Don't Skip To The Good Parts (They Are All Good Parts)

I'll tell you something about myself. If I am late to a movie, I will walk out or just not go. My reasoning is that I believe context is important. Can you imagine how Star Wars would affect you if, for the first time you saw it, you knew that Darth Vader was Luke and Leia's father and that Leia and Luke were twins? It takes a lot of suspense, drama, shock and direction away from the viewer. You might go through the whole movie hoping for a family reunion. Really, it becomes a different film.

I believe some believers in Jesus came from the Christmas and Easter stories and don't really understand why they call Jesus the “lamb.” Imagine if they only knew about his birth, death and resurrection. All important moments but we really wouldn't understand our role as believers. There is more and I, personally, was one of those that went years before truly getting the significance of the Holy Spirit. So, for many that don't grasp the Holy Spirit's importance, it is like missing a big chunk of the film and they really need to go back.

In fact, there is a lot of rightful relevance given to baptism...making that decision to give your life to the Lord, bury your sin and be born again with a new heart. Baptism in the Holy Spirit is lost on those that didn't get past the resurrection moment of Easter. It's a little depressing. So, you want the Cliff Notes version...I can't truly give that to you but I can give you a cursory summary if you promise to go back to Acts and get it from the source. Yeah? Okay!

We have to go back to Acts 1:4 we are told, “On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” It is further explained in Acts 1:8, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

In Acts 2:1 we get our advocate, “When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.”

So, this was the initial gift. You can call the upstairs room in Jerusalem 'ground zero.' As the good news is spread, the opportunity for the spread of the dunamis (or power) of the Holy Spirit to the new believers is there. But after the spirit falling on them, it would be transferred in the future by one that has been baptised in the Holy Spirit via a laying of hands on the recipient.

The next occurrence would be in Acts 8:15, “When they arrived, they prayed for the new believers there that they might receive the Holy Spirit, because the Holy Spirit had not yet come on any of them; they had simply been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then Peter and John placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.” This would be this way ever after. The interesting note here is that these were not Hebrews but Samaritans.

This would be described again in Acts 19:4, “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.” On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied.”

You can see commonality here. But, importantly, one thing stands out often and that's the gift of speaking in tongues. It is the most visable of gifts and is mentioned in 1 Corinthians 14:4, “Anyone who speaks in a tongue edifies themselves, but the one who prophesies edifies the church.” There are 9 of these spiritual gifts: word of wisdom, word of knowledge, gift of faith, gift of healing, working of miracles, prophecy, distinguishing between spirits, speaking in tongues and interpreting tongues. You can see how some may not be as evident at the moment as speaking in tongues.

Why would we be given these gifts? Great question but I believe it is for the same reason Jesus performed his miracles when he did...to bring God the glory and bring more believers. And as a believer, you would do what Jesus would want you to do. Help others as He would. So I ask you to go back and read what you missed if you missed it. If you already do know this, bless you and keep sharing the good news to help grow the kingdom.