Acts 19:1-20. Mark 7: 24-37.
Last Thursday my husband and I, we went on a walk up the Dunsop Bridge Valley in the Trough of Bowland. It is a very beautiful valley, the hills were covered in purple heather and the fir trees were the tallest I’ve ever seen, at least 30 metres high. The water coming off the hills ran into a stream, and as the water rushed over the stones, the splashes sparkled because of the clarity of the water. The water’s purity reminded me of the baptism of the Holy Spirit.
When Paul visited Ephesus he found that the disciples there did not know about Jesus' baptism they had been baptised into John the Baptist’s water baptism.
John's Baptism
John's baptism was for the forgiveness of sins, in preparation for the coming of the kingdom of God. The people wondered if John was the Christ, but John said this, “I baptise you with water. But one more powerful than I will come, the throngs of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptise you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.” Luke 3: 16.
Jesus’ Baptism
The baptism of the Trinity, The Holy Spirit opens the door to knowing God in a personal way as our redeemer and Saviour. “If a man loves me, he will keep my word and my Father will love him and we will come and make our home with him.” John 14: 23
In the letter to Titus he wrote interchanging the words: Grace and peace from God our Father and Jesus Christ our Saviour.’ Titus 1:4. ‘God our Saviour’ with ‘God and Saviour Jesus Christ’ 2:10, 13. ‘God our Saviour’ with ‘Jesus Christ our Saviour.’ 3: 4, 6.
Jesus' words to Philip, "He who has seen me has seen the Father." John 14: 9.
The Holy Spirit acts upon faith in the words about Jesus’ death and resurrection brings about a wonderful transformation of mind, will and nature.
We can receive Jesus’ baptism at baptism service or sometimes through the laying on of hands or through a scripture or the words of a hymn or a prayer, head knowledge becoming heart knowledge.
12 Disciples at Ephesus.
At Ephesus after the twelve disciples heard about Jesus’ baptism from Paul and they received the Holy Spirit through the laying on of his hands and afterwards they spoke in tongues and prophesied.
At Ephesus Paul went into the synagogue, it was the custom for visiting Jews to be given the opportunity to speak to the congregation, and we read he gave the message about the kingdom of God.
The majority of the Jews in the synagogue rejected Paul’s message. We are not informed of the details of the discussions that took place. Paul then left the synagogue and with the disciples they met the Lecture Hall of Tyrannus and from that situation they reached out with the gospel message to both Jews and Gentiles. Acts 19: 1-10
In the context of the story that follows in Acts 19 I turned to look as to why the Jews turned away from Paul’s message. The healing ministry of Jesus and latterly of his disciples had angered the Pharisees; we know this from what has been recorded by the gospel writers. Matthew recorded the Pharisees accusing Jesus of healing by the power of Beelzebub. Jesus responded by saying,”If I cast out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they shall be your judges.” Matthew 12: 27.
Perhaps Jesus was referring to their 'sons' to mean various sects like the Essenes, it is recorded in the Dead Sea Scrolls that they practiced exorcisms.
At Ephesus seven Jewish intinerant, wandering exorcists undertook to pronounce the name of Jesus over those who had evil spirits. What followed was as a result of their prayers, the man set upon them and they fled. They perhaps had good intensions, but these seven men had no power to exorcise the man.
They were not true followers of Jesus.
Unger’s Bible Dictionary page 334
“The Jews at Ephesus encountered by Paul illustrate an attempt to mix pagan traffic in demonology with expulsion of evil spirits by the power of God. Acts 13: 13-19
The question as to why the Pharisees denounced Jesus’ healing ministry I thought that it was because main stream Judaism did not practice exorcism.
Mainstream Judaism believed that only God had the power and authority to deliver them from all of their enemies.
I’ve searched the scriptures: Abraham, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Joshua they did not practice exorcisms.
David the shepherd boy was invited by King Saul to play his lyre at court as his playing released Saul from the evil spirit. But we read that God had allowed this spirit to come upon Saul.
David on the run from Saul did not practice exorcisms on anyone. He looked to God for deliverance.
“Contend, O Lord, with those who contend with me; fight against those who fight against me! Take hold of shield and buckler, and rise for my help! Draw the spear and Javelin against my pursuers!
“Say to my soul, I am your deliverance!” Psalm 35: 1-3.
“The Lord is my rock, my fortress, my deliverer.” 2 Samuel: 22: 2.
Job looked to God and not to his three friends to deliver him from his affliction. Job 3: 11
Job’s three friends had been unable to convince him of his guilt of sin and Job had been unable to convince them of his innocence. God was his vindicator, his redeemer. Job 19.
