JOHN 1:24-28 | BAPTISM ISN’T ENOUGH
Notes
Transcript
JOHN 1:24-28 | BAPTISM ISN’T ENOUGH
JOHN 1:24-28 | BAPTISM ISN’T ENOUGH
ILLUSTRATION: Have you ever been confused before?
ILLUSTRATION: Have you ever been confused before?
If you’re married here today, you understand what that feels like.
If you aren’t married… just you wait.
When I was a senior in high school I had to take a math credit.
I didn’t want to take calculus… the teacher that taught it prided himself in failing students
One year the hand full of students who passed had t-shirts made with all of the students who had failed the class.
Since I wasn’t going to get a college credit for it because I was going to a Christian college, I decided to take a different math class: probability and statistics.
Now this class shouldn’t have been so bad, except the teacher refused to teach the class.
She would send us home with homework and the next day when everyone bombed their homework she would teach how to do it.
We were about halfway through the term and I was stuck on a part of the class I could not understand.
I was confused.
So I scheduled a time to meet with the teacher after class to get some help.
I remember when I met with me that day she asked if I had been paying attention in class… and I had!
And her response to me was that if I had truly been paying attention, then I should understand.
And she turned her chair back to her computer and I walked out of the classroom just as confused as I had been when I walked in.
I don’t like feeling confused!
EXPLANATION: If I can be honest with you this morning, the verses and subject we are looking at is confusing.
EXPLANATION: If I can be honest with you this morning, the verses and subject we are looking at is confusing.
When I initially planned to preach on these verses, I had in my mind what I was going to say, but the more I studied, the muddier the waters became.
I was so excited when I realized that the subject of baptism was going to fall on a day when we are planning to baptize a number of people today following the service.
And I am still so excited about it and can’t wait to talk about what baptism is in the service today!
But the part that was confusing, was not that of the Christian baptism we will do following the service today, but rather the baptism by John the Baptist that we find ourselves at here in John 1
Here John the Baptist is continuing to be questioned by these people known as the Pharisees.
We mentioned last week that they didn’t come with good intentions to learn from John the Baptist by his teachings, but rather to try to back him into a corner where they might accuse him of false teaching or blasphemy
We saw last week as John clarified just how he viewed himself… as simply a voice crying out in the wilderness trying to prepare the way for the Messiah.
But then we come to verse 25 and the Pharisees ask another question the provoked the confusion for todays service, “
And they asked him, and said unto him, Why baptizest thou then, if thou be not that Christ, nor Elias, neither that prophet?
What was the point of John’s baptism?
APPLICATION: There are few subjects amongst Christendom that is more divisive than the subject of baptism.
APPLICATION: There are few subjects amongst Christendom that is more divisive than the subject of baptism.
There are some religions that hold to the belief that you must be baptized to be saved and have your sins forgiven.
Various religions including Catholicism hold this as one of the core beliefs in their faith.
It was in the 2nd century AD that the belief of baptismal regeneration, or the need to be baptized for salvation, began to develop because of false teaching.
The teaching of being baptized to be saved was not instituted by Jesus or his disciples.
But because it had been introduced as necessary for salvation, toward the latter part of the 2nd century infant baptism began.
Again, there is nothing in the Bible that ever points to a baby being baptized, but if it is tied to salvation, might as well get it over with.
So they would baptize the baby by immersion… sprinkling didn’t begin until much later.
This belief of needing to be baptized for salvation directly contradicts the Word of God that tells us in Ephesians 2:8-9
For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Not of works, lest any man should boast.
Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;
In addition to their being contention over baptism not being necessary for salvation, their is also the way that baptism is carried out that has been debated by religions.
Many believe that baptism is simply sprinkling or pouring water on someones head.
However the Greek word for “baptism”, “baptizo” literally means “to immerse or to dunk”
Once again, they only mode of baptism that we find in the scriptures is that of going into the water and being dunked beneath the water.
Sprinkling and pouring came on the scene in the early centuries because of the desire to “baptize” infants and elderly because it was necessary for salvation in their belief system.
So it came to being out of convenience, not out of biblical orthodoxy.
Immersion is further shown as the correct mode for baptism because of the picture that it represents.
Paul would describe the picture that baptism gives in Romans 6:3-5
Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?
Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:
Baptism serves as a picture for all watching of the inward decision as person made when they trusted Christ as Savior.
When someone is standing in the water, they create a picture of Christ’s death on the cross
When they are put under the water it is a picture of Christ’s burial.
When they are brought up out of the water it is a picture of Christ’s resurrection.
