Why Baptism?

November 20, 2022

Preacher: Andrew Love

Series: Special Services

Passage: Matthew 3:1-17

Service Type: Sunday Morning

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

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

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

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

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

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