The Baptism of the Spirit

And we will begin in Mark chapter one. We're going to read verses one through eight. Began a series last Sunday in the book of Mark. We began with the ministry of John the Baptist. Here as we'll read again today but not focusing so much on John the Baptist but on the baptism of the spirit as John mentions here concerning Jesus in verses seven and eight is where we'll be this morning but let's read beginning Mark chapter one verse one down through verse eight this morning.

The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the son of God. As it is written in the prophets, behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee. The voice of one crying in the wilderness, prepare you the way of the Lord, make his path straight. John did baptize in the wilderness and preached the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins and there went out unto him all the land of Judea and they of Jerusalem and were all baptized of him in the River Of Jordan confessing their sins John was clothed with camel's hair and with a girdle of skin about his loins and he did eat locust and wild honey and preached saying, there cometh one mightier than I after me. The latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to stoop down and unloose.

I indeed have baptized you with water but he shall baptize you with the holy ghost. Let's go to the Lord in prayer once more. We thank you dear heavenly father. For your word today that through it we might know you, that we might know the salvation that you have to give through Jesus Christ, your son. That we might know your will, that we might know the precious promises that you have given to those that love you and know you.

Lord, thank you and I pray Lord as we look into it today that we might see Jesus Christ, that we might also see our need of a savior, that we might also see your will for us, that we might be challenged in our service, that we might be convicted over our sin, that we might be conformed more to the image of your son today. We thank you Lord for the privilege of worshiping here together. We thank you for all that you've done for us. We pray Lord that our worship would be sincere. We pray Lord that you would do a mighty work today.

Through your word and by your spirit. In Jesus name, amen. Amen. We're talking today primarily about the Holy Spirit and the baptism of the Holy Spirit which is to many people a confusing thing but does not need to be a confusing thing. Scripture is actually quite clear about what John is talking about here.

When he says concerning Jesus that he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost. We're going to start this morning by looking at the ministry of the Holy Spirit very briefly in the Old Testament. Was the Holy Spirit around in the Old Testament? Well, obviously, he was. He is part of the godhead.

He is eternal God and so obviously, he was around. Is he mentioned? Oh, yes. Many times. Did he work in amongst the children of Israel?

Yes, he did. In many ways but was it different than the work of the Holy Spirit among the church in the New Testament? Yes, there is a difference and so we're going to start with the work of the Holy Spirit in the Old Testament briefly and then work our way into the ministry of the Holy Spirit to the New Testament Church. We get, we begin by talking about the Holy Spirit and how he filled or came upon specific people at specific times in the Old Testament to use them for a specific purpose. A specific people or person at a specific time to empower them for a specific purpose.

The Holy Spirit would come upon as it says often in the Old Testament or or fill them. For instance, Judges chapter 14 verses five and six. Samson and here it says, then went Samson down and his father and his mother to Timnath. Then he came to the vineyards of Timnath and behold a young lion roared against him. So, as they're traveling, his family is traveling with him.

They come upon a lion and the lion is acting aggressively towards them. It must have been very scary. I think I would have been scared. I think you probably would have too but it says here, the spirit of the Lord, that would be the holy spirit, came mightily upon him, that is Samson, and he rent him, that is the lion as he would have rent a kid, a small goat, and he had nothing in his hand, but he told not his father or his mother, what he had done. So, as he traveled down, ran into this lion, he didn't have a weapon.

But the holy spirit came upon him, empowered him, physically, strengthened him to rend this lion limb for limb. Holy Spirit filled him, came upon him. A specific person at a specific time for a specific purpose and this the main purpose was protect him. There are many other instances of the Holy Spirit coming upon people in the Old Testament. Samson's case was a little bit unique actually.

