(based on a sermon series by Tom Ellsworth)
SERIES: “DISCOVER JESUS: The Other 3:16’s”
TEXT: LUKE 3:15-18
TITLE: “THE POWER OF JESUS”
OPEN: A Last week we began a new series: “Discovering Jesus: The Other 3:16’s”
1. We said that most of us know John 3:16 quite well
--That passage teaches us about what God was accomplishing through His Son
2. But there are other 3:16 passages in the New Testament that teach us important things about
Jesus
B. Back in 1990’s President of the United States Bill Clinton came to Louisville and spoke at Male
High School. Joe Berks, principal at the school, was asked how much advanced preparation was
involved in the president’s visit. He said it was incredibly huge.
There were three groups that came early, and each had five or six in their group. The three
groups were the Secret Service, a group preparing for the media, and another group in charge of
programming.
The programming people insisted on removing one hundred chairs at the front of the auditorium
in the high school, and they built a special platform for the president that was only used about
twenty-five minutes. They flew in the president’s own six hundred pound podium. It had a bullet
proof glass front and a heavy metal casing that would withstand a bomb blast. Then dogs came in
and sniffed every corner, every chair and even every sandwich that had been prepared for the local
politicians who came in and gobbled them up…feeling so privileged not knowing that dogs had
been slobbering on them earlier. The president’s own chef was flown in and he fixed a sandwich
and tea for his boss. Kroger’s, the grocery store chain, had donated flowers that lined the entire
stage, but an angry advance man reminded them that the president had serious allergy problems, so
they took an hour and a half to snip off every bloom and bud and cart them away.
As it got closer to the president’s arrival, the advance people came in droves until eight adjacent
rooms were filled with the president’s entourage. By the time the president arrived there were
trucks with satellite dishes outside, two helicopters, five limousines and a number of snipers on the
roof of the school and several in the cemetery that was close by. Joe Berks, the principal, said, “It
was a zoo. I’m glad we did it, but I’d never want to do it again.”
C. When Jesus Christ came to earth there was only one advance man.
1. It was the task of John the Baptist to prepare the way for the coming of the Son of God and then
to get out of the way.
2. He did his job perfectly—even though, apparently, his ministry lasted only about a year before
he was beheaded.
--Today we will look at some very important words from John the Baptist about Jesus.
3. Luke 3:15-18 – “The people were waiting expectantly and were all wondering in their hearts if
John might possibly be the Christ. John answered them all, ‘I baptize you with water. But one
more powerful than I will come, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will
baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand to clear his
threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but he will burn up the chaff with
unquenchable fire. And with many other words John exhorted the people and preached the good
news to them.”
I. WHAT IS THE POWER OF JESUS?
--Lk. 3:16 – “John answered them all, ‘I baptize you with water. But one more powerful than I will come,
the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with
fire.’”
A. To understand the power of Jesus in context to what John is saying, we need to compare the lives and
ministries of John and Jesus
1. Both John and Jesus had their birth announced by an angel
a. However, John’s birth was simply to a couple that had been barren for some time and were slightly
advanced in age but were praying for a child
b. Jesus’ birth was completely miraculous
--born to a virgin impregnated by the Holy Spirit
2. John and Jesus taught baptism
a. John’s baptism was an incomplete baptism
1). Much like the animal sacrifices
--the imperfect had to do until the perfect came
2). Baptism in Jesus’ name was complete
--John’s baptism was to show repentance. Baptism in Jesus’ name brought remission of sins
b. John described the difference in that he just baptized with water
--Jesus would baptize with the Holy Spirit and with fire
1). We’re told that when we submit to Christ and are baptized, we receive not only forgiveness of
our sins but the indwelling gift of the Holy Spirit
--Acts 2:38 – “Peter replied, ‘Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus
Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”
2). The word “baptize” in the original language means “to dip, plunge, or immerse”
3). Baptism into Christ also immerses us with the Holy Spirit
--the person of God that teaches, convicts, guides, comforts, and gives power to live life
4). Fire can be seen several ways:
a). It can refer to trials and tribulations that purify us as Christians
--1 Pet. 1:5-6 – “In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had
to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith—of greater worth
than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may
result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.”
b). It can refer to the fires of Hell
i). the everlasting fire of punishment for refusal to follow Christ
ii). 2 Pet. 3:7 – “By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being
kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.”
