Matthew chapter number 3, there's a couple of baptisms being discussed in here. We're only going to focus in on the baptism of fire this morning. Matthew chapter number 3, look at verse number 10, and let's read verses 10, 11, and 12 together. Okay, ready? and now also the axe is laid under the root of the trees, therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down and cast into the fire. I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear. He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire, whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor and gather his wheat into the garner, but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire. All three of those verses have the word fire, cast into fire, with fire, and unquenchable fire. Let's go to the Lord in prayer before we get started. God, we sure do ask you to help us understand what this baptism is and who it's for. Help us all please, in Jesus' name, amen. Now, let me just give you some brief context and then we'll get into this. In Malachi, the last chapter of Malachi, God speaks to the nation and then he's silent for 400 years. Nobody hears anything from God. Matthew 1, he's not speaking to the nation. Matthew 2, he doesn't say anything specifically to the nation of Israel. Then Matthew chapter number 3, boom, John the Baptist comes onto the scene and now God starts talking to the nation again. And I want you to have that as a context because we're going to get into another baptism next week, John's baptism. But Jesus makes two remarks and he says, I baptize with the Holy Ghost and I baptize with fire. And there's a lot going on here, but what exactly did Jesus mean when he said the baptism of fire? What did he mean? Look at what it says in that last verse. He says, but He will burn up the chaff with what type of fire? Unquenchable. What does that mean? Say it again? Okay, it can't be put out. Would you agree with that? It can't be put out? Okay, so if it can't be put out, would that remind you of eternal flames? Would that come to mind? An unquenchable fire is one that can't be put out. So let's go to Revelation 20 and we'll see a cross-reference and then we'll go to Acts chapter number 2. So if you'd like to get both of those passages that would be great. Revelation 20 and Acts chapter 2. Revelation chapter number 20 Verses 13 through the end of the chapter we'll read. So let's read that together. Revelation 20, let's start in verse 13. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it, and death and hell were delivered up the dead which were in them, and they were judged every man according to their works, and death and hell were cast into the lake of fire, this is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire." We see very easily that this is a judgment And after this judgment, there is a sentencing where people are cast into the lake of fire. Now, if you come back this afternoon at two o'clock, we're going to break down some words concerning hell. You may have heard, well, I don't want to get too far ahead of myself, so I'll hold that thought. But I'll say this. Let's say this to set the context for it. There are two places of judgment. There's hell, and then there's the lake of fire. And both of them are biblical. Now, if you get arrested, they would put you where? In where? In jail. Until you await what? Your sentencing. and then after you get judged by the judge and he sentenced you, then he's going to cast you into the county jail cell? No, he's going to now put you in the penitentiary. In other words, there's a holding cell, there's judgment, and then there's the permanent place of residence. So, God has two places. He has hell, and then he has the lake of fire. And so hell has been prepared for the devil and the devil's angels, and all those who want to follow the devil end up in hell when they die. Well, in Revelation 20, when God finally has the final judgment, look what it says. What was cast into the lake of fire in verse number 14? Death and hell. Death and hell. So God, in Revelation 20, at the end of the final judgment, God is going to remove hell and He's going to cast all those that were in hell, they're going to stand before Him, they're going to be judged, they're finally going to have their fair day in court. And God is, the sentence is going to come for permanency and then they are all going to be cast into the lake of fire. Okay, so there's hell and then there's the lake of fire and we'll do a little more of a deep dive on that later this afternoon. Now, this lake of fire, this is what Jesus is talking about that he baptizes with in John chapter number 3. It's unquenchable fire. and you will be completely immersed in unquenchable fire unless what happens? Anybody have the answer? What's that? We're going to have to do another side lesson on that. He said, if your name is written in the Book of Life, that's a whole nother. When is our name written in the Book of Life? Is it? Is it? We're going to have to do a lesson on that one. You don't see, you got one verse when you see, well, we see names being blotted out of the Book of Life. We're gonna have to hold that thought, and maybe we'll touch on that this afternoon. That's the question that has to be answered. But we'll hold off on that, because that rabbit trail will take us into a 25-minute discussion. But it's a good one. So who ends up in this lake of fire? death, hell, yeah people, was not found written in the book of life. The question of that, Josiah's comment is, when was our names written in the book of life? I think it was when you were born. Now we'll open that up with some Bible verses later, but when someone was born, I think, I think the Bible teaches that everyone's name was written in that book. I don't think it was before the foundation of the world. I think it was when you were born. I don't think it was when we got saved because names are going to be blotted