Acts 20:1-6 – Paul's Acts of Parakaleo
Diving Deeper Lesson Outline for Acts 20:1-6
The title is drawn from the ministry of Paul to his fellow Christians.
A ministry that consisted of both exhorting them and encouraging them to keep their eyes on God's purposes.
1) PAUL’S MINISTRY TO BELIEVERS - PARAKALEO
In 2 of our 6 verses, we encounter a word that points us to a lifetime of responsibility to our brothers and sisters in Christ.
In fact, the concepts behind this word under gird much of the intent behind Paul’s Epistles to the churches.
Parakaleo is that word.
Parakaleo comes from two Greek words:
Para meaning from, alongside, by, besides and near.
Kaleo meaning to call aloud by name or to give a name.
This Greek word is translated into as many as 12 different English words in most of our translations.
Some examples are comfort, encourage, embrace, beseech, appeal, implore, exhort, and entreat.
From these examples we begin to taste the flavor of this word.
Vines Expository dictionary describes parakaleo as a word “used for every kind of calling to a person which is meant to produce a particular effect…hence to comfort, exhort, desire, call for.”
In other words, you call one by name and come along side or draw near to them in order to comfort, encourage or exhort & beseech he or she.
Clearly this is something that Paul did often and excelled at.
Paul’s parakaleo ministry can be best understood when separated into what are, I believe, its 2 intents.
It is these two intents together that encompass the full meaning of the word.
To forsake one for the other is to shortchange the spirit of our calling to give parakaleo.
The question, then, is what are the two forms OR intents of Paul’s parakaleo ministry?
I would suggest that the two forms are “Parakaleo Exhorter” and “Parakaleo Encourager.”
Paul makes clear in the following passage both intents of his parakaleo ministry.
And the passage importantly reveals that it is ultimately not man but God that is “at work”, producing the result or is the power of the parakaleo.
1 Thessalonians 2:11-13 - For you know how, like a father with his children, we 12 (1) exhorted each one of you and (2)encouraged you and charged you to walk in a manner worthy of God, who calls you into his own kingdom and glory.
13 And we also thank God constantly for this, that when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God, which is at work in you believers.
2) PARAKALEO EXHORTER
The first intent or form of Paul’s parakaleo ministry involves the believers need to know and be responsive and obedient to the truth of God’s word.
The English words in your Bible that convey this intent are exhort, beseech, urge, implore, appeal, etc.
I think that the word exhort best catches the spirit of all of them.
Exhort – To give urgent advice, recommendations, or warnings. To urge by strong, often stirring argument, admonition, advice, or appeal: exhorted the troops to hold the line – Dictionary.com.
I would define it as “giving instruction” with the purpose of redirecting our actions toward God’s calling in our life.
Some Biblical Examples of this Exhorting type of Parakaleo:
Acts 11:23 - When he came and saw the grace of God, he was glad, and he exhorted them all to remain faithful to the Lord with steadfast purpose,
Romans 16:17 - I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them.
1 Corinthians 1:10 - I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment.
1 Corinthians 4:16 - I urge you, then, be imitators of me.
1 Thessalonians 4:1-2 - Finally, then, brothers, we ask and urge you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God, just as you are doing, that you do so more and more. 2 For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus.
Jude 2:3 - Beloved, while I was making every effort to write you about our common salvation, I felt the necessity to write to you appealing that you contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all handed down to the saints.
Titus 1:9 - He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it.
So we are “exhorted” to:
Remain faithful with purpose – this implies not just dedication and obedience, but to do so for God’s purposes not ours. Avoid false teachers & those that cause division because they lay obstacles that hinder the progress of God’s purposes.
Be unified in mind and judgment.
Imitate Paul.
Increasingly walk with and please God – you have the tools available to you so continually grow.
Dispute earnestly against falsehood.
Rebuke false doctrine by knowing sound doctrine and being able to convey that sound doctrine to others.
So the intent of Paul’s Parakaleo Exhorter ministry is to call us to know, obey, grow and defend God’s Word.
So now knowing what Paul’s Parakaleo Exhorter ministry is, we look to the Bible to tell us why this ministry is so important.
Why parakaleo this way:
2 Timothy 4:1-4 - I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: 2 preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. 3 For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, 4 and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.
Because Christians embrace false doctrine and turn away from God’s word.
Hebrews 3:13 - But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.
That we might help our fellow Christians not be hardened and led astray by sin.
3) PARAKALEO ENCOURAGER
The 2nd intent or form of Paul’s parakaleo ministry involves the responsibility of one believer to build up and encourage another believer in order to strengthen that believers growth and resolve in Christ in spite of events or circumstances.
The English words in your Bible that convey this intent are encourage, embrace, comfort, etc.
I think that the word encourage best catches the spirit of all of them.
Encourage - to inspire with courage, spirit, or confidence or to stimulate by assistance, approval, etc. – Dictionary.com
I would define it as comforting with the purpose of reenergizing our affections toward God’s calling in our life.
Some Biblical Examples of this Encouraging type of Parakaleo:
Acts 14:19-22 - But Jews came from Antioch and Iconium, and having persuaded the crowds, • they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing that he was dead. 20 But when the disciples gathered about him, he rose up and entered • the city, and on the next day he went on with Barnabas to Derbe. 21 • When they had preached the gospel to that city and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch, 22 strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying that through many tribulations we must enter • the kingdom of God.
This is an unbelievable example of Paul's love of his calling.
He was stoned almost to death and yet he does the comforting.
2 Corinthians 7:6-7 - But God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the coming of Titus, 7 and not only by his coming but also by the comfort with which he was comforted by you, as he told us of your longing, your mourning, your zeal for me, so that I rejoiced still more.
Acts 15:30-32 - So when they were sent off, they went down to Antioch, and having gathered the congregation together, they delivered the letter. 31 And when they had read it, they rejoiced because of its encouragement. 32 And Judas and Silas, who * were themselves prophets, encouraged and strengthened the brothers with many words. 21 • So that you also may know how I am * and what I am doing, Tychicus the beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord will tell you everything. 22 I have sent him to you for this very purpose, that you may know how we are, * and that he may encourage your hearts.
1 Thessalonians 5:11 - Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as • you are doing.
1 Thessalonians 4:17-18 - Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore encourage one another with these words.
So we are “encouraged” to:
Continue in the faith in spite of and because of tribulations.
And from Paul’s example, use the hardships we have endured to comfort others.
Comfort with our presence (often meaning affections or embracing) and enthusiasm.
Comfort with our words.
Rejoice in the comfort we receive.
Build up one another.
So the intent of Paul’s Parakaleo Encourager ministry is to call us to love, comfort, sustain and build up our brothers and sisters in Christ..
So, again, we will look to the Bible to understand the importance of this ministry.
Paul experienced the benefit of a Parakaleo Encourager ministrty first hand through the support of Baranabas at what point in his, Paul’s, life?
Why parakaleo this way:
2 Corinthians 13:11 - Finally, brothers, rejoice. Aim for restoration, comfort one another, agree with one another, * live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you.
We are commanded to.
Hebrews 10:24-25 - And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.
That we might help inspire love and good works from our fellow Christians.
2 Corinthians 1:1-6 - Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, To the church of God that is at Corinth, with all the saints who are in the whole of Achaia: 2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. 5 For as we share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too. 6 • If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; and if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which you experience when you patiently endure the same sufferings that we • suffer.
We share in Christ’s sufferings that we might share in His comfort and thereby comfort others as God has comforted us.
Comfort (encouragement) is a currency of God given to us in order to pay to others.
POI – 2 Cor 1:1-6 also makes clear what we alluded to at the beginning of our lesson with “the word of God, which is at work in you”.
GOD IS THE POWER & THE PURPOSE BEHIND THE EHORTING AND ENCOURAGING!
POI - The Holy Spirit also undertakes the 2 forms of parakaleo that Paul does.
Encourager:
Acts 9:31 - Then the churches throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had peace and were edified. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, they were multiplied.
Jesus used the word paraklete, a derivative of parakaleo, to describe the Holy Spirit as the "Comforter" in John 14:16:
“And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may be with you for ever…” - ASV
Exhorter:
Ezek 36:27 - I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them.
1 Corinthians 2:12-13 - Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God. 13 And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual.
Summary:
So there is both an emotional/physical cost in the Christian walk and a doctrinal and obedience deficit in the Christian walk.
Paul teaches us that we have a responsibility to assist our fellow Christian overcome these via a Parakaleo Encourager and Parakaleo Exhorter ministry.
Paul gives instruction on how to engage in these ministries and the reason to do so.
All we must do is obey and this enables God to work these things through us.
What are the symptoms of a church’s need for these 2 Parakaleo ministries?
We can say that symptoms might be:
An unwillingness to evaluate and make sense of circumstances, experiences and surroundings using a Biblical perspective.
In other words, we become worldly in our evaluation process.
Another symptom, in my opinion, is that we begin to mistake our hurt pride as a pricked conscience and so make decisions we believe to be wholly correct but are in fact completely wrong!
Discouragement with how things are going in Church.
Discouragement in our walk due to the sin in our lives.
7/6/09
Acts 19:29-41 - Submission to Authority is Submission to God
Acts 19:28-41 – Paul’s Politics – Submission to Authority is Submission to God
Diving Deeper Lesson Outline for a second lesson on Acts 19:28-41
The title is drawn from Paul’s relationship with government authorities as shown in our text and in previous texts in Acts.
We will explore how Romans 13:1-7, written most likely during his 3rd missionary journey while in Corinth (Acts 20:2-3), fleshes out when overlaid on Paul’s (and his fellow apostles) interactions with the political powers that be in Acts.
1) INTERACTIONS WITH THE POWERS THAT BE – GOOD & BAD
First we need to look at several examples that highlight the various interactions Peter and Paul had with the authorities.
Acts 4:1-3 - And as they were speaking to the people, the priests and the captain of the temple and the Sadducees came upon them, 2 greatly annoyed because they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection from the dead. 3 And they arrested them and put them in custody until the next day, for it was already evening.
Acts 5:17 - But the high priest rose up, and all who were with him (that is, the party of the Sadducees), and filled with jealousy 18 they arrested the apostles and put them in the public prison.
Acts 12:1-6 - About that time Herod the king laid violent hands on some who belonged to the church. 2 He killed James the brother of John with the sword, 3 and when he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter also. This was during the days of Unleavened Bread. 4 And when he had seized him, he put him in prison, delivering him over to four squads of soldiers to guard him, intending after the Passover to bring him out to the people. 5 So Peter was kept in prison, but earnest prayer for him was made to God by the church.
Acts 13:7 & 12 - He was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, a man of intelligence, who summoned Barnabas and Saul and sought to hear the word of God. 12 Then the proconsul believed, when he saw what had occurred, for he was astonished at the teaching of the Lord.
Acts 16:20-24 - And when they had brought them to the magistrates, they said, “These men are Jews, and they are disturbing our city. 21 They advocate customs that are not lawful for us as Romans to accept or practice.” 22 The crowd joined in attacking them, and the magistrates tore the garments off them and gave orders to beat them with rods. 23 And when they had inflicted many blows upon them, they threw them into prison, ordering the jailer to keep them safely. 24 Having received this order, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks.
Acts 18:12-17 - But when Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews made a united attack on Paul and brought him before the tribunal, 13 saying, “This man is persuading people to worship God contrary to the law.” 14 But when Paul was about to open his mouth, Gallio said to the Jews, “If it were a matter of wrongdoing or vicious crime, O Jews, I would have reason to accept your complaint. 15 But since it is a matter of questions about words and names and your own law, see to it yourselves. I refuse to be a judge of these things.” 16 And he drove them from the tribunal. 17 And they all seized Sosthenes, the ruler of the synagogue, and beat him in front of the tribunal. But Gallio paid no attention to any of this.
Acts 19:38-41 - If therefore Demetrius and the craftsmen with him have a complaint against anyone, the courts are open, and there are proconsuls. Let them bring charges against one another. 39 But if you seek anything further, it shall be settled in the regular assembly. 40 For we really are in danger of being charged with rioting today, since there is no cause that we can give to justify this commotion.” 41 And when he had said these things, he dismissed the assembly.
In these examples, we see varied interactions and outcomes.
Underlying all these interactions is a Biblical mandate taught both by Peter and Paul.
This Biblical mandate guided all the decisions they made in their relationship with the authorities.
2) PAUL AND PETER’S CALL TO SUBMIT TO THE POWERS THAT BE
Now we need to look at Peter and Paul’s Biblical mandate.
Titus 3:1a - Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities…
1 Peter 2:13-14 - Be subject for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, 14 or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good.
Romans 13:1-7 - Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. 2 Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. 3 For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, 4 for he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer. 5 Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God’s wrath but also for the sake of conscience. 6 For because of this you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing. 7 Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed.
