The Need For More!

The Need for More! Text: Acts19:1-7

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

Introduction: After these 12 men received the Holy Spirit the Bible say’s, “they spoke in tongues and prophesied; do you think these men were changed? These men were walking without salvation and the Infilling of the Holy Spirit. They were depending on their own righteousness without Christ, but now they are introduced to Christ and the fresh Spirit of God! Their lives are changed forever! The power of God has come and given them zeal to really live and be wittiness!

I. Acts 1: 5 when they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.

A. In ancient times the Greek word baptizo was used in a number of interesting ways. It essentially described something that was immersed. Examples include a sunken ship, a drowned person, the dipping of a morsel of bread in a drink and the dyeing of a garment.

B. In using the word “baptizoo” to describe our entry into the dynamic of His fullness of life and power, Jesus chose it to describe living in the fullness of the Spirit. Today, the Lord might say, “I want to flood all compartments of your being with my life and power!”

C. The Bible say’s that when these disciples of John heard that Jesus Christ had come they received Him and were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus! Now these men were ready for more, so Paul lays hands on them and they begin to speak in tongues and prophesy! (Meaning they started declaring their faith in Jesus Christ!)

D. I Corinthians 14:1-5 1 Pursue love, and desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy. 2 For he who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God, for no one understands him; however, in the spirit he speaks mysteries. 3 But he who prophesies speaks edification and exhortation and comfort to men. 4 He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the church. 5 I wish you all spoke with tongues, but even more that you prophesied; for he who prophesies is greater than he who speaks with tongues, unless indeed he interprets, that the church may receive edification.

E. One New Year’s Day, in the Tournament of Roses parade, a beautiful float suddenly sputtered and quit. It was out of gas. The whole parade was held up until someone could get a can of gas. The amusing thing was this float represented the Standard Oil Company. With its vast oil resources, its truck was out of gas. Often, Christians neglect their spiritual maintenance,

F. Think about how the Holy Spirit rushed upon them to seize them for His work. Can you get a picture of that very experience? The Spirit of God so urgent, so passionate, so committed to His agenda and His love for us, that He would run to meet us in this place and say “You are My ambassadors, called to a holy calling, set apart for the History, which I write!”

G. Acts 2: 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and begin to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

H. The Church was born at Pentecost and Pentecost has become a Sacred Holiday on the church calendar. Of course, Pentecost has always been a holiday. A celebration of the harvest for Israel, it was a harvest of gain for the Church; Pentecost is a great harvest of the Spirit. Because of Pentecost we reap a harvest power to be a witness, and ability to be renewed and transformed. Life in his presence because of Pentecost, the power from the Holy Spirit is abundantly available to us that believe.

I. We have been given the power and love through the Holy Spirit to change the world!

J. Acts 4:32-33 Now the multitude of those who believed were of one heart and one soul; neither did anyone say that any of the things he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common. 33 And with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And great grace was upon them all.