1 1-2 Now, it happened that while Apollos was away in Corinth, Paul made his way down through the mountains, came to Ephesus, and happened on some disciples there. The first thing he said was, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed? Did you take God into your mind only, or did you also embrace him with your heart? Did he get inside you?”
“We’ve never even heard of that—a Holy Spirit? God within us?”
3 “How were you baptized, then?” asked Paul.
“In John’s baptism.”
4 “That explains it,” said Paul. “John preached a baptism of radical life-change so that people would be ready to receive the One coming after him, who turned out to be Jesus. If you’ve been baptized in John’s baptism, you’re ready now for the real thing, for Jesus.”
5-7 And they were. As soon as they heard of it, they were baptized in the name of the Master Jesus. Paul put his hands on their heads and the Holy Spirit entered them. From that moment on, they were praising God in tongues and talking about God’s actions. Altogether there were about twelve people there that day.
8-10 Paul then went straight to the meeting place. He had the run of the place for three months, doing his best to make the things of the kingdom of God real and convincing to them. But then resistance began to form as some of them began spreading evil rumors through the congregation about the Christian way of life. So Paul left, taking the disciples with him, and set up shop in the school of Tyrannus, holding class there daily. He did this for two years, giving everyone in the province of Asia, Jews as well as Greeks, ample opportunity to hear the Message of the Master.
The Holy Spirit led Paul to convert the 12 people in Ephesus to believe and be baptized in the Name of Jesus again. They spoke in tongues as a sign of receiving the Holy Spirit in the new covenant age. Paul continued to faithfully preach the Message of Jesus to Jews and Greeks in Ephesus for two years, leading the people to come to Jesus through the words of God.
Me dear Master Jesus, I desire my life to be like Your apostle, to follow Jesus' way of life in preaching God's Kingdom. Jesus lived a life of downward mobility, unlike the worldly standard of pursuing upwards; Paul gave up his life of nobility of being a Pharisee, living his life like a servant of God, serving people with humility and patience. Jesus lives a life of pleasing the Father God, listening to His voice, adjusting his life and obeying to Father's Will; Paul lives a life of dying to his old self and living a resurrected life with Jesus, faithfully surrendering His life to Jesus and His mission. Jesus lived out a life of entire union with His Father and His love in all kinds of circumstances; Paul pursued a life of gaining Christ and be united with Him forever.
My Master Jesus, as I commit myself to follow You and Your mission without reservation, I desire to follow You to live a life of downward mobility, serving people with humility and patience, but trusting that this is also the way to fully experience Your Presence and Love as I walk step by step daily with You.
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