Obedience In The Ordinances: Baptism And The Lord's Supper

Obedience in the Ordinances:

Baptism and the Lord's Supper

1. Christ Commands, We Obey

There are two sacred practices that Jesus Christ himself commanded his church to observe: baptism and the Lord's Supper. These are not suggestions. They are not optional traditions that we can take or leave depending on our preferences or convenience. They are direct commands from our Lord and Savior, and our response to these commands reveals the true condition of our hearts toward God.

Let’s begin with the Great Commission found in Mat 28:19-20 "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, [20] teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age."

I want you to notice that baptism is not presented to us as an afterthought or an optional ceremony. It is woven into the very fabric of the Great Commission itself. We are to make disciples, baptize them, and teach them to obey everything Christ commanded.

Along the same vein, when Jesus instituted the Lord's Supper in the upper room, he gave us a clear command. Luk 22:19 And when He had taken some bread and given thanks, He broke it and gave it to them, saying, "This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me." Those words "do this" are not a gentle suggestion. They are an imperative command from the Son of God who was about to lay down his life for us.

Now, some might wonder about the importance of baptism when we consider what the apostle Paul wrote to the Corinthian church when he said 1Co 1:14 I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius... And then again, in the same letter, he wrote 1Co 1:17 For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not in cleverness of speech, so that the cross of Christ would not be made void

Does this mean baptism is unimportant? Absolutely not! Paul is addressing a specific problem in the Corinthian church where people were dividing themselves based on who baptized them. Some were saying, "I am of Paul," others "I am of Apollos," and still others "I am of Cephas." Paul's point is crystal clear: the power is not in the person who performs the baptism, but in the gospel message itself and in the one being baptized.

Salvation comes through faith in Jesus Christ, not through the act of baptism or through the person administering it. Paul was emphasizing that his primary calling was to preach the gospel that saves, not to be known as a great baptizer. But notice that Paul never said baptism was unimportant. In fact, he did baptize some people, and he wrote extensively about the meaning and significance of baptism in his letters.

The most powerful example of obedience in baptism comes from Jesus himself. In Matthew chapter three, we read about Jesus coming to John to be baptized. John was troubled by this. Verse fourteen tells us that, Mat 3:14 …John tried to prevent Him, saying, "I have need to be baptized by You, and do You come to me?" John recognized that Jesus was sinless and had no need for a baptism of repentance. But listen to Jesus' response in verse fifteen: Mat 3:15 …"Permit it at this time; for in this way it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness." Then he *permitted Him.

Think about this for a moment. The sinless Son of God, who had no personal need for baptism, submitted himself to this ordinance. Why? To fulfill all righteousness. To model perfect obedience to the Father's will. To identify with humanity. To set an example for every believer who would follow him. If Jesus, who knew no sin, was baptized in obedience to the Father, how much more should we who have been saved by his grace follow his example?

After His baptism, when Jesus came up out of the water, Mat 3:16-17 …behold, the heavens were opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove and lighting on Him, [17] and behold, a voice out of the heavens said, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased." The entire Trinity was present and active at Jesus' baptism, and let me tell you brothers and sisters, that was a powerful affirmation of the significance of this act of obedience.

Beloved, obedience is not about earning our salvation. We are saved by grace through faith, not by works. But genuine faith produces obedience. Jesus said Jhn 14:15 "If you love Me, you will keep My commandments. Our willingness to obey Christ's commands regarding baptism and the Lord's Supper demonstrates the reality of our love for him and our submission to his lordship over our lives.