The Full Gospel

You’re so good. You’re so good to me And you might be that person that that’s an easy thing to do You have a blessing you want to stand up and shout it right now. That’s great. That’s really great And there might be a problem for some of us who have things of our own making in the way Let’s just call it sin. I don’t have to get detailed, but it’s an obstacle.

It’s a barrier and Truth be told you’re not seeing a lot of the goodness of God in your life because you’ve you’ve dammed it up you’ve blocked it from flowing into Your family and your marriage It’s your job But a scripture that has really dramatically impacted Debbie and I for the last two years at least Is Psalm 84 11 The Lord is a son and a shield he gives both grace and glory Then this no good thing does he withhold? From those who walk uprightly Which

tells me there’s a bias in God to bring good into my life and into your life And I don’t mean a new car necessarily I don’t I’m not sure what it means, but I I’m guessing it starts with the inside It’s something that he wants to do like the song we just sing We were new arrivals in In 1993 and I looked at the date of that song Krista. It’s 1990 and it was a favorite Of grace point in that day. We weren’t even called grace

point in that day. We but it was real to us Because it gets to one of those issues that might be blocking good the problem of the heart I’m not gonna assume that that’s your story because it may or may not be But Can can I just offer to you the sort of a footnote to last Sunday where we talked deeply about trauma it was It was profound in many many lives.

I get that from interactions we’ve had that We’re broken people and there’s really not an exception until we get that we’re gonna think if you’re burning Broken you’re gonna go. I’m the only guy here that’s messed up And that’s crazy. That’s just not true Or you might you might have a pride problem because You know I’m on a roll. It’s going for me And I just want us to come before Jesus with the reality that he is the healer He will purify our hearts and that’s my experience. That’s never fun But it’s necessary So would you would you just close your eyes for a minute and let them open by looking inside you Start with the obvious you’re hurting you might be one of those that is still processing deep trauma But it might also Be the case that God says I’m the healer.

I’m the helper I’m the source of hope in that trauma in your past that keeps wanting to To trouble you in the present And it’s hard for you to hear he’s good. He’s good. He’s good to me Well, you just say by faith whisper to him Lord there is stuff in the way I need your help To address that stuff And I’m really asking for your Holy Spirit to do that work in me if Refining is required and I suspect it is Will you gently refine

me Lord? So that I’m holy as you are holy In Jesus name I pray I Want to encourage you That’s why I took that time to pray To connect with many of you and many others that didn’t have a chance to reach out Kids have a great time. I know some of your head into Kidland next door, but I want to encourage you that It’s not too late if you’re if you’re bound by some blockage In a trauma that just will not let you go Let’s

not despair.

Let’s not give up on that. Let’s Let’s work together. Let’s grow together Can I tell you what? It’s happening and I could go on and set aside my sermon for the morning I can just tell you this I was at a men’s group yesterday and God was on the move. Amen.

He was on the move in hearts and It was really a cool experience And I think he’s gonna do things this morning as well We’re in a series of messages That come out of acts in the New Testament. We’re actually in chapter 19 this week. Can you believe it and It’s all ready making me a little Worried that what will we talk about when we’re done with acts? You know so in the spirit of John Moore who? Who loves James?

I think we’re just gonna go back to chapter one and start it all over again. How’s that sound John? So it’s good stuff No, I’m I’m excited to take us a step further I want to Yeah, I want to thank you for Every so often a pastor needs validation that am I getting through is just making a difference and last week overwhelmed me with Sense that that’s happening and it humbles me really does so Thank you for Revealing your trauma. Let’s we’ll get through it together. Okay.

I don’t know what it is in most cases But the ones I do know you’ve heard me say those words. We’ll get we’ll get through this and we will I want to take you back this morning My title probably gets your attention and maybe arouses a little bit of concern Because it goes back to the days of a controversy I hope that controversy won’t flare up this morning But no doubt the fact that you’re here tells me you are largely comfortable and and secure in the

Theological presentation that I try to fold into every message So I’m not I’m not an agenda guy. I’m a Jesus guy and I love the word of God Whether it’s really easy to hear Really hard to hear. Amen. That’s what that’s what’ll set us free So so I want to take you back a long time ago to just set the hook a little bit and make you see that I had a kind of an early on discovery of the topic we’re gonna talk about I was

a Very long time ago.

