Tawa Baptist

Paul in Ephesus

Scripture: Acts 19:1-12

Video Link: https://youtu.be/k3K5R935iaQ

Structure:

  • Introduction
  • Christian initiation
  • Evangelism strategy
  • Conclusion

Introduction:

Good morning everyone.

In his book, ‘That they may have life’, Sri Lankan pastor, Daniel Niles writes: “Evangelism is witness. It is one beggar telling another beggar where to find food.”

Evangelism comes from a Greek word meaning ‘good news’. For Christians evangelism is telling others the good news about Jesus Christ. Evangelism can be as simple as one person telling another person how Jesus has helped them.

Evangelism is as necessary for life and survival as eating food. Evangelism is not a top-down thing, it’s a side-by-side thing. Those who do the evangelising are not better than those being evangelised, both need the bread of salvation.

Evangelism can be quite challenging in our society because most people do not think of themselves as beggars. Most people are not aware of their spiritual need.      

Today we continue our three week series in the book of Acts in support of the Arotahi Renew Together campaign. Arotahi is the missions arm of New Zealand Baptists. Once a year we renew our commitment to pray for and support the work of spreading the gospel in New Zealand and overseas. 

This week’s sermon focuses on Acts chapter 19, verses 1-12, where we learn how the apostle Paul did evangelism in the city of Ephesus. From Acts 19, verse 1, we read…

While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul took the road through the interior and arrived at Ephesus. There he found some disciples 2 and asked them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit whenyou believed?”

They answered, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.”

3 So Paul asked, “Then what baptism did you receive?”

“John’s baptism,” they replied.

4 Paul 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.” 5 On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6 When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tonguesand prophesied. 7 There were about twelve men in all. 8 Paul entered the synagogue and spoke boldly there for three months, arguing persuasively about the kingdom of God. 9 But some of them became obstinate; they refused to believe and publicly maligned the Way. So Paul left them. He took the disciples with him and had discussions daily in the lecture hall of Tyrannus. 10 This went on for two years, so that all the Jews and Greeks who lived in the province of Asia heard the word of the Lord. 11 God did extraordinary miracles through Paul, 12 so that even handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him were taken to the sick, and their illnesses were cured and the evil spirits left them.

May the Spirit of Jesus illuminate God’s word for us.

There are two halves to our message today. In the first half we consider Christian initiation; that is, what’s involved in becoming a Christian.

And in the second half we observe Paul’s strategy of evangelism; in other words, how Paul went about reaching people with the gospel of Jesus. We begin with Christian initiation.

Christian Initiation:

For seeds to germinate they need the right amount of four things: water, oxygen, temperature and light.

Water is essential for seed germination. A baptism in water softens the seed so it swells and ruptures. Most seeds need to absorb between 25% and 50% of their weight in water before they will germinate.

Oxygen provides the energy the seed needs to grow. If seeds are planted too deep in the soil, they might not get the oxygen they need to sprout.

The temperature has to be right too. Different seeds germinate at different temperatures, but most activate between 16 and 25 degrees Celsius.

The fourth requirement for seed germination is the right amount of light or, in the case of some plants, the right amount of darkness.

In the same way the germination of a seed involves the right amount of water, oxygen, temperature and light, so too Christian initiation involves four things: repentance, faith in Jesus, baptism in water and the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Repentance means turning away from sin. Repentance is a change of mind that leads to a positive change in behaviour. Repentance is when we stop walking away from God and start walking towards him.

Faith in Jesus means trusting our lives and our eternity to Jesus. Believing in his death and resurrection. Relying on Jesus’ righteousness and not our own. Holding to the sure hope that Jesus will save us.

Faith in Jesus is made possible by the work of the Holy Spirit. Without God’s Spirit, we cannot truly believe in Jesus or start walking toward God.

Baptism in water is an outward and visible sign of our faith in Jesus.

Water is a symbol of the Holy Spirit. To be baptised then is to signify that you have begun to follow Jesus with the help of the Holy Spirit.     

In the New Testament, repentance, faith in Jesus, baptism and the Holy Spirit are always present when someone becomes a Christian. The order in which these things happen may vary, but all four belong together when it comes to Christian initiation.

When Paul arrived in Ephesus he found some disciples. As he talks with them Paul notices something is off. These men seem to be missing something.

So Paul asks them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit whenyou believed?”     

They answered, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.”

Now, that cannot be right. The Holy Spirit is mentioned many times throughout the Hebrew Scriptures and during his earthly ministry Jesus promised the Holy Spirit to his followers. Clearly, there is a gap in these disciples’ understanding of what it means to follow Jesus.

Paul knows that no one can truly believe in Jesus without the Holy Spirit, so he asks, “Then what baptism did you receive?”

“John’s baptism,” they replied. Now everything becomes clear. They are not disciples of Jesus; they are disciples of John the Baptist. 

