WEBVTT 00:00:10.000 --> 00:00:14.679 God was performing extraordinary miracles by 00:00:14.679 --> 00:00:19.420 the hands of Paul. So that handkerchiefs or aprons 00:00:19.420 --> 00:00:23.559 were even carried from his body to the sick. 00:00:23.739 --> 00:00:27.420 And the diseases left them and the evil spirits 00:00:27.420 --> 00:00:36.840 went out. As Paul is starting his ministry in 00:00:36.840 --> 00:00:41.270 Ephesus, It's good for us to understand a little 00:00:41.270 --> 00:00:47.030 about the nature of that city and what characterized 00:00:47.030 --> 00:00:50.289 it, what it was like. We've already touched on 00:00:50.289 --> 00:00:54.270 and talked briefly about the reality that it 00:00:54.270 --> 00:01:00.750 was full -blown paganism. But with that came 00:01:00.750 --> 00:01:12.819 a lot of spiritism. of demonic activity. With 00:01:12.819 --> 00:01:16.760 that came a lot of what would have then been 00:01:16.760 --> 00:01:21.540 called the dark arts. There are records, we have 00:01:21.540 --> 00:01:23.859 lots and lots of records of what were called 00:01:23.859 --> 00:01:28.959 the Ephesian writings. The Ephesian writings 00:01:28.959 --> 00:01:36.780 were these small scrolls that had on them incantations. 00:01:37.500 --> 00:01:41.400 and spells. And these would be rolled up into 00:01:41.400 --> 00:01:43.719 a little tube, and they'd be hung around an individual, 00:01:43.859 --> 00:01:46.219 or they'd be passed around, they'd be given out. 00:01:46.780 --> 00:01:51.180 These were very, very common. It was well known 00:01:51.180 --> 00:01:55.819 in the world at that time that Ephesus was an 00:01:55.819 --> 00:02:02.219 epicenter for Spiritism and the occult. So as 00:02:02.219 --> 00:02:06.680 Paul's coming in to Ephesus with the Gospel, 00:02:07.280 --> 00:02:11.240 heralding the truth of Christ and the kingdom 00:02:11.240 --> 00:02:17.139 of God, one might think that he was fearful approaching 00:02:17.139 --> 00:02:21.719 Ephesus. One might think that there would be 00:02:21.719 --> 00:02:27.099 greater hindrances and stumbling blocks to the 00:02:27.099 --> 00:02:31.939 gospel in Ephesus. But that's not the case at 00:02:31.939 --> 00:02:36.740 all. Paul enters into Ephesus heralding the gospel 00:02:36.740 --> 00:02:42.159 in power. With boldness, we're told. Without 00:02:42.159 --> 00:02:45.840 restraint. He's not fearful of what's in Ephesus. 00:02:46.039 --> 00:02:48.580 He's not fearful of what's taking place in that 00:02:48.580 --> 00:02:51.560 city. He's not fearful of what might oppose him. 00:02:51.639 --> 00:02:58.520 He knows his Lord. And he knows the power of 00:02:58.520 --> 00:03:03.639 God that is with him. And he knows... The Gospel. 00:03:04.419 --> 00:03:09.719 So he comes into Ephesus. And we're told in verses 00:03:09.719 --> 00:03:17.780 11 and 12 that God is with Paul in Ephesus. We're 00:03:17.780 --> 00:03:22.879 told in verse 11, God was performing extraordinary 00:03:22.879 --> 00:03:27.479 miracles by the hands of Paul. So that handkerchiefs 00:03:27.479 --> 00:03:31.030 or aprons were even carried from his body. to 00:03:31.030 --> 00:03:34.189 the sick, and the diseases left them, and the 00:03:34.189 --> 00:03:39.370 evil spirits went out. Consider with me three 00:03:39.370 --> 00:03:42.370 things from this text this morning. The source 00:03:42.370 --> 00:03:46.030 of these miracles, the nature of these miracles, 00:03:46.150 --> 00:03:51.750 and the purpose of these miracles. First, the 00:03:51.750 --> 00:03:58.650 source of these miracles. The text says God was 00:03:58.650 --> 00:04:04.810 performing extraordinary miracles. There would 00:04:04.810 --> 00:04:06.949 have been the temptation, and there would have 00:04:06.949 --> 00:04:09.250 been the possibility, and it probably took place, 00:04:09.469 --> 00:04:13.590 that men and women in Ephesus would have construed 00:04:13.590 --> 00:04:21.769 Paul as a magician, as a worker of magic. There's 00:04:21.769 --> 00:04:25.259 the possibility that they saw him as this humanistic, 00:04:25.300 --> 00:04:28.639 secular philosopher at times if they didn't know 00:04:28.639 --> 00:04:31.939 him and his message or they didn't know what 00:04:31.939 --> 00:04:36.800 was taking place. Luke wants us to be crystal 00:04:36.800 --> 00:04:42.439 clear. Luke wants us to understand without a 00:04:42.439 --> 00:04:48.680 shadow of a doubt that it was not Paul who was 00:04:48.680 --> 00:04:54.470 working miracles in Ephesus. It was not the great 00:04:54.470 --> 00:04:59.189 and mighty apostle who was bringing about these 00:04:59.189 --> 00:05:04.970 extraordinary miracles. It was, in fact, God 00:05:04.970 --> 00:05:12.629 himself. God was working. God was acting. Paul 00:05:12.629 --> 00:05:16.490 himself, later on in his ministry, we read in 00:05:16.490 --> 00:05:21.389 the book of Romans, chapter 15, recognizes this. 00:05:22.699 --> 00:05:28.160 In Romans 15, verses 17 through 18, we read this. 00:05:28.800 --> 00:05:34.300 Therefore, in Christ, in Christ Jesus, I have 00:05:34.300 --> 00:05:37.180 found reason for boasting in things pertaining 00:05:37.180 --> 00:05:43.019 to God. Meaning, Paul's boasting in things that 00:05:43.019 --> 00:05:47.459 God himself has done. He'll only boast... and 00:05:47.459 --> 00:05:50.259 that which is of God, that which is from God, 00:05:50.399 --> 00:05:52.439 and that which has been effectually accomplished 00:05:52.439 --> 00:05:57.160 and carried out by God. We read in verse 18, 00:05:57.420 --> 00:06:02.279 For I will not presume to speak of anything except 00:06:02.279 --> 00:06:07.639 what Christ has accomplished through me. Meaning, 00:06:07.839 --> 00:06:13.019 I'm not going to boast in things I've done. I'm 00:06:13.019 --> 00:06:14.860 not going to boast in things that have come from 00:06:14.860 --> 00:06:17.019 me. I'm not going to boast in things that have 00:06:17.019 --> 00:06:21.300 originated with me. Things of the flesh, things 00:06:21.300 --> 00:06:24.819 of the man, things of him. No, Paul will only 00:06:24.819 --> 00:06:26.879 boast in things that come from God, that have 00:06:26.879 --> 00:06:29.399 been accomplished by God. And what does he say? 00:06:31.779 --> 00:06:36.560 What does he say in verse 19? In the power of 00:06:36.560 --> 00:06:41.079 signs and wonders, in the power of the Spirit. 