I had a conversation with a young pastor. I was fairly young then – I was It’s about 35 years ago. So been a pastor 43 years. So I was kind of in the early innings of pastoring and he was sitting next to me on a tour bus in Israel to set the stage I had been invited as 200 of us had from North America Pastors from all over and we none of us really made sense as to why we were selected but I got an opportunity

to go there for the first of two visits to the Holy Land and it was life-changing it was powerful But I’m sitting next to this guy there’s an aisle in between us and We had a conversation and it really our conversation that day actually bumped into the topic of our study and Acts today in chapter 18 So if you’re not there yet, you can turn there That’s where we’re heading at the end of chapter 18 and to beginning of chapter 19 So let me state somewhat

the controversy right out of the gate When does the Holy Spirit come into the life of a believer in Jesus Okay, when does the Holy Spirit? I Don’t like this expression because I mean it much more reverently but show up You know in a person’s life Okay Believers life so on that day 35 years ago Touring the country we had between sites as some of you that were on our trip more recently know there were there were a lot of times in the buses And you

know lots of conversations you became best friends by the end You know and we’re having this chat.

I have no idea. He’s from the Midwest someplace. I do know that he was very young He had not gone to seminary which doesn’t indict you and make you bad But he he was maybe in his early 20s. I was in my late 20s Again, no superiority there at all. It was just who we were and we’re having this conversation that was fairly simple And straight and so he asked me the first of two questions When did you get saved and which which is a really great question?

I hope you’ll lead with that in your life groups today This when did you get saved if you’re at home? Talk about it with your family and friends when did I here’s when I got saved if you’re not clear about it Then maybe there’s some things you can look at in Scripture again reach out to me Steve at grace point family calm and we’ll we’ll talk about how you can be sure about that and if you You’re not sure then how you can meet Jesus and

away we go. Okay, so that’s in my heart always When did you get saved this young man said to me and I told him quickly I was I was in Mexico and I was an eighth grader and I was on a ministry trip that my father led I was really a truth be known I was there to just hang out with dad because he was always on the go and so you just had to throw Alasso around him and hold on, you know kind of thing

so we’re in Mexico and he’s he’s got students down there Sharing the gospel and I met Jesus down there. I was in eighth grade I remember that the group was called caravans for Christ and it gave birth to all kinds of ministry things that are still with us today So it was a true Holy Spirit kind of time and it was a time that impacted my life deeply So I tell him this and then he quickly asks a follow-up question and My answer I learned was

not what he expected nor what he accepted He asked when did you receive the Holy Ghost? Can I just stop for a second say I don’t like that label?

The Holy Ghost I realize some of you I don’t want to step on toes, but I don’t like ghosts. I just don’t they scare me. Okay, just put it out there So I don’t know if that’s you and you know, I’m not taking a shot at you In any way, but that was not my background. I prefer Holy Spirit or the Spirit of God Because the song we sing God in three persons blessed Trinity is what I prefer and I feel secure with saying it that way, amen? Okay about half of you said amen.

That’s good. Okay. All right. That’s good So you’re still wondering What was my answer to his second question when did I receive the Holy Spirit? And My answer was to repeat what I had said in answer to his first question in Mexico as an eighth grader Going to tell people about Jesus and realized whoops I Didn’t have Jesus in my heart.

I was talking facts not reality inside And It’s difficult to describe those at home. We’ll see a close-up of this the look on his face at that moment was we’ve got I In the apple an iPhone it has icons on it and it’s the one where the eyes are popping out like This guy and this way before cell phones, but this guy had that look and he looked at me like and I can see his body shift to I’m not sitting that close to the aisle

next To this guy, you know, we were on a different page is my point and it was very Obvious and then it removed all doubt when I listened to his rather pejorative response What’s that mean? He ain’t buying it and you’re a jerk for answering that question that way. It was like a condescending rip Is that enough definition on pejorative you get it? Okay, so it was it was a What was his response you’re kidding me came more of it that doesn’t happen It’s always later

in most cases much later Now I’m animating it more than he did because we didn’t want to upset the rest of the pastors on the bus But it was real and it was a moment that that aisle Became symbolic in many ways I Responded to him in that moment by then I was questioning my salvation of course And I said this something like this it seems to me and I was maybe not this calm that in some cases in the book of Acts in the Bible

the Holy Spirit Came into someone Life sometime after Being in Mexico in the eighth grade like my story told some cases that is true in the book of Acts but more often It happened right at that moment that they Repented of their sin and cried out for mercy and salvation And they were saved and at that moment At that moment God have mercy on me the center think Luke 18 Okay guy beats his chest.