out. So if names are going to be blotted out, if you were saved and it was written in there, well, do we lose our salvation? So we'll open up that thought, but names are going to be blotted out of a book of life. I believe God's will was that he wanted everyone to be with him. But names end up getting blotted out of his book, and now people are being baptized in immersion in a lake of fire. So how do we avoid that? We have to come to Christ in repentant faith. What was the first baptism that we discussed last week? The baptism of Moses. Before we started that, remember in Ephesians 4 we looked at what? Go to Ephesians 4, verse number 5. Ephesians 4, verse 5. And when you have the passage Well, I think everybody's about got it. Why don't we read Ephesians 4, I think it's verse 5. Read that verse if you would. One baptism. But in Matthew 3, two baptisms are being spoken of regarding of what Jesus gives, right? He said, with the Holy Ghost and with fire. How many baptisms is that, everybody? But Ephesians 4 says, referring to believers, we have how many baptisms? One. And who gives that baptism? So go to 1 Corinthians 12 and let's see. Go to 1 Corinthians 12. Brother Eric's got that right. 1 Corinthians 12. And it's going to be verse 13. Read 1 Corinthians 12 and let's read verse 13 together. Ready? Go. Four by one what? Right. So we're baptized by the Holy Spirit into this one body, and that one body of Christ is what we are all a part of. So Ephesians 4, one baptism. 1 Corinthians 12 talks about we're baptized by one Spirit into one body. So in Matthew 3, when we see Jesus baptized the Holy Ghost and with fire, that Holy Ghost baptism is the one baptism that all believers receive when they trust Christ as their Savior. Does that make sense? So, now this baptism of fire. Well, do we get that? Are these two things being addressed as one event? Are these two things for one person? or are these two completely separate things for two completely separate groups of people? I believe it's that. So this baptism of fire is important to understand. Now, how many of you have... I'm assuming everyone has heard of the charismatic movement, right? Has anyone ever been to a charismatic church for any length of time? Okay. Now you know, and if you don't know, they believe that when you receive the gift of speaking in tongues, you receive the baptism of fire. So they, most Charismatics would, I believe that they would all agree with each other, that when they get to Matthew chapter three, they say, well, those are two baptisms for one person. But I don't believe they are two baptisms for one person. Well, how do they get two baptisms for one person? Well, they get that by going to Acts chapter two. So let's go to Acts chapter 2 and let's see what the text says and let's see if we can get this matter settled. Acts chapter number 2. Acts chapter number 2 and the Bible says Let's read verse number two together. Okay, ready? And there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. Now, how many of you kids think that you have a good education up to this point in your life? You think you're pretty smart, Wilder? Okay. Melanie, yeah, you wanna answer in the affirmative? Do you think that you have a pretty good education thus far in your life? You smart? Okay, all right. So in verse number two, look at that verse, Melanie. Wilder, look at that verse. Hannah, Josiah, look at that verse. Was the sound really a mighty wind? What was it? Or how do we know it wasn't, Wilder? You're on the right track. Melanie, you think you know? Do you remember learning like or as in school? Who got to that point in school? Yeah, was it really, was the sound really wind or was it like or as? It was as of. When you see like or as, that is a... What do you call that? Call it out if you know the answer. What is it? A resemblance. Right. In English, I think they say it's a metaphor, right? Now let's read verse number 3. and there appeared unto them cloven tongues, like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them." You have like and as in the same verse right before the word. It's kind of like Jesus, the Holy Spirit is trying to nudge you and say, like, as, remember that in school? I might be reading into the text a bit on that. Everybody see that? Was it real fire? It says it was like as fire. When John baptizes in water, does he throw some water on their forehead or are they fully immersed? When we are baptized into Christ, are we fully immersed in Christ? Is our life now hid in Christ? Yes, right. When we demonstrate our belief in Christ as believers, and we are water baptized, do we go fully under? Right, we're completely immersed, right? You know what's happening in Acts chapter 2? None of these folks are being fully immersed in fire at all. It sits upon them. There's something like and as fire, and what is it doing? What does the text say? It sat upon them. They weren't immersed at all. So Acts chapter 2, we see the use of like and as, and that gives us our answer. And Jesus is going to do one of two things in Matthew 3. You're either going to be immersed in him or you're going to be immersed in unquenchable fire. Now this isn't a trick question, Chris, but which one do we all want? Right, that's right. That's the one that we all want. Nobody wants to be burned. and nobody got burned in Acts 2 at all. Okay, so they're two different events. Can fire be symbolic? It can. Isaiah 4 talks about the spirit of burning. Isaiah 10 talks about like the burning of fire. Isaiah 30 talks about as a devouring fire. Hosea speaks of as the smoke out of a chimney. Malachi 3 talks about like a refiner's fire. And in Acts chapter 2, the fire is being used as an emblem. It's not literal fire. It's like and as, and it never burns anyone. Those passages that I quickly quoted, what word was in each phrase? What was it? Like, mm-hmm, or? Or as of. Like or as of gives us our metaphor, okay. Well, let's