April 26 sermon

 

Lest week we looked at the apostle Johns opening words of his gospel concerning Jesus

John says that Jesus, who He calls the Logos, was in the beginning with God and was in fact God born in the flesh

John was not speaking of things he was told or mere gossip, but John was an eyewitness

John 1:14 (ESV)
¹⁴  And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

We have seen His glory.

John uses similar language in his first epistle

1 John 1:1 (ESV)
¹  That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life—

John was with Jesus for about 3 years

He witnessed most of Jesus’ miracles, witnessed the transfiguration on the mount, was part of Jesus’ inner circle and was there at the foot of the cross

John is a perfect eyewitness of all that Jesus did and who He was.

John also introduces us to another character in his gospel that played an important part in the ministry of Messiah

John 1:6-8 (ESV)
⁶  There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.
⁷  He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him.
⁸  He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light.

 

We cannot read the Christmas story without also reading about the child born of Zechariah and Elizabeth.

We know that their son John was born 6 months before Jesus (this is important as we will see soon)

Luke 1:24-27 (ESV)
²⁴  After these days his wife Elizabeth conceived, and for five months she kept herself hidden, saying,
²⁵  “Thus the Lord has done for me in the days when he looked on me, to take away my reproach among people.”
²⁶  In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth,
²⁷  to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary.

 

Those words in verse 26, in the sixth month refer to the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy

 

We are told that John was sent by God in John 1:6 but we are not told in what fashion.

 

Was it God’s plan that John live in the wilderness and dress as he did and eat the things he ate?

Why was it important that Jesus have a witness as to who He is and what He was going to accomplish?

We’ll see that in a minute

 

John 1:19-20 (ESV)
¹⁹  And this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?”
²⁰  He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, “I am not the Christ.”

It seems unusual that if someone asks who you are that you would tell them who you are not.

But we need to understand that the time and the situation Israel was in seemed to everyone the perfect time for Messiah to come

It has been 400 years since God spoke to His people in any way

Rome had Israel under its thumb and they have suffered greatly under great persecution by Rome

 

John 1:21-23 (ESV)
²¹  And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” And he answered, “No.”
²²  So they said to him, “Who are you? We need to give an answer to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?”
²³  He said, “I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ as the prophet Isaiah said.”

 

Israel knew that God promised a Messiah but there was no time given

God also promised a fore runner, someone who would prepare the way

There were some who taught that Elijah must come first since he did not physically die but was carried to heaven in a flaming chariot

Others taught that perhaps Jeremiah would come just before Messiah

We see both of these names when Jesus asked who the people said He was

Matthew 16:14 (NASB)
¹⁴  And they said, "Some say John the Baptist; and others, Elijah; but still others, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets." 

But John says I am neither of these men

He then quotes the prophet Isaiah as a form of identification

“I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’

 

Isaiah 40:3-5 (ESV)
³  A voice cries: “In the wilderness prepare the way of the LORD; make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
⁴  Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain.
⁵  And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the LORD has spoken.”

 

It was common for a forerunner to go before a king or important diplomat to make sure the road traveled was smooth

 

No rocks or pot holes so the journey would be comfortable

Johns ministry was to prepare the people to receive the coming Messiah

 

John 1:24-28 (ESV)
²⁴  (Now they had been sent from the Pharisees.)
²⁵  They asked him, “Then why are you baptizing, if you are neither the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?”
²⁶  John answered them, “I baptize with water, but among you stands one you do not know,
²⁷  even he who comes after me, the strap of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie.”
²⁸  These things took place in Bethany across the Jordan, where John was baptizing.

 

This is our first introduction to the sect called the Pharisees

An ultra-legalistic group Jesus always found Himself at odds with

And their question is if you are not any of the men mentioned why do you baptize?

Now baptism was not new or even a Christian practice

The priests would immerse themselves in the giant bronze laver before entering into service in the temple

Non-Jews would be immersed when they converted to the Jewish faith

Houses had mikvah baths for women to cleanse themselves after childbirth or after their menstrual cycle

And even the sick were immersed as when Elisha commanded Naham to immerse himself in the Jordan seven times for his leprosy

But the most important reason was for the setting apart or ordaining of a new King, High Priest or prophet

 

In all cases however immersion was the only way because that is the literal meaning of the Greek word Baptizo

It means to dunk, dip, submerge or immerse. It was never a pouring or sprinkling

This is why Mathew makes it clear that John was baptizing “IN” the Jordan

If he were merely pouring or sprinkling being in the river would not be necessary

 

John also sates that his baptism was for repentance for the forgiveness of sin

John was not the kindest of Gods messengers when it came to the people of Israel

Luke 3:7-9 (ESV)
⁷  He said therefore to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?
⁸  Bear fruits in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham.
⁹  Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.”

