Baptism in the Life of the Church

Good morning! If I haven’t had the pleasure of meeting you yet, my name is John, and I have the honor of serving as the Lead Pastor here at Mission Church. I’m especially excited to be with you this morning as we celebrate our first baptisms since we have moved into this new facility this past summer.

Today is a special day— and not just for those making a public profession of faith and for their families — but today is a special day for us as a church family. And — since we haven’t had many baptisms recently — I thought it would be helpful for us to make sure we’re all on the same page about the meaning and significance of the ordinance of baptism. With that in mind, I’d like to invite you to grab your Bible and turn to Acts 2. If you don’t own a Bible, we’d love to give you one—please feel free to stop by the welcome table or our resource library to pick up a gift Bible that’s yours to keep.

Now — if you are able to — please stand for the reading of God’s Word.

Hear the Word of the Lord from Acts 2:36-41.

Acts 2:36–41 (CSB)

36 “Therefore let all the house of Israel know with certainty that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.”

37 When they heard this, they were pierced to the heart and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what should we do?”

38 Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, each 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 For the promise is for you and for your children, and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God will call.” 40 With many other words he testified and strongly urged them, saying, “Be saved from this corrupt generation!”

41 So those who accepted his message were baptized, and that day about three thousand people were added to them.

This is the Word of the Lord. Praise be to God

Let’s Pray

What is your greatest need? Take a moment and think about it—consider your life, your relationships, and the world around you. What is your greatest need? Some of us may feel a pressing need for financial security, for health and healing, or for peace in a difficult relationship. Maybe it's stability in our society or politics. And yes — all of these need are real and affect our daily lives — and — if we are honest — these are the needs the most often consume our thoughts and pull our focus away from what it is that we need the most. The truth is —friend — your greatest need goes much deeper and far beyond the surface of what we see and experience every day.

According to the Bible — our deepest need isn’t just about physical or temporary things— rather — our greatest need is spiritual. You see — your greatest need is to be forgiven and to be reconciled to God. Why? Well — because every one of us has been affected and infected by sin. At its core — sin is the root of every bit of brokenness we see in ourselves and in the world around us. And sin separates us from God— who is the very source of life, love, and purpose. And no matter how hard we try to fix things on the outside — if we don’t address our broken relationship with God — we remain spiritually lost and hopeless.

Think about it—sin is so much more than doing the wrong thing. Sin is a rebellion against God’s authority. It’s rejecting His plans and His love — and distorting His good purposes for our lives. You see — every sin — in its own way — is like saying, “I’m in charge. I am the king of my own life, and I don’t need God.” And because of that rebellion — we’re under God's righteous wrath and judgment. And — the Bible says, “The wages of sin is death”—not just physical death, but spiritual death — which means eternal separation from God.

Here’s the thing — you and I were made for God. We were created to live in relationship with Him — to enjoy His presence and His love. And when we our live lives apart from Him — even if it seems okay for a while — eventually it leads to emptiness, pain, and brokenness. Friend — there is nothing or no one else that well ever satisfy your deepest need because — ultimately you were hard-wired for life with God.

So, the real question is: how do we get back to Him? How do we fix this broken relationship? Well — many of us try to solve the problem on our own. We think, “If I can just be good enough… if I can just be smart enough… if I can just be religious or spiritual enough…” But trying to be “good enough,” “smart enough,” or “spiritual enough” is like trying to walk across a broken bridge. No matter how hard we try, we will always fall short. And as a result — we either feel guilty or exhausted from trying to be good, or we get frustrated when there’s always something we don’t understand. And even if we try to be more spiritual, God can still feel distant.

Here’s the hard truth:— sin has made us rebels and outlaws. We’ve committed cosmic treason against the God who created us, and we deserve the consequences.

But God, in His incredible love, didn’t leave us in that hopeless state. He made a way for us to be forgiven— He made a way for us to be brought back into relationship with Him. And that way is through Jesus Christ. Jesus, fully God and fully man, came to earth and lived the perfect life we couldn’t live. He took our punishment on the cross, paying the penalty that our sins deserve. And three days later, He rose from the dead, conquering sin and death, and now He is sitting at the right hand of God, reigning as King. And — it’s because of Jesus that you can be forgiven and be made right with God. You can find the life, love, and purpose that you were made for. And that — my friend — is why your greatest need is not just to fix your circumstances — but to be forgiven and reconciled to God. Without that — you remain under the weight of sin — destined for eternal separation from God.

This is the urgent message that Peter preached in Acts 2. And when the people heard it — they were “pierced to the heart”— for they realized in that moment that their greatest need wasn’t for a better life, more security, or comfort. No, their greatest need—and our greatest need—is God’s forgiveness and salvation.

