Acts 18-21: Why Stoop?

Some Jews who went around driving out evil spirits tried to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who were demon-possessed. They would say, “In the name of Jesus, whom Paul preaches, I command you to come out.” Seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this. One day the evil spirit answered them, “Jesus I know, and I know about Paul, but who are you?”Then the man who had the evil spirit jumped on them and overpowered them all. He gave them such a beating that they ran out of the house naked and bleeding.
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- Acts 18:13-17 NIV

The world has always tried to imitate the gospel.  It would overpower it at all cost if possible.  That becomes obvious if one looks at the holidays Christians once celebrated.  Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter have all been adopted by the world.  But the life, the reason to celebrate disappears once it becomes nothing more than a day off work and a reason to spend money.  Perhaps it is time for Christians to stop the celebration:  to stop the decorating, splurging and satiation of all of our senses.  Perhaps it is time for us to stop the giving of gifts to others, when it is the gift that we received that is important.  I don't know what the answer is, all I know that all of this excess makes me tired.  It's become ugly and tawdry.  It doesn't speak of Christ at all.  The world can never invoke the name of Jesus or it's power.  When we have that power, why do we have to stoop to the world's standards?

2010 Post - Acts 18-21:  On to Jerusalem