¹¹ “I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me comes one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. ¹² His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor, gathering his wheat into the barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”

What does it mean He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire? John is talking about the baptism Jesus’ brings.

As soon as you say “baptism of the Holy Spirit” it conjures up all sorts of things like people falling on the floor, charismatic style, rolling and screaming. But is that what is meant here?

And fire. What is meant by that Is this the fire of judgment that we see in the next verse? Is it the tongues of fire that we saw at Pentecost?

The most important thing to ask is what is the big picture? And here is the big picture.

1. One is coming after me and he is far greater and powerful. He is also holy.
2. His baptism will be different than mine and likewise, more powerful.
3. He is already gathering those who are his own and burning up those who are not.

If you are in the crowd and hearing this, you are both curious and eager to see this other “one” but at the same time rightly a little bit fearful. But you definitely looking out for this person John is speaking about.

Now as for the details, there is the Holy Spirit.

1. We know in Acts that often at the baptism of the Holy Spirit the people often spoke in unknown languages. Same as at Pentecost (Acts 2).
2. We see that the Holy Spirit was a seal (2 Corinthians 1:22; 5:5; Ephesians 1:13-14; 4:30) where he claims us as our own.
3. He is the power inside of us that transforms us and bears fruit (Gal 5:22-23).

The baptism of the Holy Spirit is the immersion into the Holy Spirit that the believer experiences. The Holy Spirit then gives us fruit, gifts, a mark of ownership and power.

Now per the fire that is unquenchable. This appears to be more the fire of judgment than that of Pentecost. We saw almost the exact same warning in v. 10 that there needed to be fruit with repentance.

What he is saying is that those are his will be gathered. And those who are not will be destroyed by fire like the chaff. It is most definitely language of judgment. Judgment is coming.

Interesting both texts talk about the proximity of that judgment. In verse 10 it says the ax is already at the root of the trees. And here it says his winnowing fork is in his hands. It’s not a far off thing that they can put off. They need turn to God now.

And perhaps that the message. Don’t play games with God. Stop justifying your sin. It is time to get into right relationship with God. A day of judgment is coming. Those who are his he will gather. And those who are unrepentant will face the fire of judgment.

Go to any funeral and most think that pretty much everyone goes to heaven. But these verses speak a different story.