Acts 19:1-10 | The Gospel Comes to Ephesus

Ephesians 1: New Identity and Purpose

Acts 19 is about how the church in Ephesus how started.

Read Passage (Acts 19:1-10)

Acts 19: The church in Ephesus was Word & Spirit church. What do I mean by that?

Picture a vibrant plant growing in the sunlight. The soil is like the Word, giving it structure and nourishment. The water and light represent the Holy Spirit, allowing it to flourish. Now, what happens if you only give it soil? It may survive, but it won’t thrive. Likewise, a church that neglects to nurture both the Word and the Spirit may stagnate, but when combined, it blooms beautifully!

Let’s look at Acts 19 to see what a Word & Spirit church looks like.

Acts 19:1 “And it happened that while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul passed through the inland country and came to Ephesus. There he found some disciples.”

Who is Apollos and what is he doing in Corinth? Apollos is described in Acts 18:

Native of Alexandria, Egypt

Eloquent speaker

Competent in the Scriptures

He was mentored by a Priscilla and Aquila (Corinth).

He eventually moves to Corinth to be part of the Corinthian church leadership

[Map] While Apollos is Corinth, Paul came to Ephesus

Ephesus is a very strategic place

Commercial center

Major trading route between Europe and Asia

Wealthy: business & tourism

Religious center

Artemis temple (Seven wonders of the ancient world)

Occult practices

Multicultural center: Gentiles & Jews

It is here at Ephesus that Paul finds some disciples. Luke records the conversation between Paul and these disciples:

Acts 19:2–4 “2 And he said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” And they said, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” 3 And he said, “Into what then were you baptized?” They said, “Into John’s baptism.” 4 And Paul said, “John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, Jesus.”

The disciples response to Paul’s questions reveals an incomplete understanding of the person and the work of Jesus & the Holy Spirit.

They were still waiting for the Messiah to come.

They had been baptized into John’s baptism with the baptism of repentance, but they had not heard the whole gospel message: Jesus died, was buried, and was raised on the third day (1 Cor. 15:4)

The gospel message demands a response: to believe in the one who is to come, that is, Jesus.

To believe in Jesus is to trust in his finished work for us.

Conversion: turning from sin in repentance and turning to Christ in faith.

Mark 1:15 “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.””

You must receive Jesus as Savior and Lord.

THE HOLY SPIRIT

He gives us new life in regeneration

He convicts the sinner about their sin (John 16:8)

The Spirit gives new life (John 3:5-8; 6:63)

We are saved “by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit” (Titus 3:5)

You simply cannot be a Christian if you do not have the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:9)

He empowers for witness

“You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you and you will be my witnesses” (Acts 1:8)

They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness (Acts 4:31)

He empowers for service

He distributes spiritual gifts to each Christian (1 Corinthians 12:11)

He purifies us

Sanctification. Holiness

We “are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.” (2 Cor. 3:18)

He leads and guides us

We are walk in step with the Spirit (Gal. 5:16-26)

Pray for the Holy Spirit to guide you.

He creates unity in the church

We have access in Spirit to the Father (Eph 2:18)

We are a house/temple of the Holy Spirit (Eph 2:22)

The response:

Acts 19:5–7 “5 On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6 And when Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they began speaking in tongues and prophesying. 7 There were about twelve men in all.”

What about the baptism of the Holy Spirit?

There are only seven passages in the NT that speaks of the baptism of the Holy Spirit

Matthew 3:11

Mark 1:8

Luke 3:16

John 1:33

Acts 1:5

Acts 11:16

1 Corinthians 12:13

1 Corinthians 12:13 “For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit.”

Christians are baptized in the Holy Spirit at the moment of conversion (Corinthians passage)

We believe that regeneration/conversion (Tit. 3:5) and Spirit-baptism (1 Cor. 12:13) occur simultaneously when one by grace through faith in Christ (Eph. 2:8-9) becomes a Christian. This is affirmed in our Statement of Faith, Article 6, where “regeneration of sinners” is the time at which they “are baptized into union with Christ and adopted as heirs in the family of God.” No churches within the EFCA are Pentecostal, i.e. they believe in the baptism of the Holy Spirit which happens after conversion and is evidenced by speaking in tongues

We know that the Christian life, including the beginning, middle and end, is impossible apart from the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:9; Galatians 3:2-3). Therefore, we are committed to “be being filled” (Ephesians 5:18)—a present continuous command—and to “live by the Spirit” and to “walk by the Spirit” (Galatians 5:25).

Wayne Grudem puts it this way:

What shall we say about the phrase “baptism in the Holy Spirit”? It is a phrase that the New Testament authors use to speak of coming into the new covenant power of the Holy Spirit. It happened at Pentecost for the disciples, but it happened at conversion for the Corinthians and for us. (Wayne Grudem)

What does a Word & Spirit church look like? I see the following qualities on our passage today:

A commitment to grow in our understanding of the gospel

It will affect our daily life

It will affect our relationships

It will affect how we invest our time & resources

A heart submissive to the authority of God’s Word

Let it be said of us, “Upon hearing God’s Word, they put it to practice.”

It’s not just agreeing with God’s Word but putting it to practice.

A persistent proclamation of the truth in Scripture

Read vv. 8-10

To speak with boldness is to speak with complete confidence in God’s Word. That’s Holy Spirit boldness.

Boldness is not being harsh or quarrelsome (arguing for the sake of arguing)

Boldness, reasoning & persuading.

Boldness even when the world becomes stubborn, continues in unbelief and speaks evil of the Way.

An openness to the supernatural work and empowerment of the Holy Spirit (gifts, witness & fruit)

Experiencing the Holy Spirit is an integral part of the Christian Walk

Christians can experience more and more of the Holy Spirit. Ephesians 5:18 “ be filled with the Spirit,”

Picture a vibrant plant growing in the sunlight. The soil is like the Word, giving it structure and nourishment. The water and light represent the Holy Spirit, allowing it to flourish. Now, what happens if you only give it soil? It may survive, but it won’t thrive. Likewise, a church that neglects to nurture both the Word and the Spirit may stagnate, but when combined, it blooms beautifully!