That’s all it is seven words. God have mercy on me the center transaction complete He was saved The Holy Spirit came to live inside people like that again and again in Acts And listen to me clearly on this permanently guaranteeing their promised future and place in heaven someday I came home from Mexico. We made it home and Had I not made it home and died on the way I’m just putting it in real language now. I would be home with Jesus in heaven Because I was signed sealed delivered baby And belonging to Jesus all the way Now That into our conversation that day But hopefully it begins our conversation today. All right, so This morning I want you to see and with your own eyes and with your own assessment evaluate was my answer correct and Does it still apply today?

Okay Because that’s where it matters. You don’t want to hear me tell entertaining story or something like that You want to know what about me? Is my story for real is this true for me? And that’s where we want to go here. So Acts 18 is where we left off and the Apostle Paul at this point verse 23 had just Returned home from to his sending church His sending church was not Jerusalem.

You may recall it was actually Antioch of Syria up north from Jerusalem It’s where he was a homeboy. He knew the people there. They knew him and they sent him out on Several missions trips he had returned from his second mission trip and he had gone on that trip you’ll recall He’d been gone a long time missionaries do that typically they’ll go to the Four years there was a day when it was always for and more But they go away for a while and then they where do they return to home base? They come to we call it the sending church. So Antioch Syria is where Paul’s sending church was and he comes back to them Reporting what had happened?

He’d been gone three years and he had covered this doesn’t matter a lot today. This is me going Debbie and I drive into Maryland Okay That’s a long ways in a car want to do it by foot It’s a really long ways. So you start to understand three years Long distance and he had visited many churches Sharing the good news with them that Jesus gave his life as a sacrifice for people’s sin. That’s the gospel and They can have eternal life by repenting of their sins and believing in him. There’s the gospel You never done that you need to do that.

That’s where it starts All right, so that had all been part of his trip and after now a very short Home assignment maybe the rest of that year likely during winter he he was moved again and felt stirred by the Holy Spirit to head out again a third missions trip. So that’s what we come to here and He takes virtually not completely but virtually the same he retraces his roots he heads in south Asia in a turkey track heading basically a little bit north and straight

west and Luke highlights that Paul’s primary purpose in heading out. He moved fairly quickly We don’t see any detail about the stops on his third trip. We just know that he hit Places that we went into depth with talking about Iconium and other places Listera and Derby and then And by the way, I say he did that For reasons that you would imagine it’s not a guess When you go to a place you share the gospel and you reach people people turn to Jesus and then

they gather together that’s called planting a church, okay So he had churches in these places in his second trip Derby Listera Iconium others he had those churches because a few believers Started sharing what they had discovered in Jesus. I remember the old I found it campaign They did that and more people went I want it You found something I need I want it and so they did and they formed these brand new baby churches well what A person like Paul and maybe many of us want

to do is we want to go back there For the purpose of saying how you guys doing?

Are you still growing? Are you still walking with the Holy Spirit? Are you still focused on God and he basically went there to encourage these people? Which may I say is a primary reason we come together here on Sundays It’s not the only day of the week if you drive by the church any day of the week You’ll see whoa something’s going on there If you keep driving then you’re not involved in what’s going on there, and that’s okay. It’s not a rip But give it

some thought There’s things going on and they’re good things But there’s a couple of New Testament statements made they’re both from Hebrews the first is chapter 3 verses 12 and 13 It says see to it brothers and sisters that none of you has something That’s potential in all of us a sinful unbelieving heart That turns away from the living God you say well that won’t happen Apparently it’s a bias in the heart.

