Walking in His Calling, Acts 19:8-20

 

Paul is on his third missionary journey; this is his second visit to Ephesus.

Upon arrival he met with a dozen disciples and introduced them to the Holy Spirit. (Last week’s study: Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed? Acts 19:1-7).

Then, as was his custom, Paul headed to the synagogue.

⁸ And he went into the synagogue and spoke boldly for three months, reasoning and persuading concerning the things of the kingdom of God. 

The Greek word for, synagogue, means, assembly or gathering, reflecting the communal aspect of Jewish worship and learning.

Historically, synagogues were not only places of worship but also centers for education and community matters.

Like, Little House on the Prairie, the Church house doubled as the schoolhouse and or, meetinghouse.

So, the synagogue was like a Jewish Clubhouse.

⁹ But when some were hardened and did not believe, but spoke evil of the Way before the multitude, he departed from them and withdrew the disciples, reasoning daily in the school of Tyrannus.

The “Way” used six times in Acts, refers to the Church, the Christians, the people, Ekklésia, the believers in Jesus Christ, the Way, the Truth, the Life.

The school of Tyrannus, was a dinosaur museum for tyrannosaurus rex. 😊. Just kidding.

It was also called the "lecture hall of Tyrannus." It was likely a public space for teaching and debate.

So, they went from a Jewish Clubhouse to a public clubhouse.

The important thing to note is that the commitment was to spreading the gospel not to a venue.

Church can happen anywhere.   

We’ve had Church in a school gym, an old store in a strip mall, a conference room in a bank, a gymnastics hall, the backyard of a cattle ranch, and a Clubhouse.

Church isn’t location, it’s people, committed to serving and loving God and people. Daily. All the time, everywhere.

They met daily. That took discipline. That’s the stuff disciples are made of. Consistent commitment.

Christianity is a full time, all pervasive, never ending, commitment to Jesus, in every aspect of life, even in, especially in, the thought life.

Luke 9:23
Then Jesus said to all of them, “If anyone wants to come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow Me.

¹⁰ And this continued for two years, so that all who dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks.

This continued two years, and all in Asia, both Jews and Greeks heard the Word of the Lord.

Hallelujah!

From that one spot, Church in a secular venue, they reached the whole world as it passed through Ephesus’, a major seaport and trade route.

That’s why having Church in the Clubhouse is such a good and God idea. Folks not going to Church, but just going about their day, passing through the Clubhouse can’t help but overhear the gospel. Plus, like Ephesus, we have people from all over passing through.  

Now, pause and consider that the Church in the Jewish synagogue lasted just a few months, then, like usual whenever Paul was trying to minister to the Jews, things when sideways, and Paul left.

Now remember, the Lord told Paul that he was called to the gentiles. Peter was called to the Jews.

Peter and Paul (maybe us too) might’ve thought that was backwards.

Paul the Bible Scholar, the learned Jew, would seem to be the perfect pick to minister to the Jews. Paul says in Philippians 3:5 that he was circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews; concerning the law, a Pharisee. Paul indeed would be the prime candidate for ministry to the Jews, or so it would seem.

Peter, the redneck fisherman from Redneckville, Bethsaida, on the shores of Galilee, seemed to be a sure catch for rednecks and gentile dogs.

But God saw it differently. Peter and Paul, and all who are called, will be called out of their comfort zone, so dependence on God, not their own abilities, will be priority.

Things fare much better when we walk outside our comfort zone and inside His calling zone.

¹¹ Now God worked unusual miracles by the hands of Paul, ¹² so that even handkerchiefs or aprons were brought from his body to the sick, and the diseases left them and the evil spirits went out of them.

The most important two words in those two verses is: God worked.

God worked unusual, extraordinary, miracles. God caused diseases to leave, and evil spirits to go.  

Handkerchiefs, refers to something like a leather headband, sweatband. There was no Power in it, or the apron.

Acts 5:15; tells of folks being laid in the street to be healed, when just the shadow of Peter passed by them.

Mark 5:25-34; The woman who’d been bleeding for 12 years said, “if I just touch the hem of Jesus’ garment, I’ll be healed”. She touched and was healed. Jesus felt “virtue” or “Power” go out of Him, not the hem. And He told the woman, “Your faith has made you well.”