So, as we turn to Acts 2, we’re going to witness this powerful moment when the people respond to the gospel and to Peter’s urgent call to “repent and be baptized.” And we’ll see that baptism is far more than just a religious ritual or a box to check. Rather — to be baptized is a command from God. It’s an act of obedience. And it’s a visible picture of repentance and the work of salvation that God has done to forgive you and reconcile you to Himself.

We are going to see these truths from our text as we explore three important facets of baptism — we are going to see that Baptism is a —

1. A Picture of Grace

2. A Bold Declaration

3. A Warm Welcome

Let’s begin with #1 .

1. A Picture of Grace

In baptism — God gives us a beautiful picture of His promised salvation through Jesus Christ. Look back at Acts 2 — where we see Peter delivering the very first Christian sermon recorded in the Bible. And in this powerful sermon — Peter shares the story of Jesus— His life, death, burial, resurrection, and His exaltation to the right hand of God the Father.

Now, think about who Peter was speaking to. He was addressing a crowd of Jews who had come to Jerusalem to celebrate the festival of Pentecost. And as Peter finishes his sermon — he boldly highlights their sin and the weight of their actions. look at verse 36

Acts 2:36 (CSB)

36 “Therefore let all the house of Israel know with certainty that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.”

Peter is pointing out to them the reality and the presence of their sin — and it was in that very moment — God began working in the hearts of the crowd — convicting them of their sins. Look at verse 37

Acts 2:37 (CSB)

37 When they heard this, they were pierced to the heart and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what should we do?”

Underline and make note of the fact that many who heard the gospel preached “were pierced to the heart,” and this phrase speaks to the fact that they were convicted of their sin — in other words — they were deeply moved and realized their part in crucifying Jesus — the very Messiah God sent to save them. And under the weight of their conviction they cried out — “What should we do!!”

To which peter replied,

Acts 2:38–40 (CSB)

38 … “Repent and be baptized, each 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 For the promise is for you and for your children, and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God will call.” 40 With many other words he testified and strongly urged them, saying, “Be saved from this corrupt generation!”

Now — what does it mean to repent? Well — it’s like turning away from a wrong path and choosing to walk toward God instead. Imagine taking off a crown you’ve placed on your own head—representing your desire to be in charge—and putting it back on Jesus, acknowledging Him as the King of kings and Lord of lords. Peter says — repent of your sins and then he commanded them to be baptized, and then he promised that — as a result of their repentance and their baptism — they would receive the forgiveness of sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Friends — understand that this was a monumental moment in salvation history. Peter was telling them — that right then and there — the long awaited promises of the New Covenant were coming to life — and obeying Peter’s call to repent and to be baptized — look at the crowd’s response in verse 41.

Acts 2:41 (CSB)

41 So those who accepted his message were baptized, and that day about three thousand people were added to them.

Can you imagine what an incredible sight that must have been? Thousands of people — hearing the gospel preached, feeling the weight of their sin, repenting, and placing their trust in Jesus. And then — soon after— witnessing the beautiful picture of their salvation as they were baptized!

Now — let’s take a moment to break down what we see in our text regarding how it is that we are saved.

First, we need to understand that God promised to restore His people through a New Covenant. And — this covenant promised a new heart—a heart transformed by God. The Old Testament used the sign of circumcision to show who belonged to God’s people. It was a reminder that those who didn't walk with God would be cut off. But in the New Covenant — all believers would have their hearts changed— they would be given a new heart that wants to follow God and obey God — and —this new heart points to being “born again.”

The New Covenant also promised forgiveness of sins through a one-time sacrifice. You see —Instead of having to offer sacrifices over and over again — God Himself would make the ultimate sacrifice through Jesus. He would take care of our sins once and for all.

Now — every covenant has a sign. For example — God’s promise to Noah was marked by the rainbow, His promise to Abraham by circumcision, and His promise to Moses by the Sabbath. For us, the sign of the New Covenant is baptism. You see — Baptism symbolizes the amazing promises of the New Covenant for those who believe in Jesus. It sets believers apart from the rest of the world and marks their entrance into the community of faith called the Church.

Friends—it's important to understand that baptism does not save you — rather — it is a picture of the great salvation we have in Christ Jesus. Baptism represents all the New Covenant promises—a new heart, the forgiveness of sins, and the reception of the Holy Spirit.

So — Baptism symbolizes our salvation in Christ Jesus — which speaks to who can be baptized — which are those who have trusted in Jesus as their savior and submitted to Him as their King — and — baptism also points us to our UNION WITH CHRIST— which instructs us on how we are baptize.

