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What Exactly Is Baptism?

Message: ‘What Exactly Is Baptism?        

Text: Romans 6:1-11

Sir Thomas More once said, "The world does not need so much to be informed as to be reminded."

Lets do some remembering.

·       What was given as a reminder that the world would never again be destroyed by a flood? The rainbow (Genesis 9:13-16)  

·       What ordinance was to be a reminder of Christ's body and blood? The Lord's Supper (Luke 22:19)

·       What day of the week is a reminder of God's completed creation? The Sabbath (Deuteronomy 5:15)

• What was the manna put into the ark of the covenant a reminder of? God's supernatural provision in the desert (Exodus 16:32)
• What ordinance is to be a reminder of our new life in Christ? Baptism (Romans 6:1-6)

God gave us these things to remind us…to remind us of our relationship with Him.

Later, Elder Wes will lead us in a time of testimony, a time of remembrance. A time to reflect back to the moment you were baptized. To recall how you felt, and where God has led you since your baptism. I want all who have been baptized to think about that so you can share with us how God worked in your life to bring you to the place of baptism.

Transition: For now I want to briefly look at baptism…what it is, who can be baptized, and how it’s done. While this doctrine and practice has divided the church over the years, it’s my prayer that it will be an action uniting us here at CBC.

1. What is Believers Baptism? Why Be Baptized?

    A. Baptism reminds us of our death to sin          and new life in Christ.

Romans 5 deals with our sin and the grace and forgiveness found in Jesus Christ. Romans 7 deals with the struggle we have with sin. Paul says there is a battle for mastery over sin in our lives. We want to do the right thing, but it’s not always easy. But you might be asking yourself, what does baptism have to do with this? That’s were Romans 6 comes in.

Read: Romans 6: 1-11

Paul was writing to Christians who were struggling with sin. How does he help them with the battle? He reminds them of their baptism.

     -You died to sin. When you were baptized                  you were baptized into Jesus’ death, you                  were buried with him.

     -You are now raised to new life, just a Jesus              was raised from the dead.

     -Through baptism you remember that you                   are dead to sin and alive to God, through            faith in Jesus Christ.

That doesn’t mean you won’t sin, but that you now have the power to fight sin.

     -Baptism, going under the water, is symbolic    of your dying to sin.

     -Baptism, coming up from the water, is            symbolic of your being raised to new life in                Jesus Christ.

    B. What is baptism? Why are we baptized?       Baptism is a sign of obedience.

Read: 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.’

Logic tells me that if we are commanded to baptize disciples of Jesus Christ, the disciples of Jesus Christ should be willing then to be baptized.  Make sense? Baptism is a sign of obedience.

    C. What is baptism? Why are we baptized?       Because Jesus did it.

Read: 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.’

Do you want to be like Jesus? We are baptized because Jesus was baptized.

    D. What is baptism? Why are we baptized?       Baptism is a loud public declaration of      faith in Jesus.

Read: Matthew 10:32 ‘Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven.’

There is no better first step to standing up for Jesus then to be willing to be dunked in public for him. I know it’s hard, some people get embarrassed, but it’s the right thing to do. Baptism is shouting to the world, I am a Christian!

Transition: OK, we have an idea of the what and why of baptism….how about the who?

2. Who can be baptized?

    This has divided the church for centuries…

    infant baptism or believers baptism.

·       Infant baptism…as I understand it, is the belief that God can extend his grace to anyone. Since grace is a gift from God and not earned, even an infant can receive it. Baptism is a means of extending grace to those who are helpless, like and infant. It’s also believed that infant baptism places the child under the umbrella of the church until they are able to profess Jesus for themselves.

Two things

          1. There is not one clear example in the Bible where an infant was baptized. In the           first 500 years of the church no infant was       recorded as being baptized. It was a                     tradition that started later.

          2. The sign of the covenant in the NT is not     baptism but the Lord’s Supper…remember      Jesus said ‘this cup is the new covenant  in      my blood. To participate in the new             covenant one must believe Jesus shed his         blood to forgive their sin..infants can’t do    that.

