Don’t Mess with Demons

Rev. Zelwyn Heide, pastor at St. Peter Lutheran Church in Hannover, ND and Zion Lutheran Church in New Salem, ND, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Acts 19:1-20.

Paul’s third missionary journey takes him to Ephesus, as he had previously hoped. In visiting with the Christians there, he finds some who have been inadequately taught concerning the Holy Spirit and Christian baptism. Paul remedies the situation and continues his ministry in Ephesus, initially by reasoning with Jews in the synagogues and later by preaching in the hall of Tyrannus. Paul’s ministry in the city expanded throughout the region of Asia for two years, even through miracles of healing and exorcisms in Jesus’ name. When the sons of Sceva attempted to use Jesus’ name as a magic token, demons sent them away hurt and shamed. As news spread throughout Ephesus, people began to forsake their demonic arts, even to their economic disadvantage. This fruit of repentance was evidence of the growth of the Word of God.

“To the End of the Earth” is a mini-series on Sharper Iron that goes through the book of Acts. In his second volume, St. Luke records all the things that Jesus continued to do through the ministry of His Church. By the end of the book, the proclamation of the Lord’s Word that began in Jerusalem grows all the way to Rome. By God’s grace, even now, that same Word is proclaimed to us.