Paul and the Spirit — Acts 19

A text — Acts 19:1-7
19:1 While Apollos was in Corinth, Paul passed through the interior regions and came to Ephesus, where he found some disciples.
19:2 He said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you became believers?” They replied, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.”
19:3 Then he said, “Into what then were you baptized?” They answered, “Into John’s baptism.”
19:4 Paul said, “John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, in Jesus.”
19:5 On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
19:6 When Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied–
19:7 altogether there were about twelve of them.

A reflection:

In Ephesus there were a dozen or so disciples who had probably been visited by a disciple of John the Baptist. These Ephesians had been baptized by this traveling follower of John. When Paul met them awhile later, among the many things they talked about is the Holy Spirit. Paul was interested in their conversion experience. I would be always looking for conversion stories too if I had been Paul and had been knocked off my horse and blinded in my conversion! So he asked them about it. “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when it happened?” he asked. “No – what’s that?” they answered. They’d never heard of the Holy Spirit.

The Ephesians took a leap of faith and asked Paul to give them this baptism of the Spirit. When they got it, the Holy Spirit did not disappoint them. Their faith that God would send the Holy Spirit to them was rewarded by a deep spiritual experience. Just imagine what that would have been like.

Think of a time when you have been led by the Spirit or you have experienced the presence and peace or protection of God. Imagine a dozen people experiencing it together. It was a kind of Pentecost day all over again. God used Paul to reach so many people for the expanding of God’s kingdom in ways that bore fruit for each of those people. And what an impact all of those people had on so many others!

A prayer:

Gracious God, Thank you for loving us. Thank you for giving the Ephesian believers the chance to become your children and shine your light into Asia Minor. Thank you for Paul, who led them and who led so many others in his ministry. Help us to experience you and to be open to opening doors to others, just as Paul did. Amen.