Rev Dr Edgar Mayer;
For more sermons and other writings
check the following homepage: www.livinggracetoowoomba.org
The
Baptist
One man more than anyone else prepared people for the dawn of Gods kingdom and the coming of Jesus
Christ. Two thousand years ago in fulfillment of an old prophecy one man his name was John focused on the most important aspect of
anyone entering the kingdom of God, that is: repentance the turning away
from sin and as people repented, he
baptized them submerged them in water for the washing away of sins. John baptized so many people with
such enthusiasm that he soon became known
by this one singular action. It
summed up his work. Even today we call him John the Baptist (cf. Matthew
3:1; 11:1). Yet, this is where we are on
dangerous grounds. We tend to connect baptism with the wrong person (and then do not adequately connect baptism
with the right person). John himself
was at pains to clarify that the true Baptist was not himself but the one
coming after him which means that today instead of saying John the Baptist we should be saying Jesus the
Baptist.
I am going to unpack this slowly. From
the beginning Jesus own work was defined as baptizing people. This was what
mattered the most even to John. I read from the Bible Mark 1:1-8: The
beginning of the good news about Jesus Christ, the Son of God. It is written in
Isaiah the prophet: I will send a messenger ahead of you, who will prepare
your way a voice of one calling in the desert, Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him. And so
John came, baptizing in the desert region and preaching a baptism of repentance
for the forgiveness of sins. The whole Judean countryside and all the people of
John preached a baptism of repentance
and then as people owned up to
their sins he baptized them in the
Jordan River, which was so significant that Jesus himself said about him
Matthew 11:11: I tell you the truth: Among those born of women there has
not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist
Yet, John knew his shortcomings. His baptism could only do so much. It
would save people wash away their sins but would not have the power to keep them clean. After God forgives our
sin, we need power not to sin again. Otherwise there is no lasting change. John
was so desperate about the limitations of his water baptism that he humbled
himself in extreme words: I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the
sandals of the one that is to come because of his power. Then he said: I baptize you in
water, but he will baptize you in holy Spirit.[1]
Not everyone understood that something
was lacking in Johns work. He was amazing unconventional like a rock star Mark 1:6: John wore clothing
made of camels hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts
and wild honey. People came from
everywhere to be under his preaching and the numbers were adding up
success Luke 3:15: The people were waiting expectantly and were all
wondering in their hearts if John might possibly be the Christ [the
promised Saviour King]. Even the king
feared him Mark 6:20:
Herod feared John and protected him, knowing
him to be a righteous and holy man
Many were caught up in the whirl-wind of
what was happening and therefore did not share in Johns desperation. Had not God
poured out his blessings: Powerful preaching big crowds repentance and
forgiveness mass baptisms national recognition royal protection. What
more can anyone want? Yet, John was desperate. Maybe this is a lesson for us.
One day we may have a big church and a growing profile and even mass baptisms (superbly successful with evangelism) but like in the days of John it may not be enough. It is one thing to
bring people into the
At the moment here at Living Grace what baffles me the most is how so many can be touched with the love of
God and be rescued from drugs and despair into the
Why is that? This morning you may
actually be in this position. You have experienced God. You know about his
love. Bible words have burned in your heart and encouraged you. Yet (even right now), you
are thinking about turning away again from the kingdom of heaven God
faith the church everything. Why?
There may be a number of reasons such as a half-hearted commitment to repentance from
the beginning (you only turned to God because there was nowhere else to go but
now that you are feeling better, you want to try again on your own the
discipline is too hard you are hurting too much
) but for John the key
reason why people fail to remain in the kingdom of God (despite the best
intentions) was a lack of power to
remain holy. He baptized thousands. The water washed away sin from thousands
forgiveness happened but then this
baptism had not enough power to keep anyone clean to keep anyone from sin.
Therefore he when he was most
popular a national phenomenon was
looking for more and announced: After me will come one more powerful
than I
I baptize you in water, but he will baptize you in holy Spirit.
This is practical. A preacher had grown
up as the warlord of the most ferocious innercity gang in
When I speak I often search my vocabulary for ways to express this
supernatural sensation, the moment when Jesus stepped in and changed my life,
but Ive yet to find a way to do it justice. The best way Ive found is through
a simple analogy.
