The Power of a Story

This section of scripture didn't make a lot of sense to m upon first read. I read it over a couple times, calling upon a variety of translations, just to get the gist of it. I understand what it says, just not what the significance is. It is always helpful for me to understand the culture a little; to grasp what was going on at the time.

Paul was preaching about Jesus and the people were hearing him. "This continued for two years, so that all the residents of Asia heard the word of the LORD, both Jews and Greeks." (Acts 19:10) Verse 11 continues by explaining, "And God was doing extraordinary miracles the hands of Paul."

Some of those observing these things assumed this was Paul's 'thing', how he made is living, not what he lived for. So they decided to make a living doing the same things. "Then some of the itinerant Jewish 'exorcists' undertook to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, 'I adjure you by the Jesus whom Paul proclaims.'"

As with many of our plans, theirs didn't turn out so well. It got ugly, and to make a short story of it, the sorcerers left town. Those who witnessed the events were changed, they told others what happened and word spread, and the name of the Lord Jesus was extolled. Those who were practicing evil repented, burning their books of magic.

The most exciting part of this entire story of confession and repentance is proclaimed in Acts 19:20; "So the word of the Lord continued to increase and prevail mightily."  When we change and turn from our sin and friends and family are witness to this, we just might be helping spread with Word of Jesus too. Our story is powerful when we tell it.

Acts 19:13-20