When we read these verses, all sorts of questions arise.
It doesn’t take us long to imagine scenarios that have implications that we are very uncomfortable with.
So to get our bearings we will examine more closely Romans 13:1-7.
Understanding Romans 13:1-7:
Acts is a great help to us in understanding these verses.
Peter & Paul were “living Acts” when they made the previous declarations.
In fact, Paul wrote Romans at the end of his 3rd missionary journey.
So because Paul’s 3 journeys in Acts are the physical backdrop of this letter, we will use Acts to “unlock” the meaning Paul and Peter may have had in mind.
Verse 1 – A SOVEREIGN GOD:
Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.
A very big and sovereign God is an essential component of Paul’s theology.
Paul’s sermons and epistles are ripe with a big God.
God is Lord of heaven and earth, creator of earth and everything in it, needs nothing from man, gives life and breath, made from Adam every nation, etc.
So it is no surprise that Paul recognizes that “governing authorities” are instituted by God and not simply a random outworking of the choices of men.
Proverbs 8:15-16 - By me kings reign, and rulers decree what is just; 16 by me princes rule, and nobles, all who govern justly.
Daniel 2:21 - He changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings; he gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding;
And for a man who gave his life to Speak the Gospel, the only right response to what God had instituted is obedience.
Submission to authority is a witness strategy that glorifies God.
POI – We must remember that Evil rulers are also ruling under the authority of God.
We know this includes wicked rulers as well as good ones because the Bible tells about wicked kings that God guided into office. For example, Jeroboam was one of the most wicked kings of Israel, and 1 Kings 12:15 describes the intrigue that put him in place like this: “It was a turn of affairs brought about by the Lord.”
Piper, J. (2007). Sermons from John Piper (2000-2007). Minneapolis: Desiring God.
Verse 2 - CONSEQUENCES:
Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment.
Paul tells us that there are consequences to resisting the authority God has instituted.
God makes this cause and effect principle clear in Proverbs.
Proverbs 14:35 - A servant who deals wisely has the king’s favor, but his wrath falls on one who acts shamefully.
A first consequence of disobeying authority is that the disobedience becomes a stumbling block and obstacle to the very people that may need to hear the Gospel.
Paul alludes to this when discussing slavery with Timothy:
1 Timothy 6:1 - Let all who are under a yoke as slaves regard their own masters as worthy of all honor, so that the name of God and the teaching may not be reviled.
The principal applies here; we are to submit to the powers that be so that God and the Gospel “may not be reviled”.
A second consequence is that in resisting and disobeying the authorities, you, in effect, resist and disobey God.
You must now consider the following questions in light of this.
Am I disobeying God when I:
Speed in my car?
Fail to obtain and pay for applicable permits or licenses?
Cheat on my taxes?
Exceed hunting quotas?
The point here is that there is much more to the picture than just you and the authorities.
God is present throughout our decision making process whether we realize it or not.
Paul surrendered his entire life to an obedience to God, and I suspect he would do none of the things just mentioned.
To do so would be all for Paul's benefit and not God's and Paul didn't live his life like that.
Verses 3 & 4 – PURPOSE:
For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, 4 for he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer.
Paul speaks with first hand experience when acknowledging the purpose of the powers was to inhibit bad behavior.
In our opening examples, both Gallio and the town clerk diffused bad behavior.
Doing so turned out to be beneficial to Paul and his disciples.
It was fear of a Roman crack down, God’s civil law “avenger”, that motivated the town clerk to resolve the riot peacefully.
POI – These verses, and the 3 below, are used to outline the Biblical case for capital punishment.
Genesis 4:10 - And the Lord said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood is crying to me from the ground.
Genesis 9:6 - Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed, for God made man in his own image.
Numbers 35:33 - You shall not pollute the land in which you live, for blood pollutes the land, and no atonement can be made for the land for the blood that is shed in it, except by the blood of the one who shed it.
Why did Jesus tell Peter in the garden of Gethsemane to put down his sword?
Verses 5-7 – YOUR CONSCIENCE:
Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God’s wrath but also for the sake of conscience. 6 For because of this you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing. 7 Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed.
Paul gives us another reason we our to submit to the powers that be, “for the sake of conscience.”
When we both disobey God and inhibit the spreading of the Gospel through the disobedience of the powers that be, we will suffer spiritually and experience the wrath of God.
Our conscience and by extension our spirit will be burdened and grieved – not a good place to live for a Christian.
This principal also applies to those forms of disobedience we addressed above under verse 2 – CONSEQUENCES.
This is why Paul says the following:
Acts 24:16 - So I always take pains to have a clear conscience toward both God and man.
And Peter tells us that when we suffer injustice we are to do so:
1 Peter 3:16-17 - having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. 17 For it is better to suffer for doing good (being obedient), if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil (being disobedient).
Summary:
It is clear that God’s Word teaches that the Christian has a unique relationship with the powers that be.
We are to understand that:
God installed them and sustains or overthrows them.
They are in power for our good – either directly or indirectly.
They rule under God’s authority, and by submitting to them we submit to God.
In our disobedience to the powers that be, we are to understand that:
We disobey God.
We burden our conscience.
We hinder our ability to speak the Gospel without offence.
We risk experiencing God’s wrath and judgement.
Now that we have a basic idea of why the Bible teaches we are to submit to the powers that be, we will look at a couple of examples of this submission from the Bible.
3) EXAMPLES OF SUBMISSION TO THE POWERS THAT BE
Jeremiah 29:6-7 - But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare.
1 Samuel 24:5-6 - And afterward David’s heart struck him, because he had cut off a corner of Saul’s robe. 6 He said to his men, “The Lord forbid that I should do this thing to my lord, the Lord’s anointed, to put out my hand against him, seeing he is the Lord’s anointed.”
Matthew 22:17-21 - Tell us, then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?” 18 But Jesus, aware of their malice, said, “Why put me to the test, you hypocrites? 19 Show me the coin for the tax.” And they brought him a denarius. 20 And Jesus said to them, “Whose likeness and inscription is this?” 21 They said, “Caesar’s.” Then he said to them, “Therefore render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”
Acts 16:25 - About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them,
Acts 18:2 - And he found a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to leave Rome.
These examples of submission are of but a few that are available.
Yet they demonstrate that this submission exists and is most often at the expense of the one submitting.
If you know your Bible, however, you also know that there are examples that demonstrate the defiance of authority.
So we will explore a few of these as well.
4) EXAMPLES THAT SEEMINGLY CONTRADICT THE CALL TO SUBMISSION TO THE POWERS THAT BE
Acts 4:18-20 - So they called them and charged them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. 19 But Peter and John answered them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge, 20 for we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard.”
Acts 5:19-21 & 25 - But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors and brought them out, and said, 20 “Go and stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words of this Life.” 21 And when they heard this, they entered the temple at daybreak and began to teach. 25 And someone came and told them, “Look! The men whom you put in prison are standing in the temple and teaching the people.”
Acts 16:35-39 - But when it was day, the magistrates sent the police, saying, “Let those men go.” 36 And the jailer reported these words to Paul, saying, “The magistrates have sent to let you go. Therefore come out now and go in peace.” 37 But Paul said to them, “They have beaten us publicly, uncondemned, men who are Roman citizens, and have thrown us into prison; and do they now throw us out secretly? No! Let them come themselves and take us out.” 38 The police reported these words to the magistrates, and they were afraid when they heard that they were Roman citizens. 39 So they came and apologized to them. And they took them out and asked them to leave the city.
Daniel 3:16-18 - Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. 17 If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. 18 But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.”I (when told to worship other gods & a golden image.)
The question now arises how do we reconcile a call to submission with these examples of defiance?
We will attempt to address this question next.
How to account for the apparent contradiction:
Acts 5:27-32 - And when they had brought them, they set them before the council. And the high priest questioned them, 28 saying, “We strictly charged you not to teach in this name, yet here you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and you intend to bring this man’s blood upon us.” 29 But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men. 30 The God of our fathers raised Jesus, whom you killed by hanging him on a tree. 31 God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. 32 And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.”
1 Corinthians 9:16 - Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!
1 Corinthians 9:21 - …not being outside the law of God but under the law of Christ…
Acts 22:25-27 - But when they had stretched him out for the whips, Paul said to the centurion who was standing by, “Is it lawful for you to flog a man who is a Roman citizen and uncondemned?” 26 When the centurion heard this, he went to the tribune and said to him, “What are you about to do? For this man is a Roman citizen.”
There seem to be two lines of thought and conviction that led Peter & Paul to disobey the powers that be.
The first way involves the necessity to obey God’s call to Speak the Gospel – to evangelize.
The second way involves holding the authorities accountable to the same laws that you are expected to follow.
And related to the second, when authorities ask us to break their own laws.
The first way:
Speaking the Gospel might be the primary call on the Christian’s life.
It can be argued that how Peter and Paul lived indicates that our obedience to this call is to be done no matter the cost.
This call on our lives (and all of God’s moral law) is to be followed without exception.
Peter & Paul show us that when the powers that be make demands of us that violate this law (God's law), we are to disobey them.
And the example of Paul, Peter and others show us that we are to disobey them no matter the cost to us – imprisonment, flogging, stoning, etc.
Amazingly, it can also be argued that if we are punished for our disobedience we are, however, to submit to the punishment.
But we, like Daniel or Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, should pray for deliverance by God.
The second way:
It is not just us who are accountable to civil law, but also the authorities who live under it.
When the authorities break their own laws, we are expected to hold them accountable.
And if they seek our cooperation in breaking the very laws they made, we are to resist them.
Paul unashamedly pointed out to the authorities that they were unlawful in flogging him because he was a Roman citizen and so resisted his punishment.
(How Paul's citizenship in this example stacks up to his experience in the jail at Philippi will be discussed in a future lesson.)
Summary:
We should now have a basic understanding of the nature of the relationship between Paul and the powers that be.
And by extension, we understand this to apply to us as well.
This brief study of the subject certainly raises as many questions as it answers.
But by way of application, I want us to consider a few things.
One of the most priceless freedoms we have as Americans is an ability to Speak the Gospel.
We can speak the Gospel, for the most part, without cost.
And certainly not with the cost Peter and Paul paid.
Do we avenge ourselves of this God-given freedom as we should?
Paul would be licking his chops if he were a missionary to the U.S.
The sad thing is that we are disobedient to God in Speaking the Gospel because we foolishly think it is to OUR BENEFIT to do so.
Interestingly, when we speed, cheat on taxes, kill more game than allowed, don’t pay for permits or licenses, etc., we do so for the same sorry reason – OUR BENEFIT.
We should be ashamed that the same reason we refuse to Speak the Gospel is the same reason we give for so many other ways we disobey God.
Paul has taught us that we are to do nothing “seeking my own advantage.”
Peter and Paul’s primary burden in life was Speaking the Gospel.
It was not family or comfort or food or recreation or a hot shower or sports or children.
As Peter said, they must talk about “what they have seen and heard.”
Because of this, they see hardships as blessings and face them with a clean conscience.
Whether in submission to or disobedient to authorities, they were committed to obeying God and not counting the cost.
If we reject the primacy of this calling - the Gospel, we run the race God has set before us disingenuously.
We justify putting kids, sports, wife or our comfort first.
We begin to count the cost of our relationship with Jesus Christ.
And in so doing, we weaken our resolve and contribution to the cause of Christ.
We become calculating in our decision-making when a sacrifice for Christ is needed.
We might consider, how am I going to make a living; I need to provide for my family; my kids need me to give them what their friends have; I have to have a hot shower, etc.
All of these things weaken our constitution and hinder us from being Peters and Pauls!
And all this begins, in my opinion, by rejecting the primacy in life of Speaking the Gospel.
So if we desire to learn submission to authority, to not count the cost, to not seek our own advantage we must begin to Speak the Gospel - the ultimate act of obedience to authority!
Diving Deeper Lesson Outline for a second lesson on Acts 19:28-41
The title is drawn from Paul’s relationship with government authorities as shown in our text and in previous texts in Acts.
We will explore how Romans 13:1-7, written most likely during his 3rd missionary journey while in Corinth (Acts 20:2-3), fleshes out when overlaid on Paul’s (and his fellow apostles) interactions with the political powers that be in Acts.
1) INTERACTIONS WITH THE POWERS THAT BE – GOOD & BAD
First we need to look at several examples that highlight the various interactions Peter and Paul had with the authorities.
Acts 4:1-3 - And as they were speaking to the people, the priests and the captain of the temple and the Sadducees came upon them, 2 greatly annoyed because they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection from the dead. 3 And they arrested them and put them in custody until the next day, for it was already evening.
Acts 5:17 - But the high priest rose up, and all who were with him (that is, the party of the Sadducees), and filled with jealousy 18 they arrested the apostles and put them in the public prison.
