Focal Passage: Acts 19:11-20
Many people have this idea that the outcome of a situation is all that matters. In other words, the end justifies the means. But God doesn’t see it that way.
He looks at it from all views — the beginning, the end and everything in between. It is important to Him in how we begin. It is important to Him as to how we go about doing it. And, it is important to Him how we end a task He has given us to do.
But it doesn’t stop there. He is also very much interested in why we are doing it as well. He wants us to do things with a genuine desire and correct motive.
Most of us can agree that someone can do a good thing for the wrong reason. We can agree because we have others do it or perhaps we have done it ourselves. Sometimes people do good things or behave in a manner, not out of love, but to benefit their own desires and aspirations.
For example, someone may pretend to be your friend, but in reality they are just manipulating you for their own advantage. Flattery is a motive that we must guard ourselves from. The Bible warns us frequently against flattery, describing it as insincere praise with sinister intentions. Read the following verses about flattery: Proverbs 29:5; Proverbs 28:23; I Thessalonians 2:5-6; and Romans 16:18.
Our words must reflect genuine intentions and our motives must remain pure. Only then do we bring glory and honor to God. Only then will our achievements be fully acceptable to God.
This week’s lesson gives us a picture of what can happen when works and motives do not align with God’s will. God was working mightily in, and through, the Apostle Paul. People were being healed and others freed from the demons that possessed them. Ephesus was known for its strong belief in sorcery and magical arts. There were seven sons of a Jewish priest named Sceva who had heard about Paul’s ability to drive out demons by using the name of Jesus. We are not told why they did it, whether for profit or for power or recognition, but they obviously had a different motive. They thought they would do the same thing and use the power in the name of Jesus as Paul did.
However, the man who had the evil spirit had a demon that exposed their hypocrisy and evil motives.
When they tried to use the “name of Jesus which Paul preaches,” the evil spirit replied, “Jesus I know, and I know about Paul, but who are you?” Then the man who had the evil spirit then attacked them and gave them a beating they would not soon forget. News of the incident spread quickly and fear fell upon the whole city. Jews and Greeks alike suddenly realized the real power in the name of Jesus when used with the right motives and repented from sorcery and magic. The result was, “In this way the Word of the Lord spread widely and grew in power.”
There is indeed great power in the name of Jesus, but we must use it with the right motivesand with genuine intentions. It also must be used out of a pure heart. Then, and only then, will we see God manifested in the results. B&R