Today's Devotion

Thursday, July 23, 2026 - Acts 19:1-22

In the name of + Jesus. Amen.

In this, his third missionary journey, Paul is in Ephesus, where “he found some disciples.” But their discipleship is incomplete. They believe in Jesus, but have never even heard about the Holy Spirit. They had been baptized “into John’s baptism,” but had not gotten Jesus’ baptism. So Paul baptized them, and laid hands on them, and “the Holy Spirit came on them.” Miracles happened confirming their baptism. Paul’s ministry in Ephesus was fruitful, but as is so often the case, those who rejected Jesus, “stubborn” in their “unbelief,” spoke evil of the church that had become known as “the Way.” Paul moved on to speak in a public forum called the Hall of Tyrannus. “and this continued for two years,” converting “both Jews and Greeks” across the entire province of Asia Minor.

Miracles abounded during the ministry of the apostles. To those who received the Gospel, these were visible signs of the invisible supernatural work that is happening. In that sense, these miracles are like sacraments. God allowed such signs as a gift of the Holy Spirit during this apostolic age, such as the gift of speaking in languages that one had never studied for the purpose of preaching the Gospel, along with miraculous healings and exorcisms.

But among those who do not care about the Gospel, there are always grifters, those who want to use either trickery or occult arts to enrich themselves by means of the same signs. We see this in St. Luke’s curious account of the “seven sons of a Jewish high priest named Sceva.” Without being Christians, without faith, and without having the call or the authority to do what Paul and the other apostles are doing, these men try to cast out a demon. They use the name of Jesus as a magic incantation. “The evil spirit answered them, ‘Jesus I know, and Paul I recognize, but who are you?’” The demon turned and attacked all seven, who fled “naked and wounded.” Needless to say, word of this account spread.

Even this account served to advance the Gospel. And it also teaches us that the Word of God and the Sacraments are not to be used like magic spells. Men are called into the office of preaching and the administration of the means of grace, bearing the call of the Holy Spirit and the authority from the Son as delegated from the Father. Their work is supernatural, but not magical. For we receive the Word of God and the Holy Sacraments by faith. We do not receive the benefits of this faith without faith itself. But our faith must be in the Triune God, and in the work of Jesus to save us, cast out evil, and bring us to life.

Many repented of their “magic arts” as a result of the humiliation of the sons of Sceva. They “brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all,” 50,000 pieces of silver worth destroyed in the flames. These fraudulent, unbelieving exorcists became unwitting evangelists for the Gospel of Jesus, as “the Word of the Lord continued to increase and prevail mightily,” as many who had practiced the occult “were now believers.”

Amen.

In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.