Motives

Acts 19:11-20

God worked many miracles of healing and exorcism through Paul. The miracles helped soften people's hearts and often moved them toward receiving Christ. But not everyone worked with the same integrity and concern for others.

For example, in Ephesus, seven sons of a man named Sceva took a spiritual shortcut. They tried using Jesus's name without His power or authority, As you might expect, things did not work out well for them.

As Christ followers, we can fall into the same trap. We can assume that knowing about Jesus is the same as really knowing Him. But that never ends well, instead, Jesus challenges us to evaluate our motives for ministry and to make sure our plans align with His plans.