Don’t Be a “Knockoff” Christian

 “Jesus I know, and I know about Paul, but who are YOU?” – Acts 19:15

You know what a knockoff is, right? According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, it is “a copy that sells for less than the original; a copy or imitation of someone or something popular.” Whenever there’s a clothing or food brand that is hugely popular, there are always people looking to make a fast buck by making cheap knockoffs. Here are a few actual examples. For all you coffee lovers, have you ever saved a few bucks sipping on good ol’ “Sunbucks” Coffee? Or maybe you’ve brushed your teeth with “Crust” toothpaste. And this might be my favorite knockoff of all: Who on earth would knowingly drink “Peepi” Cola?

Well, in the Apostle Paul’s day, he established a pretty big name during the three years he spent ministering in Ephesus. In Acts 19:11-12, we read that the Holy Spirit worked “extraordinary miracles” through Paul as people were healed of illness and cured of demonic possession simply by holding aprons and handkerchiefs Paul had touched. Yes, the miracles and exorcisms God was working through Paul were “extraordinary.” And what do wannabes do when they discover something extraordinary? Posers who are just out to make a fast buck quickly come up with a knockoff. In First Century Ephesus, there wasn’t a Starducks Coffee, Crust Toothpaste or Peepi Cola, but there were a bunch of wannabes running around trying to knock off the healings and exorcisms they saw Paul doing. And it came back to bite them. 

In Paul’s day Ephesus was steeped in paganism and the occult, and medical professionals had only a basic understanding of disease and mental illness. So, most people believed the root of most illnesses was spiritual. Instead of going to a doctor, many people would just go to their friendly neighborhood exorcist to get the illness demon cast out. The chief priest in Ephesus, Sceva, had seven sons who made a living performing exorcism house calls. At some point these seven brothers must have witnessed the “extraordinary miracles” that God was working through Paul. So, they tried to cash in. Even though they didn’t believe in Jesus, they decided to invoke the name of Jesus. And even though they didn’t support or follow the Apostle Paul, they decided to invoke the name of the Apostle Paul. Things were going great … until the day these seven brothers encountered an actual demon.

When the seven sons arrived at the home of the demon-possessed man, they whipped out their new favorite exorcism line: “In the name of Jesus, whom Paul preaches, we command you to come out!!” Well, the demon wasn’t impressed. But in my opinion, the demon DID have a pretty good sense of humor. It responded: “Jesus I know, and I know about Paul, but who [on earth] are you?” (v. 15). Then the possessed man pounced on all seven brothers: “He gave them such a beating that they ran out of the house naked and bleeding” (v. 16).

But even through the demon’s actions, God was working all things together for good. We read in verse 17: “When this became known to the Jews and Greeks living in Ephesus, they were all seized with fear, and the name of the Lord Jesus was held in high honor.” In other words, a lot of wannabe exorcists were put on notice. And Jesus’ name was lifted higher than it had ever been lifted in that town, which led to more unbelievers getting saved and more Christians repenting of their sin and growing in their faith.

Here are two insights to consider:

Insight #1: As long as God’s Spirit is moving powerfully in and through Christians and churches, there will be cheap knockoffs. So, be on guard.  Jesus and His apostles performed miracles for three reasons: 1) to show loving compassion to hurting people; 2) to teach spiritual truths; and 3) to confirm their authority as apostles of Jesus Christ. Sadly, there are some Christian leaders today whose motives for performing miracles are much different than Jesus’ motives. They save their most compassionate acts for times when they themselves are in the spotlight and the camera is rolling. Some Christian leaders use miracles to play with people’s emotions instead of using them to teach spiritual truths. Some try to manipulate a move of God for their own glory, instead of allowing Christ to get the glory. So, be on guard, Christians.

Insight #2: Today most people believe the root of all illness is physical and never spiritual, but don’t count out the healing power of prayer and the Word of God. In First Century Ephesus, most people saw a demon behind every headache and sniffle. In Twenty-First Century America, most people see a virus or disease behind every headache and sniffle. Both viewpoints are wrong. That’s not to say that your congestive heart failure or your sister’s asthma are the result of sin. But many of our illnesses and diseases ARE the result of sin.

And Christians can play a pivotal role in physical healing. Our prayers, at times, make sick people well. And when sinners repent and realign their lifestyles with the Word of God, they can actually experience healing. Make no mistake: At Impact Christian Church, we are pro-doctor and pro-medication when that medication is physically necessary for good health. But we are also pro-prayer, pro-repentance and pro-obedience-to-God’s-Word, because these things are ALSO critical for good health.

It’s too easy to be a knockoff Christian. We come to church and listen to some great music, hear an inspiring message and eat a donut on the way out the door. But don’t forget one of the most important reasons for a worship service: to get right with God. So, don’t fake it hoping to make it. Be the “real deal.” Be a man or woman of prayer and the Word of God.