At times, some folks have used a tangible item as a point of contact to release, or increase, their faith. It was their way of putting feet to their faith and in His amazing grace, God worked with that, and healed them.

The Healer and the healing is only and always the work of God.

Now this question pops up. Why’d He do more miracles then, than now?

Maybe He did, maybe He didn’t.

A few things to consider.

We have a laser focused view as we read through the Bible. The spotlight is on the highlights. We don’t see the passage of time between the amazing miraculous events. We don’t see those weren’t delivered and healed.

Furthermore, there’s a big difference in function between foundation stones and finishing stones.

We are the finishing stones of the Church Jesus has been building for 2,000 years. Our function is to stand and shine on the Church foundation stones. Those who’ve gone before.

We have the same purpose, build the Church, but different functions.      

God still heals, God still delivers, God still requires we walk by faith in His calling, not our comfort.

 ¹³ Then some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists took it upon themselves to call the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, “We exorcise you by the Jesus whom Paul preaches.” 

If you’re in a place with 14 temples worshipping false gods and one of the temples has 1,000 male and female prostitutes, (temple of Diana) you can be sure there’s a whole lot of demonic activity going on.

Thus, ghost busters will be in high demand.

These itinerant Jews who were traveling exorcists. They may have meant well, but they didn’t know Jesus.

So, their success was probably about the same as a snake oil salesmen. 

¹⁴ Also there were seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, who did so.

¹⁵ And the evil spirit answered and said, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you?”

It’s not what you know it’s Who you know.

Matthew 7:21-23
Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. ²² Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ ²³ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’

The seven sons of Sceva may have known just the right words, but they didn’t know Jesus personally, so they had no authority. 

¹⁶ Then the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, overpowered them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.

Someone under demonic power has superhuman strength.

Jesus is not a genie in a Bible. One cannot quote a few Bible verses or say the name of Jesus like an incantation and expect miracles and deliverances to happen.

It’s all about relationship with Jesus.

Filled with Jesus.

In Love with Jesus.

Knowing Jesus.

 ¹⁷ This became known both to all Jews and Greeks dwelling in Ephesus; and fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified. ¹⁸ And many who had believed came confessing and telling their deeds. ¹⁹ Also, many of those who had practiced magic brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all.

What became known?

An evil spirit stripped and beat the seven sons of Sceva?

Why would that cause them to fear?

Well, seven grown men got whooped by one evil spirit. BUT, a multiple evil spirits, and sicknesses, and diseases, tuck tail and run at just the touch of a hanky or apron from Paul.

That, put the fear of God in them.  

They piled up their witchcraft, occult, voodoo, tarot card, Harry Potter, Twilight books and DVDs.

It was a big pile...

And they counted up the value of them, and it totaled fifty thousand pieces of silver. ²⁰ So the word of the Lord grew mightily and prevailed.

A piece of silver was a day’s wage. So, 50,000 days’ wages up in smoke.

50k / 365= 137 years’ worth of wages. Today that’d be about 11 million dollars.

Harry Potter series author, JK Rowling, said her main ambition was to promote death.

Her death promoting series has sold over 600 million copies, translated into 84 languages.

Stephenie Meyer wrote the Twilight series filled with vampires and demonic activity.

She’s a Mormon. Mormonism, was founded by Joseph Smith who claimed, starting in 1823, he had multiple encounters with an angel called Moroni. Smith said the angel convinced him that Christians didn’t have all the truth. So, he said, he was given special revelation from golden tablets. The book of Mormon came out of that.

Galatians 1:8, But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. (Anathema, devoted to destruction; eternally condemned to hell).

Mormonism is based on a demonic revelation.

Reportedly, on Meyer’s website she tells how the Twilight series came through nighttime visions, or dreams. She says she could not stop the literal voices from giving her story lines. She kept a pen and paper by her bed and would wake in the morning to read what she’d written. 

In Ephesus they got out of their comfort zone and burned their black magic, satanic ritual paraphernalia.

Psalm 101:2-3, tells us to walk through our house with a perfect heart we set no unclean thing before our eyes. 

What’s in your house? In your heart?

Is Jesus saying, get rid of this or that? It hinders our relationship. It keeps you from really knowing Me.

Do you want to stay in your comfort zone, or walk in His calling zone?

Let’s pray.

