Carry Your Cross: Baptism is not for the righteous but for sinners

Introduction

Greeting

Welcome everyone glad to see your guys faces, today is a special day, where we having someone getting baptismed and as i prayed perpared for tonight i felt it was a great oppuntunity to teach on baptism.

Why

We have alot of misconceptions about baptism like we need to be perfect to get baptismed, i cant get baptismed until a certain age, i cant get baptismed unless i know enough and we make baptism something it was never might to symbolize.

Story

I remember when i decieded to get baptized and i remember i didnt fully understand what it might but i knew i needed a change and i remember having thoughts that made me feel like i wasnt qualified to be baptismed like there was a holiness standard before you got baptized but baptize is a sign of our need not a sign of your status or perfect.

Transition

Today i want to highlight what those needs are and how baptism is a sign for those needs not a performance.

Forgiveness

Teaching

Baptism in the old and new testment was symbolic of washing and the word baptize means washing, The first thing to know about baptize is that it is a sign we need washing, washing from sin when we get baptized its a sign that we are washed and forgiven in jesus name through his blood.

Acts 2:38 NIV

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.

Baptism is a sign that through trusting in jesus we recieve forgivness for our sins because he shed his blood on the cross so that the world can recieve forgiveness by trusting him and being baptized.

Illastration

Have you ever workout or played outside for a long time and you just smell bad and your siblings or parenst tell you to take a shower and you take those long showers and after how do you feel clean and fresh, in the same way baptism is a spiritual sign of how jesus cleans us of our dirt brought by sin and he cleansed us through his blood. Baptism isnt for the righteous its for the sinners.

Who has ever needed forgiveness, and who has ever had to forgive so we all know forgiving someone in the same way it Cost the father his perfect son to be shed on the wood cross and imagine the emotion pain for the father, imagine the phyiscal plain, imagine the shame but he thought it worth to shed his blood so that you can be forgiven. What is forgiveness the cancelation of your debt before God.

Transition

Also, baptism is a sign of our need for washing.

Main Idea

Illstructions

Look at this plant, i have been taking care of this plant for alomst a year now and every week i give it water and sun and if i dont provide it enough water the leafs start to dry up and go brown, question can this plant live without me. Its clear a no and in the same way baptism is a sign of our need for washing and regenertion. The God the father will cleanse you spiritually by his spirit when you trsut in christ.

Teaching

Titus 3:5 NIV

he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit,

The baptism is a sign of our renewal and his power to cleanse and keep us pure by his holy spirit.

Transition

Lastly, baptsim is a sign of our need for relationship with Christ and him alone.

Main Idea

Story

When i got married i was excited beocause i was going to build my life with someone i love and go on lifes jourmey with her and her alone and to symbolize that i got a ring on her finger say i want the privelage of doing my whole life with you but aslo only you and no another person.

Teaching

In the same way God want a bride a bride who will share the privelages of having a intimat relationship for life but also the responsiblity that your love and devotion is for him and no another Gods.

Galatians 2:20 NIV

I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

The we are called in baptism to die to sin like christ died to sin but live for faith in the son of God and live for love by being loved and loving others.

Story

August 5, 2025 i needed Gods love but i had no language to express that want but one day i said to God i am turning from a sinful life and want to live for you and i still rememeber God pouring his love into myheart and the next day everything looked, smelled and tasted different becuase God was real and his love is perfect. God isnt just calling you to let go off sinful life but calling you to live for love and live to make a diiference in this world.

Conclusion

i want to take a few minutes reflect why your not wanting to get baptized what lie or belief is hindering from responding to the call of baptism

second thing i wsnt to pray is if you want to never be the same again ask God to pour his love into your heart and he has never beofre.