The Word This Week
Acts 19:1…
Now beginning his third missionary journey, Paul returns to the region of Galatia to revisit the churches Jesus had planted there on his previous two missionary journeys – and then headed west to the coastline of Asia, (modern day Turkey,) to the city of Ephesus.
When Paul arrived there, he would have reunited with Aquila and Priscilla.
Passing through Ephesus near the end of his second missionary journey, having sailed there with Aquila and Priscilla, Paul had left his new friends there as he headed to Jerusalem to keep the upcoming feast. (Luke does not mention which feast this was.)
Paul had returned to his sending church at Antioch, Syria briefly, before returning to Galatia and then again to Ephesus.
Arriving there he encountered disciples who apparently had sat under Apollos’ teaching, prior to Apollos being informed about the fullness of the Gospel in Jesus Christ by Aquila and Priscilla.
Apollos had graciously received the private further instruction from Aquila and Priscilla and then passionately presented the full Gospel message of the birth, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ to the synagogue at Ephesus before departing for Corinth to teach the church Paul had established there.
But when Paul arrived, he first encountered disciples in whom he discovered a lack. We do not know exactly how it was Paul could tell the Holy Spirit was lacking in their lives – but the Word informs us Paul recognized it immediately. He queried them about whether they had received the Holy Spirit when they were baptized?
Upon hearing they had only heard of the baptism of John which Apollos had initially been teaching, Paul immediately informed them the baptism of John was meant to be an introduction to the Lord Jesus Christ, and they believed Paul and were baptized again – representing their new life in Christ Jesus.
But there was more. Following their profession of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, and being baptized in Jesus’ name, Paul laid hands on them and the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied.
This is one of the clearest and most easily understood passages revealing the baptism of the Holy Spirit to be an event subsequent to the believer’s salvation, just as Jesus said it would be in Acts 1:4-8.
Pastor Bill
Now beginning his third missionary journey, Paul returns to the region of Galatia to revisit the churches Jesus had planted there on his previous two missionary journeys – and then headed west to the coastline of Asia, (modern day Turkey,) to the city of Ephesus.
When Paul arrived there, he would have reunited with Aquila and Priscilla.
Passing through Ephesus near the end of his second missionary journey, having sailed there with Aquila and Priscilla, Paul had left his new friends there as he headed to Jerusalem to keep the upcoming feast. (Luke does not mention which feast this was.)
Paul had returned to his sending church at Antioch, Syria briefly, before returning to Galatia and then again to Ephesus.
Arriving there he encountered disciples who apparently had sat under Apollos’ teaching, prior to Apollos being informed about the fullness of the Gospel in Jesus Christ by Aquila and Priscilla.
Apollos had graciously received the private further instruction from Aquila and Priscilla and then passionately presented the full Gospel message of the birth, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ to the synagogue at Ephesus before departing for Corinth to teach the church Paul had established there.
But when Paul arrived, he first encountered disciples in whom he discovered a lack. We do not know exactly how it was Paul could tell the Holy Spirit was lacking in their lives – but the Word informs us Paul recognized it immediately. He queried them about whether they had received the Holy Spirit when they were baptized?
Upon hearing they had only heard of the baptism of John which Apollos had initially been teaching, Paul immediately informed them the baptism of John was meant to be an introduction to the Lord Jesus Christ, and they believed Paul and were baptized again – representing their new life in Christ Jesus.
But there was more. Following their profession of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, and being baptized in Jesus’ name, Paul laid hands on them and the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied.
This is one of the clearest and most easily understood passages revealing the baptism of the Holy Spirit to be an event subsequent to the believer’s salvation, just as Jesus said it would be in Acts 1:4-8.
Pastor Bill