go back to Matthew 3. Now, you kids come on out here. Come on out here. Hold on to that, Walter. All right, go ahead. You guys go ahead up front here. Now, Melanie, come on up here and tell me, what do you see in this basket? Leaves, what else? Grass. And flowers. Alright, very good. So, Lily, are these all the same that's in here? Or is they all different? They're all different, right? Okay. Would you agree with that, Hannah? Okay, so now everything's in this basket for a purpose. Let's find out what that purpose is. Let's read Matthew chapter 3. I better get back there. Matthew chapter 3. Okay. All right, we are here. Let's read verse number 12. Ready? Let's read that together. whose fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner, but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire, whose fan is in his hand." What is that? Now, if you know anything about agriculture, I called this a basket because that's really what it is, but I couldn't, it's very hard to find a winnowing fan. Has anyone ever heard of a winnowing fan? What is it? That's right. That's a winnowing fan. So, Wilder, you're holding, which we'll pretend is a winnowing fan. And you have the wheat grain, all of it's in here, including the chaff. But if you're going to have good grain, you're going to have good wheat, you have to get rid of what part? Chaff. OK. So there's two parts. And those parts aren't the same, but both of those parts are in this winnowing fan. Now, how do you get rid of them? You have to blow them away. Do you blow them away? Let me show you what they do. Now, we might make a mess, but that's okay. We can clean it up. You can make a mess and not get in trouble. So what they would do is they would have the wheat and the chaff, all of it's gathered up and put in this winnowing fan. And then what they would do is they would kind of shake it like this, like throw it up. And then as they threw it up, what would happen? The light stuff, except it's the best thing I can come up with this morning, would get blown away. And it was a winnowing fan. And it was basically like a basket. And it came up a little bit higher on this end. So Josiah, would you mind picking as much as you can up? And then we're going to have, we'll just use our hands. Give this to try. This is your makeshift winnowing fan. All right, then go ahead and give that to Melanie, and then you try, come on out here, Melanie. You try that out. Go ahead and do the winnowing fan. Not bad, not bad. We might've lost a little more wheat than we wanted to, but go ahead and pick that up if you could, guys. We'll try again. Yeah, gather that up. Yeah, gather the fragments. Lily, why don't you try it? Okay, you try it. And the idea is, the idea is you kind of like throw it up, and you try to catch most of it. Because the wind will take away the chaff. Good, very good. All right, pick it up and we'll have Wilder give a shot at that. Okay, one more, we'll have Wilder go. Melanie, you went. You went, Lily. Did you go? Okay, you'll go after Wilder. See what you got, bud. That's the idea. Yeah. Very nice. Alright, pick up the fragments. And that's the idea of a winnowing fan. So it was all in, they placed it all in the winnowing fan, but when they used that winnowing fan, that was a way they got rid of the chaff. But the chaff and the wheat were not and are not the same. They were separated. The chaff was separated from the good grain. That's what's happening in the judgment in Revelation. It's a separation. That's the idea, yeah. All right, go ahead and pick that up and then you guys, once you clean up as best you can. Oh, you didn't get a turn. We'll give you a turn. Yeah, we'll give Josiah a turn. How many of you think that this would have been hard work for the youngins who were living back then? You don't have to worry about a winnowing fan using that now, huh? But this is what they did when they were farming. That's it. Very good. Very good. Now let's go back to Revelation 20, if you would. And keep your finger in Matthew 3. Let's go to Revelation 20. And let's read, that's good guys. We'll get a broom afterward and you guys can have a seat. Nice job. Let's read verses 1 through 3 in Revelation 20. Revelation 20, 1 through 3. Ready? And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, and cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled, and after that he must be loosed a little season." So what we have happening in Revelation chapter 20 is that the period of Jacob's trouble has been over and Christ has come back and he set up his millennial kingdom. That's what happened at his second coming. And Satan now is bound in the pit. The pit is also a reference to what? Hell. That's right. The pit is a reference to hell. So he is now bound and now Christ is doing what for a thousand years? Reigning and ruling righteously. That's correct. Okay. Look at what happens in verse number 10. Let's go all the way down to verse number 10. Alright, let's read that. and the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are and shall be tormented day and night forever." So, we can't do a deep dive into Revelation 20, but Satan, when Christ sets up his millennial kingdom, Satan is bound in the pit. He's bound in hell. Christ is now ruling and reigning righteously for a thousand years. After that a thousand years, what happens? Who can tell me? That's right. Yeah, before he's cast, you are correct, he is cast, but before that happens, he is what? Loosed. Right. The Bible talks about that in Revelation 20. Satan is loosed. Where is he loosed from? He's loosed from hell, right? Verses 1, 2, and 3 says, okay, he's bound in the pit, so he's in hell for that thousand years. At the end of the thousand years, he is then loosed from hell, and then there's one final battle, like the brother was saying, and they go after God, which basically, I mean, yeah, it's not really a battle at all. And it also tells us that