Growing and Prevailing

“Many of them also which used curious arts brought their books together, and burned them before all men: and they counted the price of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver.

“So mightily grew the word of God and prevailed.”

This last verse is a despatch from the seat of war announcing a glorious victory for the royal arms.

Past triumphs of the gospel may be used as encouragements.

We, too, shall see the Word of God grow and prevail; for—

The gospel is the same as ever.

The human race is unchanged at heart.

The sins to be overcome are the same.

The Holy Spirit is just as mighty to convince and renew.

The trophies of victory may be expected to be the same.

Men, magic, books, and the love of money shall all be subdued.

Let us turn aside to see—

I. THE WORD OF GOD PLANTED.

Planted it was, or it could not have grown.

The work proceeded in the following fashion—

1. Certain disciples were further enlightened, aroused, and led to seek a higher degree of grace. This was an admirable beginning, and revivals thus commenced are usually lasting.

2. These became obedient to an ordinance which had been overlooked (verse 5), and also received the Holy Spirit, of whom they had heard nothing: two great helps to revival.

3. A bold ministry proclaimed and defended the truth.

4. Opposition was aroused. This is always a needful sign. God is not at work long without the devil working also.

5. Deceitful counterfeiting commenced, and was speedily ended in the most remarkable manner.

6. Paul preached, pleaded, made the gospel to sound forth, and on departing could say, “I am pure from the blood of all men.”

   • Read this and the following chapter, and see how three years were well spent in planting the church at Ephesus.

II. THE WORD OF GOD GROWING.

“So mightily grew the word of God.” The measure of it was seen—

1. In a church formed with many suitable elders.

2. In a neighborhood fully aware of the presence of the gospel among them; for it touched them practically; so much so, that important trades were affected.

3. In a people converted, and openly confessing their conversion.

4. In a general respect paid to the faith. Even those who did not obey it, yet yielded it homage and owned its power.

   • Here we see Paul’s work and God’s work. Paul labored diligently in planting, and God made it to grow: yet it was all of God.
   • Is the word of God growing among us? If not, why not?
   • It is a living seed, and should grow.
   • It is a living seed, and will grow unless we hinder it.

III. THE WORD OF GOD PREVAILING.

Growth arouses opposition; but where the word grows with inward vitality it prevails over outward opposition.

The particular proof of prevalence here given is the burning of magical books.

1. Paul does not appear to have dwelt continually upon the evil habit of using magical arts; but gospel light showed the guilt of witchcraft, and providence cast contempt on it.

2. The sin being exposed, it was confessed by those who had been guilty of it, and by those who had commenced its study.

3. Being confessed, it was renounced altogether, and, though there was no command to that effect, yet in a voluntary zeal of indignation the books were burned. This was right because—

   • If sold, they would do harm.
   • They were so detestable that they deserved burning.
   • Their public burning lighted up a testimony.

4. Their destruction involved expense, which was willingly incurred, and that expense gave weight to the testimony.

   • No other proof of power in our ministry will equal that which is seen in its practical effect upon our hearers’ lives.
   • Will you who attend our preaching see to it that you purge yourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and of the spirit?

Sparks

It’s a blessed time in a soul, it’s a blessed time in a family, it’s a blessed time in a congregation, it’s a blessed time in a country—when the word of God grows mightily and prevails.… It’s a blessed time when open sinners are seen leaving their sins and seeking the Savior; when men are seen giving up their unholy gains; when tavern-keepers take down their signs and burn them—when they give up their licenses; and it’s a blessed time when card-players throw away their cards and take the Bible instead. It’s a blessed time when the lovers of gaudy dress take their gaudy dresses and destroy them.—Robert Murray M’Cheyne.

The gospel, like a plant of great vigor, will grow almost among stones. Thus have I seen it to grow among hypocrites, formalists, and worldlings; and I have seen it laying hold of one, and another, and, indeed, of many, however untoward the surrounding soil. “So mightily grew the word of God and prevailed.”

When the leaven of the gospel begins to work, there will be no need of a train of arguments to prove how inexpedient, how utterly unworthy it is for a Christian to turn aside after the vain amusements and trifling books used by the world: “Ephraim shall say, What have I to do any more with idols?” What have I to do with black arts, or dealing with a lie? Those who first trusted in Christ were willing to forsake all and follow him. The grace of the gospel produces a new taste—it alters everything about us,—our friends, our pursuits, our books, &c.—Richard Cecil.

Agesilaus, when he saw the usurer’s bonds and bills blazing in the fire, said, “I never saw a better or a brighter fire in all my life!” and it were heartily to be wished that all scandalous, blasphemous, and seditious books and pamphlets were on the fire, too.—John Spencer.

Yes, God blessed the self-denial, and gave them compensation—and a compensation, too, remarkably appropriate. They who burned books, obtained books. They burned books for Christ, and they received books from him. Have you never heard of Paul’s Epistle to the Ephesians? Do you recollect no such letter as one from the Savior “to the Angel of the church at Ephesus”?—T. R. Stevenson.

The Earl of Rochester, of whom it has been said that he was “a great wit, a great scholar, a great poet, a great sinner, and a great penitent,” left a strict charge to the person in whose custody his papers were, to burn all his profane and lewd writings, as being only fit to promote vice and immorality, by which he had so highly offended God, and shamed and blasphemed the holy religion into which he had been baptized.