Going Public For Jesus

GOING PUBLIC FOR JESUS

BAPTISM IS IDENTIFICATION

MATT 3:13-17; 28:19-20; ROM 6:1-7

INTRODUCTION: TODAY IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST EXCITING EVENTS IN THE LIFE OF A LOCAL CHURCH. BAPTISM IS THE EVIDENCE OF SOMEONE WHO HAS MADE A DECISION FOR CHRIST COMING TO THE PLACE WHERE THEY WANT TO MAKE A POWERFUL AND VISIBLE DECLARATION THAT THEY HAVE INVITED JESUS CHRIST INTO THEIR LIFE, AND THAT THROUGH HIS FORGIVENESS OF THEIR SINS THEY HAVE AN ASSURANCE OF HEAVEN.

THIS MORNING, I WANTED TO TAKE A FEW MOMENTS BEFORE THE ACTUAL BAPTISM TO LOOK INTO THE WORD OF GOD REGARDING THE MEANING OF BAPTISM.

WHEN ONE LOOKS AT THE SCRIPTURE AND BAPTISM THROUGH THE EYES OF JESUS AND THE WRITING OF PAUL TO THE ROMANS WHAT WE CAN SEE IS THAT BAPTISM IS A VISIBLE WAY THAT WE IDENTIFY WITH CHRIST AND HIS FINISHED WORK, AND THAT THIS IDENTIFICATION IS A VIABLE PART OF THE SPIRITUAL GROWTH OF A FOLLOWER OF CHRIST.

I. IDENTIFICATION THROUGH BAPTISM WAS MODELED BY JESUS

MATTHEW 3:13–17 THEN JESUS CAME FROM GALILEE TO THE JORDAN TO BE BAPTIZED BY JOHN. 14BUT JOHN TRIED TO DETER HIM, SAYING, “I NEED TO BE BAPTIZED BY YOU, AND DO YOU COME TO ME?” 15JESUS REPLIED, “LET IT BE SO NOW; IT IS PROPER FOR US TO DO THIS TO FULFILL ALL RIGHTEOUSNESS.” THEN JOHN CONSENTED. 16AS SOON AS JESUS WAS BAPTIZED, HE WENT UP OUT OF THE WATER. AT THAT MOMENT HEAVEN WAS OPENED, AND HE SAW THE SPIRIT OF GOD DESCENDING LIKE A DOVE AND LIGHTING ON HIM. 17AND A VOICE FROM HEAVEN SAID, “THIS IS MY SON, WHOM I LOVE; WITH HIM I AM WELL PLEASED.”

a. AT THE BEGINNING OF HIS MINISTRY, JESUS COMES TO JOHN THE BAPTIST TO BE BAPTIZED BY HIM.

b. THE MINISTRY OF JOHN THE BAPTIST

i. HIS MINISTRY WAS ONE OF PREPARATION FOR JESUS – ISA 40:3 – PREPARE YE THE WAY OF THE LORD

ii. WE KNOW HE PROVOKED THE RELIGIOUS LEADERS OF THE DAY

iii. WE KNOW HE CALLED OUT SIN OF THOSE IN POWER

iv. WE KNOW HE WAS IMPRISONED FOR HIS FAITH

v. WE KNOW HE WAS BEHEADED

c. THE MESSAGE OF JOHN THE BAPTIST

i. REPENT FOR THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN IS AT HAND – A MESSAGE TO THE JEWS

1. JOHN IS LOOKING FOR THE RESPONSE OF REPENTANCE

a. THE GREEK WORD FOR REPENTANCE IS “METANOEO”

b. COMBINATION OF TWO WORDS

i. “META” WHICH MEANS TO CHANGE

ii. “NOIA” OR “NOUS” WHICH MEANS TO PERCEIVE/THE MIND

2. JOHN WAS TEACHING THAT REPENTANCE INVOLVES MY THOUGHTS, MY WORDS AND MY DEEDS

3. REPENTANCE IS A CHANGE OF THE MIND

a. IT IS POSSIBLE TO FEEL BAD ABOUT OUR SIN BUT NOT CHANGE OUR MIND ABOUT SIN

b. PAUL TELLS US TO RENEW OUR MINDS

c. SOLOMON TELLS US THAT AS A MAN THINKS, SO IS HE

4. REPENTANCE IS A CHANGE WITH OUT WORDS

a. WHEN JOHN WAS BAPTIZING AT THE JORDON JEWS WERE CONFESSING THEIR SINS – VERBAL IDENTIFICATION

b. WE ARE TO HAVE HONEST RECOGNITION AND CONFESSION OF OUR SIN – 1 JOHN 1:9

5. REPENTANCE IS A CHANGE WITH OUR DEEDS/ACTIONS

a. WHEN JOHN WAS BAPTIZING, HE ENCOURAGED THOSE BEING BAPTIZED TO PRODUCE FRUIT IN KEEPING WITH RIGHTEOUSNESS

b. IF WE WERE TO LOOK AT THE PASSAGE ON THE GOSPEL OF LUKE WE WOULD FIND THAT JOHN DEFINES TRUE REPENTANCE IN DEED AS GENEROSITY, INTEGRITY AND CONTENTMENT.

LUKE 3:10–14 “WHAT SHOULD WE DO THEN?” THE CROWD ASKED. 11JOHN ANSWERED, “THE MAN WITH TWO TUNICS SHOULD SHARE WITH HIM WHO HAS NONE, AND THE ONE WHO HAS FOOD SHOULD DO THE SAME.” 12TAX COLLECTORS ALSO CAME TO BE BAPTIZED. “TEACHER,” THEY ASKED, “WHAT SHOULD WE DO?” 13“DON’T COLLECT ANY MORE THAN YOU ARE REQUIRED TO,” HE TOLD THEM. 14THEN SOME SOLDIERS ASKED HIM, “AND WHAT SHOULD WE DO?” HE REPLIED, “DON’T EXTORT MONEY AND DON’T ACCUSE PEOPLE FALSELY—BE CONTENT WITH YOUR PAY.”

6. JOHN GIVES THE REASON FOR REPENTANCE – THE KINGDOM IS COMING

a. THIS IS AN OBJECTIVE REASON – REPENT BECAUSE THIS IS SOMETHING GOD DEMANDS

b. JOHN PREACHES THE KINGDOM IN THE FUTURE – THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN IS AT HAND

c. LATER IN THE BOOK OF ACTS WE WOULD FIND THAT THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN IS PREACHED IN THE PRESENT TENSE – THE KINGDOM ID HERE

d. JESUS IS THE REASON THE KINGDOM IS PRESENT AND NOT YET TO COME

d. WHY JESUS COMES TO BE BAPTIZED BY JOHN

i. JESUS DID NOT NEED TO BE BAPTIZED BY JOHN

ii. JESUS WAS SINLESS, AND THEREFORE HAD NOTHING TO REPENT OF

iii. THREE REASONS BEHIND THE BAPTISM OF JESUS

1. IT IDENTIFIED JESUS WITH THE PEOPLE HE CAME TO SAVE AND THEIR NEED

a. THAT IDENTIFICATION CAME TO ITS FULNESS WHEN JESUS WAS ON THE CROSS.