The Baptizer and Baptism...

This morning, I want you to take your Bibles and find the second book in our New Testament, the gospel of Mark.  I will be reading Mark 1:1-11, and I invite you to stand for the reading of God’s word.  God bless you, and you may be seated.

 

Well, we have begun a new year, and on Sunday mornings, we are beginning a new book of the Bible.  I want to give you some brief introductory comments about Mark’s gospel and then share with you a message entitled The Baptizer and Baptism. 

 

Mark’s gospel is obviously second in our New Testaments.  However, it actually might be the first gospel that was written.  Regardless, it was one of the earlier ones written possibly being dated in the 50’s AD.  It was penned by John Mark. 

 

John Mark is probably best remembered, outside of a gospel writer, as having a sharp disagreement with Paul.  As a result, Paul refused to take him on his second missionary journey. 

Even though John Mark penned this gospel account, it was more than likely dictated to him or at least the experiences of Peter.  If John Mark did not actually write down exactly what Peter told him, he at least remembered well what Peter had told him.  Therefore, even though the second gospel bears Mark’s name, it is from Peter’s vantage point. 

 

The final truth that I want to share with you is that Mark was written primarily to Gentiles, specifically Roman readers.  Whereas, Matthew’s gospel was written for a Jewish Audience, Mark wrote for a Gentile audience of which you and I would be included.

 

 

1. The Baptizer who was John

 

Now, let us consider the Baptizer and baptism.  Actually, before we get there, consider verse 1.  It is interesting to note that Mark began his gospel without including any details or mention about Jesus before His baptism.  He doesn’t mention His parents or His birth or His childhood or anything else.  That doesn’t mean all those truths aren’t important.  It simply means that Mark and Peter chose to include other vital and important truths.

 

John the Baptist or John the Baptizer is the focal point beginning verse 2, and we see that his life and ministry are fulfillments of OT prophecy.  Marked quoted from Malachi 3:1 and Isaiah 40:3 in confirming that John the Baptizer was the messenger to come before the Messiah, and he will prepare his way.  His message will be one of repentance and straight paths and clean living.

 

Let’s look more in depth at John the Baptizer, the messenger, his message, and his method.  First, who was this messenger?  By modern accounts, we would consider the Baptizer a strange and peculiar fellow.  Verse 6 tells us that he wore camel’s hair and a leather belt around his waist.  Mark also told us that his diet consisted of locusts or grasshoppers and wild honey.  Again, to us, John the Baptist would have been a bird of a different feather, but remember he was the God-ordained messenger preparing the way for the Messiah.

 

John the Baptist is often seen or pictured as this hard-nosed crazy guy who preached against sin but didn’t have any compassion.  Actually, the Baptizer was a very humble man, and you see his humility in verse 7 as he always remembered his condition in light of Christ. 

 

Mark 1:7, 7 And he preached, saying, “There comes One after me who is mightier than I, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to stoop down and loose.

 

He said that he was not even worthy to bend down and untie Jesus’ sandal.  It was also John the Baptist who spoke in John 3:30.

 

John 3:30,   30 He must increase, but I must decrease.

 

Secondly, what was his message?  Simply put, his message was repentance.  Repentance is a word that means to change direction or change your mind or change your life. 

 

That was also the message of Jesus Christ.  The very first instance that we have of Jesus preaching is in Matthew 4:17, and what was his message?  Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. 

 

Matthew 4:17, 17 From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

 

Repentance is a great message here at the beginning of 2019.  For those who are lost, repent, and turn your life toward Christ and receiving him as Lord and Savior.  For those who are saved, repent, and turn from your sins and the ways of the world and more toward the ways of God.  Again, John’s message and Jesus’ message and my message for today is repentance.

 

Thirdly, what was his method or methods?  I first want you to see that the Baptizer was a preacher.  In verse 4, he was preaching, and in verse 7, he was preaching.  Matthew’s gospel tells us that he preached to anyone who would listen, and he didn’t waver in his preaching regardless of who was in the congregation.  He didn’t mind preaching to the Pharisees.  He didn’t mind preaching to the Sadducees. 

 

However, not only was John a preacher, he perhaps is better knowing for being the Baptist or the Baptizer, and his preaching and his baptism are directly related.  John preached a baptism of repentance according to verse 4.  We see from verses 5 and 8 that in response to John’s preaching, that many (all the county of Judea…and all the people of Jerusalem) were coming to him to hear him preach and then be baptized in the water of the Jordan River as they confessed their sins. 

 

Now, I need to try to answer some questions regarding John’s theology and John’s baptism.  Did John believe that baptism could save?  No, he did not.  Look at verse 4.  It wasn’t the baptism of verse 4 that resulted in the forgiveness of sins.  It was the repentance, and that message is the message that I am preaching today. 

 

It isn’t saying a sinner’s prayer that saves you or walking an isle that saves you or being baptized that saves you or joining a church that saves you.  It is repentance and faith in Christ alone that saves you, and if you have never repented of your sins and turned to the ways of Christ, you are not saved and can’t be saved until you do just that.  