The Holy Spirit didn't usually empower people so dramatically in a physical fashion giving them strength to defeat an enemy as such though probably in battle many times he did. But specifically, it's mentioned here of Samson. Mainly, the Holy Spirit came upon people in the Old Testament for the purpose of prophesying and that's how he is most often mentioned that he came upon this prophet. He came upon that prophet and they relayed a message from God to whomever their audience was. When the holy spirit came upon them, they did prophesy.

Let's look here in second Chronicles twenty four twenty. It says, the spirit of God came upon Zechariah, the son of Jehoiada, the priest, which stood above the people and said unto them, thus saith God, why transgress you the commandments of the Lord that you cannot prosper because you have forsaken the Lord, he hath also forsaken you and regularly the holy spirit would come upon prophets and they would prophesy, they would preach, they would proclaim a message from God to the people. Sometimes, it was a message like this that was a very clear warning from God basically telling them, this is what you've done. This is the results. This is where you are.

You need to turn. You need to recognize that. The judgment of God has come upon you for a reason. Sometimes, the holy spirit came upon prophets and they prophesied and foretold a very specific events to come in the future. Messages that can only come from who?

That can only come from God. Matter of fact, in Israel, if you claim to be a prophet and you made a prophecy that was due to come true. And it didn't come true. What was the judgment? The punishment.

It was death. It was execution. For you had claimed to be a prophet of who? God. You had claimed to be speaking for God and obviously, if God told you that message, then it would have what?

It would have come true. It didn't. So, you are therefore a false prophet and in Israel, the punishment for being a false prophet was death. Holy Spirit camp on prophets to prophesy. It says here in second Peter one twenty one, it says, for the prophecy, the prophecy of scripture of the Old Testament is what is the the specific target here.

For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man but holy men of God spake as they were what? Moved by the holy ghost. Those who wrote the Old Testament and likewise, later, the New Testament scriptures wrote not merely their own opinions and words but they wrote as they were moved, they were filled, they were the holy ghost came upon them to write the words which were indeed not just the words of man but as they were in reality, the words of God and so we see the holy spirit come upon people, came upon Joshua to lead the children of Israel into the land, came upon many prophets to speak and prophesy. We look many passages here but for the sake of time, we'll continue on. He did not indwell people in the Old Testament it would seem for a lifetime as he does today when we accept Jesus Christ as savior.

He came upon specific people for specific purpose at a specific time but that has changed and we'll get there in just a moment. So, we look at the Holy Spirit in the Old Testament. Now, let's look briefly once again at the baptism of John. John says here in verse eight, he says, I indeed have baptized you with water but he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost. John's baptism in water represented the repentant heart and faith.

Of the one who came to be baptized. Confessing their what? Confessing their sins before God. He called on Israel. He called Israel to a new way of life.

A way of repentance and faith. As God had taught them in the Old Testament but as they had departed from for a religion of self righteousness. And good works. John's baptism called them once again to acknowledge their sin. To repent of their sin, and to seek the forgiveness and mercy of almighty God.

As he prepared the way for the coming of Jesus Christ. However, the waters of baptism, whether it be John's baptism or Christian baptism, there's a baptistry back here. If you don't know, I think we're going to get to use it in a couple weeks. I'm I'm I'm excited about that. Praise the Lord.

But the waters of baptism, whether it be John's waters or the waters we fill this baptistry up with, have no power in themselves to change man's heart or destiny. You can dunk yourself or have a preacher dunk you under the water 100 times. It will not change your heart or destiny. They are symbolic of something greater. They are symbolic of something spiritual, of something more effectual.

The cleansing power of the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from all sin and the regenerating power of the holy spirit. That's what Christian baptism represents and it is the cleansing blood of Christ and the regenerating power of his spirit that changes a soul that saves a soul. That brings forgiveness and remission of sins. Not the waters of baptism but the grace of God through faith in his son, Jesus Christ. You see, John said, my baptism is good but my baptism is just a what?

A symbol of something greater. The baptism of the Holy Spirit. You see, this I got out of the nursery this morning. It has been well used. You know, and it, when you're a kid, it's nice to have one of these little things to make go on the floor.

