Opener:
Good morning everyone! It is so nice to see every here this morning. We are had wonderful time last week with the Teen Challenge Men’s choir. They shared some wonderful songs and inspiring testimonies of what God can do in a person’s life.
This morning we are continuing our sermon series on “Back to the Basics.” During this series we will be tackling some of the fundamental teachings concerning Christianity. This morning we are talking about two sacraments that are celebrated all around the globe. These sacraments are Water Baptism and Communion.
Before we discuss these sacraments, let’s recap our last message in our Back to the Basics study. As you may recall, we talked about knowing our enemy. We discussed that it is imperative that we understand the tactics and the cunning devises that the enemy implores, because when we understand these tactics, it will help us to defeat him. After learning about our enemy, we learned of the weapons that we have at our disposal.
This morning we are shifting gears a bit and talking about two sacraments of the Christian Church. When discussing a sacrament we need to know what it is. A sacrament is a Christian rite that is recognized as an event with a significant importance. Sacraments are a visible symbol of the reality to God. They really give us a picture of God’s grace for our lives. While sacraments signify God’s grace, they reveal in an outward sign that an inward change has taken place.
This morning our first sacrament that we are going to be participating in is Communion and then I will invite Pastor Leon to expand on Water Baptism. If you have not received a communion cup, they are available on the table located in the back of the sanctuary.
I. Communion
A. Sacrament of Communion
a. As we mentioned earlier, there are two main sacraments in the Christian church the first being baptism while the second being communion.
b. Communion is a personal time that we spend with the Lord.
c. This morning, we are going to celebrate communion. Communion is a solemn time, it is a time that we take a moment to reflect on our lives. We take a moment to reflect on the cross, to reflect on the price that Jesus paid for us. The bible says in 1 Peter 1:18-19 (NKJV)18 knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.
B. History of Communion
a. The Passover meal was celebrated by the disciples in the upper room before Jesus was nailed to the cross.
b. This Passover meal was to remind the children of Israel the time that they were in Egypt, on how they sacrificed a lamb and put that lamb’s blood on their door posts.
c. This was to protect their first born from the death angel.
d. When the disciples celebrated this meal with Jesus, they remember their ancestor’s liberation from Egypt.
e. Jesus became our Passover Lamb.
f. Not only are we to remember His death, that is important, but let us not forget that He is coming back again.
g. For this reason, we need to examine our hearts to see if there is any hidden sin. We care called to keep our hearts clean and be ready for when Jesus returns.
C. Solemn time
a. Communion is a solemn time. It is time that we reflect, not only what Jesus has done for us, but we also take a moment to reflect on our lives. We examine our lives to determine if they are lining up with the Word of God. If there are things that do not line up, if there are things that the Lord is not pleased with, communion, is a time that we repent of those things.
b. The bible says in 1 Corinthians 11: 23-32 23 For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread; 24 and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, [d]“Take, eat; this is My body which is [e]broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” 25 In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes. 27 Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and [f]blood of the Lord. 28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup. 29 For he who eats and drinks [g]in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the [h]Lord’s body. 30 For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep. 31 For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged. 32 But when we are judged, we are chastened by the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world.
c. We are going to partake in communion together in just a moment. We are going to sing a few songs first.
i. Pray over Body and Blood
D. Baptism Instruction
a. I am going to invite Pastor Leon up at this time as he will be sharing on water baptism.
b. Those that have gone through the class this morning, are invited to meet me in the fireside room for further instruction.
II. Water Baptism
A. Why Baptism
a. The bible gives us direction concerning water baptism. It says in Matthew 28:19-20 19 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, 20 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.
B. Jesus was baptized
a. Jesus set us the example for us.
b. Matthew 3:13-15 13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him. 14 And John tried to prevent Him, saying, “I need to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me?” 15 But Jesus answered and said to him, “Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he allowed Him.
C. What baptism is
a. The original context of the word gives us a greater insight into what baptism really is.
b. The Greek word is Baptizo which literally means to plunge under or immerse.
D. Identifying with Christ
a. Water Baptism identifies us with the death, burial and resurrection of Christ.
b. The bible says in Romans 6:4,11 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death, that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the father even so we should walk in newness of life......Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. (KJV)
c. Here we see that baptism is symbolic of the death and resurrection of Christ. As Christ died for our sin, we must be willing to die to sin in this life.
d. When you receive baptism You and I are recognizing that Christ went to the cross and died for our sins. He was buried and went to hell for us and got the keys to the kingdom for us.
e. Jesus did all this so that we would not have to go through this, even though we are the ones that deserved it not Jesus.
f. So when we are baptized, we are by faith, making a public declaration that we believe in Jesus and accept all that He has done for us.
g. We were once spiritually dead, now we have become spiritually alive because of Jesus and His cleansing.
E. Why do this in public
a. The question becomes as to why do we baptize in a a public place.
b. When we lived our lives for the devil, we did it openly and publicly. When we are baptized for Christ, we do this openly and publicly.
c. This is a wonderful opportunity to let others hear your testimony of how Jesus had changed your life.
Closing:
If you have received Jesus as Savior but have not been baptized my encouragement to you is to do so. Now I do not believe that water baptism saves you, rather, you are baptized to follow in the footsteps of Jesus. We are choosing to obey His voice in our lives when we are baptized. He is now the Lord over our life and we are dying to our old self, our old nature and becoming spiritually alive in Christ. Symbolically all that is bad and sinful in nature in your life is being buried and when you come out of those waters you are a brand new person.