 Paul explains, “John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the one coming after him, that is, in Jesus.”

These 12 men could not have been Christian before meeting Paul, because they had not believed in Jesus up to that point. They were aware of their sin and committed to repentance, but they did not know Jesus personally, through the Holy Spirit.  

From verse 5 we read: 5 On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6 When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tonguesand prophesied.

As I understand it, the Ephesian disciples received the Spirit and believed in Jesus on the same day they were baptised. When Paul laid his hands on them to baptise them in water, they received the Spirit as a gift from Jesus.

How were you initiated into the Christian faith? As I reflect on the Ephesians’ experience, I’m conscious of how different it was from my own experience of Christian initiation. When I came to faith in the early 1980’s, there seemed to be three stages to becoming a Christian.

Praying the sinners’ prayer and asking Jesus into your heart, stage one.

Then, after some time had passed, getting baptised in water, stage two.

And then after some more waiting, being prayed for to receive the Holy Spirit.   

Others of you may have a had different experience again. Perhaps you were baptised as a baby, then later confirmed your faith in Jesus as a young person.   

This idea of Christian initiation involving two or three separate events over a period of years was a foreign concept to Paul and the other apostles. Must Christian initiation conform to the pattern we read of in the book of Acts?

Hmmm. We should not be too dogmatic about how the Spirit of God brings people to faith in Jesus. The Holy Spirit does not have to conform to our rules and formulas. Our part is to be open to the work of the Spirit and to trust and obey Jesus out of love for God.

What we can say with confidence is that Christian initiation, both now and then, involves repentance, faith in Jesus, baptism in water and the gift of the Holy Spirit. But the order and timing may vary from person to person. Are any of these four aspects missing for you? What might God be saying?

Another question we may stew over is how do we know we have received the gift of the Holy Spirit? Repentance can be measured and baptism in water can be seen, but it may be more difficult to sense the Spirit.

Verse 6 says the Ephesians spoke in tongues and prophesied when they received the Holy Spirit. Does that mean tongues and prophecy are the signs you have received the Spirit? Well, they can be. But not always.

The Holy Spirit gives all sorts of different gifts. Not everyone who receives the Spirit speaks in tongues or utters words of prophesy like the Ephesians did.

So if you don’t speak in tongues, then don’t worry. The Spirit may give you assurance of your salvation in other ways. Some may feel their heart strangely warmed. Others may be filled with a profound sense of peace.

For me, the Spirit sometimes comes with tears. It is the feeling of being overwhelmed by grace. Humbled by God’s goodness so I cannot talk. Speechless in the presence of the Lord.

Whether you have had a special experience or not, the primary sign of the Spirit is faith in Jesus. You know the Holy Spirit has been given to you when you trust in Jesus. The Spirit makes Jesus close and real.

The question remains for each one of us, do we believe in Jesus? Believing in Jesus is not just a one-off event. Faith in Jesus is on-going, the journey of a lifetime. Therefore, we need to go on being filled with the Holy Spirit to keep faith with Jesus. Don’t stop believing.   

Evangelism strategy:

Okay, that is Christian initiation. Now let us consider Paul’s strategy for evangelism. How did Paul share the good news about Jesus with the people of Ephesus?

You’ve probably heard of the story of the three little pigs. You know the one. The first pig built his house out of straw and the big bad wolf blew his house down and ate the little pig. The second pig built his house out of sticks and the wolf blew his house down and ate him too.

But the third little pig built her house out of bricks and no matter how much the wolf blew, he could not blow her house down.

I suppose the moral of the story is this: to keep the wolf from your door you need to be prepared. It may take longer to build your house out of bricks and it may cost more, but it will be worth it in the end.

In line with the wisdom of being prepared, there’s a Chinese proverb which says: “If you are planning for a year, plant rice. If you are planning for a decade, plant trees. If you are planning for a lifetime, educate people.”

When Paul went about evangelising, he planned for a lifetime. Paul invested a lot of time and energy educating people in the way of Jesus, so their faith would be brick house strong, built to last.

When Paul arrived in Ephesus, he started in the Jewish synagogue. Paul spoke boldly about the kingdom of God, using reason to persuade people that Jesus is the Messiah and therefore people should repent and believe in him.

Starting with the Jews was good evangelism strategy. There was already common ground; Paul did not have to start from scratch. Jesus and Paul were both Jewish and the Hebrew Scriptures point to Jesus.    

Despite the common ground though, some of the Jews refused to believe Paul’s message and started to bad mouth the Way. The Way is code for the way of Christ. Jesus is the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Jesus the Son.

Being maligned and rejected by his own people grieved Paul deeply. It was no easy thing for him walk away. In Acts 20, verse 19, Paul says of his time in Ephesus: “I served the Lord with great humility and with tears, although I was severely tested by the Jews”. 

