An Exciting Time, Acts 19:1-22

The exciting time concerns how God blessed Paul’s preaching.

An Exciting Time discusses the results of Paul’s preaching in Ephesus, Acts 19:1. “Paul passed through the inland country…came to Ephesus. There he found some disciples.”

As Paul continued on his third preaching trip, he found a small band of disciples, some of whom needed further teaching, Acts 19:2. “…he said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?”

When they expressed ignorance of the Holy Spirit, Paul ascertained that they had only the baptism of John the Baptist. Paul explained about Jesus. Consequently, he baptized them in the name of Jesus. At that point Paul laid his hands on them and they began prophesying.

This parallels what happened to the Samaritan brethren when the apostles laid hands on them (See Acts 8:15-16.)

These gifts of the Holy Spirit would help the Ephesian church grow.

Paul reasoned with the Jews until they began to speak evil of Christianity. Then Paul moved the growing church, Acts 19:9-10. “…he withdrew from them and took the disciples with him, reasoning daily in the hall of Tyrannus. This continued for two years, so that all the residents of Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks.”

This exciting and remarkable time involved a longer time than Paul usually stayed in one place. During Paul’s stay at Ephesus, the gospel expanded to form churches in at least seven surrounding towns (see Revelation 2-3.)

Paul mentioned this exciting time in a letter, 1 Corinthians 16:8-9. “But I will stay in Ephesus until Pentecost, for a wide door for effective work has opened to me”

The effective preaching of the gospel and subsequent baptisms brought an amazing public display, Acts 19:11-12. “…God was doing extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul, …even handkerchiefs or aprons that had touched his skin were carried away to the sick, and their diseases left them and the evil spirits came out of them.”

Paul began to plan future work in accordance with the Holy Spirit.

So, what did we learn?

1.Paul re-baptized several disciples  baptized only with John’s baptism.

2.God blessed the preaching of the gospel and strengthened the church in Ephesus and the surrounding area.

3.Public miracles were performed.

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