Due to a technical difficulty this sermon was not recorded.
Jesus is far greater than John the Baptist, because He is able to baptize in the Holy Spirit and fire. What is the baptism in the Holy Spirit? What is the baptism in fire? Read on and find out!
Baptism In The Holy Spirit And Fire
Luke 3:15-20
Last week we saw something of the ministry of John the Baptist. God had called this eccentric recluse out of the deserts to bring an entire nation to repentance, in order that they might be prepared to receive their Messiah and King. We saw that John’s method in order to accomplish this was preaching. We saw John’s manner was that of uncompromising boldness and fearlessness. We also saw that John’s message was that people must repent to receive the forgiveness of sins, and they must bear fruit to confirm that their repentance was real.
Well, in our passage this morning, we are going to see one further aspect of John’s message. It was Jesus. John’s entire ministry was one of pointing others to Jesus. That’s why verse 18 says that John was preaching the gospel. John preached the Good News that Jesus was coming and that He could baptize them in the Holy Spirit, that they might not face God’s eternal judgment.
Notice with me verse 15, “Now while the people were in a state of expectation and all were wondering in their hearts about John, as to whether he was the Christ.” All of Judea was stirring. There was a great buzz of excitement and interest in the things of God. Multitudes of people were being awakened to their sinful condition, and their need to repent to be forgiven. In fact, John’s ministry was so powerful, that many people thought that he must be the Messiah, the Christ. However, John turned them away from himself to Jesus. That was always what John was doing. When John found out that many people thought that he was the Messiah, he immediately corrected them, “As for me, I baptize you with water; but One is coming who is mightier than I, and I am not fit to untie the thong of His sandals; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.”
This morning I want to direct your attention to that last phrase, “He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.” This was how Jesus was mightier than John. The only thing John could do was administer the rite of water baptism. He had no ability to change the heart or the nature of a person. However, Jesus immerses people in the Holy Spirit so that they are forever changed on the inside. John’s baptism was outward and physical. Jesus’ baptism is inward and spiritual. What Jesus could do was so much greater than what John could do, that John felt that he wasn’t even worthy to be Jesus’ slave. For John, even bending down on his knees and taking off Jesus’ sandals was too great of a privilege, because of who He was. This morning we are going to look first at the phrase, “baptism in the Holy Spirit” and then we’ll look at “baptism in fire.”
1. Baptism In The Holy Spirit:
What is the baptism in the Holy Spirit? This is a hot button topic, because Christians don’t all agree on this subject. Pentecostal and charismatic Christians generally believe that the baptism in the Holy Spirit is an experience of empowering that happens some time after conversion. Some charismatics, but not all, believe that the initial evidence of the “baptism in the Holy Spirit” is speaking in tongues. This teaching, however well-intentioned, has introduced a division in the Christian church. If their teaching on the baptism in the Holy Spirit is true, then there are those who have been baptized in the Holy Spirit, and Christians who have not been baptized in the Holy Spirit. You have the “haves” and the “have nots.” So, is it true that the baptism in the Holy Spirit is an experience that only some Christians experience, and that it takes place some time after their conversion?
Well, I think it will be helpful to survey all the verses in the New Testament that speak of the baptism in the Holy Spirit.
Mt. 3:11 “He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.”
Mk. 1:8 “I baptized you with water; but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”
Luke 3:16 “He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.”
John 1:33 “He upon whom you see the Spirit descending and remaining upon Him, this is the One who baptizes in the Holy Spirit.”
Every one of the four gospel writers mention that John the Baptist told his listeners that Jesus would baptize in the Holy Spirit. In every case, it is Jesus who is the Baptizer. In every case it is believers who are the Baptized. And in every case, the Holy Spirit is the element that we are baptized in.
There are 2 other references to the baptism in the Holy Spirit in the book of Acts.
Acts 1:5 “for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”
Acts 11:16 “And I remembered the word of the Lord, how He used to say, ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”
On the day of Pentecost, Jesus baptized believers in the Holy Spirit. Then, when Cornelius and his household were converted, Peter explains it by remembering that Jesus said He would baptize with the Holy Spirit. Again, in both of these cases, Jesus is the Baptizer, believers are the ones baptized, and the Holy Spirit is the element in which they are immersed. So far, every verse on the baptism in the Holy Spirit has been consistent. There is, however, one final verse in the New Testament which mentions Spirit baptism.
