Services | Bible Study Asking Pastor Joe Anything

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Transcript of Service

Sadducees well primarily the answer we find is in Matthew Chapter 3, starting with verse one, so will take a look at and then I will comment and give some of the answers, and so it says. Now in those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, saying, repent for the Kingdom of Heaven, is at hand, or this is the one referred to by Isaiah the Prophet when he said the voice of one crying in the wilderness, make ready the way of the Lord, make his path straight.

Now, John himself had a garment of camels hair and a leather belt around his waist, and his food was Locust and wild honey. Then Jerusalem is going out to him and all Judea and all the district around the Jordan, and they were being baptized by him in the Jordan River, as they confessed their sins. But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism, he said to them, you brood of Vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come there for bear fruit.

In keeping with repentance and do not suppose that you can say to yourselves, we have Abraham for our father, for I say to you from these stones God is able to write, raise up children of Abraham.

The Axe is already laid at the roots of the trees there for every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. As for me, I baptize you with water for Repentance, but he was coming after me is mightier than I and I am unfit to remove his sandals. He will wrap, baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire his winnowing Fork is in his hand, and he will thoroughly clear his threshing floor.

And he will gather the weed into the barn, but he will burn up the shaft with unquenchable fire. And so, as the scripture says, the people were going out, because John the Baptist was the 4 runner to the Messiah, and he was preaching that the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand and the people were coming to be baptized because they were repenting of their sins. And that's the key here. So he tells the Bears season sadducees.

As they're coming to him, he calls him a brood of Vipers, which is basically a group of common by nature snakes, so his comments to them and about them are far from flattering. He just he calls him snakes, which have poisonous venom.

The reason why he refused to baptize him is he tells them, he says he told them to bear fruit in keeping with righteousness, so the people were coming to be baptized because they were confessing their sins. The Pharisees and Sadducees were coming because it was a popular thing to do. They they were not confessing their sins, and John recognize that. And he said baptism is documented benefit you because.

You're not repenting of your sins, so that I might see, and you might demonstrate Repentance. Show me a life that bears fruit.

And again, there life did not demonstrate as a matter of fact, will see not only through Johns Ministry, but through Jesus is entire ministry pretty much the Pharisees and Sadducees, and never repent of their sins. There was a couple of exceptions. Nick, Nick, a Demas and Joseph of Arimathea. But they are only coming because it's what is popular to do, not because their knowledge ING.

Their sins.

They thought that their DNA, the fact that they were Jews, that they were children of Abraham, benefit them by so that they could automatically go into Heaven. An John disabuses them of that by saying God's not that impressed with you being called children of Abraham Cousin, take this stones here by the Jordan River and change those in the children of Abraham. And so a lot of times people will think well my parents.

We're exceptionally good Christians or great disciples, or are great men and women of faith, but that doesn't benefit you. It's a matter of what you do in your life, and whether you by Grace through faith except the Lord. And so it's not simply enough to do that. So John doesn't just go through the act of baptism.

And that's why he acknowledges that that they have not changed their ways, that they are relying on their works and not on the repentance or baptism. And so the short answer is, they weren't proper candidates because they were not coming and acknowledging their sins. The second question is, is pretty much in the same time frame. The question is why did Jesus have to be baptized?

He was already perfect.

Now it's interesting. We call the gospels.

There are similar than John has a different approach than the other three synoptic gospels. However, the baptism of Jesus was such an important event if you will, that all four gospels record Jesus is baptism, and so at first we're going to take a look at Matthew Chapter 13 verses. I'm sorry, Matthew Chapter 3, verse 13 through 17.

And it says this.

Then Jesus arrive from Galilee at the Jordan, coming to John to be baptized by him. But John tried to prevent him, saying I have need to be baptized by you and you. And do you come to Maine? But Jesus answered, said to him, permitted at this time or is in this way it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness. Then he permitted it, and after being baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water, and behold, the heavens were open.

And they saw the spirit of God is sending as a dove and lighting on him. And behold, a voice out of the Heaven said, this is my beloved son, in whom I am well pleased. So the first thing is that we learn here is that Jesus doesn't come to be become righteous. It says that he comes to fulfill all righteousness.

Jesus is already righteous, so the act of baptism doesn't make him righteous. But let's be clear, the act of baptism doesn't make anybody righteous. We become baptized in acknowledgement as the people that are coming out to John of repenting of their sins. The active baptism doesn't make you.

