In The Name Of Jesus: Washed And Made New

Sermon Title: “In the Name of Jesus: Washed and Made New”

Introduction – A Personal Story

I want to begin by taking you back to a moment that has shaped my entire life. I was nine years old. I had gone to the altar and given my heart to the Lord. There, as I repented and called on Jesus, I was filled with the Holy Spirit My pastor baptized me in the name of Jesus.

I remember my mom asking me afterwards, “How do you feel?” I didn’t hesitate. I said, “I feel clean.”

That was a watershed moment for me. I have gone back to that moment again and again in my walk with God. Why? Because it was there that something definitive happened. My sins were washed away. My identity was changed. I went down in the name of Jesus, and I came up clean.

I. The Ministry of John – A Call to Repentance (Mark 1:4–5; Luke 3:3)

Before Jesus began His public ministry, God raised up a voice crying in the wilderness—John the Baptist. His baptism was one of repentance. It prepared the people for the coming of the Lord. Mark 1:4 says:

“John came baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.”

People came out confessing their sins, turning from their old lives, and submitting to the washing of water. This wasn’t just a ritual—it was a statement: “I’m done with the old. I want to be ready for the new.”

But John’s baptism was not the final word. He said:

“I indeed baptize you with water; but One mightier than I is coming… He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.” (Luke 3:16)

John’s ministry pointed ahead to something greater—to Jesus and the new birth that would come through water and Spirit.

II. Jesus’s Baptism – Our Example and Identification

Text: Matthew 3:13–17

Even though Jesus had no sin to repent of, He came to John and was baptized. When John resisted, Jesus said:

“Let it be so now; it is proper for us to fulfill all righteousness.” (Matt. 3:15)

In being baptized, Jesus did not repent—He identified. He stood in our place. He stepped into the waters of repentance with humanity. And as He came up from the water, heaven opened, the Spirit descended like a dove, and a voice said:

“This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”

In Jesus’s baptism, we see both His humility and the divine approval that marks baptism as more than a symbolic act—it is a moment when heaven speaks.

III. Jesus and His Disciples Baptizing

Text: John 3:22; 4:1–2

Later in His ministry, we read:

“After these things Jesus and His disciples came into the land of Judea, and there He remained with them and baptized.” (John 3:22)

John 4:2 clarifies that Jesus Himself didn’t baptize, but His disciples did—under His authority. Baptism became a regular part of the ministry of the kingdom, even before Pentecost.

This sets a pattern: the call to repent and be baptized was not a temporary act of John’s ministry—it was central to the mission of Jesus and His followers.

IV. The Apostolic Pattern – Baptism in the Name of Jesus

Key Texts: Acts 2:38; Acts 8:16; Acts 10:48; Acts 19:5; Acts 22:16; Romans 6:3–4; Galatians 3:27; Colossians 2:11–12; James 2:7

After Jesus rose from the dead, He gave His disciples one last commission:

“Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” (Matthew 28:19, CSB)

How did the apostles understand and obey this command?

Acts 2:38 – On the Day of Pentecost

Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, declared:

“‘Repent and be baptized, each of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.’” (Acts 2:38, CSB)

This was the first sermon of the church. Thousands responded—and they were baptized in the name of Jesus Christ.

Acts 8:16 – The Samaritans

“…they had not yet received the Holy Spirit. They had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.” (Acts 8:16, CSB)

Acts 10:48 – Cornelius and His Household

“He commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to stay for a few days.” (Acts 10:48, CSB)

Acts 19:5 – Disciples of John in Ephesus

“When they heard this, they were baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus.” (Acts 19:5, CSB)

Acts 22:16 – Paul’s Own Testimony

“And now, why are you delaying? Get up and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on his name.” (Acts 22:16, CSB)

Romans 6:3–4 – Baptism as Union with Christ’s Death and Resurrection