because the demon recognizes their motivation to cast him out and calls them out for it.

This event reinforces James’s statement.

You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.

James 2:19

What about you?

• What’s your motivation to do good?
• Fame?
• Money?

There’s nothing inherently wrong with either of those, although 

… the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil.

1 Timothy 6:10a

And fame too often leads to the worship of yourself.

The posers in this story are beaten until they bleed and have to flee without their clothing.

• The chances of that happening to you are slim even if your motivation to do God’s work is wrong.
• The chances are 100% that you sin when you place anything between you and God.

“You shall have no other gods before me.

Exodus 20:3

• It’s the first commandment for a reason.

If your motivation is not what it should be, ask God to fill your heart and life with His Spirit and His love.

• That’s a sure-fire fix for motivational mixups.

 

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