Righteous, it is an we're going to follow up on that in a little bit, and so Jesus says that I'm coming to fulfill all righteousness an he saying John U with me are to do that. And so John I said initially tried prevent Jesus and I can understand why because Jesus is the son of God. Jesus is the perfect one and John said we have need of being baptized by him not us but Jesus.

Discuss with him, saying permitted, so that we might fulfill all righteousness now in Psalm chapter 40 gives us an interesting look at it says this in verse six through 10 sacrificed and meal offerings you have not desired my ears. You have opened burnt offerings and sin offering. You have not required, then I said, Behold, I come in the scroll of the book. It is written of me. I delight to do your will, Oh my God.

Your law is within my heart. I have reclaimed glad tidings of righteousness in the Great Congregation. Behold, I will not restrain my lips, all Lord, You know I have not hit in your righteousness within my heart. I spoken of your faithfulness and of your Salvation. Now have not concealed your loving kindness and your truth from the Great Congregation. And so we see that Jesus is what I'm doing is he's fulfilling rices.

He's showing forth righteousness and he's giving testimony of what God is doing in that he's not.

And ceiling righteousness, but his demonstrating it, and so.

As we see again, Jesus is being baptized not to gain righteousness, but to fulfill it.

But there's also a second reason that Jesus is being baptized, and we find that answer in John Chapter one, starting with verse 24 through 34 an. So there are two reasons that Jesus was being baptized. One was not to become righteous, but to fulfill righteousness, and the 2nd we find in John chapter one, again starting with verse 24 says this.

Now they had been sent from the Ferris.

CS and they ask him and said to him and this is to John the Baptist.

Why, then are you baptizing? If you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the profit?

And John answered them, saying I baptize in water, but among you stands one whom you do not know. It is he who comes after Maine, the song of who sandal I am not worthy to untie these things to place in Bethany beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing the next day he saw Jesus coming to him and said, Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world. This Is He.

On behalf, of whom I said after me, comes a man who has a higher rank than I or he existed before me and I want to stop there. John acknowledges that Jesus existed before him. However, John was born six months before Jesus, so John is not talking about the fact that Jesus was born first. He acknowledges that Jesus was always eternally existent.

He existed before John, even though John was born before him, and then he says in verse 19 the next day he saw Jesus coming to them and said, Behold, the Lamb of God in, and he goes on. Then 31 I did not recognize him, but so that he might be manifested to Israel. I came baptizing in water. John testified, saying, I have seen the spirit descending as a dove out of Heaven, and he remained on him.

I did not recognize him, but he who sent me to baptize and water said to me, he on whom you see this, feared ascending and remaining appan him. This is the one who baptizes in the Holy Spirit. I myself have seen and have testified. This is the son of God, and so John was told during his ministry that I want you by the Holy Spirit, that he wanted John to baptize, and the reason for the batteries will not only.

That people might repent of their sins, but that John might be able to testify who it was. That was the son of God, and so part of the fulfillment of righteousness is when John Baptize Jesus. the Holy Spirit descended upon Jesus and remained there, and so it confirmed to jaune that Jesus was and is the son of God, and so as a result of that.

Prophecy if you will. John confirms that when that happened he knew who the son of God was, and therefore he testifies of that fact. Also when Jesus was baptized, the Holy Spirit came in descended upon him. So the Holy Spirit testified to who Jesus is and was. And then the father says, Behold, this is my beloved son, in whom I am well pleased. So in the baptism of Jesus we see the testimony.

Of this son saying permit this, we see the testimony of the Holy Spirit descending. We see those testimony of the father, and we see the testimony of John, and so this is the second reason that Jesus was being baptized, and so that the whole godhead would declare that Jesus is the son of God, and that John would know it and could testify of it. And so again Jesus did not.

Become baptized because he needed to become righteous. He was already righteous. But as I've said, baptism does not make anyone.

Righteous, we are made righteous by Grace through faith, and that not of ourselves as a gift of God. And so we see that we have this idea that the baptism is connected into making us righteous, and Jesus is baptism shows that that's not the case.

Refusal to baptize the Pharisees and Sadducees were because there.

Lack of confession. There is a saying that we've app just like to say that if you baptize a person, not a believer, they go down a wet, dry center and come up with wet center, and so baptism does not have that saving authority. So I want to go to the next question which kind of brings up this whole aspect. So the question is why should a person be baptized, and so we're going to take a look at Matthew Chapter 28 starting with verse.