Lord Jesus, no matter the venue, no matter the function, help us be a people disciplined and committed to walk in Your calling, not our comfort.

Thank You Lord,

We love You, forever.

Amen.

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This was feed for you to read. Now it’s Seed for you to sow.

Thank you for sharing.

Joseph’s Final Exam, Genesis 44:1-17

There’s only about a minute between chapters 43-44.

Joe and the bros. just finished a family reunion feast. However, Joseph was the only one that recognized they were brothers.

This was the second time in about a year Joseph’s brothers made the approximately 300-mile trip from Canaan to Egypt. They had to. It was the only place to buy food, because for two years, their whole world had been suffering severe famine.  

They didn’t know that the person they just ate with, the one who provided the food for their very survival, was their very own brother, Joseph.

The brother they hadn’t seen in 22 years.

The very brother that 22 years prior, they despised, rejected, abused, threw in a pit to leave for dead, but then, sold as a slave instead.

Yet, God was with Joseph, and raised him up.

Sound familiar?

Jesus was despised, rejected, abused and scourged, thrown in a tomb, left for dead. Isaiah 53.  

Yet, God was with Jesus and raised Him up! Philippians 2:5-11.

Even after all that, Joseph still loved his brothers.

Sound familiar?

While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8.

Genesis 44:1
 And he commanded the steward of his house, saying, “Fill the men’s sacks with food, as much as they can carry, and put each man’s money in the mouth of his sack.

Joseph showed them kindness, gave them provision as much as they could carry, and didn’t take a penny but returned their money, back in their sack. 

His will for them was only good, to give them a future and a hope, to deliver them from the wrath of the seven-year famine.

Yet, he had to test them, to prove them. To discern the thoughts and intents of their hearts. To determine if his blessings would help them, or only feed envy and greed and evil behavior.

Sound familiar?

My son, do not despise the chastening of the LORD, Nor detest His correction; For whom the LORD loves He corrects, Just as a father the son in whom he delights. Proverbs 3:11-12, (Hebrews 12:5-6).

 ² Also put my cup, the silver cup, in the mouth of the sack of the youngest, and his grain money.” So he did according to the word that Joseph had spoken.

Putting the money back in the sack was a repeat of their first visit. A repeat of the first test of their honesty.

They passed that test and returned the money.

Now, the test goes deeper than greed and exposes the thoughts and intents of their heart, their love for one another, especially, their youngest brother, Benjamin.

Joseph had given his full-blooded brother Benjamin five times more food at dinner. Benjamin was probably seated closest to Joseph.

Would this provoke the brothers’ jealousy, like the coat of many colors their father Jacob gave to Joseph?

Would their true colors now show?

Would they turn against Benjamin like they did Joseph?

Notice, the testing came, not through fiery trials, but through acts of generosity and kindness.

Joseph gave them their money back—twice.

Now, he adds his silver cup and sets them free.

Our most telling tests are what we do with our freedom, our blessing.

Do we squander our time (our most precious commodity)?

Or do we redeem the time and make the most of every opportunity? (Ephesians 5:16).

Are we preparing for His coming, as a Bride prepares to meet her Groom? (Ephesians 5:27; Revelation 19:7-8).

Do we play like the world?

Or, when we’re playing are we praying?

Are we looking across the card table praying for those lost souls?

Do we remember what we’re there for, when we swing the club and shout, “FOUR!” ?

Is our only goal to get a hole in one, or to lead them to the Holy One?   

 ³ As soon as the morning dawned, the men were sent away, they and their donkeys. 

The brothers are leaving. Smiling. Good night’s rest. Bellies full. Sacks full. Got their grain. Got their other brother Simeon. Most importantly, still got young Benjamin.

Dad will be glad.

Mission accomplished.

All is well.

Well, not so much for Joseph. From his palace window he might’ve watched them ride away. His eyes mostly on his brother Benjamin. Would the brothers pick on him, show animosity toward him, ride off and leave him to follow in their dust?

Perhaps the brothers were smiling and whistling, while Joseph was watching and weeping. Will I see them again? Will Benjamin be, okay? How will this turn out? Should I have told them who I am?  

⁴ When they had gone out of the city, and were not yet far off, Joseph said to his steward...

