Since You Believed: Have You Received? (Lesson 4) Series

INTRODUCTION

Outline.

1. Since Ye Have Believed

2. Received Ye the Holy Ghost?

3. What Then were Ye baptized?

Introductory Remarks.

1. In this invitation, we will conclude the sermon series: “Lord Who Hath Believed Our Report?” Please turn your bibles to Acts chapter 19, verse number 1. This lesson is an example of the "pattern of conversion" outlined in the Book of Acts. In this invitation, we will have completed Paul’s interpretation and explanation of Isaiah’s report. He will explain the blessings of God, being offered through faith and obedience to Isaiah's report.

2. Recall we concluded lesson 3, with the Romans, Corinthians, Ephesians, the Thessalonians, and the Cretians, all obeying Isaiah’s report: “through belief of the truth, and the washing of regeneration and the renewing of the Holy Ghost,” Titus 3:5. Recall our analysis of these acts of faith and obedience?

3. Analysis: Paul has given us more clarity about the "pattern of conversion" than any other apostle, evangelist, or minister of Jesus Christ. Observe--

a. First, in his letters to the churches:

1) At Rome: “You have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine…Being then made free from sin,” Romans 6:17-18.

2) At Corinth: “But you were washed, sanctified, and justified in the Lord’s name; and, by the Spirit of our God,” 1 Corinthians 6:11. See the attachment at the end of this lesson.

3) At Ephesus: “Whom you trusted after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: whom you believed, and were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise,” Ephesians 1:13-14.

4) At Thessalonica: “God who chose you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth…to walk worthy, who called you into His kingdom and glory,” 2 Thessalonians 2:13-14; 1 Thessalonians 2:12-13.

5) At Crete: “But according to His mercy, He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and the renewing of the Holy Ghost,” Titus 3:5.

b. Second, Peter wrote: “Seeing you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit…Being born again by the word of God,” 1 Peter 1:22-23.

c. Third, Jesus said: “Being born again out of the water, and of the Spirit,” John 3:3-5.

4. Summary: It has been irrefutably established by the scriptures that “obedience to the gospel” is through:

a. Being born again out of the water and the Spirit;

b. By purifying your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit;

c. Through the washing of regeneration and the renewing of the Holy Ghost;

d. Through sanctification of the Spirit and belief in the truth;

e. By hearing the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: and being sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise; and

f. By obeying out of the heart that form of doctrine…Being then made free from sin, in baptism “for the remission of sins,” or to “wash away our sins,” Acts 2:38; Acts 22:16. We have taken a holistic approach in answering Isaiah’s question: “Lord who hath believed our report?” Romans 10:16.

5. Paul is now on his return trip to Ephesus as he had promised the saints, Acts 18:19-21.

a. This is Paul’s preaching to “certain disciples” after his return to Ephesus. Let's see if both faith and baptism were a part of these disciples' obedience to the gospel of Christ.

b. He will now establish whether these disciples had “believed and obeyed" Isaiah's report as discussed earlier in this sermon series. I ask again: “Have you believed and obeyed Isaiah’s report?”

c. Can we find both the work of faith and the Holy Ghost in these “certain disciples?” Let's see precisely what first-century preaching of the gospel entails. Are your eyes on the passage?

BODY OF INVITATION

I SINCE YE HAVE BELIEVED

A. First, among these disciples, Paul, inquired: “Since you have believed, have you received?” Let’s be clear here, we are discussing the exact word "believed” in Isaiah’s question, i.e., “Lord, who hath believed our report?” Since you believed, have you received God’s blessings of the “remission of sins and the gift of the Holy Ghost?” Acts 2:38.

1. The word believed here means the finished product of hearing the word, “the gospel of your salvation, and the belief of the truth,” Ephesians 1:13-14.

2. Recall to the Romans, Paul wrote: “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God,” Romans 10:17.

3. Luke wrote of this conversion experience by:

a. The Samaritans: “But when they believed Philip as he preached the things concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were baptized,” Acts 8:12.

b. The Corinthians: “Hearing believed and were baptized,” Acts 18:8.

4. However, these 12 men, had heard, believed, and obeyed the teaching of John the Baptist, to become his disciples. Just as many who are here now have believed and obeyed some teaching that made them "certain disciples,” like these men in our text.