THE BAPTISM AND GENEOLOGY OF JESUS
Luke 3:21-38
I. THE BAPTISM OF JESUS. (vv. 21-22)
Note: Some Problems associated with Baptism:
* Should people be baptized?
+ with water?
+ in the Spirit?
* Who should be baptized?
+ Babies?
+ Adolescents?
+ Adults?
+ Only believers?
* Why should people be baptized?
+ for salvation?
+ to confer grace?
+ as an obedient act?
+ as an act of identification?
* How should people be baptized?
+ sprinkled?
+ poured?
+ dipped?
- once?
- 3 times?
- 7 times?
- backward?
- forward?
A. The Practice of baptism.
* The Jewish religion had many ritual washings, but did not baptize in the Christian
sense.
* John was sent to preach and BAPTIZE. (Luke 3:3; John 1:33)
* JESUS submitted Himself to the ordinance of baptism at age 30.
(Luke 3:21-22; Matthew 3:13-17)
* JESUS’ disciples were baptized by John. (John 1:35-51)
* With the aid of His disciples, JESUS practiced baptism. (John 4:1-3)
* JESUS included baptism in His Great Commission. (Mark 16:15; Matthew 28:19-20)
* The Apostles practiced baptism as a part of the Early Church’s ministry. (Acts 2:38-47; 8:13-40; 9:18; 10:47-48; 16:14-15, 33; 19:5)
* The Apostles included baptism as a part of their New Testament Epistle teachings.
(Romans 6:3-4; Galatians 3:2-7; Ephesians 4:5; Colossians 2:12; I Corinthians 10:1-2)
B. The Procedure for baptism.
* Revealed by the Greek words used in the New Testament.
+ Greek BAPTIZO & BAPTIZMA found 96 times in the New Testament; meaning
"to dip", "to submerge", "to immerse";
+ Greek RANTIZO found 6 times in the N.T.; meaning "to sprinkle"; always used
of blood not water; never translated "baptize"
* Revealed in the Biblical examples of baptism.
+ John baptized in the Jordan River because there was "much water" there.
(John 3:23)
+ After His baptism, JESUS came "up out of the water". (Matthew 3:16)
+ When Philip baptized the Ethiopian, they both "went down into the water", and
then they both "came up out of the water". (Acts 8:36-39)
* Revealed in the symbolism which baptism pictures.
+ Baptism pictures the death, burial and resurrection of JESUS. (Romans 6:3)
+ Baptism pictures our death to sin and resurrection to new life. (Romans 6:3-4)
+ Baptism is compared to the planting and sprouting of a seed. (Romans 6:5)
C. The Purpose of baptism.
* Consider some things that baptism does not do:
+ It does not save us.
+ It does not wash away sin.
+ It does not give us the Holy Spirit.
+ It does not "confer" grace.
* Consider some things that baptism does:
+ It fulfills all righteousness (Matthew 3:15)
+ It fulfills Christ’s command (Matthew 28:19)
+ It symbolizes salvation, and provides a good conscience before God.
(I Peter 3:21)
+ It identifies us with other Christians. (I Cor. 12:13)
D. The Participants in baptism.
* Who has the authority to baptize?
+ John had the authority. (John 1:3)
+ The Apostles had the authority. (John 4:2)
+ The Church has the authority. (Matthew 28:19-20)
* Who should be baptized?
+ Only those who have repented of their sins. (Luke 3:3-9)
+ Only those who have believed the Gospel and been born again.
(Acts 8:12; 16:14-15, 31-)
+ Those who had been baptized before they were saved. (Acts 19:1-7)
II. THE GENEOLOGY OF JESUS. (vv. 23-38)
A. The Usefulness of Biblical genealogies.
B. The Uniqueness of JESUS’ genealogy
