Jesus: The Missing Piece

We spent Thanksgiving at Katharine’s sister’s. She loves to puzzle. She had a table set up with a partially completed 1000 piece puzzle.

One day the conversation drifted to the experience of almost completing a puzzle except for one little puzzle piece. It was missing. Could you say the puzzle was complete. No. No matter how much was done, it wasn’t complete.

Today, I want to talk to you about that missing piece. No, not the puzzle piece. It’s about finding true faith in Jesus, the only one who can complete the picture in our lives.

Just like that final puzzle piece, true faith in Jesus brings everything together, transforming us through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Let’s take a look at Acts 19.

Acts 19:1–3 NKJV

1 And it happened, while Apollos was at Corinth, that Paul, having passed through the upper regions, came to Ephesus. And finding some disciples 2 he said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” So they said to him, “We have not so much as heard whether there is a Holy Spirit.” 3 And he said to them, “Into what then were you baptized?” So they said, “Into John’s baptism.”

When Paul got back to Ephesus, he met twelve men who claimed to be Christian disciples, but whose lives showed that something was lacking.

So, Paul asked them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?”

For some, this question has produced more questions.

Did Paul teach that someone received the Holy Spirit at some later time, unconnected with their initial regeneration?

Some believe that, and they’ve built a doctrine of salvation around such a view, making the question read, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit after you believed?”

This question asked by Paul was important because the witness of the Spirit is the one indispensable proof that a person is truly born again (Rom. 8:9, 16; 1 John 5:9–13), and you receive the Spirit when you believe on Jesus Christ (Eph. 1:13).

Romans 8:9 NKJV

9 But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His.

Romans 8:16 NKJV

16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,

1 John 5:9–13 NKJV

9 If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater; for this is the witness of God which He has testified of His Son. 10 He who believes in the Son of God has the witness in himself; he who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed the testimony that God has given of His Son. 11 And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. 12 He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. 13 These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.

Ephesians 1:13 NKJV

13 In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise,

These men in Ephesus were called disciples, but Luke’s use of the word “disciple” did not always refer to Christian disciples. Sometimes it referred to the disciples of John. Others, the disciples of the religious leaders.

As we learn here, they were in fact disciples of John. And then, not even good ones.

Because how did they answer?

“We never even heard there was a Holy Spirit.”

My response to that is, “Duh, weren’t you even listening when John said the Messiah would come, and when He would come, the Holy Spirit would be poured out.” (Luke 3:16)

Their reply shows us how vague and uncertain their faith was. Because they didn’t even know the Holy Spirit had been given.

Why did Paul ask about their baptism?

I believe it’s because in the Book of Acts, a person’s baptism experience was an indication of their spiritual experience.

In their case, into what were they baptized?

John’s baptism. That’s revealing. They didn’t say anything about the gospel. They said nothing about their faith in Christ.

They didn’t even know about the Holy Spirit being given at Pentecost. They didn’t even know that Jesus had died for them and was raised from the dead.

This raises the question. In what were they trusting?

Paul notices that they hadn’t received the Holy Spirit, which was a clear sign that their understanding of faith was incomplete.

They knew about repentance and the need to turn from their sin, which is what John preached, but they apparently didn’t hear him when he talked about the Messiah.

They had a missing piece. They had yet to hear the complete message of Jesus - His death, resurrection, and the gift of the Holy Spirit.

This is a powerful reminder for us today. What are you trusting in? You need to…

I. Examine What You’re Trusting In (1-3)

Many of us might be relying on our own efforts, traditions, or religious rituals, thinking that's enough to complete our spiritual journey. We might be checking off boxes—going to church, reading the Bible, praying—but still feel like something's missing. It's like trying to build a house without a foundation; it just won't stand.

Paul didn’t leave them hanging without the complete picture. He goes on in verse 4 and explains to them about the missing piece.

Acts 19:4 NKJV

4 Then Paul said, “John indeed baptized with a baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe on Him who would come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.”

Paul explains that John’s baptism was just the beginning - a preparation for something, or rather, someone greater. John pointed people to Jesus.

What Paul says here in verse 4 is critical. John’s baptism was of repentance. It was in preparation for the coming of Jesus.

So, to be a true disciple of John was to confess Jesus. Because it was Jesus whom John heralded.

I believe this is the difference between these twelve and Apollos. Apollos listened to John the Baptist and believed in Jesus. Priscilla and Aquila then taught him the rest of the story.

These twelve didn’t even seem to know the story.

It’s important that we take note that God’s pattern for today is given in Acts 10:43-48.

