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It’s very important to understand that
the book of Acts is a book of “transition.”
It’s a bridge, so to speak, between the OT and the NT. Bridges are a good
thing…they help connect things…make new journeys possible. But one thing
you never want to do is to park on a bridge.
Ill.—imagine if there were no bridges across
Decatur Lake…it would take a long time to drive all the way around when
heading that way. Imagine if people decided to use the bridge as their
parking lot…it would be a disaster.
A lot of churches are extremely confused
doctrinally because they have decided to park on the bridge of the book of
Acts. This book was never intended to be primarily a doctrinal book, but a
bridge. It’s a book of history that transitions us from the gospels to the
church age. The Lord is in the process of doing something wonderful,
beginning a new era, a new dispensation as He forms His body on earth, the
church. And one of the unique things about the body of Christ is how it is
comprised of everyone…not only the Jews, but all people.
In Acts 2 at Pentecost, the Jews are welcomed
into the body of Christ. Then in ch. 10 in Cornelius’ home the Gentiles are
welcomed into the body. And now there’s 1 more group for the church to
bring in…the disciples of John the Baptist…those who were left behind from
the old dispensation. They were still living on the other side of Calvary.
1. A Spiritual
Complication
v. 1-3 Allow me to explain. When Paul
returned to Ephesus, he met up w/ certain disciples of John the Baptist, and
he detected there was something wrong…something missing spiritually from
their lives. So, he poses his question in v. 2, “Have ye received the Holy
Ghost since ye believed?”
This verse has given way to
2 very
common misunderstandings in many churches of
today.
·That
first you get saved, and later you get the Holy Spirit.
They call it the “Second Blessing.” The first blessing, they say, is
receiving Christ as Savior, and the 2nd, receiving the Spirit.
Joke—Nazarene preacher Uncle Bud Robinson had
a little lisp, and was always talking about the “thecond blething”.
Somebody said, “that’s all you ever talk about, the 2nd
blessing.” He replied, “have you had the 2nd blessing?” “I’ve
not only received the 2nd blessing, but the 3rd, the 4th…100
blessings don’t you see?!” Uncle Bud said, “well, if you’ve had that many
you wouldn’t mind me having 2 would ya?”
I realize there’s good people who believe
this way, and I by no means am calling their sincerity into question…but
they need to investigate this w/ an open mind in light of the scripture.
I believe that the Bible teaches that the
Holy Spirit is bestowed on believers at the moment of salvation.
Romans 8:9
Now if any man have not the Spirit of
Christ, he is none of his.
There’s no need to ask God for something He
has already given to you at salvation. Now I know that we should seek to be
filled with the Holy Spirit, but that is different.
If not for the Holy Spirit, we couldn’t even
be saved…He regenerates, He quickens our dead spirits, He seals us!
2nd misunderstanding…
·That you can
ask the Lord for MORE of the Holy Spirit.
[get some at salvation and more later.] The Holy Spirit isn’t an “it”. The
Holy Spirit is a Person…and a person doesn’t come in “installments.”
Here’s the balance:
The Holy Spirit can get more of us!
The question isn’t have you gotten more of the Spirit, but has the Spirit
gotten more of you! Open up another room in the house of your soul…give Him
every inch, the dark closets, the attic space…places you haven’t
investigated in some time now!
2 Acts of the Holy Spirit:
Sovereign Acts which take place at salvation,
and subsequent acts which follow.
At the moment of
salvation:
·We are
born of the Spirit. John chapter
3 talks about this [Nicodemus].
·We are
baptized by the Spirit into the
body of Christ. Nowhere does the Bible tell us to seek the baptism of the
Spirit. It is automatic. [I Cor. 14]
·We are
indwelt by the Spirit. [I Cor.
6—your body is the temple of the Spirit that is in you.] We must be careful
where we go, for where we go…He goes! [look at/listen to/put into our
bodies]
·We are
sealed by the Spirit. [Eph.
4—sealed unto the day of redemption.] ill.—Roman seal/signet/hot
wax…indicated private property, do not disturb.
All 4 of these things are sovereign acts of
God at the moment of salvation.
After salvation:
[subsequent acts of the Spirit…]
·The
filling of the Spirit. This is
where the Spirit gets more of us. “Filled” = “Controlled”. Every day we
can awake and ask God to control our eyes, ears, lips, feet, private parts,
mind/thoughts, nostrils, veins, etc. Habits and Hang ups can be controlled,
but only w/ God’s help!
Ephes. 5:18
And be not drunk with wine, wherein is
excess; but be filled with the Spirit;
·The
anointing of the Spirit—a special
touch for a special task. If God gives you a task to do, you can ask Him to
anoint you to the task. Sometimes we ask someone to teach a class or lead
some new ministry, and they’ll say, Oh, I could never do that! That may be
true, but perhaps you could if anointed by the Spirit! Singers can sing
from their own talents or w/ an anointing that makes it special even if
their special isn’t quite so “special”! Before I stand to preach, I can ask
the Spirit to anoint me…many times we underestimate some people’s potential
because we underestimate the anointing of the Spirit on their life.