Did Joseph watch from his window as far as he could see? Then, did he climb to the roof balcony of his fine and fancy palace and watch them even further? Did he pace and pray as he watched them all the way out of town?

Lord, did I do the right thing? Please keep Benjamin safe. What if something happens? What if they don’t come back? What if...

They were finally out of sight, is that when he rushed to his steward...  

“Get up, follow the men; and when you overtake them, say to them, ‘Why have you repaid evil for good? ⁵ Is not this the one from which my lord drinks, and with which he indeed practices divination? You have done evil in so doing.’ ”

⁶ So he overtook them, and he spoke to them these same words.

And just like that the brothers are no longer smiling, no one is whistling.

They were minding their own business, heading home.

They did the right thing by returning the money.

Imagine, you went to the grocery store. Did the right thing by returning money they accidentally overpaid. Went back inside to rescan the thing that was accidentally overlooked.

And then, minding your own business, heading home. Sirens blare, lights flash, squad cars force you to the side of the road.  

Out of the car. On your knees. Hands on your head. You’re falsely accused of taking something you never touched. Of doing something you never did.

You’re so sure of your innocence, you say something like the brothers did...

 ⁷ And they said to him, “Why does my lord say these words? Far be it from us that your servants should do such a thing. ⁸ Look, we brought back to you from the land of Canaan the money which we found in the mouth of our sacks. How then could we steal silver or gold from your lord’s house? ⁹ With whomever of your servants it is found, let him die, and we also will be my lord’s slaves.”  

This is very telling, in a good way.

They were absolutely certain none of them stole anything. They trust the integrity and honesty of their brothers so well, that they’re willing to wager their life on it.

Also notice they maintain proper decorum. Respect. Restraint. They don’t attack the steward verbally or physically. They continue to call him lord, and themselves, servants. (That’s lord with a small “l” showing respect like “sir”).

They respectfully state the obvious. We showed our honesty by returning the money. So, why would we turn around and steal a cup?

The brothers have changed. They are not the same evil, angry, envious, boys that threw Joseph in a pit, and then sold him into slavery.

However, they might’ve been a tad bit presumptuous by saying, whoever has the cup, let him die.

¹⁰ And he said, “Now also let it be according to your words; he with whom it is found shall be my slave, and you shall be blameless.” 

Joseph’s steward ignores the brothers’ words about death to the one with the cup.

This test wasn’t for death, but life. Joseph wasn’t trying to condemn them, but to prove them, with a desire to redeem and reconcile their relationship.

Sound familiar?

John 3:17
 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.

John 10:10
The thief comes to steal, kill and destroy, but I’ve come that you have Life, and Life more abundantly.

¹¹ Then each man speedily let down his sack to the ground, and each opened his sack. 

So sure, and certain of their innocence, they speedily dropped and opened the sacks.

Look and see and know, we’re innocent.

¹² So he searched. He began with the oldest and left off with the youngest; and the cup was found in Benjamin’s sack. 

Of course, the steward knew where the silver cup was stashed. So, he saved the best for last (and made no mention of the money in the mouth of each sack).

The day before at dinner, Joseph honored Benjamin with the royal portion of five times more than the brothers. (Gen. 43:34). Now, Benjamin is the one with the silver cup in his sack.

Remember, the goal was to expose the hearts of the older brothers.

Would the jealous rage that once burned in the brothers against Joseph flare up against Benjamin?

Would the brothers abandon Benjamin?  

Would they go, leaving Joe and Ben to live happily ever after? Well, not so happily; but at least Joseph and his younger brother gentle Ben would be together again. (By the way: Benjamin was about 29 years old, and Joseph was about 10 years older).

Would the brothers pass the test?

Or would they yield to the temptations of the past?

How will they respond?

Come back next week and see the exciting conclusion—

Just kidding 😊

¹³ Then they tore their clothes...

They tore their clothes; a sign of deep mourning, and grief. Practiced to this day among Jews; it’s called kriah.

Jacob tore his clothes, as his heart was torn, when he thought Joseph was dead. Gen. 37:34.

Kriah; Jewish sign of mourning: A tear in the outermost garment, usually at the neckline, and down about 3 inches. A tear on the left side reflects mourning for a parent; on the right side for other relatives. Instead of tearing a garment, a black ribbon may be worn. On the left, reflecting the loss of a parent, and on the right side, for other relatives.