Acts 12:1-6 - About that time Herod the king laid violent hands on some who belonged to the church. 2 He killed James the brother of John with the sword, 3 and when he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter also. This was during the days of Unleavened Bread. 4 And when he had seized him, he put him in prison, delivering him over to four squads of soldiers to guard him, intending after the Passover to bring him out to the people. 5 So Peter was kept in prison, but earnest prayer for him was made to God by the church.
Acts 13:7 & 12 - He was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, a man of intelligence, who summoned Barnabas and Saul and sought to hear the word of God. 12 Then the proconsul believed, when he saw what had occurred, for he was astonished at the teaching of the Lord.
Acts 16:20-24 - And when they had brought them to the magistrates, they said, “These men are Jews, and they are disturbing our city. 21 They advocate customs that are not lawful for us as Romans to accept or practice.” 22 The crowd joined in attacking them, and the magistrates tore the garments off them and gave orders to beat them with rods. 23 And when they had inflicted many blows upon them, they threw them into prison, ordering the jailer to keep them safely. 24 Having received this order, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks.
Acts 18:12-17 - But when Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews made a united attack on Paul and brought him before the tribunal, 13 saying, “This man is persuading people to worship God contrary to the law.” 14 But when Paul was about to open his mouth, Gallio said to the Jews, “If it were a matter of wrongdoing or vicious crime, O Jews, I would have reason to accept your complaint. 15 But since it is a matter of questions about words and names and your own law, see to it yourselves. I refuse to be a judge of these things.” 16 And he drove them from the tribunal. 17 And they all seized Sosthenes, the ruler of the synagogue, and beat him in front of the tribunal. But Gallio paid no attention to any of this.
Acts 19:38-41 - If therefore Demetrius and the craftsmen with him have a complaint against anyone, the courts are open, and there are proconsuls. Let them bring charges against one another. 39 But if you seek anything further, it shall be settled in the regular assembly. 40 For we really are in danger of being charged with rioting today, since there is no cause that we can give to justify this commotion.” 41 And when he had said these things, he dismissed the assembly.
In these examples, we see varied interactions and outcomes.
Underlying all these interactions is a Biblical mandate taught both by Peter and Paul.
This Biblical mandate guided all the decisions they made in their relationship with the authorities.
2) PAUL AND PETER’S CALL TO SUBMIT TO THE POWERS THAT BE
Now we need to look at Peter and Paul’s Biblical mandate.
Titus 3:1a - Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities…
1 Peter 2:13-14 - Be subject for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, 14 or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good.
Romans 13:1-7 - Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. 2 Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. 3 For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, 4 for he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer. 5 Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God’s wrath but also for the sake of conscience. 6 For because of this you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing. 7 Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed.
When we read these verses, all sorts of questions arise.
It doesn’t take us long to imagine scenarios that have implications that we are very uncomfortable with.
So to get our bearings we will examine more closely Romans 13:1-7.
Understanding Romans 13:1-7:
Acts is a great help to us in understanding these verses.
Peter & Paul were “living Acts” when they made the previous declarations.
In fact, Paul wrote Romans at the end of his 3rd missionary journey.
So because Paul’s 3 journeys in Acts are the physical backdrop of this letter, we will use Acts to “unlock” the meaning Paul and Peter may have had in mind.
Verse 1 – A SOVEREIGN GOD:
Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.
A very big and sovereign God is an essential component of Paul’s theology.
Paul’s sermons and epistles are ripe with a big God.
God is Lord of heaven and earth, creator of earth and everything in it, needs nothing from man, gives life and breath, made from Adam every nation, etc.
So it is no surprise that Paul recognizes that “governing authorities” are instituted by God and not simply a random outworking of the choices of men.
Proverbs 8:15-16 - By me kings reign, and rulers decree what is just; 16 by me princes rule, and nobles, all who govern justly.
Daniel 2:21 - He changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings; he gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding;
And for a man who gave his life to Speak the Gospel, the only right response to what God had instituted is obedience.
Submission to authority is a witness strategy that glorifies God.
POI – We must remember that Evil rulers are also ruling under the authority of God.
We know this includes wicked rulers as well as good ones because the Bible tells about wicked kings that God guided into office. For example, Jeroboam was one of the most wicked kings of Israel, and 1 Kings 12:15 describes the intrigue that put him in place like this: “It was a turn of affairs brought about by the Lord.”
Piper, J. (2007). Sermons from John Piper (2000-2007). Minneapolis: Desiring God.
Verse 2 - CONSEQUENCES:
Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment.
Paul tells us that there are consequences to resisting the authority God has instituted.
God makes this cause and effect principle clear in Proverbs.
Proverbs 14:35 - A servant who deals wisely has the king’s favor, but his wrath falls on one who acts shamefully.
A first consequence of disobeying authority is that the disobedience becomes a stumbling block and obstacle to the very people that may need to hear the Gospel.
Paul alludes to this when discussing slavery with Timothy:
1 Timothy 6:1 - Let all who are under a yoke as slaves regard their own masters as worthy of all honor, so that the name of God and the teaching may not be reviled.
The principal applies here; we are to submit to the powers that be so that God and the Gospel “may not be reviled”.
A second consequence is that in resisting and disobeying the authorities, you, in effect, resist and disobey God.
You must now consider the following questions in light of this.
Am I disobeying God when I:
Speed in my car?
Fail to obtain and pay for applicable permits or licenses?
Cheat on my taxes?
Exceed hunting quotas?
The point here is that there is much more to the picture than just you and the authorities.
God is present throughout our decision making process whether we realize it or not.
Paul surrendered his entire life to an obedience to God, and I suspect he would do none of the things just mentioned.
To do so would be all for Paul's benefit and not God's and Paul didn't live his life like that.
Verses 3 & 4 – PURPOSE:
For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, 4 for he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer.
Paul speaks with first hand experience when acknowledging the purpose of the powers was to inhibit bad behavior.
In our opening examples, both Gallio and the town clerk diffused bad behavior.
Doing so turned out to be beneficial to Paul and his disciples.
It was fear of a Roman crack down, God’s civil law “avenger”, that motivated the town clerk to resolve the riot peacefully.
POI – These verses, and the 3 below, are used to outline the Biblical case for capital punishment.
Genesis 4:10 - And the Lord said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood is crying to me from the ground.
Genesis 9:6 - Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed, for God made man in his own image.
Numbers 35:33 - You shall not pollute the land in which you live, for blood pollutes the land, and no atonement can be made for the land for the blood that is shed in it, except by the blood of the one who shed it.
Why did Jesus tell Peter in the garden of Gethsemane to put down his sword?
Verses 5-7 – YOUR CONSCIENCE:
Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God’s wrath but also for the sake of conscience. 6 For because of this you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing. 7 Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed.
Paul gives us another reason we our to submit to the powers that be, “for the sake of conscience.”
When we both disobey God and inhibit the spreading of the Gospel through the disobedience of the powers that be, we will suffer spiritually and experience the wrath of God.
Our conscience and by extension our spirit will be burdened and grieved – not a good place to live for a Christian.
This principal also applies to those forms of disobedience we addressed above under verse 2 – CONSEQUENCES.
This is why Paul says the following:
Acts 24:16 - So I always take pains to have a clear conscience toward both God and man.
And Peter tells us that when we suffer injustice we are to do so:
1 Peter 3:16-17 - having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. 17 For it is better to suffer for doing good (being obedient), if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil (being disobedient).
Summary:
It is clear that God’s Word teaches that the Christian has a unique relationship with the powers that be.
We are to understand that:
God installed them and sustains or overthrows them.
They are in power for our good – either directly or indirectly.
They rule under God’s authority, and by submitting to them we submit to God.
In our disobedience to the powers that be, we are to understand that:
We disobey God.
We burden our conscience.
We hinder our ability to speak the Gospel without offence.
We risk experiencing God’s wrath and judgement.
Now that we have a basic idea of why the Bible teaches we are to submit to the powers that be, we will look at a couple of examples of this submission from the Bible.
3) EXAMPLES OF SUBMISSION TO THE POWERS THAT BE
Jeremiah 29:6-7 - But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare.
1 Samuel 24:5-6 - And afterward David’s heart struck him, because he had cut off a corner of Saul’s robe. 6 He said to his men, “The Lord forbid that I should do this thing to my lord, the Lord’s anointed, to put out my hand against him, seeing he is the Lord’s anointed.”
Matthew 22:17-21 - Tell us, then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?” 18 But Jesus, aware of their malice, said, “Why put me to the test, you hypocrites? 19 Show me the coin for the tax.” And they brought him a denarius. 20 And Jesus said to them, “Whose likeness and inscription is this?” 21 They said, “Caesar’s.” Then he said to them, “Therefore render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”
Acts 16:25 - About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them,
Acts 18:2 - And he found a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to leave Rome.
These examples of submission are of but a few that are available.
Yet they demonstrate that this submission exists and is most often at the expense of the one submitting.
If you know your Bible, however, you also know that there are examples that demonstrate the defiance of authority.
So we will explore a few of these as well.
4) EXAMPLES THAT SEEMINGLY CONTRADICT THE CALL TO SUBMISSION TO THE POWERS THAT BE
Acts 4:18-20 - So they called them and charged them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. 19 But Peter and John answered them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge, 20 for we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard.”
Acts 5:19-21 & 25 - But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors and brought them out, and said, 20 “Go and stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words of this Life.” 21 And when they heard this, they entered the temple at daybreak and began to teach. 25 And someone came and told them, “Look! The men whom you put in prison are standing in the temple and teaching the people.”
Acts 16:35-39 - But when it was day, the magistrates sent the police, saying, “Let those men go.” 36 And the jailer reported these words to Paul, saying, “The magistrates have sent to let you go. Therefore come out now and go in peace.” 37 But Paul said to them, “They have beaten us publicly, uncondemned, men who are Roman citizens, and have thrown us into prison; and do they now throw us out secretly? No! Let them come themselves and take us out.” 38 The police reported these words to the magistrates, and they were afraid when they heard that they were Roman citizens. 39 So they came and apologized to them. And they took them out and asked them to leave the city.
Daniel 3:16-18 - Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. 17 If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. 18 But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.”I (when told to worship other gods & a golden image.)
The question now arises how do we reconcile a call to submission with these examples of defiance?
We will attempt to address this question next.
How to account for the apparent contradiction:
Acts 5:27-32 - And when they had brought them, they set them before the council. And the high priest questioned them, 28 saying, “We strictly charged you not to teach in this name, yet here you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and you intend to bring this man’s blood upon us.” 29 But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men. 30 The God of our fathers raised Jesus, whom you killed by hanging him on a tree. 31 God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. 32 And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.”
1 Corinthians 9:16 - Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!
1 Corinthians 9:21 - …not being outside the law of God but under the law of Christ…
Acts 22:25-27 - But when they had stretched him out for the whips, Paul said to the centurion who was standing by, “Is it lawful for you to flog a man who is a Roman citizen and uncondemned?” 26 When the centurion heard this, he went to the tribune and said to him, “What are you about to do? For this man is a Roman citizen.”
There seem to be two lines of thought and conviction that led Peter & Paul to disobey the powers that be.
The first way involves the necessity to obey God’s call to Speak the Gospel – to evangelize.
The second way involves holding the authorities accountable to the same laws that you are expected to follow.
And related to the second, when authorities ask us to break their own laws.
The first way:
Speaking the Gospel might be the primary call on the Christian’s life.
It can be argued that how Peter and Paul lived indicates that our obedience to this call is to be done no matter the cost.
This call on our lives (and all of God’s moral law) is to be followed without exception.
Peter & Paul show us that when the powers that be make demands of us that violate this law (God's law), we are to disobey them.
And the example of Paul, Peter and others show us that we are to disobey them no matter the cost to us – imprisonment, flogging, stoning, etc.
Amazingly, it can also be argued that if we are punished for our disobedience we are, however, to submit to the punishment.
But we, like Daniel or Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, should pray for deliverance by God.
The second way:
It is not just us who are accountable to civil law, but also the authorities who live under it.
When the authorities break their own laws, we are expected to hold them accountable.
And if they seek our cooperation in breaking the very laws they made, we are to resist them.
Paul unashamedly pointed out to the authorities that they were unlawful in flogging him because he was a Roman citizen and so resisted his punishment.
(How Paul's citizenship in this example stacks up to his experience in the jail at Philippi will be discussed in a future lesson.)
Summary:
We should now have a basic understanding of the nature of the relationship between Paul and the powers that be.
And by extension, we understand this to apply to us as well.
This brief study of the subject certainly raises as many questions as it answers.
But by way of application, I want us to consider a few things.
One of the most priceless freedoms we have as Americans is an ability to Speak the Gospel.
We can speak the Gospel, for the most part, without cost.
