I. Introduction

A. Illustration – Pastor Wayne Cordeiro said, The more you love something, the more you become like it. For example, I have a friend that loves tennis. He wears tennis stuff. He reads tennis magazines. He has tennis talk. He has a racket, and his hair looks like a tennis ball. I have another friend that loves surfing. He dresses with surf stuff, and he reads surf magazines. He has a surf talk. He's even starting to smell like seaweed. Everything about him is starting to go that way. But isn't it true whatever you love, you start moving that way? Some of you love food. Case closed on that one. That's why the Bible says the greatest commandment of all is to love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. That is the greatest commandment of all. Why? (NEW SLIDE) Because the power to change is given in relationship, and what you love you become like (as cited on PreachingToday.com). What Cordeiro shares is so significant because all of us have things we’re tempted to love more than God. Those things can become idols for us, whether they are habits or physical activities or attitudes of the heart. Ancient Israel had the same problem. Their love of idols got them kicked out of the Promised Land. But God had a plan B for them that really was His plan A, they just weren’t ready for it, and He has the same plan A for us.

B. Ezekiel 36:22-28 from The Message says, Therefore, tell Israel, ‘Message from God, the Master: I’m not doing this for you, Israel. I’m doing it for me, to save my character, my holy name, which you’ve blackened in every country where you’ve gone. I’m going to put my great and holy name on display, the name that has been ruined in so many countries, the name that you blackened wherever you went. Then the nations will realize who I really am, that I am God, when I show my holiness through you so that they can see it with their own eyes. For here’s what I’m going to do: I’m going to take you out of these countries, gather you from all over, and bring you back to your own land. (NEW SLIDE) I’ll pour pure water over you and scrub you clean. I’ll give you a new heart, put a new spirit in you. I’ll remove the stone heart from your body and replace it with a heart that’s God-willed, not self-willed. I’ll put my Spirit in you and make it possible for you to do what I tell you and live by my commands. You’ll once again live in the land I gave your ancestors. You’ll be my people! I’ll be your God!

C. I know what some of us are thinking. “What does the first part of that passage have to do with us? After all, we’re not in exile. We haven’t been kicked out of our land.” We aren’t in exile physically, but we are spiritually. Everything we’ve ever done contrary to God’s law has blackened His name, and therefore His character, among unbelievers. Remember – in Jewish understanding, your name involves everything about you, including your character. (NEW SLIDE) So every time we sin, whether overtly or in our hearts, we blacken God’s character, because truth always eventually comes to light. We’re in bad shape spiritually just like the Jews were.

II. From Bad Shape to New Character

A. We talked last week about how God wants to build His character inside of us. That’s the process God is talking about in our Ezekiel passage. God wants to bring us back from spiritual exile and from bondage to sin by putting His heart inside of us. I know some of us are thinking, “But Pastor Brian, I’m already a Christian. I already have a relationship with Jesus Christ.” That’s awesome, but a relationship with Christ does not automatically make us free from sin. It doesn’t automatically bring us back from spiritual exile. (NEW SLIDE) A relationship with Christ gets us started in the right direction, but what God has in mind is complete transformation. Bill Self wrote, Somehow we have to make disciples instead of inspiration junkies (as cited on PreachingToday.com). When we enter into personal relationship with Jesus Christ, it’s so easy for us to just sit and soak, to revel in the joy of sins forgiven (which in and of itself there’s nothing wrong with), and get so addicted to inspiration that we do absolutely nothing about that relationship.

B. That may seem kind of harsh, but it’s true. I’ve sat through enough church business meetings in my thirty years as a Christian to know it’s true. I’ve seen enough Christians show the exact opposite of complete transformation to fill a large high school. I’ve personally known dozens of Christians who act so unChristlike so much of the time that I’ve questioned their relationship with Christ. The great irony is that most of these folks are wholeheartedly committed to Jesus Christ and would never consciously leave Him. But they’re so stuck in their own mindset of what Christianity and what church should look like that their relationship with Christ becomes more and more distant and they never even notice it. Oswald Chambers wrote, (NEW SLIDE) If you are a saint, God will continually upset your programme, and if you are wedded to your programme, you will become that most obnoxious creature under heaven, an irritable saint (as cited on PreachingToday.com). Why does a Christian become irritable? Because God doesn’t do things the way they want Him to. The solution – complete and total inner transformation into the image of Christ.

