Dakota Community Church
August 3, 2008
Open Heaven
I want to begin by praying for the family and friends of Tim Mclean.
My spirit is deeply grieved by the endless horrific examples of depravity that have resulted from the fall of man.
2 Peter 3:11
You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming.
Revelation 22:20
Yes, I am coming soon." Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.
The topic for this morning is water baptism but as I prepared this message the roundabout truth that emerged is really about the Lordship of Christ.
Let’s begin by looking at Jesus’ baptism.
Matthew 3:13-17
Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. But John tried to deter him, saying, "I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?"
Jesus replied, "Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness." Then John consented.
As 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. And a voice from heaven said, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased."
There are three things that I want us to take special note of from this passage this morning.
1. Jesus doesn’t have to do it.
Baptism is symbolic of repentance from sin, death to self and resurrection in Christ.
Romans 6: 1-7
What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.
Jesus doesn’t have to die to sin, He is the holy one, He is Lord of Lords and King of Kings, He is the righteous pure spotless lamb, when He speaks the demons tremble, sickness flees, darkness is dispelled and heaven and earth respond in obedience. And yet; Jesus replied, "Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness."
Jesus does not have to get baptized and yet He does it in order to fulfill all righteousness!
If you have not been baptized can I ask you why not?
Do you feel silly being out in public at the lake “getting dunked”?
Do you feel that your baby sprinkling was good enough and you don’t want to offend your family?
Baptism is a choice to obey and follow Jesus. It is a choice that can only be made by an adult.
Greek:
Baptizo - to plunge under, dip, or immerse.
Two Greek words translated "sprinkle" are RANTIZO and ECHEO. Neither word is found in the Bible in relation to baptism.
Think about this for a minute, Jesus, the one who was without sin, got baptized in order to fulfill all righteousness… but you don’t have to?
We are living in a wonderful age of grace where mercy and forgiveness flow in abundance; however, JESUS IS STILL LORD!
The emergent church has been bringing some wonderful and vital topics of discussion to the table in recent years… but the Lordship of Christ is not open for discussion if you are a Christian.
Since that is true let me just ask you;
- If no one is telling what to do with your money
- And no one is telling you about church attendance
- And no one is telling you about commitment to the Body
- And no one is telling you who to associate with or not
- And no one is telling you who to forgive or not
Just when and where is Jesus Lord of your life?
Let me word it another way. If YOU decide about giving, and YOU decide about when, where, or if you will participate in the Body, and if YOU decide who will be your friends, and if YOU decide what ministry you will or will not do, and YOU decide whether or not baptism makes any sense
THEN… Jesus is not Lord of your life because YOU STILL ARE!
Matthew 28:19-20
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."
Matthew 16:15-16
He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.
Jesus did not have need of it and yet He did it; on top of that:
2. His family tried to dissuade him.
When Jesus makes the decision to “Fulfill all righteousness” the first thing that happens is His cousin Johnny tells Him it is a crazy idea.
But John tried to deter him, saying, "I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?"
Now I know that this is not the typical reason for family members trying to discourage you from obeying God… but the idea is the same.
We often face our hardest challenges in serving God from family members who oppose us.
How many people are willing to disobey God in order to avoid offending some family member? I don’t think we should in anyway be offensive to our extended families, especially when it comes to the ones who are strangers to the cross; but when it comes to issues of obedience we must choose LORD Jesus.
Acts 5:28-30
"We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name," he said. "Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to make us guilty of this man’s blood."
Peter and the other apostles replied: "We must obey God rather than men! The God of our fathers raised Jesus from the dead—whom you had killed by hanging him on a tree.
This thing is born in the choice of Lordship. Jesus was not careful not to offend. Look at these quotes that suggest He was focused on something other than the family.
Luke 14:25-27
Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said: "If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters—yes, even his own life—he cannot be my disciple. And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.
Matthew 10:32-39
"Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven. But whoever disowns me before men, I will disown him before my Father in heaven.
"Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to turn " ’a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law - a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.’
"Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
Matthew 12:46-50
While Jesus was still talking to the crowd, his mother and brothers stood outside, wanting to speak to him. Someone told him, "Your mother and brothers are standing outside, wanting to speak to you."
He replied to him, "Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?" Pointing to his disciples, he said, "Here are my mother and my brothers. For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother."
Clearly Jesus was not anti-family, he is the creator of two becoming one flesh, but in these instances he is talking about Lordship and obedience.
How about you? Are you willing to fulfill all righteousness where baptism is concerned? Are you willing to love God more than family or friends? Are you willing to be willing and obedient?
Now you may be thinking; “Hey pastor Dan this is pretty tough talk for a sermon titled "Open Heaven", this isn’t really what I was expecting.”
Well you will want to pay special attention to this next point.
3. Heaven opens at the Fathers pleasure.
At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased."
When the Lordship issue is settled it is pleasing to God.
Now a lot of people these days have difficulty with the idea of trying to please God because they equate that somehow with earning God’s love; but, any parent can tell you that you can wholly and completely love a child while at the same time being exceptionally pleased or displeased with a given behavior.
Jesus sought to please the Father but we shouldn’t have to?
John 5:30
By myself I can do nothing; I judge only as I hear, and my judgment is just, for I seek not to please myself but him who sent me.
Romans 8:6-8
The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace; the sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God.
Refusal to submit is the Lordship issue again.
1 Thessalonians 4:1
Finally, brothers, we instructed you how to live in order to please God, as in fact you are living. Now we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus to do this more and more.
Live a life that pleases God… do this more and more!
A life that pleases God opens heaven.
When Stephen was obeying God and hating his own life he saw heaven open and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.
Stephens sacrifice brought Jesus to His feet!
Live a life that pleases God.
Live a life that chooses Lordship over self governance.
Live a life that is in submission to Christ.
Step One: BAPTISM
PowerPoint available (Free of charge) on request dcormie@mts.net
