Acts: Go & Be Chapters 19-28Sample

What is this passage saying?

The sons of Sceva fail to exorcise a demon-oppressed man, filling Ephesus with the name of Jesus.

What is this passage teaching?

The sons of Sceva made their living by traveling from place to place to cast out demons. As sons of the Jewish High Priest, these men believed they had a particular spiritual power. Certainly, one demon-possessed man was no match for seven sons of the high priest! Although they did not believe in Jesus, they tried to use His name as a spell or witchcraft to gain power over the demon. The demon’s response is stunning – “Jesus, I know, and Paul, I recognize, but who are you?” The demons knew the name of Jesus only has power when rooted in faith. These men were no match for the power of hell as the demon left the man and overtook the seven sons, driving them out of the house naked and wounded.

Perhaps more stunning than this scene of spiritual darkness was the response in Ephesus. As news of the story spread, Luke tells us that many believers gathered to confess their sins and seek repentance. They gathered and burned around $5 million worth of books on magic and witchcraft. The passage indicates that many of those who came “confessing and divulging their practices” were believers before the sons of Sceva incident. They kept their books to ensure themselves in case they ended up in a situation that Jesus was not powerful enough to overcome. If following Jesus didn’t work out, they could always go back to witchcraft. Friend, they confessed and divulged their wickedness because exposing sinfulness in repentance only points towards the richness of the gospel. They burned their books because they realized Jesus was more powerful than witchcraft and more satisfying than silver.

How do I respond?

While you might not be holding onto illicit books of witchcraft, this spiritual reality still holds true today. You might confess Jesus with your lips, but your real dependence is on the degree you are pursuing, the career ladder you are climbing, or the money in your bank account. You may go to church and read your Bible, but your primary motivations in life are your relationship status, the number of likes on your social media, or even how much people depend on you. Friends, Jesus holds the keys of hell and death in his hands. He has made Satan and his demons his footstool. Today, he graciously asks you to trust Him - the one who holds all authority in heaven on earth and will never leave or forsake his people (Matthew 28:19-20). What is holding you back from giving Him your full surrender?