Baptism of the Holy Spirit

June 26, 2022: Listen to Glisten: Acts 19:1-10

Welcome

Psalm 89:1-4

1  I will sing of the steadfast love of the LORD, forever;

with my mouth I will make known your faithfulness to all generations.

2  For I said, “Steadfast love will be built up forever;

in the heavens you will establish your faithfulness.”

3  You have said, “I have made a covenant with my chosen one;

I have sworn to David my servant:

4  ‘I will establish your offspring forever,

and build your throne for all generations.’ ”

Confession:

Matthew 6:25-30

25 “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27 And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? 28 And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, 29 yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?

Prayer:

Expand our faith Say to us that we have large faith, not little faith… Teach us true faith!

Q. What is true faith?

A. True faith is not only a sure knowledge by which I hold as true all that God has revealed to us in Scripture; it is also a wholehearted trust, which the Holy Spirit creates in me by the gospel, that God has freely granted, not only to others but to me also, forgiveness of sins, eternal righteousness, and salvation. These are gifts of sheer grace, granted solely by Christ’s merit.

Announcements:

Ministry of the Month: Ukraine Fellowship 4.0 Men’s Gathering: NY Bagels

Prayer:

López: apartment Life: stay here faithful in his calling Eileen: praise to get dental Travis’ dad: oxygen levels to go up. Mark Jones recovering Jonny Knowles recovering Carl at Terra Ceia Summer Travels 4th of July: Thank you for the benefits and blessings we have living in this beautiful country. As we celebrate themes like independence this weekend, we also recognize the growing number of those bound in brokenness and sin needing to depend on Christ. As we celebrate the joy of liberation, we also recognize those suffering around us due to injustice and poverty.

Ukraine: We also pray for those experiencing injustices around the world, especially those suffering in Ukraine and the many millions who are experiencing the effects of the war.

Dear Lord, we plead with you to intervene in the cold hearts of Russian leaders. Please provide food for the most hungry due to skyrocketing wheat and corn prices. We pray for countries like Somalia, experiencing famine-like conditions, and unable to pay for the soaring prices of oil or wheat. As we also feel the anxiety of global events, give us peace and point our hearts to Jesus the King.

Inspiration

Acts 19:1-10

And it happened that while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul passed through the inland country and came to Ephesus. There he found some disciples. 2 And he said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” And they said, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” 3 And he said, “Into what then were you baptized?” They said, “Into John’s baptism.” 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.” 5 On hearing this, they were baptized in 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 speaking in tongues and prophesying. 7 There were about twelve men in all.

8 And he entered the synagogue and for three months spoke boldly, reasoning and persuading them about the kingdom of God. 9 But when some became stubborn and continued in unbelief, speaking evil of the Way before the congregation, he withdrew from them and took the disciples with him, reasoning daily in the hall of Tyrannus. 10 This continued for two years, so that all the residents of Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks.

Introduction:

Third Missionary Journey Begins

Paul goes through the ‘inland country’, AKA, ‘interior]

Look back at Baptism issue with Apollos

Theological Stud, but he got one thing wrong:

Acts 18:25 “He had been instructed in the way of the Lord. And being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught accurately the things concerning Jesus, though he knew only the baptism of John.”

Baptism issue continues…

This baptism issue will help us this morning answer 4 important questions:

1. What is faith?

What is baptism? What’s Going on in Ephesus? What’s Going on with You?

What is Faith?

And it happened that while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul passed through the inland country and came to Ephesus. There he found some disciples.

Paul ‘found’ apostles… Were they their own group? Clearly not as informed as Apollos.

Paul questions whether or not they’re even Christians!

2 And he said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” And they said, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.”

Amazing Question:

“Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed” NOT did you receive the Holy Spirit at baptism!

They said, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit?”

Fascinating question, fascinating response…

Faith and the Holy Spirit are linked?

How do I know you have faith? You have the Holy Spirit. How do I know I have the Holy Spirit? You have faith!

Luke couples FAITH and HOLY SPIRIT together throughout…

Examples in ACTS:

CLICK:

STEPHEN:

Acts 6:5: Holy Spirit go hand-in-hand: “And what they said pleased the whole gathering, and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit.”