The tear should be clearly visible during shiva (7- or 30-day period of mourning).

These brothers of Joseph’s who tore their clothing in great mourning over the fate of Benjamin, are the very same brothers who tore the garment off of Joseph, and then sat down to eat and drink while he pleaded to them from the pit they’d thrown him in. Gen. 37:23-27.

Friends, we cannot judge who men are, by who they’ve been. Or what they’ll do, by what they’ve done.

One touch from God, makes all things new. His amazing grace, saved a wretch, like me.

Those who despised, rejected, abused and sold Joseph, now rend their hearts and their garments and will not abandon their brother Benjamin.

¹³...and each man loaded his donkey and returned to the city.

Meanwhile back at the governor’s mansion, Joseph doesn’t know what’s happening. No cell phones to livestream. No camera crews.

What’s Joseph doing?

Is he still on the roof. Pacing, praying. Eyes glued to the last spot he saw them.

God, I pray this goes good. What’s taking so long? Will they come back? Did they recognize me, but don’t want to have anything to do with me? Except for what I can give them? Could they hate me that much? Should I have told them who I am? Should I go after them? What’s taking so long? Did they resist? Was there a fight? Did Benny get hurt? What if they don’t come back? What if I never see them again? What if—

Then sunlight glimmers off a horse’s bridle.

The steward leading, smiling.

The brothers following, clothing torn. Fight? No, kriah. Eyes leaking. Benjamin riding, safely surrounded by, brothers.

¹⁴ So Judah and his brothers came to Joseph’s house, and he was still there; and they fell before him on the ground.

Notice Judah is mentioned by name. This man is rising to the top.

Notice Joseph was still there at his house. See, maybe he was watching and pacing and praying from his rooftop.

Notice they fell before him, just like in Joseph’s dreams; the ones they once had mocked.

 ¹⁵ And Joseph said to them, “What deed is this you have done? Did you not know that such a man as I can certainly practice divination?”

Not that he did practice divination, that is forbidden by God. But, “such a man as I can certainly practice divination.”

The intention wasn’t to deceive them, but to test them.

¹⁶ Then Judah said, “What shall we say to my lord? What shall we speak? Or how shall we clear ourselves? God has found out the iniquity of your servants; here we are, my lord’s slaves, both we and he also with whom the cup was found.”

Both we and he. Judah’s first appeal is to tether them together as one with Benjamin. We are all guilty before God, here we are, all your slaves.

All for one. One for all.

Oh Lord, we this people, this Ekklésia, this body of Christ, we ask You to give us the heart of Judah. When one grieves, is burdened, hurting, all grieve, are burdened, and hurting. Let there be no schism, make us one, as You prayed in John 17, that we’d be one, as You are one. One body with You as Head. Thank You, Lord, amen.

Additionally, Judah recognizes the principle of sowing and reaping. It’s a law that works in the natural and spiritual realm.

It’d been 22 years, but they still remembered, all too well, the evil seeds they sowed, with what they did to Joseph.

We might not have stolen the silver cup, but before God we’re all guilty.

If they had not treated Joseph so poorly, they would not be reaping the severity of Joseph’s testing.

Galatians 6:7-9
Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. ⁸ For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. ⁹ And let us not grow weary in well doing, for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.

When we’re slandered unjustly, falsely accused, before screaming I’m innocent! I did nothing wrong! Why me!!! Pause, and ask God, “Lord, did I sow this seed?”

Speaking of sowing and reaping.

California fires are top of the news. We want to pray for a great big rain.

But like this famine, in our text, God didn’t send rain, to stop the famine. At least not for seven years.

However, He did send warnings and wisdom way ahead of time (by way of dreams to Pharaoh, and wisdom to Joseph).

Pharaoh listened.

So, God used Joseph to save many people alive. Gen. 50:20.

Likewise, God sent warnings and wisdom way ahead of time, to California Pharaoh, Gavin Newsom, and those like him.

They did not listen.

So, because the Bible is True, and they refused to retain God in their thinking, God turned them over to a corrupt, reprobate, debased mind; just as He said He’d do in Romans 1:28.

So, with their corrupt, reprobate, debased minds, they foolishly, stupidly, wickedly, saved many smelt alive, instead of people.

