Good morning my “Walking with Jesus” friends,
Many of us have had that ‘sweet & sour’ experience of parenting with the intention of preparing our kids to leave home and chart their course in life. Remember the feeling you had when they left home, and you watched them make adult decisions without your direct involvement? Some of us have had the privilege to be an athletic coach, or a business mentor, or a teacher, or even a spiritual disciple maker. Have you discovered how gratifying it is when you see your student making right choices and living what you’ve taught them?
Yesterday we met a Messianic Jewish man named Apollos who had come from Alexandria, Egypt to Ephesus, as Luke records for us in Acts 18:24. Apollos was a well-educated man, evidently having studied at great length the Septuagint, the Greek version of the Hebrew Old Testament. Apollos was articulate and a gifted speaker, and evidently quickly drew crowds of Jews in Ephesus who highly respected intellectuals from Alexandria.
But as Aquila and Priscilla listened to Apollos, they realized his learning had significant deficits. Yes, Apollos knew the Old Testament Hebrew Scriptures very well and yes, he was convinced, and could convince others, that Jesus was the long awaited Jewish Messiah. But Apollos knew very little about the teachings of Jesus or the Gospel of Jesus. Apollos knew virtually nothing about the significance of the death and resurrection of Jesus, nor about Salvation from sin bondage and sin condemnation available to anyone who repented of sin and put their full faith in Jesus.
Apollos knew little if anything about the Holy Spirit of God, or the regeneration work of the Spirit in salvation, nor the indwelling work of the Holy Spirit in guiding, teaching and empowering Christ followers. So Luke tells us this: “When Priscilla and Aquila heard Apollos, they invited him to their home and explained to him the way of God more adequately.” (Acts 18:26)
Now considering all Apollos did not know about Jesus, I presume this was much, much more than one or two conversations! You’ll recall Aquila and Priscilla had been personally taught by the apostle Paul after they had met in Corinth and spent many months together. (Acts 18:1,2,11) Paul had brought them to Ephesus (Acts 18:19) and left them there to teach the new believers in Ephesus while he traveled on to Caesarea, Jerusalem and ultimately Syrian Antioch.
Now Aquila and Priscilla were the teachers and Apollos was the student in Ephesus, while Paul was beginning his THIRD missionary journey! Paul traveled those several hundred miles, between Syrian Antioch and Ephesus, visiting towns and cities along the way, where Paul had spent time in the past sharing the Gospel and starting little churches of Jesus followers! (Acts 18:23)
After an extended time of Aquila and Priscilla teaching Apollos, evidently Apollos felt he was ready to go, taking his fresh learning to new places with the goal of re-engaging in powerfully preaching about Jesus, only now with a much fuller understanding of Jesus the Messiah; Jesus the Savior of the world; and the full, lifesaving Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Luke describes it this way: “When Apollos wanted to go to the province of Achaia, the brothers and sisters [in Ephesus] encouraged him and wrote to the disciples there [Corinth] to welcome him. When Apollos arrived, he was a great help to those who by grace had believed. For he vigorously refuted his Jewish opponents in public debate, proving from the Scriptures that Jesus was the Messiah. [Christ]“ (Acts 18:27,28)
As the map shows us, the province of Achaia was the region of Greece which included both Athens and Corinth. While Luke doesn’t trace for us the route Apollos took, I presume he went by ship across the Mediterranean Sea, from Ephesus directly to Corinth, as that was one of the most frequently traveled shipping lanes. It may be that he first stopped in Athens and then traveled on to Corinth.
It appears Corinth was his ultimate destination because Paul had spent 18 months there and Apollos feeling well equipped, after teaching from Paul’s students Aquila and Priscilla, was ready to use his great learning and his teaching gift for the purpose of building on the spiritual foundation Paul had laid in Corinth.
Luke gives us this insight: “While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul took the road through the interior and arrived at Ephesus.” (Acts 19:1) May I remind you the last time Paul had been in Ephesus, a few months earlier, which was his first, brief visit in this city, Paul had promised those with whom he had begun to discuss Jesus in the Synagogue, that he would return if it was the Lord’s will. (Acts 18:19,20) Now Paul arrived again in Ephesus and was enthusiastically welcomed.
It appears Paul did as he had promised and went immediately to the Synagogue looking for those whom he had met a few months before on his last visit. Luke describes what Paul found this way: “There Paul found some disciples and asked them, ‘Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?’ They answered, ‘No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.’ So Paul asked them, ‘Then what baptism did you receive?’ ‘John’s baptism,’ they replied.” (Acts 19:1-3) Now my friends, I wonder what you make of that?
The word “disciples” suggests these are believers in Jesus who are earnestly trying to learn the spiritual truths about Jesus. Paul’s question was an essential one for the work of the Holy Spirit in the life of someone who believes in Jesus is the clear evidence that God is accomplishing the life transforming, saving work that only God can do! That’s the spiritual work of Redemption, Regeneration, Justification, Adoption etc. that Jesus promised God would do, in response to our repentance from our sin, and our full trust in Jesus to become our Savior.
Their answer to Paul’s question suggests these ‘disciples’ were likely followers of Apollos before he had been further instructed by Aquila and Priscilla, OR they were people in Ephesus who were just beginning to learn of Jesus and had not yet stepped into the process of experiencing God’s life transforming work in them, by the power of the Holy Spirit. Do you notice Paul asking about ‘baptism’?
Paul was NOT asking them if they had been baptized in water, the experience we often refer to as “believers’ baptism”, which new Christians are urged to participate in as a public declaration of the certainty of their salvation. No, Paul was asking them if they had received the “baptism of the Holy Spirit” which both John the Baptist (John 1:33; Luke 1:16) and Jesus had promised! (Acts 1:5.8)
This work of the Holy Spirit baptizes us, fully immerses us, into relationship with Jesus Christ! (Romans 6:1-14) It means we are ‘born again’ by the Holy Spirit and in Christ we have a new, holy spiritual nature and totally new identity! (John 3:3-7 & 2 Corinthians 5:17) It means the Holy Spirit cleanses us, washes us clean from all the damage of our sin (1 John 1:9) as God declares us forgiven and justified! (Eph. 1:7 & Romans 5)
Now let’s pause here, and let me ask the same question of all of you, thousands of you, who are reading this: Have you received the Baptism of the Holy Spirit?
If you say YES, what evidence can you cite that proves to you that God has in fact accomplished this baptism of the Holy Spirit in your life? It’s a big question isn’t it my friends?
We’ll come right back here tomorrow to dig more deeply in the answer these disciples gave and Paul’s response and teaching. For now… what about you…Baptized by the Holy Spirit or not?
Today’s Scripture is Acts 19:1-3.
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Pastor Doug Anderson
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)
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