Scripture

We believe that the physician, Luke, was the author of the book of Acts. Since he is an educated man and a well known historian, it is likely that he was not present at the events he reports, but instead has gathered these stories and compiled them for history’s sake. So it is likely that they are fairly accurate, because he was trained to ask detailed questions and would report each story as carefully as possible.

In this story, about Paul’s work in Ephesus, there are a dozen people who were already believers in Jesus Christ. We sometimes get the feeling that Paul was the first one to bring word of Jesus to the towns where he was preaching, but that wasn’t always the case... as here, he would sometimes find disciples already at work.

Remember that Paul was not trained by any human... he had a very personal encounter with the Living Lord as he traveled the road to Damascus and then went into seclusion for a couple of years while God taught him directly. He was already knowledgeable of the Scriptures, since he was a pharisee, but was now personally tutored by God in the way of Jesus.

So he arrives in Ephesus and finds these men who had already given their hearts to the Lord, but had limited training. Perhaps their schooling was interrupted by the Jews who were trying to destroy all the Christians. Maybe they had to leave their training because of the political pressure by the Romans... we don’t really know, but for whatever reason, they were lacking in a complete working knowledge of all things spiritual; they hadn’t even heard of the Holy Spirit.

Turn to Acts 18:24-26, "24 Meanwhile a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was a learned man, with a thorough knowledge of the Scriptures. 25 He had been instructed in the way of the Lord, and he spoke with great fervor and taught about Jesus accurately, though he knew only the baptism of John. 26 He began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they invited him to their home and explained to him the way of God more adequately."

I want you to take particular note of this... the preacher, Apollos, was instructed by those in the congregation with more knowledge. Nowhere in Scripture does it say that the pastor is the one with all the answers. In many cases there are those who have a better understanding due to their time in service or their particular experiences or even to their devoted study of a particular thing. Pastors are not miraculously given special insight to the Bible... we are just called to devote our lives to this career. Lots of people in this very room know more about the Bible than I do.

I just wanted you to hear that... I am not the most knowledgeable one in the room.

So these men had been baptized into John’s baptism, but had not even heard of the Holy Spirit. This makes us believe they were not Jewish Christians, but Gentiles. The Holy Spirit is mentioned in the Old Testament and would have been a known concept for Jewish people; therefore, these men must be Gentile converts being trained by someone who was baptized by John.

Paul begins to work on completing their schooling. It’s interesting that he begins with baptism. "What baptism did you receive?" asks Paul. This is the heart of an argument, like Ford or GM, that continues to this very day. Paul lets us know that there is a difference between John’s baptism and Jesus’ baptism. So what is that difference?

To sort this out we need to review what John was doing. Let’ turn to Matthew, chapter 3, starting with verse 1; "1 In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the Desert of Judea 2 and saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near." 3 This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah: "A voice of one calling in the desert, 'Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.'" 4 John's clothes were made of camel's hair, and he had a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey. 5 People went out to him from Jerusalem and all Judea and the whole region of the Jordan. 6 Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River."

"Confessing their sins." John was calling on people to repent; to change their sinful ways, to leave their old lifestyles behind them. His baptism was one of repentance. People would recognize that they were sinners living in a way that wasn’t pleasing to God and they were repenting, changing their ways. His baptism is all about recognizing the sin in our lives... a need for change.

OK, not a difficult concept, we know that we are sinners; we know that we have those areas in our lives that need a new direction. When we are challenged, as John was doing, to change the way we are going; to repent; and we accept that truth and make a commitment to actually make those changes, then we are in harmony with John’s baptism. This is where these Ephesian disciples were. They had heard the challenge and had changed their lives... now what? In walks Paul and begins to really teach them about Jesus... things they didn’t know. As they accepted this further truth they were re-baptized and they received the Holy Spirit. The Text says they began to speak in tongues and prophesy.

Over the years, when we have talked with people about Jesus, we usually begin with the concepts of John’s baptism. We don’t realize that we start there... but we do. How many of you are familiar with the "Roman Road"? This is the little evangelism tool that came out many years ago to help lead a person to Christ. Similar to the Four Spiritual Laws it gives us some basic truths from the book of Romans; 3:23, "All have sinned;" 6:23, "the wages of sin is death;" 5:8, "Christ died for us," 10:9, "confess that Jesus is Lord;" and 10:13, "all who call on the name of the Lord will be saved."

This begins with our understanding of the need to change our lives; to repent. We first must understand our own shortcomings; the sins in our lives. Once we understand we are flawed beings then we can be taught the better way. It all starts with repentance... John’s baptism. That’s all John was saying... you have sin in your life and you need to change that; you need to repent. John wasn’t offering anything else, just a chance to reflect on the course of your life and recognize a need for change. Remember his words from Matthew, "...make straight paths..." This isn’t theology... it is a challenge to get our lives back on the straight and narrow.

Now, in contrast to that... Jesus’ baptism... First of all, we aren’t certain that Jesus ever really baptized anyone. We have no historical record of Jesus actually getting into the water with someone and baptizing them. So what is Jesus’ baptism all about? It is about surrendering one’s life to God; letting God be the Master and Commander of all that you do. It is an outward act that symbolizes the inward commitment being made. Jesus’ baptism is a grafting of one’s life into union with God; into fellowship with God. It is the sign of the action of accepting Jesus as Lord and Savior.

Note that I did not say that it was what saves you. Baptism does NOT save you. Some denominations believe that it does but we understand it as the symbol of living with Christ. When we are put down into the water of baptism and completely covered; immersed; we symbolize dying. Being in the water symbolizes being washed clean by Jesus’ blood, removing all the stains of our sins from our souls. And then coming up out of the water symbolizes being re-born into new life with Christ.

As Paul taught these twelve men, when you accept Jesus’ baptism you automatically receive the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the person of God whom lives in you and will guide you, if you allow Him to. The Spirit will not force His will on anyone... but, living in you, finding a willing soul, will offer the guidance one needs for living a life that will be pleasing to God.

Unlike Ford or GM, John and Jesus are not competitors. It isn’t John’s baptism or Jesus’ baptism. On the contrary, to do it right we need both John and Jesus. We need to understand that sin separates us from God and that in order to be all God wants us to be our lives must change. We must first repent; we must first be sorrowful about the sin in our lives in that we understand that those very sins condemn us to hell. Once we accept that we are ready to begin a new life... a life of submission to the will of God.

It takes both. Turn with me to Mark 1:14-15, "14 After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. 15 "The time has come," he said. "The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!""

This spiritual life we are called to live isn’t one of John OR Jesus, but instead one of John AND Jesus. "Repent and believe..." Change your life and follow Jesus. This is the call of God on your life.... will you accept?