Gathered In

Overview

Gathered In: God's Wideness of Mercy in Acts 19

When Paul arrives in Ephesus in Acts 19:1-7, he encounters a small group described as "disciples." The word itself doesn't tell us whose disciples they are—Scripture also speaks of disciples of the Pharisees and disciples of John (Luke 5:33; Matthew 11:2). Paul's question—"Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you became believers?"—is itself a clue. He is not asking whether they have the Spirit at all, since no one can confess Christ apart from the Spirit 1 Corinthians 12:13. He is asking whether they received the special sign-gift of speaking in actual foreign languages, which marked the establishing of the church in Acts 2, 8, and 10.

Their answer reveals the truth: they had received only John's baptism and had not even heard of the Holy Spirit. Yet John himself plainly preached the coming of the Spirit (Matthew 3:11; Mark 1:1-4). John pointed away from himself to "the Lamb of God," yet not all his followers turned to follow Jesus Matthew 9:14. A separate sect persisted for generations. These twelve men were errant followers of John, drifting in a partial, outdated message twenty-five years after the Baptist's death.

Paul's response is the same response we see again and again in Acts: he teaches. Philip taught the Ethiopian eunuch Acts 8:32-35. Priscilla and Aquila took Apollos aside and explained the way of God more accurately Acts 18:26. The risen Jesus taught the disciples on the Emmaus road, opening the Scriptures concerning Himself Luke 24:27. Paul proclaims Christ to these twelve, they are baptized in Jesus' name, and the Spirit comes upon them with the same confirming sign that authenticated the gospel's reach to every group before them.

That is the heart of the passage: God is gathering people in. Jews, Samaritans, Gentiles, and now even errant disciples of John—all drawn into the one fold of Christ. As the hymn confesses, "There's a wideness in God's mercy, like the wideness of the sea." When we honestly reckon with the depth of our own sin, the question presses on us: does that wideness include me, or has the circle been drawn just outside? The gospel's answer is unwavering. There is welcome for the sinner. There is plentiful redemption in the blood that has been shed. Christ died for you, claimed you in the waters of baptism, and conquered the grave for you. You have been gathered in—for today and for all eternity.

Transcript

Let us pray together. 0s

Gracious Heavenly Father, we give you thanks 3s

for your infelible word. 5s

We give you thanks, O Lord, that as we open up the pages of Scripture, 9s

the voice that we hear is your voice. 14s

And so a tune, O Lord, our minds and our hearts, 18s

to hear your word today. 23s

We praise you and glorify 26s

you in Jesus name, Amen. 30s

As we have studied in the past, 36s

great hymns of the church, they preach. 38s

There's a depth and there's a gravitas to them. 43s

It's why they are around for a long time. 47s

This hymn that we just sang is one of those hymns. 52s

When you read the words, there is just a sermon here, isn't it? 56s

Why just the opening of what we just sang? 62s

There's a whiteness in God's mercy, 65s

like the whiteness of the sea. 69s

There's a kindness in his justice, 72s

which is more than liberty. 75s

That hymn has been placed before the sermon for a reason, 80s

as we study this morning, the 19th chapter of Acts, 85s

I'd like you to listen for precisely the theme of that hymn. 89s

So let's get to work. 97s

Chapter 19, we pick up in verse 1. 99s

While Apollos was in Corinth, 102s

Paul passed through the interior regions and came to Ephesus, 105s

where he found some disciples. 110s

When you hear the word disciples, you immediately think, 115s

well, Christians, right? 118s

But the word in of itself, it just doesn't tell us who this group is. 121s

Because the disciple is simply one who is a learner, one who is a follower, for example. 128s

