Monday Devo
Scripture:
Acts 19
While Apollos was in Corinth, Paul traveled through the interior regions until he reached Ephesus, on the coast, where he found several believers. 2 “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” he asked them.
“No,” they replied, “we haven’t even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.”
3 “Then what baptism did you experience?” he asked.
And they replied, “The baptism of John.”
4 Paul said, “John’s baptism called for repentance from sin. But John himself told the people to believe in the one who would come later, meaning Jesus.”
5 As soon as they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6 Then when Paul laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in other tongues and prophesied. 7 There were about twelve men in all.
While Apollos was in Corinth, Paul traveled through the interior regions until he reached Ephesus, on the coast, where he found several believers. 2 “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” he asked them.
“No,” they replied, “we haven’t even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.”
3 “Then what baptism did you experience?” he asked.
And they replied, “The baptism of John.”
4 Paul said, “John’s baptism called for repentance from sin. But John himself told the people to believe in the one who would come later, meaning Jesus.”
5 As soon as they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6 Then when Paul laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in other tongues and prophesied. 7 There were about twelve men in all.
Commentary:
19:1 while Apollos was at Corinth. See 18:27. Inland country refers to the main highway that went westward through the mountainous region from Phrygia into Asia and on to Ephesus on the coast. Disciples here refers to followers of John the Baptist; they did not know of Jesus (19:4).
19:2 That they had not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit indicates they had not heard of the outpouring of the Spirit at Pentecost (ch. 2), and therefore they probably had not heard much of Jesus’ life and ministry, and certainly not of his death and resurrection. (Cf. note on 18:25.) They had evidently relocated from Palestine to Ephesus before Jesus’ own ministry began. As followers of John they would have known his message that the Messiah would bring the Spirit (Luke 3:16).
19:5 Having learned how Jesus had fulfilled the message of John the Baptist, these disciples of John submitted to baptism in the name of the Lord Jesus (in contrast to their former baptism of “repentance” only, v. 4). On baptism in the name of Jesus, see note on 10:48.
19:6 The Holy Spirit came on them means they received the new covenant fullness and power of the Holy Spirit, something that happened to Jesus’ disciples for the first time on the day of Pentecost (see notes on 1:8; 2:4; 8:17). They had not previously known about Jesus’ death and resurrection, so their earlier belief (19:2) was one of looking forward to the Messiah to come, a state similar to that of OT believers. Their speaking in tongues and prophesying was an outward demonstration and verification of their receiving the Spirit. (See discussion of these gifts in note on 1 Cor. 12:10 and notes elsewhere on 1 Corinthians 12–14.)
19:2 That they had not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit indicates they had not heard of the outpouring of the Spirit at Pentecost (ch. 2), and therefore they probably had not heard much of Jesus’ life and ministry, and certainly not of his death and resurrection. (Cf. note on 18:25.) They had evidently relocated from Palestine to Ephesus before Jesus’ own ministry began. As followers of John they would have known his message that the Messiah would bring the Spirit (Luke 3:16).
19:5 Having learned how Jesus had fulfilled the message of John the Baptist, these disciples of John submitted to baptism in the name of the Lord Jesus (in contrast to their former baptism of “repentance” only, v. 4). On baptism in the name of Jesus, see note on 10:48.
19:6 The Holy Spirit came on them means they received the new covenant fullness and power of the Holy Spirit, something that happened to Jesus’ disciples for the first time on the day of Pentecost (see notes on 1:8; 2:4; 8:17). They had not previously known about Jesus’ death and resurrection, so their earlier belief (19:2) was one of looking forward to the Messiah to come, a state similar to that of OT believers. Their speaking in tongues and prophesying was an outward demonstration and verification of their receiving the Spirit. (See discussion of these gifts in note on 1 Cor. 12:10 and notes elsewhere on 1 Corinthians 12–14.)
Questions:
- In Acts 19, Paul makes his way back to Ephesus where he runs into a group of Christians who had not yet received the Holy Spirit. They had not heard about being baptized with the Spirit when they believed. They had only heard of John's water baptism. When Paul laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke in other tongues and prophesied. Some people, when they're filled with the Spirt, might prophecy or speak in tongues...but not everyone. This is an atypical event. Think of a time when you have been filled with the Holy Spirit? What was that experience like?
- Clayton explained on Sunday how there is ONE baptism in the Spirit, at the moment of conversion, but there should be MANY fillings of the Spirit. We should be seeking His presence daily, praying that He would fill us anew with His Holy Spirit. When was the last time you prayed to be filled with the Spirit? How might you day look different if you did?
Prayer Topics:
- That the Holy Spirit would fill you today.
- That you would be on fire for Him today.
This Week's City 7:
Try to commit to memory!
3. Why did Jesus have to die on the cross? Since “all have sinned” and the “wages of sin is death,” Jesus had to die on the cross to pay the fine for my sin so I could be right with God.
(Romans 3:23, 5:8, 6:21-23, 2 Corinthians 5:21; Ephesians 2:1-6; Colossians 1:13-14, 21-22)
(Romans 3:23, 5:8, 6:21-23, 2 Corinthians 5:21; Ephesians 2:1-6; Colossians 1:13-14, 21-22)
No Comments