Baptism of the Lord

Gods Family

Humor

I have to tell this The young son of a Baptist minister was in church one morning when he saw for the first time baptism by immersion. He was greatly interested in it, and the next

morning proceeded to baptize... you guessed it.... his

three cats in the bathtub.

The youngest kitten bore it very well, and so did the

younger cat, but the old family tom cat rebelled.

The old feline struggled with the boy, clawed and tore his

skin, and finally got away. With considerable effort the

boy caught the old tom again and proceeded with the

"ceremony." But the cat acted worse than ever, clawing and spitting, and scratching the boy's face.

Finally, after barely getting the cat splattered with

water, he dropped him on the floor in disgust and said,

"Fine, be a Methodist if you want to!"

The Cat is not the only one to misunderstand Baptism – as Methodist we view Baptism as a Sacrament full of grace and identity- God uses common elements -- in this case, water – whether sprinkled or dunked – the water is the means of divine grace. It is not merely an act to show we accepted Jesus Christ. It is much more. It is the covenant that we, or our children, are IN CHRIST

Your identity through baptism is powerful.

In Jesus name you too are baptized by water , for repentance, and by The Spirit, to be in Christ. IN CHRIST IS PLEASAING TO GOD

Baptism, It is the full presence of God’s grace though the Son and Holy Spirit as a Gift of saving love as we ARE NAMED a child of God in a covenant of salvation in our life’s journey.

Baptism is administered by the church as the Body of Christ. It is the act of God through the grace of Jesus Christ and the work of the Holy Spirit.

Its not a final act of our faith, it is a beginning point where we accept our Christian identity.

I ask all who have ears to hear, what does you Christian baptism mean to you? That answer should please God

In the Scripture Jesus has prayed and the heavens upon up to receive the Holy Spirit and Jesus is baptized in the same water of all sinners!

The voice is heard from Heaven, this is my beloved son and I am well pleased.

We make it our aim for God to be well pleased

If we are IN Christ . 2nd Corinthians:5 9

9 Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to the Lord. – our aim, our direction if we are to be IN CHRIST > is to be pleasing God, always

in this 2022, are you living In Christ,and are you pleasing God? For there is the grace!

, no matter what we do , we must live to please God. You If you believe in the power of Jesus goal, your drive , your desire to be saved by Christ > is to please God!

Gods favor is what you do by grace to please him. Paul says our aim

Aim > IN Greek, what is honoroable.

God said at Jesus baptism, this is my Son I am well pleased.

Part of our aim to please is our Baptism.

1) being baptized is a command of Jesus that is pleasing God being new people > born again.

2) In baptism, we identify as God’s Child > in , pleasing God we will be baptized, and in remembering your baptism you please God of your place IN CHRIST,

3) To be "in Christ" your faith is so deep, that that God by grace, no longer sees our imperfections; He sees the righteousness of His own Son Only "in Christ" is our sin debt cancelled, and our eternity secured John 20:31).

4) Are you baptized, sanctified, and set to be glorified, and living the justified to please the dignified Lord > living each day to please God?

Many refuse: To refuse to accept baptism is to reject one of the means of grace that God offers us living IN CHRIST. To reject your identity as God’s Child, to reject showing the world you belong to Jesus and you are marked, like a tatoo, if you will - that Jesus name is over you protecting you.

What is baptism to you?

Is it a box to be checked off in your life, or does bring you to your knees in awe of the love of God poured out on your soul?

Luke: It came to pass that Jesus also was baptized by John; and while Jesus prayed, the heaven was opened. 22 And the Holy Spirit descended in bodily form like a dove, and God was well pleased

Jesus was sinless, he did not come to be baptized because he was a new believer, or because he needed repentance from sin – He was sinless. Jesus humbled himself for the reason of obedient to God and The Word of God. The heavens did just part, they were ripped open God was so pleased to identify Jesus as the beloved.

Commentator John MacArthur puts it this way.“Jesus’ baptism was the first act of his ministry,

the first step in the redemptive plan that He came to fulfill. His first act was to wade in the dirty water of our Sin and get dirty to clean our souls

Have mercy, The sinless baby from Christmas, who had never did anything wrong, went into the water of repentance, just like you and I would and begin ministry for your soul,

Macarthur: In this act the Savior of the world

took His place among the sinners of the world”

(The MacArthur New Testament Commentary, Matthew)

Living out your baptism, being IN CHRIST pleases God. But your are Either in or out. No riding a fence

It is baptism , that outward act of inward grace, that we show the world that you set apart for Jesus,

Remember your baptism or your story of it clearly, or have it remembered for you AT THE WATER TODAY.

God reminding you whos your are! YOU ARE GODS - GODMADE

In a time when Satan comes and makes the sounds of

Hey you!“Remember, you’re a liar!”

“Remember, you’re a cheater!”

“Remember, you’re a loser!”

“Remember, you’re an addict!”

“Remember, you’re a failure!”

Don’t listen! Remember God, HEAVENLY FATHER, calling your name.

Here is my new son or daughter in the family, Paul , Joe, Pam

“Remember your baptism.”

Remember God’s grace.

Remember the water of repentance and re-birth. Know that your pleasing to the Lord - when you commit to living yoru baptism

And God was pleased. Are you pleasing God today?