In Luke 5 chapter it says, 136s

the disciples of the Pharisees frequently fast and pray, 138s

or in Matthew 11 it says, 143s

when John heard in prison what the Messiah was doing, 147s

he sent word by his disciples. 151s

Now there was these followers, these learners of John. 154s

John has a question about the Messiah, 157s

and so he dispatches his disciples to get the answer. 160s

So when we hear in verse 19, 165s

he found some disciples. 168s

Well, we don't know who these are disciples of, 170s

do we? Are they Christians? 176s

Or not? 182s

Paul then starts an inquiry. He said to them, 185s

did you receive the Holy Spirit when you became believers? 189s

Does that strike you as an odd question 197s

because you are asking and thinking that they are Christians? 200s

You see, no one can believe in the Lord Jesus Christ without the Holy Spirit. 206s

If you have faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, 213s

then you have the Holy Spirit that dwells in you. 216s

Paul puts it this way in 1 Corinthians 12. 219s

He says, for in the one spirit, 222s

we were all baptized into one body. 225s

Jews or Greeks, slaves or free, 228s

and we were all made to drink of one spirit. 232s

So if he thinks that there are Christians, 238s

it doesn't make sense for him to say, 240s

do you have the Holy Spirit? 244s

Because of their Christians, 246s

they have the Holy Spirit. 249s

So what's he asking here? 251s

Go back to the question. 253s

Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you became believers? 255s

What he's talking about is the gift of tongues. 262s

What have we seen so far? 267s

We've seen it in chapter 2, 268s

chapter 8, chapter 10, 270s

that the speaking in tongues was a special gift, 273s

biblical times, 276s

being able to speak a foreign language without studying it. 277s

Remember, as we've studied, 285s

speaking in tongues is not an ecstatic language, 287s

unknown and unintelligible. 291s

Is that type of ecstatic speech? 295s

Why that's a cross religious lines? 297s

Christian, non-Christian. 300s

There can be ecstatic speech. 302s

That's not the gift of speaking in tongues. 304s

Why you see that in religions all around the world. 309s

It's simply ecstatic speech, 312s

and let's a whole of assurment to get what's the roots of that. 314s

What he's asking is the question is, 318s

do you speak then? 322s

Did you receive the Holy Spirit and the ability to speak in foreign languages? 324s

That you haven't studied. 330s

And remember, that gift was given, 332s

so the church would become established. 333s

And then we see that gift go away. 336s

We go on. 343s

They replied, 345s

no, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit. 346s

Well, that's interesting, isn't it? 353s

Because if you're now a follower of John, 357s

will John certainly talk about the Holy Spirit. 363s

In Matthew, the third chapter, 369s

says, 373s

I baptize John, says, 373s

I baptize you with water for repentance, 374s

but one who is more powerful than I is coming after me. 377s

I'm not worthy to carry his sandals. 381s

He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 384s

So if they were disciples of John, 392s

they would have heard that indeed, 395s

there was a Holy Spirit, but their response is, 398s

no, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit. 401s

So who are we dealing with here? 410s

Who are these people? 414s

Who are these disciples? 416s

Who are they? 420s

Let's go on. 423s

First three. 424s

Paul now is getting even more specific than he said. 427s

Into what then were you baptized? 433s

They answered into John's baptism. 436s

Remember, John was the four-runner of the Lord Jesus. 442s

It tells us in Mark the first chapter, 446s

it says this, as it is written in the prophet Isaiah. 450s

See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you who will prepare your way. 454s