00:06:42.009 --> 00:06:44.790 so that from Jerusalem and round about, as far 00:06:44.790 --> 00:06:48.829 as Elricum, I have fully preached the gospel 00:06:48.829 --> 00:06:54.850 of Christ. Paul is boasting in the power of signs 00:06:54.850 --> 00:06:57.050 and wonders, in the power of the Spirit, brothers 00:06:57.050 --> 00:07:00.370 and sisters, but why is he boasting in signs 00:07:00.370 --> 00:07:04.290 and wonders? Why is he boasting in the power 00:07:04.290 --> 00:07:09.980 of the Spirit? Because it's not of him. He recognizes 00:07:09.980 --> 00:07:12.920 that these things do not find their source, their 00:07:12.920 --> 00:07:17.379 power, their effectiveness in him. He knows that 00:07:17.379 --> 00:07:22.199 these things are from and of God. Many would 00:07:22.199 --> 00:07:25.300 like to attribute these things to Paul for their 00:07:25.300 --> 00:07:30.699 own manipulative and carnal reasons today. But 00:07:30.699 --> 00:07:36.600 Paul himself denies the reality that working 00:07:36.600 --> 00:07:41.459 miracles is of God. We read in Acts chapter 13, 00:07:41.579 --> 00:07:46.660 when Paul had a confrontation with a magician, 00:07:46.860 --> 00:07:54.899 we'll start reading in verse 6. When they had 00:07:54.899 --> 00:07:58.740 gone through the whole island as far as Paphos, 00:07:58.899 --> 00:08:04.019 they found a magician, a Jewish false prophet, 00:08:04.100 --> 00:08:08.240 whose name was Bar -Jesus. He was with the procouncil 00:08:08.240 --> 00:08:12.740 Sergius Paulus, a man of intelligence. This man 00:08:12.740 --> 00:08:16.420 summoned Barnabas and Saul and sought to hear 00:08:16.420 --> 00:08:21.399 the word of God. But Elimus, the magician, for 00:08:21.399 --> 00:08:24.319 so his name is translated, was opposing them, 00:08:24.480 --> 00:08:29.199 seeking to turn the procouncil away from the 00:08:29.199 --> 00:08:31.920 faith. But Saul, and listen to this, this is 00:08:31.920 --> 00:08:33.279 why I want you to hear, brothers and sisters. 00:08:34.360 --> 00:08:38.500 But Saul... who was also known as Paul, filled 00:08:38.500 --> 00:08:43.879 with the Holy Spirit, fixed his gaze on him, 00:08:43.960 --> 00:08:48.460 meaning fixed his gaze on the magician, and said, 00:08:48.639 --> 00:08:52.279 You are full of all deceit and fraud, you son 00:08:52.279 --> 00:08:55.120 of the devil. You enemy of all righteousness, 00:08:55.480 --> 00:08:58.080 will you not cease to make crooked the straight 00:08:58.080 --> 00:09:01.039 ways of the Lord? Now behold, the hand of the 00:09:01.039 --> 00:09:04.000 Lord is upon you, and you will be blind and not 00:09:04.000 --> 00:09:08.000 see the sun for a time. And immediately a mist 00:09:08.000 --> 00:09:12.620 and a darkness fell upon him. And he went about 00:09:12.620 --> 00:09:15.519 seeking those who would lead him by the hand. 00:09:16.299 --> 00:09:24.340 Signs and wonders. But here's the thing. Paul 00:09:24.340 --> 00:09:28.399 did not accomplish this. Paul did not bring this 00:09:28.399 --> 00:09:31.799 about. What happened to Paul? The Spirit of God 00:09:31.799 --> 00:09:35.679 came upon him. The Spirit of God filled him with 00:09:35.679 --> 00:09:38.600 his presence and power, and the presence of God 00:09:38.600 --> 00:09:41.899 was in him. The Spirit of God came upon Paul, 00:09:42.080 --> 00:09:48.539 and he worked signs and wonders. That's how this 00:09:48.539 --> 00:09:51.220 came about. And I dare say, brothers and sisters, 00:09:51.259 --> 00:09:55.919 that every single time the apostle ever worked 00:09:55.919 --> 00:10:01.039 signs or wonders, this is exactly what took place. 00:10:01.320 --> 00:10:07.700 The Spirit of God would come upon him. It wasn't 00:10:07.700 --> 00:10:13.779 Paul, brothers and sisters. It was God. God was 00:10:13.779 --> 00:10:21.539 at work in... Ephesus. God was acting and moving. 00:10:21.620 --> 00:10:27.240 This was divine and sovereign activity. Now this 00:10:27.240 --> 00:10:30.419 is important because as we consider the gospel 00:10:30.419 --> 00:10:34.480 and its progress throughout this period and throughout 00:10:34.480 --> 00:10:36.580 Paul's missionary and throughout the book of 00:10:36.580 --> 00:10:39.000 Acts, we have to recognize, brothers and sisters, 00:10:39.139 --> 00:10:43.779 that it's not just a man laboring. It's not just 00:10:43.779 --> 00:10:47.259 people doing things. It's not just men serving, 00:10:47.399 --> 00:10:51.919 men preaching. There's more taking place than 00:10:51.919 --> 00:10:57.700 that. There's divine activity at work. The reason 00:10:57.700 --> 00:11:01.279 the gospel is progressing, the reason the church 00:11:01.279 --> 00:11:03.980 is being built, the reason men and women are 00:11:03.980 --> 00:11:06.759 being saved, is not because Paul is laboring, 00:11:06.759 --> 00:11:10.120 though he's an instrument. It's because God is 00:11:10.120 --> 00:11:13.919 in fact working in and through Paul. It's because 00:11:13.919 --> 00:11:18.480 God is building his church. Because God is actively 00:11:18.480 --> 00:11:24.580 at work to accomplish his own mission in Ephesus 00:11:24.580 --> 00:11:32.159 and in the world. So God is with Paul in Ephesus 00:11:32.159 --> 00:11:35.500 and God is the source. of these miracles. But 00:11:35.500 --> 00:11:38.179 what's the nature of these miracles exactly? 00:11:38.299 --> 00:11:40.860 This is the second thing we have to consider 00:11:40.860 --> 00:11:46.940 this morning. The text says, so that handkerchiefs 00:11:46.940 --> 00:11:49.779 or aprons were even carried from his body to 00:11:49.779 --> 00:11:52.740 the sick and diseases left them and evil spirits 00:11:52.740 --> 00:11:55.960 went out. It says that God was performing extraordinary 00:11:55.960 --> 00:12:02.639 miracles by the hands of Paul. Now, we would 00:12:02.639 --> 00:12:07.870 all agree, that miracles in general are extraordinary. 