The Pilgrim Path---Acts 19: 1 – 7

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

“…BAPTIZED IN THE NAME OF THE LORD JESUS”

My Mom introduced me to a new friend in her apartment building (while I was in college). She came downstairs one evening to this “Gospel Singing” in the fellowship area---fine program! I got to know this pleasant lady---between 70—80 years of age. I have never forgotten something she told me. It had to do with her theological formulation. She told me one evening that the only part of the Bible that really guides us would be, “the four Gospels---and the second chapter of the Book of Acts.” Hmmm---I was cordial enough. Yet, I knew the Apostle Paul was irritated, having said “all” Scripture was breathed out by God---and profitable (Second Timothy 3: 16, 17). Spurgeon used to say that there are people who would rather be shot with a rifle---than with a new idea. I just had to let the lady “educate” me for a while. She was from the school that is very “sure” you must demonstrate ecstatic speech (not necessarily a discernible language) to prove you have been baptized by the Holy Spirit into God’s Family. Of course, the Apostle Paul says that “all” Christians are baptized into the Body of Christ at regeneration (First Corinthians 12). Paul mentions that he uses tongues---but follows up by saying he would rather speak “discernably” the truth of God---in order that ALL could understand. He really makes these distinctions in First Corinthians chapters 12 – 14.

One of my New Testament Professors, Dr. Kistemaker, said it is not clear ---But what you have here in Acts 19: 6---is possibly ecstatic speech. Don’t be afraid. The Book of Acts is a picture of the New Testament Church in its infancy. Not everything that happened then---is normative for today. The Holy Spirit always knows what HE is doing…I always appreciated what the late Dr. James Boice pointed out about the Holy Spirit “coming in power”---in the Book of Acts. Whenever HE does---people testify of Jesus Christ and the Glory of HIS Person and Work. Seems you always find in the narrative this message: “You must turn from your sin & trust the LORD Jesus as your Redeemer and Master!” So---prophesyingends up---not to do with “foretelling”---But with forthtelling---declaring the Good News of Jesus Christ to the lost!

Paul the Apostle encounters disciples of John. He had to lead them to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ the LORD. They hear---believe and are never the same! The twelve men “speak” in tongues---but end their endeavor prophesying: relating the “truth” of Jesus to the hearers about them. Have the people in our sphere of influence gotten the truth about Jesus from us?

Life is short / Death is sure / Sin the Cause / Christ the CURE!

This is a fine place to introduce you to A Pastoral Letter Concerning the Experience of The Holy Spirit in The Church Today. This was given by the PCA General Assembly in 1974. The language is as beneficial and helpful as when it was produced. I will go to section IV. Concerning the Gifts of the Spirit,

1. Tongues.

It seems evident that the tongues described in Acts 2 were foreign languages known to the hearers there present. It is more difficult, however, to resolve the question of the exact nature of the tongues mentioned elsewhere in the New Testament. It is also difficult to determine with certainty the relationship of the modern tongues phenomenon to the New Testament experience.

The General Assembly suggests however, that:

1. Any view of the tongues as experienced in our time which conceives of it as an experience by which revelation is received from God is contrary to the finalized character of revelation in Scripture.
2. Any view of tongues which sees this phenomenon as an essential sign of the baptism of the Spirit is contradictory to Scripture; and
3. Any practice of the tongues phenomenon in any age which causes dissension and division within the body of Christ or diverts the church from its mission is contrary to the purpose of the Spirit’s gifts.

…Finally, the General Assembly would speak a word of caution against an obsession with signs and miraculous manifestations which is not indicative of a healthy church, but of the opposite (Matt. 12: 39; 24: 24; John 4: 48; I Cor. 1: 22, 23; 14: 22; II Thess. 2: 9 – 12).

…The General Assembly would also urge a spirit of forbearance among those holding differing views regarding the spiritual gifts as they are experienced today.

Meanwhile on the other side of the world:

---On Friday, March 4th, Russia’s federal communications agency announced it would block the websites of the BBC, Voice of America, Radio Free Europe/ Radio Liberty, and other foreign media outlets.

---Mariupol, Ukraine---under siege. No heat. No power. No water. Continuous shelling. The deputy mayor says, “We cannot collect the bodies.”

---The international Organization for Migration said on Saturday (3—5—22) that 1.45 million people have left Ukraine since Putin’s invasion---sparking what the UN agency described as the fastest and largest displacement of people in Europe since WWII.

“So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.” Matthew 7: 12

Grace and Peace in Jesus, the Only Redeemer of broken and wretched souls, Pastor Jason