Ordinances of the Church

Intro:

RTL: We should not act without understanding

1. Baptism (Matthew 28:19)

Matthew 28:19 ESV

Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

In Mt. 3, Jesus is baptized by John the Baptist

Baptize - βαπτιζω

To immerse, submerge, dunk under water

John’s Baptism was for repentance

Outward signs of repentance:

Sackcloth and Ashes

Tearing of Clothes

Prayer

Turning from sin

An OT form of this:

blood from Moses’ sacrifice (Exodus 24:8 “And Moses took the blood and threw it on the people and said, “Behold the blood of the covenant that the Lord has made with you in accordance with all these words.”” )

Promise of the new heart (Ezekiel 36:25–26 “I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.” )

Nineveh (Jonah)

Ezra 10:1 “While Ezra prayed and made confession, weeping and casting himself down before the house of God, a very great assembly of men, women, and children, gathered to him out of Israel, for the people wept bitterly.”

*Jesus was not in need of repentance*

Validates John’s ministry

Priestly sacrifice

Identifying with sinners (GotQuestions)

Why do we do it?

Obedience to Christ’s command (Mt. 28)

Identification with Christ and the Gospel (Rom. 6:4; 1 Cor. 12:13; Gal. 3:26-27)

Romans 6:4 “We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.”

1 Corinthians 12:13 “For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit.”

Galatians 3:26–27 “for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.”

The New Testament picture of baptism:

Always follows proclamation of faith (Acts 16:33-34)

Always includes the immersion of the believer (Acts 8:36)

Always associated with full believers (Galatians 3:26-27)

Baptism and Circumcision

The sign of God’s covenant with Moses - Circumcision

8 days old, part of the people of God - only males

Presbyterians, Roman Catholics, etc. all believe that baptism replaces this

baptize infants into the church

The problem: The Bible neither shows or says this

The Bible equates OT circumcision with NT changed hearts

Ezekiel 36:26 “And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.”

Colossians 2:11 “In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ,”

This is in keeping with the transition that the OT makes

the law is no longer about the outward works, but the internal faith

faith was always the point

Psalm 40:6–8 “In sacrifice and offering you have not delighted, but you have given me an open ear. Burnt offering and sin offering you have not required. Then I said, “Behold, I have come; in the scroll of the book it is written of me: I delight to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart.””

Jeremiah 7:21–23 “Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: “Add your burnt offerings to your sacrifices, and eat the flesh. For in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, I did not speak to your fathers or command them concerning burnt offerings and sacrifices. But this command I gave them: ‘Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be my people. And walk in all the way that I command you, that it may be well with you.’”

The new heart which loves and obeys God given by the Spirit is the sign and seal of the New Covenant in Christ’s blood.

We baptize believers as a public confession.

Still miss some, though

Hence, those who get baptized and leave

2. The Lord’s Supper (1 Corinthians 11:23-26)

1 Corinthians 11:23–26 “For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.”

Interpretations:

Transubstantiation: The wine and bread physically become Christ’s blood and body (Roman Catholics)

Consubstantiation: Jesus’ body and blood are present in, with, and around the bread and wine (Lutherans)

Means of Grace: The bread and wine are symbolic, but God gives grace through it (Presbyterians)

Memorial: The wine and bread symbolize Jesus’s blood and body (Baptists)

Historically, we did this together in houses, as a full meal with bread and wine as the primary food.

Communion - mutual participation/sharing

Not an individual act, but a community act (note the word)

Why do we do it?

The act of eating the same meal as Christ’s last supper

together with other believers, edifying, encouraging, praying for and with one another

We proclaim Christ’s death be celebrating it

and by being unified to one another - it is Christ who unifies us

(obedience to Christ’s command)

Paul’s commands in 1 Corinthians 11:27-29 is not about whether you’ve sinned recently (you should repent regardless) but about whether you are divided against your brother or sister in Christ.

1 Corinthians 11:27–29 ESV

Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord. Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself.

3. The Church Administers Ordinances

The church administers these ordinances not for the purpose of holding authority

But because these function only within the church

Baptism as a public proclamation of faith only works with others to see and hold accountable.

The mutual sharing of Christ’s meal to proclaim the Gospel and it’s power only works with mutually saved people.

Application:

Repent and be baptized

Do not encourage false baptism

Hold the baptized accountable

Reconcile with fellow believers

Take the Lord’s Supper with Christ’s saving power in mind