And certainly not with the cost Peter and Paul paid.
Do we avenge ourselves of this God-given freedom as we should?
Paul would be licking his chops if he were a missionary to the U.S.
The sad thing is that we are disobedient to God in Speaking the Gospel because we foolishly think it is to OUR BENEFIT to do so.
Interestingly, when we speed, cheat on taxes, kill more game than allowed, don’t pay for permits or licenses, etc., we do so for the same sorry reason – OUR BENEFIT.
We should be ashamed that the same reason we refuse to Speak the Gospel is the same reason we give for so many other ways we disobey God.
Paul has taught us that we are to do nothing “seeking my own advantage.”
Peter and Paul’s primary burden in life was Speaking the Gospel.
It was not family or comfort or food or recreation or a hot shower or sports or children.
As Peter said, they must talk about “what they have seen and heard.”
Because of this, they see hardships as blessings and face them with a clean conscience.
Whether in submission to or disobedient to authorities, they were committed to obeying God and not counting the cost.
If we reject the primacy of this calling - the Gospel, we run the race God has set before us disingenuously.
We justify putting kids, sports, wife or our comfort first.
We begin to count the cost of our relationship with Jesus Christ.
And in so doing, we weaken our resolve and contribution to the cause of Christ.
We become calculating in our decision-making when a sacrifice for Christ is needed.
We might consider, how am I going to make a living; I need to provide for my family; my kids need me to give them what their friends have; I have to have a hot shower, etc.
All of these things weaken our constitution and hinder us from being Peters and Pauls!
And all this begins, in my opinion, by rejecting the primacy in life of Speaking the Gospel.
So if we desire to learn submission to authority, to not count the cost, to not seek our own advantage we must begin to Speak the Gospel - the ultimate act of obedience to authority!
6/30/09
Acts 19:28-41 - Paul's Intent and Tone
Acts 19:28-41 - Paul's Intent and Tone
The lesson title is derived from verse 37 of our text.
It is our aim to understand how the town clerk could have truthfully said that Paul did not blaspheme Artemis.
The lesson title is the answer we will explore.
1) THESE MEN – WHO ARE THEY?
Acts 19:29a & 37a - So the city was filled with the confusion, and they rushed together into the theater, dragging with them Gaius and Aristarchus… 37 For you have brought these men here…
Who are “these men” – Gaius and Aristarchus?
It seems Paul was not there when the mob ensued, so they grabbed 2 of his coworkers in Christ.
Aristarchus – He was a converted Jew from Thessalonica (where most of the Jews formed a mob on 1st visit).
Colossians 4:10 reveals to us that he accompanied Paul on his journey to Rome, and in fact was also a fellow prisoner with Paul.
Gaius – He was from Derbe (where Paul fled after being stoned at Lystra).
Romans 16:23 tells us he “hosted” Paul during his stay at Ephesus.
Corinthians 1:14 shows us that he was one of only 2 people Paul baptized.
Our text today also tells us they were traveling companions with Paul.
So because of this, we know that both sacrificed for the sake of the Gospel; they left home to accompany Paul.
It is also reasonable to assume they spoke the Gospel alongside Paul and learned from him.
2) THESE MEN – SPEAK NOT A BLASPHEMOUS GOSPEL?
Acts 19:37b - who are neither sacrilegious nor blasphemers of our goddess.
The town clerk (mayor) calms the men, in part, by saying there is no legitimate claim against these me because they have not stolen from the temple of Artemis nor have they blasphemed against her.
This begs two questions:
1) What might have Paul, Gaius and Aristarchus have said to a city full of idolators?
2) Why would the town clerk not consider the Gospel and their words blasphemous toward Artemis?
First, we need to take a look at what Paul, Gaius and Aristarchus may have said to their Pagan audience.
What might “these men” and Paul have said to idol worshippers?
Acts 19:26 - And you see and hear that not only in Ephesus but in almost all of Asia this Paul has persuaded and turned away a great many people, saying that gods made with hands are not gods.
From Chad’s lesson last week, this text reveals one thing spoken by Paul and friends.
Gods made with man-hands are not gods.
Acts 14:15 & 17 - “Men, why are you doing these things? We also are men, of like nature with you, and we bring you good news, that you should turn from these vain things to a living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all that is in them. 17 Yet he did not leave himself without witness, for he did good by giving you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, satisfying your hearts with food and gladness.”
After having been identified as Zeus and Hermes while in Lystra, Paul and Barnabas plead with the people.
Turn from vain things, Zeus & Hermes, to a living God.
The living God bears witness to you through rain, seasons, food and gladness.
Acts 17:22-31 - So Paul, standing in the midst of the Areopagus, said: “Men of Athens, I perceive that in every way you are very religious. 23 For as I passed along and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription, ‘To the unknown god.’ What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you. 24 The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, 25 nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything. 26 And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, 27 that they should seek God, in the hope that they might feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us, 28 for “ ‘In him we live and move and have our being’;
as even some of your own poets have said, “ ‘For we are indeed his offspring.’
29 Being then God’s offspring, we ought not to think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and imagination of man. 30 The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, 31 because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.”
Upon arrival at Athens, Paul addresses the philosophers at the Areopagus.
They are very religious.
God does not live in temples made by man.
God is not served by human hands.
Man should seek this God, who created all things.
We are this God’s offspring.
God is not of gold or silver or stone or man made.
Repent because this God will judge in righteousness through the risen Jesus Christ.
Summary:
Paul is emphasizing that his huge God is not found in gold or some temple – all unfulfilling attempts to find God.
God is more than all these things; He’s the creator of the gold and the rock used to make the temple!
The idolators’ desire to search for God is legitimate, but they need to think bigger than a gilded wood idle or altar.
Paul points them in the right direction, Jesus, and knows that it is up to God to bring them unto Himself.
What is Blasphemy?
Now that we have an idea of what Paul and His companions might have said, we need to know what blasphemy is.
The Greek word means to speak evil of, to insult, malicious talk and slander.
Ezekiel 20:27 says it is to deal treacherously with.
Matthew 9:3 and Mark 2:7 say it is to claim to be equal to God.
Acts 6:11 says it is to speak falsely against God.
Romans 2:24 and 2 Peter 2:2 says actions done in God’s name that are hypocrisy is blasphemy.
So knowing all this, why did the town clerk not think Paul, Gaius and Aristarchus blasphemed Artemis?
We must remember that not only the mob, but the Asiarchs who oversaw the emperor worship, would have had legitimate reason to deal with Paul and his companions harshly had they felt they were blasphemous toward Claudius or Artemis.
But as Scripture states, the Asiarchs were actually friends of Paul’s.
Paul’s Intent and Tone in speaking the Gospel:
This, of course, leads us to the following question in order to address this apparent anomaly:
How did Paul speak the Gospel to idolatrous Pagans and not blaspheme their gods?
The case can be made that he spoke the Gospel differently to Jews than to Pagans.
We saw this when we compared his Acts 13 sermon to those in Acts 14 and Acts 17.
I think, however, that Paul’s intent and tone were the same, to some extent, no matter the audience.
The Bible sheds light on Paul’s intent and tone when he spoke the Gospel.
It reveals 3 different words used to describe how he and, even Jesus, desired to give no offense.
Acts 25:8 - Paul argued in his defense, “Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar have I committed any offense.”
Same word as sin – to miss the mark.
1 Corinthians 10:31-33 - So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. 32 Give no offense to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God, 33 just as I try to please everyone in everything I do, not seeking my own advantage, but that of many, that they may be saved.
1 having nothing to strike against, not causing to stumble. 1a of a smooth road. 1b metaph. of not leading others to sin by one’s mode of life. 2 not striking against or stumbling. 2a metaph. not led into sin, blameless. 3 without offense, not troubled by a consciousness of sin.
Matthew 17:24-27 - When they came to Capernaum, the collectors of the two-drachma tax went up to Peter and said, “Does your teacher not pay the tax?” 25 He said, “Yes.” And when he came into the house, Jesus spoke to him first, saying, “What do you think, Simon? From whom do kings of the earth take toll or tax? From their sons or from others?” 26 And when he said, “From others,” Jesus said to him, “Then the sons are free. 27 However, not to give offense to them, go to the sea and cast a hook and take the first fish that comes up, and when you open its mouth you will find a shekel. Take that and give it to them for me and for yourself.”
1 to put a stumbling block or impediment in the way, upon which another may trip and fall, metaph. to offend. 1a to entice to sin. 1b to cause a person to begin to distrust and desert one whom he ought to trust and obey. 1b1 to cause to fall away. 1b2 to be offended in one, i.e. to see in another what I disapprove of and what hinders me from acknowledging his authority. 1b3 to cause one to judge unfavourably or unjustly of another. 1c since one who stumbles or whose foot gets entangled feels annoyed. 1c1 to cause one displeasure at a thing. 1c2 to make indignant. 1c3 to be displeased, indignant.
1 Corinthians 9:12 - If others share this rightful claim on you, do not we even more? Nevertheless, we have not made use of this right, but we endure anything rather than put an obstacle in the way of the gospel of Christ.
1 a cutting (made in a road to impede an enemy in pursuit). 2 a hindrance.
Summary:
For Paul, it’s important to know his audience and live and speak the Gospel in a way that is most effective.
His tone and intent is to not let his actions or words get in the way of the power of the Gospel.
But, he does so w/o compromising his life under Christ.
Paul was really a missionary and an ethnographer – he understood a specific cultures politics, beliefs, religion, etc.
The below scripture summarizes Paul’s tone and intent when speaking the Gospel, and it’s one we have used before.
1 Corinthians 9:20-23 - To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though not being myself under the law) that I might win those under the law. 21 To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (not being outside the law of God but under the law of Christ) that I might win those outside the law. 22 To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some. 23 I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings.
POI - Of course, the tone and intent to not give offense, also raises some questions.
The silversmiths suffered economically due to Paul’s message.
And earlier, Paul cast out a demon from a fortune teller, costing her handlers money.
Why would these outcomes not be considered by Paul a hindrance, obstacle or offensive?
Surely the men losing money were offended.
From 1 Corinthians 10:31-33, we just learned that Paul did nothing “seeking my own advantage.”
The answer is to be found, then, in Paul’s motive.
First, not only was he not out to get them, but he was not out to get them so that he might benefit from it in any way.
And second, Paul did not think he offended them because they also were freed from the trap, love of money, that may very well have hindered them from hearing the Gospel – like the rich young ruler.
Summary:
We are neither to water down the Gospel to make it sound more relevant (Gospel is foolishness to unbelievers) nor are we to offend by insulting the person or belittle what they believe.
Like Paul, we are to know our audience, speak the Gospel and point them to the living God, the big God, the true God.
I suspect Paul, instead of saying “Artemis is bogus”, said “Christ is risen and alive.”
Instead of saying, “Why do you idiots worship a rock”, he might say “worship the God that lives and blesses you with rain and seasons.”
2 Corinthians 2:17 - For we are not, like so many, peddlers of God’s word, but as men of sincerity, as commissioned by God, in the sight of God we speak in Christ.
The lesson title is derived from verse 37 of our text.
It is our aim to understand how the town clerk could have truthfully said that Paul did not blaspheme Artemis.
The lesson title is the answer we will explore.
1) THESE MEN – WHO ARE THEY?
Acts 19:29a & 37a - So the city was filled with the confusion, and they rushed together into the theater, dragging with them Gaius and Aristarchus… 37 For you have brought these men here…
Who are “these men” – Gaius and Aristarchus?
It seems Paul was not there when the mob ensued, so they grabbed 2 of his coworkers in Christ.
Aristarchus – He was a converted Jew from Thessalonica (where most of the Jews formed a mob on 1st visit).
Colossians 4:10 reveals to us that he accompanied Paul on his journey to Rome, and in fact was also a fellow prisoner with Paul.
Gaius – He was from Derbe (where Paul fled after being stoned at Lystra).
Romans 16:23 tells us he “hosted” Paul during his stay at Ephesus.
Corinthians 1:14 shows us that he was one of only 2 people Paul baptized.
Our text today also tells us they were traveling companions with Paul.
So because of this, we know that both sacrificed for the sake of the Gospel; they left home to accompany Paul.
It is also reasonable to assume they spoke the Gospel alongside Paul and learned from him.
2) THESE MEN – SPEAK NOT A BLASPHEMOUS GOSPEL?
Acts 19:37b - who are neither sacrilegious nor blasphemers of our goddess.
The town clerk (mayor) calms the men, in part, by saying there is no legitimate claim against these me because they have not stolen from the temple of Artemis nor have they blasphemed against her.
This begs two questions:
1) What might have Paul, Gaius and Aristarchus have said to a city full of idolators?
2) Why would the town clerk not consider the Gospel and their words blasphemous toward Artemis?
First, we need to take a look at what Paul, Gaius and Aristarchus may have said to their Pagan audience.
