Acts 19: Nothing to Hide

When Control and Repentance Don't Mix: Lessons from Ephesus

We all have areas of our lives we try to keep hidden. Like shoving clutter into a closet before guests arrive, we often manage appearances while keeping our spiritual messes tucked away. But what happens when we realize that holding onto control is preventing us from experiencing true freedom in Christ?

The Hidden Closet of Our Lives

Most of us work hard to maintain control over how others see us. We clean our homes before company arrives, post only our most flattering photos on social media, and present the most polished version of ourselves at church. But beneath this carefully managed exterior, many of us have a "secret closet" where we hide the sins we're not ready to address, the habits we're not willing to break, and the parts of ourselves we don't want others to see.

In Acts 19, we encounter a group of believers in Ephesus who decided to stop hiding their mess. They brought everything into the light and eliminated it completely.

What Happened in Ephesus?

Ephesus was a city filled with magical practices, sorcery, and witchcraft. After witnessing God's power through Paul's ministry, many believers realized they needed to make a decisive break with their past:

"Many of those who were now believers came confessing and divulging their practices. And a number of those who had practiced magic arts brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. And they counted the value of them and found it came to 50,000 pieces of silver. So the word of the Lord continued to increase and to prevail mightily." (Acts 19:18-20)

These believers didn't just discreetly get rid of their magical scrolls—they publicly burned items worth millions in today's currency. Why such a dramatic response? They recognized that control and repentance don't mix.

The Tale of Two Kings: Saul vs. David

To understand this principle better, let's look at two kings from Israel's history who responded very differently when confronted with their sins.

King Saul: Grasping for Control

Saul's pattern was to maintain control at all costs. When instructed by Samuel to wait seven days at Gilgal, Saul grew impatient and offered sacrifices himself rather than waiting for Samuel. When confronted, Saul blamed others: "You were late, the people were scattering, I had to do something."

Later, when commanded to completely destroy the Amalekites, Saul spared the king and the best animals. His excuse? "I kept the best animals to sacrifice to God." Even in his partial confession, Saul was still trying to manage appearances: "I have sinned, but please honor me before the elders."

King David: Releasing Control

David's sins with Bathsheba were arguably worse than Saul's disobedience. Yet when confronted by the prophet Nathan, David's response was simple: "I have sinned against the Lord."

In Psalm 51, David wrote: "For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it; you will not be pleased with a burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise."

Unlike Saul, David didn't try to justify his actions or shift blame. He released control, owned his sin, and threw himself on God's mercy. That's true repentance.

What Are Your "Sorcery Scrolls"?

The magical practices in Ephesus represented attempts to control the spiritual world and natural outcomes. Today, we may not practice sorcery, but we still try to maintain control in various ways:

1. Managing how others perceive us

2. Hiding our struggles and sins

3. Trying to fix our problems without God's help

4. Making excuses for our disobedience

Like the Ephesians, we face a choice: Will we respond like Saul, taking half-measures and maintaining control? Or will we respond like David, fully surrendering to God?

The Cost of Following Christ

Following Jesus always comes with a cost—both tangible and intangible. The Ephesians sacrificed valuable possessions worth millions. But the intangible cost is often harder: giving up control.

As Paul wrote in Philippians 3:7-8: "But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ."

The Greek word Paul uses for "rubbish" is actually much stronger—more like a crude term for animal waste. That's how Paul viewed everything compared to knowing Christ. Nothing the world offers compares to the value of knowing Jesus.

The Power of Confession

James 5:16 tells us, "Confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed." Confession isn't easy. It means admitting there's a problem, acknowledging we need help, and letting go of control. But it's worth it because God responds to our honesty with healing.

When we confess our sins to God and to trusted believers, several things happen:

1. We experience God's forgiveness

2. We receive support from others

3. We break the power of secrecy

4. We find healing and freedom

Acts 3:19 promises, "Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord."

Life Application

What are you still trying to control in your life? What "sorcery scrolls" are you holding onto that need to be brought into the light and burned?

This week, I challenge you to:

1. Identify your closet: What sins, habits, or struggles are you hiding from others and trying to manage on your own?

2. Release control: Admit to God that you can't fix yourself and surrender these areas to Him.

3. Confess to someone: Find a trusted friend, pastor, or small group member and share what you've been hiding. Remember James 5:16—confession leads to healing.

