Why Baptism?
Introduction
We want people to know God
The reason we hold services, clubs, assemblies and meals – we want people to know God
We are to worship and glorify God
But we want people to repent of their sin and come to know the Lord Jesus as their personal Lord and Saviour
So much that militates against the Gospel
Religious teaching contrary to Scripture
Diminishing churches – that are no longer teaching the Bible
Secular humanist culture
Prevailing unbelief
Jesus has promised to build His Church throughout the world
The fastest growing churches in the UK are the evangelical churches
Today: 3 baptisms – this brings us great joy
Baptism does not make you a Christian
Baptism is a sign and declaration that a person is already a Christian
Baptism is not to gain entry to membership of a Baptist Church
It is a symbol of death, burial and resurrection
Following biblical example:
Believer’s baptism (not of babies)
Baptism is a sign:
Of something deep in their life – a personal trust in the Lord Jesus Christ
A public act
Why Baptism?
Looking at the baptism of Jesus Christ and a pattern for today
There was something unique about Jesus’ baptism
The heaven’s opened
A dove alighted
He was anointed with the Holy Spirit
The voice of God the Father spoke from heaven
It was a seal of approval on Jesus and His subsequent ministry
An Act of Humiliation (v13-14)
A vast number of people came out to be baptised by John the Baptist (v5-6)
These sinners were baptised in the river Jordan
As they were baptised, they confessed their sins (to God)
A baptism of repentance
There were hypocrites present – the pharisees and saducees
John the Baptist called these a ‘brood of vipers’
They were not to continue in their hypocrisy but to bear fruits worthy of repentance (v8)
Are there some in Church today like this?
Jesus comes to John the Baptist to be baptised (v13)
John cannot understand this because Jesus is not a sinner
John knows He is the "Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world"
Jesus identified Himself with sinners
On the cross – "He was numbered with the transgressors"
He had come not for the righteous but for the sinner
An act of tremendous humility
He is not ashamed to draw along sinners and be identified with us
He who knew no sin, became sin for us
Our sins were placed on the sinless Saviour
Example of funeral
His righteousness is given to us – if we trust in Him
Baptism is a humble act
An admission that we are a sinner and trusting in Jesus Christ as our Saviour
An Act of Obedience (v15)
Jesus was commissioned to be baptised to start His ministry
He must fulfil all the righteous requirements given to Him by God the Father
Jesus was giving an example to His people
Just as He was baptised at the start of His ministry we are to be baptised at the start of our Christian life
Example of the Ethiopian Enuch
He was reading the Scriptures about Jesus Christ
Philip preached Jesus to him
He was convinced that Jesus was Lord and wanted to be baptised
He went down into the water and was baptised by Philip
He was baptised in obedience to the command of Jesus Christ
The first act of obedience after belief, is baptism
Rom 6:4
Baptism is an act of obedience
A Symbolic Act
For Jesus – it was a prophetic act (not the symbolic washing away of sin)
(For us – it symbolises we are washed of sin in the blood of Jesus)
It was a symbol of his death, burial and resurrection
A baptism of death
For us – it symbolises the washing away of sin
Do you recognise that you are a sinner?
Explanation
Do you understand that you have broke the law of God?
Do you understand that you will never merit heaven?
Do you understand you are under condemnation as a sinner?
Do you understand the wages of sin is death?
Yet the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus
It is of God’s grace and love
Baptism is a symbolic act
An Approved Act
God the Father spoke from heaven and approved Jesus’ baptism
How is this a pattern for us today?
Our baptism is approved by God
It is a means of grace – given for our blessing
There are false baptisms in the Bible
Example of Simon Magus
For those who are sincere – God’s approval is upon this act
An Act of Commitment
Shortly after he went into the desert (to be tempted) and then started His ministry
He committed Himself to the work ahead – which led all the way to Calvary
The 3,000 who were baptised committed themselves to the apostle’s teaching (Acts 2:42)
Example of lady who missed fellowship
Baptism was in the context of ongoing discipleship
Closing Remarks
Recap of main points
Jesus Christ went through baptism and calls all His followers to baptism
If you are in Christ but have not yet been baptised – be baptised