BARNABAS:

Acts 11:24: “for he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith.”

Let’s unpack that:

What is faith?

CLICK: INVISIBLE

Hebrews 10:1: “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.”

II Corinthians 5:7: “for we walk by faith, not by sight.”

CLICK

I Peter 1:8–9: “Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.”

CLICK: GIFT

Ephesians 2:8-9: “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.”

Acts 16:14: Lydia: The Lord opened her heart to listen eagerly to what was said by Paul.

CLICK

John 1:12-13: “Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.”

CLICK: TRUSTED KNOWLEDGE

Romans 1:16: “For I am not ashamed of the gospel; it is God’s saving power for everyone who believes.”

Romans 10:8-9 “8 But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); 9 because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”

CLICK

Hebrews 11:6 “And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.”

CLICK: BRIDGE TO GOD

Romans 5:1-2 “1 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.”

CLICK: PORTHOLE TO LIFE

Matthew 15:28 “Then Jesus answered her, “O woman, great is your faith! Be it done for you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed instantly.”

John 20:21: But these are written so that you may continue to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name.

Faith is…

INVISIBLE

GIFT

TRUSTED KNOWLEDGE

BRIDGE TO GOD

PORTHOLE TO LIFE

What is Baptism?

3 And he said, “Into what then were you baptized?” They said, “Into John’s baptism.”

John’s Baptism

Amazing that John’s influence reached this far!

CLICK

What was John’s Baptism

v. 4: Baptism of repentance:

v. 4: “John baptized with the baptism of repentance.”

Pointed forward to another baptism

[BUT, he was actually] telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, Jesus.”

What was John’s Baptism?

Pre-Jesus Baptism David Peterson:

“Preparatory Rite” “Looking forward to the coming of Jesus” rather than a looking back at the fact that he’s already come.

Example: Engagement vs. Marriage

Think of a really great event:

Wedding Day: BUT, as our anniversary comes up: “Heather, wasn’t waiting for our marriage just amazing. Too bad we couldn’t go back to our engagement. That summer before we got married, and I lived in Ontario, and you lived in North Carolina… We were distant by hundreds of miles talking over the phone planning our wedding. Those were the days, hey Heather?”

Of course not! We don’t look at our engagement as a place we wanted to say. We look back at our wedding day! When we got married and the joy we got married Focusing on John’s baptism is the same thing. It was a ritual anticipating the arrival of the King rather than a focus on all the things the King actually did for us in his ministry, in his death, his resurrection, and his rule.

Why celebrate the anticipation of one’s liberation if you could celebrate the actualization of one’s liberation.

What makes baptism, baptism?

Baptism is the Fulfillment of the Covenant of Circumcision:

Genesis 17:1-8 “I am God Almighty; walk before me, and be blameless, 2 that I may make my covenant between me and you, and may multiply you greatly.”

3 Then Abram fell on his face. And God said to him, 4 “Behold, my covenant is with you…

7 And I will establish my covenant between me and you and your offspring after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your offspring after you. 8 And I will give to you and to your offspring after you the land of your sojournings, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession, and I will be their God.”

CLICK

Circumcisions Promises

“I will give you to all the land of Canaan” “I will be your God.”

Baptism Promises

“I will give you a forever Life in the New Creation.” “I will be your God.”

Circumcision: Type of Covenant: Suzerain-Vassal Covenant

CONDITIONAL Condition: TOTAL CONSECRATION

Baptism: Also Conditional

CONDITION: TOTAL CONSECRATION

You’re not a Christian because you were baptized. You’re a Christian because God chose you to be consecrated, set apart, holy…

Baptism is God’s promises to the one baptized:

I will promise you forever life. I will be your God.

But there’s a condition:

You have to believe it!

Christian Circumcision is Baptism

Promises Given Condition Applies

So What’s Going on Here?

What happens to these Ephesians disciples?

vv.6-7: And when Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they began speaking in tongues and prophesying. 7 There were about twelve men in all.

Is this what’s supposed to happen?

Drayton: significant number of families left my home church Frozen chosen to charismatics. Requires a Second Baptism Pouring of the Spirit to speak in tongues… Speaking in tongues was a prerequisite of true church membership.

