John the Baptist was making a significant impact. People flocked to the Jordan River from Jerusalem and the surrounding areas to hear him and be baptized. Yet, despite his popularity, John knew his ministry was only a preparation for the One who was to come.
“I baptize you with water for repentance, but the one who is coming after me is more powerful than I, and I am not worthy to carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and will gather his wheat into the granary, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.” (Matthew 3:11-12)
John’s message to the crowd introduces three key terms we should examine.
1. Repentance
Repentance reflects a fundamental shift in how a person thinks, which ultimately transforms how they live.
During Saint Augustine’s early days, he was quite distant from God and His will. After his conversion experience, he was walking the streets of Rome and was approached by a prostitute who called out, “Augustine, it is I.”
To this, Augustine replied, “But it is not I.”
What happened to Augustine? He repented. By God’s grace, he began thinking about life in a completely different way, resulting in behavior that reflected a commitment to Christ rather than to his flesh.
2. Baptism
When the people entered the Jordan River, they were fully immersed in the water. In fact, the Greek word translated as “baptize” literally means to immerse or dip—the exact same word was even used for washing dishes in that era.
As a Baptist preacher, I’ve had many lighthearted discussions with pastors from churches that practice sprinkling or pouring water on the head. Even though immersion is accurately pictured in the original word and early practice of baptism, it does not diminish the spiritual significance when performed another way.
I have had a few instances where individuals were physically unable to get into a baptistry. As family members gathered by their loved one’s bedside, I poured a little water on their heads. We were all brought to tears, moved by the person’s sincerity and their nearness to death.
3. Baptized with the Holy Spirit and Fire
Yesterday, May 24, was Pentecost Sunday. Fifty days after Passover, the Israelites historically celebrated the giving of the Ten Commandments. Jesus became the ultimate sacrifice for our sins on Passover, and exactly fifty days later, the Holy Spirit came upon a gathering of believers in Jerusalem.
Peter connected their experience to the prophecy of Joel:
“Then afterward I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions. Even on the male and female slaves, in those days I will pour out my Spirit.” (Joel 2:28-29)
The life, death, and resurrection of Jesus made the gift of the Holy Spirit possible, both then and now. What does it mean to be baptized in the Holy Spirit? It is nothing less than being entirely immersed in the Spirit’s presence and power.
Let the words of theologian Eduard Schweitzer sink into your heart: “All that Jesus was to His followers while on earth, the Holy Spirit is to us today.”
When the first followers of Jesus walked with Him, they were aware of His presence at all times. Jesus was the focal point of every meal. They watched His every action and quickly turned to Him when in need. It is easy to see that the disciples were fully immersed in the life of Jesus.
To be baptized in the Holy Spirit is to experience exactly what took place with those disciples. We remain aware of and enjoy His presence. We depend on His help at all times. Furthermore, we pay attention to what He is doing and ask Him to work through us.
John’s message about being baptized with fire represents the sobering alternative to being baptized with the Holy Spirit.
A pastor once pulled a twenty-dollar bill from his front pocket and told his audience, “This is for anyone who wants to come to the platform to receive it.” One woman from the back row made a hasty trip to the front and left twenty dollars richer for her effort.
Jesus offers humanity the forgiveness of sins, membership in God’s family, and the gift of the Holy Spirit. Crowds flocked to Jesus—so much so that at times He didn’t even have a moment to eat, and in other instances, He was physically pressed by the throngs of people. On one occasion, a crowd of Jewish followers swelled to 5,000 men, and later, a similar crowd of 4,000 Gentiles came to experience His ministry.
Yet, while multitudes eagerly followed Jesus, He was fiercely opposed by the political class, the religious authorities, and eventually, even one from His own close circle. The baptism of fire was reserved for this second group.
Theologian Dallas Willard asks a highly insightful hypothetical question that relates to this baptism of fire and destruction: Why would anyone want to live for eternity in heaven with a God whom they opposed for their entire time on earth?
In other words, if you don’t love God now, what makes you think you would enjoy spending eternity with Him in heaven?
Willard doesn’t offer a definitive answer to his hypothetical; he simply poses it to help us weigh the gravity of our decisions. The truth is, we resist God at our own peril, but we receive the Spirit to our great benefit.
Just as the woman who took the initiative to accept the twenty-dollar gift went away blessed, we will be infinitely blessed if we receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit. We do this by recognizing His presence in our lives and by inviting His guidance and power into all things.
Imagine walking beside Jesus, listening to His voice, and following His directions. When a task is too large, we ask Him for help. Now, realize that everything Jesus was to His original disciples, the Holy Spirit is to us today. Baptism in the Holy Spirit is simply asking the Spirit to live in and through us, just as Jesus did with His disciples.
YouTube Discussion
Rudy Ross, Bruce Kirby, and I discussed this passage on YouTube today.
Real Voices 