Can a washing ritual bring me peace with God?

"The Bridegroom's Voice"

(John 3:22-36, Preaching: Pastor Stephen Magee, February 8, 2009)

John 3:22-36 ²² After this Jesus and his disciples went into the Judean countryside, and he remained there with them and was baptizing. ²³ John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because water was plentiful there, and people were coming and being baptized ²⁴ (for John had not yet been put in prison). ²⁵ Now a discussion arose between some of John's disciples and a Jew over purification. ²⁶ And they came to John and said to him, "Rabbi, he who was with you across the Jordan, to whom you bore witness- look, he is baptizing, and all are going to him." ²⁷ John answered, "A person cannot receive even one thing unless it is given him from heaven. ²⁸ You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, 'I am not the Christ, but I have been sent before him.' ²⁹ The one who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom's voice. Therefore this joy of mine is now complete. ³⁰ He must increase, but I must decrease." ³¹ He who comes from above is above all. He who is of the earth belongs to the earth and speaks in an earthly way. He who comes from heaven is above all. ³² He bears witness to what he has seen and heard, yet no one receives his testimony. ³³ Whoever receives his testimony sets his seal to this, that God is true. ³⁴ For he whom God has sent utters the words of God, for he gives the Spirit without measure. ³⁵ The Father loves the Son and has given all things into his hand. ³⁶ Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.

The Jews and rituals of purification (22-25)

Rules of purification were an important part of the daily life of people in 1^st century Judaism. Even to this day, there is much writing and teaching on the correct ways for practitioners of modern Judaism to do ritual cleansing, depending upon their particular denomination. The idea of ritual washings goes beyond the Jewish tradition. There are many similar practices followed throughout the world that have to do with cleansing from death or evil. Within any one family of religious groups there may be disagreements about the need for such rituals, and the right way to perform them. People see these questions as important ones, because it is through such things that societies communicate their way of life. It should not surprise us that a discussion arose between John's disciples and an unnamed Jew concerning ways of achieving purification.

Both in first century Judaism and in orthodox Judaism today, a convert apparently needed to submit to a special washing in order to be admitted into the ranks of the faithful. John's use of baptism was different in this way: John was practicing a baptism of repentance upon those who were already Jews. His baptism and his associated teaching suggested that the problem of an unclean heart was not just something that Gentiles faced. All Jews needed cleansing as well. The problem of sin was deep, and the cleansing needed for full participation in the kingdom of God could not be a matter of simply applying water to a person in the right way.

John the Baptist and rituals of authority (26-28)

There is an additional way of looking at these kinds of rituals that we need to consider. Washing rules can function not only as a way of symbolic cleansing; they are also ceremonies that indicate a surrendering to the authority of a person or a group, and thus a belonging in that group. In fact, these two things are associated with Christian baptism. It is not only a ritual that symbolizes heavenly cleansing from the stain of sin, it is also a submission to heavenly authority, an association with the Name of God, the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, and a surrender to the King of the kingdom of heaven, Jesus Christ.

It should not surprise us that groups might measure their success based on the number of people who are being baptized, and therefore the number that have given themselves over to a particular school of thought or leader. The disciples of John seem to be expressing some concern that those associating themselves with Jesus were baptizing more people than those that were associating themselves with John the Baptist. It was a question of loyalty, and of how many people were on what team. Those on the John the Baptist team were noticing that many people were joining the Jesus team through the Jesus baptism.

John the Baptist was not concerned about this fact. He was clear on His role. He was to point toward Jesus. John knew that heaven was in charge, and that heaven had given John the role of the forerunner, while Jesus alone had the role of the Christ, or the Messiah. This is the message he had testified to earlier, and it was his message throughout his brief ministry. Even today, when anyone is baptized, the point is not our submission to any lesser human authority. People are united with Christ, and are baptized in the Triune Name. John could not save anyone from sin, nor could he ever be the King of the kingdom of heaven. Jesus alone was the Christ. John says something very important when his disciples ask him about this matter. He says that no one can receive even one thing unless it is given him from heaven. This is a fact that John fully embraced, and it is a principle that each of us should believe. Every success (and even every thing that looks like failure) comes from above, from heaven, from our God.