00:12:09.210 --> 00:12:13.889 We would all agree that miracles in general are 00:12:13.889 --> 00:12:19.690 rare and exceptional events. Even in the text 00:12:19.690 --> 00:12:23.090 of Scripture, they are rare and exceptional events. 00:12:23.129 --> 00:12:28.870 They are not common, ordinary things. But here's 00:12:28.870 --> 00:12:31.629 what this text is saying. It's saying that even 00:12:31.629 --> 00:12:37.279 among miracles, These were extraordinary. That 00:12:37.279 --> 00:12:42.080 among miracles and wonders and signs, the things 00:12:42.080 --> 00:12:45.659 that were taking place in Ephesus were exceptional 00:12:45.659 --> 00:12:50.659 among those miracles. They weren't ordinary miracles. 00:12:50.840 --> 00:12:55.799 They were extraordinary miracles. Now, there's 00:12:55.799 --> 00:12:59.440 two distinct types that are mentioned. There's 00:12:59.440 --> 00:13:03.710 the healing of the sick. And diseases being sent 00:13:03.710 --> 00:13:08.789 or cast out. Men and women being delivered from 00:13:08.789 --> 00:13:13.289 sickness. And then there's evil spirits that 00:13:13.289 --> 00:13:20.009 are being driven out or cast out. It wasn't just 00:13:20.009 --> 00:13:23.529 the people were being made healthy and whole. 00:13:24.429 --> 00:13:27.210 It wasn't just the people were being delivered 00:13:27.210 --> 00:13:31.940 from sickness and disease. It was that people 00:13:31.940 --> 00:13:36.279 were being delivered from possession of evil 00:13:36.279 --> 00:13:39.820 spirits, from demonic and dark powers in their 00:13:39.820 --> 00:13:45.539 life, from bondage in their life that had overtaken 00:13:45.539 --> 00:13:49.840 them. This is what's taking place. And how is 00:13:49.840 --> 00:13:55.340 it taking place? It's not that Paul is coming 00:13:55.340 --> 00:13:57.799 and laying his hands on them. It's not that Paul 00:13:57.799 --> 00:13:59.840 is in their presence. But brothers and sisters, 00:13:59.879 --> 00:14:04.120 seemingly, this is at a distance, and it's through 00:14:04.120 --> 00:14:08.720 these two items that it's happening. The two 00:14:08.720 --> 00:14:11.879 things that are mentioned, handkerchiefs, or 00:14:11.879 --> 00:14:15.379 a handkerchief and aprons. A handkerchief could 00:14:15.379 --> 00:14:18.899 be, and most likely, it was a rag that was used 00:14:18.899 --> 00:14:22.659 for perspiration. And Paul probably hung it around 00:14:22.659 --> 00:14:25.360 his neck. He either used it when he was working 00:14:25.360 --> 00:14:30.419 to make tents, or... when he was teaching. It 00:14:30.419 --> 00:14:34.159 probably is a perspiration rag that he wore around 00:14:34.159 --> 00:14:37.240 his neck when he was teaching because it was 00:14:37.240 --> 00:14:40.759 hot. It was warm. So he could just grab it and 00:14:40.759 --> 00:14:44.620 he could wipe his face and wipe his neck. That's 00:14:44.620 --> 00:14:48.059 most likely what it's referring to. It's literally 00:14:48.059 --> 00:14:51.840 a face cloth. It's something very much like the 00:14:51.840 --> 00:14:54.279 handkerchiefs that we have today. You could wrap 00:14:54.279 --> 00:14:56.519 it up. You could put something in it. But here's 00:14:56.519 --> 00:15:01.080 the thing. It was Paul's. It was with Paul. It 00:15:01.080 --> 00:15:04.919 was on Paul's neck. It was a garment that had 00:15:04.919 --> 00:15:08.159 his perspiration on it. It wasn't anybody. It 00:15:08.159 --> 00:15:11.840 wasn't Joe's rag down the street. It wasn't Bob's 00:15:11.840 --> 00:15:16.620 rag over there. It was the Apostle Paul's handkerchief. 00:15:17.519 --> 00:15:21.000 But then there's also the apron. We don't know. 00:15:21.019 --> 00:15:23.960 There's less certainty with regards to what the 00:15:23.960 --> 00:15:26.539 apron's referring to. It could be one of two 00:15:26.539 --> 00:15:31.360 things. It's either a type of work belt that 00:15:31.360 --> 00:15:34.100 he wore around his waist when he was working 00:15:34.100 --> 00:15:38.919 on tents, or, more likely, a belt that he wore 00:15:38.919 --> 00:15:42.299 around his waist when he was teaching to hold 00:15:42.299 --> 00:15:47.379 his tunic in place. Now, I tend to lean. That 00:15:47.379 --> 00:15:50.039 both of these had to do with his teaching, his 00:15:50.039 --> 00:15:54.299 instruction. That they were associated with what 00:15:54.299 --> 00:15:57.799 he was saying. There's other people that say, 00:15:57.940 --> 00:16:02.179 no, people were hearing about Paul. People were 00:16:02.179 --> 00:16:04.200 finding about his ministry. They were hearing 00:16:04.200 --> 00:16:06.299 about the signs and the wonders and the work 00:16:06.299 --> 00:16:08.019 and the lives changed and the transformation. 00:16:08.259 --> 00:16:10.259 They were hearing about his preaching. And they 00:16:10.259 --> 00:16:13.090 were coming to him during the day. When he was 00:16:13.090 --> 00:16:15.570 working during the morning hours, they were seeking 00:16:15.570 --> 00:16:18.970 him out and they were taking these things. We 00:16:18.970 --> 00:16:21.389 don't know exactly, but we do know it was through 00:16:21.389 --> 00:16:26.990 these humble, meager means. These inanimate objects 00:16:26.990 --> 00:16:34.090 that power was seemingly going forth and changing 00:16:34.090 --> 00:16:39.710 lives. It's very reminiscent of the ministry 00:16:39.710 --> 00:16:44.000 of the Lord Jesus himself. You remember when 00:16:44.000 --> 00:16:48.240 the woman wanted to just touch the edge of his 00:16:48.240 --> 00:16:51.779 garment? She just wanted to touch the edge of 00:16:51.779 --> 00:16:53.539 his garment because she knew if she could touch 00:16:53.539 --> 00:16:56.220 the edge of his garment that she would be healed 00:16:56.220 --> 00:16:59.639 of her infirmity. But here's the difference. 