The Deepest Sea

The Deepest SeaThe Deepest Sea

The Deepest SeaMt 3:1-6

“I was in the army, an officer in the infantry during Viet Nam. I saw & did things that no man should see or do. I wanted my sins buried in the deepest and coldest place . . . .”

We need our sins buried in the deepest & coldest place!

Being in sin is a despicable, horrible experience.

Being in sin is a despicable, horrible experience. Paul describes that experience in Ephesians 2.

“You were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience—among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind” (Eph 2:1-3, ESV).

Those in sin are “dead” & “children of wrath.”

“Remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, called “the uncircumcision” by what is called the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands— remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world” (Eph 2:11-12, ESV).

Those in sin are separated from Christ, alienated from God’s people, without the promises of God, and without hope.

Thankfully, our God desires to bury our sins in “the deepest and coldest place.”

Thankfully, our God desires to bury our sins in “the deepest and coldest place.” “He will again have compassion on us; he will tread our

iniquities under foot. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea” (Micah 7:19, ESV).

Thankfully, our God desires to bury our sins in “the deepest and coldest place.” “He will again have compassion on us; he will tread our

iniquities under foot. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea” (Micah 7:19, ESV).

We want to examine John’s baptism & see parallels to Jesus’ baptism.

We know there are great differences between John’s baptism & Jesus’ baptism.

We know there are great differences between John’s baptism & Jesus’ baptism. Paul encountered 12 men in Ephesus who had received

John’s baptism.

We know there are great differences between John’s baptism & Jesus’ baptism. Paul encountered 12 men in Ephesus who had received

John’s baptism. “Paul said, ‘John baptized with the baptism of repentance,

telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, Jesus.’ On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus” (Acts 19:4-5, ESV).

There are also great similarities between these two baptisms.

There are also great similarities between these two baptisms. The greatest similarity is that both are for the remission of sins. “John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and

proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins” (Mk 1:4, ESV).

“Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins” (Acts 2:38, ESV).

This morning, we shall see other similarities.

A BAPTISM OF PREACHING.A BAPTISM OF PENITENCE.A BAPTISM OF PROPHECY.A BAPTISM OF THE PUBLIC.A BAPTISM OF PROFESSION.

A Baptism of Preachingv 1

“In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea” (v 1, ESV).

John’s preaching preceded his baptism.

John’s preaching preceded his baptism. Preaching is essential to baptism.

Without preaching, there can be no salvation.

Without preaching, there can be no salvation. “How are they to call on him in whom they have not believed?

And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?” (Rm 10:14, ESV).

Without preaching, there can be no salvation. “How are they to call on him in whom they have not believed?

And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?” (Rm 10:14, ESV).

“It pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe” (1 Cor 10:21, ESV).

In this passage, preaching precedes baptism.

In this passage, preaching precedes baptism. John preaches & then people come to him to be baptized.

In this passage, preaching precedes baptism. John preaches & then people come to him to be baptized. Only when the people heard John’s preaching did the

people come to him.

What does this passage say to us this morning?

If you have not yet been to “The Deepest Sea,” our earnest prayer is that you will be pricked to come to that sea this morning.

But, most of us have been to that Sea.

But, most of us have been to that Sea. What does this text say to us?

But, most of us have been to that Sea. What does this text say to us? We need more John the Baptists!

We have already mentioned that without preaching people cannot be saved.

“Pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest” (Mt 9:38, ESV).

“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Mt 28:20, ESV).

Are we leading others to that "Deepest Sea"?

A Baptism of Penitencev 2

“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (v 2, ESV).

There were many baptisms in the Old Testament.

There were many baptisms in the Old Testament. “According to this arrangement, gifts and sacrifices are

offered that cannot perfect the conscience of the worshiper, but deal only with food and drink and various washings, regulations for the body imposed until the time of reformation” (Heb 9:9-10, ESV).

“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (v 2, ESV). There were many baptisms in the Old Testament. “According to this arrangement, gifts and sacrifices are

offered that cannot perfect the conscience of the worshiper, but deal only with food and drink and various washings, regulations for the body imposed until the time of reformation” (Heb 9:9-10, ESV).

John’s baptism differed in that his was for repentance.

John’s message was repentance.

John’s message was repentance. His baptism was into repentance.

John’s message was repentance. His baptism was into repentance: “I baptize you with

water for repentance” (Mt 3:11, ESV).

water for repentance” (Mt 3:11, ESV). The preposition “for” is the same one used in Acts 2:38 to

explain the purpose of baptism.

explain the purpose of baptism. John’s baptism, then, placed individuals in a state of

repentance.

explain the purpose of baptism. John’s baptism, then, placed individuals in a state of

repentance. When one submitted to John’s baptism, he publicly

declared that he was repenting of his sin.