Here at Mission Church we baptize by immersion — and this word Baptize is a transliteration of the Greek word Baptizo which literally means immersion…. and so when you are baptized you are to be fully immersed in water — not sprinkled but fully immersed in water.

Now — our focus shouldn’t necessarily be the water — yes — water is the instrument — water is the means — but it’s much more than water that we are baptized into —

Consider with me Romans 6:3-11 — The Apostle Paul writes

Romans 6:3–11 (CSB)

3 Or are you unaware that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 Therefore we were buried with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too may walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been united with him in the likeness of his death, we will certainly also be in the likeness of his resurrection. 6 For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be rendered powerless so that we may no longer be enslaved to sin, 7 since a person who has died is freed from sin. 8 Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him, 9 because we know that Christ, having been raised from the dead, will not die again. Death no longer rules over him. 10 For the death he died, he died to sin once for all time; but the life he lives, he lives to God. 11 So, you too consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.

Consider also Colossians 2:11-12

Colossians 2:11–12 (CSB)

11 You were also circumcised in him with a circumcision not done with hands, by putting off the body of flesh, in the circumcision of Christ, 12 when you were buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead.

Galatians 3:27 (CSB)

27 For those of you who were baptized into Christ have been clothed with Christ.

In other words — Believers baptism —- baptism through immersion points us to the fact that when we are baptized we are baptized into fellowship with Jesus — into His life, death, and ressurection.

Think about it like this: Have You ever been to a wedding and watched the groom place the wedding ring on the bride’s ring finger and say: “With this ring, I thee wed. With all my worldly goods, I thee endow”? It’s a beautiful moment in the wedding ceremony. But — did you know that neither the words nor the ring are actually essential to their marriage?

It’s true — the words and the ring are a sign and a seal of their marriage. The words and the ring are a visible representation of the marriage bond. You see - the big thing is not the ring but what the ring represents. The ring isn’t the commitment — but it expresses the commitment.

And friends — baptism is like that — baptism it’s the visible expression of Christ’s commitment to us in His union with us. It’s like the wedding ring placed once for all on the ring finger—our baptism with water is a permanent reminder of our new identity. Our baptism reminds us that we are no longer our own, but that we belong to Jesus — and by belonging to Him we are endowed with — or we receive all that He has done for us through His life, death, and resurrection.

Brothers and sisters — in your union with Jesus — not only are your sins forgiven but the power of sin over you has been broken!! Yes — its true we are not yet free from the presence or the influence of sin — but dear friends —praise God that we are no longer under sin’s control. We have been given a new identity and we belong to a new kingdom and it is Jesus who is our king — and it is Jesus who rules over us. Understand — If you are a baptized believer —then remember— you are a new person altogether — you have a new identity — for you have died to sin and you have been raised to walk in newness of life. Your old self is dead — your sins are forgiven — and God has empowered you to walk in newness of life because He has given you His Spirit!

And so as we observe these baptisms this morning— as you witness these visual representations of what God has done to save you — remember your own baptism, remember your commitment to the Lord, and be encouraged by the fact that you are “In Christ” and that you are filled with His Spirit. And let these truths lead you to respond to God in thanksgiving and praise for all that God has done for you.

Baptism is a picture God’s grace and …

2. Baptism is a bold declaration

Remember — in our text — the gospel message pierced their hearts and they were convicted of their sin which led them to cry out, “What do we do!!!” and Peter replied — verse 38

Acts 2:38 (CSB)

38 …“Repent and be baptized, each of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Friends — baptism is a command— it’s not a holy suggestion— its not something to do if you ever get around to it — NO! God commands you and I as believers to repent of our sins and to be baptized. To not repent of your sin is to disobey God. And to not be baptized is to disobey God. And we can go down the line as to why you have not yet been baptized — from fear — to embarrassment because it has been so long and to do it now hurts your pride— but whatever the reason — Friend — if I can just say to you humbly — that if you have accepted Jesus as savior but are not obeying His command to be baptized — you are living in willful disobedience to Him. In other words — you are a walking contradiction — How can you possibly say that you love the Lord Jesus Christ and yet not do what He says — especially given the fact that the very heart of what it means to receive Jesus and follow Him is exhibited in baptism — and so— this morning as our friends are being baptized — if you are spurred and stirred by the conviction of the Holy Spirit — then I encourage you to make plans to attend the next baptism class and to be baptized next month.