I tell people that I felt as if I were on an operating table, cold and
angry and confused, and Jesus was the surgeon standing over me. My heart was
broken. He gently reached over and closed my eyes, then he opened up my chest
and reached deep inside of me and pulled my heart out. He held it in his hands,
a heart filled with the hatred and anger and bitterness that consumed me the
brokenness of my past and the curse that was destroying my life and soul. Then
Jesus slowly took my heart, brought it to his lips and kissed it. He caressed
it and mended the wounds. Then he placed it back in my chest and closed me up.
I knew in an instant that I was better, that my heart was no longer broken. At
that moment I knew I was a new creation. I had a new heart a heart of love
and compassion and repentance. All the feelings of hate and resentment were
gone. My sins were forgiven. At long last I was free!
I still fight back tears every time I use this analogy. The moment
Jesus came into my heart and saved me is the most cherished experience of my life.
Before that time no one had ever kissed my heart. It was what I needed most
from my new Father. Thank you, precious
Jesus (Nicky Cruz: One Holy
Fire,
When this preacher repented turned away from the stealing and violence and drugs
of his gang God gave him a new heart
which was an amazing experience and is still bringing tears to his eyes
today. God kissed him with forgiveness.
God kissed him with love. God kissed him with joy. God set him free from all of
his hate and resentment. He had a new heart. Yet, this is what happened some
time later.
[Tell his testimony in your own words.]
my firstborn child,
Alicia, arrived at
Just a few years earlier a court-appointed psychologist had told me
that I would never be normal. Five times he looked me in the eyes, point blank,
and said, Nicky, there is no way you can ever have a normal family, With a
past like yours youll never be able to make a marriage last. Youll be a wife
beater, and youll abuse your kids if you ever have any. He also told me the
reason: You have a dark side in your life a side thats killing you, slowly
but surely. You dont know how to love, and you dont know how to be loved.
Now here I was, a new husband and father, and those words haunted me at
every turn. From the moment we brought Alicia home from the hospital, Gloria
could tell something was wrong. Several times I caught her watching me from
across the room as I would bend over our daughters crib and make faces. Id
tickle her under her tiny arms and brush her face with my hands, but I never
picked her up. I didnt know how.
One evening, when Alicia was four weeks old, Gloria decided to confront
me about this. I had just taken a shower and was leaning over our babys crib,
making gestures with my mouth and laughing at her reactions. Gloria could no
longer keep silent. Whats the matter, Nicky? she said. What are you afraid
of? Why dont you ever hold our baby? I didnt know what to say. I was too
proud to admit my fears, so I just stood looking at her, speechless.
There was a lot of my background that Id kept hidden from Gloria. She
knew that I had a sordid past much more brutal than most but Id never told
her just how painful and abusive my childhood had been. I was convinced that
she never would have married me if shed known about the horrible things I had
experienced and done. So I never told her anything.
Tell me, Nicky, Gloria persisted. Why dont you ever want to hold
Alicia? Finally I said to her, I dont know how. She seemed surprised by my
answer. Then let me show you, she said. Gently she scooped Alicia into her
arms and instructed me to extend my hands towards her. She slowly placed Alicia
into my arms and told me to bend my elbows and let her roll toward my chest. I
did as she said, as slowly and gently as I knew how. Id never held a baby, and
I was afraid I might hurt her.
I wasnt wearing a shirt, and as I held her tiny body against my chest,
I could feel the warmth of her soft skin against mine. Her eyes were open, and
she was looking up at me, smiling, cooing. At that instant a wave of emotion
began to well up within me. It wasnt what I expected. The feeling was like
nothing I had ever experienced. As I held my precious daughter tightly against
my chest, I could literally feel the tenderness and love running through my
heart, right down to my soul. It was overwhelming. Tears began forming in my
eyes. Such emotion. How could I have possibly prepared myself for such a moment
of pure and innocent love?
For the first time in my life I understood what it meant to be a father
to be part of a family. It was as if God was telling me, Nicky, this is my gift to you. Youve trusted me with your soul and now
I entrust you with this beautiful child. Never forget that she belongs to me.
