Sermon on Acts 19:13-20: Power of the Name

Acts 19 finds us still in Ephesus, a city where the Apostle Paul was preaching the gospel and God was performing "extraordinary miracles" (Acts 19:11). 

This advancement of the kingdom of God led to a confrontation with the kingdom of darkness, revealing the true source of spiritual power …. and the nature of genuine conversion.

1)  True Spiritual Authority Resides in Relationship, Not Religious Formulas or Rituals.

(Discussed last week)

Acts 19:11-12 ¹¹ God was performing extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul, so that handkerchiefs or aprons were even carried from his body to the sick, and the diseases left them and the evil spirits went out.

ACTS 19:13

¹³ But also some of the Jewish exorcists, who went from place to place, attempted to use the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had the evil spirits, saying, “I order you in the name of Jesus whom Paul preaches!” 

I can picture this scene - 

I can just imagine these guys wearing ornate robes, beads, bracelets and religious symbols, waving incense and throwing sparkle dust and holy water while chanting snippets of the sacred writings. 

Casting demons – for a price I imagine…

Why can I imagine it? Because we still see it today. 

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Whatever the intention of these men was – it was about to become painfully clear that were engaging powers beyond them – invoking a name that was not theirs proclaim.

Luke tells us that at least some of the men doing this (if not all of them) going around casting out evil spirits were SEVEN SONS OF SCEVA – 

Sceva we read was a “chief priest” in the synagogue and these SEVEN SONS were involved with this “casting out unclean spirits” ministry.

That the sons of Sceva chose to change their tactic – by invoking the name of Jesus to cast out demons as Paul did– and how that worked out for them – teaches us plenty!

These men had apparently heard of or witnessed the success of Paul in casting out demons in Jesus’ name. 

Much more effectively than anything THEY had ever done!

So, they decided to deploy “THE JESUS FORMULA.”

See this is the formula – The name of Jesus has power.

• People will listen to you when you speak it, even honor you with authority, power, and position.

• People will give you money in connection with it.

• In His name, the sick have been made well, sad people find hope.

• Churches, hospitals, and all kinds of good projects get built.

But I ask you – what are any of those things without a relationship with Jesus?

What are any of these things if they do not further the message and ministry of Jesus?

And what are any of these things if they do not honor God?

They are just … things…

And the power, the authority and the blessing of God – is not in them – UNLESS – they are done truly “In the Name of Jesus.”

These men had no true knowledge of Jesus – no true relationship with Jesus – 

Yet tried to call on the name of Jesus… to borrow on – OR USE – the name of Jesus - but not from a position of relationship or faith. 

True Spiritual Authority/ Jump Verses:

• John 14:13-14: Jesus links asking in His name to glorifying God, not personal gain.
  • Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. ¹⁴ If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it.
• Mark 16:17: Jesus told the Apostles:
  • These signs will accompany those who have believed: in My name they will cast out demons, they will speak with new tongues;
• Ephesians 1:18-21: The Name of Jesus DOES have power!
  • I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, ¹⁹ and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, ²¹ far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.

2. Demonic Forces KNOW Jesus, His power, and His People

Again, Luke tells us these men: attempted to use the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had the evil spirits, saying, “I order you in the name of Jesus whom Paul preaches!” 

ACTS 19:14-16

¹⁴ Now there were seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, doing this. ¹⁵ But the evil spirit responded and said to them, “I recognize Jesus, …and I know of Paul, …. …. …. but who are you?”

Can you imagine this moment for the sons of Sceva?!?

Jesus – yes, I know Him – He is the Son of God.

Paul – yes -I have heard of him – devout and faithful follower of Jesus – demonstrated by the faith to call on the power of the name of Jesus to heal the sick, restore the dead and cast the fallen spirits out of the bodies of mortal man

Yes – I know these – BUT WHO ARE YOU?

• Who are you mortal man of flesh to stand in the presence of the such forces?

• Who are you with your sins draped around you like filthy rags – calling on the name of the Holy One – in whom you have not believed?

• What power do you claim? What authority do you possess?

¹⁶ And the man in whom was the evil spirit, pounced on them and subdued all of them and overpowered them, so that they fled out of that house … naked and wounded. 

The demon recognized Jesus and Paul but not the sons of Sceva, 

Highlighting the difference between 

• Genuine and false authority

• Genuine and false faith

Frankly, I think they got off easy.

Remember that when Ananias and his wife Sapphira attempted insincere representation with the Holy Spirit over the sale of a piece of property they were both struck dead!

Highlighted also is this: Even demons are subject to God's power and recognize His true followers.

Jump Verses:

• James 2:19: Demons believe in God and shudder.
  • You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder.
• Luke 10:17: Jesus confirms the authority of His disciples over demons.
  • The seventy returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name.” 

The Demon asked the question – “Who are you…?”

Friends, do not ever forget WHO YOU ARE – In Christ Jesus-

YOUR- Identity in Christ

YOUR- Newness and freedom

• You are a new creation: "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come" (2 Corinthians 5:17).
• You are free from condemnation: "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus" (Romans 8:1).
• Your past sins are forgiven: "Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you" (Ephesians 4:32). 

YOUR- Belonging and purpose

• You are a child of God: "But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God" (John 1:12).
• You are chosen and dearly loved: "Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience" (Colossians 3:12).
• You are part of the body of Christ: "Now you are the body of Christ, and each of you is a member of it" (1 Corinthians 12:27).
• You are a citizen of heaven: "But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ" (Philippians 3:20). 