The voice of one crying out in the wilderness, 460s

prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. 463s

Then the very next verse says, 468s

John, the baptizer, appeared in the wilderness, 470s

proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 474s

So John was the prophesied four-runner of the Lord Jesus Christ. 479s

John directed his disciples to follow Jesus. 487s

Remember, John pointed away from himself unto the Lord Jesus. 493s

Says, there's the Lamb of God. 498s

He directed his disciples to follow Jesus, but here's the thing. 501s

Not all of his disciples. 507s

Follow Jesus. 512s

Not all of them did. 515s

We hear that echoed in Scripture. 518s

For example, in Matthew 9, it says this, 520s

then the disciples of John, the Baptist, came to him, Jesus, saying, 523s

Why do we and the Pharisees fast often, 530s

but your disciples do not fast? 533s

Do you understand? 537s

Their disciples of John, who are not following Jesus 539s

and they're asking Jesus a question about Jesus' disciples. 542s

You see, there were some followers of John 547s

who instead of following Jesus, 550s

they remained a separate sect within Judaism. 554s

They never turned to follow Jesus. 559s

So it's no surprise then that 25 years after the death 563s

of John the Baptist, Paul runs in to some of these folks 568s

that had remained this separate sect. 574s

In fact, you see groups like this extended all the way in 579s

to the second century. 584s

So, were these disciples Christians? 586s

No. 593s

Were they followers of John in what John was telling them to do? 596s

No. 602s

So who were they? 604s

They were errant followers of John, 606s

who had been led a stray. 611s

So, what does Paul do? 622s

His questions have narrowed it down exactly who he's dealing with here. 627s

So, what does Paul do? 633s

Keep your finger here. 637s

Would you please turn over to Acts 8 chapter? 638s

Acts 8 chapter. 643s

We're going to pick up in verse 32. 649s

Acts chapter 8 will pick up in 32. 654s

Remember, this is the story where there's the Ethiopian 658s

unique and he's reading from the prophet Isaiah. 661s

So verse 32 says, now the prophet of the scripture, 667s

the passage of the scripture that he was reading was this. 670s

Like a sheep, he was led to the slaughter. 674s

Like a lamb, silent before it's shear, 677s

so he does not open his mouth. 680s

This is a prophecy about the Messiah. 682s

In his humiliation, justice was denied him 686s

who can describe his generation 689s

for his life is taken away from the earth. 691s

The unit asked Philip. 696s

About whom may I ask does the prophet say this, 699s

about himself or about someone else? 702s

So he's reading this prophecy. 707s

He doesn't understand it. 708s

So he asks Philip, who is he's talking about here? 709s

And then the scripture tells us verse 35, 713s

then Philip began to speak and starting with this scripture, 716s

he proclaimed to him the good news about Jesus. 721s

So what does Philip do? 727s

He teaches. 729s

He teaches. 731s

Okay, let's jump now to chapter 18, verse 26, 734s

chapter 18, verse 26. 739s

This now is referencing a follows. 745s

A follows as a follower of the Lord Jesus. 748s

He's preaching about Jesus. 751s

Verse 26 says, he began to speak boldly 756s

in the synagogue. 760s

But when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, 762s

they took him aside and explained the way of God 765s

to him more accurately. 770s

So a follows is preaching. 773s

Priscilla and Aquila are sitting there and saying, 775s

you know, he doesn't have it quite right. 778s

He needs some edges taken off. 781s

He needs some things added to what he is proclaiming. 783s

So Priscilla and Aquila rightly teach him about the Gospel 787s

of Jesus Christ. 791s

So what do Priscilla and Aquila do with the Paulus? 793s

Teach. 801s

Think of after the resurrection that disciples are walking along the road. 802s

Jesus comes up to them. 808s

They're prevented from seeing that it is Jesus. 809s

Jesus says, what are you discussing? 813s

They're going to be in the way. 817s

And they communicate all the events that have happened 819s

and they communicate here. 821s

They're sadness with regard to this. 824s

And the Scripture says, in Luke 24, 826s

that Jesus beginning with Moses and all the prophets, 830s

he interpreted to them the things about himself in all the Scriptures. 833s

What did he do? 839s

He taught. 841s

What did Philip do? 843s

He taught. 844s

What did Priscilla and Aquila do? 845s

They taught. 847s

What did Jesus do? 848s

He taught. 850s

Guess what Paul did? 853s

What Paul did? 855s