18 for those of you are very familiar with the scriptures, you know that this is what's called the Great Commission. I'm only going to read a couple of verses of that.

So in inverse.

At 18, he says, and Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, all authority has been given to me in heaven and on Earth. So Jesus is I have all the authority, it's all mine. Whether it's in heaven or it's in Earth says go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the father and the son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you an lo, I am with you always, even.

To the end of the age, and so this is what we call the Great Commission. I tend to call the Great Command 'cause Jesus says I have authority. So because I have authority, you go an, you do and notice the order. It says that we are to make disciples. So baptizing a person is not a disciple is out of order. And so those phase who do infant baptism and all those types of things.

Kinda miss the mark because again baptism doesn't save you. Baptism doesn't make you righteous and so Jesus says we are as a command to make disciples. So the first step in making disciples is to baptize them now.

Unfortunately.

Things have changed.

In Current.

American Christianity, what happens is we have a worship service.

So on preachers or the Holy Spirit convict someone, they go down to the front of the church, an say a sinners prayer and they say that that I now believer in Christ and the person accounts with them, then talks about baptism and usually the person says yes. I want to be baptized. And so the churches all happy and usually everybody votes.

To welcome the man and I always find it interesting that we vote to baptize somebody because Jesus has already told us to baptize disciples so it doesn't matter what the vote is, we're supposed to baptize disciples now by inference, if we're commanded to baptize disciples, then disciples are commanded to be baptize.

In the 1st century, an later what would happen would be using people didn't.

Make a profession of faith and then church vitamin and then on a Sunday night or some other time or three months from now. We have a baptismal service.

It was almost immediate. Baptism, in essence was your initial confession of faith.

You didn't wait to be baptized. You said I'm a believer in Christ and therefore there is baptism. So I want to show you some of the verses that demonstrate that and several of them are an axe. So the first scripture is in Acts Chapter 2, verse 37.

He says.

Peter had been preaching at Pentecost.

And 37 says. And now when they heard this, they were pierced the heart. And they said to Peter and the rest of the Apostles, brother, and what shall we do? And Peter said to them, repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit for the promises for you and your children, and for all who are far off as many as a Lord Our God will call to himself.

So Peter says, this gift of Salvation.

The repentance is for you and your children, and those who are far off by far often means Gentiles. Those who are not part of the Jewish faith. So it says this is what what is to be done and with many other words. He saw my testified and kept on exhorting them, saying be saved from this perverse generation. So then those who had received his word were baptized, and that day there were added about 3000 souls.

Now that's if you will at Pentecost a great revival. Peter preaches there pierced through the heart, not by his words per say, but by the Holy Spirit. The response is, well, what do we do? Peter says to repent and be baptized, to acknowledge that Jesus is the son. I got to have faith in him, and then acknowledge that faith and S, and by being baptized you proclaim your belief. It's your initial testimony. Each initial.

Confession.

The another verse I like to share with you. We find in acts Chapter 7 verse starting with verse 35 it says this.

No, I'm sorry I got that wrong, so I'll skip that. But there is a time when Peter does a second.

Preaching event and even more people come to be baptized and again there's that acknowledgement of sin and then being baptized, so we'll skip to.

Chapter 9.

Darn verse 14.

First, the verse that I missed was the Ethiopian eunuch.

Phillip had been preaching.

And then he was sent and then he saw after the spirit directed him the Ethiopian eunuch who was in his chariot reading the Prophet Isaiah. And he's not sure what's going on. So we asked.

Who is the writer writing about is you write about himself, I say or another. And so. The Ethiopian eunuch is is told about Jesus and what it meant. And the Ethiopian eunuch says, behold, there's water. What prohibits me from being baptized. So in essence again the Ethiopian eunuch, acknowledge who Jesus is was and that he was going to commit his life. So he said there's water. Why can't I get baptized? Notice there is no vote by the Jerusalem church.

To baptize him, and then later Paul.

Comes and everybody is very much concerned about Hall because he had been a.

Very ardent.

Opposing the church, so much so that he was arresting people. He was there when Steven was stoned with full hearted agreement and so the church was Nestle. Very skeptical of Paul who was at that time called Saul. An one soul went.

Had the scales draw from his eyes, they baptized pool, so again Hall after acknowledging who Jesus was in hearing the word of God, he's baptized and then the last one I want to talk to you about is.

In Acts Chapter 16, verse 14 and 15, it says this, a woman named Lydia from the city of.

