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by Sandy Shaw
When we move into Acts 19, we read of Paul returning to Ephesus. He meets some disciples and joins them, but he is not with them long, when he notices something missing. There is a dimension absent.
Paul had previously visited Ephesus briefly. Apollos had taught the Word of God there and had left behind a group of people who had probably only gone as far as he had gone. Now there is a vital lesson - we duplicate ourselves!
How far had these disciples travelled? As far as the disciples of Jesus did before Pentecost. When Paul sees where they are he asks, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?" Did these two things happen simultaneously - at the same time - on the same day? These are not the same thing, but they should have happened together!
When you came to believe in Jesus, did you receive Holy Spirit power?
They said, "We have not heard that the Holy Spirit has been given". We have not heard that the Holy Spirit is. We do not know that what John predicted is available. These are genuine followers of Jesus Christ - believing in God - and believing in Jesus. (I was in this position for 20 years.)
Paul asks, "What kind of baptism did you have?" "John's." They had repented of their sins - they believed in Jesus - they were baptised in water by a man - and they got stuck! It can be precisely at this point where many have got stuck over the years. It is not enough to be baptised in water.
We too have to be careful that we do not become stuck, and proclaim only a partial Gospel - half a Gospel, if there is such a thing!
That can happen in any system - denomination - convention - rut. Many are satisfied with what they might have been used to or brought up with.
Paul begins to teach and explain. Paul points to Jesus, and teaches them about Jesus Christ, and when they heard this they are baptised in water in the name of Jesus. But there was still something missing, and Paul deals with this too. He laid his hands upon them - the Holy Spirit came on them - and they spoke in tongues and prophesied. They overflowed where people normally overflow when they are filled with the Holy Spirit - at the mouth.
When they first believed in Jesus, they received the Holy Spirit. It was as if they were given a drink of water. Now, they are baptised or immersed in the Holy Spirit as Jesus plunged them in the river of the Holy Spirit - and they got wet.
Just as when they were baptised in water they got wet, now when they are baptised in the Holy Spirit they got 'wet' in a different way - they spoke in tongues and prophesied. They were so full they overflowed. They spoke in tongues, and began to praise God in languages they had never learned. They prophesied. They spoke words which God gave. All this happened to twelve men, who had got stuck through no fault of their own.
Men baptise in water in the name of Jesus. The risen and living and ascended Lord Jesus Christ baptises men in the Holy Spirit.
Paul is concerned that spiritual children have everything, but that does not make even these spiritual children mature. These are not marks of maturity, or spiritual superiority. These are simply signs that you are born again.
Parents like to know that a newly born baby has everything - 2 arms - 10 fingers - 2 legs - 10 toes - but that does not make the baby a mature person. He still has to grow up and develop and mature, and learn how to use what he has been born with. He still has to learn how to use all he has received. This applies to physical attributes and also to spiritual gifts.
Somebody had brought them a long way, Paul takes them further. Somebody can be used to convict you of sin, and you can be led to Jesus and baptised in the Holy Spirit under someone else's ministry.
Then someone may lead you further, and teach you the Bible and its truths, and on and on, and deeper and deeper. We must never stop growing and maturing and learning how to use what we have received from God.
Alexander 'Sandy' Shaw is pastor of Nairn Christian Fellowship in Nairn, Scotland. Nairn is 17 miles east of Inverness - on the Moray Firth Coast - not far from the Loch Ness Monster!
Gifted as a Biblical teacher, Sandy is firmly committed to making sure that his teachings are firmly grounded in the Word.
Sandy has a weekly radio talk which can be heard via the Internet on Saturday at 11:40am, New Orleans time, at wsho.com.
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