1 Corinthians 12:13, “For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.” Usually I prefer the NASB translation, but I believe they have made a mistake in translating this verse. In every one of these 7 verses, the Spirit is mentioned, baptism is mentioned, and a preposition is mentioned. In the Greek text, the preposition is the same in every one of the 7 references. It is the Greek preposition “en”, which is usually translated “in.” However, here the NASB switches from “with” to “by”. There are many translations which give a more literal and better translation. The ESV translates it, “For in one Spirit were we all baptized into one body.” Now, that sounds a little awkward, so the NASB changed it to “For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body.” I believe that the preposition should be translated the same way in every verse that refers to Spirit baptism, because it is very same word in Greek. However, what sounds awkward to us in English would have been perfectly understandable to the original readers in Greek. We could put it this way, “For we were all baptized in one Spirit into one body.” The baptizer is not mentioned. The baptized are “we all”. The element in which we are baptized is “the Spirit.” The location where we find ourselves as a result of this baptism in the Spirit is “one body.” This verse is teaching that as a result of being baptized in the Spirit, we have been brought into the one body of Christ.
So, according to 1 Cor. 12:13, who are baptized in the Spirit? Is it just some Christians? No, this text says that “we were all baptized in one Spirit.” When were they baptized in the Spirit? The text says it was when they were introduced into the body of Christ, the moment of their conversion. Although this text does not explicitly say that Jesus is the baptizer in the Spirit, we can safely assume that He is, given that every other verse in the NT that speaks of it, tells us that He is the one who baptizes in the Spirit.
So, what have we learned by surveying every verse in the NT that speaks of the baptism in the Holy Spirit? We have learned that every believer has been baptized in the Spirit at the moment of conversion. The baptism in the Holy Spirit is that act of Jesus Christ who takes the believer and immerses him into the Spirit, so that he is indwelt and filled with the Spirit and is now a member of the body of Christ. In other words, if you have been baptized in the Holy Spirit, God has saved you, your sins are forgiven, and you are destined to spend eternity with God.
Does this mean that the experiences Charismatics label as “baptism in the Spirit” are invalid? No, not at all. Even though they may have mislabeled what happened to them, that doesn’t mean that nothing real and significant has taken place in their life. I have known many people who have testified that they have had an experience in which they were empowered for ministry, received supernatural gifts of the Spirit, greater joy in worship, and deeper fellowship with God. I have no reason to doubt that they are telling the truth. So, if this is not the baptism in the Spirit, what is it? The Bible calls it being “filled with the Spirit.” You see, the baptism in the Spirit happens once at conversion and is unrepeatable and permanent. The filling of the Holy Spirit can happen multiple times, is repeatable, and is not permanent. We’re kind of like those soda cups you get at Taco Bell. Occasionally I’ll get one with a tiny little hole in the bottom, and I’ll notice that it’s leaking. Though we are filled with the Spirit at conversion, we will need to be refilled with the Spirit often. Or, to change the analogy, we are like a balloon. When you blow some air into the balloon, you can say that it is “full” of air. However, when you blow more air into it, it expands and becomes more full of air. Even though we are full of the Spirit at conversion, we can become “more full” of the Spirit as we grow in grace.
Why do I believe that? Because the Bible teaches it by both precept and example.
Peter was filled with the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:4), yet he is again filled with the Spirit when he stood before the Sanhedrin to preach Christ. Later when he is released and prays with the church, he is again filled with the Spirit in Acts 4:31. Or take the example of Paul. Paul is filled with the Spirit in Acts 9:17 at his conversion, but experiences another filling of the Spirit in Acts 13:9 when he pronounces God’s judgment on Elymas the magician.
Not only do we have examples of individuals who were filled with the Spirit on multiple occasions, but we have explicit teaching to that effect.
Luke 11:13, “If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?” Notice that Jesus is speaking to His disciples who knew God as their Father, and tells them that God will give the Spirit if they will but ask Him.
Galatians 3:5, “So then, does He who provides you with the Spirit and works miracles among you, do it by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith?” Notice in this text that the verb “provides” is in the present tense which speaks of ongoing activity. Paul is saying that God keeps on providing the Spirit to them.
Ephesians 5:18, “And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit.” Again the verb is a present, passive, imperative. Paul is saying, “be continually filled with the Spirit.”
1 Thess. 4:8, “So, he who rejects this is not rejecting man but the God who gives His Holy Spirit to you.” Again, the verb is in the present tense. God “keeps on giving” the Holy Spirit to us.
Sometimes Pentecostals and Charismatics will ask, “Have you received the 2nd Blessing?” By that they are referring to a second experience after conversion that gives them power for ministry. We should reply, “Yes, I’ve received the 2nd blessing, and a 5th blessing, and a 56th blessing!”
What all this means is simply this – though we are baptized in the Spirit only once at conversion, we should seek and expect many fillings or empowerments of the Spirit throughout our life. All of us should long for greater power in ministry, greater joy in worship, and deeper fellowship with God. If you would like this, seek it! Ask God for it. Cry out to God. Expect that He will answer you.