00:17:00.279 --> 00:17:03.100 The Lord Jesus, when that took place, he felt 00:17:03.100 --> 00:17:07.099 power go out of himself. Now, when the Apostle 00:17:07.099 --> 00:17:09.259 Paul was doing these things, I don't believe 00:17:09.259 --> 00:17:11.420 he felt power going out because it wasn't him. 00:17:12.880 --> 00:17:17.440 It was also very reminiscent of the reality of 00:17:17.440 --> 00:17:20.940 Peter's shadow in Acts chapter 5. If you remember 00:17:20.940 --> 00:17:23.839 when the gospel is growing and expanding, and 00:17:23.839 --> 00:17:27.019 there was a time when Peter, the apostle Peter's 00:17:27.019 --> 00:17:30.400 shadow, would just be cast on someone who was 00:17:30.400 --> 00:17:34.519 sick. And what would happen? Those people would 00:17:34.519 --> 00:17:39.039 be healed. Extraordinary miracles were taking 00:17:39.039 --> 00:17:43.470 place. Paul wasn't present when these miracles 00:17:43.470 --> 00:17:46.029 were taking place that we're referring to in 00:17:46.029 --> 00:17:48.990 verse 12, I don't believe. People were being 00:17:48.990 --> 00:17:51.450 healed not by his touch, not by his presence, 00:17:51.730 --> 00:17:54.670 not by the laying on of hands, but they were 00:17:54.670 --> 00:17:58.589 being healed because of handkerchiefs and aprons 00:17:58.589 --> 00:18:02.690 that were associated with the apostle and his 00:18:02.690 --> 00:18:09.029 teaching. It was simply the knowledge. That this 00:18:09.029 --> 00:18:13.990 is associated with this man who has this message. 00:18:14.309 --> 00:18:16.829 Who's always preaching about the kingdom of God. 00:18:16.970 --> 00:18:19.130 This man who's always preaching about the Lord 00:18:19.130 --> 00:18:21.470 Jesus Christ. This man who's always preaching 00:18:21.470 --> 00:18:26.930 the need for repentance and faith. So men, women, 00:18:27.250 --> 00:18:33.230 surely young people were being transformed. They 00:18:33.230 --> 00:18:35.809 were being delivered and their lives were being 00:18:35.809 --> 00:18:41.059 changed. As a result of Paul, his message, his 00:18:41.059 --> 00:18:46.480 ministry. And the divine power of God at work 00:18:46.480 --> 00:18:51.000 in his ministry. Now what's the purpose of these 00:18:51.000 --> 00:18:56.319 miracles? Why are these miracles worked in Ephesus? 00:18:57.319 --> 00:19:02.119 Why did God perform these things? What was the 00:19:02.119 --> 00:19:06.660 purpose of them? What was the reason? Four signs 00:19:06.660 --> 00:19:11.279 and wonders. Let me offer you a few. I think 00:19:11.279 --> 00:19:14.880 there's a three -fold purpose in signs and wonders, 00:19:14.920 --> 00:19:19.700 even in Ephesus, not just with the Jews throughout 00:19:19.700 --> 00:19:25.220 the book of Acts. The first is to show the superiority 00:19:25.220 --> 00:19:33.160 of God's power, which was with Paul and his message. 00:19:34.000 --> 00:19:37.200 We think about all the different spirits and 00:19:37.200 --> 00:19:41.000 powers, the authorities and dominions that were 00:19:41.000 --> 00:19:45.619 taking place that existed in Ephesus. The dark 00:19:45.619 --> 00:19:48.559 magics and the dark powers, the idols, which 00:19:48.559 --> 00:19:53.279 had no power, but were linked to demons. We think 00:19:53.279 --> 00:19:55.940 about these things and people would have ideas 00:19:55.940 --> 00:19:59.779 in their heads about these powers, about these 00:19:59.779 --> 00:20:02.559 authorities, about these dominions, and about... 00:20:02.720 --> 00:20:04.539 the power that they possess and the power they 00:20:04.539 --> 00:20:09.119 have. But what do we find here? We find that 00:20:09.119 --> 00:20:12.259 the power that's with Paul, the one who's preaching 00:20:12.259 --> 00:20:15.500 the gospel, has authority and sovereignty over 00:20:15.500 --> 00:20:19.619 the body. The one, the power that's with Paul 00:20:19.619 --> 00:20:22.019 that's preaching the gospel, he has sovereign 00:20:22.019 --> 00:20:26.339 power that rules over demons and dominions and 00:20:26.339 --> 00:20:32.119 dark spirits. He has power over nature. The power 00:20:32.119 --> 00:20:36.880 with Paul in his ministry is superior to every 00:20:36.880 --> 00:20:40.460 other power that existed in Ephesus and it's 00:20:40.460 --> 00:20:44.619 being made known. It's being demonstrated and 00:20:44.619 --> 00:20:50.380 showed off. God is showing his superiority in 00:20:50.380 --> 00:20:59.619 Ephesus. We see in verses 13 -17. These seven 00:20:59.619 --> 00:21:03.079 sons of Sceva. We'll go ahead and read that. 00:21:04.099 --> 00:21:07.960 But also some of the Jewish exorcists. They went 00:21:07.960 --> 00:21:11.799 from place to place. Attempted to name over those 00:21:11.799 --> 00:21:14.599 who had the evil spirits. The name of the Lord 00:21:14.599 --> 00:21:18.880 Jesus. Saying I adjure you by Jesus whom Paul 00:21:18.880 --> 00:21:21.640 preaches. They were using the name of Jesus as 00:21:21.640 --> 00:21:25.680 an incantation. They thought that if I just use 00:21:25.680 --> 00:21:29.140 the name of Jesus that Paul uses. then I'll have 00:21:29.140 --> 00:21:31.960 the same power that he has, that the power that's 00:21:31.960 --> 00:21:38.339 with him will be with me. Oh, how they are wrong. 