Have You Been Baptized by the Spirit?

"Have You Been Baptized by the Spirit" Acts 19:1-7

Paul is on his third missionary journey which covers Acts 18:23-21:26 and could have lasted 4-5 years. It can be split into three phases. 1.) The Ephesus Phase, which lasted for two years. 2.) The Macedonian, Corinth Phase, and 3.) The long return journey to Jerusalem.[1] His trip was primarily pastoral in nature and his goal was to encourage and build up the churches along the way. His main destination was Ephesus where he stayed for over two years. It is here that Aquila and Priscilla "expounded unto Apollos the way of God more perfectly." Acts 18:28 and where we get to our text, Acts 19:1-7 he meets twelve devout disciples of John the Baptist.

As Paul either sees them, hears them preach, or is talking with them he recognizes something is amiss. His question is pointed and proper - "Have you received the Holy Ghost since you believed? (Acts 19:2)" Their response confirms his suspicion - We haven't even heard of their being a Holy Ghost.

I appreciate that their response was out of ignorance and not rebellion. It wasn’t "We don't want it" but rather an inquisitive longing. I imagine deep down they recognized something was missing in their experience as well.

I see in this incident several things but a few points I want to ponder tonight is -

The Holy Spirit is essential to A Christian Walk - In fact in one place he tells us without His Spirit we are none of His. Romans 8:9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.Christ himself was filled with the Spirit - if He needed it how much more do we. Luke 3-4 records this amazing event - Jesus approaches John the Baptist and has him baptize him. When he comes out of the water, the Holy Spirit descends on him in the bodily form of a dove Luke 3:.22 And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased.Chapter three then gives a short intermission with the Genealogy of JesusChapter 4 picks right up from verse Luke 3:22 and it says - And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness,It was not because he was God, although He Is, but it was because the Holy Spirit came upon Him, that is important don't ever forget that. John 1:33 And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost.I like that word "Full" It means nothing lacking, full, satisfied, experience completely, complete, to be in a condition that allows for no further addition,

Three things I want to mention tonight about the Baptism of the Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit Infills - Last week we spoke of the prophecy concerning the messiah - "That He would baptize with the Holy Ghost and with fire" Tonight I want to look at what that Was and IS today. I want to look a little deeper at this "Baptism of the Holy Spirit" John the Baptist Prophesied of it - We talked about that last week. Jesus Promised It - He told his disciple "I go away, but I will send a comforter." Before he left he commanded them in Luke 24:49 to "Tarry in Jerusalem until they were ENDUED with Power from on high." I want to look at that word "Endued" for a moment - It means in most places that of putting on something, such as clothes, or shoes. It can also mean putting something on someone else but in this instance it seems to mean according to the lexicons I've consulted it is a more figurative term meaning; "oftaking on or being invested with spiritual gifts or qualities receive" (LU 24.49)[2] Most newer translations will translate this "stay till you have been clothed with the Spirit." The Holy Spirit Provided it - We know this is what happened in Acts 2 when Peter preached " This is That…" Adam Clarke Said, "The energy of the Holy Ghost was to be communicated to them for three particular purposes. 1. That he might be in them, a sanctifying comforter, fortifying their souls and bringing to their remembrance whatever Jesus had before spoken to them. 2. That their preaching might be accompanied by his demonstration and power to the hearts of their hearers, so that they might believe and be saved.3. That they might be able to work miracles to confirm their pretensions to a Divine mission, and to establish the truth of the doctrines they preached.[3] I am thankful that Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to "Clothe" and "Fill" us He the Holy Ghost does a mighty infilling work. Jesus was "Full of the Holy Ghost"The 120 were all "Filled with the Holy Ghost"The Samaritans "Received the Holy Spirit" in Acts 8:16 where it talks about this is showed their lack "(For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.)John 14:17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.In Ephesians 5:18 Paul exhorts "And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;"Wine is an influencer it takes over the logical reasoning of the brain, when you drink you are allowing the alcohol to sit at the controls of your will and affections. Paul is saying don't do that - it only leads to debauchery - but rather be filled with the Spirit. Let Him sit at the controls, (Think of it like a glove - the glove is lifeless and useless until filled with your hand. )The word filled in this verse is in an interesting tense, that means be filled and keep on being filled - we must stay connected to the power source.My boys were a little disappointed we didn't lose electricity from the ice storm. (I am very thankful we didn't.) But what causes you lose electricity - either the line breaks, or something falls on the line, or something disconnects it from the main electrical power source - The way to keep being filled is to not let anything disconnect you from the source - Christ Jesus. The Holy Spirit Instills (Truth, Light, Gifts etc) - Brother Newport used to always exhort us that "The Holy Spirit never comes into our lives empty handed."He instills Guidance into truth - John 16:13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.The Gifts of the Spirit - Varied in their manifestations and demonstrations - but all for one purpose - to glorify God and build up the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit Seals - No I am not a once saved always saved preacher, but I do have to take the entire scripture as that is what we are instructed, all scripture is inspired by God - that it is profitable. I want us to notice three scriptures that deal with this topic. Ephesians 1:13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,

Ephesians 4:30 We are commanded not to grieve the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. These two are referring to a seal, or a mark - I think of Brother Knipmeyer, that man has nearly every conceivable tool and contraption known to the handyman. I have looked in the back of his truck before when I was helping him with a job, and it is amazing. And yet with all of his tools at a volunteer work day with all the other guys there and their tools he could look down on the floor at two or three tools there and say that one is mine. He had marked it in a way that he would know. If we are filled with the Spirit we are marked, He knows who we are and where we are. 2 Cor. 1:22 Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.This seal is again a mark but more like a signature on a contract of purchase and the Holy Spirit is like the down payment of that contract.

My prayer in all of this is that I would get lost in the technicalities. I have a tendency to do that, I want us to know there are times you can only experience God. And these dear disciples did that, as they were baptized by the Holy Spirit. And what a time they had.

You are here tonight for a reason, and I want to ask you the same question that Paul asked these twelve men, "Have you been baptized by the Holy Ghost since you believed?"

I found a little golden nugget in the Bible that I want to share with you tonight - its found in one of my favorite chapter Luke 11 verse 13 says, upon being asked what they would give their children if they were hungry, Jesus tells his hearers, "If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?"

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[M] http://www.ristosantala.com/rsla/Paul/paul13.html[M] Friberg, Timothy, and Barbara Friberg. Analytical Greek New Testament (GNM). 2nd ed. n.p.: Timothy and Barbara Friberg, 1994. <BibleWorks, v.10.>[M] Adam Clarke's Commentary ON Luke 24:49