Ghost Stories
Pt. 3 - Three's Company
I. Introduction
Open with Campfire Scene - (Lights Dim)
Seeing someone baptized and water was not a new concept. In fact, all over Israel there are rock basins constructed called Mikvehs or ritual baths where Jews would prepare themselves to go to the temple. What was different in this account is what took place at the end of the baptism. BY THE WAY BAPTISM SIMPLY MEANS TO BE FULLY IMMERSED. The writer could only use the descriptive words "like a dove" to try to communicate what took place when the Holy Spirit descended on Jesus. However, what isn't mentioned is the pattern of three that is being carried out and continued here. Let me see if I can explain.
If you haven't figured it out yet God operates in order. Creation begins this revelation. God did everything in order. For instance He creates a sky before He creates a bird to fly in the sky. He creates water before He creates fish to swim in the water. But He not only operates in order He operates in patterns. I don't have time to dig into this very much but the entire worship system described in Leviticus is a pattern of worship and all the prescribed ways to carry it out. I will show you one example in a second but let me first stop and make a statement.
Patterns are important. Patterns must be completed in order for the desired end result to be accomplished. For instance ask anyone here who has either played or coached football and they will tell you that a wide receiver must run the right pattern in order for the pass play to work. Otherwise the QB will throw to a location but the receiver will not be where he was supposed to be. Or take sewing as an example. From my home economics experience, I can tell you that if you don't follow the pattern you may be able to wear the shirt you put together but the look, function, and comfort of the shirt will probably be compromised because you failed to complete the pattern. The same is true in construction. I don't want to be in a building where the pattern called for concrete and steel foundation and the builder decided a clay and aluminum option would be suitable. Patterns matter.
So, there is a pattern of three carried throughout Scripture. One of the examples of this is found in the early prescribed pattern of worship. Moses is instructed to build a mobile place of worship. He constructs it according to pattern and it has an outer court and an inner court. Then there is the Holy Place and Holy of Holies where the presence of God literally dwelt. The goal was to get to Holy of Holies into the presence of God. That is why we still worship today. The goal is the same . . . to get into His presence. So, watch for the three . . . As you enter you first go to an altar of sacrifice. Then you go to a laver of water. Then prior to entering Holy of Holies you had to be anointed with a flask of oil. If you stop at the altar and the laver but skip the oil and enter the holy place do you remember what the result of the uncompleted pattern was . . . death? Just remember that for a second and I will come back to it.
When Jesus arrives on the scene He completes the law so that we don't have to go through a human priest and so that through Him we have access to the Holy of Holies. However, I want you to notice that the pattern that existed in the Old Testament still exists in the New Testament and in order for us to experience everything God has for us we need to complete the pattern.
So, let's think about the Old Testament pattern for just a second. What you have is altar, laver, oil. Another way of saying this is blood, water, spirit (oil is symbolic of spirit). Three steps to access all of His presence. All three steps were important.
So, let's fast forward and see the same pattern of three in the NT.
Text: 1 John 5:7-8 (NKJV)
For there are three that bear witness in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one. And there are three that bear witness on earth: the Spirit, the water, and the blood; and these three agree as one.
So, again we are looking for the pattern. It is repeated here. Simply put the pattern that is laid out for us is salvation, water baptism, and spirit baptism. Three's company! Three baptisms.
Let me show you each clearly in Scripture so we will be encouraged to complete the pattern.
1. The Holy Spirit baptizes us in Jesus.
I read to you out of 1 Corinthians 12:3 last week which told us the Holy Spirit is the One who makes it possible for us to come to Christ. He works on us and brings us to the conclusion we need a savior. Now Paul makes the Spirit's involvement even more plain in
1 Corinthians 12:13a - For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body.
So the Holy Spirit baptizes us in Jesus to form one body.
Blood! Salvation!!!
The second baptism is of course ...
2. Followers of Christ baptize us in water.
As part of the great commission we are supposed to
Matthew 28:19 - Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
This is the act by which we show publicly that our old man is buried and dead. A public display of what has happened privately. It is a NT version of the OT Covenant act where parties exchanged enemies, provision, swore allegiance. Water Baptism says to the world I am His and He is mine. We are one.
Water!!
But remember three's company. A pattern that isn't completed isn't complete and doesn't achieve the intended outcome of the designer.
3. Jesus baptizes us in/with the Holy Spirit.
Again if you mislabel you misunderstand. For years I have heard about the baptism of the Holy Spirit. The baptism of the Holy Spirit is the Holy Spirit baptizing in Jesus (salvation). But there is a third baptism which is baptism in/with the Holy Spirit. This distinction is seen on multiple occasions.
John the Baptist says in Matthew 3:11 - I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
He repeats this same think in Mark 1:8.
Jesus tells us this in Luke 24:49 -
I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.
John 16:7 - Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you.
The first baptism (blood) gives us access to heaven.
The second baptism (water) gives us a platform of witness.
The third baptism (oil) gives us power to live and witness here!
The first account I alluded to around the campfire shows that Jesus carried out the pattern. He was salvation in the flesh. He was water baptized. He was baptized in the Spirit. If Jesus thought the pattern was important should we?
We see Peter preach this pattern on the Day of Pentecost. Acts 2:37-29.
When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” Peter replied, “Repent (salvation) and be baptized (water baptism), 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. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.”
If that wasn't enough let me ask you this . . .
How important was the pattern to the NT Church? 25 years after the day of Pentecost, in Acts 19:1-6, Paul is still preaching the same pattern ...
Now, it happened that while Apollos was away in Corinth, Paul made his way down through the mountains, came to Ephesus, and happened on some disciples (BELIEVERS) there. The first thing he said (must have been of extreme importance if asked first thing) was, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed? Did you take God into your mind only, or did you also embrace him with your heart? Did he get inside you?” “We’ve never even heard of that—a Holy Spirit? God within us?” “How were you baptized, then?” asked Paul. “In John’s baptism.” “That explains it,” said Paul. “John preached a baptism of radical life-change so that people would be ready to receive the One coming after him, who turned out to be Jesus. If you’ve been baptized in John’s baptism, you’re ready now for the real thing, for Jesus.” And they were. As soon as they heard of it, they were baptized in the name of the Master Jesus. Paul put his hands on their heads and the Holy Spirit entered them. From that moment on, they were praising God in tongues and talking about God’s actions. Altogether there were about twelve people there that day.
Salvation gets you access into heaven. Nothing else. You will never hear me say that you have to have all three baptisms to get into heaven. But my goal, which I think was also Jesus', was NOT just to get you to heaven. He wanted you to experience everything God has for you in this life too and for you to have the ability to share this pattern with others.
So, I encourage you to complete the pattern.
How many of us are willing to go through step one of the pattern, step two of the pattern but because we thought it was weird or strange we bypass step three and we enter His presence and we live saved but we live with no life? No power? Complete the pattern. To get everything He has for you follow the pattern!