Take care of her. Protect her. Teach her. Love her as I have loved you
(Nicky Cruz: One Holy Fire,
The day of his salvation was still
bringing tears to his eyes but his newborn daughter confronted him with a
problem. How could he be a father? How could he possible measure up? Old words
from a court-appointed psychologist haunted him: Nicky, there is no way you can ever have a
normal family, With a past like yours youll never be able to make a marriage
last. Youll be a wife beater, and youll abuse your kids if you ever have any.
You have a dark side in your life a side thats killing you, slowly but
surely. You dont know how to love, and you dont know how to be loved. Where would the power come from to be a
good father? If you come from a similar broken background or even a healthier
background the same fears and doubts
may haunt you. Will you measure up? Can you see yourself as a father or a
mother a reliable friend even holding a job adding value to the
community making a difference serving God with integrity and honour?
The young man a preacher today did not even dare to pick up his daughter and hold her. Yet, he learned
and he discovered that God had made provisions for him to succeed as a father.
He writes in his book: If you are a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ,
then you, too, have been given an incomparable gift by God the gift of the
Holy Spirit. God has entrusted to each one of his followers a measure of his
power
(Nicky Cruz: One Holy Fire,
This is what John the Baptist was
waiting for. He knew with absolute clarity that the baptism of repentance for
the forgiveness of sins was not enough. You can have a glorious day of washing
away your sin you can have the most
remarkable conversion experience but
if there is no power to stay clean, that is: to sin no more, it is not of much
use. Therefore, John was desperate and cried out: I am not worthy to
stoop down and untie the sandals of the one that is to come after me because of
his power. I baptize you in water, but he will baptize you in holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit is making the difference
and when Jesus finally came he did begin baptizing people in holy
Spirit with the consequence that a completely new era in the history of God
with his people began. The baptism in holy Spirit represented something so
radical new and wonderful that even Johns greatness was no match for the new
reality. Jesus put it in these words and we heard the opening statement before
Matthew 11:11: I tell you the truth: Among those born of women there has
not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet he who is least in the
kingdom of heaven is greater than he. [What
a statement this is in the light of Johns national impact and success.]
As people are baptized in dipped into soaked in submerged in holy Spirit, they are so marinated
in Gods holy presence that the holy
power of God overcomes any temptation and sin. Wherever there is this drenching
with Gods holy Spirit, there is the power to keep away any sin, which makes
the least in the kingdom of heaven greater than even John the Baptist. He
baptized in water but Jesus baptized and is still baptizing (you can
receive this today) in holy Spirit.
It took Jesus everything to be the
Baptist and the baptism only came after he had completed his work on earth after he suffered and died, rose again and ascended
back into heaven. In the time between
his resurrection and ascension Jesus stressed again the importance of being
baptized in holy Spirit, saying to his disciples Acts 1:4-5:
you
will be baptized with the Holy Spirit. Acts 1:8: . you will receive
power when the Holy Spirit comes on you
Later when people were wondering about the first actual Spirit
baptism on the day of Pentecost, the
disciple Peter explained the event and the practical outcome for everyone. This
is what he preached Acts 2:17-39: In the last days, God says, I will
pour out my Spirit on all people
People, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth
was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs
and you,
with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross. But
God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it
was impossible for death to keep its hold on him
God has raised this Jesus to
life, and we are all witnesses of the fact. Exalted to the right hand of God,
he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out
what you now see and hear
be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom
you crucified, both Lord and Christ
Repent and be baptized every one of you,
in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins. And you will receive
the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and
for
all whom the Lord our God will call.
After the dead body of Jesus was taken
from the cross and was buried in the ground, God the Father raised him from the
dead, exalted him and then gave him the promised Holy Spirit which he now pours
out on us from heaven. God says: I
will pour out my Spirit on all people. From heaven Jesus immerses us in holy Spirit.