00:21:39.019 --> 00:21:43.619 And the evil spirit answered, I'm sorry, verse 00:21:43.619 --> 00:21:48.740 14, seven sons of one Sceva, a Jewish priest, 00:21:49.000 --> 00:21:53.839 chief priest, were doing this. So seven men were... 00:21:56.480 --> 00:22:00.740 Using the name of Christ. And using Paul's message 00:22:00.740 --> 00:22:04.359 for their own gain and their own purpose. Seven 00:22:04.359 --> 00:22:08.400 sons. And the evil spirit answered and said to 00:22:08.400 --> 00:22:13.099 them, I recognize Jesus. And I know about Paul. 00:22:13.819 --> 00:22:20.319 But who are you? And the man in whom was the 00:22:20.319 --> 00:22:24.839 evil spirit leaped on them and subdued all of 00:22:24.839 --> 00:22:28.609 them. and overpowered them so that they fled 00:22:28.609 --> 00:22:33.390 out of the house naked and wounded. The name 00:22:33.390 --> 00:22:35.690 of the Lord Jesus Christ and the message of the 00:22:35.690 --> 00:22:40.349 gospel is not something that is to be trifled 00:22:40.349 --> 00:22:45.470 with. That's what's happening here. Men think 00:22:45.470 --> 00:22:49.440 that they can benefit From the gospel and the 00:22:49.440 --> 00:22:51.880 name of Christ. And so they take hold of it and 00:22:51.880 --> 00:22:55.640 use it in a hollow, superficial, shallow, manipulative 00:22:55.640 --> 00:23:00.240 way. And what happens to them? They're almost 00:23:00.240 --> 00:23:03.500 beaten to death by the evil spirit themselves. 00:23:04.859 --> 00:23:10.059 The power of God cannot be laid hold of, cannot 00:23:10.059 --> 00:23:16.460 be harnessed by men. God works as he pleases. 00:23:17.359 --> 00:23:21.579 God is sovereign. He does what pleases Him. He 00:23:21.579 --> 00:23:24.220 does what is in accordance with His will. And 00:23:24.220 --> 00:23:28.119 here in Ephesus, His will was to work signs and 00:23:28.119 --> 00:23:33.579 wonders through the Apostle Paul. So it was to 00:23:33.579 --> 00:23:38.660 show the superiority of God's power, which was 00:23:38.660 --> 00:23:42.200 with Paul and his message. Then we see also, 00:23:42.279 --> 00:23:46.559 I think, a second purpose. to show the authenticity 00:23:46.559 --> 00:23:54.640 of Paul and his ministry. In 2 Corinthians 12 00:23:54.640 --> 00:24:05.480 .12, we read, starting in verse 11, I have become 00:24:05.480 --> 00:24:10.079 foolish. I have become foolish. You yourselves 00:24:10.079 --> 00:24:13.970 compelled me. Actually, I should have been commended 00:24:13.970 --> 00:24:19.269 by you. For in no respect was I inferior to the 00:24:19.269 --> 00:24:22.910 most eminent apostles, even though I am a nobody. 00:24:23.529 --> 00:24:26.470 So what the apostle is saying here is that the 00:24:26.470 --> 00:24:31.829 claims of these fraudulent super apostles that 00:24:31.829 --> 00:24:35.609 are saying that I'm not an apostle are not true. 00:24:36.069 --> 00:24:39.349 He's saying, actually, I have the credentials. 00:24:41.230 --> 00:24:45.490 Actually, I'm legitimate. I'm verified. I'm validated. 00:24:45.869 --> 00:24:49.470 I'm confirmed. And how does he demonstrate this? 00:24:49.589 --> 00:24:52.009 What are the signs of a true apostle according 00:24:52.009 --> 00:24:56.549 to verse 12? The signs of a true apostle were 00:24:56.549 --> 00:25:01.789 performed among you without, with all, perseverance. 00:25:02.130 --> 00:25:08.829 By signs and wonders and miracles. A true... 00:25:10.440 --> 00:25:18.920 authentic apostle, such as Paul, could work miracles 00:25:18.920 --> 00:25:22.779 because the Spirit of God worked through them 00:25:22.779 --> 00:25:27.740 to work miracles. Paul's saying, I'm a true apostle 00:25:27.740 --> 00:25:31.660 because of my signs. They demonstrate it. They 00:25:31.660 --> 00:25:35.660 confirm it. They validate it. That's exactly 00:25:35.660 --> 00:25:38.880 why these signs and wonders are being worked 00:25:38.880 --> 00:25:43.420 in Ephesus. They are confirming and validating 00:25:43.420 --> 00:25:48.099 and bearing witness to the authenticity of Paul 00:25:48.099 --> 00:25:53.859 and his ministry. Is Paul who he says he is in 00:25:53.859 --> 00:25:57.900 Ephesus? That's what it comes down to. Is Paul 00:25:57.900 --> 00:26:04.480 sent of God? Is he a genuine servant? and messenger 00:26:04.480 --> 00:26:08.000 of the living God who's heralding the message 00:26:08.000 --> 00:26:10.880 which really saves on behalf of the living God 00:26:10.880 --> 00:26:14.759 that God saves through? Is Paul genuine? Is he 00:26:14.759 --> 00:26:18.140 authentic? Yes, because of the signs and wonders. 00:26:18.180 --> 00:26:21.240 They demonstrate it. They show the authenticity 00:26:21.240 --> 00:26:28.339 of his ministry and of his person. He was trustworthy 00:26:28.339 --> 00:26:31.920 in what he was saying about who he is as an apostle. 00:26:33.359 --> 00:26:39.759 and about what he was doing in Ephesus. The people 00:26:39.759 --> 00:26:42.420 could recognize and they could have comfort and 00:26:42.420 --> 00:26:48.200 they could know this man. He's legible. He's 00:26:48.200 --> 00:26:52.220 credible. Because the signs and wonders, the 00:26:52.220 --> 00:26:54.619 extraordinary miracles that were taking place 00:26:54.619 --> 00:26:58.740 around him, they were showing that he was true 00:26:58.740 --> 00:27:02.559 to what he was saying about himself. And his 00:27:02.559 --> 00:27:06.119 ministry. Now there's a third purpose. And I 00:27:06.119 --> 00:27:09.519 believe this is the most important purpose. For 00:27:09.519 --> 00:27:13.420 these miracles. This is to prove the veracity. 00:27:14.339 --> 00:27:19.039 Of Paul's message. To prove the truthfulness. 00:27:19.880 --> 00:27:24.099 Of the message that Paul was proclaiming. In 00:27:24.099 --> 00:27:35.240 Ephesus. We have to recognize in this text that 00:27:35.240 --> 00:27:40.359 something came before the miracles. Something 00:27:40.359 --> 00:27:44.480 takes place that's the base, that's the foundation 00:27:44.480 --> 00:27:49.220 of Paul's ministry. There's something that underlies 00:27:49.220 --> 00:27:53.359 even these extraordinary miracles. There's something 00:27:53.359 --> 00:27:56.220 that's more foundational. There's something that 00:27:56.220 --> 00:28:00.380 the miracles themselves are supporting and pointing 00:28:00.380 --> 00:28:05.470 to. There's his time in the synagogue and his 00:28:05.470 --> 00:28:10.970 time in Tyrannus. The extraordinary miracles 00:28:10.970 --> 00:28:18.009 accompanied his ministry of preaching and teaching. 