Acts 19:13-16 Then certain of the vagabond Jews, exorcists, took on them to call over them which had evil spirits the name of the LORD Jesus, saying… The wandering Jews wished to work wonders by the name without being disciples of the person of Jesus, which circumstance furnishes a rebuke — I. TO ALL WHO USE RELIGION AT SECOND HAND. 1. How much of mere hearsay there is in the greatest concerns. Jesus is "Jesus whom Mr. So-and-so preaches," or of whom men have learned in childhood. 2. How much of religion is a matter of proxy. II. TO ALL WHO USE RELIGION FOR SELFISH ENDS. 1. The politician who makes religion the stalking-horse behind which he aims at other things. 2. The theologian anxious to carry his point. 3. The bigoted sectarian, who will do anything for his religion but live it. III. TO ALL WHO TRY TO INFLUENCE OTHERS BY A RELIGION WHICH DOES NOT INFLUENCE THEMSELVES. 1. Worldly statesmen who use Christianity as a sort of moral police to hold a fretful realm in awe. 2. Ungodly parents who are wishful to keep their children from bad ways. 3. Preachers and teachers from whom the evil spirit is not exorcised. IV. TO ALL WHO TRY TO CONJURE WITH RELIGION AS IF IT WERE A SORT OF MAGIC. 1. People who use the Divine book as though it were a divining book. 2. Mere ritualists and sacramentarians. (H. Osborne.) Parallel Verses KJV: 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. |
    |