This Sunday is a special “water baptism “service where we will be baptizing a few of our new believers. So, we are interrupting our regular series of messages to talk a little bit about “baptism” and what it means. There are several different kinds of baptism that are referred to in the Bible…. we experienced “water baptism” today; there is a “baptism in the Holy Spirit”; and Jesus also talked about a “baptism” he had to undergo by suffering on the cross.
In all of these cases the word “baptism" means something similar. It has to do with full immersion, being “All In.” So, on his third missionary trip Paul makes a return trip to Ephesus and they meet up with the church elders ; and this is the scene in Acts 19.
Acts 19:2 He (Paul) said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” So they said to him, “We have not so much as heard whether there is a Holy Spirit.” 3 And he said to them, “Into what then were you baptized?” So they said, “Into John’s baptism.”
These 12 had not even heard of the Holy Spirit. I wonder why? Well, they were in Asia , hundreds of miles away from Jerusalem. But in spite of that, someone had brought the message of John the Baptist to Ephesus 25 years prior to that. John was the forerunner of Jesus; he was the go-between, between the O.T. law and New Testament grace. He preached repentance and faith in God and, as a sign of people's desire to repent, he baptized them; but it all points to Jesus.
These elders may have known “about” Jesus…. but they were incomplete in their faith because they had not been taught some essentials like: rebirth by the Spirit; the gifts of the Spirit; the fullness of living in Christ; His second coming; it appears they weren’t aware of any of that. But Paul shared with them more fully about the gospel message and these elders were then baptized “in the Name of Jesus.’
A lot of people say they believe in the Bible; and that they believe in Jesus; but their faith is incomplete…. their spirit may not be alive towards God. They may not have a relationship with Jesus through the Spirit. They need to have a saving knowledge of Jesus that will result in being alive to Christ.
Join us in person on Sunday at 10:00 a.m. or via livestream by going to https://www.firstbaptistsudbury.com and clicking on livestream for “ Fully Immersed.”
Blessings,
Kevin
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