·       Believers baptism. Going back to Matt. 28:19-20, it’s disciples of Jesus who are baptized, disciples are ones who believe in Jesus.

     In Acts 2 Peter says to repent and be        baptized…again an       infant can’t repent,      only one who places their faith in Jesus.

          Whenever you read of baptism in the NT is      always follows belief in Jesus Christ.

     Anyone who places their faith in Jesus for        the forgiveness of their sin and hope for         eternal life can be baptized.

     There are no other conditions for baptism        but belief in Jesus Christ as your savior.

Transition: What, why, who of Baptism, one question left…how?

3. How is the believer baptized?

ILL: A Methodist preacher said to a Baptist minmister, “If I immerse somebody just up to his ankles, is that enough? “No,” answers the Baptist. “How about up to his knees?” “Nope.” “How about up to his shoulders?” “No sir!” You mean I’ve got to get the water over the top of his head?” That’s right. Good says the Methodist, that proves it is the top of the head that’s the important part to get wet.”

This is another way churches are divided…when we baptize, do we sprinkle, pour or immerse?

 

   A. Jesus example: Matt. 3:16 ‘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.’

Notice that Jesus came up out of the water.

    B. The Ethiopian Eunuch: Acts 8:38-39 ‘And he gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized him. When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him again, but went on his way rejoicing.’

Notice the Eunuch went down into the water and up from the water. If Phillip sprinkled or poured water on the eunuch he wouldn’t have had to go into the water, Philip could have just brought it to him.

    C. Greek Word: Baptizo: means to dip, plunge or immerse.  There are different words for sprinkle and pour and they are never used for baptism in the Bible.

    D. Romans 6:1-11 : The symbolism of dying with Christ and being raised to new life with him in Romans 6:1-11 just isn’t the same if you sprinkle or pour.

Conclusion

·       Baptism is not the same thing as joining a church or a denomination.

·       Baptism is not how you are saved, or how your sins are forgiven.

·       Baptism is not something you do when your life is all together.

Baptism is a symbol of your dying to sin and your new life in Christ. And it’s an important step of obedience in your Christian journey.

ILL: A few years ago Paul Harvey wrote in Guidepost Magazine about his own baptism. He said that even though he had received almost every reward for his broadcasting powers & ability that he still felt empty inside.

Well, one summer he & his wife were vacationing in a place called Cave Creek, AZ. Sunday morning came & they decided to go to church. So they went to this little church, & there were only 12 other people present.

But there was a good spirit about that place, & for some reason he began thinking about John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."

He said, "I liked that ‘everlasting life’ part, & I believed in Jesus, but I had never gone forward in a church service. I remembered one night praying in my hotel room & asking Jesus to come into my heart, but I felt that there was still something that was missing."

He said that the preacher got up & announced that his sermon was going to be about baptism. Paul Harvey said, "I yawned. But as he started talking about it I found myself interested. He talked about the symbolism behind it, & how it symbolized the complete surrender of one’s life to Jesus Christ, & how there was nothing really magic in the water. But there was this cleansing inside that took place when you yielded yourself to Jesus."

He went on to say, "Finally, when he came to the end of his sermon he said, ‘If any of you have not been baptized in this way, I invite you to come forward & join me here at the pulpit.’"

Paul Harvey said, "To my surprise, I found myself going forward. The preacher had said there was nothing magic in the water. Yet as I descended into the depths & rose again I knew something life changing had happened - a cleansing inside out. No longer did there seem to be two uncertain contradictory Paul Harvey’s, just one immensely happy one. I felt the fulfilling surge of the Holy Spirit in my life.”

Paul Harvey went on, "The change this simple act made in my life is so immense as to be indescribable. Since totally yielding to Him in baptism, my heart can’t stop singing. Also, perhaps because baptism is such a public act & because one’s dignity gets as drenched as one’s body, I discovered a new unself-consciousness in talking about my beliefs.” (Dan Cormie)

For those who have been baptized…remember.

For those who have yet to be baptized, there is something wonderful to look forward to…but soon, I pray.