When Paul’s evangelism was rejected, Paul did not waste energy fighting those who were entrenched and stuck in their ways. He left the synagogue and took the disciples he had baptised with him.

Paul then carried on educating people about Jesus and the kingdom of God in the lecture hall of Tyrannus. This lecture hall was neutral ground. It was a public space that anyone (Jew or Greek) could access.

Paul did not just give lectures though. Paul held discussions, he dialogued with people, using reasoned arguments to educate and persuade. The Alpha Course is a contemporary version of evangelism modelled off Paul’s strategy of reasoned discussion and persuasion. Alpha is worth doing.

Not everyone goes down the Alpha path though. Some come to faith in Jesus after hearing an emotional appeal. The music plays, the smoke machine purrs, the mood lighting comes on and the speaker pulls on everyone’s heart strings (or guilt strings). Then, in the heat of the moment, people come forward to make a commitment to Jesus.

These sorts of emotionally based commitments don’t usually last, unless followed up by someone who intentionally comes alongside the new believer to nurture and disciple them.   

Paul did not build his house with the straw and sticks of raw emotion and stage tricks. Paul built his house with the bricks and reinforcing steel of sound argument and truth. Paul planned for a lifetime.

Verse 10 tells us; this went on for two years so that all the Jews and Greeks who lived in the province of Asia heard the word of the Lord.       

Ephesus was like a hub for the province of Asia in the first century. People from the surrounding towns came to Ephesus to do their shopping, visit their family or watch the games. While in Ephesus they got to hear the gospel through Paul.

Some took what they heard back home with them. And so the gospel spread by word of mouth.  

In Acts 20, verse 20, we learn that Paul also went house to house telling people to repent and have faith in Jesus. A strong work ethic was woven through Paul’s evangelism strategy. And the Spirit of God was clearly with Paul, upholding and empowering him every step of the way.

In verses 11 and 12 of Acts 19, we read how God did extraordinary miracles through Paul. The people of ancient Ephesus were spiritually aware. Some dabbled in magic and the occult. When people saw the power of God to heal and deliver, many turned away from sorcery and the dark arts to follow Jesus.

The miraculous signs and wonders done by God, verified Paul’s gospel message as authentic and true. If you read on in Acts 19 you will see how Paul’s evangelism eventually divided the city. People were confronted with the truth about Jesus and had to choose a side. Evangelism takes ground for God’s kingdom.

Although it is not covered in our reading today, an important part of Paul’s evangelism strategy was establishing an organisational structure to take care of the young church after he was gone. In Acts 20 we learn that Paul had appointed pastors and elders to protect and care for the new believers.

In verse 28 Paul says to the elders of the church at Ephesus: Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. 

Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood.

Perhaps the most important part of any evangelism strategy is love. Persuasive arguments and intelligent apologetics only get you so far. If we do not love the people we are trying to reach, the message won’t sound true.

Paul’s love for the Ephesians and their love for him is evident in Paul’s farewell speech to them in Acts 20. From verse 37 we read: They all wept as they embraced him and kissed him. 38 What grieved them most was his statement that they would never see his face again. 

Conclusion:

Paul’s Herculean efforts of evangelism are intimidating. It may feel like too much of a leap to try and imitate Paul exactly. Let me offer a few practical strategies for evangelism which most Christians can attempt…

Look for people of peace. That is, people who are open to talking about faith and friendly in their attitude to things Christian. Paul started with the disciples of John the Baptist, people of peace. He did not start with the witches and gangsters of Ephesus.    

Pray for someone who does not yet know Jesus. Pray for them by name, daily, that the Holy Spirit would make Jesus close and real for them.

Know what you believe. Educate yourself. Read your Bible and think about how Jesus has been good for you personally. Be ready, prepared to talk about what Jesus means to you and what you really believe.

Love others. To love others means being kind and fair.  Listening generously. Showing up when you are needed. Doing no harm. Being patient and respectful.

And when you are given the opportunity to talk about Jesus, be brave without being arrogant. Don’t be ashamed or embarrassed. Be straight up. Own your faith with humility. Stand by it and trust your testimony to the Holy Spirit.

Let us pray…    

Gracious God, you love those who don’t yet know you. May the good news about Jesus be real for each of us, personally. Give us wise words and a winsome Spirit to tell others about Christ. Glorify yourself we pray. Amen.   

Questions for discussion or reflection:

  1. What stands out for you in reading this Scripture and/or in listening to the sermon? Why do you think this stood out to you?
  2. Who first told you about Jesus? How did they do this?
  3. What is evangelism? Why is evangelism important?
  4. How were you initiated into the Christian faith? Are any of the four aspects of Christian initiation missing for you? If so, which aspect(s)? What might God be saying to you?
  5. How do we know we have received the gift of the Holy Spirit? How does the Spirit make Jesus close and real for you?
  6. Discuss / reflect on Paul’s evangelism strategy in Ephesus.
  7. What can you do to share the love and truth of Jesus with others?
Tawa Baptist

The Spirit & Saul

Scripture: Acts 9

Video Link: https://youtu.be/v9xfsj7_kas

Structure:

  • Introduction
  • Stephen
  • Ananias
  • Barnabas
  • Conclusion

Introduction:

Good morning everyone.