What might “these men” and Paul have said to idol worshippers?
Acts 19:26 - And you see and hear that not only in Ephesus but in almost all of Asia this Paul has persuaded and turned away a great many people, saying that gods made with hands are not gods.
From Chad’s lesson last week, this text reveals one thing spoken by Paul and friends.
Gods made with man-hands are not gods.
Acts 14:15 & 17 - “Men, why are you doing these things? We also are men, of like nature with you, and we bring you good news, that you should turn from these vain things to a living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all that is in them. 17 Yet he did not leave himself without witness, for he did good by giving you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, satisfying your hearts with food and gladness.”
After having been identified as Zeus and Hermes while in Lystra, Paul and Barnabas plead with the people.
Turn from vain things, Zeus & Hermes, to a living God.
The living God bears witness to you through rain, seasons, food and gladness.
Acts 17:22-31 - So Paul, standing in the midst of the Areopagus, said: “Men of Athens, I perceive that in every way you are very religious. 23 For as I passed along and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription, ‘To the unknown god.’ What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you. 24 The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, 25 nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything. 26 And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, 27 that they should seek God, in the hope that they might feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us, 28 for “ ‘In him we live and move and have our being’;
as even some of your own poets have said, “ ‘For we are indeed his offspring.’
29 Being then God’s offspring, we ought not to think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and imagination of man. 30 The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, 31 because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.”
Upon arrival at Athens, Paul addresses the philosophers at the Areopagus.
They are very religious.
God does not live in temples made by man.
God is not served by human hands.
Man should seek this God, who created all things.
We are this God’s offspring.
God is not of gold or silver or stone or man made.
Repent because this God will judge in righteousness through the risen Jesus Christ.
Summary:
Paul is emphasizing that his huge God is not found in gold or some temple – all unfulfilling attempts to find God.
God is more than all these things; He’s the creator of the gold and the rock used to make the temple!
The idolators’ desire to search for God is legitimate, but they need to think bigger than a gilded wood idle or altar.
Paul points them in the right direction, Jesus, and knows that it is up to God to bring them unto Himself.
What is Blasphemy?
Now that we have an idea of what Paul and His companions might have said, we need to know what blasphemy is.
The Greek word means to speak evil of, to insult, malicious talk and slander.
Ezekiel 20:27 says it is to deal treacherously with.
Matthew 9:3 and Mark 2:7 say it is to claim to be equal to God.
Acts 6:11 says it is to speak falsely against God.
Romans 2:24 and 2 Peter 2:2 says actions done in God’s name that are hypocrisy is blasphemy.
So knowing all this, why did the town clerk not think Paul, Gaius and Aristarchus blasphemed Artemis?
We must remember that not only the mob, but the Asiarchs who oversaw the emperor worship, would have had legitimate reason to deal with Paul and his companions harshly had they felt they were blasphemous toward Claudius or Artemis.
But as Scripture states, the Asiarchs were actually friends of Paul’s.
Paul’s Intent and Tone in speaking the Gospel:
This, of course, leads us to the following question in order to address this apparent anomaly:
How did Paul speak the Gospel to idolatrous Pagans and not blaspheme their gods?
The case can be made that he spoke the Gospel differently to Jews than to Pagans.
We saw this when we compared his Acts 13 sermon to those in Acts 14 and Acts 17.
I think, however, that Paul’s intent and tone were the same, to some extent, no matter the audience.
The Bible sheds light on Paul’s intent and tone when he spoke the Gospel.
It reveals 3 different words used to describe how he and, even Jesus, desired to give no offense.
Acts 25:8 - Paul argued in his defense, “Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar have I committed any offense.”
Same word as sin – to miss the mark.
1 Corinthians 10:31-33 - So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. 32 Give no offense to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God, 33 just as I try to please everyone in everything I do, not seeking my own advantage, but that of many, that they may be saved.
1 having nothing to strike against, not causing to stumble. 1a of a smooth road. 1b metaph. of not leading others to sin by one’s mode of life. 2 not striking against or stumbling. 2a metaph. not led into sin, blameless. 3 without offense, not troubled by a consciousness of sin.
Matthew 17:24-27 - When they came to Capernaum, the collectors of the two-drachma tax went up to Peter and said, “Does your teacher not pay the tax?” 25 He said, “Yes.” And when he came into the house, Jesus spoke to him first, saying, “What do you think, Simon? From whom do kings of the earth take toll or tax? From their sons or from others?” 26 And when he said, “From others,” Jesus said to him, “Then the sons are free. 27 However, not to give offense to them, go to the sea and cast a hook and take the first fish that comes up, and when you open its mouth you will find a shekel. Take that and give it to them for me and for yourself.”
1 to put a stumbling block or impediment in the way, upon which another may trip and fall, metaph. to offend. 1a to entice to sin. 1b to cause a person to begin to distrust and desert one whom he ought to trust and obey. 1b1 to cause to fall away. 1b2 to be offended in one, i.e. to see in another what I disapprove of and what hinders me from acknowledging his authority. 1b3 to cause one to judge unfavourably or unjustly of another. 1c since one who stumbles or whose foot gets entangled feels annoyed. 1c1 to cause one displeasure at a thing. 1c2 to make indignant. 1c3 to be displeased, indignant.
1 Corinthians 9:12 - If others share this rightful claim on you, do not we even more? Nevertheless, we have not made use of this right, but we endure anything rather than put an obstacle in the way of the gospel of Christ.
1 a cutting (made in a road to impede an enemy in pursuit). 2 a hindrance.
Summary:
For Paul, it’s important to know his audience and live and speak the Gospel in a way that is most effective.
His tone and intent is to not let his actions or words get in the way of the power of the Gospel.
But, he does so w/o compromising his life under Christ.
Paul was really a missionary and an ethnographer – he understood a specific cultures politics, beliefs, religion, etc.
The below scripture summarizes Paul’s tone and intent when speaking the Gospel, and it’s one we have used before.
1 Corinthians 9:20-23 - To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though not being myself under the law) that I might win those under the law. 21 To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (not being outside the law of God but under the law of Christ) that I might win those outside the law. 22 To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some. 23 I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings.
POI - Of course, the tone and intent to not give offense, also raises some questions.
The silversmiths suffered economically due to Paul’s message.
And earlier, Paul cast out a demon from a fortune teller, costing her handlers money.
Why would these outcomes not be considered by Paul a hindrance, obstacle or offensive?
Surely the men losing money were offended.
From 1 Corinthians 10:31-33, we just learned that Paul did nothing “seeking my own advantage.”
The answer is to be found, then, in Paul’s motive.
First, not only was he not out to get them, but he was not out to get them so that he might benefit from it in any way.
And second, Paul did not think he offended them because they also were freed from the trap, love of money, that may very well have hindered them from hearing the Gospel – like the rich young ruler.
Summary:
We are neither to water down the Gospel to make it sound more relevant (Gospel is foolishness to unbelievers) nor are we to offend by insulting the person or belittle what they believe.
Like Paul, we are to know our audience, speak the Gospel and point them to the living God, the big God, the true God.
I suspect Paul, instead of saying “Artemis is bogus”, said “Christ is risen and alive.”
Instead of saying, “Why do you idiots worship a rock”, he might say “worship the God that lives and blesses you with rain and seasons.”
2 Corinthians 2:17 - For we are not, like so many, peddlers of God’s word, but as men of sincerity, as commissioned by God, in the sight of God we speak in Christ.
6/14/09
Acts 19:11-20 - Formula or Faith
Acts 19:11-20 – Formula or Faith
Diving Deeper Lesson Outline for Acts
The title is drawn from the sons of Scevas’ attempt to cast out a demon in the name of Jesus.
Our text today describes not a process that is performed correctly or not, but describes an authority that either one has or does not have.
1) DEMONS
What the Bible says about demons:
2 Peter 2:4 - For if God did not spare the angels who sinned, but cast them down to hell and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved for judgment;
Jude 1:6 - And the angels who did not keep their proper domain, but left their own abode, He has reserved in everlasting chains under darkness for the judgment of the great day;
Demons are angels who rebelled with Satan and were cast out of heaven.
Matthew 8:28-29 - And when he came to the other side, to the country of the Gadarenes, two demon-possessed men met him, coming out of the tombs, so fierce that no one could pass that way. 29 And behold, they cried out, “What have you to do with us, O Son of God? Have you come here to torment us before the time?”
Demons can talk.
Matthew 8:29 - …O Son of God?
Mark 1:34 - And he healed many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons. And he would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew him.
Luke 4:41 - And demons also came out of many, crying, “You are the Son of God!” But he rebuked them and would not allow them to speak, because they knew that he was the Christ.
James 2:19 - You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder!
Demons knew who the incarnate Jesus was and know who God is – remember, they’re from heaven.
Mark 5:9 - And Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” He replied, “My name is Legion, for we are many.
Demons have names – makes sense because angles have names.
Matthew 9:34 - But the Pharisees said, “He casts out demons by the prince of demons.”
Matthew 12:24 - But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, “It is only by Beelzebul, the prince of demons, that this man casts out demons.”
Demons are underlings for the prince of demons – Satan.
Matthew 9:33 - And when the demon had been cast out, the mute man spoke. And the crowds marveled, saying, “Never was anything like this seen in Israel.”
Matthew 17:18 - And Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of him, and the boy was healed instantly.
Demons can bring sickness to humans and casting out the demon can bring healing.
Luke 11:17-18 - “…Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and a divided household falls. And if Satan also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? For you say that I cast out demons by Beelzebul.
Demons will not work against each other.
What the Bible says about Christians interactions with demons:
Ephesians 2:1- 5 - And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— 3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. 4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ.
Christians are not servants of Satan or demons – we are alive in Christ.
POI – An implication drawn from an understanding of demons’ relationship with Christians, is that all the possessions spoken of in the Bible involve unbelievers.
Christians, as John MacArthur puts it, cannot be possessed because possession denotes ownership and Christians are owned by and alive in Christ!
1 Corinthians 10:20-21 - No, I imply that what pagans sacrifice they offer to demons and not to God. I do not want you to be participants with demons. 21 You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons
Christians can fellowship with demons.
Acts 5:3-4 - But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back for yourself part of the proceeds of the land? 4 While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not at your disposal? Why is it that you have contrived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God.”
James 3:15 - This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic.
Christians can succumb to the temptations of demons thereby acting worldly and unwise!
2) THE AUTHORITY OF MAN – COUNTERFIET
Acts 19:13-16 - Then some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists undertook to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, “I adjure you by the Jesus whom Paul proclaims.” 14 Seven sons of a Jewish high priest named Sceva were doing this. 15 But the evil spirit answered them, “Jesus • I know, and Paul I recognize, but who are you?” 16 And the man in whom was the evil spirit leaped on them, mastered all of them and overpowered them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.
What is going on here:
Exorcist, in verse 13, appears only here in the entire Bible.
The word means one who employs a formula of conjuration for expelling demons.
Adjure, in verse 13, appears only twice in the Bible.
It means to force to take an oath or put under an oath.
The son’s of Sceva were manufacturing a formula to exorcise a demon by attempting to force the demon to submit to an oath empowered by the authority and name of Jesus.
(Cite Modern Ritual Exorcism Examples - See Bottom of Lesson)
Other than the Son’s ability to recognize a demon possession, the result of their exorcism was a complete failure.
The demon even taunted them, expressing the fact that the Sons were a bunch of unknowns.
And then humiliated them by sending them out naked and wounded.
Why the failure:
The demon’s taunting also reveals an important truth.
The “who are you” statement denotes that the Sons and their formula had absolutely no authority whatsoever.
They were anonymous both in reputation and authority.
Is the right authority based on the knowledge of a correct formula?
Jesus has some insight into this for us.
Matthew 17:16-20 - And I brought him to your disciples, and they could not heal him.” 17 And Jesus answered, “O faithless and twisted generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him here to me.” 18 And Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of him, and the boy was healed instantly. 19 Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, “Why could we not cast it out?” He said to them, “Because of your little faith.
So the failure both for the Sons’ of Sceva and the disciples can be attributed to faith.
The Sons’ of Sceva had none and the disciples had too little.
So we learn here that it is not formula but faith that provides victory over demons and their oppression.
But not just faith:
Matthew 15:22, 25-28 - And behold, a Canaanite woman from that region came out and was crying, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David; my daughter is severely oppressed by a demon.” But she came and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, help me.” 26 And he answered, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” 27 She said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.” 28 Then Jesus answered her, “O woman, great is your faith! Be it done for you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed instantly.
The woman’s faith was greater than that of the disciples in Matthew 17:16-20.
But her faith was only the conduit through which the power and authority of Jesus could flow.
And so great was Jesus’ power and authority he didn’t even need to be in the direct vicinity of the demon to cast it out.
