Some of the places that Paul visited would not have impressed us, but we can see from these verses that God used Paul in a great way. This is the place Paul wanted to visit on his second missionary journey, and God forbid him to come, but now, God not only allowed him to come, but God gave Paul an open door.
If this teaches us anything, it teaches us the importance of waiting on the Lord. The name of the Lord was greatly magnified in Ephesus. Let us look at these verses, and learn three things about how God's name was magnified through this great servant.
I. PAUL'S PREACHING (VERSES 8-10)
A. HE PREACHED WITH BOLDNESS
Verse 8, “And he went into the synagogue, and spake boldly...." Paul's ministry at Ephesus was one of the high points in his career. He later wrote to the Corinthians and told how God used him there. He told them in 1 Corinthians 16:8-9, “But I will tarry at Ephesus until Pentecost. For a great door and effectual is opened unto me, and there are many adversaries.”
Notice as Paul speaks of this door of ministry that God opened for him, he also states, “...and there are many adversaries.” This is where it takes boldness! Anyone can speak up for the Lord when he is among friends.
Illus: Most any preacher can enjoy preaching, in a church where people respond to the Word of God as it is being preached, with, 'Amen,' or 'Glory.' This is like pouring fuel on a fire, when a preacher is preaching God's Word. He knows he is among people who want to hear God's Word, and they rejoice when they hear It.
When Paul was at Ephesus, God had opened a door for Him, but at the same time there were some who bitterly opposed the preaching of God's Word. Nevertheless, the Bible says, Paul, "... spake boldly….”
Anytime God does a work, He opens the door, but someone has to have the courage to step through it. This is exactly what happened in Ephesus. God opened the door, and the apostle Paul went to the synagogue, and for three months, he boldly proclaimed God's Word.
B. HE PREACHED WITH PERSUASION
Verse 8b, "... disputing and persuading the things concerning the kingdom of God.”
Illus: Before any salesman can be successful in his sales, he first has to be sold on the product himself. Many years ago, a young couple was invited to a cookware party, by an elderly lady that lived in the neighborhood. The husband had agreed to go, only because the lady needed five families to show up so she could win a prize that she wanted. Before they left the house, the husband had made up his mind that he was not going to buy any pots and pans. They, and the other families, were all seated when the salesmen appeared.
He introduced himself to all of them, then excused himself, and went to the kitchen to finish preparing the meal in the cookware he wanted to sell them. In a short time, he called them for supper, and they had a delicious meal. After they ate his food, he decided that he had earned the right to show them his stainless steel cookware.
That husband still had his mind made up. He was not going to buy any pots and pans. His wife had a cabinet full of them, and they did not need any more. The salesman was prepared for the fact that everyone there probably had a cabinet full of pots and pans. He went on to show everyone, that unless their cookware was made of stainless steel, it was no good. He did several experiments with the aluminum pans that the ladies had been cooking in, and the water in the pans turned a yucky green. He then talked about swallowing all that stuff every time they ate out of that cookware.
About that time, the husband who had been so determined not to buy any cookware, was about ready to turn to his wife and ask her, 'What are You trying to do, kill us!'
To make a long story short, that salesman sold every family there some stainless steel cookware, and that husband could not wait to get home, and get rid of those pots and pans that were killing him and his wife.
Do you know why that salesman was successful in selling his cookware? He persuaded them, because he himself was persuaded that stainless steel was the best and safest cookware that you could cook out of.
Illus: That reminds me of the story of the fellow who owned a store, and his whole basement was filled with all kinds of cheeses. A man saw all this cheese one day, and said, “You must know how to sell cheese with all this inventory!” He said, “I do not know a thing about selling cheese, but that salesman that sold me all this cheese knew all about how to sell cheese!”
Paul had tremendous success in Ephesus, because God opened the door before him, and he had the courage to step through. Once he did, everyone he came in contact with knew that he was persuaded, and because he was, he was able to persuade them.
The best preacher on this earth, cannot persuade a man or a woman who has closed God out of his/her life. It became so evident that Paul had done all that he could do in preaching in the Synagogue, that he decided it would be better to relocate his ministry, than to submit to this crowd and their regulations.
Even though he was able to persuade many, look at verses 9-10. “But when divers were hardened, and believed not, but spake evil of that way before the multitude, he departed from them, and separated the disciples, disputing daily in the school of one Tyrannus.
And this continued by the space of two years; so that all they which dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks.”
Paul did something that many have done since then, he preached out of school rooms for two years.
II. PAUL'S POWER
Verses 11-12, “And God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul: So that from his body were brought unto the sick handkerchiefs or aprons, and the diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out of them….”
Illus: Can you imagine someone who is dying with an incurable disease, and someone walks in the room with a handkerchief, and lays it on his suffering body, and he's immediately healed? The scripture says that some who were demon possessed, were delivered from their possession, as soon as the cloth hit their body.
What miracles God was doing through Paul! Notice something about these miracles.
A. PAUL'S SOURCE
Verse 11, “And God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul:”
Notice these words, “And God wrought...” We cannot do anything without God!
Illus: We used to be amused, and saddened, about the Catholic Church, because especially during Luther's time, people would pay the priest for certain things they desired. If a loved one died, they would pay the priest to pray him out of purgatory. I still see such foolishness today from tv preachers. As you watch, you get the impression that if you want a bad back healed, you can get your master card or visa card out, and call a certain number on the screen. You then give an offering of a hundred dollars, and you will be healed. If you want to be cured of cancer, it may cost you five hundred. If you want a bad heart cured, it may cost you as much as a thousand etc..
