You've Got To Understand

Introduction

Today, we’re continuing in Acts, looking at a passage that has caused so so so many issues over the years

And as I say that, I want you guys to understand me:

I am not attacking different belief systems this morning. I’m not on any type of war path, seeking to inflict as much damage on them as I can

In fact, I believe that there are many people who may disagree with me on this passage....but they are still believers

But, BUT....there is nothing more vital than understanding God’s Word for what it really says, and I am 100% certain that my viewpoint is correct

But I still love those who may not agree

Now, we live in a day, where Pentecostalism thrives.

Pentecostalism is what Assemblies of God churches was born out of, okay

It started around the year 1900

It’s also known with some slight differences as the charismatic movement

But you may know people who are pentecostal, I understand that

We aren’t going to, nor do we have time to get into everything that Pentecostalism believes and teaches…however, one of their main doctrines we will get into because.... is the passage they use to back it up!

Pentecostalism teaches that unless you have a second baptism of the Holy Spirit, accompanied with tongues and prophecying....your missing out and your spirit filled life is empty thus rendering you not at effective as you could be.

Alright? Here’s the order:

You get saved

Then, at a later point in time, you receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit

And some may say, no, you get the holy spirit at salvation, but you get it even more so at a later point in time

But mainline pentecostalism teaches that salvation and the receiving of the Holy Spirit are two different and distinct happenings in a believers life

And when you receive the second blessing of the Holy Spirit, if you will, it’s accompanied with signs of the Holy Spirit, tongues and prophecying.

I’ve got issues with this, and I want to show you, Biblically, why I do....let’s go

And there are other texts they use, but for the purpose of this morning, and for the time that we have, we will look at just this one

You know, we’re going through Acts, but everything we’ve read and studied doesn’t necessarily mean it’s meant for us today

This was a transitional period.

We aren’t supposed to just mimic the book of Acts

In verse 1, we read that Paul arrives back in Ephesus, like he said he hoped to do

And the text says he ran into some disciples, 12 of them to be exact

Now stop here a second, because already, I have issue

So Pentecostals believe that Paul ran into born again believers here, people who were saved

I don’t agree

The word disciple, while sometimes does refer to believers, does not always

The word disciple means “learner” or “follower”

So what were they a disciple of?

Could they have been a disciple of Jesus....I guess…except for what we are going to read next

Verse 2 - Paul says to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?”

See what Paul is doing here? Paul’s test of salvation is whether or not they had received the Holy Spirit

Which again, tells me and solidifies in my mind, that salvation is always immediately accompanied by the gift of the Holy Spirit

Paul says this in , “ 13 In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.”

, “ 26 And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 27 And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.”

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.

And, these disciples responses were, “We didn’t even know there was a Holy Spirit!”

Jesus was clear. He was going to send the helper, the Holy Spirit, when he left.

In fact, he breathed on the disciples after his resurrection and they received the Spirit.

Back to our text…they say to Paul, we didn’t know there was a Holy Spirit!

And so Paul, being the logical guy that he is, says to them, okay, you’re disciples, but you don’t have the Holy Spirit, so what exactly are you disciples of?

And so he asks them, “Into what were you baptized then?”

And they responded, “Into John’s baptism”

Two weeks ago we looked at Apollos, and remember what the Bible said about Apollos?

He knew only the baptism of John, and we laid out how Apollos wasn’t a believer?

Same thing here guys…these disciples were disciples of John

Followers, learners of John the Baptist

The one who pointed to the coming Christ, the one who helped people prepare for the coming Christ

That’s where Paul takes them in verse 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.”

And so Paul then explains to them Christ, I know Acts doesn’t say it there specifically, but logically we can infer that he would have.

Paul would have said, listen guys, listen…you’re missing it. You’re missing Christ. Let me tell you about him!

Why do I infer that, because that has been Paul’s life throughout the book of Acts…everywhere, literally, everywhere, everyday he shares the Gospel…why would he stop here with religious people who were eager to know?

Verse 5, and hearing all of that, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus

They put their faith in Jesus and were baptized in His name

Verse 6, Paul laid his hands on them and prayed for them and with them and the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they began speaking in tongues and prophecying

Again…Jesus commanded, go into all the world and make disciples, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit

Nope, nada…John died before Christ’s death, burial and resurrection

Paul shared the gospel, people believed, people were saved, people received the Holy Spirit, and they were baptized

Now, even if I’m right with what we’ve talked about, Pentecostal people will say, but see verse 6, see how the Spirit brought with it tongues and prophecying?

See, that has to be the norm....we have to speak in tongues as proof that we have the Holy Spirit!

Firstly....If I have to physically display proof, or, do something to ensure I am saved…I have red flags popping up everywhere. Salvation is grace through faith

Not grace through faith with tongues on the side!

Secondly....why did God have people speak in tongues ( and remember, that just means different langues) in Acts?

To further the Gospel message

This was a transitional period

From Judaism to Christianity

From the law to grace

God wanted to get the gospel message spreading quickly…so people needed to hear it in their own languages

Do I think tongues are needed today…no I do not. Do I think they are needed as proof of salvation? No I absolutely do not

Thirdly, did you know that verse 6 is the last time we see salvation, the coming of the holy spirit, and then people speak in tongues?

That’s it..it happens throughout Acts in previous chapters sure…but again, God in His wisdom, allowed it to happen for specific purposes during a transitional period

Closing

Now, we went through all that, it’s got to apply to us somehow:

1. You may have friends, family members, people you know who are Pentecostals....I’m not saying they aren’t believers

But it is important for you to understand how you differ

You guys are going to graduate and head off to college, and you’re going to come face to face with people who have different beliefs than you do

You need to know what you believe

You need to be able to stand firm in what you believe

2. Our whole purpose as believers is to glorify and exalt God

And my fear with Pentecostalism, and justifiably so, is so much of what they do is based on an experience YOU have

Which is why I think it was important to talk about it today

Whenever you worship God, always ask yourself, how does this glorify Him?

3.