Can a person know if they have been baptized in the Spirit? That’s a pretty important question, wouldn’t you say? If you have been baptized in the Holy Spirit, wouldn’t you want to know for sure? The alternative to being baptized in the Spirit is that you are not saved, and are headed for eternal damnation. Yes, I believe that a person can know if they have baptized in the Holy Spirit. The Bible teaches that when the Holy Spirit comes into a person, He makes certain changes that they will experience.
In Ezekiel 36:26-27 says, “Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances.” In verse 27, God says that He will put His Spirit within us. So, when the Spirit comes in, what happens? Verse 26 says that He gives us a new heart. He removes the heart of stone and gives us a heart of flesh. Verse 27 says that He causes us to walk in His statutes and observe His ordinances. Let me boil this down for you. When you are baptized in the Spirit, you experience a new heart and you begin to obey God’s will. It’s that simple. God removes your old heart that was hardened and in rebellion to Him, and He gives you a new heart that loves Him and desires to do His will. Further, He so works in you, that you not only desire to do His will, but you actually begin to do it! You begin to obey Jesus as your Lord.
What we are saying, is that if you have been baptized in the Spirit God has give you new affections for Him. If your heart is in rebellion to God, or indifferent to God you probably haven’t been baptized in the Spirit. If you are living a life in which you are not being careful to do His will, you probably aren’t baptized in the Spirit. But if God has made you a new person, so that you who once were dead to God have been made alive to Him, and are a new creature where everything has become new, then you have been baptized in the Spirit! Now, if you can’t honestly say that that has happened to you, you are still lost and headed for judgment.
2. Baptism in Fire
Is this the same baptism or a different one? There is more than one possible interpretation of “baptism in the Holy Spirit and fire.” Some Christians believe that “fire” refers to the tongues as of fire that rested on each one on the Day of Pentecost. So they believe that the baptism in the Holy Spirit and fire is referring to what happened to the disciples at Pentecost. Other Christians believe that “fire” speaks of the purging and refining and sanctifying work of the Spirit. They believe that baptism in the Holy Spirit and fire refers to the converting and sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit. Both those interpretations are possible, but I personally believe that there is a better interpretation. I believe that John is speaking about 2 different baptisms – one in the Spirit and the other in fire.
Look with me at the way John uses the word “fire” in Luke 3. He mentions it 3 times in verses 1-17 (verse 9, verse 16 and verse 17). Now in verse 9 and 17, John is undoubtedly speaking about the fire of Hell. When he mentions being baptized in fire, I think he’s talking about the same thing.
Also, notice the immediately succeeding context of verse 17. There John is speaking about the wheat and the chaff. The wheat is gathered into the barn. The chaff is burned with unquenchable fire. There are 2 groups – wheat and chaff. These 2 groups experience two different results – storing in barn or burned up. So, too I believe that is what John is saying Jesus will do. Either He will immerse you in His Spirit to save you, or He will immerse you in fire to damn you. That’s why He is so much mightier than John. Jesus will sentence you to either heaven or hell!
This is also consistent with the larger context. In verse 9 we also see that there are 2 groups – fruitful trees and unfruitful trees. The fruitful trees are spared the axe, while the unfruitful trees are chopped down and thrown into the fire.
What does the fire represent? Look at Mark 9:43, “If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life crippled, than, having your two hands, to go into hell, into the unquenchable fire.” Unmistakably, the fire refers to hell.
Life Application
What this text is teaching is that either Jesus will immerse you in the Holy Spirit, so that you experience a change of heart and nature and are brought into the body of Christ, to be everlastingly saved, or Jesus will immerse you in the fire of God’s wrath, and that fire will never be quenched. Those who are cast into hell, will be punished forever. They will never ever get out of that horrible place.
My friend, have you been baptized in the Spirit? Has Jesus ever changed your nature? Has Jesus ever taken out your old heart of stone and replaced it with a heart of flesh? Has He made you a new creation, where the old things have passed away and everything has become new? If not, and you die like this, you will be baptized in the fire of Hell!
Unless Jesus produces this great change in you, you will be lost forever. You can do a lot of things, but they only affect the outer man. You can raise your hand or walk an aisle, but you can’t change your nature, your heart. Do you realize your great danger?! Do you realize that if you die outside of Christ, you will die in your sins, and you will be forever paying for those sins in hell?
What should you do? 1) Realize the futility of you being able to do anything to save yourself! No amount of good works, or religious rituals can ever produce this baptism of the Spirit. 2) Since you can’t do it, go to Jesus who can! “Seek the Lord while He may be found. Call upon Him while He is near. Let the wicked forsake His way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; and let him return to the Lord, and He will have compassion on him, and to our God for He will abundantly pardon” (Is. 55:6-7). God says, “Turn to Me, and be saved, all the ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is no other” (Is. 45:22). Friend, turn to Him! Seek Him! Trust Him! If you will turn from your life of sin to Jesus Christ you can be forgiven right now. Oh, seek Him with all your heart!
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