There’s a bias in the heart toward wild and That’s the antidote verse 13 goes on to say but it but meet together get together and encourage one or one another daily often So that none of you may be out Hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. There’s a whole another sermon there But sin doesn’t just come knocking on your door. It sneaks up on you and It’s creeping separateness and eventually over time you’re way off the path and you go how into world Did this happen? So

see to it is one of the men Hebrews 10 one you’re more familiar with versus 24 and 25 Let us consider how to spur one another or steal Simulate one another to love and good deeds not giving up There’s a message here for some of us in this gathering and some of us not in this gathering Let’s not give up gathering or meeting together as is the habit of some but Encouraging that’s what Paul was coming back to do Encouraging one another Day after day all

the more as you see the Day of Jesus return approaching That’s a great Enticement I know we’re busy people But I know a lot of us have fallen out of the habit of Doing what the scriptures tell it. Let me just say it if you’re out of the habit of Gathering get into the habit again Do it and I’m talking not just to live stream people some of them are shut-ins.

They’re not going to be able to be That’s okay, but I don’t know of a biblically strong reason For not showing up in church and taking church a hundred percent online You say wow don’t don’t offend your audience I I’m just telling you the truth if it offends you talk to the Holy Spirit about it because he Here’s the reason other Christians need you and You need them Missing without that so Here we are as Paul continued to encourage the the believers on this trek West

the narrative shifts to a city Turns out it was the last city Paul visited on his second trip before going home Ephesus but before Paul shows up Luke draws attention to a an Egyptian Jew named Apollus that a cool name. How many ever think in the rocky movies right now Apollo Creed wasn’t that his name Apollo Creed? So anyway Here we are he’s introduced Apollus not Apollo Apollus Egyptian Jew so he’s from way down south and he’s up here across the Mediterranean in Ephesus And he’s

introduced I think you’ll agree in some very impressive ways look at verse 24 meanwhile a Jew named Apollus an eloquent speaker who knew the scriptures well had arrived in Ephesus from Alexandria way down in Egypt He had been taught the way of the Lord and he taught others about Jesus Notice with an enthusiastic spirit and with accuracy. I guess it’s got to stop and tell you that’s my mission every Sunday up here to teach this way Like like Apollus. I mean enthusiastic spirit and accuracy however

however Circle the word if you circle words in your Bible however Luke adds he knew only about John’s baptism When Priscilla and Aquila I’ve heard those names When they heard him preaching boldly in the synagogue they took him aside and explained the way of God Even more accurately Apollus had been thinking about going to Achaia and the brothers and sisters in Ephesus encouraged him to do so They even wrote letters to the believers there asking them to welcome him and when he arrived He proved to

be of great benefit to those who by God’s grace had believed He refuted the Jews with powerful arguments in public Debate using the scriptures He explained to them that Jesus was the Messiah Let me just say in a sweeping way.

It’s about Apollus Apollus had it all almost I Mean not to make anything up here. He was well-versed verse 24 says with a great grasp of the scriptures That’s a great starting point if you’re gonna be a communicator for God in any way in a public way in a personal way Get to know God’s word You say how will I share the gospel? I got a ton of simple ways the Romans wrote parallel lines the four spiritual laws It’s easy. It’s really when she do it. You just go I got it I can do it.

So I’ve got the Bible going and so did Apollus and he had a great grasp of the scriptures verse 24 tells us he shared what he learned of the way of the Lord and I already made a deal about this but he had sincere passion and persuasion You know he doesn’t just want to impart information. He’s looking for reaction. He’s reading people’s non-verbals and if they’re just like Then he pulls them in closer and says let’s talk some more. Let’s get this down That’s the kind of communicator Luke’s describing in Apollus here notice too. He was well-trained in debate That works really well when you’ve got You’ve got resistors Like now no their head their non-verbals are saying I don’t buy it.

I don’t get it on no way And so he was really good at refuting resistors because you know I perceive you’re not buying this Well, let’s talk about why you don’t buy this Not a beat down not I see the gal in the red dress or the guy in the blue shirt. No It’s hey, let’s talk about that. That’s that’s what he did and he was a great Refuter it turns out not surprisingly that it was many of the Jews who were living in Acaya, which

is down in the Corinth area south Greece So he didn’t just let him go. He said wait a second. You’re not you’re not drawing this in However ahead you think of that word when we read it the first time he lacked a full picture of God’s plan Namely he only knew the baptism of John the baptizer in verse 21 Known as John’s baptism more on that in a minute I’d love to tell you this thankfully thankfully he ran into a couple of people one day when

he was waxing eloquence and the synagogue were told right verse 26 and Who were those people?

