31

THE EPHESUS TWELVE ALSO MODELS NORMAL CHRISTIANITY.

There's a fascinating story of twelve seekers in the city of Ephesus
        who, after a few false starts, finally got it right (Acts 18:24-19:7) .

At first glance, they appear (key word) to be Christians. However, a closer look shows that while

they were disciples (Acts 19:1b) and believers (Acts 19:2a),
they were actually disciples of John the Baptist (Acts 19:3) and
their belief system--at least as it related to Jesus--was inadequate.

Like the original twelve--before they were born again (Jn. 20:22)--the Ephesus Twelve were pre-Christians. They were enlightened souls. They were not yet quickened spirits.

They had been enlightened by Apollos--

"an eloquent man well versed in the scriptures" (Acts 18:24b)
who taught them "accurately (about) Jesus"(Acts 18:25).

However, his teaching was incomplete because Priscilla and Aquila, two mature Christians,

"took (Apollos) and expounded to him the way of God
more accurately" (Acts 18:26).

Paul was the first to tell them Jesus was "the one"
                  about whom John the Baptist had prophesied (Jn.1:14-30) and
                             in whom John had told them to believe (Acts 19:4b).

Paul also was the first to tell them about the Holy Spirit.
             "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?" he asked.
                                The Ephesians replied,
              "We have never even heard there is a Holy Spirit" (Acts 19:2).

Upon hearing the truth about Jesus and the Holy Spirit they responded positively (Acts 19:5).

They were no longer just enlightened souls. Now they were quickened spirits.
Water baptism provided external evidence of an internal (new birth) experience.
Paul laid hands on them and
the Holy Spirit who was now in them, "came on them" (19:6a).

Like the Pentecost 3000, the Ephesus Twelve suggests that despite any so-called false starts

--when you are"more accurately" informed about Jesus and the Holy Spirit--
the ideal would be for you to
simultaneously
respond positively to the Gospel,
be born again,
acknowledge and appropriate the gift of the Holy Spirit,
be filled with the Spirit,
bear the fruit of the Spirit and
begin using the Spirit's gifts.

That's Normal Christianity!

THE SAMARITAN'S "SECOND BLESSING."

Unlike the Ephesians (Acts 18:24-19:7)

the Samaritans (Acts 8:4-8, 14-17) were born again
prior to their being filled with the Holy Spirit.

Many of the locals "gave heed," were saved
and baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.

When Peter and John arrive in Samaria to investigate, they learn that while the Samaritan Christians had been baptized, they had not yet appropriated the Holy Spirit in fullness (vs 16).

Why the delay? Why was it fitting for this particular group of Christians to receive a "second blessing"?

Because they were Samaritans!

In those days Jews had no dealing with Samaritans (Jn. 4:9).
        The hostility between them had gone on for centuries.
                As the Church began to grow, there was the very real danger that

Jewish Christians
would continue to think of
Samaritan Christians
as second class Christians.

Part of the Gospel is that in Christ old differences and divisions are dissolved (Eph. 2:13-14).

Peter had preached that ideal on the day of Pentecost when he referred to
"all that are far off" (Acts 2:39).
But, like a lot of us preachers, Peter found it hard practice what he preached!
He had to learn to live out the ideals he proclaimed.

God did not permit this delay in the Samaritan Christians being filled with the Holy Spirit

to suggest there must be a "second blessing" or
that you must tarry until the fullness comes.

The Samaritan's "second blessing" was actually for the benefit of Peter and John!

Having personally witness their Samaritan cousins being filled with the Holy Spirit,
Peter and John, two Jewish leaders could, and did, bear witness to
the genuineness of Samaritan conversions and
the legitimacy of Samaritan members of the body of Christ (Acts 8:14-17; 11:18).

Indeed, "God's delays are children of his love."

33

THE ANOINTING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.

The sixth of the seven blessings of the Holy Spirit is his anointing.

"And if you and we belong to Christ, guaranteed as his and anointed (key word), it is God's doing " (2 Cor. 1:21 NEB).

TASKS TO DO AND POWER TO DO THEM.

This is a reference to the Old Testament practice of anointing

                    the priests,
                                or prophets,
                                             or kings for service.

This anointing was the official sign they had been given the authority and resources needed to fulfill their responsibility.

Here again is a wonderful and encouraging truth.

God not only gives you a responsibility for ministry to the body and in the world.
          He also anoints you and gives you resources to serve effectively.
                       You have tasks to do and the authority with which to do them!

He has provided an inheritance which you simply have to acknowledge
and appropriate to enjoy.

       God has sealed you.

He has identified and secured you as his own special and peculiar possession forever.

       God now dwells in you.

His Spirit entered you at your new birth to re-create the character of Christ in you.

       God has given you an earnest.

He has presented you with a foretaste, a sampling of what it will be like in Glory.

       God has given you a baptism..

He has made available to you all the privileges which go with being part of the Body of Christ.

       God has given you an anointing.

You are assured you shall always be equal to the task he sets before you.

Only one thing is required to get all this working together for you--right now!

34

THE FULLNESS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.

I want you to notice something very interesting.

This is the only--the only--exhortation connected with the work of the Holy Spirit.

Everything else has been done by God.
This is the one thing you must do.
This is your part of the bargain.
You must be filled with the Holy Spirit.

THE BIBLICAL MEANING OF BEING FILLED.

In scripture, people were filled with many things. To list a few, they were
        "filled with wrath" (Lk. 4:28),
              "filled with fear" (Lk. 5:26),
                       "filled with madness" (Lk. 6:11),
                                "filled with satan" (Acts 5:3).

In each case, people were under the control (key word) of wrath, fear, madness or satan. They also gave outward evidence of being controlled by the spirit to which they had given control.

Biblically speaking, to be "filled" with the Holy Spirit means
to be controlled (key word) by the Spirit.

I confess that for many years I didn't understand that. Then one day I came across a paragraph penned by William Graham Scroggie. Dr. Scroggie preceded J. Sidlow Baxter as pastor of the great Charlotte Chapel in Edinburgh, Scotland.

I was privileged to visit with Dr. Scroggie when my wife my wife, Lucille and I held a week-long crusade there years ago. He was in his eighties at the time, but sharp as a tack. After talking with him, I bought everything he had written.

In one of his pamphlets I found this gem along with some other thoughts I've shared with you.

To be filled with the Spirit means to
       let the Spirit possess and control you.
It means you let him take your mind
       and think through it.
It means you let him take your heart
       and feel through it.
It means you let him take your conscience
       and judge through it.
It means you let him take your tongue
       and speak through it.
It means you let him take your will
       and act through it.
It means you let him take your total personality
       and use it as he may please.

To "be filled with the Holy Spirit" means letting go and letting God be God in your life.

35

YOU WILL NEED MANY FILLINGS.

Unlike some of the other blessings of the Spirit,
     being filled with the Spirit is not a once-and-for-all-time thing.

Likewise with you and intimacy with the Holy Spirit.
               You cannot be filled with the Spirit on a permanent basis!

The parching of your soul cannot be soothed,
     the thirsting of your spirit cannot be quenched,
the vague, diffused, uneasy feeling something is missing
     from your Christian life cannot be quieted
by a casual or occasional sipping of the Spirit.
     You must drink, and drink and keep on drinking.

You must develop a passion for fullness.

DON'T ASK. CHOOSE!

Therefore, you should not be asking for the baptism of the Holy Spirit. You should be choosing the fullness of the Holy Spirit.

Deliberately,
         consciously,
                    and repeatedly

you should be deciding (a process) to place yourself under the control of the Holy Spirit.