The great surprise in Luke's story about the baptism of Jesus (and this is not solely a Lucan thing) is the dual baptism: one with water and the other with Spirit and fire. John the Baptist makes a clear point that John's baptism is with water, but one 'who is more powerful than I" is coming and he will baptize with the Spirit and fire. Luke isn't the only place where this distinction between baptism with water.....also referred to as a 'baptism of repentance'....and a baptism with the Spirit is made. We see it many times in the book of Acts, for example, although it is good to note that both Luke and Acts are believed to be from the same author.
We will start with some historical insight. If you look at the construction of Luke's gospel you will notice that for each portion of the story about John, there is a parallel story about Jesus, only Jesus is always the ascendant one. John's conception is miraculous, a gift to an elderly couple. Jesus' conception is by the Holy Spirit and comes to a virgin, Mary. According the Zechariah, (Johns' father) John is called to be a prophet who will point to the one who is coming, the one who will 'save their people from their sins'. Jesus is the one who is coming, and according to Mary will raise up the lowly and bring down the high and mighty.
The baptism scene gives us a hint as to why this one-up-manship. As John was baptizing the people in the wilderness, the question arose whether John was, in fact, the Messiah for whom Israel waited. It is this question that scholars point to to hypothesize that John had many followers who thought he was the promised one. Many thought that John was the Messiah. [There are other indicators throughout the gospels that this was the fact.]
John says, "I am not even worthy to untie the thong of his sandal" (or, I am not even as good as the lowliest servant in the house when compared to this one who is coming). In Luke's telling, John clearly points to Jesus as the promised one, the Savior, the source of God's good grace to all.
And, to make that perfectly clear, John distinguishes between the water baptism of repentance that he initiates and the Spirit/fire baptism that comes with Jesus. It will be a baptism of judgment and empowerment. It is the baptism that you want to get.
Or do you? Repentance is one thing. Fire and Spirit are a whole different category of life devoted to the Divine God. Repentance is a recognition of our own brokenness and a commitment to live our lives as best we can in accordance with God's direction.
Fire, on the other hand, is intended to purify us by burning off all that is not worthy of life in God. Picture parts of your life rising up like cream will rise to the top of milk. Then along comes the fire and burns it right off, leaving behind that which serves God's plans in the world. Fire is a test of our perserverance, our dedication, our commitment. It will be difficult, even painful.
The Spirit is gift, but a gift that empowers us to be about God's business. This is not a benign anointing of self-esteem and pedestrian approval. Anointing by the Spirit is the necessary first step in our vocation as people of faith. It is the Spirit who sends us out into the world, into the wilderness, among the heathen, into the dark places ....to do the work of God in Jesus' name, and for the sake of all who do not know life in Jesus. The Spirit is no small thing.
Now you have the broad picture. Here is the question....what kind of baptism are you carrying around? Did you stop at the water....some repentance that was sincere enough but no more. Or are you carrying around the baptism of the Spirit? Willing to take the test of the Fire? Filled with the power of new life that Jesus brings?
Water, Spirit, Fire. How are you living out your baptism?
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