mySundaySermons

While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul took the road through the interior and arrived at Ephesus. There he found some disciples and asked them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” They answered, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” So Paul asked, “Then what baptism did you receive?” “John’s baptism,” they replied. Paul said, “John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the one coming after him, that is, in Jesus.” On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.  When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied. There were about twelve men in all. [NRSV]

The Coach’s Gator-Aid Baptism: Acceptance and Celebration for winning or setting a record, but Christian baptism is not just a public celebration: it is about covenant making and covenant keeping.

Baptized in the Spirit vs Second Birth

Over time some churches and denominations have made more of the verse that is like intended. Some would teach that when you and I repent, acknowledge that we are sinners and believe Jesus to be our “Lord and Savior” that it is somehow a partial baptism that we must have a second baptism in the Spirit, as the sign of some spiritual maturity or marker of spiritual progress. When in fact this passage is about a lack of information, a shortcoming in the teaching and Paul wants all disciples to ha e the full story, the full benefit, and full connection as a disciple, believer and follower of Jesus.

John Wesley

Salvation for Wesley is the process that begins in the Holy Spirit before we are aware of what is happening, We mark our part in the process when we acknowledge Jesus Christ has died for our sins personally (thus justifying us through Grace and the Spirit), what follows in our response of becoming the person Jesus died and rose to save, the Spirit guiding us in the journey of sanctification toward the goal of wholeness in the Spirit, he called perfection.

Bottom line, if someone speaks of not having the Spirit it is actually a matter of perspective, ignorance (being misinformed or uninformed) and/or misinterpretation.

From the beginning of Creation, the Holy Spirit moved through the great chaos and spoke order and purpose. The Spirit moved in creation over the earth and was breathed into humanity giving us that very image, breath and spirit of God in us.

What makes us exceptional is that we each are Spirit-filled people, we all have the Spirit of God to credit for our life, our purpose and our meaning.

When the world denies or runs from God’s Holy Spirit

They do so in fear, misinformation, pride, personal desire to control, or a lack of experience/understanding.

So what? Our personal faith journey is to affirm we are spirit filled people, saved by Christ and living for God’s purpose, in God’s love, uniquely through each one of us.

So what’s the deal with this passage and Paul re-baptizing these folks?

1. This passage is about teaching what baptism is about
2. This passage s about understanding the work of the Holy Spirit
3. It is for us a reminder that to be a Christian is to 1) be aware we are born of the Holy Spirit, 2) we are connected by the Spirit and 3) empowered by the Holy Spirit for Spiritual work and witness.

 

Part of this verse is about competing traditions:

“We have John the Baptist”… Our baptism is older and more closely connected to the first baptism, John the Baptizer, who baptized Jesus, “If John was Good Enough for Jesus, then John’s baptism is good enough for me. “Ours is the more traditional flavor.”

Paul is teaching that Baptism is the vehicle and not the destination.

It’s not owning/experiencing something, it is becoming something more important.

Paul’s correction is not saying John’s baptism was wrong, only that it conveyed part of the power:

The Two Parts of Baptism

The Jesus Part and the “my” part.

John the Baptist’s baptism was about repenting, acknowledging our sinfulness and our brokenness and that Jesus is the hope and salvation for our sins.

The second part is what difference does the Jesus part make in my life and how will accomplish my response to Jesus’s part.

Too many people settle for the utterance of words instead of the building of a relationship. Are you and I settlers?

Think of the marriage covenant:

Legally a couple is married when they have exchanged vows and pledged themselves to one another and both say the traditional, “I DO.”

But that is not the marriage, that is only the beginning of the covenant. The marriage is the journey of joys and struggles that span the time the couple shares.

Paul reminds us that we are

• Spiritual
• Need Christ but also the Spirit
• Therefore help others find a way to grow in the Spirit

Invite someone to a life in Christ

Inquire what Baptism means to someone’s daily life

Back to School Homework

Do you remember your baptism?

Do it make any difference to you on this day?

If so how,

If not, let’s work on it together, is Paul model