Now — in just a few moments both Amanda and Barry are going to make their commitments to Jesus public — just like those who publicly identified with Jesus through baptism after they heard Peter preach on Pentecost — Amanda and Barry will be publicly identifying with Jesus — in their baptism they are publicly claiming that they are trusting in Jesus alone for their salvation and they are publicly submitting to Jesus as their King. They are boldly proclaiming that sin no longer reigns over them — they are publicly professing that they belong to Jesus, Jesus is their King, and they are committing to living as citizens of God’s Kingdom.

Friends — baptism shows us how we are to live as Christians — you see — there is no such thing as a secret service Christian — if you are a Christian you cant just declare your faith once through baptism and then go radio silent about Jesus for the rest of your life. Rather — as a Christian you are called to openly declare your faith in Jesus — brothers and sisters— telling other people about Jesus should be a regular part of your life — in other words — if people know anything about you — they should know that you are a Christian — they should know that Jesus is your savior and you should be excited to tell people about Him!!! Not to mention — that Jesus warns us that faith that stays a secret is not real faith. Consider what Jesus says in Matthew 10 —

Matthew 10:32–33 (CSB)

32 “Therefore, everyone who will acknowledge me before others, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven. 33 But whoever denies me before others, I will also deny him before my Father in heaven.

Tell me — Have you privately acknowledged Jesus as your King? Have you publicly acknowledged Jesus as your King? Who are you living for right now? What is your allegiance? Friends — salvation and the forgiveness of your sins is only in Jesus’ name. What is it that is keeping you from calling upon the name of Jesus for the forgiveness of your sins? What is it that is that is keeping you from turning away from your sin and being obedient to King Jesus?

Listen to Peter — Repent and be Baptized, each of you, for the forgiveness of your sins and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

So — Baptism is a picture God’s grace — it is a bold declaration — and finally — baptism is a warm welcome.

3. A Warm Welcome

Acts 2:41 (CSB)

41 So those who accepted his message were baptized, and that day about three thousand people were added to them.

The commitment of those baptized on Pentecost wasn’t just about checking a box. It was a radical shift in their lives. After being baptized, these three thousand new believers didn’t just walk away unchanged. Acts 2 tells us that those who were baptized —

Acts 2:42–45 (CSB)

42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to prayer. 45 They sold their possessions and property and distributed the proceeds to all, as any had need.

In other words — baptism is the entry point into the church. Your baptism is what unites you — not only to Jesus — but to one another — you see — Baptism isn’t just a personal decision — no! Baptism is also a commitment to Christ’s people—it’s a commitment to be part of His family— it’s a commitment to living out your faith in a local church body.

Baptism is a two-way conversation — it’s a two-way commitment. You see — in baptism you’re asking the church to welcome you — and the church is saying, "You belong here." In other words — in baptism you’re making a promise to the church, and the church is making a promise to you. You see — the Christian life isn’t something we’re meant to live on our own or in secret. And Baptism is where your life comes into the open, into the loving care of the church family. It’s where you step into the support and the strength of Christ’s people. Baptism is a warm welcome into the body of Christ — the Church.

Now — as we come to a close — I want to remind you that baptism is not just a ceremony. It’s not simply a tradition or a symbol we practice because it's expected of us. It is, at its core, a declaration of the radical transformation that Jesus brings into our lives. Baptism is a reminder that we were once lost, separated from God, and under the weight of sin—but by God's grace, we’ve been rescued and given new life in Christ.

It’s a picture of grace, where we see that salvation is something God has done for us, not something we achieve on our own. It’s a bold declaration, a public proclamation of our allegiance to Jesus as our King and Savior. And it’s a warm welcome, marking our entry into the family of God, where we are loved, valued, and never alone.

For those of you who have already been baptized, remember this: your baptism is a constant reminder of your new identity in Christ. You belong to Him. You are no longer under the control of sin but are now free to live in the newness of life that Jesus offers. Let this truth shape how you live every day, trusting in the power of God’s Spirit at work within you.

And for anyone here who has yet to take that step of obedience in baptism—maybe you’re feeling God’s tug on your heart today. Maybe, like those who heard Peter’s words in Acts 2, you feel “pierced to the heart,” aware of your need for forgiveness and reconciliation with God. If that’s you, I encourage you to respond. Repent. Turn to Jesus, trust in Him, and be baptized. This is not just a decision for today, but a declaration that will echo throughout eternity—because in Christ, you have been given new life, and you are forever His.

Now — let’s celebrate and rejoice with Amanda and Barry who are about to make that bold declaration through baptism, as we are reminded of God’s incredible grace, His power to save, and His love that welcomes us into His family.

Let’s pray