The Holy Spirit & water batism
The Holy Spirit & • Sermon • Submitted
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· 9 viewsWater baptism is one of the ways the Holy Spirit affirms our identity Christ
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
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According to The Insurance Information Institute, 4.8 million cases of identity theft were reported to the Federal Trade Commission in 2020.
I have never been the victim of identity fraud…have you? Linda was…sort of (She had to…)
Simply losing a wallet or credit card puts you at risk
Losing one’s identity can be so damaging financially, emotionally, etc.
Speaking of human nature in general, identity is core —we have an innate need to know who we are, where we came from, and where we are going.
Genealogy — DNA testing — dog DNA testing (some people don’t stop with themselves…they also want to know where their dog’s true identity)
During this series, The Holy Spirit &…, we’ve discussed how the Holy Spirit helps us pray and how we must have the Holy Spirit to help us share our faith.
One thing we must understand about the Holy Spirit is that He is involved in every area of our spiritual life, especially our identity — who we are in Christ
One key thing that identifies us as followers of Christ is water baptism. How is the Holy Spirit connected with water baptism, and what does that have to do with our identity in Christ?
The skinny on baptism
Water baptism is an ordinance that follows our salvation
Although Jesus commanded His followers to be baptized — baptism does not save anyone…only repentance and faith in Christ can accomplish that.
Water baptism helps us in several ways
1. We realize more fully the cleansing work of Jesus (1 Pet 3:21)
Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,
2. When we get baptized in water, we obey Jesus’s command (Mt. 28:19)
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,
3. In water baptism we identify with the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus (Rom 6:3-5)
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. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.
Big Idea: Water baptism is one of the ways the Holy Spirit affirms our identity Christ
Transitional: The Holy Spirit works in our lives to define who we are
WHO IS JOHN THE BAPTIST? (John 1:19-24)
And this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?” He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, “I am not the Christ.” And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” And he answered, “No.” So they said to him, “Who are you? We need to give an answer to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?” He said, “I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ as the prophet Isaiah said.” (Now they had been sent from the Pharisees.)
The priests and Levites questioned John’s authority to baptize — water baptism, at that point in time, was reserved only for “Unclean” Gentile converts to Judaism.
They did not understand that John’s water baptism of Jews was a preparatory act of humility and repentance, preparing people to accept the soon coming Messiah
How did John respond to their questioning?
John was not the Christ (Messiah)
John was not Elijah
John was not the Prophet
…if John was none of those people…who was He
John was “The Voice of One Crying in the Wilderness...”
John the Baptist’s ministry was perfectly timed for the appearance of the Messiah - it was a time of political instability. The Jewish people were hoping and looking for someone to supernaturally help them break free from the oppression they felt — they hoped the Messiah would show up soon. They needed relief from their misery.
In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah when he said, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord; make his paths straight.’ ”
The wilderness was a lonely, confusing, and dangerous place…
John was not worthy to even untie the Messiah’s sandals (John 1:26-27)
John answered them, “I baptize with water, but among you stands one you do not know, even he who comes after me, the strap of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie.”
Transitional: John was humble as to his position - his identity, simply a messenger, preparing the way for the Son of God to appear on the scene. Who is Jesus?
WHO IS JESUS?
The Messiah (John 1:19-28)
The Message of John ((i) Messiah (1:19–28))
John’s identification of Jesus came at his baptism, when he saw the Spirit of God in dovelike form visibly descend upon Jesus and remain on him. The remaining was important, in contrast to earlier comings of the Spirit in the Old Testament period which were essentially...temporary. In verse 41 Andrew directly identifies Jesus as the Messiah, and Nathanael’s declaration in verse 49, ‘you are the King of Israel’, would carry similar implications
As King and Lord — Messiah came with authority
Enabler --
The Message of John ((i) Messiah (1:19–28))
Enabling. The Holy Spirit energizes Jesus. Jesus has been affirmed as a literal person (human)(14), in a sense our model human. It is significant that His ministry in the following 3.5 years was carried out in total dependence on the supernatural resources of the Holy Spirit. How much more do we need the anointing/empowerment of the Holy Spirit. ‘The servant is not greater than his master.’
Fulfillment of the Messianic prophecies of the Old Testament
…who is Jesus?
The Lamb of God
The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!
and he looked at Jesus as he walked by and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God!”
The Message of John (ii) Lamb of God (1:29, 36)
Not all the blood of beasts
On Jewish altars slain,
Could give the guilty conscience peace
Or wash away its stain.
But Christ, the heavenly Lamb,
Takes all our sins away;
A sacrifice of nobler Name,
And richer blood, than they.
Believing, we rejoice
To see the curse remove;
We bless the Lamb with cheerful voice,
And sing His wondrous love.
Isaac Watts
who is Jesus?
The Spirit-Baptizer (John 1:32-33)
And John bore witness: “I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. I myself did not know him, but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’
Water baptism is an initiating experience, recognizing our membership in the Body of Christ
Jesus, as the one who baptizes us in the Spirit, is the one who takes the action to regenerate us into new people…the 2nd birth.
who is Jesus?
The Son of God (John 1:34)
And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God.”
Transitional: John was called by God and filled with the Holy Spirit (before he was even born)…call to be the forerunner — Who are you? Who am I?
WHO ARE WE? (Matthew 28:18-20)
And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 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, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Disciples of Jesus
Jesus…our Master, Rabbi, Teacher…is the one who mentors us
He does this through of the Holy Spirit in us
Disciple Makers
Baptized
Followers of the Triune God (Father, Son, and Spirit)
Christians (Acts 11:26)
Challenge
The Holy Spirit’s presence and work is the reason we can follow Jesus
The Holy Spirit is the one who helps us pray
The Holy Spirit is the one who enables us to share our faith with others
Just as the Holy Spirit was present at the baptism of Jesus, confirming His identity, so also is the Spirit present at our baptism — confirming our identity as Jesus’s disciples
Prayer affirming our identity in Christ