Now they are complicit in many people burning alive, in this life, and eternity.

Only the Bible tells us what happened, while simultaneously telling us what will happen. It’s all at once history, and HIStory.

¹⁷ But he said, “Far be it from me that I should do so; the man in whose hand the cup was found, he shall be my slave. And as for you, go up in peace to your father.”

Joseph denies Judah’s request that they all stay to be his slaves.

He calls Benjamin, “the man.” The man, will stay, the rest of you go in peace back to your father.  

This is Joseph’s Final Exam.

Okay boys, now’s your chance to cut and run. Leave Benny and go free. This time you don’t have to lie like you did with Joe. This time you can tell dad exactly what happened. The Pharaoh’s right-hand man wouldn’t let him go. Who are we to resist the power of Egypt?

But Judah, once again, steps up to the plate. Stands in the gap. Intercedes for his brothers.

Then, Judah, rises to the top and makes a powerful speech, the longest speech in all of Genesis. It changes the course of Israel and reveals why God chose the line of Judah, to birth the Messiah.

Lord willing, we’ll hear all about it in a week.

For now, let’s pray.

Lord, what shall we say? What shall we speak? How shall we clear our name? You see the iniquity of us all. Only by Your grace, Your blood, are we able to stand before you offering ourselves to You, Your servants, Your sons and daughters, ever in Your debt and in Your care.

We pray, You make us one.

Your will be done, in our lives, as it is, in heaven.

We love You, forever.

Amen.

Prayer Requests:

Call or text: 612-554-2522

Email: pray4measap@aol.com

Facebook: Church at WPV

Books: amazon.com/author/dougspurling

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This was feed for you to read. Now it’s Seed for you to sow.

Thank you for sharing.

Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed? Acts 19:1-7

  

Acts 19:1a
And it happened, while Apollos was at Corinth, that Paul, having passed through the upper regions, came to Ephesus.

It’s around 54 AD

We’re watching as The Holy Spirit has Paul and Apollos tag teaming the towns with a special emphasis on Ephesus.

In Acts 18, Paul was in Corinth and then sailed 314 miles with Aquila and Priscilla, to Ephesus.

Paul invested more time in Ephesus than anywhere else—two to three years. 

Priscilla and Aquila stayed in Ephesus, ever since Paul’s first visit.

Ephesus, on the Aegean Sea was a major seaport, a gateway to Asia; and had over a quarter million people.

Today it’s in ruins, an archaeological dig site and a small Turkish village called, Selçuk.

There were about fourteen temples and worship to about that many mythical gods; including emperor worship to, Julius, Augustus and Domitian.

It was mostly known for the temple of Diana (Greeks referred to her as Artemis).

That temple was one of the seven wonders of the ancient world.

Discovered December 31, 1869, by British archaeologist John T. Wood. The T stands for Turtle, and like a turtle they dug 20’ under the sand before they discovered the temple.

It was bigger than a football field, 425 feet long, 220 feet wide and had 127 pillars, 60’ high.

The temple employed around, 1,000 male and female prostitutes.

To most people, Artemis was goddess of the moon and the hunt.

However, the Ephesians customized her a bit to fit their lust and greed and called her the goddess of sex and fertility. They depicted her with multiple eggs, or breasts, symbolic of fertility.

The worship looked more like gluttonous, drunken, orgies. Once a year, in the spring, (reportedly Diana’s birthday), Ephesus was Mardi Gras on steroids…spiked with Viagra.

That environment is where Jesus had the apostle John send the first of the seven letters to the Churches. Revelation 2:1-7.

Reportedly, sometime after the apostle Paul’s death (64-65 AD), the apostle John ministered in Ephesus until emperor Domitian banished him to the island of Patmos, where by Divine revelation, he wrote the book of Revelation.

Patmos is a little island about 65 miles southwest of Ephesus.

Today the Ephesian temples of Julius, Augustus, Domitian and Diana, have crumbled; are all but forgotten. The town of Ephesus is no more.

But, a couple letters written to the Church in Ephesus; one by an old man named Paul, on death row in a Roman prison; the other from an older man named John, on a prison island called Patmos; those letters, against all odds, have stood the test of time, have changed the hearts and minds of multitudes.  The word of the Lord grew mightily and prevailed (Acts 19:20).

