Good Idea // Bad Idea

• Acts 19:13 (ASV)
• Acts 19:14 (ASV)
• Acts 19:15 (ASV)
• Acts 19:16 (ASV)

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Good Idea: Using the name of Jesus
Bad Idea: Using the name of Jesus

You follow?

If you think I'm going to start going into reasons why we shouldn't use God's name in vain, you might as well move on. While you can use this historical account as an example of why you shouldn't just toss the name of Jesus around like it's an expletive for moments of outbursts, this passage speaks to me in a different way.

...It's not about building a name of recognition among demons.

...It's not about being able to use the name of Jesus properly to do miracles.

...It's not about using the name of Jesus for selfish intentions.

What matters the most is knowing Jesus.

There are many people who will encounter Jesus and see opportunities for themselves in different lights. Some will wee Jesus as a means to an end. Some will see Jesus as some special mutant power that will now make them better than all the people they've always felt inadequate to. Some will see Jesus as the heavenly "Mr. Clean" - always ready to clean up after our life choices which are incongruent to God's standards of living.

Then there are those that encounter Jesus as realize that meeting him is just the beginning of a journey of knowing him, loving him, sharing him, becoming like him.

I choose the latter.

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