But it doesn't have a motor and you can't fit in it and you can't really go anywhere in it. It's just a what? It's just a toy. John's baptism was symbolic of something greater that was to come. Now, which would you rather have?

Would you rather have this or would you rather have the real thing out in the parking lot that you can go somewhere in? You see, John's baptism was symbolic of something greater and that is that which truly changes the heart of man and truly changes his eternal destiny. That's not the waters of baptism. It is the baptism of the Holy Spirit that John mentions here. He said, there is coming something much better than this.

And that's Jesus Christ. And the salvation that he has to give. And the baptism that will come as a result of his ministry. So, we have the work of the Holy Spirit in the Old Testament. We have the baptism of John the Baptist in water and his mention of the coming of one who would baptize them with the holy ghost.

So, that brings us to the third point and that is the baptism of Jesus, the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Jesus promised this baptism after his return to heaven and he mentioned it many times in the scripture. The coming of the Holy Ghost. The baptism of the Holy Spirit. He called him in John chapter 14.

He called him the comforter. We sang about him just a few minutes ago. The comforter has come. You see, Jesus was getting ready trying to prepare his disciples for his departure. He was going to go to Jerusalem and die on a cross for our sins and for theirs.

He would rise again three days later but forty days after that, he was going to go back to heaven. You see, Jesus didn't begin when he was born. He came from heaven to become a man. He died on the cross for our sins. He rose again from the dead and he went back to heaven.

We intercedes for all those who come to him by faith and one day, we'll return to take us to be with him. Jesus Christ was preparing his disciples for his departure. He had been with them for nearly three years. Wouldn't it have been nice to have the son of God walking with you, teaching you, helping you, day after day? Well, actually he does today as well but we just can't what?

We just can't see him. We walk by by faith. The just shall live by faith. Because we can't see him right now but he's there and he's real and for those who come to him by faith, he said, I will what? I will never leave thee nor forsake thee.

That's right. His disciples were concerned. They didn't want him to leave and so he gave them words of comfort and he spoke of the holy spirit here as in terms of the comforter. I'm not going to leave you alone. I am going to send someone from heaven who will be with you.

So, you won't have to do this alone. So, he tells them here in John 14 and I will pray the father and he shall give you another comforter, another besides myself, that he may abide with you forever. In other words, he won't what? He won't leave. He won't leave.

Once the Holy Spirit comes into your heart, will he ever leave? What did Jesus say? No. He said, he will be with you forever. Even the spirit of truth whom the world cannot receive because it see it him not, neither knoweth him, but you know him, for he dwelleth with you and shall be in you.

Well, how did they know him? Well, are Jesus and the Holy Spirit? Two completely different people? No. If they knew the son, they knew the father.

If they knew the son, they also knew who? The spirit, the three what? In one. One God, three persons, all divine, all the same nature, all the same purpose, to know one is to know the other. Jesus said, I and my father are what?

I and my father want. So, the Holy Spirit as well. They saw Jesus. They saw him as who he was, the son of God. They knew him and the holy spirit would come not only to dwell with them but that last phrase there.

And shall be what? In you. Not just with you but in you. Jesus said, it's nice to have me with you but when I leave, the Holy Spirit will come and he will not just be with you, he will also be in you. And he'll never leave you.

Praise God. For the gift of his spirit that lives inside of our hearts who know him as savior and Lord. He continues on in John fifteen twenty six, but when the comforters come, whom I will send unto you from the father, even the spirit of truth which preceded from the father, he shall testify of me. If you know Christ as savior, Holy Spirit lives inside of your heart and he testifies. The grace of God that is coming to your life and he convicts the world of sin.

Who do not yet know Christ as savior, to draw them to himself. John sixteen seven, nevertheless, I tell you the truth is expedient for you that I go away. For if I go not away, the comforter will not come unto you but if I depart, I will send him unto you. He says, don't be, don't be all rattled about this. It's a good thing because if I don't go away, the comforter won't come.