Over the past two or three weeks we have watched Olympic athletes from all over the world competing at the highest level. These men and women are extraordinary in their ability, their commitment and their work ethic.

But, as capable as they are, most (if not all) of them did not get there alone. Each of them had people in the background of their lives supporting them. Coaches, parents, fundraisers, physios, friends and so on.

During the month of August, we are focusing on four messages from the book of Acts in support of Arotahi, the New Zealand Baptist Missionary Society. The book of Acts tells how the Holy Spirit used men and women to share the message about Jesus.

Today our sermon focuses on the conversion of Saul, also known as the apostle Paul. Paul accomplished great things for God. He changed the world.

If Christian mission was an Olympic sport, then Paul would be one of the GOAT’s, one of the greatest of all time.

We do well to remember though, that Saul would not have become the apostle Paul without the help of some key individuals supporting him in the background. From Acts chapter 9, verse 1, we read…

Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. He went to the high priest 2 and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem. 3 As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. 4 He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” 5 “Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked. “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied. 6 “Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.” 7 The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound but did not see anyone. 8 Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing. So they led him by the hand into Damascus. 9 For three days he was blind and did not eat or drink anything.

May the Spirit of Jesus illuminate God’s word for us.

I said before that Saul would not have become the apostle Paul without the help of some key individuals. The Holy Spirit used three people in particular in the process of Saul’s call and conversion: Stephen, Ananias and Barnabas. Let’s begin by considering how the Spirit used Stephen. 

Stephen:

If you have a blocked sewer pipe, it does no good to keep flushing the toilet. The paper and the poo will back up until it finds a way out. The way out might be a vent somewhere onto your back lawn or (if you are unlucky) it might be the actual toilet bowl itself. Either way you end up with a smelly mess.

If your sewer line blocks, you really have to call a plumber who will put a camera down to see what the problem is. Sometimes the blockage can be cleared with an auger or a high-pressure hose. But if the pipe is damaged, you may need to replace it.

The psychologist, Carl Jung, said: “Fanaticism is always a sign of repressed doubt”.

Or, to put this another way, if repressed doubt is like a blocked sewer line, then the fanatic refuses to admit there is a problem and continues to flush the toilet more and more, even as the paper and poo of his fanaticism and anger spew out where it is not wanted.   

A fanatic is a person filled with excessive zeal, often for an extreme religious or political cause. Fanatics tend to be one eyed. They struggle to see things from another perspective. Before Saul met the risen Jesus, he was a religious fanatic.  

As we heard last week, Saul was present when Stephen gave his speech to the Jewish leadership and he approved of the crowd stoning Stephen. In fact, the killing of Stephen became the catalyst for Saul to go from house to house, dragging Christian men and women off to prison.

Stephen’s message was basically this: Jesus is the Messiah of God and the religious leaders (whom Saul aligned himself with) killed Jesus. But God has vindicated Jesus by raising him from the dead.

Stephen was so convinced that God had raised Jesus from the dead that he was willing to die for it. Stephen brought the religious leaders’ hate to the surface, only to forgive it.

This caused Saul to doubt his own belief system. If Stephen was right, then the religious leaders and Saul were on the wrong side of God. If Stephen was right, then much of what Saul believed in was a lie.

Of course, Saul does not want to face the possibility he is wrong. And so, he represses his doubt. He pushes his doubt deeper down into his unconscious. Saul thought he could get rid of his nagging doubt by flushing the Christians away. But the blockage caused by repressed doubt won’t be shifted like that.  

The more Saul persecuted the church, the more the paper and poo of his fanaticism and hate overflowed where it was not wanted.  

Having done as much damage as he could in Jerusalem, Saul moves on to Damascus to round up more Christians there. Damascus is about 140 miles north of Jerusalem. It would have taken about a week to get there on foot.

Saul was probably travelling with temple guards.

As Saul drew near to Damascus, the risen Lord Jesus appeared to him and said, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” When Saul asks who is speaking to him, the Lord replies, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting”.

It is characteristic of Jesus to say much with few words. In just two short sentences Jesus removes all doubt and frees Saul from his fanaticism.

Saul now sees first hand, for himself, that God has raised Jesus from the dead and he understands clearly that Stephen was right. He (Saul) is on the wrong side of God’s purpose. By persecuting Christians Saul was in fact fighting against God, without being aware of it.