3). It can refer to the coming of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost
a). Acts 2 – “When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly
a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house
where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and
came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to
speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.”
b). Jesus talked about this event as the fulfillment of the promise
--Acts 1:4-5 – “On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this
command: ‘Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you
have heard me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be
baptized with the Holy Spirit.’”
3. John acknowledged that he wasn’t even anywhere close to Jesus in stature, importance, or power
--John said, “But one more powerful than I will come, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to
untie. “
a. In the ancient world, the dirtiest, lowest, most menial job was to unstrap someone’s shoes when they
came to visit
b. The job was reserved for the lowest slave in the house
c. John said, “I’m not even worthy of being the lowest person around when I stand next to Jesus.”
d. Such an amazing statement when you know what Jesus had to say about John
1). Mt. 11:11 – “I tell you the truth: Among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater
than John the Baptist.”
2). Basically, Jesus said that up until that point in time, there was no person who was greater than
John the Baptist
--That included Abraham, Moses, King David, and a host of others who were considered among
the greatest
3). Yet John is saying he’s the lowliest of the lowly when compared to Jesus
B. What kind of power does Jesus have?
1. Power over earthly things
--Mt. 8::23-27 – “Then he got into the boat and his disciples followed him. Without warning, a furious
storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. The
disciples went and woke him, saying, ‘Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!’ He replied, ‘You of
little faith, why are you so afraid?’ Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was
completely calm. The men were amazed and asked, ‘What kind of man is this? Even the winds and
the waves obey him!’”
2. Power over heavenly things
--Eph:1:18-21 – “I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may
know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his
incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength,
which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the
heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be
given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come.”
3. Power over the physical and spiritual
--Lk. 6:17-19 – “He went down with them and stood on a level place. A large crowd of his disciples
was there and a great number of people from all over Judea, from Jerusalem, and from the coast of
Tyre and Sidon, who had come to hear him and to be healed of their diseases. Those troubled by evil
spirits were cured, and the people all tried to touch him, because power was coming from him and
healing them all.”
4. Power to raise the dead
--Jn. 11:38-43 – “Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid
across the entrance. ‘Take away the stone,’ he said. ‘But, Lord,’ said Martha, the sister of the dead
man, ‘by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days.’ Then Jesus said, ‘Did I not
tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?’ So they took away the stone. Then
Jesus looked up and said, ‘Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear
me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me.’
When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, ‘Lazarus, come out!’ The dead man came out,
his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face. Jesus said to them, ‘Take
off the grave clothes and let him go.’”
5. Power to forgive sin
--Mk. 2: 5-11 – “When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, ‘Son, your sins are forgiven.’
Now some teachers of the law were sitting there, thinking to themselves, ‘Why does this fellow talk
like that? He’s blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?’ Immediately Jesus knew in his
spirit that this was what they were thinking in their hearts, and he said to them, ‘Why are you
thinking these things? Which is easier: to say to the paralytic, Your sins are forgiven, or to say, Get
up, take your mat and walk? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to
forgive sins . . . .’ He said to the paralytic, ‘I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.’ He got
up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all. This amazed everyone and they praised
God, saying, ‘We have never seen anything like this!’”
6. Power over his own death
--Jn. 10:17-18a – “The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again.
No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and
authority to take it up again.”
7. Power to judge
a. 2 Cor. 5:10 – “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive
what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.
b. That’s the meaning of John’s statement concerning the chaff and the wheat
-- “His winnowing fork is in his hand to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his
barn, but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”
--The process of preparing grain in Jesus day involved
1). Threshing, that is, crushing, beating or thrashing the grain heads in order to loosen the grain
kernels from the surrounding stems and husks
--It was usually done by having oxen tread out the the grain
2). Winnowing, using a kind of wooden pitch fork (a winnowing fork) to throw the threshed grain
heads into the breeze, so the lighter chaff will blow downwind, and the heavier grain kernels
will fall back to the ground, separating the two.