The one being baptized is giving a visible demonstration that they have trusted in Christ’s death to pay for their sins.
That he was buried in the ground but He didn’t stay there.
Three days later He rose again and defeated sin and death and is no longer bound by them and lives today.
And when that person accepted Christ, they no longer are under the bondage of death and sin because they are freed from that bondage and are going to spend eternity in heaven.
Baptism doesn’t provide the salvation, it simply shows everyone else watching that they have accepted Christ and now are choosing to live for Him!
ILLUSTRATION: Through the centuries, when someone was baptized it was clear what it meant.
ILLUSTRATION: Through the centuries, when someone was baptized it was clear what it meant.
It was a visual statement to those watching that the person being baptized had rejected all other religions and had trusted in the Bibles way of salvation through Christ alone!
This decision would paint a target on their back which would result in them being persecuted and oftentimes killed for their faith.
Those being baptized new, this wasn’t for salvation, otherwise they would have just been dunked in some secluded room somewhere that no one could see.
Their baptism was an outward profession of the inward decision they had made, telling everyone watching, I trusted in Christ, not religion for salvation and I am choosing to live my life for His glory!
APPLICATION: Friend today, when those people are baptized, they are making a statement to everyone watching that they have trusted in Christ as their Savior, His death burial and resurrection, and they are dedicated to walk in a new life because they made that decision!
APPLICATION: Friend today, when those people are baptized, they are making a statement to everyone watching that they have trusted in Christ as their Savior, His death burial and resurrection, and they are dedicated to walk in a new life because they made that decision!
And friend, if you are here today and you have never been baptized, I ask you “why not?”
Is it because you have never trusted in Christ as your Savior?
If that’s you can I tell you the Bible tells us in John 14:6
Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:
For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
If you’ve never trusted in Christ as your Savior, make that decision today!
It’s a one time decision that you make, and you get that gift for all of eternity!
And then once you get saved, get baptized and show everyone else that incredible decision you made!
Maybe the reason you haven’t been baptized is because you’re afraid.
I would ask you, “Afraid of what?”
When those down through history were baptized knowing it would most likely cost them their lives, they had something to fear.
I’m not trying to make anyone feel bad, as there are some that have legitimate fears.
But I truly believer if you have accepted Christ as your Savior, have faith that He can give you the strength and courage to take this step of obedience in identifying as a follower of Christ.
EXPLANATION: If you’ve made it this far in the message and haven’t yet gotten lost of confused, let’s jump into the part where I hope we can remain clear in our explanation.
EXPLANATION: If you’ve made it this far in the message and haven’t yet gotten lost of confused, let’s jump into the part where I hope we can remain clear in our explanation.
Because the questions that the Pharisees asked is one that we must ask this morning, “Why did John baptize?”
Jesus had not yet died on the cross, so the symbolism of His death, burial, and resurrection hadn’t happened yet.
So what was the point of John the Baptis’s baptisms?
Let’s answer a few questions as we wrap up this morning
V.26, IT WAS DIFFERENT
V.26, IT WAS DIFFERENT
John answered them, saying, I baptize with water: but there standeth one among you, whom ye know not;
He it is, who coming after me is preferred before me, whose shoe’s latchet I am not worthy to unloose.
EXPLANATION: What John says here is of vital importance for us to understand the significance of what he was doing vs what we observe today with baptism.
EXPLANATION: What John says here is of vital importance for us to understand the significance of what he was doing vs what we observe today with baptism.
He says, “What I am doing here today is just water, but there is One coming who is going to do something far greater.”
We’ve talked in past weeks about the fact that John was sent for this specific time and place.
His ministry was primarily to the Jewish population and he served as a transition piece pointing to the coming of the Messiah.
John the Baptist was familiar with the priestly sacrifices as both of his parents were connected to the priestly lineage, and his father was a priest in the temple.
But God’s calling upon John’s life was different from the calling God had placed upon his father’s life.
While the temple sacrifices were offered as a temporary covering for sin, John was called as a precursor to the Messiah who was coming on the scene to not just cover sins, but to take away the sins of the world.
John’s message was a call to repentance and a commitment to follow the coming Messiah.
This call to repentance was especially humbling to the Jewish population as they would have to not only admit they were a sinner in need of repentance and stop trusting in their lineage as their ticket to God, but they also had to put themselves on the same level as the Gentiles, which was a humbling admission.
The key to John’s message on repentance is a Biblical understanding of “repentance”.
It means “to turn away from” or to “have a change of mind”
John was calling them to turn from their sin and a willingness to pursue the coming Messiah.
The baptism that followed was an outward demonstration to others that they were choosing a different life that pursued the coming Messiah.