All the world’s kingdoms crumble, but the Word of the Lord, and the Kingdom of God, endures forever.

 And finding some disciples ² he said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?”

So they said to him, “We have not so much as heard whether there is a Holy Spirit.”

³ And he said to them, “Into what then were you baptized?”

So they said, “Into John’s baptism.”

⁴ Then Paul said, “John indeed baptized with a baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe on Him who would come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.”

⁵ When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. ⁶ And when Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied.

 ⁷ Now the men were about twelve in all.

Interesting question. Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?

The question only makes sense if asked to Christians. A non-Christian would just give you that deer in the headlights look.

The Bible reveals these men are Christians, by calling them disciples and believers.

Paul wasn’t asking a trick question, and he wasn’t questioning their salvation; he acknowledged that they believed.

Yet, he saw something in them, or not in them, that caused him to ask the disciples, if they received the Holy Spirit when they believed.  

Good question.

You might say. Well, yes, of course, I received the Holy Spirit the moment I asked Jesus into my heart. The moment I was born again, I received Christ as Lord and Savior and He resides in me.

Well, yes, God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit are One. So, when you receive Jesus, you receive all three, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Perhaps the first official recorded example of this is John 20:22. Jesus appeared to His disciples after His Resurrection. He breathed on them and said, receive the Holy Spirit.

Did you know, the Greek word for spirit and breath is the same word, pneuma.

And, the Hebrew word for spirit and breath is the same word, ruach.

Jesus, God the Son, breathed on them, akin to when He did something similar about 4,000 years earlier, when He breathed the breath of life into the pile of dirt, He called, Adam. Genesis 2:7.

(Interestingly, Adam comes from Adamah, meaning ground, earth, dirt. So, men, our name really is, dirt. Additionally, did you know that science has discovered that our bodies are made up of the same 27 chemical elements of earth? All honest science eventually catches up with the Bible.)

At that moment, when Jesus breathed on His disciples, mankind came back to life after 4,000 years of death by separation because we walked away, willingly seduced by the forbidden fruit.

Now with that breath, after His death, burial and resurrection, we were made alive again, born again.

The penalty for our sins had been laid on Him, paid in full by Jesus our Resurrected Lord.

Jesus fulfilled His promise of John 14:17-18.

I will send the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.  I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.

After that, Jesus would no longer dwell with them, (in His earthly flesh and blood body) but in them, by His Holy Spirit.

So, from that moment, when Jesus breathed on them and said, “Received ye the Holy Spirit” His Presence, His Holy Spirit, dwelt in them.

Like He dwells in you, if you’re born again.

Jesus was smiling. God was smiling. The Holy Spirit was smiling. The angels were rejoicing. Luke 15:10.

The Lord had been waiting for that moment since Adam and Eve kicked Him out by letting sin in.

Now, the debt has been paid, the divorce decree torn asunder, as the veil in the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.

Now, finally God could dwell with and in, mankind once again.

But...

As awesome as that is, according to Jesus, according to the Bible, there’s more.

More? How could there be more?

Well, since the Church is called the Bride of Christ, think of it like this:

All that we just described was like the part in the wedding where the preacher says, “You may now kiss the bride.”

Now you’re married. Congrats!

Now, you’re the Bride of Christ. Saved. Born again. Hallelujah! Angels rejoice.

As awesome as that is... there’s more.

According to Jesus.

According to the Bible.

According to our wedding analogy.

After you kiss the bride, what comes next?

Cake? Dance? Party? Yes, yes, yes, but something more, much more than that...

Consummation.

Jesus put it like this:

He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, “which,” He said, “you have heard from Me; ⁵ for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” Acts 1:4-5.

Wait, appropriate Word regarding marriage consummation. Wait.

He concludes by saying: But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” Acts 1:8.

The Holy Spirit will come upon you and fill you with His dunamis (dynamite) Life giving Power, to be His witnesses (martyrs), to plant His Seed, and be fruitful and multiply, birthing believing disciples to the utter most parts of the earth.

That’s what Paul was asking the dozen disciples about.

Have you received the Holy Spirit?

Have you been filled with His dynamite Power?

Ephesians 5:18 says, don’t be drunk with wine but be filled with the Holy Spirit.

The implication in the original text is to be being filled.

Keep being filled with the Holy Spirit.

