Water, Fire, and Spirit

Epiphany  •  Sermon  •  Submitted
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What gives your life significance?

We live for significance; raise kids teaches significance: identity/accomplishments; failure & shame

Jesus’ baptism: Trinity shows up; cosmic significance!

Luke 3:16 ESV
16 John answered them all, saying, “I baptize you with water, but he who is mightier than I is coming, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
Water, Fire, and Spirit of baptism shows what Jesus does for us.
John’s baptism (water & washing): repentance for forgiveness
Luke 3:3 ESV
3 And he went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.
Where others wash themselves in forgiveness, Jesus repents of our sin
Jesus prepares to be baptized in fire.
Luke 12:49–50 ESV
49 “I came to cast fire on the earth, and would that it were already kindled! 50 I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how great is my distress until it is accomplished!
He isn’t referring to His baptism by John, but the cross, where He accepts fire of Father’s wrath against us on Himself (your hell!)
Jesus receives Spirit through baptism
Luke 3:21–22 ESV
21 Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heavens were opened, 22 and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form, like a dove; and a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”
Spirit hovered over water at creation; dove from ark after flood
Receives re-Genesis-ing Spirit as firstborn of new creation
Father calls Jesus His beloved Son, with whom He is well-pleased
Didn’t we know this? Jesus receives this status as a stand-in for us!
Jesus’s baptism of water, fire, and Spirit opens heaven, spills into world through Jesus (filters out Heaven’s wrath).

Our Baptism: Trinity shows up; cosmic significance!

Matthew 28:19–20 ESV
19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Jesus exercises all authority in heaven & on earth to give you what He received through baptism!
Baptismal water washes us with forgiveness
Romans 6:2–4 (ESV)
2 How can we who died to sin still live in it? 3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 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.
Everyone dies to sin, & you are buried with Jesus through baptism
6-sided baptismal font represents death; buried under baptismal waters so that old sinful self drowns. Guilt of sin is gone!
Baptismal fire purifies us (like precious metal)
Romans 6:6 ESV
6 We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin.
Your hell is suffered on cross! Punishment of sin is paid!
Baptism is judgment day early, “so shall you stand without fear before the judgment seat of Christ.”
Baptismal Spirit makes us new
Romans 6:8–9 ESV
8 Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. 9 We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him.
As firstborn of new creation, Jesus sends Spirit to do the same for you.
8-sided baptismal font represents 8th day of creation; your eternal life has already started!
In baptism, we are called beloved, with whom God is well-pleased (“very good!”)

Water, fire, Spirit of Baptism gives your life cosmic significance.

Heaven spills out into your life through Jesus’s gift of baptism.
Christ has joined your entire life (every aspect, every minute) to Himself in your baptism. Talk about significance!
What makes your life significant is not what you do or who you make yourself to be, but what God does for you and who He makes you to be.
We raise our kids to be life-long disciples: no matter what, they have forgiveness, freedom, & eternity in Jesus, He has joined their lives to Him.
God gives our lives cosmic significance through baptism. Amen
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