We must not miss the inference in Jesus’ words here. The risen and ascended Jesus is intimately connected, by his Spirit, to his church on earth. When Saul persecuted Christians, Jesus felt it. ‘What you do to least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you do to me’, is what the Lord says in Matthew’s gospel.     

The point I’m making here is that the Holy Spirit used Stephen to sow the irritating seed of gospel truth in Saul’s heart. Without someone like Stephen to sow the seed, Saul may never have become a Christian. Stephen’s message and death had a profound effect on Saul.

Now most people are not as fanatical as Saul was. But pretty much everyone holds some kind of false belief at some point in their life. And, whether you become a Christian or not, the Holy Spirit is likely to use a person (like Stephen) to challenge your false beliefs.

When that happens, you have a choice. You can either offer your doubts up to God and say, ‘Lord, show me the truth about Jesus and the truth about myself’.

Or you can double down and repress your doubt. But if you do that, your doubt will surface somewhere else in your life as fanaticism. Either way, the truth will come out in the end. You cannot avoid it.   

Who is your Stephen? Who sowed the irritating seed of gospel truth in your life? Whose Christian witness got under your skin? Who caused you to doubt your false beliefs? Who brought your fanaticism and hate to the surface, only to forgive it?

Jesus wants to remove the blockages to faith in him caused by the lies we believe. Be open to the truth. Accept Jesus by faith.

We are talking today about the people the Spirit of God used to bring Saul to faith in Jesus. We have heard how Stephen planted the irritating seed of gospel truth. Now let’s consider how the Holy Spirit used Ananias to heal Saul. From verse 10 of Acts 9, we continue the account of Saul’s conversion…

10 In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision, “Ananias!” “Yes, Lord,” he answered. 11 The Lord told him, “Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying. 12 In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight.” 13 “Lord,” Ananias answered, “I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your holy people in Jerusalem. 14 And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name.” 15 But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel. 16 I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.” 17 Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord—Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here—has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” 18 Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized, 19 and after taking some food, he regained his strength.

Helen Keller once wrote, ‘Walking with a friend in the dark is better than walking alone in the light’.

She knew this from experience. Helen Keller was both deaf and blind. She was also intelligent and courageous, a woman of faith. She wrote a dozen books and became an inspiration to millions. But Helen Keller did not accomplish these things on her own. There were people in the background of her life who supported her and helped her reach her potential.

In particular, Anne Sullivan. Anne became Helen Keller’s lifelong teacher and mentor. Anne used touch to teach Helen the alphabet and to make words by spelling them with her finger on Helen’s palm. Helen soon caught on.

Eventually Helen learned to read Braille and write with a specially designed typewriter. With Anne Sullivan’s tutoring, Helen Keller was admitted to College and graduated with distinction. And, when Anne Sullivan married John Macy in 1905, Helen Keller went to live with them and the support continued. [1]

Without Anne Sullivan, the world may not have been blessed with the insight and inspiration of Helen Keller. 

After his encounter with the risen Jesus on the road to Damascus, Saul was struck blind. He could hear well enough; he just couldn’t see. Saul’s blindness was quite different from Helen Keller’s blindness. Helen was only physically blind, whereas Saul was both physically and spiritually blind. 

Ananias, a Christian believer, received a vision in which Jesus told him to go and lay hands on Saul to heal Saul of his blindness. Ananias wasn’t too sure at first, but Jesus insisted so Ananias found his courage and obeyed Jesus in faith.

Christian faith isn’t just thinking the right things about God in our head. Real faith always finds expression in obedience to Christ.

The healing wasn’t just for Saul’s benefit. It was also for the benefit of the other Christian believers. The Holy Spirit’s healing of Saul, through Ananias, demonstrated to the church that Jesus had forgiven Saul and accepted him, therefore they could too.

When Ananias entered the house where Saul was staying, he said, ‘Brother Saul…’ Brother. There is no recrimination. No judgement. No accusation. Simply an offer of grace. Jesus had accepted Saul and that made Saul family. 

Saul accepts God’s grace through Ananias and his sight is restored, both his physical sight and his spiritual sight. Then, as a sign of his conversion and commitment to follow Jesus, Saul was baptised with water.

We don’t really hear much else about Ananias after that. His time in the spotlight is brief but significant. For without Ananias’ faithful obedience to Jesus, Saul may not have become an apostle of Christ. The Holy Spirit used Ananias to help Saul at an important crossroads in his life.

Usually, when someone becomes a Christian, the Holy Spirit involves a number of different people in the process. But, at some point in that process, we each need to make a decision for Christ. At some point we reach a crossroads, when we must make a commitment and say, ‘Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me. I surrender my life to you’.  

Are you at the crossroads? Are you ready to commit to Jesus?

Who is your Ananias? Who has the Spirit provided to minister God’s grace?

Who has Jesus sent to hold you through the waters of baptism?