4. Burn your scrolls: Take decisive action to eliminate whatever is standing between you and full devotion to Christ.

Ask yourself:

1. What am I most afraid would happen if people knew the real me?

2. What would it look like to value Christ above everything else in my life?

3. Who could I trust with my confession, and when will I talk to them?

Remember, your mess is truly welcome here—not just as a saying, but as a lived reality in the community of believers. Nothing is more important than knowing Christ, and no sin is too big for His grace when we honestly confess and repent.

You Asked For It: How Can God Be Loving When Bad Things Happen?

Introduction:

With a new year comes a new series! For the next few weeks, we’ll be in a series called “You asked for it” where we tackle some tough questions submitted by you all. At Hope Summit, we don’t shy away from the tough questions. Your mess is welcome here, and we feel it’s part of our mission to wade through the mess with you. So this week we dive right it. How can God be loving when bad things happen? When facing severe injustice or suffering, many people struggle with reconciling God's love with their painful circumstances. This week we look at how four biblical figures dealt with injustice while maintaining their faith.

Four Biblical Examples of Facing Injustice

David's Experience

Despite being anointed as future king, David faced persecution from King Saul and had to flee for his life. In Psalm 13, he cried out asking how long God would forget him, yet ultimately declared his trust in God's unfailing love. In 1st Samuel 24, we read about a time when David had the opportunity to kill King Saul, who had relentlessly been pursuing David, seeking to take his own life. Despite this opportunity we could have hardly faulted him for taking, we see he instead chose to trust in God, his goodness, and his timing. Even if he didn’t feel it at the moment, he understood God’s love involved a bigger picture he couldn’t fully comprehend. 

Habakkuk's Story

As a prophet facing rejection and persecution, Habakkuk questioned God about injustice. In chapter 1, he cries out: "How long, Lord, must I call for help, but you do not listen? Or cry out to you, 'Violence!' but you do not save? Why do you make me look at injustice? Why do you tolerate wrongdoing? Destruction and violence are before me; there is strife, and conflict abounds.” Like Habakkuk, we can take our raw questions to God. He’s not afraid of what you have to say. But what’s important is that Habakkuk maintained dialogue with God even while questioning Him. God responded by teaching him to live by faith and trust in His perfect timing.

Elijah's Trial

After a great victory against the prophets of Baal, Elijah had to run for his life from Queen Jezebel. Even strong believers can face seasons of doubt and even depression. God often meets us in our weakness. In Elijah’s despair, God spoke to him not through dramatic displays but through a whisper, providing him with rest and a gentle restoration. 

Paul's Persecution

Despite faithfully planting churches, Paul faced severe persecution including being stoned and left for dead. Despite facing beatings, imprisonment, and constant opposition, Paul maintained an eternal perspective. In 2 Corinthians 4:17-18 he writes that "our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all." He maintained his faith and taught about God's perfect righteousness.

Understanding God's Perfect Love

God's love is perfect and complete, extending to both the righteous and unrighteous. This can be hard for us to understand since human love is inherently biased and imperfect. God allows both sun and rain to fall on everyone equally, demonstrating His perfect justice and love.

Why Does God Allow Suffering?

The difficult truth is that we live in a broken world where no one is truly righteous except Jesus Christ. The book of Job addresses the issues of why God allows suffering. In fact, that's one of the key points of the book - when Job demands answers from God about his suffering, God responds not with a philosophical explanation but with questions about His sovereignty and wisdom. God allows suffering while walking alongside us through it, using these circumstances to demonstrate His power, sovereignty and wisdom, through our faith, trust, and perseverance in him.

Life Application

Consider these questions:

1. What injustice or pain are you currently facing?

2. How can you trust God's perfect love even when circumstances are difficult?

3. Where do you see opportunities to be God's hands and feet in responding to suffering?

This week's challenge: Instead of praying for God to remove difficulties, ask Him to strengthen you through them and use you to demonstrate His love to others who are suffering. Look for practical ways to show up and serve in places where people question God's goodness. God's love is perfect and His plan is perfect, even when we don't understand it. Our role is to trust Him and be His representatives of love in a broken world. Remember, one of the ways that we can let people know God really is loving is by showing up and representing him, even in the really tough stuff of life.