And the woman needed no exorcism ritual to heal her son.
She needed only unhindered, unwavering saving faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
But not just the authority and power of Jesus:
Matthew 12:28 - But if it is by the Spirit of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.
It is also the power of the Holy Spirit.
A final word on the counterfeit authority of men and their formulas:
Matthew 7:22 - On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ 23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’
The question, I believe, is sincere; they believed they had actually cast out demons.
Satan made fools out of them; he led them (the wordly & unwise) to believe they had cast out demons.
The problem was that it was all Satan’s trickery & man’s bogus formula, but no faith.
We learned already that Satan and his demons would not fight against themselves.
But he did, and still does, lead the world to believe that “workers of lawlessness” perform successful exorcisms.
It serves Satan’s purpose to deceive the world.
POI - And God's word speaks plainly about the "workers of lawlessness".
They, the unsaved, cannot sit on the fence; they are either with God or against Him.
Matthew 12:27a-28 - And if I cast out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges. 28 But if it is by the Spirit of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.
1 John 3:8a - Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning.
Jesus makes clear, if it is not by the Spirit of God, then it is Satan!
John makes clear, you either abide in Christ or you are of the devil.
John MacArthur on how Satan works:
How are the unsaved manipulated by satan?
Now, Satan rules men usually two ways, and these are very general. There may be others, but these are just two general thoughts. First of all, he rules men by virtue of their understanding. "The natural man understandeth not the things of God." So the natural man, the man without Christ, without God, is left with only the information which is available to him apart from God. And that really makes up all of the information that Satan uses and can use, even though some of it is God's proof. And so Satan rules the understanding. In fact, is says in 2 Corinthians 4:4 that, "The God of this world has blinded the minds of them that believe not." Satan blinds the mind. That is, he rules the understanding.
The second thing that Satan dominates in the unregenerate man is the will. He rules the understanding and the will. Though he cannot make the will act, he can certainly force it. Though he cannot make you do something, he can certainly draw you into that by temptation. John 8:44, "Jesus said to the Pharisees, "The lusts of your father, you will do." And their father, of course, was the devil. Satan then dominates men by controlling the information that they have and by controlling the will that they exercise.
POI – Why didn’t Satan make it appear that the Son’s of Sceva were successful in their exorcism?
Certainly that would have helped his cause and make Paul look less authoritative.
Jesus, in His authority and by the Spirit, put the kibosh on them for His purposes.
So what is the nature of Jesus’ authority with regard to demons and Satan?
3) THE AUTHORITY OF GOD – JESUS & THE WORD OF GOD
Christ’s mission and goal:
1 John 3:8b - The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil.
Hebrews 2:14 - Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil…
These verses are self-explanatory.
How was this mission accomplished?
Mark 1:27 - And they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, “What is this? A new teaching with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him.”
Luke 4:36 - And they were all amazed and said to one another, “What is this word? For with authority and power he commands the unclean spirits, and they come out!”
John 10:21 - Others said, “These are not the words of one who is oppressed by a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?”
Mark 1:34b - And he would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew him.
Luke 10:17 - The seventy-two returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name!”
Matthew 12:28 - I by the Spirit of God cast out demons.
Matthew 8:16a - That evening they brought to him many who were oppressed by demons, and he cast out the spirits with a word…
Jesus has absolute authority over demons.
He casts them out by the Spirit of God.
This power is demonstrated and manifested via His spoken word.
So this mission was accomplished by Christ’s God given, Spirit bathed authority and word.
POI – Jesus authority over demons parallels, in Acts, the Apostles ability to heal.
Both Jesus casting and the Apostles healing were instant and complete.
There was no question about the sickness or possession and there was no doubt about the healing or casting.
The results were instantly visible to all.
How this relates to our interactions with demons:
Ephesians 6:12 - For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.
As previously mentioned, demons can influence us so we must wrestle against them.
Paul goes on to say we are to face the enemy via exorcism? WHAT!! (not really)
What does Paul tell us to do?
What John MacArthur Says about the wrestling match:
It is the power of Christ, the power of the Holy Spirit that cast out demons. Now you answer me this question. Where does the spirit of Christ live? Then whom do I need to cast out demons? I don't need any other humans. For a Christian to get rid of the problem of demons is as simple as the area of confession and holiness, just that simple.
The power to wrestle demons is resident in every believer. You are sufficient to take care of the responsibility of your spiritual life. The demon is gone when the spirit of God's in control.
If there's sin in your life, willing, willful, protracted, unconfessed, unrepented of sin, you have given place to Satan.
Summary:
So it is not formula but faith that is authoritative.
Satan benefits from deceiving the world into thinking men can formulate an authentic authority.
However, this authority is counterfiet.
Christ's authority is genuine and Christ came to destroy the work of the devil.
Christ smashes satan's scheming with His truth, power and Spirit infused word.
And this power resides within every believer.
Exorcism Rituals (Wikipedia):
The person performing the exorcism, known as an exorcist, is often a member of the church, or an individual thought to be graced with special powers or skills. The exorcist may use prayers, and religious material, such as set formulas, gestures, symbols, icons, amulets, etc.. The exorcist often invokes God, Jesus and/or several different angels and archangels to intervene with the exorcism.
In general, possessed persons are not regarded as evil in themselves, nor wholly responsible for their actions. Therefore, practitioners regard exorcism as more of a cure than a punishment. The mainstream rituals usually take this into account, making sure that there is no violence to the possessed, only that they be tied down if there is potential for violence
Example 1 (Wikipedia & How Stuff Works):
Catholic exorcism is still one of the most rigid and organized of all existing exorcism rituals. Solemn exorcisms, according to the Canon law of the church, can be exercised only by an ordained priest (or higher prelate), with the express permission of the local bishop, and only after a careful medical examination to exclude the possibility of mental illness.
To perform the rite, the exorcist dresses in his surplice and purple stole. The ritual of exorcism is mostly a series of prayers, statements and appeals. These prayers are loosely broken down into the "imploring formula," in which the priest asks God to free the subject from the devil ("God, whose nature is ever merciful and forgiving, accept our prayer that this servant of yours, bound by the fetters of sin, may be pardoned by your loving kindness"), and the "imperative formula," in which the priest demands in the name of God that the devil leave the subject's body ("Depart, then, impious one, depart, accursed one, depart with all your deceits, for God has willed that man should be His temple"). In addition to these recitations, the priest takes certain actions at particular times during the rite: He sprinkles holy water on everyone in the room, lays his hands on the subject, makes the sign of the cross both on himself and on the subject and touches the subject with a Catholic relic (usually an object associated with a saint).
Example 2 (Augustine’s Exorcism website):
Augustine's Exorcism Formula is for difficult cases, when outside influences, larger than the individual, bring misfortune and bad luck into the life. Many times this happens because a curse or hex has been set down. Under these conditions, an ordinary purification ritual is not enough and you will need our much stronger Exorcism Ritual. At Augustine's we have the recipe for a 7 Power Incense formula that was used by the Catholic Church, experts in performing exorcisms. It is comprised of Asafoetida Herb, Van Van Root, Dragon's Blood Root and other ingredients. It is the strongest exorcism material we know of. This we combine with a special XXX Triple Strength Bath and Exorcism Root Oil and a specially dressed and prepared candle to enhance the power of the exorcism. But more important than this, we tell you the time it will be most effective!
Diving Deeper Lesson Outline for Acts
The title is drawn from the sons of Scevas’ attempt to cast out a demon in the name of Jesus.
Our text today describes not a process that is performed correctly or not, but describes an authority that either one has or does not have.
1) DEMONS
What the Bible says about demons:
2 Peter 2:4 - For if God did not spare the angels who sinned, but cast them down to hell and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved for judgment;
Jude 1:6 - And the angels who did not keep their proper domain, but left their own abode, He has reserved in everlasting chains under darkness for the judgment of the great day;
Demons are angels who rebelled with Satan and were cast out of heaven.
Matthew 8:28-29 - And when he came to the other side, to the country of the Gadarenes, two demon-possessed men met him, coming out of the tombs, so fierce that no one could pass that way. 29 And behold, they cried out, “What have you to do with us, O Son of God? Have you come here to torment us before the time?”
Demons can talk.
Matthew 8:29 - …O Son of God?
Mark 1:34 - And he healed many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons. And he would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew him.
Luke 4:41 - And demons also came out of many, crying, “You are the Son of God!” But he rebuked them and would not allow them to speak, because they knew that he was the Christ.
James 2:19 - You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder!
Demons knew who the incarnate Jesus was and know who God is – remember, they’re from heaven.
Mark 5:9 - And Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” He replied, “My name is Legion, for we are many.
Demons have names – makes sense because angles have names.
Matthew 9:34 - But the Pharisees said, “He casts out demons by the prince of demons.”
Matthew 12:24 - But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, “It is only by Beelzebul, the prince of demons, that this man casts out demons.”
Demons are underlings for the prince of demons – Satan.
Matthew 9:33 - And when the demon had been cast out, the mute man spoke. And the crowds marveled, saying, “Never was anything like this seen in Israel.”
Matthew 17:18 - And Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of him, and the boy was healed instantly.
Demons can bring sickness to humans and casting out the demon can bring healing.
Luke 11:17-18 - “…Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and a divided household falls. And if Satan also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? For you say that I cast out demons by Beelzebul.
Demons will not work against each other.
What the Bible says about Christians interactions with demons:
Ephesians 2:1- 5 - And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— 3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. 4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ.
Christians are not servants of Satan or demons – we are alive in Christ.
POI – An implication drawn from an understanding of demons’ relationship with Christians, is that all the possessions spoken of in the Bible involve unbelievers.
Christians, as John MacArthur puts it, cannot be possessed because possession denotes ownership and Christians are owned by and alive in Christ!
1 Corinthians 10:20-21 - No, I imply that what pagans sacrifice they offer to demons and not to God. I do not want you to be participants with demons. 21 You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons
Christians can fellowship with demons.
Acts 5:3-4 - But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back for yourself part of the proceeds of the land? 4 While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not at your disposal? Why is it that you have contrived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God.”
James 3:15 - This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic.
Christians can succumb to the temptations of demons thereby acting worldly and unwise!
2) THE AUTHORITY OF MAN – COUNTERFIET
Acts 19:13-16 - Then some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists undertook to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, “I adjure you by the Jesus whom Paul proclaims.” 14 Seven sons of a Jewish high priest named Sceva were doing this. 15 But the evil spirit answered them, “Jesus • I know, and Paul I recognize, but who are you?” 16 And the man in whom was the evil spirit leaped on them, mastered all of them and overpowered them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.
What is going on here:
Exorcist, in verse 13, appears only here in the entire Bible.
The word means one who employs a formula of conjuration for expelling demons.
Adjure, in verse 13, appears only twice in the Bible.
It means to force to take an oath or put under an oath.
The son’s of Sceva were manufacturing a formula to exorcise a demon by attempting to force the demon to submit to an oath empowered by the authority and name of Jesus.
(Cite Modern Ritual Exorcism Examples - See Bottom of Lesson)
Other than the Son’s ability to recognize a demon possession, the result of their exorcism was a complete failure.
The demon even taunted them, expressing the fact that the Sons were a bunch of unknowns.
And then humiliated them by sending them out naked and wounded.
Why the failure:
The demon’s taunting also reveals an important truth.
The “who are you” statement denotes that the Sons and their formula had absolutely no authority whatsoever.
They were anonymous both in reputation and authority.
Is the right authority based on the knowledge of a correct formula?
Jesus has some insight into this for us.
Matthew 17:16-20 - And I brought him to your disciples, and they could not heal him.” 17 And Jesus answered, “O faithless and twisted generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him here to me.” 18 And Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of him, and the boy was healed instantly. 19 Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, “Why could we not cast it out?” He said to them, “Because of your little faith.
So the failure both for the Sons’ of Sceva and the disciples can be attributed to faith.
The Sons’ of Sceva had none and the disciples had too little.
So we learn here that it is not formula but faith that provides victory over demons and their oppression.
But not just faith:
Matthew 15:22, 25-28 - And behold, a Canaanite woman from that region came out and was crying, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David; my daughter is severely oppressed by a demon.” But she came and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, help me.” 26 And he answered, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” 27 She said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.” 28 Then Jesus answered her, “O woman, great is your faith! Be it done for you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed instantly.
The woman’s faith was greater than that of the disciples in Matthew 17:16-20.
But her faith was only the conduit through which the power and authority of Jesus could flow.
And so great was Jesus’ power and authority he didn’t even need to be in the direct vicinity of the demon to cast it out.
And the woman needed no exorcism ritual to heal her son.
She needed only unhindered, unwavering saving faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
But not just the authority and power of Jesus:
Matthew 12:28 - But if it is by the Spirit of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.
It is also the power of the Holy Spirit.
