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.
b. VERY NATURE OF GOD, AND MADE HIMSELF NOTHING
c. HE WAS RICH YET FOR OUR SAKES BECAME POOR
2. THE BAPTISM OF CHRIST ANTICIPATED THE CROSS WORK OF CHRIST
a. LATER IN HIS MINISTRY JESUS WOULD SPEAK ABOUT THE BAPTISM HE WOULD BE BAPTIZED WITH
b. THE BAPTISM OF A FOLLOWER OF CHRIST LOOKS BACK AT THE FINISHED CROSS WORK OF CHRIST AND IDENTIFIES US WITH CHRIST
c. FOR JESUS, HIS BAPTISM LOOKED FORWARD TO HIS DEATH, BURIAL AND RESURRECTION.
3. THE BAPTISM OF JESUS WAS ALSO THE POINT WHERE HE WAS SEPARATED FOR HIS EARTHLY MINISTRY
a. HEAVENS OPENED, DESCENT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, AND THE WORDS OF GOD THE FATHER
II. IDENTIFICATION THOUGH BAPTISM WAS COMMANDED BY JESUS
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, 20AND TEACHING THEM TO OBEY EVERYTHING I HAVE COMMANDED YOU. AND SURELY I AM WITH YOU ALWAYS, TO THE VERY END OF THE AGE.”
a. AS WE TALKED ABOUT AT THE BAPTISM OF JESUS, CHRIST WAS LOOKING FORWARD TO WHAT HE WAS GOING TO DO – THE CROSS
b. HERE AT THE END OF THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW, JESUS IS NOW INSTRUCTING HIS DISCIPLES
i. THERE IS NO NEGOTIATION
ii. THERE IS ONLY OBEDIENCE – THIS IS WHAT CHRIST EXPECTS OF THOSE WHO FOLLOW HIM
iii. FOLLOWERS OF CHRIST ARE EXPECTED TO:
1. GO – WE FIND OUT LATER THIS IS TO START WHERE WE ARE AND RADIATE OUTWARD
2. MAKE DISCIPLES – DISCIPLES COME FROM SALVATION DECISIONS AND SALVATION DECISIONS COME FROM COMMUNICATING THE GOSPEL
3. BAPTIZING – BRING OTHERS TO THE POINT OF IDENTIFYING WITH JESUS
4. TEACHING – MAKING SURE THAT THE MESSAGE OF CHRIST IS TAUGHT
iv. THOSE WHO WENT OUT WITH THE GREAT COMMISSION WENT OUT WITH BOTH THE AUTHORITY FROM GOD AND THE PRESENCE OF CHRIST
v. NOTICE THAT BAPTISM IS THE FIRST ACTIVITY FOR A NEW BELIEVER
1. IDENTIFICATION IS THE EXPECTATION!
c. CHRIST EXPECTED NEW BELIEVERS TO BE IDENTIFIED WITH HIM THROUGH BAPTISM
III. BAPTISM IDENTIFIES THE BELIEVER WITH THE PERSON AND FINISHED WORK OF JESUS
ROMANS 6:1–7 WHAT SHALL WE SAY, THEN? SHALL WE GO ON SINNING SO THAT GRACE MAY INCREASE? 2BY NO MEANS! WE DIED TO SIN; HOW CAN WE LIVE IN IT ANY LONGER? 3OR DON’T YOU KNOW THAT ALL OF US WHO WERE BAPTIZED INTO CHRIST JESUS WERE BAPTIZED INTO HIS DEATH? 4WE 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. 5IF WE HAVE BEEN UNITED WITH HIM LIKE THIS IN HIS DEATH, WE WILL CERTAINLY ALSO BE UNITED WITH HIM IN HIS RESURRECTION. 6FOR WE KNOW THAT OUR OLD SELF WAS CRUCIFIED WITH HIM SO THAT THE BODY OF SIN MIGHT BE DONE AWAY WITH, THAT WE SHOULD NO LONGER BE SLAVES TO SIN— 7BECAUSE ANYONE WHO HAS DIED HAS BEEN FREED FROM SIN.
a. HERE IN ROMANS 6 THE APOSTLE PAUL TEACHES THE CHURCH AT ROME ABOUT THE SIGNIFICANCE OF BAPTISM
b. SALVATION IS AN INTERNAL EVENT WHERE JESUS COMES INTO UR LIVES
c. BAPTISM IS AN OUTWARD EVENT WHERE LET OTHERS SEE WHAT HAS HAPPENED IN OUR LIVES
d. BAPTISM BY IMMERSION AND AFTER SALVATION BEST FITS THE MODEL
i. AFTER SALVATION IS WHAT JESUS DIRECTED IN THE GREAT COMMISSION AND WAS THE PRACTICE OF THE EARLY CHURCH
ii. SINCE BAPTISM IS A SYMBOL, YOU NEED TO BE ABLE TO COMPREHEND THE MEANING OF THE SYMBOL IN ORDER TO UNDERSTAND ITS SIGNIFICANCE
e. THE FOLLOWER IS CHRIST IS TO LIVE LIFE IN A NEW QUALITY AND OR CHARACTER
f. BAPTISM IDENTIFIES US WITH THE DEATH OF JESUS
i. JESUS PAID THE PENALTY FOR OUR SIN
ii. WHEN WE ACCEPTED JESUS AS OUR SAVIOR WE DIED TO SIN AND BROKE THE HOLD IT HAD ON US.
iii. WE SEE THIS IN THE PORTION OF BAPTISM WHERE WE ARE LAID DOWN INTO THE WATER
g. BAPTISM IDENTIFIES US WITH THE DEATH OF JESUS
i. JESUS HAD TO DIE TO BE THE SACRIFICE FOR OUR SINS
ii. WHEN WE ACCEPT CHRIST AS OUR SAVIOR, WE BREAK THE BOND SIN HAD ON US – WE ARE FREE TO FOLLOW CHRIST
iii. THE DEATH OF CHRIST IS REPRESENTED WHEN WE ARE UNDER THE WATER
h. BAPTISM IDENTIFIES US WITH THE RESURRECTION OF CHRIST
i. THE BIBLE TELLS US THAT IS THERE IS NO HOPE OF A RESURRECTION THAN FOLLOWERS OF CHRIST ARE THE MOST MISERABLE OF PEOPLE
ii. THE FACT THAT JESUS ROSE FROM THE DEAD IS THE ASSURANCE THAT HIS SACRIFICE IS ACCEPTED GOD THE FATHER AND THAT WHAT HE DID WAS COMPLETELY SUFFICIENT.
iii. THE RESURRECTION OF CHRIST IS REPRESENTED WHEN WE ARE BROUGHT UP OUT OF THE WATER.
i. BAPTISM FOR THE FOLLOWER OF CHRIST IS MEANT TO SHOW WHOMEVER MAY BE WATCHING THAT WE HAVE ACCEPTED CHRIST AS OUR SAVIOR AND THAT WE ARE TAKING THE FIRST STEP OF FOLLOWING HIM BY RESPONDING TO HIS COMMAND TO BE BAPTIZED.
