When Paul addressed the council in Athens, he made an important point about God’s character: God created the world and placed in people a desire to know Him.
“So that they would search for God and perhaps fumble about for him and find him, though indeed he is not far from each one of us. For ‘In him we live and move and have our being.'” (Acts 17:27-28)
Later, in Ephesus, Paul met people who had done exactly what he described in Athens. They had searched for God and found Him. They knew about John’s baptism, yet they did not fully understand how to walk with the Lord.
While Apollos was in Corinth, Paul passed through the interior regions and came to Ephesus, where he found some disciples. He said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you became believers?” They replied, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” (Acts 19:1-2)
These believers had enough understanding to be called disciples, but they needed more teaching from Paul.
Then he said, “Into what, then, were you baptized?” They answered, “Into John’s baptism.” Paul said, “John baptized with a baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, in Jesus.” (Acts 19:3-4)
Teaching That Fills the Gaps
Think about what you know about other world religions. How much do you really know about Islam, Buddhism, or Hinduism? If you are like me, you know the names but not much more.
People from other faiths often know just as little about Jesus. That is why missionaries who share the gospel across cultures often use an approach called Bible storytelling. They choose stories that connect with what people already believe, then gradually lead them to a fuller understanding of Jesus so they can decide to follow Him.
Paul needed to teach these early disciples more about Jesus. In the same way, people who come to Christ from another faith, or from no faith at all, need consistent and thorough teaching.
The Gift of the Holy Spirit
After Paul explained the gospel more fully, the disciples who had received John’s baptism of repentance were baptized in the name of Jesus, and they received the Holy Spirit.
On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. When Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied. Altogether there were about twelve of them. (Acts 19:5-7)
Several times in the book of Acts, the Holy Spirit comes upon a group of people. Each time, His coming confirms that they belong to God’s family.
What’s Missing?
These twelve disciples in Ephesus were missing an important piece of their faith. They followed the Lord and were called disciples, yet they needed a fuller understanding and an experience with the Holy Spirit. Their story invites us to look at our own lives and ask: What is missing in our faith?
I used to listen to an older Texas preacher on the radio. Every so often he would say, “I want to experience everything Jesus died on the cross for me to have.”
What a wonderful way to think about all God has for us. That is not greed. It is simply a desire for the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus to make a full difference in every part of our lives.
So we should often ask ourselves: Do we truly value the presence of the Holy Spirit and rely on Him? The same Spirit of God who moved over the chaos at creation now lives within us.
Do we recognize His presence? Are we letting Him take the chaos in our lives and shape it into the fruitful life God intends? If so, praise God. If not, our faith still has room to grow. Let us receive all that God has done for us and live in it.
YouTube Discussion
Rudy Ross, Bruce Kirby, and I discussed Acts 19:1-20 on YouTube today.