You may have one wedding day, one salvation day, but keep being filled, keep getting filled repeatedly.

We need to do this, because, we leak.

Have you received the Holy Spirit since you believed?

Okay, now please notice our text actually mentioned three baptisms.

1.    John’s baptism of repentance.

2.    Jesus’ baptism of salvation.

3.    Baptism of the Holy Spirit.

 

John’s baptism of repentance.

Long before Jesus came in the flesh, the Jews practiced baptism according to ritual purity laws as an act of purification and the initiation of converts to Judaism.

The Levite priests performed ritual purification by immersion in a mikvah (pool of water) before and after religious duties. Leviticus 16:4.

John the Baptist took that ritual and applied it to those who saw the need for spiritual cleansing in preparation for the Messiah.

John’s baptism was pre-salvation in anticipation of the coming Messiah.

The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Repent, make straight the way of the Lord.  Isaiah 40:3, Matthew 3:3, Mark 1:3, Luke 3:4, John 1:23.

John pointed at Jesus as said, ‘Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! John 1:29.

CURRENT EVENT OBJECT LESSON:

Just as I finished writing this Bible Study, about 10:30 the night before it was to be given. I glanced at Telegram to see if there was any breaking news I needed to know about. There were hundreds of posts on the few channels I follow. I was too sleepy to even begin. So, I scrolled to the very last post by Amir Tsarfati, and lo and behold, it was several pictures of exactly what we’re talking about. A newly uncovered ritual bath (mikvah). It was found near the temple in Jerusalem and dates back to the 2^nd temple times of Christ, and is attributed to ritual purity laws.

Cool huh?

Thank You Holy Spirit for Your, Divinely timed, always amazing, object lessons; confirming to us, time and again, that You are our Teacher.

You can view the post and additional photos here:   https://t.me/beholdisraelchannel/47787

 

Jesus’ baptism of salvation.

This was what Paul did with the dozen believing disciples in our text, Acts 19:6.

This is still practiced today.

They were water baptized by immersion, post salvation, as an outward sign of an inward commitment.

Jesus is ever our example. He did not need to be saved, yet He was baptized.

Matthew 3:13-17
 Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him. ¹⁴ And John tried to prevent Him, saying, “I need to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me?”

¹⁵ But Jesus answered and said to him, “Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he allowed Him.

¹⁶ When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him. ¹⁷ And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”

Baptism of the Holy Spirit.

This is what Paul asked the dozen believing disciples about.

The Holy Spirit is mentioned 56 times in the Book of Acts.

He is the third member of the Godhead. God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit.

Therefore, He should never be referred to as, “it”. 

He should never be shunned.

He should never be mocked.

We discussed the Holy Spirit at length earlier in Acts, so for more information read or watch our message:  With Other Tongues, Acts 2:4-13

According to Jesus His Holy Spirit is our, Helper, Teacher, Guide, and Spirit of Truth; He abides with us, reminds us, testifies through us, and tells us of things to come. John 14:15-16, 15:26, 16:13.

Being filled with His Holy Spirit produces His fruit which is:  Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Galatians 5:22-23.

The Holy Spirit gives gifts of: Wisdom, Knowledge, Faith, Healings, Miracles, Prophecy, Discernment, Tongues, Interpretation. 1 Corinthians 12:4, 8-11, 28.

Those are the characters of folks filled with the Holy Spirit.

Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?  

Paul is not asking about salvation, he’s asking about consummation, about being filled with, His Holy Spirit, His Presence, His Peace, His never-ending, all consuming, Power and Love that never fails.

Have you received the Holy Spirit?

Jesus puts it like this in Luke 11:9-13:

“So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. ¹⁰ For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. ¹¹ If a son asks for bread from any father among you, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish? ¹² Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? ¹³ If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!” Luke 11:9-13.

Let’s pray.

Holy Powerful Heavenly Father, thank You for Your Word right now, rightly divided to us. A diamond in the rough. A Light in the dark. Alive and powerful, piercing and dividing our flesh from Spirit; discerning the thoughts and intents of our heart. We lay bare before You, to receive You, and yield to You, asking only Your will be done in us and through us, on earth as it is, in heaven.

We love You, forever.

Amen.

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This was feed for you to read. Now it’s Seed for you to sow.

Thank you for sharing.