But simply choosing to stop pursuing sin and start pursuing Messiah isn’t enough for salvation.
John’s baptism pictured a change of purpose, a change of pursuit, a change of mind.
But Jesus hadn’t yet died on the cross for their sins and rose again… so they couldn’t trust in the sacrifice of Jesus yet.
In fact, those who were baptized by John would have continued to observe the passover each year, and would have continued to go to the temple to offer sacrifices for their sins.
So John’s baptism was an outward demonstration of an inward decision, not to trust in Jesus as Savior, but to commit to a different life pursuing the coming Messiah.
V.26-27, IT WASN’T ENOUGH FOR SALVATION
V.26-27, IT WASN’T ENOUGH FOR SALVATION
John answered them, saying, I baptize with water: but there standeth one among you, whom ye know not;
He it is, who coming after me is preferred before me, whose shoe’s latchet I am not worthy to unloose.
EXPLANATION: Once again, we see that the One Who was coming was far superior to John the Baptist, both in His perfection and in what He had to offer.
EXPLANATION: Once again, we see that the One Who was coming was far superior to John the Baptist, both in His perfection and in what He had to offer.
John the Baptist offered a change of life direction in purpose and pursuit.
Jesus would offer a change of direction for eternity.
Not just turning over a new leave… but a whole new life.
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
We find further evidence of the insufficiency for salvation in John’s baptism over in Acts.
Paul had found his way to a Ephesus.
He found a group of people who were passionate in their seeking for the Messiah.
In fact they had been baptized by John the Baptist!
The interaction is interesting and sheds light on John’s baptism.
And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper coasts came to Ephesus: and finding certain disciples,
He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost.
And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John’s baptism.
Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.
When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
These God followers had a desire to know the Messiah
They were passionate moral people
They had committed their life to turning from sin when they were baptized by John and seeking to live a life that would please God.
But all of their good works and good intentions fell short of the one thing that mattered…
THEY HADN’T TRUSTED IN CHRIST FOR THEIR SALVATION
When Paul clarified that they needed to trust in Jesus Christ as their Savior, the Bible says, “They heard this”
It means more than they just listened… the Greek word means they “listened intently, understood, and received it as true.”
And once they accepted Christ, they were baptized, not in the name of John the Baptist… they were baptized in the name of the One Who had died on the cross, was buried, and rose again the third day… Jesus Christ!
CONCLUSION
CONCLUSION
Over in Matthew there are powerful and convicting words that Jesus said.
Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful work
Those ones that say, “Lord, Lord” they would have been those people in Ephesus.
The ones who had the best intentions
The ones who did religious things
The ones who cried and felt emotions and had experiences with John the Baptist.
But amidst all of that… they were still lost because they hadn’t received Jesus as their Savior.
Jesus says of those people Matthew 7:22-23
And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
Those “good people” who do “good things” with the best of intentions, will die and spend eternity in a lake of fire, if they didn’t put their faith and trust in Jesus Christ alone.
ILLUSTRATION: You know, the only way I made it through my probability and statistics class was because of another classmate name Anna Eddy.
ILLUSTRATION: You know, the only way I made it through my probability and statistics class was because of another classmate name Anna Eddy.
Anna was a genius.
She didn’t even need the teacher, she could have taught the class.
During the rest of the semester, I would go to Anna when I didn’t understand what we were supposed to do, and she would walk through problems that would help me so I could understand.
And because of Anna, I walked out of that class with an “A”
Ok I made that last part up… it may be been a “B”… definitely wasn’t a “C” though.
She just knew how to take something confusing and make it so I could understand it.
APPLICATION: Friend, when you walk out of here today, I don’t want you to be confused.
APPLICATION: Friend, when you walk out of here today, I don’t want you to be confused.
I want you to understand.
The only way to salvation, the only way to heaven…
It isn’t by John the Baptist’s baptisms
It isn’t by being a good person
It isn’t by going to church
It isn’t by putting money in an offering plate or giving to charity.
And it isn’t by getting baptized
BAPTISM ISN’T ENOUGH
The only way, is through Jesus Christ.
Trusting in His death, burial, and resurrection.
If you are here today and you have been religious your whole life… but you’ve been depending in something other than Christ to get you to heaven, why don’t you trust Him today.
If you are brand new to all this, this friend I just want you to know that Jesus gave His life to pay for your sins, so you don’t have to… you’re bill had been paid!
You just have to receive His gift and trust in Him that His sacrifice was enough!
Religion makes things confusing… but Jesus makes things simple… trust in Him this morning!