Now when and how does this happen for
you and how can we illustrate this? At the end of his preaching Peter gave specific
instructions and a promise: Repent
and be baptized every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the
forgiveness of sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
The instruction is simple: Repent and be
baptized, which in a manner takes us back to John the Baptist. Johns work
continues. There is still a baptism of repentance in water for the forgiveness
of sins. The only but all-important difference is that now the baptism in water
happens in Jesus name in the name
and authority of the one who suffered and died for us forgiveness of sins is
not available in any other name and
then only this baptism comes with the promise of the Spirit. When we baptize in
water in the name of Jesus for
the forgiveness of sins, Jesus baptizes us in holy Spirit for power.
It happened to Jesus himself and his
experience foreshadows our experience. I read from the Bible Luke 3:21-22: When all the people were being
baptized, Jesus was baptized too [even though he was without sin he
identified with us at this point he had not yet begun his work of preaching
and healing]. And as he was praying, heaven was opened and the Holy Spirit
descended on him
And a voice came from heaven: You are my Son, whom I love;
with you I am well pleased.
Then, his very next experience was a
forty-day battle with Satan and temptation which he was now able to win on
account of the Spirit Luke 4:1-13:
Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the
Spirit in the desert, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil
When
the devil had finished all this tempting, he left him
This was the experience of Jesus which
illustrates our own. We repent and then someone baptizes us in water for the
forgiveness of our sins. As we emerge again from the water like Jesus we
may be praying, when like it happened for Jesus heaven opens and the Holy Spirit descends on us we get immersed
in him and a voice comes from heaven
an experience comes from God, the Father saying: You are my Son, whom I
love; with you I am well pleased. Then,
we are ready for the battle with temptations. Romans 8:13:
by the
Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body
Galatians 5:16:
live
by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature.
[Cf. With the Spirit comes not only power over sin but also power for mission.
Luke 4ff; 24; Acts 1.]
Therefore again this
is what we are to do: Repent, be baptized, pray (and do all of this in
faith trusting in the name of Jesus) and
then with your baptism in water expect
the baptism in holy Spirit. When the church leader Paul encountered some
Christians that had not yet experienced the baptism in the Holy Spirit, he
immediately enquired about the water baptism which they had received Acts
19:1-7:
Paul
found some disciples and asked them, Did you receive the
Holy Spirit when you believed? They answered, No, we have not even heard that
there is a Holy Spirit. So Paul asked, Then what baptism did you receive?
Johns baptism, they replied. Paul said, Johns baptism was a baptism of
repentance. He told the people to believe in the one coming after him, that is,
in Jesus. On hearing this they were baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus.
When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they
spoke in tongues and prophesied
This
confirms what we have said. Repent, be baptized, pray (and do all of this
in faith trusting in the name of Jesus) and
then with your baptism in water expect
the baptism in holy Spirit. When you are baptized in water in Jesus name
Jesus will baptize you in the Holy
Spirit. [Sometimes there are delays because of unbelief or even Gods
sovereign timing but the experience of being baptized in water and the Spirit
belong together.]
The Spirit of God is holy and our
holiness is the outcome of being immersed in him. We now have power to overcome
sin. However in closing how does the word holiness sound to you? How excited can we be about
the holy Spirit of God coming upon us? On the one hand, we want to be holy
it is good to be free and remain free from lying, swearing, anger, addiction,
lust and any further darkness that we can imagine but, on the other hand, the word holiness also sounds quite serious. God is holy and
if he is the standard of holiness, then this standard is a standard of intimidating perfection. Do not
lust! Do not be slack! Do not gossip! Do not give in to greed! Be like God!
What nerve wracking commands!
This morning can I encourage you not to
go down this track. The holiness of God is free from any sin there is only perfection but the holiness of God is nothing more than an expression of his
nature and his nature is love. The reason why there is no sin in God is his
love that is perfect unconditional loving you and me with a purity and
intensity (not known in humans). If you
are prepared to even die for the ones you love as Jesus died on the cross
for us then you are not having it in
your heart to harm anyone out of selfishness. God is holy because he is love
and therefore the baptism in the holy Spirit is an experience of love. When it
happened to Jesus, he was showered in the love of God Luke 3:21-22:
heaven
was opened and the Holy Spirit descended on him
And a voice came from heaven:
You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.
