Title: Keeping the Faith – Communion & Baptism
Theme: To show the importance of baptism in the church.
Text: Matthew 28:18 - 20
Opening Verse:
Matthew 28:18 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen. (Matthew 28:19-20)
Then Peter said to them, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. (Acts 2:38)
Acts 2:38 (Let's read it together)
The disputable word here is "for." It is the Greek word "eis." Some would interpret it to mean "for the purpose of." This interpretation is inconsistent with the meaning of the word 'leis." It means "on the ground of, on the basis of." This would mean that the forgiveness of sins is the basis for, the grounds for being baptized.
On the grounds that you have repented of your sins now you need to be baptized. Completeness. Fulfillment.
As we saw in communion, this is another one of those Essential Acts of salvation. It is essential that we see this.
Importance of Baptism
Our Act of Obedience Matthew 28:18
Matthew 28:18 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen.(Matthew 28:19-20)
It is one of the early commands as Jesus established the New Testament church. It is the staple of the church as one separates themselves from the “old life” into the new.
Our Symbol of Commitment Acts 2:38
Then Peter said to them, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. (Acts 2:38)
Mark 8: 38 If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels."
As we can see from these scriptures there is an expectation that one will be baptized after salvation and repentance. Baptism is an act of obedience.
Symbolizes our New Life in Christ
What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. For he who has died has been freed from sin. Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him. For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. (Romans 6:1-13)
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. (2 Corinthians 5:17)
What a beautiful picture of baptism. A symbol of Christ's death and resurrection. Also new life in Christ for us.
Acceptance – Moving Forward – Acts 2:38
Then Peter said to them, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. (Acts 2:38)
Kai – kahee - and, also, even, so, then, too, etc.;
repent – metanoeō - to change ones mind, course of action.
To repent means to move forward, in another direction.
Unity – Book of Acts
New Testament Church of Acts Acts 2:38 (NT Church); 41, 8:12 -13 (Simon), Acts 8:36 – 38 (Eunch) , Acts 9:18 (Paul), Acts 10:47 – 48 (Gentiles), Acts 16:15 (Priscilla), Acts 16:33 (Jailer), Acts 18:8 (Corinthians), Acts 19:5 (Gentiles), Acts 22:16 (others)
Over and over again we see the New Testament church practiced the discipline of baptism. It was a common practice after salvation.
Equality in the Church
( 1 Corinthians 1:12-13) Now I say this, that each of you says, "I am of Paul," or "I am of Apollos," or "I am of Cephas," or "I am of Christ." Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?
1 Corinthians_12:13 For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body--whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free--and have all been made to drink into one Spirit.
This is the final mystery of baptism. It shows the equality. The equality of the church and Christians. We all are the same and have been baptized.