Quilla and Priscilla and Patty and Uncle Bob remember them And guess we took him They’re home Because they have enough bedrooms and say stay a while we want to explain some things some more and they did and they kept using this gift and the means that God had given them in this case to Expand they they were impressed. There’s no question about how you read verse 26 They heard him speak preach boldly in the same They’re like whoa But they pull him aside and explain the

word of God more accurately Can use the word completely? He had a partial grasp of the truth And they wanted to make it a full grasp You know what’s missing in verse 25, and I love this let it be true of any of us if you don’t like what this Apollus is doing They’re saying thank you for cooking you don’t just go You know call it out or or get up and huff out You don’t do that we don’t do that They didn’t do that either

they invite him to their home That’s a great thing he wasn’t he wasn’t a heretic. He just didn’t have all the information So they took their time What was missing in his message we’ve been told he only knew of the baptism of John What was the baptism of John well it was a baptism of repentance of Repentance people who wanted to get right with God Then and now must repent I’m not on the path with God. I don’t think God would take my hand right now.

Well, you can change that It’s called repent Say something in your own language. God. I suck. I’m bad. I don’t care.

It doesn’t really matter how you put it in words. It really doesn’t Maybe God I tried to be good a sense. It’s not good enough or you know Jesus. I just been a Trainwreck heaven. I didn’t know there was a path You know somebody like that how many of you were that at some point in your life Okay, it’s okay.

I know I know your stories and there’s a lot more hands that should be in the air right now Just saying just telling you I’ve told you I should have been behind bars. I don’t mean a drinking bar I Was a guy I was that guy. I mean I have had so many parents in 30 years here that go man You’re so encouraging to us because We got one like you That’s cool Because Jesus Christ changed it for me everything in his Holy Spirit make sure that I stay changed when I’m resisting He just doesn’t go away We’re gonna change it again. So here’s the deal John John’s baptism was actually quite popular in the day People by throngs were coming to him and he and here’s you want to hear his message? I do you don’t have to go there Matthew Matthew three.

This is from John the baptizer you brood of vipers You haven’t heard that from me this morning, okay? But he used it you brood of vipers who warned you to flee from the wrath to come bear fruit in keeping with your repentance You want to throw up or run away don’t you it’s Like this guy’s going he’s going postal Well, guess what a ton of people Felt a stab in their hearts a Conviction and they said what do we do? That’s a good start He says his very words. I baptized you with water, but one is coming who’s more powerful Than I am and he will come And the straps on his sandals. This is what a big deal.

He is compared to me. I’m not even worthy to tie his shoes He will baptize you differently than me. I’m here to cause you to stop Say I messed up Get into water and say you’re sorry That was the baptism of John He will come and baptize you with the spirit And fire fire What’s the difference between the two I Have a book that I think swind all in one sentence. That’s why he’s such a better communicator than me. This is what he said Christian baptism the fire the baptized you in the Holy Spirit fire Christian baptism differs from the baptism of John in that it symbolizes a believer universe union with Christ in his death his burial his resurrection to new life and unity in the kingdom of God You hear the difference one is I gotta get this guilt trip off my back.

I feel bad for what I’ve done. Well, then get wet John would say and Jesus said Hold on I when I come I’m gonna do it. That’s the start Here’s the full picture and of course acts is all about that full picture The baptism of the Holy Spirit and fire So now with the Paulus more fully informed of His theology he sets his sights as a as we read on On Greece south Greece a Kia the north part of Greece Macedonia southern part a Kia and And he didn’t just go there and knock on the door and say hey y’all want to talk He actually had the endorsement. Did you read that? Did you get that when we read it the endorsement of the Ephesian Christians?

They’re like this dude is legit They need him over there because Lord knows Corinth’s a mess Corinth was a mess They need a guy like you and so this paved the way for a Paulus to have significant impact on the new Christians in Corinth trying to live for Jesus in the middle of a mess Sounds like our world, huh? So Paulus goes to them and he he builds them up in their faith and He even refutes there. They are again the Jewish resistors About that time

Paul’s been going through Derby and I conium listra and then he diverts south and lands in Ephesus and he shows up and His second missionary trip, I think you’ll take my word for it But he made a statement that I want you to remember from a past study verse 20 of chapter 18 They asked this is it when he was in Ephesus about Set sail for home They asked him no stay stay longer. Please love what you’re teaching This is helping us. This is changing us

So verse 20 gives way to verse 21 as he left.