hell doesn't reform anybody. I mean, you'd figure that, you know, hell's the answer, you know, but it wasn't. Just rebellious, wicked devil. So, they make their best go at God, and of course, it's a fail, and then he does what? Cast them into the lake of fire. So, hell is the holding place. Temporarily, you never get out of the flames, but the holding place changes, and then they are cast into the lake of fire. And so that judgment occurs. You remember when Jesus came into the world and didn't have any room for them at the end? Well, now at this last judgment, God's got no room for them. You don't have room for me, I've got no room for you. He casts him right into the lake of fire. In hell and in the lake of fire, you've got flames, you've got torment, you have all of that. It's just going from the holding place to the final casting into the lake of fire. We'll get a little bit more into that this afternoon, but I'd like to return to Matthew 3 and then Revelation 14. as our last spot for this lesson this morning. All right, Matthew 3. Jesus says at the end, or the Bible says at the end of verse number 11, John the Baptist is speaking and he says, He cometh mightier than I, whose shoe I'm not worthy to bear. He, that meaning Jesus, shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire, whose fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly purge his floor and gather his wheat. Where does the wheat go? Into the garner. and he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire." So if the wheat goes into the garner, it's harvested and it's now used, right? It's not destroyed. Wheat specifically went where, everybody? Garner. Chaff went where? In the fire. Okay, so one more time, kids. Where did the wheat go? garner and it was good. It was able now to be used and it was protected in that garner. The chaff ended up where? In the fire. It's not good. There's a clear difference. Wheat good, chaff bad. Wheat, garner, chaff, fire. Baptism, Holy Spirit, baptism of fire. Two completely different baptisms that Jesus will give. So that baptism of fire is for unbelievers. So when we are witnessing, we want people to be baptized into Christ by the Holy Spirit so they avoid dying and eventually receiving the baptism of fire. We do not want that for people. Revelation 14, last verse regarding this one. Revelation 14. Look at verse number... Okay, I'll ask the question then we'll read the verses. The question is this, how many sickles are being referred to in Revelation 14? We'll read it but I want you to read it with that question on your mind. Alright, young people? How many sickles are being referred to? Let's start reading at verse 14 and we'll read all the way down. Well, I'll tell you when to stop. Alright, ready? And I looked, and behold, a white cloud. And upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of Man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle. And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him that sat on the cloud, Thrust in thy sickle, and reap. For the time has come for thee to reap, for the harvest of the earth is ripe. So that is the first sickle, and it is harvesting, it is gathering. That's sickle number one. Let's keep reading. Verse number 16, and he that sat on the cloud thrust in his sickle on the earth, and the earth was reaped. Okay, verse 17, and another angel came out of the temple, which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle. Does that sound like another sickle to you? So how many sickles do we have? Two. Look at verse 18. And another angel came from the altar which had power over fire, and cried with a loud cry to him that had the sharp sickle, saying, Thrust in thy sharp sickle, and gather clusters of the vine of the earth, for her grapes are fully ripe. And the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth, and cast it into the great winepress of the wrath of God. And the winepress was trodden without the city, and blood came out of the winepress, even under the horse bridles, by the space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs. You have a sickle, the first one for reaping and harvesting and gathering, and now you have a second sickle, it's for destruction and it's for wrath. Two sickles in Revelation 14. Two places mentioned in Revelation 20, hell and then the final casting in the lake of fire. Two baptisms by Jesus mentioned in Matthew 3. The baptism of the Holy Spirit and the baptism with fire. You only get one. You only get one. Are you saved this morning? You saved? Which one did you receive? The baptism of the Holy Ghost. That's the one baptism that we all share. We're not going to be immersed in fire. We're not going to be burned. We're not going to receive any sickle of wrath where blood will be spilled. None of that is for us. And there's no purgatory either. That is right, Jamin. Jesus fans to get rid of what? Chaff. What does Satan do? He sifts. Jesus fans, Satan sifts. Satan wants to keep. He's an evil, he's that wicked one, that old serpent. And he does not want you being part of the good grain. He doesn't want you being harvested for the Lord. And He will do everything in His power to stop you from coming to Christ. That's His goal. And if you farm, some of you have planted some crop, you're going to go out into that harvest and you're going to take up the good crop and you're going to bring it into the garner. That's the idea of us when we go out and witness the field, the harvest, that widowing fan, Jesus wants all to come into the garner. The question is, that harvest is ripe. The question is, after knowing what the baptism of fire is, are we okay with knowing that people will receive that? I'm not. I'd like to say, I can trust, I can say, we are not okay with that. This is why Jesus gave us our Great Commission. Let's go out into that harvest. It's ripe. It's ripe. Let's bring in the sheaves. Let's rescue those who are perishing.