Three weeks ago we heard a similar
testimony from Stephen. He was praying, when he also heard the voice of God
audibly: My dear son, I love to help you. And then he felt a warm rush in his words: greater than any drug
rush he ever experienced. The love of
God filled him. It is not often that it happens in this precise way I
have not yet heard the voice of God audibly but the experience of love and joy is for everyone. The Bible says
Romans 5:5:
God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy
Spirit
When Jesus baptizes us in the Holy
Spirit, the power for holiness comes with love and much affirmation. [Love is power
and when we are absolutely in love with God, there is no place of sin because
it is love that consumes us.] An old illustration describes the experience
well [abbreviate and tell in your own words]: There is a very beautiful
illustration of this aspect in the works of
Dr Richard Sibbes, another of the
great Puritans of 300 years ago. Dr Sibbes says that the difference between the
conversion experience and the sealing can be stated thus. It is like a child
who has been a little mischievous and disobedient, who has a sense of guilt and
is unhappy, and who keeps on running back to his father. The father receives
him but he does not smile much at him. This is the fathers way of reprimanding
him and of punishing him for his disobedience; but the child by running back
gets a certain satisfaction when he is with his father. This may go on for some
time. Then one day as they are walking along a road together the child presses
near to his father and touches him. The father continues just to look at him;
but then after a while takes hold of the child, lifts him up and fondles him in
his arms and showers his love upon him. That is the difference! Without the
sealing of the Spirit you can know that your sins are forgiven; but not in this
special and certain manner. This goes beyond the initial experience of
forgiveness; this is God, if I may so express it, endearing us and showering
his love upon us, overwhelming us
(Martin Lloyd-Jones: Gods Ultimate
Purpose. An Exposition Of Ephesians 1:1 to 23,
Are we ready to receive? Jesus promised
to baptize you in the Holy Spirit submerge
and soak you in his holy presence and
he promised that this would be an ongoing experience again and again as much as you need the Spirit to overcome
sin. Therefore, are you ready to receive this morning? John the Baptist was
desperate for Jesus the Baptist to come and he announced him with these words:
I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the sandals of the one that is to come
after me because of his power. I baptize you in water, but he will baptize you
in holy Spirit. Jesus has come and
this morning if you want he will
baptize you in holy Spirit. Amen.
Ministry time: Focus on repentance and the free gift of forgiveness and
the promise of the Spirit. Then, pray for people with the laying on of hands.
Encourage faith.
[1] David
Pawson: Jesus Baptises In One Holy Spirit,
[2] Nicky
was only 3-1/2 years old when his heart turned to stone. As one of 18 children
born to witchcraft-practicing parents from
When he was 15, Nicky's
father sent him to visit an older brother in
As Cruz' reputation grew, so did his haunting nightmares. Arrested countless times, a court-ordered psychiatrist pronounced Nicky's fate as "headed to prison, the electric chair, and hell." No authority figure could reach Cruz - until he met a skinny street-preacher named David Wilkerson. He disarmed Nicky - showing him something he'd never known before: Relentless love. His interest in the young thug was persistent. Nicky beat him up, spit on him and, on one occasion, seriously threatened his life, yet the love of God remained - stronger than any adversary Nicky had ever encountered.
Finally, Wilkerson's presentation of the gospel message and the love of Jesus melted the thick walls of his heart. Nicky received the forgiveness, love and new life that can only come through Jesus. Since then, he has dedicated that life to helping others find the same freedom. He reaches today's youth because they relate to his background, trust his peer authority, and respond to the message of hope he delivers with both passion and conviction. As one kid said after an outreach into his neighborhood, "All I knew was he was an O.G. (original gangster) and he was having this big meeting tonight."
"These kids are young,
hardened criminals who don't respond to parents, teachers, or the jail system.
They receive a glorified message of gang activity everyday in rap music,
television, and films. They need to hear a different message - and they need to
hear it now! They come to our 'invasions' looking for an alternative to the
hopeless cycle of drug abuse, alcoholism, and violence. We must offer them an
alternative source of security than the one they find in the gangs. They won't
surrender to authority figures that have let them down all their lives. But,
believe it or not, they will respond to a message about God if it comes from
others who have survived their same living hell." - Cruz