When I go, I'll send it. And you'll be glad. You'll be glad. The baptism of the Holy Spirit. Going on, Acts chapter one, just before Christ ascends up into heaven, he says, to his disciples assembled there.

He says and being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem but wait for the promise of the father which saith he, you have heard of me, for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost, not many days hence. So, going back to Mark chapter one, remember, John said to the people that were there, I baptize you with water but there comes one after me. He will baptize you with what? With who? The Holy Ghost or the Holy Spirit.

Here Jesus says, right before he goes back to heaven, being the one who John was talking about, he says, John truly baptized with water but you shall be baptized with the holy ghost in just a few days. After I go where? After I go back to heaven. He says in Acts one eight, but you shall receive power After that, the Holy Ghost just come upon you and you shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem and all Judea and Samaria and unto the uttermost part of the earth. Jesus said, you go back and you wait to Jerusalem for the promise of the father.

When the Holy Spirit comes, he will baptize you into the body of Christ. He will fill you with his power. He will enable you. That's what the word power enable you. To do the service that I have called you to.

So, Jesus promised this baptism, the baptism of the Holy Spirit. After his return where? After his return to heaven. Jesus made this baptism possible through his death on the cross. Turn if you would to Ephesians chapter two.

Hold your place in Mark or put a bookmark there or something. Turn if you would to Ephesians chapter two. Ephesians chapter two and we're going to read verses 11 through 18. Ephesians two eleven through 18. Now, Paul is writing to the church at Ephesus.

In the church of Ephesus, there were Jews who had been saved and become Christians. There were Gentiles who had been saved and become Christians and he wanted to emphasize them the oneness that they shared in Jesus Christ and through the baptism of the Holy Spirit that had come to all of them when they put their faith and trust in Christ. Ephesians two eleven says, wherefore, remember that you being in times past Gentiles in the flesh who are called uncircumcision by that which is called circumcision in the flesh made by hands. That was how the what the Jews called them. Verse 12, that at that time, you were without Christ being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise having no hope and without God in the world.

He's again, he's talking to the Gentiles of what they were before they met Christ but now, verse 13, in Christ Jesus, you who sometimes were far far off, that is far off from God, are made nigh or near by the what? By the blood of Christ that shed blood on Calvary's cross. Shed for the remission of our sins. Verse 14, for he is our peace, our peace with God. For he is our peace who hath made both one and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us having abolished in his flesh the enmity even the law of commandments contained in ordinances for to make in himself of twain one new man so making peace not only peace with one another, Jews and Gentiles but peace with who?

But peace with God. That he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby and came and preached peace to you which were afar off and to them that were nigh. For through him, we both have excess by what? One spirit unto the father. What spirit is that?

Well, that's the Holy Spirit. Through Christ, death on the cross, he made a way for us to have access again to the father through the Holy Spirit that he has given to us but that would not be possible without the atoning sacrifice of Christ on the cross for our sins. Romans five eight to 10, but God commended or demonstrated his love toward us and that while we were yet sinners, Christ what? Died for us, for our sins. Much more than being now justified by his blood, we shall be slave, saved from wrath through him.

That is the wrath of God that abides on the sinner. Through faith in Jesus Christ, who took our place. For if when, for if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his son, much more being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. You know, God isn't dead. Jesus Christ rose again from the dead.

He paid the price for our sin on the cross. He rose again from the dead to give us life. By grace through faith. In him. First Peter three eighteen.

For Christ also hath once for sins. His sins? No. Our sins. The just or the unjust.

He, the just, righteous for us, the guilty. That he might bring us or reconcile us to God. Being put to death in the flesh but quickened or made alive again. By the spirit. It is only through the work of Christ that we can be saved, that we can receive this gift of the Holy Spirit that God has promised to us.

