THE BAPTISM OF THE HOLY SPIRIT: A Pattern to Be Repeated?

Memorial Drive 1/6/19 THE BAPTISM OF THE HOLY SPIRIT Various Texts Intro – … A VARIETY OF TERMS ARE USED TO SPEAK OF THE EVENTS OF ACTS 2 Old Testament Prophet Joel (God): Joel 2:28-29 John The Baptist: Luke 3:16 Christ Himself: John 7:38-39 John 14: 26 John 16:13-14 Acts 1:4-5, 7-8 Luke The Physician: Acts 2:2-4, Acts 1:4-5 Do these different terms refer to the exact same work of the Spirit, or do they refer to different workings of the Spirit that all happened at the same time? … THE RESULT IS 2 DIFFERENT VIEWS AND 2 DIFFERENT EMPHASIS • Prescriptive: A Pattern to Follow • Descriptive: An Unique and Unrepeatable Event ... WHY I HOLD TO THE VIEW THAT MUCH OF ACTS 2 IS NOT REPEATABLE 1) Those who come to Christ AFTER this initial “giving of the Spirit” automatically “receive” the Holy Spirit at salvation. (Rom. 8:9b) 2) Ever Christian has already been “baptized in the Spirit” “For BY one Spirit we WERE ALL baptized INTO ONE BODY, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit” (I Cor. 12:13) • The Holy Spirit is given to every believer! • Every Christian has been “baptized in/by/through the Spirit! • Holy Spirit baptism miraculously joins every believer into the Body of Christ 3) Christians are never commanded to wait for or seek the baptism of the Spirit! … WHY ARE ACTS 2 EVENTS REPEATED IN OTHER PLACES? “Now when the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent them Peter and John, who came down and prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Spirit. For He had not yet fallen upon any of them; they had simply been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then they began laying their hands on them, and they were receiving the Holy Spirit” (Acts 8:14-18) “While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who were listening to the message. And all the circumcised believers who had come with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out upon the Gentiles also. For they were hearing them speaking with tongues and exalting God. Then Peter answered, ‘SURELY NO ONE CAN REFUSE THE WATER FOR THESE TO BE BAPTIZED WHO HAVE RECEIVED THE HOLY SPIRIT JUST AS WE DID, CAN HE?" (Acts 10:44-47) See Acts 19:1-7 Disciples of John the Baptist “Receive the Spirit” and Speak in Tongues Peter’s Defense – “The Holy Spirit fell upon them just as He did upon us at the beginning! … If God therefore gave to them the same gift as He gave to us also after believing in the Lord Jesus … how can we refuse those who received the Holy Spirit JUST AS WE DID?” … APPRECIATE AND PRACTICE WHAT JESUS HAS DONE Am I living with every other brother or sister in Christ that is here as if I am ONE with them? As if we’ve both been “joined to Christ” and therefore “joined to one another”? … UNDERSTAND THE TYPICAL OUTCOME OF EITHER VIEW Both views can lead to spiritual lethargy! Both to “What now? Is this all there is?”