This passage is not about THE ORDER OF SALVATION:

NOT, get baptized and then receive faith.

OR, you need to receive faith and then get baptized.

You can be a Christian before you’re baptized, and you can be baptized before you’re a Christian!

Problem with Demanding what these Disciples Experienced:

Adding to the Gospel: YOU need to experience something other than grace…

BUT Baptism points to the FREE GIFT OF GRACE THROUGH FAITH

No performance needed. No additional step. Faith is enough. Belief in Jesus as your Lord and Savior: That is enough.

THE BIGGEST PROBLEM IN THIS PASSAGE IS NOT THAT THEY GOT BAPTIZED WITH THE WRONG BAPTISM

THE PROBLEM IS THAT THESE DISCIPLES WERE NOT CHRISTIANS!!

If they didn’t receive the Holy Spirit, they didn’t have faith, and their baptism is null and void.

By definition, Christians are anointed ones BY THE HOLY SPIRIT and as such receive faith and baptism is the external illustration of that event.

SO what is actually happening in this passage??

I think what was happening here was what John Stott calls an “extraordinary anomaly.”

Stott: “They experienced a mini-Pentecost. Better, Pentecost caught up on them. Better still, they were caught up into it, as its promised blessings became theirs.”

Commentators, poopoo that Luke records that there was about 12 of them.

I can’t help but think Luke is trying to get us to look back on Pentecost!

Brings me back to the beginning of Acts:

CLICK

Jerusalem/Judea Pentecost

Acts 1:8-9: “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

Pentecost: Holy Spirit arrived in Jerusalem and Judea

Jerusalem/Judea: Acts 2:4

Acts 2:4: “And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.”

Acts 10: “Gentile” Pentecost: Samaritan Pentecost

Samaria: Acts 10:44-46

While Peter was still saying these things, the Holy Spirit fell on all who heard the word. And the believers from among the circumcised who had come with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit was poured out even on the Gentiles. For they were hearing them speaking in tongues and extolling God.

CLICK

“Ends of the Earth” Pentecost: Acts 19:5-7

5 On hearing this, they were baptized in 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 speaking in tongues and prophesying. 7 There were about twelve men in all.

Extraordinary anomalies

Spirit was on the move

What’s Going on with You?

Normal Christian Experience: John Stott

CLUSTER of FOUR EVENTS: 1. Repentance

Faith in Jesus Water Baptism Gift of the Holy Spirit

ORDER:

Infant who Becomes a Christian:

Baptism Signifies Consecration Holy Spirit Gives Gift of Faith Repentance Believer Believes in Jesus as Savior Believer Follows Jesus as King

Adult who Becomes a Christian:

Holy Spirit Gives Gift of Faith Repentance Baptism Signifies Consecration Believer Believes in Jesus as Savior Believer Follows Jesus as King

Baptism could happen at any other point in this order…

REMEMBER THE CONDITION: TOTAL CONSECRATION…

Baptized infant who leaves the Faith

No longer a part of the covenant.

Adult who leaves the faith

Backsliding: People who backslide but who will hopefully return. Deconstructing their faith is like backsliding on steroids… Audrey Assad

The Condition of being set apart as one who belongs to Jesus remains for life!

Permission to Argue with God

Permission to Doubt

Permission to Struggle

JACOB—>ISRAEL: “ONE WHO WRESTLES WITH GOD…”

CONCLUSION: Challenge of FAITH:

Do you believe in Jesus as your Savior? Do you believe in Jesus as your King? Do you believe God sent Jesus to redeem you? Do you believe that Jesus died for you and saved you from your sin? Do you believe that Jesus reigns in Heaven over all?

Is your faith still forming you so that your life isn’t defined by a moment in time where you said, “Yeah, I’ll choose the Jesus option!” Or is your life daily defined by your following the King where you say, “I’m with him.”

Jesus is more than an option, he’s our portion.

Jesus didn’t pick decision-makers, he picked disciple-makers.

Faith is more than what initiates you into the Kingdom, but what motivates you every day to live for the KING.

It’s about how that ONE decision impacts all future ones.

Where are you at with faith?

He invites you to wrestle with him…