There is no other way. For there is only one way to God. Jesus said, I am the way, the truth, and life. No man comes to the father but by me. Through him who is the son of God.

Through his work on Calvary's Cross, his atoning death for our sins. Through faith in him alone. For there's none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved. Works cannot save you. Church cannot save you.

You cannot save you. Only Jesus can save you. Only Christ can save you. If you come to him by faith, repent of your sin. Embrace him as Lord and savior.

Whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be what? Saved. The name of that Lord is Jesus Christ. Jesus made the way. By his death on the cross for our salvation.

He made the way for the coming of the Holy Spirit. The baptism of the Holy Spirit for all who put their faith and trust in him. So, we see Jesus promise this baptism. Jesus made this baptism possible and Jesus kept his promise and baptized the believers in Jerusalem just a few days after he returned and went back to heaven. We read about that in Acts chapter two.

Turn if you would to Acts chapter two. Acts chapter two. We commonly call this the day of Pentecost. Why do we call it the day of Pentecost? Well, because there was a Hebrew feast going on in Jerusalem.

The feast was the feast of Pentecost. It was described in the Old Testament. It was one of the three feast that Jews came from all over the world to Jerusalem to keep. It was fifty days after the Passover, Penta meaning fifty, Pentecost. And there were Jews all over Jerusalem for this feast and God chose that moment in time.

That moment in time. To keep his promise. And to baptize the believers there in the upper room. With the Holy Spirit. As John had said, that he would.

On that day, the church was born. The inauguration of a new age age of grace through faith in Christ where all who come to him by faith are baptized into the body of Christ by the spirit, the Holy Spirit. Is a special event which signaled a change in God's work and it came with great fanfare. God said, the Jews require a what? Sign and like with the coming and ministry of Christ, there were signs and wonders.

So, there was at this specific event with the coming of the Holy Spirit that those gathered into Jerusalem would recognize that a momentous event had happened. One, they needed to give a hearing to and so we see in Acts chapter two verses one through four and when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. That is the believers in the upper room and suddenly, there came a sound from heaven as a rushing mighty wind and it filled all the house where they were sitting and there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as fire and it sat sat upon each of them. You see, in the Old Testament under the Old Covenant, the Shekinah glory of God came and dwelt in Israel where? In the temple and in the tabernacle.

It dwelled in the midst of the nation among the 12 tribes in the temple but you see under the new covenant, who's the temple? You are. I am. We're the temple of the holy ghost who lives inside of us when we receive Christ as savior and so see, the tongues of fire that represented the holy spirit in a way that they would recognize something momentous is happening. Came and sat upon each one of them because it isn't collectively.

It isn't in a temple made with hands. The Holy Spirit lives where? Inside of you. You know him by faith. Verse four, and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost and began to speak with other tongues as the spirit gave them utterance.

If you if you look down, we won't take time for the passage this morning but there is some confusion about what tongues are. But if you read down through the passage, you will see that these people, these Jews that had come from all these other nations as they heard this ruckus going on, they were confused at first. Some thought these people were drunk or or something because they just heard all this noise but when they got closer, each one heard people's someone speaking in their own what? In their own language. You see these people that came out of that upper room, they weren't speaking gibberish.

They weren't speaking the language of angels that nobody knew. They were speaking the languages of these native countries where these people came from. They were not unknown to the people that were there. They were unknown to the person who was what? Speaking.

And they were the people that had come from other countries were astonished. They recognized that these were Galileans. What did that mean? That means they were uneducated. How were they speaking in all these languages?

Who gave them that power? The Holy Spirit did. Why did he give it to him? As a sign. As a wonder so that everybody would know something special was happening just that very day.

And they would be drawn and they were and when everything calmed down, Peter got up and Peter didn't speak in gibberish and Peter didn't speak in many language. He spoke in one that everybody knew. Probably Greek or oh the other language didn't come but it's recorded in Greek. Aramaic, that day to the crowd that was there. And he gave them what?

