19:11,12
With Peter we get quite detailed accounts of some miracles, this is less so with Paul, the emphasis being more on his preaching and teaching. However, verses like these two show that plenty of miracles did take place. It also means that cessationist type arguments that say miracles decreased as we go through Acts are built on rather shaky foundations. We also see some odd things happening, with handkerchiefs that touched him healing people. What does this tell us? Well, on the one hand we should be very wary of ruling out “odd” things that might happen. God does not always pay attention to our sensibilities. We should also note that people were healed, there was no doubt about this. But we should also note that if we think that if we follow the same actions then the same results will happen we may be disappointed! It is the faith and anointing that count. And we should also note that the emphasis throughout Acts is on the gospel itself. These things may well accompany the gospel, but they do not replace it, and are not more important than it.
19:13
Driving out demons was not a new phenomena, it was a practice known to Judaism and others. So some Jews did try to copy Paul, and used the “name of the Lord Jesus”. This did not end well! The “name of Jesus” is not an incantation, it is a statement of truth, and we need to be “in Christ” for it to have any real meaning and power for us.
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