Streams of Living Water

As Paul embarks on his third missionary journey he comes to Ephesus. Here he meets twelve disciples of John the Baptist (Acts 19:1-7). Were they claiming to believers in Christ? Probably knowing that John's disciples may have not heard the whole gospel message, Paul inquired whether they received the Holy Spirit. They replied that they had never heard about the Holy Spirit. So he further questions them on what baptism they had received? They replied the baptism of John the Baptist. Who baptized them? Was it John, Apollos or some other? Here we see an independent stream not yet brought into the mainstream.

Paul explained to them that John's baptism was only to demonstrate their desire to turn from their sins and turn to God. Did such baptism lead the convert to live a new life in Christ? Shouldn't repentance for sins, accordingly lead to turning to Christ? It is when we allow Christ into our lives, through the working of the Holy Spirit in our lives we are able to live faithful lives. As soon as the disciples of John heard this they were baptized in the name of Jesus. When Paul laid his hands on them they received the Holy Spirit and spoke in tongues and prophesied. Was this not an observable proof of an outpouring, of the inpouring of the streams of living water (John 7:37-41)?

Do you see liberated or unconstrained streams breaking away from or being brought back into the mainstream today? What do you think someone like Paul's response to such streams would be?

Richard J. Foster in his book Streams of Living Water looks at six major streams of spirituality in Christianity: contemplative (prayer-filled life), holiness (virtuous life), charismatic (Spirit-empowered life), social justice (the compassionate life), evangelical (Word-centered life), and incarnational (sacramental life) of which Christ is the source of all these streams. Foster says: "God is bringing together streams of life that have been isolated from one another for a very long time." We can enrich and care for our souls if we draw from all these six streams which when we step back from it, we can see that all these little streams reveal to us the mainstream, proclaiming the message of Christ that none of these streams can tell by itself.

Found Wanting

The time between Paul's third missionary journey and the second there is a brief interlude. Suddenly there is the meeting of Apollos, John the Baptist disciple with Priscilla and Aquila , disciples of Christ. Apollos who had been baptized by John the Baptist and probably seen the the fulfillment of the Messiah in Jesus was preaching a message that was anachronistic to the one that the disciples of Christ were currently preaching (Acts 18: 24-28). Had Apollos not understood the role of the Holy Spirit after the resurrection of Christ? Did he know about the gifts of the Holy Spirit? Was he preaching purely a message of repentance and preparation for the coming of the Messiah? The story here is unclear what he said inaccurately.

When Priscilla and Aquila heard Apollos speak they realized that he was not entirely accurate. So they politely called him aside and made him understand the gospel message and enlightened him maybe on the role of the Holy Spirit during and after baptism. Here we see the pearls of spiritual knowledge that Paul had bestowed upon the couple now was passed on to another who could powerfully communicate it to those who were willing to hear and receive the gospel message. Do we show the same courtesy to other believers who have a different or an inaccurate point of view? Did Apollos have a problem learning from a couple who were not really educated but tradespeople? Do we know of someone who is in need of spiritual help? Can we ever claim to say we have fully understood the message of the gospel?

We have all on occasion met people who have a very charismatic personality, that draws people to them. Anything they say seem to touch the hearts and minds of those they interact with. Apollos was one of those people with the gift to teach and preach effectively. His burning enthusiasm to spread the message made him speak boldly and eloquently on the scriptures.