Sinners hear the Word, they believe on Jesus Christ, they immediately receive the Spirit, and then they are baptized.

The fact that these men did not have the Spirit dwelling within was proof that they had never truly been born again. But they had been baptized by John’s baptism, the same baptism that the Apostles had received! (see Acts 1:21–22)

So, what was wrong with them?

Some people say that these men were already saved, but just lacked the fullness of the Spirit in their lives. So Paul explained how to be “baptized in the Spirit,” and this led to a new life of victory.

But that’s not what Luke says.

Paul sensed that these men didn’t have the witness of the Spirit in their lives, and because of that they weren’t converted men.

Paul surely wouldn’t have discussed the fullness of the Spirit with unsaved people!

No, these twelve men had been baptized and were seeking to be religious, but something was missing.

And don’t we have people just like them in churches today!

That’s why it’s important that we…

II. Trust in Jesus (4)

What made the difference for these men? It was when they heard about the missing piece. It was when they heard about Jesus.

Paul explained to them that John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance that looked forward to the coming of the promised Messiah, while Christian baptism is a baptism that looks back to the finished work of Christ on the cross and His victorious resurrection.

John’s baptism was on “the other side” of Calvary and Pentecost. It was correct for its day, but now that day was ended.

Keep in mind that John the Baptist was a prophet who ministered under the old dispensation, the old covenant (Matt. 11:7–14). The Old Covenant was ended, not by John at the Jordan, but by Jesus Christ at Calvary (Heb. 10:1–18).

The real deficiency of these twelve or so people was not their baptism. It was way more serious than that.

They failed to recognize Jesus as the one whom John had proclaimed, as the promised Messiah.

They were sincere in their beliefs, but they needed to hear the complete story in order to be aligned with the gospel.

Now that they know in whom to trust, let’s take a look at what this led to.

Acts 19:5–7 NKJV

5 When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6 And when Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied. 7 Now the men were about twelve in all.

This is the only “rebaptism” in Acts. But I don’t believe Paul would have considered it that.

Other believers, like Apollos, had accepted John’s baptism as a step toward their acknowledgment of Jesus, and there was no effort to “rebaptize” him. He had already been instructed in “the way” and had been taught about Jesus.

These Ephesians seem to have been several steps behind that point. So baptism into the name of Jesus was necessary in their case. And then God sends a mini-Pentecost with tongues and prophecy.

What God did through Paul for these twelve men was not normative for the church today. How do we know? Because it was not repeated.

The people who were converted in Ephesus under Paul’s ministry all received the gift of the Holy Spirit when they trusted the Saviour. Paul makes this clear in Ephesians 1:13–14, and this is the pattern for us today.

For these disciples, receiving the Holy Spirit meant experiencing God's presence in a real and powerful way.

For you today, it’s your trust in Jesus alone for your salvation that will allow you to…

III. Experience the Real Power of Transformation (5-7)

It will bring you guidance, strength, and the ability to live out your faith boldly.

This transformation wasn't just for them; it's available to each of us today. When we fully surrender to Jesus, we open ourselves to His transforming power.

In Acts 19:6, we have the last instance of the gift of tongues in the Book of Acts. The believers spoke in tongues at Pentecost and praised God, and their listeners recognized these tongues as known languages (Acts 2:4–11) and not as some “heavenly speech.”

The Gentile believers in the house of Cornelius also spoke in tongues (Acts 10:44–46), and their experience was identical to that of the Jews in Acts 2 (see Acts 11:15). This was of historic significance since the Spirit was baptizing Jews (Acts 2) and Gentiles (Acts 10) into the body of Christ (see 1 Cor. 12:13).

Today, the gift of tongues is not an evidence of the baptism of the Spirit or the fullness of the Spirit.

Paul asked, “Do all speak with tongues?” (1 Cor. 12:30) and the Greek construction demands no as an answer.

When Paul wrote to his Ephesian friends about the filling of the Holy Spirit, he said nothing about tongues (Eph. 5:18ff). Nowhere in Scripture are we told to seek a baptism of the Holy Spirit, or to speak in tongues, but we are commanded to be filled with the Spirit.

So, have you experienced this transformation? Have you trusted Jesus as your Savior?

Or, are you going through the motions?

Do you have the indwelling Holy Spirit to fill you, lead you, and empower you to live out your faith with courage and conviction?

If not, today is the perfect time to trust Jesus for your salvation and receive the Holy Spirit. For many, He is the missing piece. Just like those disciples in Ephesus, we can step into a new chapter of our spiritual journey, one that is marked by the vibrant, life-giving presence of the Holy Spirit.