Illus: These money mongrels remind me of the Catholic Priest who was outside his church one day, and a man said to him, “I would like to ask you something. My wife and I had a pet dog, and we loved him as if he were one of our children, and he died. We would like to know if you would give him a proper funeral.'
The priest said, “Mister, you have got to be crazy! You actually think I would conduct a dog's funeral?” The man saw that he was wasting his time, so he began to walk away. The priest could tell he was really disappointed, and began to feel sorry for the way he treated him. He said, “Where are you going?” He said, “I am going to the church down the street, and talk to that pastor, and see if he will give our dog, a proper funeral.”
He said, “My wife and I have already agreed that we would give the minister a thousand dollars if he would do this.”
The Catholic priest said, “Come back here. Why didn't you tell me that your dog, was Catholic? I will be happy to give him a proper funeral.”
We see many today, who will do anything in the name of religion, for money. Notice I said that they will do anything! What you get from that crowd, is what you see. Paul's source of power did not come from anything you could see, it came from God! “And God wrought special miracles ...”
B. PAUL SAW
Verses 11b-12, “... by the hands of Paul: So that from his body were brought unto the sick handkerchiefs or aprons, and the diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out of them.”
God used Paul's hands to bring healing to many, but there were so many afflicted, that Paul could not see them all. They would take handkerchiefs or aprons, and place them on Paul's anointed body, and then place the handkerchiefs or aprons on the sick, and they would be healed.
Illus: There are some who claim to be healers today, who send out handkerchiefs. There is one important thing they do not tell you. There is a vast difference between them, and the apostle Paul. In our text, God is not trying to teach us that this is something we should do. This is something He did once through this tremendous servant. It probably has never been repeated since then, because I am not sure another man like Paul has ever lived. We have a lot of run-of-the-mill people trying to be carbon copies, but Paul was a very special servant that God used in Ephesus in a tremendous way.
Paul saw God heal through his hands, and he saw God heal through handkerchiefs, and aprons, placed upon his body.
III. PAUL' S PARTNERS
VERSES 13-20, “Then certain of the vagabond Jews, exorcists, took upon them to call over them which had evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth. And there were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jew, and chief of the priests, which did so. And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye? And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, and overcame them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded. And this was known to all the Jews and Greeks also dwelling at Ephesus; and fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified. And many that believed came, and confessed, and showed their deeds. Many of them also which used curious arts brought their books together, and burned them before all men: and they counted the price of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver. So mightily grew the word of God and prevailed."
Some might say, “I would not consider these men to be partners with the apostle Paul.” This is true, we would not, but had you been living in the time when they lived, perhaps you would. These exorcists actually used Paul's name in casting out devils. Anyone who heard them, probably thought they were close associates of Paul. Let's took to see what the scripture has to say about them.
A. PAUL'S ENCOUNTER WITH EXORCISTS
Verses 13-16. “Then certain of the vagabond Jews, exorcists, took upon them to call over them which had evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth. And there were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jew, and chief of the priests, which did so. And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye? And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, and overcame them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.”
Those vagabond (wandering) Jews, saw how God was using the apostle Paul. It was getting him fame all over Ephesus. These Jews professed to be able, by some kind of magic ritual, to cast out demons. Those same Jews, who claimed to be able to drive out evil spirits, decided that they would become partners with Paul. They decided the secret to their success was using certain words, and in this case the words were not “abracadabra", but, "We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth.”
Illus: We still have those who believe that Christianity is no more than knowing a few words. They speak these words that they have learned, such as “amen”, “hallelujah”, and “praise the Lord”, but nothing of a positive nature ever happens. They have never had a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ.
Notice in verse 14, this Jewish Priest who had seven sons decided they would cast some demons out of a man. And in verse 15, we read, “And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye?"
The devil knew these men were not to be feared. Verse 16 says, " And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, and overcame them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.”
B. PAUL'S ENCOUNTER WITH EXCITEMENT
Verses 17-20, "And this was known to all the Jews and Greeks also dwelling at Ephesus; and fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified. And many that believed came, and confessed, and showed their deeds. Many of them also which used curious arts brought their books together, and burned them before all men: and they counted the price of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver. So mightily grew the word of God and prevailed."
Ephesus was famous in the ancient world for its magic. Much of this was connected with the goddess Diana. Her priests had magic formulas, that they felt would provide power for healing, and to cast out demons, when they were spoken. They would take these magic formulas, and have them inscribed on bracelets and charms, and wear them to ward off evil spirits, and bring good fortune.
Evidently many of these who heard Paul preach, and were converted, became convicted of such superstitions. They gathered all their books of magic, and burned them in a public place as a testimony of the saving grace of the Lord Jesus Christ.
It has been estimated by some that the books alone were valued at $10,000. They could have sold these things for a great amount of money, but the true believer understands that money is not everything. Their burning of those items revealed how God used Paul to stir the people for the Lord Jesus Christ.
Conclusion:
I. PAUL’S PREACHING (VERSES 8-10)
A. HE PREACHED WITH BOLDNESS
B. HE PREACHED WITH PERSUASION
II. PAUL’S POWER (VERSES 11-12)
A. PAUL'S SOURCE
B. PAUL SAW
III. PAUL'S PARTNERS (VERSES 13-20)
A. PAUL'S ENCOUNTER WITH EXORCISTS
B. PAUL'S ENCOUNTER WITH EXCITEMENT
