Responding to the Light: Baptism

Introduction

We have all watched in horror this week at the devestating fires in California. Some of the images out there are unbelievable. I’m sure you have prayed, as I have, for rains to come for the fires to stop, for firefighters to gain control…for the safety of the people...

But a fire stoked by the Santa Anna winds…gusting to hurricane force early last week…there’s often nothing humanity can do.

In our part of the world…we’re burried in snow and cold…with frigid cold in store for us this week. Its seems strange to have such a disparity in the same nation…yet, that’s the way it is.

Our Reading

Our reading this morning…speaks of fire and wind…of a new and greater baptism by fire.

A new beginning for those that fear and honor God in their lives. We have already discussed John the baptist in Advent last month…he was the forerunner to Jesus. He was the person the prophet Isaiah spoke of…to be the one who would prepare the way in the wilderness for God’s Christ…for the messiah…the annointed one…who would usher in God’s kingdom and bring salvation to all.

The people of Jesus’ day were desparate to find the Messiah…the one would free them from Roman oppression…and restore the glory of the nation of Israel. Many were looking for a conquering king…to vanquish earthly enemies...

But when God came to us…when the messiah…Jesus…came to us…he came to bring the new beginning...John the baptist had been preaching about.

Bpatism

In Luke 3 we find the story of John the baptist’s ministry. He came on the scene with fire and preaching a baptism of repentance…(turning away from our sin and turning toward God).

Luke emphasizes John the Baptist’s message over the act of baptism itself. There is a call to baptism to demonstrate a preson’s repentence for the sin…but baptism is also used to illustrate...a new beginning. There is... tied with the idea of repentance and baptism…this idea of the ethical living that will rightly follow.

Look at Luke 3:7-9

Luke 3:7–9 MSG

When crowds of people came out for baptism because it was the popular thing to do, John exploded: “Brood of snakes! What do you think you’re doing slithering down here to the river? Do you think a little water on your snakeskins is going to deflect God’s judgment? It’s your life that must change, not your skin. And don’t think you can pull rank by claiming Abraham as ‘father.’ Being a child of Abraham is neither here nor there—children of Abraham are a dime a dozen. God can make children from stones if he wants. What counts is your life. Is it green and blossoming? Because if it’s deadwood, it goes on the fire.”

This is a real call to a real change of life.

At new years, people often speak of turning over a new leaf…following new year’s resolutions…

Well John is talking about a NEW LIFE resolution. Something has to change. Your heart matters to God. What you do matters to God. Our actions must correspond to our profession. We must take an account of our own actions in this life. Because God will even if we don’t.

John is saying to the people of his day and to us…put away your sin. Don’t go through the motions of a religion…don’t get baptized because that’s what your supposed to do…Don’t be generous or display acts of love out of a sense of obligation…have your heart changed by the power of God

John uses baptism as an example of this.

Baptism’s dual nature

It’s no wonder the people thought he might be the Christ…the messiah…God’s annointed one. He was frealess in preaching.

Loook at Luke 3:15-17

Luke 3:15–17 NLT

Everyone was expecting the Messiah to come soon, and they were eager to know whether John might be the Messiah. John answered their questions by saying, “I baptize you with water; but someone is coming soon who is greater than I am—so much greater that I’m not even worthy to be his slave and untie the straps of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. He is ready to separate the chaff from the wheat with his winnowing fork. Then he will clean up the threshing area, gathering the wheat into his barn but burning the chaff with never-ending fire.”

The baptism Jesus brings…is a baptism of repentance…yes…but also of a refiner’s fire.

Like the terrible fires in California…being fed by the wind…so the Holy Spirit…like the wind…feeds the fire of our regeneration…a fire of refinement…taking out our impurities (our sin)…sanctifying us before God.

You and I will go through times of trial…a baptism of fire…our faith will be tested. Just like Jesus in the wilderness…

...we will either remain faithful to God…despite our hunger and thrist for relief from our misery…like he did…or we will forget God…give up on Him as our only hope.

This is not easy stuff…this is not easy teaching…this is real life where the rubber of faith…hits the road of pain and choas.

The winnowing fork…is an metaphor for God’s judgement. In John’s day the thresher of wheat…used a pitch fork type tool and lifted up a pile of wheat…the heavier / edible wheat grain would drop to the floor…the worthless chaff…would be lifted into the air as nothing…piled up ready to be burned.

Baptism and Judgement

Judgment is part of baptism. As 1 Peter 3:20-21

1 Peter 3:20–21 NLT

those who disobeyed God long ago when God waited patiently while Noah was building his boat. Only eight people were saved from drowning in that terrible flood. And that water is a picture of baptism, which now saves you, not by removing dirt from your body, but as a response to God from a clean conscience. It is effective because of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Water once destroyed the whole earth…as God’s judgment.

Now…through faith in Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit…we are baptized in the water of judgment…which is an outward sign and seal of the inward action of the Holy Spirit.

Romans 6:1–4 ESV

What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.

We have new life…because of the baptism of fire of the Holy Spirit…initiated by Jesus Christ. We are saved and made right before God becasue of what Jesus did for us…dying on a cross…and raising from the dead…defeated satan…death…and sin…FOREVER. Our baptism seals us as God’s own…claiming us…snatching us out of the life of sin…identifying us with Jesus in his death and resurrection…which makes new life here and now…possible.

Closing

Jesus’ own baptism in Luke is minimal at best. It’s mentioned as the point in time when God declares Jesus to be His Son…in whom God the father is well pleased. His baptism…and identification as God’s son…kicks off Jesus public ministry.

Like you and I…at baptism…where we are identified as God’s own…Jesus’ lifelong minisrtry begins. And so does yours and mine. Baptism in water is not a one time thing…making someone right with God once and for all.

Baptism is a calling…a calling out of our life of sin…out of our proper place of being judged by a holy God with unquenchable fire…our baptism identifies us with Jesus…and thus is a symbol of God’s unmerrited grace toward us.

We will have our times of testing by fire. Our faith will waiver at times. But God remains faithful. If you and I truly belong to God…we will evntually turn away from our sin more and more....and let the purifying fire of God refine us into Christ’s image. And what we do with our lives…how will live…what fruit we bear…will verify who is Lord of our lives.

Thanks be to God…AMEN.