He gave them the the gospel and he told them what was happening. He he referenced the passage in the Old Testament from Joel. He said in verse 14, but Peter standing up with the 11, lifted up his voice and said unto them, you men of Judea and all you that dwell in Jerusalem, be this known unto you and hearken to my words. For these are not drunken as you suppose seen it be but the third hour of the day but this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel and it shall come to pass in the last days, say it God, I will pour out my spirit upon what? Flesh, not just Joshua, not just Samson, but all who come to Christ by faith.

I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh. Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy and your young men shall see visions. Your old men shall dream dreams and on my servants and on my maidens, I will pour out in the days in those days of my spirit and they shall prophesy. Peter got up and said, this is that event. He talked about right here and prophecy they did until the scriptures were what?

Still the scriptures were completed and we have God's entire prophecy here in our hands. What a wonderful day that was. The church was born. And since that day, whenever somebody trust Christ as savior, the Holy Spirit comes and baptizes them into the body of Christ. The Holy Spirit comes and regenerates them and makes them a child of God.

It's not usually accompanied by great signs and wonders and fanfare but it's just as real as it was for them that day and the holy spirit is just as able to lead and direct us and to do those things that he did for them. He can also do for us. Acts 11, turn if you would over there. Acts eleven fifteen through 18. You know, the Jews, the Jews were under the impression that only Jews could be saved at first.

We Gentiles were out of luck. But Jesus wasn't just the Messiah of Israel. He came to be the savior of the what? Of the world. For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son.

And so, God had to to convince them that Gentiles could be saved as well as Jews and so Peter was in Joppa. He was up on his roof and God gave him a vision. And to make a long story short, the vision God gave him was to convince him that Jews and Gentiles could both be saved because just as he was finishing, there was a knock at the door. God had told Cornelius, a Gentile, Roman soldier to send messengers to Pete this house to get Peter to come back and to give him the what? The gospel so that he might be saved.

Later, Peter went to the Jewish council, the main council, the church, the elders, and apostles in Jerusalem to testify of how Cornelius was saved though he was a Gentile and that's reported here. Acts eleven fifteen through 18. And as I began to speak or that is to give the gospel, the Holy Ghost fell on them as on us at the beginning. Then remembered I the word of the Lord how that he said, John indeed baptized with water but you shall be baptized with the holy ghost. For as much then as God gave them the light gift as he did unto us, that is that gift is the holy spirit.

Who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, what was I that I could withstand? God. When they heard these things, they held their peace and glorified God saying, then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life. Did you get the Holy Spirit when you got saved? You did.

You were baptized into the body of Christ, the church. You were regenerated, born again. First Corinthians twelve thirteen, for by one spirit, are we all baptized into one body? Whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free and have been all made to drink to one spirit. Romans eight nine eight nine, but you are not in the flesh but in the spirit, if so be the spirit of God dwell in you.

Now, if any man have not the spirit of Christ, he is none of his. It's very clear cut. If you're saved, you have the what? The Holy Spirit. If you're not saved, you don't have the Holy Spirit.

If you don't have the Holy Spirit, you're not saved. If you do have the Holy Spirit, you are saved. The two come together. Very clearly. You don't get saved and then get spirit later.

Get spirit when you get saved. Now, the Holy Spirit fills or moves in our life to convict us, challenge us, empower us, and and many different things after we're saved. But you only get him once and you get him when you're saved. Ephesians 113, in whom you also trusted after that, you heard the word of truth. The gospel of your salvation in whom also after that you believe, you were sealed with the holy spirit of promise.

When you were saved, you were sealed with the holy spirit of promise. Sealed until the day of redemption. Sealed until the day that God calls us home. What does it mean to be sealed? Well, if you take an envelope, put a letter, and you seal it.

What that means is it's not to be open till it gets to the what? The destination. As a Christian, you have a destination. Your home is not here. Your home is where?

