ACTS 19:1-6
by Ray Mossholder
Thinking they were what they should be
Wrapped in religion, warm and comfy,
The apostle Paul shook up these guys
And whittled their religion down to size
“I’ve got a big question. It may come as a blow.
“About the Holy Spirit, just what do you know?”
“The Holy WHAT,” one of them replied,
“The Holy Spirit,” Paul said. “You need Him inside.”
“But we’ve given up sin,” another one said,
We’re being real good and using our head.
We don’t smoke any more or even chew
And we’ve given up all the women who do.
We are kind to old ladies, petting all dogs,
And we Jewish guys still don’t eat any hogs.
Isn’t God going to give us some kind of reward
For being so good? He will if He’s Lord.”
“No that’s not how it works, you’re still under the Law
And trying to earn Brownie points just like your pa.
See, John the Baptist didn’t know the whole truth,
He just knew about Moses, Joshua and Ruth.
Stuck in Old Covenant, still trying to earn
His salvation the hard way, by taking his turn
At being an Eagle Scout, that’s NOT how it works,
He was real sincere, but his faith had some quirks.
He’d have been O.K. if he’d stuck around
But Salome danced and John’s head hit the ground.
Served on a platter, specialty of the day,
Herod turned pale, but what could he say?
He’d gotten so turned on by the way she dropped veils
That he turned out to be just like most other males.
He’d actually gone to visit John in jail
And had been thinking a lot about giving him bail.
Now he stared horror-stricken at John on that plate
And knew springing him now would be far too late.
I’m sad for Herod, he came so close
To changing eternally with the Holy Ghost
Now he mourns and he grizzles and cries all the time
He’s really a mess because of that crime.
Now, that brings me to what I have to share with you
Awesome news, fellows, and totally true.
Remember that day John cried “Behold the Lamb?”
And Jesus stepped forward, the great I AM,
To do what you’ve done, been dunked in the sea,
And coming out wet, but unlike He
You don’t have the Holy Spirit in you yet
And if you died now you’d eternally sweat.
Oh, how you need Him, but that’s coming fast
I am giving you the truth that really will last
The Messiah came and fulfilled the whole Law
Missing no jot or tittle, without any flaw,
The only reason He had John drop Him down in that water
Was to fulfill that part of the Law as a human blotter.
God the Father was pleased and spoke from above
And the Holy Spirit descended on Him just like a dove
He came out of that water, King of King, Lord of Lords,
Soon He and the devil would really cross swords.
Christ would win, of course, as He always will
And now guys get ready for a really big thrill.
Would you like to receive Christ and be forgiven,
Know the Messiah and really start livin’?
Because if you’ll pray with me right now
The Holy Spirit will come in and show you how.”
“You bet we would,” they all said at once
“Anyone not taking that offer would be a dunce.
We have talked about it together before
We kept thinking that there has to be more
Than just trying to stay good and keeping laws
I mean, that might be enough for Santa Claus,
But even for Santa we couldn’t always be good
Or do all the things that we knew we should.”
They stood in Ephesus underneath a hot sun
And bowed their heads so this could be done.
Each prayed, “Jesus, forgive us for leaving You out
And thinking we could be good. Without any doubt.
We’ve failed miserably at keeping God’s rules
And we know we’ve been a bunch of fools.
We’ve mocked all You did to save our souls.
Seems like sending us to hell would be one of Your goals.
But it isn’t, for You died for us and for all
Who have or will ever live on this ball
called Earth. Your blood continually cleanses us
Even when we storm and cuss.
Like the sons of thunder did in Your gang
Who followed You til the angels sang.
It’s beyond us, but that goes without saying,
So come into our hearts and plan on staying.”
“He will,” Paul promised, “for now and forever
All your ties with hell Christ did just now sever.
Now open your mouths and start praising God
And He’ll turn it to tongues, don’t think it odd.
And they did, and their tongues did, and it was so keen,
If you want to know the rest read Acts 19.”
ACTS 19:1-6