A final word on the counterfeit authority of men and their formulas:
Matthew 7:22 - On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ 23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’
The question, I believe, is sincere; they believed they had actually cast out demons.
Satan made fools out of them; he led them (the wordly & unwise) to believe they had cast out demons.
The problem was that it was all Satan’s trickery & man’s bogus formula, but no faith.
We learned already that Satan and his demons would not fight against themselves.
But he did, and still does, lead the world to believe that “workers of lawlessness” perform successful exorcisms.
It serves Satan’s purpose to deceive the world.
POI - And God's word speaks plainly about the "workers of lawlessness".
They, the unsaved, cannot sit on the fence; they are either with God or against Him.
Matthew 12:27a-28 - And if I cast out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges. 28 But if it is by the Spirit of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.
1 John 3:8a - Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning.
Jesus makes clear, if it is not by the Spirit of God, then it is Satan!
John makes clear, you either abide in Christ or you are of the devil.
John MacArthur on how Satan works:
How are the unsaved manipulated by satan?
Now, Satan rules men usually two ways, and these are very general. There may be others, but these are just two general thoughts. First of all, he rules men by virtue of their understanding. "The natural man understandeth not the things of God." So the natural man, the man without Christ, without God, is left with only the information which is available to him apart from God. And that really makes up all of the information that Satan uses and can use, even though some of it is God's proof. And so Satan rules the understanding. In fact, is says in 2 Corinthians 4:4 that, "The God of this world has blinded the minds of them that believe not." Satan blinds the mind. That is, he rules the understanding.
The second thing that Satan dominates in the unregenerate man is the will. He rules the understanding and the will. Though he cannot make the will act, he can certainly force it. Though he cannot make you do something, he can certainly draw you into that by temptation. John 8:44, "Jesus said to the Pharisees, "The lusts of your father, you will do." And their father, of course, was the devil. Satan then dominates men by controlling the information that they have and by controlling the will that they exercise.
POI – Why didn’t Satan make it appear that the Son’s of Sceva were successful in their exorcism?
Certainly that would have helped his cause and make Paul look less authoritative.
Jesus, in His authority and by the Spirit, put the kibosh on them for His purposes.
So what is the nature of Jesus’ authority with regard to demons and Satan?
3) THE AUTHORITY OF GOD – JESUS & THE WORD OF GOD
Christ’s mission and goal:
1 John 3:8b - The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil.
Hebrews 2:14 - Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil…
These verses are self-explanatory.
How was this mission accomplished?
Mark 1:27 - And they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, “What is this? A new teaching with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him.”
Luke 4:36 - And they were all amazed and said to one another, “What is this word? For with authority and power he commands the unclean spirits, and they come out!”
John 10:21 - Others said, “These are not the words of one who is oppressed by a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?”
Mark 1:34b - And he would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew him.
Luke 10:17 - The seventy-two returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name!”
Matthew 12:28 - I by the Spirit of God cast out demons.
Matthew 8:16a - That evening they brought to him many who were oppressed by demons, and he cast out the spirits with a word…
Jesus has absolute authority over demons.
He casts them out by the Spirit of God.
This power is demonstrated and manifested via His spoken word.
So this mission was accomplished by Christ’s God given, Spirit bathed authority and word.
POI – Jesus authority over demons parallels, in Acts, the Apostles ability to heal.
Both Jesus casting and the Apostles healing were instant and complete.
There was no question about the sickness or possession and there was no doubt about the healing or casting.
The results were instantly visible to all.
How this relates to our interactions with demons:
Ephesians 6:12 - For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.
As previously mentioned, demons can influence us so we must wrestle against them.
Paul goes on to say we are to face the enemy via exorcism? WHAT!! (not really)
What does Paul tell us to do?
What John MacArthur Says about the wrestling match:
It is the power of Christ, the power of the Holy Spirit that cast out demons. Now you answer me this question. Where does the spirit of Christ live? Then whom do I need to cast out demons? I don't need any other humans. For a Christian to get rid of the problem of demons is as simple as the area of confession and holiness, just that simple.
The power to wrestle demons is resident in every believer. You are sufficient to take care of the responsibility of your spiritual life. The demon is gone when the spirit of God's in control.
If there's sin in your life, willing, willful, protracted, unconfessed, unrepented of sin, you have given place to Satan.
Summary:
So it is not formula but faith that is authoritative.
Satan benefits from deceiving the world into thinking men can formulate an authentic authority.
However, this authority is counterfiet.
Christ's authority is genuine and Christ came to destroy the work of the devil.
Christ smashes satan's scheming with His truth, power and Spirit infused word.
And this power resides within every believer.
Exorcism Rituals (Wikipedia):
The person performing the exorcism, known as an exorcist, is often a member of the church, or an individual thought to be graced with special powers or skills. The exorcist may use prayers, and religious material, such as set formulas, gestures, symbols, icons, amulets, etc.. The exorcist often invokes God, Jesus and/or several different angels and archangels to intervene with the exorcism.
In general, possessed persons are not regarded as evil in themselves, nor wholly responsible for their actions. Therefore, practitioners regard exorcism as more of a cure than a punishment. The mainstream rituals usually take this into account, making sure that there is no violence to the possessed, only that they be tied down if there is potential for violence
Example 1 (Wikipedia & How Stuff Works):
Catholic exorcism is still one of the most rigid and organized of all existing exorcism rituals. Solemn exorcisms, according to the Canon law of the church, can be exercised only by an ordained priest (or higher prelate), with the express permission of the local bishop, and only after a careful medical examination to exclude the possibility of mental illness.
To perform the rite, the exorcist dresses in his surplice and purple stole. The ritual of exorcism is mostly a series of prayers, statements and appeals. These prayers are loosely broken down into the "imploring formula," in which the priest asks God to free the subject from the devil ("God, whose nature is ever merciful and forgiving, accept our prayer that this servant of yours, bound by the fetters of sin, may be pardoned by your loving kindness"), and the "imperative formula," in which the priest demands in the name of God that the devil leave the subject's body ("Depart, then, impious one, depart, accursed one, depart with all your deceits, for God has willed that man should be His temple"). In addition to these recitations, the priest takes certain actions at particular times during the rite: He sprinkles holy water on everyone in the room, lays his hands on the subject, makes the sign of the cross both on himself and on the subject and touches the subject with a Catholic relic (usually an object associated with a saint).
Example 2 (Augustine’s Exorcism website):
Augustine's Exorcism Formula is for difficult cases, when outside influences, larger than the individual, bring misfortune and bad luck into the life. Many times this happens because a curse or hex has been set down. Under these conditions, an ordinary purification ritual is not enough and you will need our much stronger Exorcism Ritual. At Augustine's we have the recipe for a 7 Power Incense formula that was used by the Catholic Church, experts in performing exorcisms. It is comprised of Asafoetida Herb, Van Van Root, Dragon's Blood Root and other ingredients. It is the strongest exorcism material we know of. This we combine with a special XXX Triple Strength Bath and Exorcism Root Oil and a specially dressed and prepared candle to enhance the power of the exorcism. But more important than this, we tell you the time it will be most effective!
5/31/09
Acts 19:1-10 - What's Up With All These Baptisms
Acts 19:1-10 – What’s Up With All These Baptisms?
Diving Deeper Lesson Outline for Acts 19:1-10
The title is drawn from the 2 baptisms encountered in today’s text.
Specifically, we will explore the Baptism of John and the Baptism of Jesus.
1) A DIVINELY ORDAINED ENCOUNTER
Verse 2 - And he said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” And they said, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.”
Verse 3 - And he said, “Into what then were you baptized?” They said, “Into John’s baptism.”
The Encounter:
Paul, through God’s direction and divine appointment, encountered these 12 men.
In the course of their conversation, they must have hinted at a similar faith to Paul’s.
So Paul, in an effort to get to the heart of the matter, asked them some telling questions.
The Preacher’s Commentary magnifies Paul’s logic and line of questioning as follows:
What happened to you when you were baptized?
Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you confessed your belief in the Messiah and repented with a water baptism?
Their answers reveal that they responded in faith to John the Baptist’s call for repentance for remission of their sins.
However, their answers also revealed that they did not know the whole story – Jesus and the Holy Spirit.
More than likely, they were gone during Christ’s ministry, death, burial and resurrection.
Summary of Point 1:
Paul, out of love, sought to determine exactly where these men were spiritually.
What he found was that these men were in a curious position regarding their salvation a transitional state – OT saints.
And to understand the transitional state they were in, we must understand a few things.
POI – Apollos was in a similar state of transition when he met Priscilla and Aquila.
Acts 18:25 - He had been instructed in the way of the Lord. And being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught accurately the things concerning Jesus, though he knew only the baptism of John.
This means, of course that he did not know the baptism of the Holy Spirit.
2) JOHN’S BAPTISM OF REPENTANCE
To understand how these men found themselves in this peculiar transitional state, we first need to understand what was John’s Baptism of Repentance.
We will first look at Baptism and then look at Repentance.
The Baptism in the Baptism of Repentance:
Baptizo is to immerse or submerge in water.
It is not a sprinkling and is not to be confused with the similar word bapto.
James Boice, a great commentator on Scripture, says the following:
The clearest example that shows the meaning of baptizo is a text from the Greek poet and physician Nicander, who lived about 200 B.C. It is a recipe for making pickles and is helpful because it uses both words. Nicander says that in order to make a pickle, the vegetable should first be ‘dipped’ (bapto) into boiling water and then ‘baptized’ (baptizo) in the vinegar solution. Both verbs concern the immersing of vegetables in a solution. But the first is temporary. The second, the act of baptizing the vegetable, produces a permanent change. When used in the New Testament, this word more often refers to our union and identification with Christ than to our water baptism. e.g. Mark 16:16. ‘He that believes and is baptized shall be saved’. Christ is saying that mere intellectual assent is not enough. There must be a union with him, a real change, like the vegetable to the pickle!
The question is what pickles us (spiritually speaking) – the faith that leads us to baptism, the baptism or something else?
Like any good pickling process, there are a number of ingredients needed.
And this leads us to one of them, the repentance in John’s Baptism of Repentance.
The Repentance in the Baptism of Repentance:
Repentance is one of those ingredients.
And John the Baptists baptism was all about repentance (among other things).
Mark 1:4-5 - John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 5 And all the country of Judea and all Jerusalem were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.
Acts 13:23-24 - Of this man’s offspring God has brought to Israel a Savior, Jesus, as he promised. 24 Before his coming, John had proclaimed a baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel.
What is Repentance?
Metanoia means a change of mind which results in a change of life.
And of course we are all familiar with the “turn around” and “change direction” definitions
These definitions sound like anybody can repent by sheer determination, will power or even out of fear.
And if you are talking about repenting from bad habits or behavior – drugs, drinking, overeating, not enough time with the kids, etc. – this is of course true.
We see this in the world all the time – change we can believe in!
And this is why I believe all of these definitions fall miserably short of a definition for repentance.
Like Biblical Unity and Biblical Humility, we need to learn what Biblical Repentance is.
What is Biblical Repentance?
Romans 2:4 - Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance?
2 Corinthians 7:9-10 - I now rejoice, not that you were made sorrowful, but that you were made sorrowful to the point of repentance; for you were made sorrowful according to the will of God, so that you might not suffer loss in anything through us. For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation, but the sorrow of the world produces death.
Acts 5:31 - He is the one whom God exalted to His right hand as a Prince and a Savior, to grant repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.
Acts 11:18 - When they heard these things they fell silent. And they glorified God, saying, “Then to the Gentiles also God has granted repentance that leads to life.”
Hebrew 12:16-17 - that there be no immoral or godless person like Esau, who sold his own birthright for a single meal.
For you know that even afterwards, when he desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for repentance, though he sought for it with tears.
If you are on your throne, there is no room for repentance and Esau is a case study of this fact.
It is clear from the verses above that Biblical Repentance is characterized by the following:
Biblical Repentance is an experience that one is brought to because of God’s kindness.
Biblical Repentance is an experience only obtained in a state of Godly Sorrow.
This Godly Sorrow is the will of God.
Biblical Repentance leads to salvation (look at the 12 in today’s text)
Biblical Repentance is not “being sorry”, “regret”, or “guilt because you got caught”, etc.
Biblical Repentance is granted by God.
Biblical Repentance cannot be granted to the proud, even if they seek demonstrably via action or tears.
Isaiah 6:5-7 - And I said: “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!”
6 Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a burning coal that he had taken with tongs from the altar. 7 And he touched my mouth and said: “Behold, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for.”
Isaiah gives us a great example of Biblical Repentance.
In God’s kindness and grace, he showed Isaiah his glory.
The result is that Isaiah quickly recognized who he was and how he stood before a Holy God.
And in this act of confession and repentance, God took his guilt away.