However, he said I will come back remember these words God willing Well folks God was willing and here he was So Paul after arriving met with a group of believers and in getting acquainted He asked them a great question Their salvation story And it happened to be 12 of them That we’re told he met Tell me your salvation story in essence what Paul is about to we’re about to read as he he said How did you get saved tell me your testimony? So verse 1 chapter

17 Excuse me chapter 19 While Paulus Paulus was in Corinth Paul traveled through the interior regions until he reached Ephesus on the coast where he found several 12 believers Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed? He asked them no they replied What an answer we haven’t even heard that there is a Holy Spirit Then what baptism did you experience Paul asked they replied the baptism of John of course Paul said John’s baptism called for repentance from sin But John himself told the people to

believe in the one who would come later meaning Jesus They’re taking all this in I wish we could see their look on their face going You know the aha moment They heard this they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus Then when Paul laid his hands on them on them the Holy Spirit came on them and they spoke in other tongues and prophesied and were told in verse 7 there were 12 of them in all While their spiritual interest was real No question about

it How do you explain Paul the apostle returning in heaven? Having an audience with these 12 There’s a spiritual interest there that this passage is built upon and their baptism Let me just say it was sincere Paul didn’t go your baptism. You know, he has a all wet It’s a bad way to put it, but you’re you missed it It was sincere But something was missing and It was time for them to move forward from people that are religious To people that have a true relationship

With Jesus through the Holy Spirit Let’s give these people a label for a moment.

Can we they were spiritually sincere people Everybody good with that label? I think it’s correct I would I would expect to hear some kind of pushback recorded in the Bible there wasn’t They’re just taking it in and that makes them to me spiritually sincere people And they even say so they were baptized with John’s baptism That’s a good thing They had believed they were believers rather so we’re not talking about people that didn’t believe in Jesus We’re told it I’m reading this morning from new living

translation, which will maybe solve a mystery some of you But they were told in verse one he found several believers in verse two Did you receive the Holy Spirit the question ends with when you believed? So these are believers, okay, and they had been baptized like We learned earlier they had been baptized as Paul has said for the the baptism of John to express their sorrow for their sin They were teachable too, and I I didn’t couldn’t get past the as soon as they heard this

verse five There’s this sense that I’m gonna remember when Paul was in Athens and he preached and there was there was there were some people that scoffed and sneered and They said not I’m gonna buy it and then it says there was another group that said We’re gonna think some more about this I’m gonna you know shut you down, but I’m not gonna buy in and then there’s another group at the end of this all in chapter 17 of Acts There’s a third group that says

we’re in We’ll follow Jesus every anyone wants to come after me deny yourself take up your cross daily and follow me they said that’s us These guys they they were the kind that said hold on this makes sense so We’re they’re teachable. I’m thinking and they hear truth and they act upon it. That’s what verse five is saying they they hear this explanation verse four and They go wow that connects some dots that puts things together and they And they experience the Holy Spirit’s presence and

power So much so that we’re told that they spoke in tongues and prophesy So You’ll you’ll see in your outline we’re not going past that but there is some application moments Okay Given our study today What are some biblically based takeaways when it comes To discovering New information and in particular a fuller picture of the Holy Spirit I’ve told you from the beginning of this study that this is I feel very comfortable saying this is acts of the Apostles or we’ve kind of nicknamed it acts

of the Holy Spirit No other place in the Bible does Pentecost happen except what’s recorded here it happened here in acts so The Holy Spirit is the central theme and what he did and empowered the Apostles to do is What the rest of the New Testament’s about?

