{"id":1704,"date":"2015-01-10T01:49:27","date_gmt":"2015-01-10T01:49:27","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/balboaunionchurch.org\/wpaccess\/?post_type=ctc_sermon&p=1704"},"modified":"2018-01-09T14:32:48","modified_gmt":"2018-01-09T14:32:48","slug":"baptism-of-repentance-or-of-the-holy-spirit","status":"publish","type":"ctc_sermon","link":"http:\/\/balboaunionchurch.org\/es\/sermons\/baptism-of-repentance-or-of-the-holy-spirit\/","title":{"rendered":"Baptism – of Repentance or of the Holy Spirit"},"content":{"rendered":"

All of us who have grown up in the church are accustomed to the ritual of baptism and the meaning that the Church has given to this tradition.<\/p>\n

While there may be debate about whether baptism should be by immersion or by sprinkling, and when and where baptism should be undertaken, we find they centre on the following debates: is it too important? Or unimportant? Should we deify baptism? Or trivialise? While the Baptish Church may say, \u201cI\u2019m saved because I\u2019m baptized.\u201d The Church of Christ says, \u201cI\u2019m baptized because I\u2019m saved.\u201d<\/p>\n

Does any scholar, or even saint, fully appreciate what this moment means in heaven? Any words on baptism, including mine, are simply a human effort to explain a holy event. In our churches, debates about the essentiality of baptism have been common\u2014yet serious discussions about baptism\u2019s essence are very rare.<\/p>\n

In our readings today from Matthew and Acts we find 2 types of Baptism mentioned: the baptism of repentance and baptism by the Holy Spirit.<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve never really understood why Jesus went to John to be baptised\u2026 I\u2019ve always thought that the focus should be on heaven opening and the dove \u2013 where God proclaims that this is my son in whom I am well pleased\u2026<\/p>\n

Of course, you do realise that John was not a Baptist, right? I read somewhere he was actually Methodist\u2026 although others say he was Presbyterian\u2026<\/p>\n

Like John, I have been often perplexed\u2026 why does Jesus need a baptism of repentance?<\/p>\n

At that time Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan River and wanted John to baptize him. But John tried to stop him, saying, \u201cWhy do you come to me to be baptized? I need to be baptized by you!\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

After all, John had been \u201cpreaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins,\u201d and Jesus was the spotless Lamb of God.<\/p>\n

There are a number of ways we can look at Jesus\u2019 baptism by John\u2026 and possibly not the only explanations:<\/p>\n

The first way<\/span><\/strong> of looking at this baptism is as Jesus descended into the water, he was coming down to our level. He was identifying himself with sinners. Baptism was for the immoral, the impure, the liars, adulterers and thieves, and yet Jesus willingly plunged into the water as if to say, \u201cI\u2019m with them!\u201d Jesus cast his lot with humanity. He came to the river because we are sinners. He was washed because we were not clean. He did what was right because we, so often, do what is wrong. He became like us so that we could become like him.<\/p>\n

And the second way we can view <\/span><\/strong>this baptism is how baptisms were undertaken in the Old Testament. For the Jewish community there was another group of people, not the sinners and repentant who underwent a different type of baptism – the priests. The Law dictated that especially the High Priest was to \u201cwashed with water.\u201d<\/p>\n

In Leviticus 8:6<\/a> we\u2019re told that – by the instruction of God \u2013 \u201cMoses brought Aaron and his sons forward and washed them with water.\u201d Later, during that ceremony Moses \u201cpoured some of the anointing oil on Aaron\u2019s head and anointed him to consecrate him.\u201d Leviticus 8:12<\/a> They began their priesthood and were empowered to make sacrifices and handle holy things as God\u2019s representatives. At that point, God put His mark of approval on the ministry of Aaron and his sons.<\/p>\n

The Bible tell us that Jesus\u2019 ministry began with His baptism by John. After His baptism, the Holy Spirit descended in the form of a dove, and the Father loudly declared: \u00abThis is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.\u00bb Matthew 3:17<\/a> This was the beginning of Jesus\u2019 ministry as our High Priest.<\/p>\n

There is, as always, another way that we could also see<\/span><\/strong> baptism: which was also prevalent at the time – identification<\/span><\/strong>. Converts to Judaism who couldn\u2019t be circumcised (such as women or eunuchs) were baptized. The purpose? To identify with Judaism. These people were baptized into the faith of the Jews. And so, for many, this has become the meaning of baptism \u2013 you are identified as being a Christian.<\/p>\n

Did you hear about the man who wanted to become a member of a church?<\/p>\n

The pastor explained that the only requirements were those of becoming a Christian: he had to believe that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of God; he had to acknowledge that he was a sinner and repent of his past sins; he had to confess Jesus as his Lord and Master; and he had to be baptized in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.<\/p>\n

He groaned: \u00abOh, not again \u2013 I\u2019ve been baptized 4 times now!\u00bb Puzzled, I asked him why? He explained that 1st time, he\u2019d been sprinkled as an infant. Then when he wanted to join another church, they said that his baptism was invalid and he needed to be immersed into their church. The next church refused to accept that congregation\u2019s baptism and baptized him again into their church. And again, another church did the same. But they all explained the same thing – he was being baptized into their church, not into Christ.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Somehow, churches have lost the message that we are to baptised in the name of the Father, Son & Holy Spirit\u2026 it\u2019s nothing to do with church membership! It\u2019s about identification with Christ.<\/p>\n

So, I want to give my final thoughts to looking at what it means to be baptised in the Holy Spirit. I realise that for some, this means speaking in tongues and prophesying, as we read in Acts. There are many days that I wish that the fullness of the Holy Spirit invoked this response from me.<\/p>\n

But, for me, it\u2019s more about the daily choices and transformation in my life and relationships with those around me – easily summarised in Galatians 5 \u2013 the Fruit of the Spirit is<\/p>\n