Jesus is God and Deliverer
Jesus, the spoken word of God clothed in the flesh, ministered God the Father’s power to cast out evil spirits.
It is recorded in the Gospels that Jesus healed all manner of sickness and disease, blindness, fever, those who were deaf and dumb, mental illness and he healed those who were paralysed, he cast out evil spirits and even raised the dead. He manufactured bread and fishes, re-created flesh (leprosy), turned water into wine and he stilled the storm.
Two examples of Jesus healing in two different ways in Mark’s gospel Chapter 7: 24-37
The Syrophoenician lady came to Jesus for him to cast the demon out of her daughter who was at home. Jesus’ response was an unusual one, he said, “Let the children first be fed, for it is not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs,” verse 27. The children - Jesus was referring to the descendants of Abraham, and the bread - Jesus' words and actions fulfilled the covenants and promises. Jesus under the old covenant was gathering the outcasts, those who had fallen away from the law, bringing healing and wholeness to their lives with the promise of eternal life through faith in him. Jesus establishing the New Covenant in his death and resurrection. (Jeremiah’s covenant.)
The promise to the Jews that God would send a Leader and Saviour, the Messiah.
The dog is a term referring to the Gentiles.
The Syrophoenician ladies persistence was rewarded by her response to Jesus words in verse 27 with the words,”Yes, Lord; yet even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.”
God’s promise to Abraham that he would be the father of many nations. The Gentiles are loved by God and included in the New Covenant. “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son that whosoever believe in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3: 16.
Another way of looking at the Syrophenician’s daughter’s healing.
The lady came to Jesus on behalf of someone very dear to her asking him to heal her.
There was a barrier: her daughter’s illness kept her at home, the lady was a Greek outside of the Jewish faith, she was a woman, and she was at first turned away.
But love and faith working together overcame the barriers, her persistence, her heart felt pain she released her daughter into Jesus’ care.
Jesus by the power and authority of God told her that the demon had left her daughter. When she arrived home she found her daughter well.
A Time to Heal Report.
The Anglican Church provides on request Christians with this ministry to exorcise a person from demonic possession. “A Time to Heal Report” guidelines 1975
Second Example
The man who came to Jesus to be healed of his deafness and his impediment speech. Jesus did not cast out demons out of him, but instead by his actions and words. He put his fingers into his ears, his spittle onto his tongue and said, “Be open.” The man was healed. He was released immediately.
Christ in You
Jesus said the Father is greater than I, “In that day you will know that I am in the Father and you in me, and I in you.” John 14: 20, 28.
“He who abides in me, and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.” John 15: 5.
Great miracles were brought about by faith in Jesus through Paul, he prayed over handkerchiefs and aprons and they were taken to the sick and the people were healed.
Again we see the role of Christian in bringing someone’s need to Jesus for his healing touch upon them and being used by the Lord to bring the means of healing to a person’s need.
Paul came to know Jesus as his personal Saviour through the ministry of Ananias, he prayed for the healing of his sight and through the laying on of his hands Paul was baptised into Jesus’ Baptism.
(See blog Christ in You Part 2)
We see a parallel with his conversion and with the incident on the Island of Cyprus. Serguis Paulus had asked to hear the message about Jesus from Paul and Barnabas. Elymas who was with him came against the Christian message; he tried to turn Serguis away from the faith. Paul I believe saw himself in Elymas in the way he came against the disciples and followers of Jesus. Blindness had come upon Paul after his encounter with Jesus. The Lord using blindness as a means to show Paul his spiritual blindness. Jesus Christ now being in him, he imitated Jesus. Paul he used his authority to show Elymas his spiritual blindness. Blindness had come upon Elymas after his encounter with Paul. Acts 13: 11.
Christ in us today.
Jesus’ baptism enables us minister in the gifts of the Trinity: prayer for healing, words of wisdom, practical help, listening and were appropriate giving assurance. Faith and love are essential to healing; it isn’t how holy we are or the circumstances that surround the person who needs healing. Simple faith and few words coming from the love that flows from the river of life within every Christian baptised into Jesus' baptism.
Resting, relying in the promises that are ours in Christ.
Praying in faith: “All things are possible to them that believe.” Mark 9: 23
Receiving healing: “Whatever you ask in prayer, you shall receive if you have faith.” Matthew 21: 22.
The Lord's Prayer: "Deliver us from evil."
The majority of people in our communities who are poorly just need that healing touch from Jesus through having faith in him. Jesus uses ordinary Christians with compassion for those who are suffering. He takes our prayers and graciously answers them.