C. That’s why God says what He does in Ezekiel 36. That’s why He wants to gather us up and bring us back from our spiritual exile and make us what we were created to be. I’ll pour pure water over you and scrub you clean. I’ll give you a new heart, put a new spirit in you. I’ll remove the stone heart from your body and replace it with a heart that’s God-willed, not self-willed. I’ll put my Spirit in you and make it possible for you to do what I tell you and live by my commands. You’ll once again live in the land I gave your ancestors. You’ll be my people! I’ll be your God! On our own we are absolutely and unequivocally helpless to effect this change. That’s why God tells us He wants to use His Holy Spirit to put a new heart in us to enable us to be the people He created us to be. In Matthew 3:11, John the Baptist said, (NEW SLIDE) “I’m baptizing you here in the river, turning your old life in for a kingdom life. The real action comes next: The main character in this drama – compared to him I’m a mere stagehand – will ignite the kingdom life within you, a fire within you, the Holy Spirit within you, changing you from the inside out. He’s going to clean house – make a clean sweep of your lives. He’ll place everything true in its proper place before God; everything false he’ll put out with the trash to be burned.” Jesus came so that we can be changed from the inside out. Jesus came so that we can be filled with the power of the Holy Spirit and be transformed so that our character becomes like God’s character.

III. Two Baptisms – One Transformation

A. John the Baptist described two big steps in the process of becoming like Christ, of having God plant His heart within us by the power of the Holy Spirit. (NEW SLIDE) Water baptism is the first step, because it identifies us publicly with Christ and His purposes. It shows others and ourselves that we’ve repented of our sins and have entered into a personal relationship with Jesus. It marks the beginning of a new life for us, a life that includes Christ and His purposes. We’ve lost some of the sense of the importance of water baptism, reducing it to something nice to do and have a good time and probably should be done as a Christian. But water baptism is necessary – necessary in the life of the believer, and necessary in the life of the church. (NEW SLIDE) Baptism is an act of worship that gets believers excited about new people coming to Christ. Baptism is an act of witness that shows nonbelievers that we’re serious about our commitment to Christ. Baptism is an act of testimony to the heart of the one being baptized that they have indeed made a significant change in their life. Water baptism is a necessary and regular act of worship in the life of the church.

B. That’s why I’ve been pushing so hard for today’s special offering for a portable baptistery. God has laid it on my heart that we’re missing this vital act of worship in our worship services. He has laid it on my heart that, if we’re serious about bringing people to Christ and seeing their lives transformed, we will give sacrificially to make this baptistery a reality in our church. Giving whatever we can to purchase a portable baptistery is a necessary act of worship. Because water baptism matters to God. John said, “I’m baptizing you here in the river, turning your old life in for a kingdom life.” (NEW SLIDE) Water baptism is a testimony of the exchange of a Christless like for a Christ-centered life. If you have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and you haven’t been baptized and would like to be, see me after we’ve purchased the baptistery. I firmly believe that God is moving on the spirits of His people in this church to give to this cause, because it will transform how we do worship.

C. (NEW SLIDE) The second big step toward transformation John talks about in Matthew 3 is Holy Spirit baptism. Now I know some of us are uncomfortable with that term because Charismatics use it. I have several friends who are Charismatic or Pentecostal pastors, and I know that they have the same kind of focus on being baptized in the Spirit’s power as we do, because we talk and pray together. They just use a little different terminology. Listen to what John says again - The real action comes next: The main character in this drama – compared to him I’m a mere stagehand – will ignite the kingdom life within you, a fire within you, the Holy Spirit within you, changing you from the inside out. He’s going to clean house – make a clean sweep of your lives. He’ll place everything true in its proper place before God; everything false he’ll put out with the trash to be burned. (NEW SLIDE) Water baptism is a recognition of the kingdom life within. Holy Spirit baptism is that life brought to full life by the power of the Spirit. Let me explain.

D. When we ask Jesus Christ into our hearts and lives as Savior and Lord, we receive the gift of the Holy Spirit planted within our hearts. Water baptism is a witness and a confirmation of that new kingdom life within. (NEW SLIDE) But, as we’ve talked about before, we soon discover that we need something more. We find ourselves doing the things we don’t want to do and unable to do the things God wants us to do. We struggle with guilt and shame because of it. Paul identifies with our struggle in Romans 7:15-25. What I don’t understand about myself is that I decide one way, but then I act another, doing things I absolutely despise. So if I can’t be trusted to figure out what is best for myself and then do it, it becomes obvious that God’s command is necessary. But I need something more! For if I know the law but still can’t keep it, and if the power of sin within me keeps sabotaging my best intentions, I obviously need help! I realize that I don’t have what it takes. I can will it, but I can’t do it. I decide to do good, but I don’t really do it; I decide not to do bad, but then I do it anyway. My decisions, such as they are, don’t result in actions. Something has gone wrong deep within me and gets the better of me every time. 21 It happens so regularly that it’s predictable. The moment I decide to do good, sin is there to trip me up. I truly delight in God’s commands, but it’s pretty obvious that not all of me joins in that delight. Parts of me covertly rebel, and just when I least expect it, they take charge. I’ve tried everything and nobody helps. I’m at the end of my rope. Is there no one who can do anything for me? Isn’t that the real question?

