Not Quite Christians

Intro:

Ex. Rob Gronkowski AAA commercial. Not quite qualified. Come up just short. Ex. Interview or resume. At the cash register. Even worse, is that this could happen in regards to your faith, and I fear there are many who come up short, who are not quite Christians.

Read Acts 19:1-6

Pray

for God to open our eyes to what may be lacking in our own faith. That we’d appreciate and celebrate Baptism in Christ’s Name and the Person of the Holy Spirit whom He has sent for our Help.

Setting: (v.1)

Ephesus

Located amid a number of important trade routes, it was considered the commercial center of the region

It was the fourth largest city in the Empire

Inscriptions found there show it referred to itself as “the first and greatest metropolis of Asia”

One of the seven wonders of the Ancient World - the temple of Artemis - was found just outside the city wall. It was 4x the size of the Parthenon in Athens and was decorated with works by the greatest painters and sculptors of that time.

Paul went directly there, through the inland or upper country instead of around through the normal trade routes.

v.8-10 - Paul would spend 3 months teaching in the synagogue, and then another two years teaching and discipling in the hall of Tyrannus, “so that all the residents of Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks,”

Disciples

normally we think of disciples of Jesus but these were not quite so

Paul questions them about two things - first, had they received the Holy Spirit of God upon believing and second, what was the nature of their baptism.

These twelve men may have had some understanding of Jesus, although we aren’t for sure. The description “disciples” could suggest this, but also was used of the disciples of John the Baptist throughout the gospels. (Matt 9:14, 11:2, Mark 2:18, Luke 5:33, John 1:35)

Whatever the case, these men did not know enough about the gospel to have been baptised in Jesus’s name nor had they experienced the presence and power of the Holy Spirit whom Jesus had sent.

Many in our culture, our workplace, and sadly, even our churches are like these men. They know something of Jesus, but have never fully committed to Him in Baptism, and know nothing of the presence and power of His Holy Spirit. I would venture to say that anyone and everyone who meets this criteria are “not quite Christians”.

Baptism in Jesus’ Name

When the Apostle Paul found out these men had not heard of the Holy Spirit, he dug even deeper and asked about their baptism.

Jesus has commanded his followers to make disciples and Baptize in His name. (Matthew 28:19-20)

Anyone who has not demonstrated faith in the Lord Jesus by being baptized in His name:

is missing the celebration and affirmation of their faith by the church

is in disobedience to the command of their supposed Lord

is deficient in their walk with Christ

What’s the point of Baptism? Here, some try and tie it to receiving the Holy Spirit. Others believe it is through this act that grace is received or that sins are actually washed away. The Bible doesn’t teach this.

People received the Spirit in the early church in various order

Acts 10:47 - the believers were filled with the Holy Spirit before they were Baptized

Acts 2:38 NASB95

Peter said to them, “Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

When the Samaritans heard the Word of God and believed, they sent Peter and John to “pray for them, that they would receive the Holy Spirit”.

It is also clear that salvation comes by faith in Christ alone and not by some action we perform.

Ephesians 2:8 NASB95

For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;

Read Romans 3:21-26

So what is Baptism? It is an act of faith, commanded by Christ, whereby a believer makes a public proclamation or their identification with the Lord Jesus in His death for sins and in the new resurrection life He provides. It is an open, symbolic confession of the good news of Jesus’s death, burial and resurrection.

Read Romans 6:3-5

While it is possible to be saved and not have been Baptized, it’s importance for every Believer is crystal clear in the NT. Every disciple is to confess their faith through being Baptized in Jesus’s Holy Name. In other words - Baptism in Christ’s name is the hallmark of Christianity.

Have you? Why not?

Holy Spirit’s Presence and Power

There is no such thing as a disciple who does not know the power and presence of the Holy Spirit of God. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of God is not quite a Christian.

This text isn’t so much about how or when these men received the Spirit, but whether or not they did. Were they truly disciples of Jesus - or not quite?

Every true disciple has the indwelling Spirit

Romans 8:9 NASB95

However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him.

Titus 3:5 NASB95

He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit,

People normally receive the Holy Spirit the moment they believe on Jesus Christ.

Ex. verse 2 - after = when

Regeneration is a work of God’s Spirit - John 3:5

John 3:5 NASB95

Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

Galatians 3:2 NASB95

This is the only thing I want to find out from you: did you receive the Spirit by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith?

How do you know if you have the Holy Spirit in you?

Not simply by charismatic gifts, signs or wonders. These are given to authenticate a major, usually new work of God among a group of people (Ex. Pentecost, the Gentiles, this group in Ephesus).

While there are groups that emphasize these gifts (some even requiring them as evidence), I believe their exercise is not the norm of Christian experience and behavior.

Should we seek them? Maybe.

We should definitely seek more of the Spirit’s power and presence for the Glory of God!

How do we know?

Regeneration? When you were saved, did you experience the forgiveness of sins? The weight lifted? A distinction between the old and the new life in Christ?

Do you have a sense of conviction of sin in your life? A sense of awe and joy in God? (John 16:8)

Have you experienced His fruit in your life? Galatians 5:16, 18a, 19-23.

He is a person. He is with and in us if we are in Christ. He carries the Word of God deep down in our hearts, and our prayers all the way up to our heavenly Father.

We need Him in salvation, and in growing in the likeness of our Lord Jesus Christ. We have Him as a gift, given to us by our Lord and Savior that we might be made new to the Glory of God.