00:28:18.930 --> 00:28:23.869 This is important. His preaching and his teaching, 00:28:23.970 --> 00:28:29.430 the ministry of the Word of God, did not accompany 00:28:30.509 --> 00:28:36.250 The miracles. That's vitally important. What 00:28:36.250 --> 00:28:40.809 accompanied what? What is significant? What is 00:28:40.809 --> 00:28:45.049 the priority? The message. Paul's preaching, 00:28:45.170 --> 00:28:48.890 his teaching, the ministry of the Word of God. 00:28:48.990 --> 00:28:53.990 The miracles supported. The miracles accompanied 00:28:53.990 --> 00:28:56.950 the ministry of the Word. We read in Acts chapter 00:28:56.950 --> 00:29:07.640 8. Verse 6 of Philip. The crowds with one accord 00:29:07.640 --> 00:29:11.019 were giving attention to what was said by Philip 00:29:11.019 --> 00:29:15.920 as they heard and saw the signs which he was 00:29:15.920 --> 00:29:20.980 performing. The signs and the wonders supported 00:29:20.980 --> 00:29:24.539 the message. They were listening because of what 00:29:24.539 --> 00:29:26.440 they were seeing. They were listening because 00:29:26.440 --> 00:29:29.119 of what they were hearing. We read in Acts chapter 00:29:29.119 --> 00:29:40.720 14. Verse 6 or verse 3. Therefore, they spent 00:29:40.720 --> 00:29:43.799 a long time there speaking boldly with reliance 00:29:43.799 --> 00:29:47.940 upon the Lord. He was testifying to the word 00:29:47.940 --> 00:29:50.619 of his grace, granting that signs and wonders 00:29:50.619 --> 00:29:55.480 be done by their hands. What does that text tell 00:29:55.480 --> 00:29:59.309 us about the purpose? Of miracles. The purpose 00:29:59.309 --> 00:30:02.970 of the miracles in Ephesus. It was the Lord himself. 00:30:03.529 --> 00:30:07.349 Bearing witness to the truthfulness. The accuracy. 00:30:07.509 --> 00:30:11.210 And the validity. Of the message that the apostles 00:30:11.210 --> 00:30:15.250 spoke. As the word of God. That's what they did. 00:30:16.170 --> 00:30:20.069 That's why God was doing these things. In Ephesus. 00:30:20.450 --> 00:30:26.730 To show the veracity. And the accuracy. Of. The 00:30:26.730 --> 00:30:34.990 message. Signs and wonders served the Word. Not 00:30:34.990 --> 00:30:39.490 the other way around. And the economy of redemption 00:30:39.490 --> 00:30:41.569 and the advancement of the church in the book 00:30:41.569 --> 00:30:45.650 of Acts, brothers and sisters, signs and wonders 00:30:45.650 --> 00:30:52.519 are not an end in and of themselves. They serve 00:30:52.519 --> 00:30:55.559 another end. The goal of signs and wonders is 00:30:55.559 --> 00:31:00.480 the word of the living God. That's why they existed. 00:31:00.640 --> 00:31:04.339 What has primacy in God's plan for the advancement 00:31:04.339 --> 00:31:07.180 of the church? Signs or wonders or the word of 00:31:07.180 --> 00:31:11.859 God? The message. The message. One has priority 00:31:11.859 --> 00:31:15.180 and God himself is bearing witness to that reality 00:31:15.180 --> 00:31:19.880 in this text. God is saying the message is important. 00:31:20.039 --> 00:31:24.279 Therefore, I work signs and wonders to demonstrate 00:31:24.279 --> 00:31:29.500 the importance of the message. Why is it that 00:31:29.500 --> 00:31:34.559 that's so backwards at times? Brothers and sisters, 00:31:34.640 --> 00:31:38.099 why do people want to make the extraordinary 00:31:38.099 --> 00:31:43.019 that which is normative and spurn that which 00:31:43.019 --> 00:31:47.940 is normative because of the extraordinary? When 00:31:47.940 --> 00:31:52.029 God himself says the message is significant. 00:31:52.210 --> 00:31:55.289 The signs and wonders support and strengthen 00:31:55.289 --> 00:31:59.569 and bolster and validate and confirm the message. 00:32:00.009 --> 00:32:03.250 It's because of our sinful flesh, brothers and 00:32:03.250 --> 00:32:08.009 sisters. It's because we're always chasing after 00:32:08.009 --> 00:32:11.529 experience. It's because we're always chasing 00:32:11.529 --> 00:32:14.430 after a high in some ways. It's because we're 00:32:14.430 --> 00:32:16.910 always chasing after being emotionally worked 00:32:16.910 --> 00:32:21.230 up. We want to feel something. But listen, brothers 00:32:21.230 --> 00:32:25.650 and sisters, that is not antithetical to the 00:32:25.650 --> 00:32:30.769 Word of God. In this, if the Word of God is rightly 00:32:30.769 --> 00:32:33.930 proclaimed, if the Word of God is rightly preached, 00:32:34.069 --> 00:32:36.490 and, brethren, there's no more signs and wonders. 00:32:37.069 --> 00:32:39.650 If the Word of God is rightly preached, without 00:32:39.650 --> 00:32:44.430 signs and wonders, you will feel something. God 00:32:44.430 --> 00:32:47.420 will work in your soul. He will stir your soul. 00:32:47.519 --> 00:32:50.759 He will change you and transform you. And we 00:32:50.759 --> 00:32:54.559 don't have to have signs and wonders for the 00:32:54.559 --> 00:33:00.519 Word to accomplish its will in our lives. Why? 00:33:01.059 --> 00:33:05.220 Because of the flesh. Because of the sinful desire 00:33:05.220 --> 00:33:10.140 of men for something more. For something they 00:33:10.140 --> 00:33:12.819 can lay a hold of. Something they can touch and 00:33:12.819 --> 00:33:20.039 feel and know through. Their senses. This necessarily 00:33:20.039 --> 00:33:26.059 indicates. That God. Is demonstrating. His priorities. 00:33:26.680 --> 00:33:32.160 And the accomplishment. Of his mission. The message. 00:33:32.240 --> 00:33:36.880 Takes priority. Over the signs. And wonders. 00:33:37.619 --> 00:33:41.900 God was working all of these things. God was 00:33:41.900 --> 00:33:45.660 authenticating. Paul's ministry. God was showing 00:33:45.660 --> 00:33:48.759 the superiority of his power to every other power 00:33:48.759 --> 00:33:53.519 in Ephesus. And God himself was proving the veracity 00:33:53.519 --> 00:33:57.299 of his own message that he has given to the apostle. 