Acts 19:8-12 Paul entered the synagogue and spoke boldly there for three months, arguing persuasively about the kingdom of God. But some of them became obstinate; they refused to believe and publicly maligned the Way. So Paul left them. He took the disciples with him and had discussions daily in the lecture hall of Tyrannus. This went on for two years, so that all the Jews and Greeks who lived in the province of Asia heard the word of the Lord. God did extraordinary miracles through Paul, so that even handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him were taken to the sick, and their illnesses were cured and the evil spirits left them.
As with the Old Testament, we see the Lord introduces himself to the Gentiles in the province of Asia through miracles. In the Old Testament we see God performing many miraculous acts so that the people would know that the Creator of all things is still active in the world. He is not a clock master who sets the gears in place to run automatically without his involvement anymore. No, the God of Creation is involved with his creation intimately. When He selects Abraham, a man of faith, He performs an impossible miracle by having Sari with a dead womb birth Isaac. Because of God’s involvement in Abraham’s life, Abraham could believe the promises God gave him of having descendants as numerous as the stars and that he would be the father of many nations, of course, blessing all people on the face of the earth with the coming of the Messiah through his loins. God tested his descendants by sending them to Egypt where they became slaves in a wilderness of emotions and distractions. The Israelites assimilated into the lifestyle of the Egyptians, but God never forgot his covenant with Abraham, the man of faith. He saw the agony of Abraham’s descendants in slavery and after a long time of 400 years. He sets about to deliver them through a man who was raised in the household of Pharaoh. Moses enjoyed all the luxury and finery of Pharaoh’s household, but one day he decided to visit his biological brothers and sisters, the Jews. In his visit he observed his people's great bondage of slavery. The Jews were in a hopeless situation of slavery, providing wealth for the Egyptians but receiving hardly anything for their service. In his anger about the situation, he killed an Egyptian who was mistreating a Jew. He knew this act of violence against an Egyptian would bring violence on his head, so he fled into the wilderness and became a sheepherder for 40 years. From the lavish household of Pharaoh to a sheepherder in the land of the Midians, for 40 years he was tested by this huge change in his life. We can assume over those many years that he regretted killing the Egyptian who was harassing his fellow Jew, for now he was banished to a land of mere survival. Probably in those many years in Midian, he tried to figure out the purpose of his life. Why was he born? What is life all about on the barren hills? Was sheepherding the reason for his existence? This was his time of testing, until he saw a burning bush that did not waste the plant. Out of the bush came a voice, When the Lord saw Moses coming to take a closer look, God called to him from the middle of the bush, “Moses! Moses!” “Here I am!” Moses replied. “Do not come any closer,” the Lord warned. “Take off your sandals, for you are standing on holy ground. I am the God of your father—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” When Moses heard this, he covered his face because he was afraid to look at God. (Exodus 3:4-6) The Lord then told him that He has seen the oppression of the Israelites in Egypt and that He was sending Moses to rescue them from the hands of the Pharaoh. In God’s covenant with Abraham, He promised Abraham that his descendants would someday occupy the Land of Canaan. For them to do so, they had to be released from slavery. Now in the days of Moses, they would see this miracle happen. The Egyptians would feel God’s mighty hand of judgment upon them because they oppressed his people. They (Jacob’s small band of people) wandered from nation to nation, from one kingdom to another. Yet he did not let anyone oppress them. He warned kings on their behalf: “Do not touch my chosen people, and do not hurt my prophets.” (Psalm 105:13-15) Now we see the Jews, a nation of many people, being oppressed by the Egyptians who were ripe for the punishment of the Almighty God.