3). The floor would be "cleared" by threshing and then winnowing all the grain heads until the chaff
and grain had been completely separated. The grain was then gathered into baskets and stored in
the barn, but the remaining stems and husks piled together and set ablaze.
II. WHAT DOES THAT POWER MEAN TO US?
A. The application of His power means that we can overcome any obstacle
1. He is Lord of everything.
--I am not sure if we grasp this concept or not.
a. Jesus cursed a fig tree and it died
b. He stopped a violent storm with the word, “Peace, be still.”
c. He decided to walk on water and it supported Him
d. He rode on a donkey that had never been ridden and it followed His every command
2. If Jesus reigns supreme, if he has power over life and death, if Jesus can make the lame walk and the
blind see, if Jesus can with the Father speak the world into existence, then we have the most powerful
being of all working inside us and for us.
3. His power applies to every part of our lives
a. Are you worried and stressed out?
--Phil. 4:6 – “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with
thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”
b. Are you struggling with how you are going to overcome an obstacle?
--Phil. 4:13 – “I can do everything through him who gives me strength.”
c. Are you struggling with temptation?
--1 Cor. 10:13 – “God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But
when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.”
d. Are you feeling weak and tired?
--Mt. 11:28 – Jesus says, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you
rest.”
4. Is there anything we cannot overcome with His help?
--Rom. 8:31 – “What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us?”
B. The allocation of His power means that our sins can be forgiven
1. Rom. 3:23 – “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
a. There’s nothing worse than being trapped in your sins
b. No way out. No way to find peace or rest. No way to find healing and wholeness. Stuck like a rat
in a trap.
2. However, through Christ’s atoning death on the cross, we can find forgiveness and healing and help
a. Heb. 9:27-28a – “Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, so Christ was
sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people.”
b. 1 Cor. 5:21 – ““God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the
righteousness of God.”
C. The appropriation of His power means that our future can be secured
1. It’s been said that man’s life consists of 20-some years of his mom wanting to know where he’s been
followed by 40+ of his wife wanting to know where he’s been. And at his funeral, everyone
is wanting to know where he’s going to go.
2. Wouldn’t it be great if you had eternity settled?
--That you could know where you would spend eternity after you die?
3. Rom. 6:9 – “For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no
longer has mastery over him.”
--Someone said, “Like a coward steps aside for the brave, death cowered in the presence his power.”
4. Jn. 11:25 – Jesus promises: “I am the resurrection and the life, he who believes in Me though he were
dead, yet shall he live.”
5. Knowing that Jesus has power over death and the power of eternal life, should empower us for our
living today.
--Because, while we don’t know exactly what the future holds, we know who holds the future and we
can trust Him
CLOSE: A. A man he bought a new refrigerator for his house. To get rid of his old fridge, he put it in his
front yard and hung a sign on it saying, “Free Refrigerator! You want it, you take it.”
For three days the fridge sat there without anyone giving it a second glance. Eventually, he
decided that people were too skeptical of such a deal. Maybe it looked too good to be true. So,
he changed the sign to read “Fridge for sale - $75.”
The next evening, someone stole it.
1. We’re like that with the Lord, aren’t we?
a. His goodness, His grace, His power for our lives just seems to leave us lacking in the trust
department.
b. It just seems too good to be true.
--But it’s not.
2. God freely offers salvation, hope, strength, comfort, and peace but we say, “I don’t know.
Seems fishy to me.”
B. We need to learn from the example of John the Baptist
1. John’s preaching and extraordinary lifestyle led people to believing that he might be the
Promised One – the Messiah
--and John says, “Definitely not. He is much more powerful, much more holy, and much more
gracious than I am.”
2. John would point to Jesus and say:
a. Jn. 1:29-30 – “The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, ‘Look, the Lamb
of God, who takes away the sin of the world! This is the one I meant when I said, ’A man
who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’”
b. Jn. 3:30 – “He must become greater; I must become less.”
3. John knew who Jesus was.
a. He was sent to prepare the way so that people would be ready for Jesus
b. John even says about Jesus in Jn. 3:36 – “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but
whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on him.”
