The Impact Of Jesus' Name Series

Good morning! We praise God, from whom all blessings flow. We thank Him for another week of work and rest, times with our family, colleagues and friends.

• Let’s look to the Word of God again. We are moving on to chapter 19 of the book of Acts. We’ve covered 18 chapters in the last 10 months.

• We are onto Paul’s third missionary journey, arriving now at Ephesus. We are going to see the mighty Name of Jesus in our text today.

• Phil 2:9-11 “9…God exalted him [Jesus] to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, 10that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

LET US PRAY:

Dear Lord, we are here today to honour and worship you. We come with open ears and receptive hearts ready to hear from you.

We depend on you for wisdom and truth, to guide us through our everyday life. Help us come to you for the strength we need. Teach us humility. Help us submit to you. Give us the strength to live in a way that brings you honour and praise.

Bless us with your truth today. Help us know you more, this we pray, in Jesus’ Name, AMEN.

We see the impact of Jesus’ Name in this chapter – Acts 19.

• We saw in the last chapter Paul taking on his third missionary journey from Antioch.

• He left Antioch and travelled to the regions of Galatia and Phrygia, strengthening the churches established on his first journey.

• He arrived at Ephesus and that’s where we pick up from the text today – Acts 19.

Let’s read Acts 19:1-7 BAPTISED IN JESUS’ NAME

1While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul took the road through the interior and arrived at Ephesus. There he found some disciples 2and 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."

3So Paul asked, "Then what baptism did you receive?" "John's baptism," they replied.

4Paul said, "John's baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the one coming after him, that is, in Jesus." 5On hearing this, they were baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus. 6When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied. 7There were about twelve men in all.

This was Paul’s return trip to Ephesus, because earlier on his second missionary journey he came to Ephesus with Priscilla and Aquilla, but that was a short stopover (18:19).

• He promised to return if God’s willing, and now he came back and stayed much longer.

Luke tells us he met a small group of disciples, 12 of them, who apparently did not have the full knowledge of Jesus except the teachings of John the Baptist.

• Paul noticed something was incomplete in their understanding and that prompted him to ask, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” (19:2)

• They have not heard of the Holy Spirit; they knew only about John’s baptism.

They were in a similar place as Apollos (18:24-26), whom we read about last week.

• Apollos knew only the baptism of John, before Priscilla and Aquilla came to instruct him and explained to him “the way of God more adequately” (18:26).

• This group knew only John’s baptism, without the full understanding of Jesus, His death and resurrection.

Paul has to explain to them that "John's baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the one coming after him, that is, in Jesus." (19:4)

• John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance that looked forward to the coming of the Messiah, while the Christian baptism is a baptism that looks back to the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross and His resurrection.

• One was about repentance, the other regeneration, the born-again life that comes only through faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ.

• These disciples needed to know and trust in the Person and the work of Jesus.

After Paul’s explanation, which would likely be more extensive than the one-liner we have here, they understood and believed Christ fully.

• They were baptised in the Name of Jesus and the Holy Spirit came upon them.

• Again we see God authenticating their salvation with the gift of the Holy Spirit.

• Similar to what happened to the Samaritans in Acts 8 and to the Gentiles gathered in Cornelius’ house in Acts 10.

• The Holy Spirit coming upon those who believed Christ as their Saviour.