In this deliverance from slavery, from the hands of Pharaoh, we see miracle after miracle happening; we see the plagues fall upon the Egyptians. The Jews were but observers, no plagues struck them. They saw the hand of God come to their rescue. Praise the Lord! Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever. Who can list the glorious miracles of the Lord? Who can ever praise him enough? (Psalm 106:1-2) These miracles in the land of Egypt did not go unnoticed by the surrounding nations. They had heard about these miraculous events, and they knew the Jews were leaving the land of Egypt for Canaan. This news was broadcast everywhere: unbelievable miracles had delivered the Jews from captivity. Now we see in Paul’s time the same thing happening, but this time the hand upon the Gentiles in the province of Asia is the devil himself. These people in Asia were living in impenetrable darkness; no good words could penetrate the blackness that the devil had placed on the Gentiles. Just as the Egyptians in Moses’ time, the darkness of the unseen world of evil rested upon the Gentiles. Who can know the heart, for its wickedness is not recognized. The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it? (Jeremiah 17:9) What could rescue the Gentiles from the hands of Darkness? Only God’s supernatural intervention could overcome such an enemy. The Israelites in Egypt were rescued by God’s miraculous deeds. Now in Asia we see God allowing Paul to possess supernatural power. God did extraordinary miracles through Paul, so that even handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him were taken to the sick, and their illnesses were cured and the evil spirits left them. This corresponds well with Peter’s power given to him by the Holy Spirit. As a result, people brought the sick into the streets and laid them on beds and mats so that at least Peter’s shadow might fall on some of them as he passed by. (Acts 5:15) We see Peter’s supernatural power given to him by the Holy Spirit for the benefit of the Jews in Jerusalem, but now we see Paul possessing this power for the benefit of the Gentiles. Paul was discouraged about the Jews rejecting the Good News of Jesus being the Messiah, so his ministry was focused mostly on the Gentiles. But some of them (Jews) became obstinate; they refused to believe and publicly maligned the Way. So Paul left them. He took the disciples with him and had discussions daily in the lecture hall of Tyrannus. As with the nations around Egypt hearing of the miraculous events in Egypt, they became aware of God’s hand on the Jews. Now in the province of Asia, the teaching and miracles in Ephesus spread throughout the whole province. This went on for two years, so that all the Jews and Greeks who lived in the province of Asia heard the word of the Lord. We see in this account that miracles and wonders were necessary to shine the light into the impenetrable darkness, into the deception that Eve fell into when she decided to disobey God, choosing her own way to live as a human being. Because of this deception within the hearts of men and women, the human race carried a waywardness in their existence. The Lord saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time. (Genesis 6:5)
This is a harsh assessment of mankind, for we know men and women do many wonderful things; activities of compassion, love, forbearance, kindness, and the like. We also know people have created and invented many things for the benefit of mankind. We know the knowledge and wisdom of men and women can help the human race and many times calm the restless seas of discord and disturbances. But even though we recognize the goodness of God in men and women, we also see the horrible disharmony in the human race. We see the willingness of people to destroy each other; we see wars, violent riots, and hatred in the hearts of men and women. We see the fuse of anger in every human, easily set off if the situation is right for the explosion. We do not often see the enduring love of God displayed regardless of circumstances. How do we break through this nature of humans? How can God be revealed to humans if their hearts are not like his? Good words, good teaching, godly wisdom and knowledge can help men lean toward the light of God. But Jesus said something very profound, Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again. (John 3:3) No man or woman can live eternally with God in his kingdom unless they are new creatures. How can this happen to people who are living in wayward darkness? They must become aware of the fact that the Good News is for them. We see God’s intervention in the province of Asia. We see the lightning of the Good News strike through the dark clouds in these people’s lives though miracles and wonders. Paul had so much power radiating in his body that even handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him had the power to heal and cast out demons. In these scriptures we find God's enduring love for all people, regardless of their disobedience. He is willing to show himself to them through mighty miracles and signs. When the Israelites left Egypt after viewing the great miraculous plagues; they carried with them the lifestyle of the Egyptians, even their idols in their satchels. But God’s love is enduring regardless of the hearts of men and women. Miracles did not hold the Israelites. They needed something stronger, born again hearts. The law was never able to birth new hearts. Words will never birth new hearts. Man’s efforts will never birth new hearts. New hearts are a product of faith, the faith of Abraham. He believed God regardless: as it was with Job, Though he slay me, yet will I hope in him. (Job 13:15) Yes, in Asia, miracles were necessary to spread the Good News throughout the province, but miracles are just a shot of light through the dark clouds in people’s minds. Jesus said to the Pharisees, I will not give you a miracle to show my divinity, that I am the Messiah. Miracles as in the days of Moses did not hold the Israelites to faithfully following God. Neither will miracles hold us. Yes, they show the God of creation, but they will not change the mind to become a faithful follower of God. The heart must be changed, and that comes through faith in the One who spent three days in the belly of the earth. Faith in his work on the cross changes the heart. Faith is enduring; God is enduring; love is enduring. Let us fix our hearts and minds on Jesus. Let us know him as the way, the truth and the life. Amen!
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