Christian baptism is a public declaration that one is repenting of his sin.

Christian baptism is a public declaration that one is repenting of his sin. Because of its very nature, repentance is a private & painful

act. Yet, our baptism is an affirmation to the world that we are

turning from sin.

turning from sin. “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus

Christ for the forgiveness of your sins” (Acts 2:38, ESV).

Christ for the forgiveness of your sins” (Acts 2:38, ESV). Repentance & baptism are both necessary for salvation.

“Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we to might walk in newness of life” (Rm 6:3-4, ESV).

A Baptism of Prophecyv 3

“This is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah when he said, 'The voice of one crying in the wilderness: “Prepare the way of the Lord; make his paths straight”'” (v 3, ESV).

The entire passage flows from the Old Testament.

The entire passage flows from the Old Testament. John is preaching in the wilderness.

People in John’s day expected a prophet to be in the wilderness.

People in John’s day expected a prophet to be in the wilderness. “Behold, I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness, and

speak tenderly to her. And there I will give her her vineyards and make the Valley of Achor a door of hope. And there she shall answer as in the days of her youth, as at the time when she came out of the land of Egypt” (Hos 2:14-15, ESV).

People in John’s day expected a prophet to be in the wilderness. “Behold, I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness, and

speak tenderly to her. And there I will give her her vineyards and make the Valley of Achor a door of hope. And there she shall answer as in the days of her youth, as at the time when she came out of the land of Egypt” (Hos 2:14-15, ESV).

The Jews expected messiahs & prophets to be in the wilderness.

The entire passage flows from the Old Testament. John is preaching in the wilderness. John is the Elijah to come.

“He wore a garment of hair, with a belt of leather about his waist” (2 Ki 1:8, ESV).

John, in dressing like Elijah, points to the prophecies of the coming Messiah.

John’s baptism is the fulfillment of prophecy.

Christian baptism is the fulfillment of the promises of God.

Christian baptism is the fulfillment of the promises of God. “When the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his

Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons” (Gal 4:4-5, ESV).

Christian baptism is the fulfillment of the promises of God. “When the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his

Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons” (Gal 4:4-5, ESV).

Jesus was born “when the fullness of time had come.”

A Baptism of the Publicv 5

Then Jerusalem and all Judea and all the region about the Jordan were going out to him” (v 5, ESV).

The baptism of John was not for a select few.

The baptism of John was not for a select few. Every single willing Jew could come & be baptized by John.

The baptism of Jesus is for every single man & woman on earth.

The baptism of Jesus is for every single man & woman on earth. Nationality doesn’t matter.

“In one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one spirit” (1 Cor 12:13, ESV).

The baptism of Jesus is for every single man & woman on earth. Nationality doesn’t matter. What we’ve done doesn’t matter.

Some believe they have been so evil that Jesus’ blood can’t cleanse them.

Not so!

Not so! “Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has

made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified” (Acts 2:36, ESV).

Not so! “Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has

made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified” (Acts 2:36, ESV).

Do you need to come & receive Jesus' baptism?

A Baptism of Professionv 6

“They were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins” (v 6, ESV).

Those baptized by John confessed their sins as they were baptized.

The New Testament makes no such demand of us.

The New Testament makes no such demand of us. Instead of confessing sin, we confess our faith in Jesus.

The New Testament makes no such demand of us. Instead of confessing sin, we confess our faith in Jesus: “If

you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved” (Rm 10:9, ESV).

Yet, in a real sense, we do confess our sins at baptism.

Yet, in a real sense, we do confess our sins at baptism. The very act of submitting to baptism is a confession of our sinfulness.

Baptism removes sin.

Baptism removes sin: “Now why do you wait? Rise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on his name” (Acts 22:16, ESV).

If I have no sin, I have no need for baptism.

We all need that confession of sinfulness, for we are all sinful.

We all need that confession of sinfulness, for we are all sinful. “The godly has perished from the earth, and there is no one

upright among mankind; they all lie in wait for blood, and each hunts the other with a net” (Micah 7:2, ESV).

We all need that confession of sinfulness, for we are all sinful. “The godly has perished from the earth, and there is no one

upright among mankind; they all lie in wait for blood, and each hunts the other with a net” (Micah 7:2, ESV).

“If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us” (1 Jn 1:8, ESV).

All of us who have sinned need the baptism of Jesus to remove that sin.

“To err is human, to forgive is out of the question.”

“To err is human, to forgive is out of the question.” There is some truth in that statement when it comes to

man & God.

man & God. We are all going to err.

man & God. We are all going to err. Without baptism, forgiveness is out of the question.

God stands ready to forgive.

God stands ready to forgive. God has done everything he can to forgive you of your sins.

Do you need to come to the "Deepest Sea" to have your sins forgiven?

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