Introduction: This morning, we are going to wrap up chapter three with a teaching on Baptism.
Read the Text: John 3:22-36
22 After this, Jesus and his disciples went out into the Judean countryside, where he spent some time with them, and baptized. 23 Now John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because there was plenty of water, and people were coming and being baptized. 24 (This was before John was put in prison.) 25 An argument developed between some of John’s disciples and a certain Jew over the matter of ceremonial washing. 26 They came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, that man who was with you on the other side of the Jordan—the one you testified about—look, he is baptizing, and everyone is going to him.”
27 To this John replied, “A person can receive only what is given them from heaven. 28 You yourselves can testify that I said, ‘I am not the Messiah but am sent ahead of him.’ 29 The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom’s voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete. 30 He must become greater; I must become less.”
31 The one who comes from above is above all; the one who is from the earth belongs to the earth, and speaks as one from the earth. The one who comes from heaven is above all. 32 He testifies to what he has seen and heard, but no one accepts his testimony. 33 Whoever has accepted it has certified that God is truthful. 34 For the one whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God gives the Spirit without limit. 35 The Father loves the Son and has placed everything in his hands. 36 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them.
- John the Baptist had a following and his peeps were loyal to him and a bit concerned that Jesus was stealing his thunder. John, however, was not at all bothered because he knew that he was Jesus set up man, a forerunner whose job was prepare the bride for the groom. In fact, John makes it clear that Jesus deserves center stage. For he alone can cleanse the soul that has been stained by sin.
“Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.” Eph. 5:25-27 NIV
- The context of from our teaching this morning comes out of an anonymous Jew disputing with John’s disciples about ceremonial cleansing in the context of baptism. We can’t be certain of the content of the dispute, but it would be reasonable to believe this man was arguing that ceremonial cleansing was still necessary and that the disciples were not qualified to perform this duty. (Mikvah: a ceremonial water basin large enough for a person to be completely immerged).
- Point of Interest: An ancient commentary on Hebrew Scriptures known as the Midrash which is believed to have been written in the 1st or 2nd century AD suggest that, Adam after he was removed from the Garden went and sat in the river as a act of repentance.
This morning, I will share four observations about Baptism that I feel are important for believers to understand.
1. CEREMONIAL WASHINGS IN THE OLD COVENANT WAS A OF
Every Jew understood that unclean people were not allowed into the temple to worship unless they were washed in the ceremonial waters. God is Holy and to approach him in our uncleanness was unkosher.
- According to the Mosaic Law, a person could become ceremonially unclean for numerous reasons. (Leviticus 11-15)
- Childbirth (Leviticus 12:1–2, 5)
- Infectious diseases, like leprosy (Leviticus 13:9–11)
- Unusual bodily discharges (Leviticus 15:2–15)
- Bodily discharges related to reproduction—e.g., a man’s emission of semen (Leviticus 15:16–18) and a woman’s menstrual cycle (Leviticus 15:19–30)
- Touching a corpse (Numbers 19:11)
- Handling the ashes of a red heifer used in the water of cleansing (Numbers 19:1–10)
- Contact with anyone or anything that was considered unclean (Leviticus 5:3)
- The Prophet Isaiah broadened the definition of uncleanness beyond physical impurities
“We have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment. We all fade like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.” Isa. 64:6
- Religion doesn’t cleanse us. We can learn from the Pharisees that we can through religion clean the outside of the cup but the inside is stained and in need of spiritual washing. (Matt.23:5-6)
2. WATER BAPTISM IS PICTURE OF SPIRITUAL AND BEST UNDERSTOOD AS THE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.
- John’s Baptism was a picture of repentance; Jesus baptism is picture of regeneration.
“I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me comes one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. Matt.3:11
- I have two thoughts here: 1) The early Churched connect water baptism to cleansing from Sin. 2) The Holy Spirit and not the water is the cleansing agent.
Illustration: The Apostle Paul was instructed by Annanias that God had chosen to be merciful to him and save him for the purpose of preaching the gospel to the gentile nations. During this conversation Annanias commands Paul as follows: “And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.” Acts 22:16
- The Apostle Paul speaks of the spiritual cleansing that works from the inside out.
‘he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit,’ Titus 3:5
- The Apostle Peter commanded the Jews at Pentecost to “REPENT AND BE BAPTZIED for the forgiveness of your sins.” Acts 2:38
3. BAPTISM IS A PICTURE OF OUR NEW IN CHRIST AND IN HIS .
- The Spirit is the one who baptizes us into the family of God. (1 Cor. 12:13)
“For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given one Spirit to drink.”
- Spirit Baptism identifies us with Christ death and resurrection :
What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.
For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his. For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin— because anyone who has died has been set free from sin. Romans 6:1-7
For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and in Christ you have been brought to fullness. He is the head over every power and authority. In him you were also circumcised with a circumcision not performed by human hands. Your whole self ruled by the flesh was put off when you were circumcised by Christ, having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through your faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead. Colossians. 2:9-12
Solid Quote
“When Jesus walked the earth, He showed us the holiness of God that is able to overcome our innate uncleanness. Jesus touched an unclean leper; rather than becoming unclean Himself with that touch, Jesus made the leper clean (Mark 1:40–42). A woman, ceremonially unclean due to an issue of blood, touched the edge of Jesus’ cloak; rather than making Jesus unclean, the woman was instantly healed (Luke 8:43–48). In these miracles, Jesus proved His power over all that makes us unclean. His purity is greater than our impurity.” Got Questions
4. BAPTISM WAS AND IS THE OF EVERY BELIEVER.
Everyone who placed their faith in Christ were baptized in the Bible except the dying thief on the cross next to Jesus whose repentance was genuine but it was to late for him to be baptized in water, but he was no doubt baptized by the Holy Spirit.
Examples:
- On the day of Pentecost around 3000 new believers were baptized. Acts 2:41
- Ethiopian Eunuch: Acts 8 (Philip the Evangelist)
- Philippian Jailer and his entire family: Acts 16:25-40 (the Apostle Paul)
- Cornelious and his family and friends. Acts10 (the Apostle Peter)
- The Disciples were commanded to go into all the world and make disciples, baptizing them in the name of the Lord and teaching them to obey everything Jesus commanded them to pass on. Matt. 28:19-20
CONCLUSION:
Next Sunday we will be meeting around the Table of Thanksgiving. So don’t miss it!