Look back at our text. 856s

Verse 4, Paul said, 858s

John baptized with the baptism of repentance, 863s

telling the people to believe in the one who is to come after him. 866s

That is in Jesus. 871s

Verse 5 says, 875s

On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 877s

Now, this is typical of what Luke does. 882s

Luke will sometimes leave out a whole batch of details. 885s

And he just kind of synthesizes it down to the course. 890s

And certainly there was more proclamation here than one verse. 894s

And they turned to be baptized. 898s

But proclaiming of Jesus Christ, 900s

Paul teaches and the result on hearing this. 903s

They were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 906s

Verse 6 says, 909s

When Paul had laid his hands on them, 910s

the Holy Spirit came upon them. 912s

They spoke in tongues. 914s

In other words, they could speak in languages. 915s

They had not studied. 918s

The church is still being established. 921s

That's the purpose of the gift and prophesied. 923s

All together, they were about 12 of them. 926s

The fascinating story, isn't it? 932s

So what's the point? 938s

What's the point? 942s

What we see in Holy Scripture is God gathering in groups of people. 947s

He gathered in to the fold of believers, Jews. 960s

He gathered in Gentiles. 966s

He gathered in Samaritans. 970s

He gathered in errant followers of John. 974s

Do you hear the theme? 984s

There's a whiteness in God's mercy. 987s

Like the whiteness of the sea. 994s

And does that whiteness include you? 1003s

Doesn't include you? 1010s

You see, we can be tempted as we reflect on our own sinfulness. 1016s

What we say and what we do, what we don't do. 1021s

We reflect on the depth and the breadth of our own sinfulness. 1027s

When we tune out all of the false preachers that simply gather the people and say, 1033s

How wonderful they are every Sunday. 1041s

When we tune it out and listen to what God says in the revelation of who we are through the law. 1045s

That leads us to do exactly what we did at the beginning of the service where we confess our sin. 1054s

We confess the depth of it. 1062s

While you look at the great reformers and the truth, you look at the Luther's, you look at the Calvin's. 1067s

And what it is, there's theological differences for sure and not to minimize that. 1071s

But what there is is there's this uniformity of the understanding of the depth of their sinfulness and their need for Jesus. 1077s

And so when we reflect on the depth of our sinfulness, the question then comes, 1087s

Does the whiteness of God's mercy and circle us? 1097s

Or is the line drawn just outside? 1108s

It's like the little one standing at the playground as the kids gather and they choose teams to play. 1117s

And the little one is hoping that they'll be chosen. 1128s

But the circle of the choosing is limited and when the players have been reached for the two teams, 1135s

the little one realizes that they're standing outside of the circle. 1144s

As we reflect on our own sinfulness in a much greater way, are we like that little one standing in the park and realize that the circle has been drawn. 1154s

And the whiteness of the selection simply doesn't include us. 1166s

Or the person picking up the baggage at the airport noticing all of the big greetings that are given there. 1178s

As the turn style goes round and around, realizing that there's no one in their life. 1187s

To give that embrace, there's no one in their life to greet them at the turn style. 1195s

And in a much greater way is that the understanding where we stand and we reflect and we see. 1205s

But the grace of God can't embrace me. 1214s

Because the sin seems so great. 1221s

And so we sing. 1233s

There is welcome for the sinner and a promised grace made good. 1238s

There's mercy with the Savior. 1244s

There is healing in His blood. 1249s

There is grace enough for thousands of new worlds as greatest this. 1254s

There's room for fresh creations in that upper home of bliss. 1266s

For the love of God is broader than the measure of our minds. 1274s

And the heart of the eternal is more wonderfully kind. 1280s

There is plenty full redemption in the blood that has been shed. 1287s

There's joy for all the members in the sorrows of the head. 1293s

Christ died for you. 1305s

Christ redeemed you. 1310s

You have been claimed in the waters of baptism. 1315s

The tomb of the Lord Jesus Christ is empty. 1322s

Death has been overcome. 1329s

You have been gathered in for 2020. 1335s

You have been gathered in for all of eternity. 1344s

And the whiteness of His mercy embraces. 1354s

You. 1366s