Accept the Lord’s help. Be in Christ. Be right with God.

And for those who have already given their lives to Jesus, are you ready to be an Ananias for someone else?

The Holy Spirit used a number of different people in the process of Saul’s conversion. Stephen diagnosed Saul’s sickness, and Ananias ministered God’s cure. But there is one other person who played a vital role in supporting Saul and that is Barnabas.

Barnabas:

For many days after his baptism Saul stayed in Damascus and began preaching that Jesus is the Son of God. Eventually though he had to leave because there was a conspiracy to kill him. From verse 26 of Acts 9 we continue Saul’s story…

26 When Saul came to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he really was a disciple. 27 But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. Barnabas told them how Saul on his journey had seen the Lord and that the Lord had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had preached fearlessly in the name of Jesus. 28 So Saul stayed with them and moved about freely in Jerusalem, speaking boldly in the name of the Lord. 

Some trees, in nature, require other buddy trees of the same species planted close by to help promote pollination. For example, apple trees, pear trees and plum trees may need up to three other trees of the same variety around them in order to fruit well.

Christians are a bit like that too. To be fruitful we need other believers around us.

Saul had a problem. People were afraid of him. They wouldn’t let him get close. Saul was like a lone apple tree. He couldn’t be as fruitful or effective in his witness for Jesus by himself. Saul needed an advocate, someone trustworthy who could vouch for him.

Barnabas was just that person. Barnabas believed in Saul and trusted the work of the Holy Spirit in Saul’s life.

Barnabas reassured the believers in Jerusalem that Saul was the real deal and could be trusted. This enabled Saul to stay connected to the church and continue the work Jesus had called him to.

There is much more we could say about Barnabas and Saul’s partnership in the gospel, but we don’t have time today. Suffice to say, that without Barnabas, Saul’s career as an apostle may have been far less fruitful. 

Who is your Barnabas? Who believes in you when no one else does? Who sees you and trusts the work of the Spirit in your life. Who comes alongside you and keeps you connected with God’s people? Who makes you more fruitful for Christ? Take care of that relationship. Your life may depend on it.

Consider also who you can be a Barnabas for.

Conclusion:

Let us pray…

Father God, thank you for including us in your plan of salvation.

Holy Spirit, give us eyes to see your hand at work in the world around us.

Lord Jesus, help us to live in a way that glorifies you. Amen. 

Questions for discussion or reflection:

  1. What stands out for you in reading this Scripture and/or in listening to the sermon? Why do you think this stood out to you?
  2. Who do you identify with most in Acts 9? Saul, Stephen, Ananias or Barnabas? Why? 
  3. How does doubt affect human behaviour? How did Saul deal with his doubts? How do you deal with your doubts?
  4. Discuss / reflect on Jesus’ words to Saul on the road to Damascus. What does this tell us about Jesus and his relationship with the church?  
  5. How did Stephen help Saul? Who is your Stephen? Who sowed the seed of gospel truth in your life? Whose Christian witness gets under your skin? Who caused you to doubt your false beliefs?
  6. How did Ananias help Saul? If you haven’t yet committed your life to Jesus, what are the next steps for you? If you are committed to Jesus, are you ready to be an Ananias for someone else?
  7. How did Barnabas help Saul? Who is your Barnabas? Who believes in you when no one else does? Who makes you more fruitful for Christ? What can you do to take care of that relationship? Who can you be a Barnabas for?

[1] From womenshistory.org

Tawa Baptist

The Spirit & Peter

Scripture: Acts 2:1-41

Video Link: https://youtu.be/hckX4rgSt9I

Structure:

  • Introduction
  • The Spirit’s presence
  • Peter’s message
  • Conclusion

Introduction:

Good morning, everyone.

Many of you probably know that the Tawa tree (from which our suburb gets its name) relies on just two birds for the dispersal of its seeds, the kererū and the kokako.

The fruit of the Tawa tree is quite big, up to 3.5cm long. The kererū and the kokako are the only birds large enough to eat the fruit and pass the seeds through their gut unharmed. If the kererū and the kokako became extinct then the tawa tree might follow.

Everything in God’s creation is connected. Each part relies on the parts around it for propagation and survival.

Today, we say goodbye to Joseph and hello to the book of Acts. During the month of August, we will focus on four messages from the book of Acts in support of Arotahi, the New Zealand Baptist Missionary Society. Then, at the end of August, we will take up a special Renew Together offering for our Baptist missionaries.

The book of Acts tells how the message about Jesus started to spread throughout the world. Just as God uses kererū and kokako to spread tawa tree seeds, so too the Spirit of God uses ordinary men and women to spread the gospel.

