Real Or Fake Series

Series: Action [#65]

REAL OR FAKE?

Acts 19:1-20

Introduction:

We hear people talk about being the real deal, or Coca-Cola talking about having the real thing. There have been people counterfeiting money, IDs; and most recently COVID-19 Vaccination Records. Many years ago, the FBI started using the great counterfeiters to catch counterfeiters. Faking the truth has been going on from the beginning.

In 2 Chronicles 12 the Kingdom of Israel was dividing. Israel had 3 Kings- Saul, David, and Solomon. Solomon’s son Rehoboam became the King of Judah. Rehoboam was so evil that God allowed the Egyptians to rob and trample the Temple. Among the items stolen were the golden shields that God had instructed Solomon to make and place at the Temple during worship. The golden shields represented God’s standard of excellence.

Embarrassed by the Egyptian defeat, Rehoboam had some of the craftsmen to make 300 new shields from brass. Rehoboam knew the brass shields were a cheap imitation; but if these shields were polished every day, he could pass them off as the real thing. Have you substituted shields of brass for God’s standards of excellence, shields of gold? In Acts 19, I want you to ask yourself, “Am I real or fake”?

Acts 19:1-10

1. Is your salvation real or fake?

Paul met some disciples that had been baptized by John the Baptist, and they did not know anything about the Holy Spirit. They had been baptized by John the Baptist to show their repentance; but had not trusted in Jesus as their Savior. When they were saved, the Holy Spirit came on them and some of the Spiritual Gifts were shown.

Salvation is found only in Jesus- Not John the Baptist, Billy Graham, Shawn Drake, etc… can save you. Paul preached and taught about the Gospel of Jesus in several locations for over 2 years. Some people were saved; but some were such trouble that Paul left. Notice that verse 10 says, ”All the Jews and Greeks who lived in the province of Asia heard the word of the Lord”. It doesn’t say that they were all saved.

You and God are the only ones that know if you are saved or not. You may be doubting your salvation today. I will tell you that as a Child of God, when I have doubts about my salvation, it is the Holy Spirit dealing with sin in my life.

Acts 19:11-16

2. Is your spiritual identity real or fake?

We live during a time that just using the word identity starts a fight. There are groups saying that they don’t want a baby’s gender on their birth certificate. There were male athletes that competed in the Olympics as women. There are 2 genders and there are 2 types of spiritual identity. There is Male and Female; and there is Saved and Unsaved.

Paul was being used by God in such a miraculous way that even things that he had touched was healing people and casting out demons. Since God was using Paul so much, there were 7 sons of a Chief Priest who wanted to perform miracles as well. They didn’t even try to identify themselves as Christians. They were casting out demons in the name of Jesus who Paul preached.

I love verse 15. “One day the evil spirit answered them, ’Jesus I know, and Paul I know about, but who are you?” The enemy did not know who they were and the demon possessed man jumped on them and whooped them so bad that he tore all of the clothes off of them.

If you think that you can battle the enemy because of someone else’s relationship with Jesus, you are in serious trouble. How do you identify spiritually?

Acts 19:17-20

3. Is your reverence for God real or fake?

When the people in Ephesus heard about what had happened, they were afraid. Many times in Scripture, we are told to fear the Lord. Notice that it says that they held the name of Jesus in high honor. To fear God and hold Him in high honor means to have reverence.

Because of this, many people were saved, and they got rid of those evil things that had been a part of their life before Jesus.

Conclusion:

Our last verse tells us that the Word of the Lord spread widely and grew in power. Ask yourself this question, “Real or fake”?