Core 52 Week 39 - Baptism - Coming Alive In Christ Series

You can hear the audio of the sermon here: https://www.buzzsprout.com/697261/5630737

Core 52 Week

Intro:

• Gift I never used (free weights). Missed an opportunity.

• Baptism could be a gift we never open, or don’t really accept like we should. We need to know and understand what immersion is and take advantage of it.

• It’s a big deal. Every church throughout history has practiced baptism in some form.

• Different modes and timing. It can be confusing.

• But it is a core Christian practice - a sacrament. Not just a symbol but a “sacred reenactment on earth that accomplishes (or reflects) something happening in heaven.”

• It is so important that Jesus began his ministry by being immersed

Matthew 3:16–17 NLT

16 After his baptism, as Jesus came up out of the water, the heavens were opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and settling on him. 17 And a voice from heaven said, “This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy.”

• It was a pivotal point in his mission.

• The same is true for us. It is an amazing gift and a core command.

• We can’t assume any more that everyone understands what the big deal is. Today we’ll answer some of the common questions about baptism. We want to be sure that everyone who has already experienced immersion understands what happened and to clarify for those who haven’t. We want to remove any barriers to someone choosing to be immersed in Christ.

• Let’s unpack this gift together:

Immersion vs. Sprinkling

• For hundreds of years, the church practiced immersion as the normative form of baptism.

• The word lit. means “to dip” or “immerse.”

John 3:23 NLT

23 At this time John the Baptist was baptizing at Aenon, near Salim, because there was plenty of water there; and people kept coming to him for baptism.

Acts 8:38 NLT

38 He ordered the carriage to stop, and they went down into the water, and Philip baptized him.

• The value in the practice of immersion is that it is a powerful picture of Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection.

Romans 6:4–5 NLT

4 For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives. 5 Since we have been united with him in his death, we will also be raised to life as he was.

• No other mode displays the purpose of baptism as clearly as immersion.

• All we’re saying at this point is that immersion is the original form of baptism.

• Consider that seeing a loved one immersed into Christ may be the only time friends and family may see a reenactment of Jesus’ death and resurrection.

• Speak to those who were sprinkled as children and fear that submitting to immersion may insult their parents. Not so. We are not saying they were wrong.

o “In fact, we are saying “thank you!” And now, being immersed with my own confession means that you have completely accomplished your role to instill faith in my life.”

o We are affirming that what they started in us has come to full fruition through the Spirit.

Is Baptism Essential?

• Doctrine: We are saved when we are sealed with the HS. God determines when, where and how we are saved.

• Baptism is an essential and culminating part of the process.

• Not everyone is at the same place in their spiritual development. Bible teaches us that there are different steps in the process of conversion:

o Hearing -

Romans 10:17 NLT

17 So faith comes from hearing, that is, hearing the Good News about Christ.

o Repenting of our past -

Acts 20:21 NLT

21 I have had one message for Jews and Greeks alike—the necessity of repenting from sin and turning to God, and of having faith in our Lord Jesus.

o Confessing our sins. -

1 John 1:9 NLT

9 But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.

• This is the process of pledging our allegiance (loyalty) to Christ.

• Immersion is the “end of the beginning.” The culmination of conversion.

• The Bible consistently portrays that the confession of faith was in the act of baptism.

Acts 2:41 NLT

41 Those who believed what Peter said were baptized and added to the church that day—about 3,000 in all.

Acts 16:33 NLT

33 Even at that hour of the night, the jailer cared for them and washed their wounds. Then he and everyone in his household were immediately baptized.

• Baptism is compared to: