Acts 8:4-25
It is fun to create delicious dishes for our family. But sometimes the food doesn't turn out as it should. You take a bite and wonder out loud: “What is missing?”
When the apostles came to Samaria after Philip’s preaching crusade, he noticed something was missing in the newly baptized converts. There was a omitted ingredient. The apostles identified the missing item as the baptism of the Holy Spirit. “When they arrived, they prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit, because the Holy Spirit had not yet come upon any of them; but they had simply been baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus (Acts 8:15).” They quickly laid hands on them to remedy the situation. You see, Christians were never created to live the holy life in their own strength. God’s intention is that we experience the power and presence of the Holy Spirit.
If the apostles were to observe you, would they think something is missing? If so, let’s see the value of being filled with the Spirit and then seek him with all of our heart.
Reflection Questions:
1. As you read this historical story in Acts 8 which character/s do you most identify with? Why?
2. The lack of the Spirit was observable to the apostles. How could they tell?
3. What evidence is there in your life of the fullness of the Spirit?
4. Why was Simon interested in buying the ability to lay on hands to confer the baptism of the Spirit?
5. To you, what is the value of being filled with the Spirit?
It is fun to create delicious dishes for our family. But sometimes the food doesn't turn out as it should. You take a bite and wonder out loud: “What is missing?”
When the apostles came to Samaria after Philip’s preaching crusade, he noticed something was missing in the newly baptized converts. There was a omitted ingredient. The apostles identified the missing item as the baptism of the Holy Spirit. “When they arrived, they prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit, because the Holy Spirit had not yet come upon any of them; but they had simply been baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus (Acts 8:15).” They quickly laid hands on them to remedy the situation. You see, Christians were never created to live the holy life in their own strength. God’s intention is that we experience the power and presence of the Holy Spirit.
If the apostles were to observe you, would they think something is missing? If so, let’s see the value of being filled with the Spirit and then seek him with all of our heart.
Reflection Questions:
1. As you read this historical story in Acts 8 which character/s do you most identify with? Why?
2. The lack of the Spirit was observable to the apostles. How could they tell?
3. What evidence is there in your life of the fullness of the Spirit?
4. Why was Simon interested in buying the ability to lay on hands to confer the baptism of the Spirit?
5. To you, what is the value of being filled with the Spirit?
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