FAITH TO KNOW HIM
JEREMY FONTENOT | AUGUST 15, 2020
4 John the Baptizer was the messenger who appeared in an uninhabited region, preaching a baptism of repentance for the complete cancellation of sins. 5 A steady stream of people came to be dipped in the Jordan River as they publicly confessed their sins. They came from all over southern Israel, including nearly all the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
Baptism of Repentance
Nations, including America, are in desperate need of a baptism of repentance. We can define a baptism of repentance as; an immersion (sinking until covered completely with water) that will bring a change of heart and lead you into repentance for the complete cancellation of sins. True repentance involves conviction, godly sorrow, and change. Conviction recognizes what is wrong by seeing what is right.
Conviction recognizes what is wrong by seeing what is right.
Stoung
I remember watching a woman in Cambodia in the village of Stoung receiving a baptism of repentance after she experienced an extraordinary miracle. This miracle enabled her to read in the Khmer language even though she had never been taught to read. There is something uniquely powerful and cleansing that happens when you realize that every little thing you’ve done is why Jesus died on the cross. John the Baptist had a steady stream of people coming to him. In fact, nearly all the inhabitants of Jerusalem came. They publicly confessed their sins. This is what the women in Stoung did, publicly confessed her sins. Tears flowed down the cheeks of everyone in the room listening to her as she repented from all her sins.
There is a well-known story about Smith Wigglesworth while he was riding on a passenger train. Wigglesworth was a British evangelist and faith healer in the early and mid-1900s. The train stopped at this station and this man got on board and walked into the train car that Smith Wigglesworth was sitting in. Smith was just sitting there—maybe he was reading something or maybe he was looking out of the window. The man walked near where Smith was sitting, looked at Smith, and cried out, “You convict me of sin!” He then ran out of the car. Smith never said a word; it was the Power of the Holy Ghost that convicted that man of sin.
The Spirit of the Lord is upon every believer because He has anointed us to preach the message of the cross to every person. As Bill Johnson says “He is in your for you but He is on you for other people.” If we fail to preach this most wonderful news to those who have never heard it then we are in essence saying that what Jesus did on the cross has no value, that the message of the cross isn’t worth sharing with those in need.
If we fail to preach this most wonderful news to those who have never heard it then we are in essence saying that what Jesus did on the cross has no value, that the message of the cross isn’t worth sharing with those in need.
Through his preaching, John the Baptist prepared the way for Jesus to touch people. The preaching of the gospel prepares the soil of people’s hearts. We need the language to describe the kingdom in a way that is simple and intelligible.
Mark 1:7 And this is the message he kept preaching: “ There is a man coming after me who is greater and a lot more powerful than I am. I’m not even worthy to bend down and untie the strap of his sandals. 8 I’ve baptized you into water, but he will baptize you into the Spirit of Holiness!”
John was making way for King Jesus. He said there is One coming after me. His job was to get them to focus on the King and His kingdom. If we can get people to think about eternity for an extended period of time then there is a good possibility that they can receive this wonderful salvation provided by the cross of Jesus Christ. We as believers are God’s advertisement of His goodness on the earth. We are a walking, talking billboard of God’s mercy, grace, and power.
THE GREATER MESSAGE
Both the Old Testament prophets and John had a wonderful message to deliver to people that testified to the coming and arrival of the Messiah. But our message is even greater than the prophets of old. And that is, “God-Jesus lives in us and He wants to live in you too.” John said there was One coming after Him who would baptize in the Holy Ghost and fire. Baptism in the Holy Spirit makes us witnesses of the resurrection of Christ which means that we have the ability to do miracles in order to provide the evidence that Jesus rose from the dead. But even greater than that, Spirit baptism is fullness of union with God for relationship. Spirit baptism is the answer to the prayer of Jesus; “that we would be one with Him even as Jesus was one with the Father”. See the Lord’s prayer in John 17. This desire of the Lord was revealed in an encounter that Moses had with God.
Don’t Replace Relationship for Rules
God became very vulnerable to a prophet named Moses. He poured out His heart to Moses and shared His deepest desire for the people of Israel in Exodus 19. He says 4 ‘You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. 5 Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, 6 you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’
When Moses shared God’s heart-desire with the people of Israel they all agreed to everything that God said. But after seeing the presence of the Lord something happened….Exodus 20:18 When the people saw the thunder and lightning and heard the trumpet and saw the mountain in smoke, they trembled with fear. They stayed at a distance 19 and said to Moses, “Speak to us yourself and we will listen. But do not have God speak to us or we will die.” 20 Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid. God has come to test you, so that the fear of God will be with you to keep you from sinning.” 21 The people remained at a distance, while Moses approached the thick darkness where God was.
THE PRICE OF RELATIONSHIP
“But do not have God speak to us or we will die.”….In other words, they were saying, “Just give us rules to obey but we aren’t willing to pay the price to have a relationship with God. Give us the blessing but Moses, you go and have the face to face meetings with God. We don’t want that.” They replaced relationship for rules. After the Israelites rejected God’s offer, God chose to make a system where only one man called the High Priest would meet with God once a year in a place called the Holy of Holies.
But this was not God’s best. He wanted to have a kingdom of priests and He opened the invitation once more through Jesus. On the day Jesus died the veil in the Holy of Holies tore into two pieces. God came out of the Holy of Holies seeking to live in you and I. Now you are the Holy of Holies where God dwells.
THAT I MAY KNOW HIM
One statement that Paul had said has always baffled me. It was when Paul who was a man of many accomplishments for Jesus said “That I may know Him”. Paul was expressing a deep desire of knowing Jesus. If Paul on his incredible journey with God says at the end of his life that he wanted to know God more, where do I stand? Oh, that I may know Him!
How do we get to know God intimately? Through faith! David through faith tasted of the grace of God only available in the New Covenant to forgive an unforgivable sin in the old covenant. He also wasn’t allowed to dance around the ark of covenant but because of passion for God danced around it unharmed. The Bible says that we can taste of the powers of the age to come. What if we can taste of the relationship to come with God in heaven here on earth? This is what I’m pursuing. What else is there to live for?
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