In heaven and you've been sealed by the Holy Spirit until you get there. Secure in Christ Jesus through the spirit that he's given to us. Galatians four six and because you are the sons of because you are sons, God has sent forth the spirit of his son into your hearts crying. Abba, father. Jesus promised to send the spirit He made the way for the coming of the spirit Pray the father who sent the spirit after he went back to heaven.

Now, when we trust as Christ as savior, he gives to us that same gift, the spirit. The purpose and results of that baptism are several in closing. We'll just look at a few this morning. Turn if you would to John chapter three. John chapter three.

When the Holy Spirit comes, what does he do? He gives us a new life, a new life in Christ Jesus. He regenerates us. He takes a lost dead sinner. And he gives him new life and relationship with God.

John three, Jesus said to Nicodemus verse three, said, verily, verily I say unto thee, except the man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus say it unto him, how can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter the second time into his mother's womb and be born? Jesus answered, verily, verily I say unto thee, except the man be born of water and of the spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, that which is born of the spirit is spirit.

Marvel not that I say unto thee, you must be born again. When Jesus said to Nicodemus, you must be born again. Nicodemus said, how can you be born a second time? Jesus said, you don't understand Nicodemus. I'm not talking about your physical birth.

I'm talking about your spiritual birth. You see, I have a spiritual birthday. When I was nine years old, I put my faith and trust in Jesus Christ alone to be my Lord and savior. I came to Christ a sinner and he saved me. He sealed me with his holy spirit.

He gave me a new life in Christ Jesus. Eternal life in And he's done that for all of you who have come to him by faith. And he'll do that for any of you who will. God is not willing that all any should perish but that all should come to repentance, to salvation through faith, and Christ has done to give you a new life, spiritual life, eternal life. For the wages of sin of death is death but the gift of God is what?

Eternal life through Jesus Christ, his son. If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature. All things are passed away. Behold, all things are become new. He regenerates us.

He he places us into the body of Christ for we are all baptized into one body. As you are baptized in water up here, you become a member of the local visible church of Missouri Avenue Baptist Church. Assuming that you've already trusted Christ as savior but when you get saved and put your faith in Christ, you become part of God's family. His body. That will one day congregate at his throne.

You're placed into that body by the Holy Spirit. You're indwelt and empowered and guided by the Holy Spirit that lives inside of us but the comforter which is the Holy Ghost whom the father will send in my name. He shall teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance whatsoever I have said unto you. The Holy Spirit helps us. As we read the word.

To understand the word, to apply it to our lives, and to empower us to live it for him. In Jeremiah, God said, I'm going to write these commandments not just upon tables of stone but one day, these commandments will be written where? In our heart. How is that? The Holy Spirit that lives here, who teaches us through his word, and enables us to obey and to follow.

And then, as we already mentioned, he seals us until the day of redemption. He is the earnest, the down payment. Verse 22, who hath also sealed us and given us the earnest. The earnest is an earnest payment. It's a promise of more to come.

When you got saved, you received the promise of more to come from God and that is the holy spirit and the more to come is the day that we will be with him in heaven. Praise God for the spirit that he has given to us. For the baptism of the Holy Spirit that speaks greater things than the baptism of John. Let's pray. Dear heavenly father, we thank you Lord for your word.

We thank you Lord for making a way of salvation. We thank you for the gift of the holy spirit that you've given to all of us who know you and we pray Lord if there's one here today that's never received you by faith as Lord and savior. I pray Lord, if they're trying to get to heaven through the works of law, if they're trying to get to heaven through the works of the church, if they're trying to get to heaven through their own goodness or or any other religious practice, Lord, that they would recognize today that there's only one way to heaven. Only one way to be saved. That's to by grace, through faith alone.

Jesus Christ, who was our sacrifice on Calvary, who is the son of God, who is risen again from the dead. Who extends an offer to them to save their soul if they will but receive him today and I pray Lord as we give this hymn of invitation, they would come.