00:33:58.079 --> 00:34:03.059 God is intimately involved in this work of growing 00:34:03.059 --> 00:34:06.480 the church and changing lives through the gospel 00:34:06.480 --> 00:34:13.489 in Ephesus. We're shown. The necessity, brothers 00:34:13.489 --> 00:34:19.150 and sisters, of cultivating spiritual mindedness 00:34:19.150 --> 00:34:27.849 concerning God and His work. Meaning this. We 00:34:27.849 --> 00:34:35.329 are plagued by forgetfulness of God and His work 00:34:35.329 --> 00:34:41.179 in our lives. We can't shake it. We can't get 00:34:41.179 --> 00:34:45.360 rid of it. We can pray. Say, Lord, walk with 00:34:45.360 --> 00:34:48.280 me. Talk with me. Keep me close to you. We can 00:34:48.280 --> 00:34:50.579 pray and then we can get up and we can move on. 00:34:50.599 --> 00:34:52.860 And five minutes later, we've forgotten the Lord. 00:34:54.780 --> 00:34:59.119 We can come to church. We can fellowship. We 00:34:59.119 --> 00:35:02.199 can sing songs. We can hear a message. We can 00:35:02.199 --> 00:35:04.440 take the Lord's Supper. And the Lord has never 00:35:04.440 --> 00:35:09.480 even entered our minds. Because we are plagued. 00:35:09.789 --> 00:35:12.670 With forgetfulness of God. Therefore we must 00:35:12.670 --> 00:35:18.510 cultivate. Spiritual mindedness. Meaning we are 00:35:18.510 --> 00:35:23.510 cognizant. Of him. And his work in our lives. 00:35:23.909 --> 00:35:28.969 We are cognizant of his role. In the work of 00:35:28.969 --> 00:35:32.409 the church. We are cognizant and we are conscious 00:35:32.409 --> 00:35:36.170 of what He is doing, what He wants to do, what 00:35:36.170 --> 00:35:39.110 He will do, and what He has done in the life 00:35:39.110 --> 00:35:43.489 of the church. It's not about us. Isn't that 00:35:43.489 --> 00:35:46.789 what Luke wants us to see from this text? Doesn't 00:35:46.789 --> 00:35:49.909 Luke want us to see that God was in fact working 00:35:49.909 --> 00:35:54.269 in Ephesus, not just Paul? He wants us to understand 00:35:54.269 --> 00:35:58.869 that God is active and working, and without Him, 00:36:01.099 --> 00:36:04.239 the mission will not be accomplished. Without 00:36:04.239 --> 00:36:07.099 His blessing, without His work, without His effective 00:36:07.099 --> 00:36:12.219 power, there will be no success in the ministry 00:36:12.219 --> 00:36:16.300 of the Gospel. Without His blessing upon the 00:36:16.300 --> 00:36:18.519 work, upon the preaching of the Gospel, upon 00:36:18.519 --> 00:36:22.400 fellowship, on our own study of the Word of God, 00:36:22.579 --> 00:36:25.440 if the Spirit of God does not take the means, 00:36:25.519 --> 00:36:28.760 the Word of God, if He does not do that, then 00:36:28.760 --> 00:36:32.019 our sanctification, will not progress as it ought 00:36:32.019 --> 00:36:38.039 to. We need His work in our lives and we need 00:36:38.039 --> 00:36:41.579 to see it, brothers and sisters. How many times 00:36:41.579 --> 00:36:47.000 do we hear conversations about the church and 00:36:47.000 --> 00:36:54.119 the world? The church and the culture. And there's 00:36:54.119 --> 00:36:57.139 a whole discussion. It can go on and it can go 00:36:57.139 --> 00:36:59.840 on. But there's one thing that's completely and 00:36:59.840 --> 00:37:01.900 totally missing out of that whole conversation. 00:37:04.179 --> 00:37:11.980 God. His power. What He can do. What He has done 00:37:11.980 --> 00:37:15.679 in and through the Gospel. Listen, we are carnal 00:37:15.679 --> 00:37:20.159 minded. We think about ourselves. We view things 00:37:20.159 --> 00:37:22.179 with reference to ourselves. We have to cultivate 00:37:22.179 --> 00:37:25.139 our mind and our soul to think with reference 00:37:25.139 --> 00:37:29.239 to the living God and His gospel and His power. 00:37:30.619 --> 00:37:32.320 That's what we have to do. We have to work at 00:37:32.320 --> 00:37:35.179 it, brothers and sisters. It's hard. We have 00:37:35.179 --> 00:37:37.719 to train our mind, train our hearts, train our 00:37:37.719 --> 00:37:41.280 thinking to do it. We have to practice it. We 00:37:41.280 --> 00:37:44.030 have to pray and ask God for help in it. God, 00:37:44.130 --> 00:37:47.230 help me to be with you today. Help me to be like 00:37:47.230 --> 00:37:49.989 the psalmist and recognize that all my ways are 00:37:49.989 --> 00:37:54.429 before you. That I'm always in your presence. 00:37:54.929 --> 00:37:58.929 That I never leave you. Help me to understand 00:37:58.929 --> 00:38:02.250 that and be conscious of that reality. Help me 00:38:02.250 --> 00:38:07.369 not to move on past you today. Help me not to 00:38:07.369 --> 00:38:10.210 simply think about myself and my situation, but 00:38:10.210 --> 00:38:13.909 help me, Lord. to be spiritually minded regarding 00:38:13.909 --> 00:38:20.670 you and your work in my life. We have to remember 00:38:20.670 --> 00:38:26.909 that we have the message that God is pleased 00:38:26.909 --> 00:38:32.789 with, that God delights in, and that God works 00:38:32.789 --> 00:38:37.369 for. We have the message which Paul proclaimed, 00:38:37.449 --> 00:38:41.750 brothers and sisters. We have... The message 00:38:41.750 --> 00:38:48.889 that God accompanied in signs and wonders. Where 00:38:48.889 --> 00:38:52.750 do we have that message? We have it in scriptures, 00:38:52.949 --> 00:38:56.050 brothers and sisters. We have the message that 00:38:56.050 --> 00:39:00.730 God recognized as true. That God worked on behalf 00:39:00.730 --> 00:39:05.230 of. That God validated and confirmed. We have 00:39:05.230 --> 00:39:08.269 the truth of the scriptures and that must be 00:39:08.269 --> 00:39:12.719 our focus. Listen, if we have the Scriptures, 00:39:13.079 --> 00:39:16.880 if we have the Word of God, if we have the message 00:39:16.880 --> 00:39:19.320 that God blessed and God worked for and God worked 00:39:19.320 --> 00:39:23.739 through, then we have to focus on that. We have 00:39:23.739 --> 00:39:25.380 to give our time to that. We have to give our 00:39:25.380 --> 00:39:27.460 mind to that. We have to give our hearts to that. 00:39:29.000 --> 00:39:36.039 Not the things like miracles. We have to focus 00:39:36.039 --> 00:39:44.179 on the Word of the living God. We can't expect 00:39:44.179 --> 00:39:52.699 to spurn God's truth, God's message, and expect 00:39:52.699 --> 00:40:01.840 God to bless us. If Paul was a false apostle, 00:40:02.300 --> 00:40:09.320 God would not have worked on behalf of him. God 00:40:09.320 --> 00:40:14.539 would not have blessed Paul. Brothers and sisters, 00:40:14.579 --> 00:40:20.059 we have to love the message. We have to give 00:40:20.059 --> 00:40:23.960 ourselves to knowing the Scriptures. The truth 00:40:23.960 --> 00:40:29.460 of God's Word. We have to be the kind of people, 00:40:29.500 --> 00:40:33.159 the kind of church, the kind of Christians that 00:40:33.159 --> 00:40:38.099 God will bless and work through as a people. 