YOUR- Spiritual and eternal standing

• You are bought with a price and belong to God: "Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price" (1 Corinthians 6:19-20).
• You have direct access to God: "For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father" (Ephesians 2:18).
• You are an heir of God: "You are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God" (Galatians 4:7).
• Your life is hidden with Christ in God: "For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God" (Colossians 3:3). 

Your Father in Heaven knows this.

Your Savior knows this.

The Holy Spirit that dwells in you knows this.

As we see here – even Satan and the demonic forces know this.

..

Sadly, the only one who seems to forget this – fail to grasp this – or live in the power of the truth of this – is you and me…

..

YOU are a child of God – a Saint by HIS calling – with the POWER of the Holy Spirit dwelling spiritually within you. 

..

Romans 8:15 For you did not receive a spirit of slavery that returns you to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption to sonship, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!”

Paul prays for us- Ephesians 3:16

I ask that out of the riches of His glory He may strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner being,

That we might embrace the truth of God’s word in Philippians 4:13

I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 

I am reminded of another high priest who had some issues with his sons – AARON.

In Leviticus 10- we read the story of Nadan and Abihu – two of Aaron’s sons.

• God had given clear instruction to the priests on exactly how to bring in the fire and the incense that burned continually in the tabernacle before the presence of the Lord. 

• And yet, Nadan and Abihu failed to rightly honor God with obedience and offered a “strange fire” before the Lord. 

• The words “strange fire”, mean unauthorized, foreign or profane.

• God’s response was that He not only rejected their sacrifice, but consumed both men with fire. 

Leviticus 10:3 “This is what the LORD spoke of when he said: ‘Among those who approach me I will show myself holy; in the sight of all the people I will be honored’”

Again, and sadly, then and now there are some among the people of God who are offering “strange fire” to the Lord.

What do I mean- 

Nadan and Abihu were going about sacred duties before the Holy God of all Creation – and yet they had come to treat these things as mundane – ritualistic- and in their apathy – they stumbled – and in their stumbling – they offended God.

You and I have this amazing relationship with our amazing God. And we to have this amazing opportunity to serve Him. 

• Prayer                                        - Study of His word
• Obedience to His instruction       - Tithing
• Attendance                                 - Acts of service
• Worship                                     - Communion

All the things that make up our duties before our Holy God – Let us be sure that we are doing them with the proper attitude – within the proper relationship – lest any of us offer strange, foreign, or profane fire to the Lord!

3. True Conversion Involves Radical Repentance and Public Confession

ACTS 19:17-19

¹⁷ This became known to all who lived in Ephesus, both Jews and Greeks; and fear fell upon them all and the name of the Lord Jesus was being magnified. 

¹⁸ Also many of those who had believed kept coming, confessing and disclosing their practices. ¹⁹ And many of those who practiced magic brought their books together and began burning them in the sight of everyone; and they added up the prices of the books and found it to be fifty thousand pieces of silver. 

The events led to widespread "fear" and magnification of Jesus' name, prompting believers with secret sinful practices to confess and destroy costly magic items. 

True faith results in a break with former sinful practices and idols, regardless of cost, involving openness and tangible evidence of change.

True faith- is a trusting in Jesus – a commitment to the relationship with Him – an embracing of our new identity – that:

• Rightly causes a DESIRE to put the sins of our past behind us.

• And results in a public confession of the hope in us. 

• I can’t NOT talk about God, Jesus, and what the Holy Spirit is doing in my life! – 

• (and you shouldn’t be able not to either..)

Jump Verses:

• Luke 19:8-9: Zacchaeus' changed actions evidenced his salvation.
  •  Zaccheus stopped and said to the Lord, “Behold, Lord, half of my possessions Iwill give to the poor, and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I will give back four times as much.” ⁹ And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because he, too, is a son of Abraham.
• 2 Corinthians 5:17: Being in Christ means being a new creation.
  • Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.
• Matthew 10:32: Confessing Christ before others is a mark of a believer.
  • “Therefore everyone who confesses Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father who is in heaven.”

4. The Power and Influence of the Word of God

ACTS 19:20

²⁰ So the word of the Lord was growing and prevailing mightily.

The outcome:

• Growing – increasing - reproducing

• Prevailing – demonstrated strength, power, overcoming.

The gospel’s authentic power is seen in changed lives, and the TRUTH of the word of God overcoming false religions and worldly systems.

Jump Verses:

• Hebrews 4:12: The word of God is living, active, and powerful.
  • For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

• Isaiah 55:11: God's word will accomplish its purpose.
  • So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth;
    It will not return to Me empty,
    Without accomplishing what I desire,
    And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it.

5. Conclusions

There is Power in the Name of Jesus

Philippians 2:9-11

"Therefore, God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow...and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord". 

There is Salvation in the Name of Jesus

Acts 4:12

"And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved". 

Acts 2:38

Peter said to them, “Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Romans 10:13

       for “Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

There is Healing in the Name of Jesus

John 14:13-14

Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. ¹⁴ If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it.

5. Life Applications

1. Examine Your Authority: Do you have a genuine relationship with Jesus, or are you relying on borrowed faith? 
• Authority comes from walking in His name.

2. Confront Secret Sins: Identify and remove "magic books"—hidden sinful practices or influences—from your life. 
• True repentance involves confessing and cutting ties with darkness, despite the cost.

3. Magnify the name of Jesus: Does your life point others to Jesus' greatness?

4. Trust the word of God: As you trust in God – Trust what God says about you!