We’re gonna we’re gonna in a moment we’re gonna actually read something from Ephesians and you say well that makes sense wouldn’t didn’t You just say he’s in Ephesians or Ephesus, that’s right and he wrote them when he left and Anyway, it’s it’s really really good stuff, but Here’s let me make it more personal was my answer to that pastor a young pastor and myself on the bus that day Correct was it accurate? Okay, here are a couple of parting Takeaways points the first is this There

doesn’t seem to be a set pattern in acts For when and how the Holy Spirit comes Thank you there doesn’t there doesn’t seem to be a set pattern I think I’ve tended to and you can answer for yourself I’ve tended to vilify those that didn’t see it exactly the way I saw it for For a while well my way is the right way well of course I Mean I’m just what do you count do we all think that of course my way is the right way?

Yeah for me, right? I’m gonna say you can make it up and one size fits one But but I didn’t knowingly hold on to a incorrect view or a partial view I’ve I I sat there that day thinking huh and I think we both left we parted ways convinced that other guy was wrong And that how it works and then he goes to a Pentecostal church of a full gospel church a I don’t know Simplies of God, you know, you can name them all but he

goes to one of those and I make my way to a safe secure Baptist church Okay My dad’s asleep, so don’t even bring this up right now No, he would agree with you right now. He really would or me anyway So there doesn’t seem to be a set pattern in acts for when and how the Holy Spirit comes Let me give you some reasons for that if you if you are in the habit of looking down at the bottom you can find these References there and

other places in acts today, but he came before Baptism in Caesarea while Peter was preaching it’s in Acts chapter 8 Peter was preaching all of a sudden he got interrupted how the Holy Spirit showed up and moved in the hearts of these people so Before baptism the Holy Spirit came in that example.

He also came after baptism in Samaria if you go up to Samaria You check it out chapter 8 you find that he actually He came after baptism there. Well, that doesn’t fit though one size and then here’s a couple of probably more on your mind questions he came with and without The laying on of hands No hands were laid on me in Mexico Some churches that’s the method whereby you are touched slain some would say in certain circles by the Holy Spirit Slain sounds like killed

and I don’t like that either so but anyway I’m just saying I’m just being open here. Okay, so but he came in in acts a stick with acts acts 8 and acts 2 and Acts 2 was Pentecost guess what there was not a hand laid on anybody there So it doesn’t take hands to pull this off Is what I’m saying some cases it happened that way they laid hands on them. That’s what we’ve just read about here And then he came with people speaking in tongues

and without You realize that it’s really true. So Again right here 19 6 And when Paul laid hands on them the Holy Spirit came on them and they spoke in other tongues and prophecies That’s one of the ways it happens But if you go clear back to chapter 8 you come to the verse 14 and I’ve referenced these already but you can pick it up there when you do Do your further study but acts 8 14 And when you see this when the Apostles in Jerusalem

heard the people of Samaria accepted God’s message They sent Peter and John as soon as they arrived they prayed for these new believers to receive the Holy Spirit The Holy Spirit had not come upon any of them for they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus then Peter and John laid their hands up upon these people and they received the Holy Spirit but noticed no mention there or anything further that they spoke in tongues or prophesied now That takes to a second

principle and that’s this speaking in tongues isn’t the issue It is not the issue Being filled and sealed in the Holy Spirit is the issue right I Told you I’d quote Ephesians here we go.

Listen to these these are clarifying words by the Apostle Paul a little bit later. He wrote this in chapter 1 verses 13 and 14 when you believed in Christ Just walked through your story right now when you believed in Christ he identified you as one of his own That one belongs to me by giving you the Holy Spirit whom he promised long ago In Mexico Steve prayed and asked Jesus to come into his heart and he gave Steve the Holy Spirit To say I I you

belong to me The spirit still quoting is God’s guarantee that he will give us the inheritance that he promised and that he has purchased For us to be his people he did this so we would bring praise and glory to his name There is a great moment where you and I repent of our sins and God says he’s mine. She’s mine They’ve been born again and I don’t know if there’s a conversation I suspect there isn’t because the Holy Spirit is one of the Godhead God

in three person the Holy Spirit at that moment when Steve prayed to receive Jesus the Holy Spirit said I got this and He moved on my life came in I don’t remember how it happened, but he came into my life the Bible tells me and at that moment he sealed me An envelope was licked Right and he sealed me and and I’ve been sealed and secure ever since You say what happens when you were that guy and went off the path? Holy Spirit went with me

He didn’t like the right and what if they call that conviction He’s like hey, it’s bumpy in here. Hey, it’s bumpy in here Get back on the path Jack, you know, I mean, that’s kind of what the Holy Spirit however he talks.

