Let me begin by declaring that I believe there was only ONE Pentecost, as far as the holy Spirit coming down to inhabit the Church, its members, truly born-again people.
And yet again let me assert I DO BELIEVE there have been many Holy Ghost Revivals showered upon our land. Worldwide in fact.
And what happened at Ephesus in Acts 19 is at least an example. I am nearly ready to call it (as today’s Lesson’s Title suggests) an “Ephesian Pentecost!” Or maybe better, a “gentile Pentecost!”
The Chapter begins with certain Old Testament rites that no longer” fit” the dispensation of the Grace of God, the period “post” (after) Jesus’ Death and Burial and Resurrection. Read if you can Acts 19:1-7 where the “Baptism of John” was “unto” the remission of sins. Whereas our Baptist is “after” the remission of sins! BIG DIFFERENCE!
See the difference? Baptism prior to Calvary … or Baptism after Calvary, after one’s salvation! Those disciples of John the Baptist were still following an “obsolete” approach to Jesus, since our Lord had now (by Paul’s time in Ephesus) died on the Cross, shed His Blood, and been physically raised from the dead!
So Paul (or one of his team) rebaptized them! Likely they had already believed in Jesus, but had not entered fully into the “riches” we now enjoy via the Power of our resurrected Saviour! They did not yet know the “delights” of daily living in the Presence of the indwelling Holy Spirit! (A Pentecostal Result!)
Next in Acts 19 … after the Old had been laid aside … the HOLY SPIRIT fell on these men. (Duplicating what happened in Acts 2, the Real Pentecost!) No mentioned “rushing mighty wind” or “cloven tongues of fire” … but still “The Holy Ghost came on them.” Acts 19:6
Next, they spoke with “tongues,” in languages! Acts 9:6 again, just like Pentecost! Then Luke tells us that they “prophesied,” witnessed (in those languages maybe) or testified about Jesus! (Just like Pentecost!)
Then, still in Acts 19 … the Jews heard and rejected (just like Pentecost) … but gentiles believed (some did at Pentecost) too!
Then lastly, still very similar to the Acts 2 Pentecost, miracles ensued! (Think of the miracles of Acts 2 and 3 and 4!) Now read with me Acts 19:11-12 … “God wrought SPECIAL MIRACLES by the hands of Paul: so that from his body were brought unto the sick handkerchiefs or aprons, and the diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out of them.”
Wow!
Truly, as seen here in today’s Text, God is no “Respecter of persons!” Acts 10:34 informs us of this fundamental Truth!
And what He did for Jews (largely) in Acts 2, Pentecost … He did for the gentiles (largely) in Acts 19!
To me as a Bible student … this is BEAUTIFUL!
Oh, by the way, are You living to day in the conscious awareness of the Holy Spirit of God being “in your life, in your very body?”
Are you, using Paul’s inspired words, enjoying “the communion of the Holy Ghost?”
Wow!
— Dr. Mike Bagwell
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