Jesus, the Bridegroom from above (29-31)

In making this point, John used one more illustration, that of a wedding. It is wonderful to be the friend of the groom. This friend may be very helpful to the bride in bringing the bridegroom to the place of the wedding feast. This is a great joy. When Jesus came to die for His bride, John the Baptist had the honor of introducing Him publicly to the people of God. This was a great honor, but John's day was now almost over. It was no surprise that the disciples of Jesus were becoming more numerous. That was what was supposed to happen. John's joy was complete because he had done the job he was supposed to do. It would not have been right for John to continue to gather more attention than Jesus. It was time for John to decrease. That was a sign that he had done his job well. Only one man could be the bridegroom, and that was not John's office. That was the special purpose of Jesus.

Jesus alone was given this job by the Father. Jesus was uniquely the Bridegroom of the church. He was the One who personally came from above. John the Baptist did not come from above personally, though His existence was decreed by God, and we are told that His baptism came from heaven. He had no pre-existence prior to his conception in the womb of his mother Elizabeth. In that sense, Christ uniquely came from heaven as the One who had an eternal existence there as the Son of God, and who had been conceived in the womb of Mary by the Holy Spirit. John's conception was also a miracle, but that was because His parents had not been able to conceive. The miracle of his conception was a special granting to his parents of the ability to conceive a child. The miracle of Jesus' birth was entirely different. Joseph was not the natural father of Jesus. Jesus was the Son of God by the Holy Spirit. Jesus came from above, and was above all. John was another child of the earth, and he could not speak of heaven from experience as Jesus could. Jesus was above all, and John was His servant. Jesus was given the job of Messiah, a job could not have rightly come to anyone else. John accepted that fact, and rejoiced in it.

Receive His testimony (32-36)

The testimony of Jesus is true. When He speaks of God, He speaks the truth. When He teaches of heaven, He is teaching of what He has seen and what He knows. He utters the words of God, because He is God. He is full of the Holy Spirit, and He will give the Holy Spirit to the church after His ascension. The Father loves the Son. We are told later in this gospel (10:27) one of the reasons the Father loves the Son, "For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again." This also is a true testimony. In this laying down of His life through His death on the cross, and in His subsequent display of amazing divine power, Jesus is doing something of great merit. Here is the greatest love and mercy. Here is a complete dedication to both the justice of God against sinners, and the covenant faithfulness of God to His elect. These are things that God loves. God loves Jesus, and God loves you. You need to receive this testimony. This blessing has been given to you from heaven.

God has given all things into the hand of His Son. If there is any way to heaven, it must be through the approval of Jesus who has full authority over such matters. It is important that we hear what He has to say: "Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life." We come into this world with a pre-existing transcript of guilt from the wrath of God. We do not come into this world with an empty report card. We come into this world with the wages due to us from Adam's sin. The wrath of God is on us. But Christ, the Bridegroom of the bride, is not content to have us weeping forever in the place of eternal regret. He wants us to be free. He wants us to have life. Therefore He comes in our place, and takes that wrath that was on us. Through this great act of the highest marital love, our Husband has saved us. We will have life forever with Him. Again, this blessing has been given to you from heaven.

Eternal life is yours if you believe in the Son of God. This is what He has said, and His testimony is true. There is a good reason for the wrath of God. You and I may have a hard time understanding what that is all about, but God has never asked us for our opinion on whether His desire to vindicate both His mercy and His justice is a commendable goal. He is God. What He has done is to provide the only way for us to enjoy the fullest blessings of life with Him forever, the provision of His own Son, and He asks us to believe. No ceremonial washing can make up for a life of unbelief. In your baptism you were marked as one who would be cleansed by the blood of Jesus in a way that no other cleansing ritual could accomplish. You were set aside for surrender to the Lord of the cross and the resurrection, that you might be His disciple. May God's Spirit so rule in your life that you would see what that cleansing was all about, and give your life over to hearing and loving the Christ.

This is the only way to have peace with God. The alternative to this great provision of mercy is to face the justice of God against us for our sin and unbelief. This passage says that, "whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him." The life that Christ has for us is everything. It is what Eden was once, and much more. It is full of joy, purpose, pleasure, and fruitfulness. Is a life of unbelief, a life of separation from Christ and His church, a life of disobeying the word of the one who died for you a chance that you want to take? You have been given something better than that from heaven. Embrace what you have been given, and receive your life again.

Questions for meditation and discussion:

1. Why are people interested in baptism and other purification rituals?

2. What does John teach us here regarding Jesus Christ?

3. What is our status with God from our conception, and what are the implications of this?

4. Is there some ritual of purification that can bring us peace with God?