Breaking Through Baptism

“Breaking Through Baptism”

And so John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 5 The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem went out to him. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River. 6 John wore clothing made of camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. 7 And this was his message: “After me comes the one more powerful than I, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. 8 I baptize you with[a] water, but he will baptize you with[b] the Holy Spirit.”The Baptism and Testing of Jesus 9 At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 10 Just as Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. 11 And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.” Mark 4:4-11

Intro: Imagine with me…, that you are in the crowd of people gathered at the edge of the Jordan River

witnessing John the Baptist and others as they wade out into the water to be baptized.

You have been following John the Baptist for a while,

You have been listening to his words of promise that better days are ahead.

He has given you his word that God is about to do something great

That God is about to fulfill the long awaited promise to send a savior.

And that all those who believe and follow will be saved.

You are tired of the Pharisees, and Sadducees, and Herodians and Zealots,

who put such high value on study of law, but are such hypocrites when it comes to showing forgivness

and have so little compassion for the least, the last, the social outcast.

You realize that while they separate themselves as ridged descendants of the tribes of Israel.

And gloat in their luxurious homes, and positions of authority.

They lack the expression of the compassion, and lack kindness, they have no genuine sympathy for others.

You are tired of the Roman taxation.

You are even tired of the Jews that sit at table at the temple entrance

and they charge 3 and 4 times the cost of what a lamb for sacrifice should cost.

You are tired of those who use violence and hostility against your own people;

abused by the government;

discrimination against based on social class

unfairness because of religious belief.

You are desperate in need of hope and encouragement and freedom….

not some kind of dream way out in the future

not some kind of deliverance that only comes to us when you die,

but salvation here and the now…

some hope that you can be saved from sin and find a new way of life.

So we are attracted to John the Baptist.

John spoke of hope, and optimism, faith, assurance that a Messiah would come to save the world.

But he surprises everyone by announcing that he is not the Messiah…

no someone more powerful than he is coming,

and this person won’t baptize us with water,

this person will baptize with the Holy Spirit.

What is the Holy Spirit?

We can see and touch this water

—we can bathe in it

--we can drink from it

–but we cannot even look upon the Holy Spirit.

We can’t see it or smell it or taste it or touch the spirit of God.

How can we be baptized with it?

And what does he mean that we will also be baptize with fire?

And who, you wonder, could be greater than John?

Just when you think things are going along pretty well.

suddenly your prophet, your leader, John the Baptist is arrested and taken away from you.

Herod, the evil ruler, who abuses everyone and does everything to keep his throne intact/

John had been telling the truth about Herod’s wicked and sinfulness.

and Herod didn’t like it, so he throws John in prison.

So on Jordan banks you and a crowd of people stand,

But this time without a prophet,

wondering what will happen next?

In reality this is where we all are.

We all need to stand on the banks of the river and ask God to reach out and speak to us.

We need to ask him to calm our fears.

To deliver us from our sorrows and grief.

To shine some light on our future.

To encourage us to be of good faith and hope.

We stand on the banks of the river, wondering if we should wade into the water?

Is Canaan land really in this water?