November 20, 2022

Why Baptism?

Preacher:
Passage: Matthew 3:1-17
Service Type:

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