00:40:39.559 --> 00:40:43.989 We have to become faithful in our lives. We have 00:40:43.989 --> 00:40:48.510 to pursue holiness and godliness. Because those 00:40:48.510 --> 00:40:50.889 are the kind of folks that God works through. 00:40:51.269 --> 00:40:54.969 That God works in. Those who are faithful to 00:40:54.969 --> 00:41:00.650 Him. He will not accompany us with signs and 00:41:00.650 --> 00:41:03.570 wonders. He won't accompany the ministry of the 00:41:03.570 --> 00:41:05.949 Word of God with signs and wonders, brothers 00:41:05.949 --> 00:41:10.150 and sisters. But listen. He can give His Spirit 00:41:10.150 --> 00:41:13.840 in greater measure or lesser degree. He can bless 00:41:13.840 --> 00:41:18.219 and He can not bless. He can work in larger ways 00:41:18.219 --> 00:41:22.980 and smaller ways. And we have to put ourselves 00:41:22.980 --> 00:41:26.420 in a place where we are faithful. In our lives 00:41:26.420 --> 00:41:33.380 individually and as a church. By loving the Word 00:41:33.380 --> 00:41:39.880 of God. That which is normative. Not that which 00:41:39.880 --> 00:41:44.809 is extraordinary. If we gave ourselves to the 00:41:44.809 --> 00:41:49.010 extraordinary, if we gave ourselves to that which 00:41:49.010 --> 00:41:52.050 is insignificant in the scheme of redemption, 00:41:52.369 --> 00:41:56.250 if we gave ourselves to that which God has not 00:41:56.250 --> 00:41:58.190 ordained, to that which God has not given us 00:41:58.190 --> 00:42:02.070 precedent in the Word of God, if we give ourselves 00:42:02.070 --> 00:42:04.849 to that which is not helpful and edifying in 00:42:04.849 --> 00:42:07.050 the life of the church or in our lives, if we 00:42:07.050 --> 00:42:09.130 commit and give our lives to those things, brothers 00:42:09.130 --> 00:42:12.139 and sisters, why in the world? Would we expect 00:42:12.139 --> 00:42:17.280 the Lord to bless us? To work in and through 00:42:17.280 --> 00:42:23.440 us? But listen. He's given us the message. He's 00:42:23.440 --> 00:42:26.880 given us the Scriptures, the Word of God. Let 00:42:26.880 --> 00:42:30.739 us give ourselves and focus on the Scriptures. 00:42:31.340 --> 00:42:34.699 The normative things. Let us focus on the Word 00:42:34.699 --> 00:42:37.599 of God. Let us focus on the ordinances. Let us 00:42:37.599 --> 00:42:40.969 focus on worship. Let us seek to be faithful 00:42:40.969 --> 00:42:44.210 in our lives. Let us seek to be faithful as a 00:42:44.210 --> 00:42:47.530 church and as a body and see what the Lord does. 00:42:48.829 --> 00:42:50.869 Because that's what we want, isn't it? We want 00:42:50.869 --> 00:42:54.449 to be faithful. We want to honor Him and please 00:42:54.449 --> 00:42:58.929 Him and glorify Him. And that's how we do it. 00:43:00.269 --> 00:43:06.489 We're also exhorted to believe the message that 00:43:06.489 --> 00:43:10.719 God confirms. I'm reminded of Hebrews chapter 00:43:10.719 --> 00:43:17.440 2. We read this. For this reason, we must pay 00:43:17.440 --> 00:43:20.760 much closer attention to what we have heard, 00:43:20.920 --> 00:43:24.900 so that we do not drift away from it. For if 00:43:24.900 --> 00:43:27.940 the word spoken through angels proved unalterable, 00:43:28.059 --> 00:43:31.360 and every transgression and disobedience received 00:43:31.360 --> 00:43:37.059 just penalty, How will we escape if we neglect 00:43:37.059 --> 00:43:42.059 so great a salvation? After it was at the first 00:43:42.059 --> 00:43:44.900 spoken through the Lord, it was confirmed to 00:43:44.900 --> 00:43:47.460 us by those who heard, meaning the apostles. 00:43:48.760 --> 00:43:52.659 God also testified with them both by signs and 00:43:52.659 --> 00:43:55.420 wonders and by various miracles and by gifts 00:43:55.420 --> 00:43:58.159 in the Holy Spirit according to His own will. 00:44:00.019 --> 00:44:03.920 What the author of Hebrews here is saying, listen, 00:44:04.400 --> 00:44:08.599 If unbelief was punished under Old Covenant, 00:44:08.619 --> 00:44:13.460 Old Testament revelation, then unbelief will 00:44:13.460 --> 00:44:16.699 be punished and dealt out under the revelation 00:44:16.699 --> 00:44:20.320 we have in Christ that's canonized in the Scriptures 00:44:20.320 --> 00:44:28.079 more severely. And we can't escape it. It's been 00:44:28.079 --> 00:44:34.900 confirmed. Brothers and sisters, The Word of 00:44:34.900 --> 00:44:39.960 God is true. Understand that. Whether you believe 00:44:39.960 --> 00:44:52.300 it or not, it is true. Believe it. Receive it. 00:44:53.260 --> 00:44:58.480 Lay hold of the realities in it. Ask the Lord 00:44:58.480 --> 00:45:03.510 for help in it. But if you do not believe the 00:45:03.510 --> 00:45:06.949 Scriptures, then you reject Jesus Christ and 00:45:06.949 --> 00:45:12.130 you reject eternal salvation. There is no hope 00:45:12.130 --> 00:45:15.530 outside of what is revealed in the Holy Scriptures 00:45:15.530 --> 00:45:18.969 for your never dying eternal soul and you know 00:45:18.969 --> 00:45:24.789 you have one. Every single person has knowledge 00:45:24.789 --> 00:45:28.489 of God, but you suppress it in unrighteousness. 00:45:30.460 --> 00:45:33.159 Believe the Word of God. Believe the message 00:45:33.159 --> 00:45:39.119 that God Himself put forth. And obey it. Come 00:45:39.119 --> 00:45:42.199 to Christ in repentance and faith.