Lesson 397

(Lesson 397)(09-15-12) Acts 19:13-20, "So that from his body were brought unto the sick handkerchiefs or aprons, and the diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out of them. Then certain of the vagabond Jews, exorcists, took upon them to call over them which had evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth. And there were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jew, and chief of the priests, which did so. And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye? And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, and overcame them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded. And this was known to all the Jews and Greeks also dwelling at Ephesus; and fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified. And many that believed came, and confessed, and shewed their deeds. Many of them also which used curious arts brought their books together, and burned them before all men: and they counted the price of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver. So mightily grew the word of God and prevailed."

This lesson tells of how, simply by taking pieces of Paul's clothing, all manner of the sick were healed. It also demonstrates how, the exorcists who mocked Jesus and Paul by calling out demons in their names, were themselves overtaken and destroyed by the same demons they beckoned.
The text tells us that through the efforts of Paul and the other Christians, the name of Jesus and His saving sacrifice was accepted by many, "So mightily grew the word of God and prevailed.~