The Spirit’s presence

Let’s begin then with a reading from Acts chapter 2, when the Holy Spirit was given at Pentecost. From Acts 2, verse 1 we read…

When the day of Pentecost came, they [the disciples of Jesus] were all together in one place. 2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tonguesas the Spirit enabled them. 5 Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. 6 When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken. 7 Utterly amazed, they asked: “Aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans?  8 Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language?… 11 (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!” 12 Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, “What does this mean?”

May the Spirit of Jesus illuminate God’s word for us.

You may have heard of the goldilocks principle, named after the story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears. Like Goldilocks, we human beings want things ‘just right’. Not too hot or too cold. Not too hard or too soft and not too big or too small.

Dark KitKat is (for me) a goldilocks chocolate. Not too sweet (like milk KitKat) and not too bitter either. The biscuit gives the KitKat a nice texture without breaking your teeth (not too hard or too soft). And one KitKat finger is just the right amount, not too much or too little.   

Planet earth is in the goldilocks zone, situated the perfect distance from the sun and the moon and in the right part of the galaxy. The temperature and gravity (and hundreds of other things) are just right for supporting life.

The day of Pentecost, in Acts 2, is a goldilocks moment. Thousands of God-fearing Jews from all over the known world have come to Jerusalem to celebrate the festival of Pentecost. It has been seven weeks since Jesus’ death and resurrection. The disciples have spent much of that time in prayer and worship. They are in the zone, spiritually speaking.

The disciples are together, ready and waiting for what God will do next, when a sound like a violent wind blowing from heaven fills the whole house. This sound is not too loud that it deafens them and not too soft that they don’t notice it.

The Holy Spirit is like the wind in some ways. A powerful, untameable, uncontrollable, unseen energy. But it’s not like the wind in every way. The Spirit is more than just an energy. The Spirit is a person; creative, intelligent, intentional and capable of self-control. The Spirit is just right.  

After the sound like wind, the disciples saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. The Spirit’s touch was not too hot or heavy. No disciples were harmed by the tongues of fire.

In the ancient world, fire was thought to be the purest thing of all. The Holy Spirit is like fire in some ways, an agent of cleansing and purification. But the Spirit is not like fire in every way. The Spirit is life giving. The Spirit fills people just the right amount, without destroying them or requiring a 111 call.

Verse 4 says all of the apostles were filled with the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit enabled the apostles to speak in different languages (languages they did not know and had not learned) so that people from all over the known world heard a message in their mother tongue.

Why did the Holy Spirit do this? Well, the Spirit is given for the purpose of mission. The Spirit empowers believers to communicate Jesus.  

One thing we observe about the Spirit, from our own experience, is that he has a unique way of creating connections. It appears the Spirit was connecting the dots for those present at the Pentecost festival in Acts 2. 

If you find yourself in just the right place, at just the right time, with just the right skills and resources to help someone, that’s probably not a coincidence.

A goldilocks moment like that may well be the Holy Spirit’s way of connecting someone with Jesus. Making Jesus real for that person.

The crowd were amazed and perplexed, asking one another, “What does this mean?” They cannot understand how uneducated men from Galilee (a despised place) were able to speak so fluently in foreign languages. From verse 14 we pick up the story…

Peter’s message:

14 Peter raised his voice and addressed the crowd: “Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say. …this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:

17 “‘In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people.

Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. 18 Even on my servants, both men and women,

I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy.

In the Old Testament, the festival of Pentecost celebrated the giving of the Law. For Christians though, the festival of Pentecost celebrates the giving of the Holy Spirit. The Law was given through Moses, but the Spirit was given through Christ. 

Peter quotes some familiar verses from the prophet Joel as a way of interpreting these events. This is what the prophets foretold centuries earlier. This is God pouring out his Spirit on humankind.

The remarkable thing about the gift of the Spirit is the universal scope. It had always been God’s intention to pour out his Spirit on all people, not just the Jews, but Gentiles also. Not just men, but women too. Young and old.   

About 35 years ago, I worked for Youth for Christ as a volunteer. In those days YFC ran youth groups, camps and rallies, through which the gospel was presented in creative ways. YFC also provided training for their leaders. One skill they taught us was how to give a short talk about the gospel.

When speaking in front of a crowd your talk needs four things: hook, look, book, took. The hook is something to get people’s attention. Something that connects them to the message. Once you have people’s attention you tell them what your talk is about. ‘Look, here’s the point of what I’m saying’.

Then you support your main point with some words from the Bible, that’s the Book part. And the ‘took’ is the takeaway, something people can do to apply what you’ve said so the message sticks.

We see this pattern of hook, look, book, took, in Acts 2. The Holy Spirit provided the hook, by enabling the apostles to speak in foreign languages that the audience could understand. That certainly got people’s attention. It brought them together and connected them.

Then Peter (by the inspiration of the Spirit) provided the look, book and took parts. In verses 22-24 Peter points to Jesus, as if to say, ‘Look, here’s the point’…   

22 “Fellow Israelites, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know. 23 This man was handed over to you by God’s deliberate plan and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross. 24 But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him.