2)Holiness pleases god. 1 Peter 1:16

16 because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy.”

We Strive for excellence in love every day> Be ye holy as I am holy > to be set apart for God. To be different than the world. To be all loving, perfect love.

To be set apart for God.

And example We did Holy commuion – the communion chalice for communion is set apart to be holy. It is for juice or wine, never would be beer or coke or coffee. It is used for one purpose, Holy communion , set apart for holiness. We are too, if we are to please God. Be set apart to do and please God

In your baptism, are set apart for something more than just life. Your are set apart for God’s Glory, for you perfection by Jesus Grace,

Set apart to love others, to turn the cheek, to forgive. To please God What else pleases God?

4} Giving Thanks > 1 Thessolanian 16:34 Give thanks to the LORD, in all things; his love endures forever.

Give thanks > God’s love endures for the thankful

Gods love is forever > please God with thanks .

5) Luke says IN THOSE THAT REPENT please God> IF FACT> they is joy in heaven Luke 15:10 10 Likewise, I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

You better believe God is pleased when you repent.

I don’t care you if your repent for a murder or for stealing a stick of chewing gum. God needs to hear your repentance! GOD WANTS THAT CONVERSATION OF HOW MUCH LOVE AND GRACE GOD IS GOING TO GIVE YOU IN FORGIVENESS

What is in your life today that you need to go before God in 2025 and seek repentance before you can be REALLY BE blessed as God’s Child?

Heavens will rejoice today, if you are willing to seek repentance. We all need to please God by asking to make things right as we repent.

In our baptism we make a promise: do you turn from the ways of sin and renounce all evil and its power in the world? Most answer yes, turning away from sin, means we repent when sin is in the way!

When Jesus is on the Mt of Tranfiguration , God again tells us how he is pleased “While still speaking, a bright cloud covered all on the Mountain, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!”

Listening to Jesus pleases God! CAN I TELL YOU, WE NEED TO LISTEN ?

If you plan to please God, we need to read God’s word and under all cases, listen to Jesus.

Jesus said have an abundant life, blessed are the peacemaker, Go and make disciples and baptize. SO MANY AMAZING WORDS OF JESUS FOR YOU TO HAVE IN YOUR HEART

I pray we a church that takes every step listening to Jesus, as Baptized Children of God.

It all begin with baptism. Who you are? are you in Christ, or in something else, because that something else will be whats in you when Christ returns

I was eating lunch in Mt Ulla, a dignitary from another town came up to me. Right off the bat, he said, I know you. Really? Oh yes, your from Gold Hill, yes, and you used to play music with your Dad, Troy, yes, and you used to help your dad remodel some houses. Yes, and your Dad Troy TREECE helped me and my wife, when My wife was dieing, and your dad come over and sang to my wife when she was dieing and even sang at her funeral, I know you and your dad was a good Christian man who sang and shared with me about JEsus one day and got me back in church.

AREN’T are troy TREECE’s oldest child. ISNT THAT YOU? TROYS SON? How is your dad doing?

I swelled up, about in tears, many of you know my father died just a few years before I became a pastor, but I am not only troys child, I am a baptized BORN AGAIN child of God. That’s who I am. I am baptized IN Christ. All my worries and concerns are in Christ, And in God’s grace, in Christ> My bioligical day worships with me to all of our Spiritual Father every Sunday. And Jesus will raise us both up to be glorified with the Lord. I hang that promise on my identity of remembering my baptism if there is ever any doubt. IF YOU EVER HAVE ANY DOUBT> Do your remember your baptism?

I DON’T CARE IF YOU WERE DUNKED, OR SPATTERED WITH A HANDFUL OF WATER, AS METHODIST > THE WATER WAS A SYMBOL OF GRACE AND WHO YOU ARE, IN CHRIST, YOU ARE GODS

Do you need to feel the water once more to help you remember. Or maybe you or a child in your home needs to be marked as saved by Jesus in Baptism?

COME IF YOU WILL REMember YOUR BAPTSIM AND BE THANKFUL

In social settings, you may feel the pressure to conform to others' expectations and lose sight of your identity in Christ. To combat this, intentionally seek out community activities that align with your faith, such as volunteering or joining a Bible study group. Being surrounded by fellow believers will fortify your sense of belonging and help you live authentically, sharing your identity as a child of God openly and confidently.

Imagine a young child proudly wearing a superhero cape, believing they can fly because of the sheer power of their imagination. Just like that child finds identity and purpose in being a 'superhero,' we as God's children find our identity in Him. We may not wear capes, but we have the divine privilege to be children of the King!

I once heard the story of a teenager who wanted to surprise their dad on Father’s Day. They painted a canvas, but all they had was a few colors. In their mind, they were creating something special to make their dad smile. When their dad opened the gift, he was beaming, seeing his child's loving effort. Similarly, in baptism, our earnest intention to please God is what truly matters, not our perfection.

Consider a puppy trying to fetch a stick. It might not get it right every time, but the joy on the owner’s face when the puppy makes an effort is worth it. Baptism is like that effort; it’s our way of showing God that we’re serious about our relationship with Him. Even if we stumble through life’s challenges, just like that puppy, the attempt brings God joy.