E.Now I want to pause for a minute before I read verse twenty-five. Do you feel just like Paul does in this passage? Do you feel about ready to pull your hair out much of the time because of this frustration of not being able to do God’s good and doing evil instead? Paul gives the answer to our problem in verse 25 – (NEW SLIDE) The answer, thank God, is that Jesus Christ can and does. He acted to set things right in this life of contradictions where I want to serve God with all my heart and mind, but am pulled by the influence of sin to do something totally different. Jesus set things right by coming not just so we can experience the salvation of our souls, but so that our lives can be transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit. (NEW SLIDE) The Spirit is just like the fuel for a fire that’s just waiting for us to allow it to be lit, burning up the impurities in our souls and enabling us to choose to do what God wants us to do more of the time than we ever dreamed possible. God wants to sanctify us, to make us holy, through and through. He has sent His Spirit to live within us waiting to set our hearts and lives on fire.

F. I think of it kind of like those couple of years when we had bonfires at Christmas time. John Alvin carefully stacked all the wood about four feet high and dumped a bunch of gas and diesel on it. The wood was forever altered when that fuel was poured on it – it would never be the same, and its uses had been reduced to one, being burned on a fire. But it would never reach its full potential until it was set on fire. Likewise, we’re forever altered by the touch of the Holy Spirit in our hearts when we receive Christ, and we’re set apart for His use. (NEW SLIDE) But we’ll never reach our full potential until we allow God to set fire to the Spirit, burning up the sin in our hearts and lives and making us wholly set apart to Him and to no one else. John the Baptist said, The real action comes next: The main character in this drama – compared to him I’m a mere stagehand – will ignite the kingdom life within you, a fire within you, the Holy Spirit within you, changing you from the inside out. He’s going to clean house – make a clean sweep of your lives. He’ll place everything true in its proper place before God; everything false he’ll put out with the trash to be burned. (NEW SLIDE) Jesus Christ, by the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit, wants to set your kingdom life on fire, transforming you from the inside out, making a clean sweep of everything that is displeasing to Him. He wants to give you a new, God-willed heart that is filled to overflowing with His love and that will enable you to do what He wants you to do. He wants to trade your life of sin and frustration for a life of obedience and love. Do you want Him to? Do you sincerely want Him to?

G. If you want God to give you a new heart that is filled with His love and delights in His will, and you want it completely sincerely, all you have to do is ask and keep asking until it happens. So we’re going to take a few moments now, and if you sincerely want to be baptized by the Holy Spirit, to be sanctified through and through, to be enabled to do what God wants you to instead of what sin wants you to, ask God right now. In fact, I’m going to lead us in a prayer right now. If this is what you want, you can agree with me in your heart, asking God the same thing, or you can repeat after me out loud. Lord Jesus,… I know that I haven’t always been honest… with myself or with You… about the state of my heart…. Please forgive me for this sin…. I sincerely want You to give me a new heart right now…. I want a heart that is God-willed, not self-willed.... I want a heart that burns for You with everything I am…. I want a heart that is so filled with Your love… that my entire life is radically transformed…. I want to be holy even as You are holy…. Please give me that heart right now…. I ask in faith believing that You will do it…. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

H. I know that, for some folks, the human touch helps make what God is doing real to them. So, if you sincerely want God to give you that new heart, and you feel like you need a human touch, please come forward and stand up front. I will, with the authority given me by Jesus Christ as your pastor, lay my hands on you and pray for you that God will give you that new heart. So if you’d like to be prayed for, come forward right now and I will lay my hands on you and pray for you.

IV. Communion

A. We’re going to close this morning a little differently than usual. We’ve talked today about the importance and necessity of water baptism and Holy Spirit baptism. Many of us have made commitments during our time together, commitments to be baptized by water or by the Spirit, commitments to be used by God for His glory, commitments to be set apart for one purpose – His purpose. And many have, over the past several weeks, been prompted to commit to giving sacrificially for the baptistery. Communion will be a time for us to seal those commitments, and to begin to make them a reality. Some have come this morning ready to give, with check in hand. Some have been moved to give, but can’t for a few weeks. If you’d like to give toward our special offering, and don’t have the money right now, take a piece of paper and write the amount you’re going to give along with your name. If you came prepared to give, get your offering out right now.

B. For our time of communion this morning, I’d like you to come forward using the side aisles if you can. Then place your offering or your pledge on one of the altars, take the bread and the juice for communion back to your seat, and we’ll partake together. Leaving our gifts on the altar will seal our commitment to God’s desire for us to get a baptistery. Communion will seal our commitments of the heart. So come forward, leave your offering or pledge on the altar if you have one, take the bread and the juice, and return to your seat. We’ll partake together. Come forward now.

C. On the night He was betrayed, Jesus took the bread, broke it and gave it to His disciples and said, “This is my body broken for you. Take it and eat it.” Let’s eat it together. Then He took the cup, gave it to His disciples and said, “This is the new covenant of my blood. Take it and drink it.” What is the new covenant? The promise of forgiveness of sins and transformed lives by the power of the Spirit. Jesus gave His blood so that we can be forgiven and transformed from the inside out. Let’s drink it together. Let’s pray.