That’s my language Get over here, you know that kind of thing he’s so I Have a caution then okay, here’s here’s here’s my caution. Okay, so speaking in tongues Isn’t the issue being being filled and sealed with the Holy Spirit that is the issue and Ephesians 4 verse Thessalonians 5 it’s there the Bible says that Okay, Ephesians 1 Ephesians 4 verse Thessalonians 5 a lot of other places the Holy Spirit There is a caution. I want to give us as we leave this morning The caution

has to do with what’s described in detail in Paul’s letter to the Corinthian Christians who as you kind of would guess they kind of got things tangled up They did that a lot and in this case about the Holy Spirit and it was a wild party and it was chaos and it was it was it was not organized and it was it was not orderly So first Corinthians chapter 14 is must read the whole chapter because I take from that that it’s a caution associated with

the the presence and practice of tongues in particular Not all believing spirit-filled Christians speak in tongues or prophesy We need to understand that that doesn’t make us superior or inferior it makes us different It makes me different. I don’t want to speak for you. Some of you have told me.

That’s my prayer lane. That’s great. I think that can be supported biblically Not saying make it up and call it a new label. I’m saying that’s okay, but I’m not I’m not I don’t have the gift. I’ve never had the gift of tongues I’ve never had the gift of healing or prophesying or knowledge Said what do you have?

You got anything Past or maybe there we go and and teacher So what’s the implication of what I just said? I want you to read 1 Corinthians 14 and the implication is this those that do Have the gift of tongues must remember that it’s not a required sign of salvation There’s absolutely no evidence in the Bible of here will hold hands on you longer It’s gonna happen. So, you know, you’re you’re a Christian It’s like being pregnant. You’re either really pregnant or you’re not pregnant if

you’re a Christian you’re a Christian not a sort of Christian okay, you belong to Jesus and if you have the gift of tongues and other what’s been called signed gifts Okay use them according to the The definition and boundaries of 1 Corinthians 14 that would not be a passage in the Bible if there wasn’t a problem that surfaced from time to time and Those that don’t have the gift of tongues must avoid this and I Stand corrected. I had no business retreating from that pastor I

Didn’t get it.

That’s not my experience, but we’ve got to avoid judgment and and Instead explore the Holy Spirit gifts that God has listed in ready for it 1 Corinthians 12 1 Corinthians 12 Ephesians 4 and 1 Peter 4 the 12s and the 4s You never forget it Romans 12 1 Corinthians 12 Ephesians 4 1 Peter 4 talks about a lot of other gifts If you’re not sure about your gift, that’s a great place to go So my my conclusion is the answer I gave the pastor on the

tour bus in Israel that day Was accurate I Truly was saved and sealed by the Holy Spirit the day I repented of my sins and believed in Jesus in Mexico as an eighth grader The other pastor’s experience was different than mine But the result was the same He too was saved and sealed after believing in Jesus We both had and have I’ve never stayed in touch with him. I’m not sure where he lives or what but He spoke in tongues and I didn’t Holy Spirit fall

fresh on us. Amen Would you bow your heads for a moment? Let me come back to something that is deeply embedded in everything I’ve said here today Everything Jesus died for your sins Sometimes you at home can’t see when I turn around I’m looking at a big cross that’s center point in in this gathering And that is true he died for your sins and was buried and and he rose again We get to remember and celebrate those things in a little bit of time just Less

than a month from now So my question to you is always an important one. Have you believed in him?

Have you believed in Jesus? Because if you have his spirit Came to seal the deal the moment you believed If you haven’t then the Holy Spirit does not live in you and now’s the time to repent and now’s the time to receive Jesus and eternal life and the Holy Spirit in that moment of prayer right now we’re You are will come in and take a permanent residence in your life And you will you will be secure Through the rest of this life and into eternity with

him So Jesus, thank you For being so wonderful that you came and did all those things but when you left you said it’s that’s actually a good thing I’m going away Because I’m going to send my spirit not just to be with you and show you as I have But to live inside you and share this life with you Until your home in heaven with him Let’s sing as we finish our time a great song that’s just meditative and a couple of little courses that connect

to

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