Ah Tyra Tyra a seller. Purple fabrics a worshipper of God was listening and the Lord opened her heart to respond to the things spoken of by Paul and when she and her house.

Also had been baptized, she urged us, saying, if you judge me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house and stay, and she prevailed upon us. So we see that one Paul was going through his missionary journey, and he was in Europe. The first convert that he participated was a woman who was a seller of purple, which meant she probably was a wealthy businesswoman. And again the Holy Spirit.

Convicted her and she was baptized.

Now.

What is baptism mean? What does the word mean to baptize? Or baptism means to dip and so that's why we Baptist place a person entirely in water? Because to us that's what the meaning of the word is.

Early on in Christian history to make a convenient, there was sprinkling, and, um, Constantine baptizes entire army by taking branches, tree branches and sprinkling the truth.

To me, what baptism represents and I will share one more verse is that it is an outward demonstration of an inward experience, and so.

Water falling on you doesn't show that inward expression of that Jesus died, was buried and Rose again. That that's what in essence I died in myself and buried, and I rise again, a new person in Christ. I'm a new creature and now I'm going to Bassett are of his because I have died. His death is my death is very as my burial and his resurrection is my resurrection and therefore.

The only true way to show that testimony is now I know in earlier times and because of certain other things when people were dipped they were just dumped down the water and raised up to me. That's certainly better than than throwing some water are person, but the testimony is the show that death, burial and resurrection.

So it is an excellent opportunity to demonstrate in to be a testimony of what Christ has done, and so the last scripture I want to share with you is found in Colossians Chapter 2.

Verse 12.

It says this.

Having been buried with him in baptism in which you were.

Also, raise up with him through faith in the working of God who raised him from the dead. And so again, that picture is one of death, burial and Resurrection. And that's why Baptist and other denominations are very insistent.

The baptism means to dip to dump.

I heard it once said to sprinkle somebody no more shows.

Adjust their own resurrection as milk shows the blood of Christ, we certainly wouldn't use milk as part of the communion activities. It just not the proper element. It's the bread and the wine. And then this case, baptism is that showing of the death, burial and Resurrection, and so who needs to be baptized believers.

When do they become baptized?

Hopefully as soon as they become believers, but it's never too late to be baptized. I know there are people who are very concerned. Well, if I don't get baptized, then what will happen?

You still going to heaven because it is not faith. Plus works is not faith plus baptism. It is faith. But in faithfully follow the Lord's command. And since the Lord said we are to make disciples and baptize them, and then teach them.

All the things that he's commanded us, and so if you've never been baptized, I encourage you to make that commitment and go to your church and get baptized. If you had been baptized but you were baptized before you became a believer in essence, as I said, You went down a dry center and came up with wet center. So one baptism and is all that is needed.

However, the proper candidate for baptism is a disciple.

The greatest blessing a church can experience is a see people coming to faith and becoming baptized. I bet as much.

As the response to the sermon by Peter in those 3000 souls came.

And repented. I bet part of the Hallelujah that broke out was seen. 3000 men and women getting baptized.

It's an awesome experience I've I've had people say that they have that sense of being made clean again because in essence is a new life. But again, baptism doesn't save you. Baptism doesn't make you clean, baptism doesn't make you righteous Jesus and only Jesus and faith in him does. But as a follower of his we are commanded to baptize and be baptized. I hoped itself.

In the sense of why John the Baptist didn't baptize affair season Sadducees 'cause they didn't repent and they didn't show a change in life, why was Jesus baptized not to be righteous, but you'll fill righteousness and to show John that he is and was the son of God, and that we?

As believers.

Fall in the command of our Lord after we become disciples.

Or baptize without. I hope those three answers those three questions help you in your walk of faith, that God bless, and will have a word prayer. And then we'll conclude.

Lord, we thank you.

Then our Salvation comes by Grace through faith. In you alone. There are no words that we need to do. There are no acts of holiness or righteousness that we are made completely, utterly and fully righteous.

By faith in you but God, we also want to follow your commands.

And to demonstrate what has happened on the inside.

By demonstrating and giving testimony.

Through baptism.

For those who have been baptized, God, I thank you for those Lord who need to be baptized. Or I asked, your spirit would draw them to you and show that there need not for righteousness but to follow the dictates of God and God for those who do not know you yet. I asked, your spirit will convict.

Their hearts would mean made tender and that as our immediate response to their faith in you, it would be baptized or ask this in Jesus name, Amen.

God bless, take care.