 

Another question that often comes up is how is John’s baptism different from Jesus’ baptism.  First of all, John’s baptism was physical with water.  Jesus’ baptism was and is spiritual with the Holy Spirit and your heart. 

 

John’s baptism looked forward.  Jesus’ baptism looks back to the life of Christ and the coming of the Holy Spirit.

 

One final question is how is John’s baptism different from believer’s baptism?  Again, John’s baptism looked forward to the Messiah.  Believer’s baptism looks back to the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ and the spiritual death, burial, and resurrection of the individual being baptized, and that is the Baptizer: the messenger, his message, and his methods.

 

 

1. Baptism of Jesus.

 

Now, we turn our attention to verses 9-11 and to baptism and specifically the baptism of Jesus Christ.  We see in verse 9 that Jesus was baptized by John even though according to Matthew’s gospel that John originally rejected this idea.  In verse 10 as Jesus came up out of the water, the Holy Spirit descended upon him, and in verse 11, God the Father announced that this Jesus was and is God’s beloved son in which he is well-pleased.  In these three verses, you a see another great picture of tri-unity or Trinity of God.  There is one God in three persons.  There are three persons in one God.

 

The next question that is on many minds is why was Jesus baptized.  Let me suggest at least three reasons.  First, Jesus was baptized out of obedience to God’s complete plan and the part that John the Baptist played in it.  Second, it was an act of identification with the nation of Israel and humanity as sinners.  He would be the one to offer salvation to Israel and the world through his death and resurrection, and therefore, he would leave an example for sinful man to follow in his steps.  Finally, it was act of initiation into his gospel ministry.  He accepted his roles as Messiah and Savior and Lord, and he would fulfill them. 

 

I now want to look at the issue of baptism and answer three questions.  First of all, when is a person to be baptized?  Many churches today baptize individuals as infants.  However, is that the pattern of the New Testament? 

 

What about Acts 8:34-38? 

 

34 So the eunuch answered Philip and said, “I ask you, of whom does the prophet say this, of himself or of some other man?” 35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning at this Scripture, preached Jesus to him. 36 Now as they went down the road, they came to some water. And the eunuch said, “See, here is water. What hinders me from being baptized?”  37 Then Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.”  And he answered and said, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.”  38 So he commanded the chariot to stand still. And both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and he baptized him.

 

According to verse 37, the Ethiopian Eunuch believed and then was baptized. 

 

In Acts 9:18, Paul first believed and then was baptized. 

 

18 Immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he received his sight at once; and he arose and was baptized.

 

In Acts 16:31-34, the Philippian jailer believed and then was baptized. 

 

31 So they said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.” 32 Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. 33 And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their stripes. And immediately he and all his family were baptized. 34 Now when he had brought them into his house, he set food before them; and he rejoiced, having believed in God with all his household.

 

Finally, in Acts 18:8, we have the example of a Jew named Crispus who believed and then was baptized. 

 

8 Then Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue, believed on the Lord with all his household. And many of the Corinthians, hearing, believed and were baptized.

 

My point is this.  There is a biblical order that is set forth, and that order is belief, which includes repentance and faith, then baptism.  In the New Testament, you don’t ever see baptism then belief.  Therefore, the pattern of the Bible is believer’s baptism not infant baptism or another baptism.

 

The second question answers why should believers be baptized.  First and foremost is because Jesus himself was baptized.  He wasn’t baptized because he believed, but he was baptized nonetheless.  Secondly, Jesus commands it according to Matthew 28:19.  The Great Commission means baptizing them or converts in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

 

19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

 

The final question is how should a believer be baptized.  Is pouring the biblical model?  Is sprinkling the biblical model?  Is immersion the biblical model? 

 

Consider the evidence.  The word baptize literally means to plunge or immerse.  Again, notice the description of Jesus’ baptism.  Mark 1:10 speaks of him coming up out of the water.  That is not possible with pouring or sprinkling. 

 

In Acts 8:38, Philip and the Ethiopian Eunuch both went down into the water and both came up out of the water.  The biblical mode of baptism is immersion.

 

 

Conclusion

My invitation this morning is two-fold.  First of all, I am issuing a call for repentance.  If you have never received Christ as your Lord and Savior and do not have assurance of where you will spend an eternity when you die, God, through His word, is calling you to repent and believe and be saved this morning for the very first time. 

 

Secondly, if you are here this morning and are a believer already, but you are living in sin, God is calling you to repentance, turning from your sin and to Him and His ways.  On the first Sunday of a New Year, He wants a new you! 

 

The second part of my invitation is for you to examine your own baptism experience.  Does it follow the biblical model?  Were you baptized after salvation as a believer by immersion to demonstrate your new life?  If not, I am calling you today to come forward and begin the process of making that right. 

 

Make sure that you were baptized as a believer after salvation by immersion.  That is the biblical way.  That is God way. 

 

If your baptism experience is right and God is leading you to join this church, today’s invitation is for you as well.  The doors of church membership are open this morning.  If God is leading you this morning to make a public decision with your life, you come during this time of response.