3:16 — Luke 3:16

From Luke 3:16, John the Baptist points beyond his own water baptism to One who will baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire. The message takes up the Spirit as the often forgotten member of the Trinity, contrasting how indispensable He was to the early church with how marginal He has become. Before the cross, the Spirit dwelt in the Holy of Holies, accessible to one priest one day a year; when the veil tore, the Spirit came to indwell every believer. The Spirit is shown to be God, who thinks, feels, and acts, our counselor pleading the Father's case in our hearts. Several ministries of the Spirit are surveyed: glorifying Christ, convicting of sin, regenerating, comforting, gifting, unifying the body, assuring salvation, teaching Scripture, and sanctifying. The closing call is to be filled with the Spirit, since the fruit of the Spirit, not programs, marks His work.