Posted by j on April 22, 2004 at 15:16:33:
I've been reading through Acts, and I have been thinking about the gift and power of the Holy Spirit.
Paul came to Ephesus and met some disciples. Apparently they had been taught by Apollos (Acts 18:24), described as, "...an eloquent man and mighty in the Scriptures... (v.25)...this man had been instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught accurately the things of the Lord, though he knew only the baptism of John."
Paul's visit happened while Apollos was away from Ephesus in Corinth (Acts 19:1). While he was there, he met with these disciples and asked, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?" and they replied, "We have not so much as heard wheteher there is a Holy Spirit." Paul's reply was, "Into what then were you baptized?" and they replied, "Into John's baptism."
v.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.' When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied."
I still wonder what kind of power this must have been. Nowadays, there are all kinds of churches that teach all kinds of things about the Holy Spirit. It seems that when Paul spoke to these disciples, they weren't really clouded by all kinds of misconceptions (unlike the state of modern-day believers). Apparently Apollos was directed by the Spirit to teach them "accurately the things of the Lord."
...I am enjoying my Acts re-read...
j