There’s much controversy about these men in
Acts 19 and their spiritual status. Were they saved yet or not? They were
called disciples, that doesn’t mean they were saved, just that they were
followers/learners of someone. Many of Jesus’ “disciples” followed Him no
more. I believe they were on their way to being saved, but needed to have
it expounded more clearly to them. They were on the threshold, but not yet
in the door.
This wasn’t a 2nd blessing for
them, this was their 1st real taste of grace!
v. 3 Paul wants them to get saved,
and looks into their belief. They had followed John the Baptist and heard
of the need to repent for the King is coming, but they haven’t heard of
Jesus Christ, the Messiah, the cross, etc.
v. 4 When someone isn’t saved, you
don’t talk about the Holy Ghost, you talk about Jesus Christ. If you’re
here tonite and not saved, hear this, and we’ll deal w/ the Spirit later.
God loves you, Jesus died for you, rose again, and will save you now and
eternally. Later, He’ll change you by His Spirit, but now, He wants to save
you from your sins!
Even the Holy Spirit doesn’t want to be the
center of attention/in the limelight. Our Pentecostal/Charismatic friends
are sincere, but sincerely wrong on this matter. The Spirit didn’t come to
speak of Himself, but of Jesus who can save!
v. 5 I believe they got saved.
2. A Spiritual
Transformation
Baptism doesn’t save, but
it is a symbol. I believe that
they put their faith in Christ when they heard He had come and heard His
story. They were rebaptized because it needs to follow salvation. They
only got wet the 1st time, this time they truly got baptized.
Ill.—putting on a ring doesn’t make you
married.
v. 6 What is this? This is the 3rd
time tongues occur in Acts, and the 3rd group to be welcomed into
God’s family. This was a transitional sign. Tongues
was another symbol on this day.
Acts 2:4
And they were all filled with the Holy
Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them
utterance.
We’re told about many other Jews in Acts who
were filled w/ the Holy Spirit, but never again does it mention that they
spoke with tongues. It was for a sign for a time, but it ceased. [4:4,
5:14, 6:7, 8:36, 9:17]
10 years pass…
How about the Gentiles? [at the home of
Cornelius]
Acts 10:44
While Peter yet spake these words, the
Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word.
We’re told about many other Gentiles in Acts
who were filled w/ the Holy Spirit, but never again does it mention that
they spoke with tongues. It was for a sign for a time, but it ceased.
[13:48, 14:1, 16:14, 16:30]
Why only the first groups? God was breaking
down the walls of prejudice in Jewish hearts to prove to them that Gentiles
could be saved as well. Tongues are for a sign! [I Cor. 14]
Did the Jews get the message?
Acts 11:17
Forasmuch then as God gave them the
like gift as he did unto us, who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ; what
was I, that I could withstand God?
Then they held their peace and said, “ok, the
Gentiles can be saved, too.”
Now this 3rd group is brought into
the fold. “OT believers not aware of Christ.” And they got the same
transitional evidence/tangible proof.
By the way, nothing was clear cut and
consistent when tongues were spoken…sometimes they were baptized first,
sometimes spoke in tongues first…the only consistent thing about all 3
instances of tongues was that the Apostles were present!
Anyonecanbesaved…including
anyone here tonite…and if you get saved, you’ll get the Holy Spirit!
And don’t let anyone tell you you’re not
spiritual if you haven’t spoken in tongues. There is different evidence of
the Spirit today…what is it?
The fruits of the Spirit, a holy walk, and a
decision to be a witness.
Acts 1:8
But ye shall receive power, after that
the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in
Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto
the uttermost part of the earth.
Saying ‘Grace’ and
‘The Second Blessing’
Acts 19:1-7
The book of Acts is a book of “t__________________.”
1. A Spiritual
C______________________v. 1-3
2 common misunderstandings today
·That first you get s________, and later you get the Holy Spirit
Romans 8:9
·That you can ask the Lord for
M______ of the Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit can get
m______ of us
At the moment of salvation:
·We are b______ of
the Spirit John 3
·We are b______________
by the Spirit I Cor. 14
·We are i____________
by the Spirit I Cor. 6
·We are s__________
by the Spirit Eph. 4
After salvation:
·The f____________
of the Spirit Ephes. 5:18
The a________________
of the Spirit v. 3, v. 4, v. 5
2. A Spiritual
T__________________________
Baptism doesn’t save, but it is a
s__________v. 6
T____________
was another symbol on this day Acts 2:4, 4:4, 5:14, 6:7, 8:36,
9:17, 10:44, 13:48, 14:1, 16:14, 16:30, I Cor. 14, Acts 11:17
A__________c____b__s________Acts 1:8
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