BULLETIN ARTICLE – 16 September 2018
It was Pentecost (a mini one) all over again. In Acts 19, twelve disciples of John the Baptist, who were baptised by him years earlier near the Jordan river, encountered the Apostle Paul in Ephesus. They had repented of their sins having experienced John’s “baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins” and were looking forward to Israel’s coming Messiah. They might have been ministering in areas of Judea where the latest Jerusalem news about Jesus and the Holy Spirit was scarce. They had apparently travelled to Ephesus to preach and teach about repentance as taught by their leader, John the Baptist. On discovering this, Paul knew what he had to do. He taught them about the Risen Christ – “If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved” (Rom 10:9). The twelve disciples of John experienced “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” (Rom 10:13). Paul then baptised them in the name of the Lord Jesus. He laid hands on them and, as Jesus promised, they immediately received the Holy Spirit. There was such great joy as they began praising God and exulting Him in other languages and declaring the wonders of God.
When the Holy Spirit came on to these men, they were born again. The Holy Spirit convicts the world of sin, righteousness and judgment – John 16:8. The Holy Spirit bore witness with their spirits that they were children of God – Rom 8:16. There was such assurance and security in their new identity as children of God that they broke out in joy and praise. These men would go on to make a difference to their world preaching the gospel of Jesus – repentance and the forgiveness of sins – and breaking down the strongholds of idolatry and unbelief.
The church today needs to discover afresh the power of the Holy Spirit. We need to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and walk in obedience to his commands as taught in the Bible. The evidence of the working of the Holy Spirit in the church is power, joy and grace. There is power to break free from the bondage of sin and experience forgiveness of sins. There is joy in living as the redeemed people of God for “the joy of the LORD is your strength” (Neh 8:10). There is God’s grace apart from which we will never be free from the bondage of sin nor receive the joy of the Lord.
Where are we individually on this? If we have never believed on the Lord Jesus, now is the time to call on his name and be saved – to experience repentance and forgiveness of sins. We will receive the Holy Spirit who will lead us into new life in Jesus. If we have once believed but now lack the power of the Holy Spirit filled life, now is the time to repent and return to the Lord Jesus. If we are already believing Christians, we need to keep on believing and receiving the power, the joy and the grace of the Holy Spirit. Only when the church runs on the power of the Holy Spirit will the church be able to impact society with the gospel of Jesus – repentance and the forgiveness of sins.
