Recap
In our previous study, we explored the many companions and relationships that supported Paul in his Gospel ministry. Paul is not alone, he is part of a community of Men and Women who support one another, labour with one another and pray for each other. And each brings a different gift that makes up the body. As Paul says in 1 Corinthians, I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow.” The spirit is at work through the many members to feed and nourish his church.
Introduction
Our passage today is a curious one, filled with several head-scratching moments: a group of disciples who haven’t heard about the Holy Spirit, and then after receiving the holy spirit, begin speaking in tongues; Paul’s handkerchiefs heal people, a group of people try to cast out demons, only to be beaten up by the men who were possessed, and then those who practice sorcery burn their scrolls.
It is a story where we may lose the forest for the trees. As you read this story, seek to remember it in the larger contexts of Acts and the Gospel accounts, ask yourself what Luke is trying to convey by sharing these stories all together, and what it may reveal to us about the power of Jesus and his Gospel at work in the church.
Read Acts 19:1-22
(Remember - First read out loud, either one person reads the whole thing, or separate it by verses. After you read through the passage out loud, take a little bit of time to re-read it individually, noting and marking verses, words or phrases that stand out in the story.)
Three Quick Questions:
Is there anything that stands out to you as we read through the passage?
Did you learn anything new or surprising about Jesus or God’s character?
Are there any other stories or passages in the Bible that Luke may be subtly referencing? Why is Luke connecting this story to that passage?
Diving Deeper
Our reading begins with the apostle Paul encountering a group of disciples who had received the baptism of John, but not the baptism of Jesus. This may seem unusual, but it is actually the second time we have encountered people like this. In Chapter 18, when we meet Apollos, he also knows only of John’s baptism. This seems to suggest that he was aware of Jesus’ life, ministry, death, and resurrection, but had not been made aware of the events of Pentecost. To know John’s baptism meant understanding the call to repentance, but not yet experiencing the empowering presence of the Holy Spirit. Paul uses this opportunity to point out that Jesus is the true fulfillment of John’s baptism.
At this, the disciples are baptized, and Paul lays his hands on them. As at Pentecost, they begin speaking and proclaiming in tongues.
Why do you think some believers, like Apollos and the disciples Paul met, had only experienced John’s baptism?
What might this suggest about how faith and understanding can grow over time?
What do you see as the key differences between John’s baptism of repentance and baptism in Jesus with the Holy Spirit? How do these differences matter for believers today?
*If you have time, take a look at the Catechism’s answer to what Baptism is, they are included at the very bottom.*
Why might Luke include the detail that there were about twelve men in total?
After baptizing the disciples, Paul continues preaching in the synagogue for about three months, but eventually faces strong resistance. He then moves with the disciples to the lecture hall of Tyrannus, where he continues teaching. During this time, God works through Paul in powerful ways; people are healed and miracles occur. The mention of handkerchiefs and aprons being used for healing may echo moments in Jesus’ ministry, such as when a woman is healed simply by touching His garment.
Why do you think healing and miracles are closely connected with Paul’s preaching in this part of Acts, when they seem less emphasized in other recent passages?
What might this suggest about the purpose of miracles in supporting the message?
The final story in this passage may seem somewhat humorous, but we should look more deeply at what is happening. A group of Jewish men attempts to drive out “evil spirits,” invoking the name of Jesus as if it were a formula or source of power to assist in the exorcism.
Why do you think this approach does not work?
What do the demon’s words reveal about this group of people?
What might this suggest about the importance of faith in relation to the power of Jesus?
As we consider these three connected stories, the power of the Holy Spirit, miraculous healings, and a failed exorcism, what might Luke be trying to show us and equip us with today?
Benediction
May Christ dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
** Notes from To Be a Christian, the Anglican Catechism
127. What is the inward and spiritual grace given in Baptism?
The inward and spiritual grace is death to sin and new birth to righteousness, through union with Christ in his death and resurrection. I am born a sinner by nature, separated from God. But in Baptism, through faith in Christ and the gift of the Holy Spirit, I am made a member of Christ’s Body and adopted as God’s child and heir. (Psalm 51:1–2, 7–10; Ezekiel 36:25–26; John 3:3–5; Romans 6:1–11; Colossians 2:9–14)
128. What is required of you when you come to be baptized?
Two things are required: repentance, in which I turn away from sin; and faith, in which I turn to Jesus Christ as my Savior and Lord and trust the promises that God makes to me in this sacrament. (Psalm 51:3–6, 13–17; Mark 1:14–15; Acts 2:37–38)
130. What signs of the Holy Spirit’s work should you hope and pray to see as a result of your Baptism? I should hope and pray that the Holy Spirit, who indwells me, will help me to be an active member of my Christian community, participate in worship, continually repent and return to God, proclaim the faith, love and serve God and my neighbor, and seek justice and peace. (Matthew 22:35–40; Hebrews 10:19–28; 12:14; 1 Peter 3:15; 1 John 1:9; 2:1)
