Who Are You

In one paragraph

This message came from Acts 19:11-41, and it moved through three connected scenes in Ephesus: a failed exorcism that backfired badly, a bonfire of magic books, and a riot stirred up by a silversmith who was losing business. Pastor Nick used all three to press on a single question: what does it mean to actually belong to Jesus rather than just use his name? The passage opens with God doing...

Read together

1. Psalm 147:1 read aloud before the opening song as an invitation to worship
2. Acts 1:8 cited to show Jesus foretelling the geographic spread of witness from Jerusalem outward
3. Acts 2:47 quoted as the first of several programmatic summary statements about the word spreading
4. Acts 6 (summary statement) quoted as a summary statement about the word of God spreading and disciples increasing in Jerusalem
5. Acts 9:31 quoted as a summary statement about the church throughout Judea, Galilee, and Samaria growing in fear of the Lord
6. Acts 12 (summary statement) quoted as a summary statement about the word of the Lord continuing to grow and multiply
7. Acts 16 (summary statement) quoted as a summary statement about churches being strengthened and increasing in number daily
8. Acts 19:11-41 the main passage preached, covering miracles through Paul, the sons of Sceva, the burning of magic books, and the riot of Demetrius
9. Isaiah (unnamed passage) referenced to parallel Paul's argument that idols made by human hands are not gods

Talk about it

1. Pastor Nick pointed out that the seven sons of Sceva knew about Jesus but did not know Jesus personally. What is the difference, and how does a person move from one to the other?
2. When the people of Ephesus recognized real spiritual power, they came forward and burned their magic books at considerable financial cost. What things in your own life are hardest to lay down when you take seriously that God's power is real?
3. The summary statements in Acts describe the word of the Lord growing and prevailing mightily. Where do you see, or wish you could see, that kind of growth in your own sphere of influence right now?
4. Demetrius whipped a crowd into a rage over something most of them did not even understand, and Pastor Nick drew a parallel to the noise and confusion we live with today. How do you personally keep from getting pulled into that kind of froth?
5. Pastor Nick closed by saying that when the grace and mercy of God fill your heart, they start coming out in your life toward other people. What does that actually look like in a practical, everyday situation you are facing?