Baptism: Our Outward Expression of Inward Realities
Notes
Transcript
Handout
36 “Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.”
37 When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”
38 Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
39 The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.”
42 He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one whom God appointed as judge of the living and the dead.
43 All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”
44 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message.
45 The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on Gentiles.
46 For they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God. Then Peter said,
47 “Surely no one can stand in the way of their being baptized with water. They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have.”
48 So he ordered that they be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked Peter to stay with them for a few days.
“Baptism is our obedient outward expression of faith in Christ, repentance of sin, and receiving of the Holy Spirit”
I NEED AN ILLUSTRATION
Inward Realities
Inward Realities
When you are baptized in the name of Jesus you are declaring three things are true for you:
In Baptism, you are declaring...
1. I Have Faith in Jesus Christ
1. I Have Faith in Jesus Christ
Listen to what Peter says in both of these sermons that we are supposed to believe...
36 “Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.”
42 He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one whom God appointed as judge of the living and the dead. 43 All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”
Jesus is...
Lord: who deserves our obedience
Messiah: who is rightful king over all
Judge: who is the definer and sustainer of all truth
Baptism is your outward declaration that you truly believe these things about Jesus and that you are committed to building your life on them.
In Baptism, you are declaring...
2. I Repent of My Sin
2. I Repent of My Sin
37 When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”
Acts 2:38 (NIV)
38 Peter replied, “Repent...
Repent literally means “turn from”
Illustration: walking with sin leading you. Hand in hand.
Then Jesus is coming toward you, you see Him, He sees you, you recognize something more attractive in Him than you do in the sin that is leading you. Jesus crosses your path and says to you, “follow me”, and you say “yes”,
Your eyes have moved from your sin onto Jesus and your gaze on Jesus turns you completely around so that you are now following Jesus, hand in hand, while sin is now behind you, following you, begging you to give it your attention, which, sometimes you do and trip, but you always are moving towards Jesus, having to tighten your grip and locking your gaze on him.
Sin will still follow you seeking to tempt you, but Jesus is your new leader, your new friend, and your new direction.
34 Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.
Another Gospel? A Lifelong Christian Seeks Truth in Response to Progressive Christianity 4: Fixing What Isn’t Broken
It is the same for us all—“whoever.” I am to deny myself, take up my cross and follow him. Denying yourself does not mean tweaking your behavior here and there. It is saying “no” to your deepest sense of who you are, for the sake of Christ. . . .
Ever since I have been open about my own experiences of homosexuality, a number of Christians have said something like this: “The gospel must be harder for you than it is for me,” as though I have more to give up than they do. But the fact is that the gospel demands everything of all of us. If someone thinks the gospel has somehow slotted into their life quite easily, without causing any major adjustments to their lifestyle or aspirations, it is likely that they have not really started following Jesus at all.[4]
Jesus requires everything of everyone. But for some, it’s not that they necessarily disagree with the core tenets of Christianity but that the cost of following them is just simply too high.
People think the the cost of following Jesus is too high when they believe the cost is more valuable than He is.
In Baptism, you are declaring...
3. I Receive(d) The Holy Spirit
3. I Receive(d) The Holy Spirit
Receive or Received… Why am I saying both???
38 Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Here, the Jewish believers received the Holy Spirit after they obeyed with Baptism.
But, with the non-jewish believers, they received the Holy Spirit before they obeyed with Baptism.
44 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message.
Soooooo… What’s going on here.
People have argued over this for centuries.
Here is the best way I can explain it to you...
God gave the Holy Spirit in the order that each group needed.
For the Jews in chapter 2, Baptism was probably a part of, and maybe the completion of, their faith and repentance.
They would receive the Holy Spirit and forgiveness of sin upon completing their faith and repentance through baptism.
For the gentiles, baptism was probably not necessary to complete for their faith and repentance.
They received the Holy Spirit and forgiveness of sin when they heard the gospel because their faith and repentance was completed then,
The main point is that you cannot manipulate or hustle the Holy Spirit. Nor can you tie Him down or put Him in a box.
Acts (3) Invitation and Response (2:37–41)
The Spirit cannot be tied down to a set pattern. Clearly, however, both baptism and receipt of the Spirit are normative to the experience of becoming a Christian believer
For you:
Only God knows your heart and need.
Someone here may understand the gospel in their brain but they have been unwilling to completely repent or surrender to Jesus in order to have Him transform their heart,
If that is you... You’ve not seen your life changed by the Holy Spirit’s power because the Holy Spirit isn’t in you!
Baptism is you expressing that you, by faith, believe that your faith and repentance is working with the Holy Spirit to refresh, renew, and transform you!
And guess what… YOU WANT IT AND LOVE IT!
You are saying that you love the fact that he can and will change you!
Obedient Outward Expression
Obedient Outward Expression
Both of the Acts passages commanded baptism!
It’s a bad sign if someone is completely opposed to obeying the command to be baptized.
1. Baptism Resembles Jesus’ Submersion Into Sin and Death
1. Baptism Resembles Jesus’ Submersion Into Sin and Death
3 For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,
2. Baptism Resembles Your Death To Sin And Life In Jesus.
2. Baptism Resembles Your Death To Sin And Life In Jesus.
4 We 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.
3. Baptism Resembles Your Holy Spirit Baptism That Washed You and Renewed You.
3. Baptism Resembles Your Holy Spirit Baptism That Washed You and Renewed You.
9 Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men
10 nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.
11 And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.
Reflection Question
Should I be baptized?