Untitled Sermon (32)

intro

Acts 19 “Jesus and The Spirit”

Acts 18:24 - 19:7

Feb 22, 2026

Acts 18:25-28

24 Now a Jew named Apollos, a native Alexandrian, an eloquent man who was competent in the use of the Scriptures, arrived in Ephesus. 25 He had been instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in spirit, he was speaking and teaching accurately about Jesus, although he knew only John’s baptism. 26 He began to speak boldly in the synagogue. After Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained the way of God to him more accurately. 27 When he wanted to cross over to Achaia, the brothers and sisters wrote to the disciples to welcome him. After he arrived, he was a great help to those who by grace had believed. 28 For he vigorously refuted the Jews in public, demonstrating through the Scriptures that Jesus is the Messiah.

Acts 19:1-7

While Apollos was in Corinth, Paul traveled through the interior regions and came to Ephesus. He found some disciples 2 and asked them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?”

“No,” they told him, “we haven’t even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.”

3 “Into what then were you baptized?” he asked them.

“Into John’s baptism,” they replied.

4 Paul said, “John baptized with a baptism of repentance, telling the people that they should believe in the one who would come after him, that is, in Jesus.”

5 When they heard this, they were baptized into 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 to speak in tongues[a] and to prophesy. 7 Now there were about twelve men in all.

Opening - We are introduced to a new person in the Acts story, Apollos.  Luke records a number of very complimentary qualities about him.  

Apollos: Impressive… and Incomplete (Acts 18:24–28)

Luke goes out of his way to build Apollos up.

He’s:

Eloquent

Educated (from Alexandria, a center of learning)

Mighty in the Scriptures

Fervent in spirit

Teaching accurately

He is not lazy. He is not insincere.

And yet Luke tells us:

He only knew the baptism of John.

Priscilla and Aquila, tent makers and friends of Paul, whom we met earlier, heard Apollos teach about Jesus, and then take Apollos aside and teach him more accurately about Jesus because of this detail, for “he knew only John’s baptism”.  

Apollos was close.

But he was not complete.

And Luke immediately shows us the same issue again in the same city.

It is this detail about “John’s baptism” that connects to our second and more dramatic passage as Paul encounters 12 men that only knew of John’s baptism and had never even heard of the Holy Spirit.. 

Illus.  Sometimes big things happen and you don’t know about it.  (Story about my parents at Simon’s grad party unaware that the ceremony had happened earlier.) 

Both Apollos and these men have missed something.  They had part of the news of the kingdom but they hadn’t realized there was more.

Answer a few questions this morning.   

What was John’s baptism?

Why does Paul connect to the Spirit to believing in Jesus?

John’s Baptism

When Luke tells us that both Apollos and these men had only received John’s baptism, what does that mean? 

An angel told John’s father, Zechariah, that his son would turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord, and that he would “make ready for the Lord a prepared people.” (Luke 1:17)  All four gospel record the John’s ministry as John called people to repentant and turn from the way they had been living for the Messiah was near.  

John said, “I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.” (Mark 1:8)

 This is what Paul said in Acts 19:4 to the 12 men.  They had not received the Holy Spirit because they hadn’t received the rest of the story about Jesus.   So Paul then shares with them that all of Johns ministry was pointing to Jesus 

Paul doesn’t introduce a “second-tier Christianity.”

He doesn’t say: “You’re saved, but now you need an upgrade.”

He explains:

John told people to believe in the one coming after him—that is, Jesus.

In other words:

You’re not missing intensity. You’re not missing emotion. You’re missing Christ.

And when they hear the gospel of Jesus—the crucified and risen Lord—they are baptized in His name.

John’s baptsim was one a readiness and longing for the Messiah.  Jesus’ baptsim was a receiving of what Christ accomplished by the Spirit.   They have known about Jesus but hadn’t become Christian, because Jesus and the Holy Spirit come into our lives together.  

John could prepare people for the King.

Only Jesus can make them part of the family

Romans 8:9-11.  8 Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. 9 You, however, are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. If anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to him. 10 Now if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit gives life because of righteousness. 11 And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead lives in you, then he who raised Christ from the dead will also bring your mortal bodies to life through his Spirit who lives in you.

In Romans 8, Paul is talking about our life in the Spirit.  Notice how Paul talks about the Spirit.  He calls him the “Spirit of God” (v.9), and then the “Spirit of Christ”. (V.9). The Paul says that “if Christ is in you” (v.10), the Spirit gives life.  And “if the Spirit of him” (the Father) who raised Jesus then you also will have life.  Paul talks about the Spirit as the Spirit of the Father and the Spirit of Christ because by the Spirit we enter into a relationship the relationship of the Father and the Son.  

Paul connects the Spirit to believing in Jesus becasue if you have the Spirit, you belong to Jesus.  If you do not have the Spirit you do not belong to Jesus.  The Spirit and Jesus go together.  And this is what was missing with the men Paul had encountered.  

They knew to be repent and be ready, but they had never recieved the Spirit and been united to Christ.  

Ephesians 4:4-6.  4 There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope at your calling— 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all.

John Calvin said that the Holy Spirit is the bond by which Christ effectually unites us to himself. That as long as Christ remains outside of us, and we’re separated from Him, all that he has suffered and has accomplished for the salvation of the human race remains useless and has no value for us.  All that He possesses is nothing to us until we grow into one body with Him and through the Spirit our body becomes His home. God’s spirit lives in you and you are God’s temple.  He dwells in us.  His resources become our riches.

John 1:12. 12 But to all who did receive him, he gave them the right to be children of God, to those who believe in his name,13 who were born, not of natural descent, or of the will of the flesh, or of the will of man, but of God.