In just three short verses Peter directs his audience to look at the work, death and resurrection of Jesus, which was all part of God’s plan of salvation for humankind and directly linked to the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Peter’s comment that it was impossible for death to keep its hold on Jesus, indicates that Jesus has conquered sin and death. For if death is the consequence of sin, then it logically follows that Jesus was without sin, for death had no claim on him.

Peter draws on various Scriptures (from the book of the Old Testament) to support his point. For example, in verses 25-27 of Acts 2, Peter quotes Psalm 16 saying…

25 David said about him: “‘I saw the Lord always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. 26 Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest in hope, 27 because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead, you will not let your holy one see decay.

Peter is saying here that king David was talking about Jesus’ resurrection from the dead when he wrote Psalm 16. More than this, Jesus is even greater than David, for God did not raise David from the dead. So, Jesus is God’s promised Messiah. 

In verse 36 of Acts 2, Peter drives his main point home saying…

36 “Therefore, let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.”  37 When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”

This is gutsy stuff from Peter. He is telling his audience, quite bluntly, you are responsible for killing Jesus, the Messiah of God.

Verse 37 says the people were cut to the heart when they heard this. What Peter said resonates as true and they cannot deny it. They are convicted to their core.

This feeling of conviction and remorse is the work of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit shows us the truth about ourselves so that we realise our need for God’s grace and call out for help.   

In verses 38-39, Peter finishes with his took. This is the takeaway of his message. This is what his listeners are to do, so the message sticks…

38 “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

39 The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.”

Peter gives us a recipe for Christian conversion here. Becoming a Christian involves believing in Jesus’ death and resurrection, as well as repentance, water baptism and receiving the Holy Spirit.

The elements of Christian conversion don’t always happen in the same order and they don’t always happen on the same day. Elsewhere in the book of Acts we see a variety of conversion experiences, all of which are based on faith in the resurrection of Jesus. And all of which are orchestrated by the Holy Spirit.

The Spirit is always pointing us to Jesus. Always looking for ways to connect us to Christ and make Jesus real in our experience.   

Not everyone accepted Peter’s message that day, but for about 3000 people it was a goldilocks sermon, it was ‘just right’. Most of those 3000 had been present for the Passover festival, two months earlier, when Jesus was condemned and crucified. Now they were present for a miraculous outpouring of the Holy Spirit.

Many of the 3000 were pilgrims from other parts of the world. They were like the kererū and the kokako. On returning to their homes, they took with them the digested seed of the good news about Jesus, the Messiah. Jesus has conquered sin and death. Through Jesus, God’s Spirit is poured out.

Conclusion:

One other thing we notice and that is the transformation that takes place in Peter in such a short time. Just seven weeks earlier, the night of Jesus’ trial, Peter had denied knowing Jesus three times. At that stage the Holy Spirit had not been poured out and Peter was understandably afraid for his life.

Now at Pentecost, when the religious leaders are still a very real threat, Peter (an uneducated fisherman from the backwaters of Galilee) is filled with the Spirit and boldly tells thousands of people about Jesus.

Without the Holy Spirit, Peter’s best intentions to stand for Jesus, end in failure and shame. But with the Holy Spirit, Peter bears witness to the risen Christ, with courage and clarity.

The Holy Spirit does not always manifest his power in such dramatic ways, like he did in Acts 2. But, 2000 years later, he is still very active in the world, creating connections and making Jesus real for people.

The work of the Spirit does not need to be dramatic to be effective. We may not speak in foreign languages, like the apostles, but our experience of the Spirit is still valid. There is a certain winsomeness and intimacy in seeing the Spirit do something special that only you and one or two others notice.

The point is, when it comes to Christian mission, we cannot do anything without the power and guidance of God’s Spirit. Our part is to prayerfully wait for the Spirit, remaining open to receive what God wants to give and ready to respond to Jesus’ prompting.

Whether we are speaking to thousands, like Peter did, or simply sharing our faith with one person over coffee, may we go on being filled with the Spirit of Christ. Amen.  

Questions for discussion or reflection:

  1. What stands out for you in reading this Scripture and/or in listening to the sermon? Why do you think this stood out to you?
  2. In what ways is the Holy Spirit like wind and fire? In what ways is the Spirit not like wind and fire?
  3. Why does the Holy Spirit empower the apostles to speak in foreign languages? Why is the Spirit given?
  4. What is the main point of Peter’s message in Acts 2?
  5. If you had the opportunity to tell people about Jesus, what would you say?
  6. How did you become a Christian? Are any of the elements of conversion, mentioned by Peter in Acts 2:38, missing for you?
  7. What is your experience of God’s Spirit? How does the Spirit help you to share the love and truth of Jesus?