Jesus, I Know
By: Zach Collins
As a preacher, spending time around young people is one of the more exhilarating parts of ministry. You have an opportunity to shape, serve, and schoolmaster the future generation of the Lord’s church. But, sometimes, you must put up with the pop-culture references and the modern-day language references (which I still do not understand). Recently, I had a conversation with a young person about one of the more pressing current events in pop culture, an engagement between a pop star and a football star (“iykyk”). And, in this conversation, the young person said, “I know that he is the right person for her. He will bring her so much happiness!” They spoke of this pop star as if they really “knew” about her dreams and desires.
In truth, we do this often in many categories of life. The college football season began this past Saturday, and I found myself guilty of the same indictment, professing to know individuals who I have never met personally, nor know on any level in daily conversation. Some, if you ask them about their favorite politician, will make the statement, “I know…”, or, if you ask them about their favorite celebrity, they will say, “I know…” The phrase “I know…”, followed by an assumption of the subject’s dreams and desires, is empty because it is based in conjecture and not core knowledge of the person. While we might profess to “know” that individual, since we have no relationship with them whatsoever, anything we say about that person is our own opinion and does not represent truth.
In Acts 19:13-16, we find an interesting story that illustrates this point. Luke reveals that God worked some “unusual” miracles through Paul. For example, some handkerchiefs were brought from his body, and it caused the sick to be healed (v. 12). These miracles continued to confirm the word and verify the message of God. Simultaneously, there were some “itinerant” Jewish exorcists who tried to conduct miracles of the same nature by casting out demons in the same miraculous way as Paul and the other apostles. Let me remind you. By the time of Acts 19, the church had begun and the old religious system, Judaism, had become obsolete (c.f., Hebrews 8:13). These individuals no longer had favor in the sight of God. Thus, their venture to do spiritual things in a religious name did not go as planned.
In Acts 19:13, the itinerant Jewish exorcists said to an evil spirit, “We exorcise you by the Jesus whom Paul preaches…” In other words, we do not know Jesus, but we know someone who knows Jesus. We will cast you out by the name of the One who someone else preaches. But, the response of the demons is quite damning. In v. 15, the evil spirit responded, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you?” Instead of casting out the evil spirits from those who were inflicted, the evil spirit will bring further embarrassment to these Jewish exorcists. A fight ensues, wherein, these itinerant Jews leave the house naked and wounded. Based on that information, I believe we can all conclude, they lost the fight.
These Jews, who were participating in an antiquated religious system which God no longer approved, failed in their venture to do spiritual things in the religious name of Jesus, with whom they had no relationship. For a moment, let me provide you with some important reminders.
First, be the person who knows Jesus. These Jewish exorcists didn’t know Jesus, but they knew someone who did. And they believed that power, by extension, could make their religious works approved by God. If you try to fight a supernatural battle void of a relationship with a supernatural Savior, Jesus, you will lose that fight every single time. I cannot be delivered from my sins based upon a relationship that I have with someone who knows Jesus and my life will not be dictated by His will if I remain at a distance in my relationship with Jesus. To know Jesus is so much more than vain motions, distant emotions, empty proclamations, or even knowledge. What we say about knowing Him is as important as what we do with our knowledge of Him. To know Jesus, I must obey Jesus.
Second, be the person who the demons know. We are all aware that even the demons believe in Jesus, and they tremble (c.f., James 2:19). But did you catch who else they knew? Paul (v. 15). Paul was a man so all in for the kingdom of God that he had a reputation in Hell. The differentiating factor between the belief of the demons and the belief of Paul is obedience, and because Paul was obedient, and in the fight for souls in a spiritual battle, the evil spirit knew of his mighty works in the kingdom for the cause of Christ. We must be the person who, while we are in our spiritual battle, are known by the forces of evil by name.
We are in a fight for our soul with evil influences and the only way we will prevail in victory is if we know Jesus. Do you know Jesus?