And this new birth is the work of the Spirit.  Jesus told Nicodemus that in John 3 that someone must be born again, “born on water and the Spirit.”  And when we are born again, we belong.  We are united with Jesus so that what is ours is His and what is His is ours.

Christianity is not merely:

agreeing with doctrine

admiring Jesus

imitating morality

It is belonging.

Romans 8:14-15. 14 For all those led by God’s Spirit are God’s sons. 15 For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear. Instead, you received the Spirit of adoption, by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father!” 

The job of the spirit creates a sense of belonging.   Jesus baptism is not far from what Paul is writing.   “ABBA” father.  The spirit brings us into a new relationships in which we enjoy God as Father as Jesus enjoyed God as father.  

 The spirit role in our life becomes critical and more wonderful than some new expression of power or gifting.  Although those things are wonderful the overarching work of the Spirit  Is belonging.  Fellowship.  

 When a passage like this becomes a proof text for validating expression of the spirit.  We pull the meaning down into something smaller than what it means to be united to Christ.  The spirit creates union with our lives and God that we enjoy the very things that Jesus knew and enjoyed at the Son.  Calling God “father” is grand.  

Illus.  I think about our house at Christmas.  The day after Thanksgiving not before (my rule) the house starts transforming.  Furniture is moved.  Decorations and lights inside and out become prominent.  The just prior to Xmas day, the groceries are purchased.  Family arrive.  The sound level changes.  The theromostat adjusts.  The kitchen begin to smell like a bakery.  The house is full and that fullness sets a new direction in the home, changes the conversations, deepens community and love.  

What if that Christmas holiday is all about the gifts?  The presents under the tree rather than the people in the room?   What happens to the holiday?  It narrows.  Much like how the significance of the Spirit can get evelauted by the gifts of the Spirit.  When we know that is not really the exchange of gifts create the most meaning, but it is the relationships and the exchange of love.  

The Spirit moves us into a really wonderful and rich relationship 

Romans 5:5.  5 This hope will not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

John 17:21. May they all be one, as you, Father, are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us, so that the world may believe you sent me.

That Jesus is praying that we would be one with the Son and the Father.  In the same way the Father and Son are committed to each other, affirming, and glorifying.  We are invited into this divine commitment.

Illus.  A hug turns into a group hug.  A hug between me and Jennifer, never lasted very long before one of the kids would work their way in.  Eventually a hug turns into a family hug.    “We were here first.”  There is a love that predates the kids but there is enough love for others.  

Jesus tells us what is waiting for us inside this union.  

John 17:23.  I am in them and you are in me, so that they may be made completely one, that the world may know you have sent me and have loved them as you have loved me.

Loved them as you love me. Can you imagine a limit on the love the Father has for the Son?   This love is a limitless, eternal, perfect love.  It is a love that will not cease- and this is the love the Father has for you.  

Union with Christ by the Spirit brings us into the Son’s own life with the Father.

Michael reeves in his book rejoicing in Christ says 

“Christianity is not primarily about behavior modification, spiritual experiences, or even forgiveness alone — it is about being brought into the life the Son has always enjoyed with the Father.”

See our Union with Christ is the heart ofthe Christian Life

. Not merely forgiveness

Not just being pardoned.

Not just avoiding judgment.

Not just receiving spiritual gifts.

Which is all wonderful it’s better then that

Participation in the Son’s life

Christ is the beloved Son.

We share in that belovedness. The way the Father looks and speaks about the soon is the way the father looks and speaks about us. 

The Spirit Brings Adoption, Not Fear

Romans 8:14–15

14 For all those led by God’s Spirit are God’s sons. 15 For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear. Instead, you received the Spirit of adoption, by whom we cry out, “Abba,[a]Father!”

Not a spirit of slavery.

A Spirit of adoption.

We cry “Abba, Father.”

Sharing the Son’s own cry

Jesus called the Father “Abba.”

The Spirit enables us to share that same intimacy. (one of our hopes for everyone at rivertree is to enjoy the nearness of God through scripture reading and prayer. The Spirit allows this to happen for us naturally through a supernatural way)

We stand before the Father in Christ’s confidence.

We are not spectators of Jesus’ relationship with the Father. We are drawn into it.

What these 12 men are getting inside the relationship the Father and Son have with each other, to be baptized and immersed in the Spirit is to be brought within the love of the Father and the Son. 

And it’s what we get when Jesus saves us. 

Without the Holy Spirit we have nothing but with the Holy Spirit we have everything, everything, all that belongs to the Father and Son, are made known to us through His Spirit.

"Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?"  Paul asks the question because receiving the Holy Spirit is a real experience of union and love.

And maybe you are in this room this morning and you are like apollos.You are Impressive but you are incolompete 

The things you’ve done are impressive. You are elequetnt you can even say correct things about God but you’ve never received the Holy Spirit. Know that an awareness of the spirits absence is actually a sign of His presence. And if the Spirit of God is drawing you to salvation 

Today repent and believe in the Lord Jesus. You will be saved and you will receive the Holy Spirit

 Maybe you are like the 12 in Ephesus. Your close but not complete. You know there has to be more to this life but you don’t know what the more is. It’s Jesus. It’s a relationship with the Father, through the love of the son and the Gift of the Holy Spirit. 

Let today be the day of salvation

Let’s pray 

Spirit come.  immerse me into Jesus by the Spirit, so that everything that is His would be mine.  All of me, I surrender and desire a new identity as I believe and receive.

Ephesians - 13 In him you also were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and when you believed.