Can you imagine if a pastor today responded to people coming to be baptized this way?

But this was serious stuff and just getting dipped because everyone was doing it was not enough

Repentance was mandatory as was the bearing of good fruit

 

Johns words here in Johns gospel are a bit abbreviated compared to that recorded elsewhere

“I baptize with water, but among you stands one you do not know, ²⁷  even he who comes after me, the strap of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie.”

But in Mathew we read this

Matthew 3:11 (NASB)
¹¹  "As for me, I baptize you with water for repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, and I am not fit to remove His sandals; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.

Some have mistakenly taken Johns words about a baptism with the Holy Spirit and with fire as the same occasion

This mistake comes from Pentecost where we see the apostles receiving the Holy Spirit and tongues as of fire appearing over their heads

But if we read all four gospels together you see that John is speaking about two distinct things that will occur

Jesus will bring a baptism with the Holy Spirit which is Christian baptism

But also a baptism in fire, not what happened on Pentecost but clearly a time of judgment

John says Luke 3:9 (ESV)
⁹  Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.”

Never confuse the two

 

 

Then John and Jesus meet John 1:29-30 (ESV)
²⁹  The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!
³⁰  This is he of whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who ranks before me, because he was before me.’

This is an interesting passage and loaded with information

Lambs were common to Jewish worship and ritual

There is the Passover lamb, the lamb sacrificed on Yom Kapoor for the forgiveness of sin

But never a man and could the people really understand what John is saying here about Jesus

This will be Gods lamb for the sacrifice. It will be something He will do and it will be not for the putting off of sin but for the forgiveness of sin

 

John then identifies Jesus as the one he previously referenced as coming after him but there is a twist here

a man who ranks before me, because he was before me.’

 

As we saw when we began this part of Johns gospel, John was born six months before Jesus

So how can a younger like Jesus rank higher than an older man like John?

And what does John mean “He was before me”?

Here John the Baptist agrees with John the apostle that Jesus existed before being physically born as a man in Bethlehem

This could only have been revealed to Him by God.

He was in the beginning with God and was God

 

John 1:31-34 (ESV)
³¹  I myself did not know him, but for this purpose I came baptizing with water, that he might be revealed to Israel.”
³²  And John bore witness: “I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him.
³³  I myself did not know him, but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’
³⁴  And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God.”

 

I find Johns words curious, I did not know Him

How could John not know his own cousin?

Didn’t Elizabeth tell John about what happened when she met Mary and John leaped in her womb

Did the two families never get together after that day?

We will never know

But John states the reason for his ministry

but for this purpose, I came baptizing with water, that he might be revealed to Israel.”

 

Johns ministry was two fold

1)   To baptize the people and lead them to repentance in preparation for the coming Messiah

2)   To reveal that Jesus was in fact that Messiah

 

John the apostle does not tell us but in Mathew we see what transpired

Matthew 3:13-17 (ESV)
¹³  Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him.
¹⁴  John would have prevented him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?”
¹⁵  But Jesus answered him, “Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he consented.
¹⁶  And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him;
¹⁷  and behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”

 

I said before that I found John saying he did not know Jesus as curious and here is why

Why would John think he needed to be baptized by Jesus if He did not know who he was?

 

In any case John immerses Jesus, and I again say he was immersed because we are told Jesus came up out of the water

And the Holy Spirit comes like a dove and comes to rest on Jesus

And then a voice from heaven “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”

This is the only occasion I am aware of where all three persons of the Godhead are present at the same time.

Jesus’ comment that this was to fulfill all righteousness means literally that this is what is right in Gods eyes

 

We have a number of things going on here

Jesus’ baptism was a setting apart or ordination if you will as our King, High priest and prophet

It is a launching of His ministry that will take the next three years

And this al found total favor with the Father and the Holy Spirit

 

The stage is now set for the greatest ministry in history

Under any other circumstances we would expect things to at least begin slowly and without any serious incidents

But this is not normal circumstances

While we cannot see with human eyes, there is a flurry of activity going on in the spiritual realm

A massive chill just went through the collective demon population

 

The apostle Paul tells us that our battles are not against flesh and blood but against the powers of the spiritual world

And they have all just become very aware that Jesus has come to earth and that they had better do something quickly

Chapter 4 of Johns gospel begins with this verse

Matthew 4:1 (ESV)
¹  Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.

 

Why would the Spirit lead Jesus to be tempted by Satan

 

And why would God allow such a thing

 

We’ll look at that next week

 

But I want you to consider and mediate upon this man Jesus

 

Again consider this is God almighty, come in the flesh and walk among us

 

And it was all done just for you and me. He loved us this much

 

He didn’t have to do this but love drove Him

 

He didn’t have to submit to our weaknesses but He did for you and me

 

This is the loving savior we love and serve

 

LET US PRAY