Living in the Old Testament?
There was a Japanese soldier named
Hiroo Onoda. In 1944 he was sent to the small island in the western Philippines
to spy on U.S. forces in the area. However, allied forces defeated the Japanese
army in the Philippines. While most of the Japanese troops on the island
withdrew or surrendered, Mr. Onoda hid in the jungles. He dismissed the news
saying World War II was over. He refused to believe that the war had ended and
chose to remain in the jungles for 29 years. In 1974 his former commanding
officer traveled to see him and tell him he was released from his military
duties. Only then was Mr. Onoda persuaded to come out of hiding and finally
surrendered.
Mr. Onoda was living in the time of war 29 more years unnecessarily because of his ignorance and stubbornness. In today’s scripture, Acts 19, Paul just arrived at the city of Ephesus. It was his third missionary journey around 55 A.D. There he met a group of John the Baptist’s disciples who were still living in the Old Testament. Jesus was already raised from the dead and ascended into heaven. The Holy Spirit already came down upon Jesus’ disciples on the day of Pentecost about 20 years ago. But these disciples didn’t know the new age opened up by Jesus. They didn’t know the new life led by the Holy Spirit. All they knew was John’s baptism.
Greater Than John’s Baptism
John’s baptism is important, but
not complete. It’s a baptism of the Old Testament, a baptism to prepare
people for the real thing, for Jesus.
You see sin never goes away by itself. It only accumulates. Leviticus 16 helps us understand the seriousness of sin. On the Day of Atonement once a year Aaron chose two goats to bear symbolically the sins of the people – one for a sin offering (a blood sacrifice for atonement) and the other for a scapegoat. Aaron laid both his hands on the head of this living scapegoat, confessing all the Israelites’ sins. He put their sins upon the head of the goat and sent the goat into the wilderness. The goat vicariously carried the sins away. But here, we need to remember. This goat did not completely take away people’s sins, but it just delayed judgment until next year. That’s why they had to do this act of atonement year after year (cf. Heb 7:27).
So what can wash away our sin? John the Baptist sees Jesus coming toward him and declares, “Look! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29) Jesus is the only One who is able to take away our sins. In John Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress the main character Christian enters the narrow gate and arrives at the Interpreter’s house. The Interpreter took Christian into a large hall full of dust because it had never been swept. The Interpreter called for a man to sweep. As he swept, the dust rose in such clouds that Christian was almost chocked. The Interpreter told the maiden, “Bring water and sprinkle the room.” The room was then swept clean. “What does this mean?” Christian asked. The Interpreter answered, “This hall is the heart of man; the dust is the sin that has defiled him. The first one is the Law, and the second one is the Gospel. The law only revives and increases sin in the soul instead of cleansing the heart from it. But when the gospel of Christ comes in, sin is vanquished and the soul made clean!”[1] “What can wash away my sin? Nothing but the blood of Jesus!”
The Baptism of the Holy Spirit
The Blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us
from every sin. But there is more! Not only did Jesus come to take away our sin,
but also he came to make us live a victorious life by baptizing with the Holy
Spirit. John the Baptist cries out, “Jesus is the one who will baptize you with
the Holy Spirit” (34). On one occasion evangelist D.L. Moody held up an empty
drinking glass and asked, “How can I get the air out of this glass?” One man
said, “Suck it out with a pump!” Moody replied, ‘‘that would create a vacuum
and shatter the glass.” After numerous other suggestions Moody smiled, picked
up a pitcher of water, and filled the glass. “There,” he said, “all the air is
now removed.” He then went on to explain that victory in the Christian life is
not accomplished by “sucking out a sin here and there,” but rather by being
filled with the Holy Spirit.
In today’s passage Paul asks John the Baptist’s disciples, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” They answered, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” How about you? Have you been baptized with the Holy Spirit? In John 3 Jesus said to Nicodemus, “No one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit… The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit” (5, 8). Yes, we don’t know where the wind comes from or where it is going. But when the wind blows us, we do know for sure there is a wind. In the same way, we don’t fully understand the Holy Spirit. Holy Spirit is a mystery. But when we are baptized with the Holy Spirit, we know what it is. So do the people around us.
Baptism as a Covenant
Baptism is like a marriage
covenant. In Christian marriage we make a vow (1) to forsake all others and
(2) to be faithful to the spouse as long as we both shall live in front of the
witnesses. Then we exchange rings as the outward sign of an inward grace. In
the same way, when we are baptized, we (1) renounce and repent our sin and (2) promise
to be loyal to Christ as long as we live in front of the entire church. Here
water is used as a sign of grace.
When we are baptized, two things happen. We are cleansed. We are adopted into the family of Christ. So when we are baptized, we need to answer these two questions:
Do you renounce
the spiritual forces of wickedness, reject the evil powers of this world, and
repent of your sin?
I do.
Do you confess
Jesus Christ as your Savior, put your whole trust in his grace, and promise to
serve him as your Lord, in union with the church which Christ has opened to
people of all ages, nations, and races?
I do.
The Marks of Christ
John Wesley divided his ministry into four seasons. The following is his own words:[2]
(1) From the year 1725 to 1729 I preached much, but saw no fruit of my labor. Indeed, it could not be that I should; for I neither laid the foundation of repentance, nor of believing the gospel; taking it for granted, that all to whom I preached were believers, and that many of them “needed no repentance.”
(2) From the year 1729 to 1734, laying a deeper foundation of repentance, I saw a little fruit. But it was only a little; and no wonder: for I did not preach faith in the blood of the Covenant.
(3) From 1734 to 1738, speaking more of faith in Christ, I saw more fruit of my preaching and visiting from house to house, than ever I had done before…
(4) From 1738 to this time, speaking continually of Jesus Christ, laying Him only for the foundation of the whole building, making Him all in all, the first and the last; preaching only on this plan, “The Kingdom of God is at hand; repent ye and believe the gospel;” the “word of God ran” as fire among the stubble…. Multitudes crying out, “What must we do to be saved?” and afterwards witnessing, “By grace, we are saved through faith.”
Repent and believe the Good News of
Jesus Christ. That’s what baptism is all about. Baptism is a sign of cleansing.
It’s also a sign of a new beginning, belonging to Christ’s family.
Were you baptized? Were you baptized with the Holy Spirit? What marks of Christ do you bear? The Apostle Paul said, “I carry the marks of Christ branded on my body” (Gal 6:17). In the ancient world, slaves were branded on their bodies. Here Paul referred to the scars that he got from scourgings, stonings, and persecutions for the sake of Christ. Those marks showed that he belonged wholly to Christ.
Do you bear in your body the brand of the Lord Jesus? Does the world know that you belong wholly to Christ – body, soul, and spirit? Do you commit and surrender your life to Christ? Baptism is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. But like a marriage, we need to renew our vow again and again.* [*”Baptism Prayer”]
You can have the brand of Jesus Christ on you today. By turning to Christ (repentance) and trusting in him. By reaffirming your faith and commitment to Christ. If you are ready and led by the Spirit, if you want to commit or recommit your life to Christ, you are invited to come forward to the altar. And I will pray for you.
I have decided to
follow Jesus,
The world behind
me, the cross before me,
Though none go
with me, still I will follow,
No turning back,
no turning back.
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