The Book of Acts: Message Sixty
Six
By Dr. Michael
Guido, D.D.
Christianity
hasn't been tried and found to be a failure. If
there's a failure it's not with the Christ but the
creature. Let's turn to Acts 19 and
Meet the
disciples. It's written in verse 1, "Paul came
down to Ephesus. There he found some disciples."
It doesn't say he found some "Christians."
They were disciples of John, not Jesus; therefore,
they weren't Christians. There was a difference
between the preaching of John the Baptist and the
preaching of Jesus. The preaching of John threatened
destruction, while that of Jesus tendered
deliverance. But John's preaching was necessary. Why?
Before there can be conversion, there must be
conviction; and there can be no conviction without
preaching condemnation. These disciples knew
condemnation. They knew the duty of being better, but
they didn't know salvation from sin through the
Savior, nor the help of the Holy Spirit for a holy
life. This may be your condition. You've been trying
to live the Christian life without Christ. You can't.
You've been trying to be holy, without the Holy
Spirit. You can't. It's only as you come to Christ
that you become a Christian. Then and only then can
you live a Christian life.
Mark the
deficiency. Paul asked a question that isn't asked of
Christians, but was asked of these disciples in Acts
19:2, "Have you received the Holy Ghost since
you believed?" He wasn't talking about the
second blessing, but the first, for the word
"since" should be translated
"when." So he asked, "Did you receive
the Holy Ghost when you believed?" They
answered, "We have not so much as heard whether
there be any Holy Ghost," which meant, "We
never so even heard that the Holy Ghost was
given." Their problem was not "whether
there be any Holy Ghost," but "has He been
given?" When this question was asked, they had
the Old Testament, but not the New. They knew that
Christ was to come and to die for their sins, but
they didn't know that He had. They knew that He'd
ascend from the grave and that the Spirit would
descend from glory. But they hadn't heard that this
had taken place. So Paul asked, "Unto what then,
(that is, unto what name?) were you baptized?"
They said, "John's." Before our Lord went
home to heaven, He said to His apostles, "Go
then and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing
them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and
of the Holy Ghost." That's Christian baptism.
But these disciples were baptized in the name of
John. Now Paul informed them they must go on from
John to Jesus. On hearing that Christ died for their
sins, and was raised for their justification, they
were baptized in the name of Jesus.
Mark the
display. It's written in Acts 19:6, "When Paul
laid his hands on them, the Holy Ghost came on them;
and they spoke with tongues, and prophesied." Do
you ask, "Must one have the laying on of hands
to receive the Holy Ghost?" Oh, no. The
household of Cornelius received the Holy Ghost
without the laying on of hands. "But," you
ask, "what of speaking in tongues?" The
Samaritans received the Holy Ghost without this sign.
So bear this in mind...the Holy Spirit isn't bound to
one method or another. Because He used a certain
method in that day doesn't mean He must use it in our
day. The thing that should concern you is this - are
you saved? If you are, the Spirit of God dwells
within you, for the Bible says, "If any man have
not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His."
But you say, "I'm saved, yet I don't see any
signs of the Spirit in my life." Then you must
be stifling the Spirit. How? He's the Spirit of
Truth. Hypocrisy must not be harbored, and falsehood
must be forsaken. He's the Spirit of Faith. Doubt and
distrust must be dismissed. He's the Spirit of
Holiness. That which is unholy and unclean must be
abandoned. After turning from all sin, you must turn
all over to Him. Say to Him, "Dear Lord, here I
am. I surrender myself absolutely, unreservedly and
forever to Thee. I will obey Thee completely."
If you'll do this, then join me as I say,
"Have
Thine own way, Lord, have Thine own way;
Hold o'er my
being absolute sway;
Fill with Thy
Spirit till all shall see
Christ only,
always living in me."
copyright 2000 Guido Evangelistic
Association
All Scripture verses are
quoted from the New King James Version.
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the book of Acts.
This series of messages on the
books of the Bible were originally written for
broadcast on Dr. Guido's radio program, "The
Sower." They are collected and reprinted here
for your enjoyment and spiritual edification.