An observation for us concerning repentance:
Do you ever dream of being a better Christian?
Do you sin and then imagine yourself doing better next time?
And as you imagine how victorious you can be over this or that, do you then determine or intend that you will do these better things next time?
But inevitably, the next time comes around and we fall short of our glorious intentions and imaginings.
And then we are only left with shame and regret – NOT REPENTANCE.
Sadly, our imaginings, intentions and regrets are not repentance.
At best they may be hoping for repentance.
The only way to break this cycle is to get off the throne and let God have his way with us.
Only he can produce within us the Godly Sorrow that will lead us to Biblical Repentance and make pickles!
John’s Baptism Looking Forward to Christ:
Verse 4 - And Paul said, John baptized with the baptism of repentance telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, Jesus.
John’s Baptism of Repentance was similar to Paul’s OT Gospel sermon in Acts 13, his sermon at Lystra and his Mar’s Hill Sermon.
Just as Paul’s sermons demonstrated how his listeners’ experiences pointed to Christ, John’s Baptism of Repentance was pointing to a completion and fulfillment in Christ.
So Paul, with these words, underscores 3 important things.
First, John in his Baptism of Repentance, taught that Jesus the Messiah was the point of his ministry not the baptism.
Matthew 3:11 - “I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
Acts 13:25 (from Paul’s OT Gospel sermon) And as John was finishing his course, he said, ‘What do you suppose that I am? I am not he. No, but behold, after me one is coming, the sandals of whose feet I am not worthy to untie.’
Second, this Jesus has come, was crucified and rose from the dead.
Third, this Jesus, the Messiah, left us a gift.
Paul was revealing the final ingredients needed to complete the pickling process of these 12 men.
With this, we arrive at the Baptism of Jesus.
Summary of Point 2:
John’s baptism of repentance was an experience of a person who, through God’s power, was convicted of his sin, then in faith obeyed John’s call to ceremonially wash the sin away through water baptism and walk in faith.
Biblical Repentance is possible to us because of what God does not what we do.
The 12 had participated in this experience – faith, repentance and baptism.
They were no longer cucumbers because of their faith and God-fueled repentance.
However, they also were not yet pickles because they were still missing 2 crucial ingredients in the pickling process.
So this was their curious state alluded to earlier – being pickled but not yet pickles (Christians).
And they were in this state because since their Baptism of Repentance the J-Bomb had been dropped.
John 14:6 - Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
3) THE BAPTISM OF JESUS
Verse 5 - On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
Pentecost – the Holy Spirit Seals
Acts 1:5 - for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.
Acts 2:38 - And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Acts 11:16 - And I remembered the word of the Lord, how he said, ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’
The Baptism of Jesus is a Water Baptism, Baptism of Repentance and a Baptism of the Holy Spirit.
The Baptism of the Holy Spirit is best described by Paul in Ephesians 1:13-14:
In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.
And so the 12, on hearing this news from Paul and believing in Jesus, were fully pickled.
In Christ, the Jews, Samaritans, Gentiles and now OT saints were ushered into Christ’s church – J. Mac.
Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?
As Piper points out, we should know we have been baptized in the Spirit not just because we know doctrine, but because we have a experiential relationship with the Spirit of God!
Summary of Point 3:
So we find these 12 men in a weird state of transition.
But we take heart that the God that led them to repentance would lead them to Jesus and a baptism of the Holy Spirit.
For surely what God started he would finish.
Philippians 1:6 - 6 And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.
Final Summary:
We can be encouraged that those who have responded in faith to God’s revelation will also encounter someone who will reveal the truth of Jesus Christ.
And this brings us back to the title of Point 1 – God was going to complete his work and used Paul to do it.
Diving Deeper Lesson Outline for Acts 19:1-10
The title is drawn from the 2 baptisms encountered in today’s text.
Specifically, we will explore the Baptism of John and the Baptism of Jesus.
1) A DIVINELY ORDAINED ENCOUNTER
Verse 2 - And he said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” And they said, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.”
Verse 3 - And he said, “Into what then were you baptized?” They said, “Into John’s baptism.”
The Encounter:
Paul, through God’s direction and divine appointment, encountered these 12 men.
In the course of their conversation, they must have hinted at a similar faith to Paul’s.
So Paul, in an effort to get to the heart of the matter, asked them some telling questions.
The Preacher’s Commentary magnifies Paul’s logic and line of questioning as follows:
What happened to you when you were baptized?
Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you confessed your belief in the Messiah and repented with a water baptism?
Their answers reveal that they responded in faith to John the Baptist’s call for repentance for remission of their sins.
However, their answers also revealed that they did not know the whole story – Jesus and the Holy Spirit.
More than likely, they were gone during Christ’s ministry, death, burial and resurrection.
Summary of Point 1:
Paul, out of love, sought to determine exactly where these men were spiritually.
What he found was that these men were in a curious position regarding their salvation a transitional state – OT saints.
And to understand the transitional state they were in, we must understand a few things.
POI – Apollos was in a similar state of transition when he met Priscilla and Aquila.
Acts 18:25 - He had been instructed in the way of the Lord. And being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught accurately the things concerning Jesus, though he knew only the baptism of John.
This means, of course that he did not know the baptism of the Holy Spirit.
2) JOHN’S BAPTISM OF REPENTANCE
To understand how these men found themselves in this peculiar transitional state, we first need to understand what was John’s Baptism of Repentance.
We will first look at Baptism and then look at Repentance.
The Baptism in the Baptism of Repentance:
Baptizo is to immerse or submerge in water.
It is not a sprinkling and is not to be confused with the similar word bapto.
James Boice, a great commentator on Scripture, says the following:
The clearest example that shows the meaning of baptizo is a text from the Greek poet and physician Nicander, who lived about 200 B.C. It is a recipe for making pickles and is helpful because it uses both words. Nicander says that in order to make a pickle, the vegetable should first be ‘dipped’ (bapto) into boiling water and then ‘baptized’ (baptizo) in the vinegar solution. Both verbs concern the immersing of vegetables in a solution. But the first is temporary. The second, the act of baptizing the vegetable, produces a permanent change. When used in the New Testament, this word more often refers to our union and identification with Christ than to our water baptism. e.g. Mark 16:16. ‘He that believes and is baptized shall be saved’. Christ is saying that mere intellectual assent is not enough. There must be a union with him, a real change, like the vegetable to the pickle!
The question is what pickles us (spiritually speaking) – the faith that leads us to baptism, the baptism or something else?
Like any good pickling process, there are a number of ingredients needed.
And this leads us to one of them, the repentance in John’s Baptism of Repentance.
The Repentance in the Baptism of Repentance:
Repentance is one of those ingredients.
And John the Baptists baptism was all about repentance (among other things).
Mark 1:4-5 - John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 5 And all the country of Judea and all Jerusalem were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.
Acts 13:23-24 - Of this man’s offspring God has brought to Israel a Savior, Jesus, as he promised. 24 Before his coming, John had proclaimed a baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel.
What is Repentance?
Metanoia means a change of mind which results in a change of life.
And of course we are all familiar with the “turn around” and “change direction” definitions
These definitions sound like anybody can repent by sheer determination, will power or even out of fear.
And if you are talking about repenting from bad habits or behavior – drugs, drinking, overeating, not enough time with the kids, etc. – this is of course true.
We see this in the world all the time – change we can believe in!
And this is why I believe all of these definitions fall miserably short of a definition for repentance.
Like Biblical Unity and Biblical Humility, we need to learn what Biblical Repentance is.
What is Biblical Repentance?
Romans 2:4 - Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance?
2 Corinthians 7:9-10 - I now rejoice, not that you were made sorrowful, but that you were made sorrowful to the point of repentance; for you were made sorrowful according to the will of God, so that you might not suffer loss in anything through us. For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation, but the sorrow of the world produces death.
Acts 5:31 - He is the one whom God exalted to His right hand as a Prince and a Savior, to grant repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.
Acts 11:18 - When they heard these things they fell silent. And they glorified God, saying, “Then to the Gentiles also God has granted repentance that leads to life.”
Hebrew 12:16-17 - that there be no immoral or godless person like Esau, who sold his own birthright for a single meal.
For you know that even afterwards, when he desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for repentance, though he sought for it with tears.
If you are on your throne, there is no room for repentance and Esau is a case study of this fact.
It is clear from the verses above that Biblical Repentance is characterized by the following:
Biblical Repentance is an experience that one is brought to because of God’s kindness.
Biblical Repentance is an experience only obtained in a state of Godly Sorrow.
This Godly Sorrow is the will of God.
Biblical Repentance leads to salvation (look at the 12 in today’s text)
Biblical Repentance is not “being sorry”, “regret”, or “guilt because you got caught”, etc.
Biblical Repentance is granted by God.
Biblical Repentance cannot be granted to the proud, even if they seek demonstrably via action or tears.
Isaiah 6:5-7 - And I said: “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!”
6 Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a burning coal that he had taken with tongs from the altar. 7 And he touched my mouth and said: “Behold, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for.”
Isaiah gives us a great example of Biblical Repentance.
In God’s kindness and grace, he showed Isaiah his glory.
The result is that Isaiah quickly recognized who he was and how he stood before a Holy God.
And in this act of confession and repentance, God took his guilt away.
An observation for us concerning repentance:
Do you ever dream of being a better Christian?
Do you sin and then imagine yourself doing better next time?
And as you imagine how victorious you can be over this or that, do you then determine or intend that you will do these better things next time?
But inevitably, the next time comes around and we fall short of our glorious intentions and imaginings.
And then we are only left with shame and regret – NOT REPENTANCE.
Sadly, our imaginings, intentions and regrets are not repentance.
At best they may be hoping for repentance.
The only way to break this cycle is to get off the throne and let God have his way with us.
Only he can produce within us the Godly Sorrow that will lead us to Biblical Repentance and make pickles!
John’s Baptism Looking Forward to Christ:
Verse 4 - And Paul said, John baptized with the baptism of repentance telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, Jesus.
John’s Baptism of Repentance was similar to Paul’s OT Gospel sermon in Acts 13, his sermon at Lystra and his Mar’s Hill Sermon.
Just as Paul’s sermons demonstrated how his listeners’ experiences pointed to Christ, John’s Baptism of Repentance was pointing to a completion and fulfillment in Christ.
So Paul, with these words, underscores 3 important things.
First, John in his Baptism of Repentance, taught that Jesus the Messiah was the point of his ministry not the baptism.
Matthew 3:11 - “I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
Acts 13:25 (from Paul’s OT Gospel sermon) And as John was finishing his course, he said, ‘What do you suppose that I am? I am not he. No, but behold, after me one is coming, the sandals of whose feet I am not worthy to untie.’
Second, this Jesus has come, was crucified and rose from the dead.
Third, this Jesus, the Messiah, left us a gift.
Paul was revealing the final ingredients needed to complete the pickling process of these 12 men.
With this, we arrive at the Baptism of Jesus.
Summary of Point 2:
John’s baptism of repentance was an experience of a person who, through God’s power, was convicted of his sin, then in faith obeyed John’s call to ceremonially wash the sin away through water baptism and walk in faith.
Biblical Repentance is possible to us because of what God does not what we do.
The 12 had participated in this experience – faith, repentance and baptism.
They were no longer cucumbers because of their faith and God-fueled repentance.
However, they also were not yet pickles because they were still missing 2 crucial ingredients in the pickling process.
So this was their curious state alluded to earlier – being pickled but not yet pickles (Christians).
And they were in this state because since their Baptism of Repentance the J-Bomb had been dropped.
John 14:6 - Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
3) THE BAPTISM OF JESUS
Verse 5 - On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
Pentecost – the Holy Spirit Seals
Acts 1:5 - for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.
Acts 2:38 - And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Acts 11:16 - And I remembered the word of the Lord, how he said, ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’
The Baptism of Jesus is a Water Baptism, Baptism of Repentance and a Baptism of the Holy Spirit.
The Baptism of the Holy Spirit is best described by Paul in Ephesians 1:13-14:
In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.
And so the 12, on hearing this news from Paul and believing in Jesus, were fully pickled.
In Christ, the Jews, Samaritans, Gentiles and now OT saints were ushered into Christ’s church – J. Mac.
Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?
As Piper points out, we should know we have been baptized in the Spirit not just because we know doctrine, but because we have a experiential relationship with the Spirit of God!
Summary of Point 3:
So we find these 12 men in a weird state of transition.
But we take heart that the God that led them to repentance would lead them to Jesus and a baptism of the Holy Spirit.
For surely what God started he would finish.
Philippians 1:6 - 6 And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.
Final Summary:
We can be encouraged that those who have responded in faith to God’s revelation will also encounter someone who will reveal the truth of Jesus Christ.
And this brings us back to the title of Point 1 – God was going to complete his work and used Paul to do it.
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