Acts 8:14-17

“The two went down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit (for as yet the Spirit had not come upon any of them; they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus).” vss. 9-10

Early believers didn’t belong to any religious group and there was no organized Church. Most of them were practicing Jews but they also were a part of a Jesus Movement. Within that movement all kinds of incredible things were happening and there were no rules or procedures in place–people were coming to faith and many were being baptized. Some were having powerful experiences with the Holy Spirit and others were not. And in all that confusion there emerged a power that captured and transformed lives. The movement spread rapidly, and no one was really in charge. As the gospel of John put it so well, “The Spirit blows where it chooses, and you can hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it is going or where it is coming from.” There have been times in the history of the Church when the Jesus Movement has re-emerged. Many can remember the “Jesus People” who even made the cover of Time magazine in 1971. Again it was a confusing time for the Church but the Jesus Revolution became a national phenomenon. Ultimately, it’s hard for movements to be sustained–the excitement fades, and organizations take over. Of course it’s probably necessary to have rules and procedures. But it’s really sad when the Spirit of Jesus is no longer blowing freely!

Thought for the Day: My experiences with the Jesus Movement.