Dane Davis is the pastor of Impact Christian Church in Victorville. Join us at Impact for Sunday services: in person at 9 a.m., or online at 10 a.m. on YouTube or Facebook Live. For more information, visit www.GreaterImpact.cc.

Compassion Isn’t Just for Pigs

“Then all the people of the region of the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave them, because they were overcome with fear.” – Luke  8:37

One day an antique collector was walking through a strip mall parking lot. In front of one of the stores, he saw a mangy, skinny cat lapping milk from a saucer. When he got a little closer, his face lit up. You see, he was an antique expert, and he had a strong hunch that that saucer was very old and worth at least a thousand dollars. So, he decided he was going to play it cool and get himself a great deal on that saucer. He casually walked into the store and asked the owner if he could buy the cat for $5. The store owner replied, “I’m sorry, but the cat isn’t for sale.” The collector said, “Please, I need a hungry cat around the house to catch mice. Tell you what…I’ll pay you $50.” The owner said, “Sold!”

As the collector headed for the door, he turned and said, “Hey, since I paid you $50, I wonder if you could throw in that old saucer. The cat’s used to it and it’ll save me having to buy a new one.” The owner replied, “Sorry, buddy, but that’s my lucky saucer. So far this week it’s help me sell 17 stray cats.”

It’s kind of sad when someone has more interest in a profitable saucer than compassion for a suffering animal. But it’s a full-on tragedy when people have more compassion for pigs than for people. And Luke 8 shows a sad example of a whole town that told Jesus to take a hike, because their priorities were all out of whack.

In Luke 8:27, Jesus’ disciples had just survived a terrifying storm as they crossed the Sea of Galilee with their Lord. And as soon as their boat reached dry land, a crazy, naked man came running up the beach toward Jesus, screaming and carrying on. The disciples must have thought, “Out of the frying pan, into the fire!” Luke tells us in verses 27-29 that the man hadn’t worn clothes for a long time. In all likelihood, he had been running around naked for years. The man hadn’t lived in a house for a long time. Instead he lived in the tombs, surrounded by decaying corpses. The demon had seized this man many times and driven him into solitary places. And at times, he would have superhuman strength and break the chains that the townspeople had put on his hands and feet to restrain him.

But at the sight of Jesus, this wildman flung himself at Jesus’ feet, begging not to be tortured. Jesus knew he was dealing with a demon-possessed man, and as it turned out, many demons lived in him (v. 30). The demons “begged [Jesus] repeatedly not to order them to go into the Abyss” (v. 31). The Abyss is just a taste of the eternal Lake of Fire described in Revelation 20, and even Satan’s demons didn’t want to go there. If you have any doubts that Hell isn’t a nice place, that should convince you.

The demons asked to go into a herd of pigs nearby, knowing that even living inside a pig’s brain was much better than living in the Abyss. So, Jesus gave them permission to enter the pigs, and they left the man and entered the swine. For the first time in years, the man was freed from his suffering! The pigs, meanwhile, rushed into the Sea of Galilee and drowned. And for the people of the town, THAT was the big headline—NOT the amazing salvation of the demon-possessed man, whom they found “sitting at Jesus’ feet, dressed and in his right mind” (v. 35). Instead, they were afraid of Jesus’ power … and upset about the waste of a herd of livestock. And verse 37 is one of the saddest verses in the Book of Luke: “Then all the people of the region of the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave them, because they were overcome with fear. So [Jesus] got into the boat and left.”

Think about it: The people in the town loved their pigs more than they valued the soul of a man. Money was more important to them than mercy. And, most tragically, they’d rather have Jesus leave than stay. Some might excuse them for their actions, because—after all—they were really, really scared. But that’s no excuse for being really, really stupid. Being scared is no excuse for having no compassion. It’s no excuse for grieving for your pigs more than you grieve for a man who’s experiencing hell on earth. And being scared is no excuse for rejecting Jesus Christ.

But there is a silver lining. The healed man was now a believer and follower of Jesus Christ. He asked to go with Jesus, but instead, Jesus told him to do something very important: “Return home and tell how much God has done for you” (v. 39). So, Jesus’ work wasn’t over when he sailed away from Gerasenes. This new follower of Jesus Christ with his amazing testimony returned home and shared the good news of salvation. It’s likely that hundreds of people were introduced to Jesus through this one man whose life had been radically transformed by Christ.

When Jesus’ disciples first saw the demon-possessed wildman, they probably wondered if there had even been any point in surviving the storm they’d come through to get there. The same is true of us today. We may not be able to see what awaits us on the other side of our present storm. But if we trust in Jesus, we can be confident that what he does next is going to be amazing. So, hang in there, Christian. And walk by faith.

Dane Davis is the Lead Pastor of First Christian Church in Victorville. For more information, visit www.YourVictorvilleChurch.com  and join us for worship Sundays at 10 a.m.