Don’t be like the sons of Sceva By Babatunde Olugboji
In Acts 19 (13-16) there is an interesting account of some Jews going around driving out evil spirits who tried to invoke the name of Jesus over those who were demon-possessed. “They would say, ‘In the name of the Jesus whom Paul preaches, I command you to come out.” Seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this. One day the evil spirit answered them, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know about, but who are you?” Then the man who had the evil spirit jumped on them and overpowered them all. He gave them such a beating that they ran out of the house naked and bleeding.”
Many people in the church today are like the seven sons of Sceva; they possess knowledge of Christianity, yet they remain unbroken. They have not relinquished their worldly habits nor embraced the truth of the gospel. A significant number align themselves with the church primarily for social or financial benefits.
They are hypocrites who try to use Christianity for worldly gain and pleasures; or as a platform for their ideologies. This kind of association for gain has been prevalent whenever Christianity is viewed as socially expedient. But this has the terrible effect of creating false believers who have never truly believed in the gospel of Jesus Christ or repented of their sins. 
This is why there are so many Christians who are more like the world than Christ. The answer to this is a call to true faith in the only gospel that can save. It is a call for all to turn from their sins and hypocrisy and be born again to a new life in Christ. The church must be clear that to be a Christian one must have been regenerated and given a new nature that comes from the work of the Holy Spirit.
A few things I want us to note in this passage this week:
• The passage describes the failure of the sons of Siva, Jewish exorcists, in casting out an evil spirit.
• Their failure is contrasted with the success of Paul in performing miracles.
• The sons of Sceva represent those with only a secondhand belief in Christianity. They have only heard of Jesus through others and have no direct knowledge or experience of him.
• The sons of Sceva saw Christianity as something they could take up and put down as they chose. They picked and chose parts of Christianity that suited them.
• The sons of Sceva tried to use Christianity to serve their own ends as exorcists. They were not truly interested in Christ or the faith.
• The attitude and approach of the sons of Sceva led to their failure, ridicule and defeat..
• In contrast, Paul came to have a true belief in Christ as the Son of God, the atonement, the resurrection and the Holy Spirit. This was not added to his Judaism but replaced it.
• Christ became Paul’s Lord. Paul surrendered fully to Christ.
• Paul’s belief in Christ, experience of the Spirit and surrender to Christ cause him to be able to perform miracles.
• The church and today’s believers should follow Paul’s example, not the sons of Sceva. We must repent, believe the gospel fully and surrender to Christ.
• We can know power, comfort, forgiveness, victory and new life, only by fully believing in Christ, confessing our sins and totally surrendering to him.
Have a great week.
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