Taking the Plunge
Baptism Service • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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I love swimming, I swam in Middle School and in High School. BUT I will never forget the time with I first learned how to swim.
Until I was about 10 years old, I loved the shallow end… the shallow end was my friend because it was safe. But I came to realize that the deep end is much more fun. My older brother would play in the deep end and taunt me as I safely played in the shallow end of the pool. Thanks to my older brother I leaned how to swim...
Here at New Life we believe in taking the plunge.
Jumping in with Jesus through baptism is an important step in our spiritual formation as followers of Christ. Baptism is not a requirement for salvation because we are already saved by grace, baptism is that next step as disciples of Jesus.
If you have repented of your sins, if you have a personal faith in Christ, and you haven’t been baptized… then get baptized.
If you are a disciple of Christ, and you haven’t been baptized, then get baptized…
It’s our next step as a follower of Christ. It’s a proclamation… It’s a declaration that the old self is buried and our new self is resurrected with Christ.
What does the Bible Teach about Water Baptism?
This morning, we are going to be digging into a lot of scripture. To help, I printed off a sheet for you to take home for you to dig deeper and study. Read, and reread, meditate on those scriptures.
This morning, we are going to look at five questions usually asked about water baptism. The best way to answer these questions is to look to the Word of God.
Who should be baptized?
Who should be baptized?
38 And Peter said to them, “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.
Those who have repented from their sins, and have a personal faith in Christ.
Repentance means turn away from sin, and turn to God.
Jesus wants to cleanse all believers and fill all believers with the Holy Spirit.
Those who have committed their lives to be disciples of Jesus are those who can be baptized.
19 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, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
What does it mean to be a disciple, a follower, or an apprentice of Jesus? (Luke 14:26-27)
Jesus give us qualifications for becoming HIS disciple.
26 “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. 27 Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.
It’s more than just professing, “I’m a Christian!” It’s more than just checking the right box.
Jesus used the word “hate” as a hyperbole to point out that those who wanted to be HIS followers would have demands placed upon them. The task would not be easy. Sometimes relationships would be severed, and his followers would have to turn away and remain with Jesus. Those who cannot make that kind of commitment cannot be HIS disciple.
Being a disciple of Jesus means putting Jesus above and before anyone or anything else… it means taking up your own cross just like Jesus took up HIS.
The Bible gives us many examples of people who put their faith in Jesus Christ and then were baptized.
After the crowd responded to Peter’s message on the day of Pentecost in Acts 2.
41 So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls.
In Acts 8 when Philip preached to new believers in Samaria
12 But when they believed Philip as he preached good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.
After Philip spoke to the Ethiopian Eunuch
35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning with this Scripture he told him the good news about Jesus. 36 And as they were going along the road they came to some water, and the eunuch said, “See, here is water! What prevents me from being baptized?” 38 And he commanded the chariot to stop, and they both went down into the water, Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him.
When Jesus revealed himself to the Apostle Paul on the Damascus Road.
17 So Ananias departed and entered the house. And laying his hands on him he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road by which you came has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” 18 And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he rose and was baptized.
Cornelius and his company got saved (Acts 10:47-48)
The Corinthians (Acts 18:8)
The Ephesians (Acts 19:1-5)
When people who put their faith in Jesus Christ, they were baptized.
Many households or families when coming to faith in Christ, these households were baptized:
The Jailor (Acts 16:31-34)
Crispus (Acts 18:8)
Lydia (Acts 16:14-15)
In each of these cases, all of the household members first placed their faith in Christ for salvation and then were baptized.
Let me make this clear, infants cannot do this. There is not one instance in the Bible of infant baptism. Baptism requires repentance and a personal decision to follow Jesus.
How should we be baptized?
How should we be baptized?
Baptize by immersion in water.
“Baptism” from the Greek “Baptizo” means literally “to dip”, to “plunge under”, “to immerse”.
The Bible shows immersion, dipping under water, as the means for baptism.
John 3:22-23 (John the Baptist).
Mark 1:9-11 (Jesus).
Acts 8:38-39 (Ethiopian Eunuch).
Baptism must be symbolic of Burial and Resurrection.
Colossians 2:12, Romans 6:3-4
12 having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead.
3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 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.
Baptize in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ.
“In the name of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost” (Matthew 28:19).
This is a symbol of our identification with God.
Baptism is a circumcision of the heart.
In the Old Testament, circumcision was an outward symbol of identification with God’s people.
God made an everlasting covenant with Abraham and sealed it with the sign of circumcision.
In the New Testament, the outward symbol becomes water baptism.
11 When you came to Christ, you were “circumcised,” but not by a physical procedure. Christ performed a spiritual circumcision—the cutting away of your sinful nature. 12 For you were buried with Christ when you were baptized. And with him you were raised to new life because you trusted the mighty power of God, who raised Christ from the dead.
Where should we be baptized?
Where should we be baptized?
Does it have to be at a church, a river, a lake, a pool?
Scripture only gives one requirement when it comes to the place where we should be baptized.
Wherever there’s enough water.
22 After this Jesus and his disciples went into the Judean countryside, and he remained there with them and was baptizing. 23 John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because water was plentiful there, and people were coming and being baptized.
Why should we be baptized?
Why should we be baptized?
Because the Lord commanded us to. (Matthew 28:19)
In Matthew 28:19, after the resurrection and before the ascension, Jesus told his disciples to “go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.”
2. We should be baptized…
2. Because baptism shows that we have a clear conscience before God. (1 Peter 3:20-21)
20 those who disobeyed God long ago when God waited patiently while Noah was building his boat. Only eight people were saved from drowning in that terrible flood. 21 And that water is a picture of baptism, which now saves you, not by removing dirt from your body, but as a response to God from a clean conscience. It is effective because of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
3. We should be baptized because
3. Baptism is a testimony to the world of the burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. (Rom 6:4)
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.
4. Baptism is symbolic of burying the “old person” (Rom 6:5-7)
5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. 6 We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. 7 For one who has died has been set free from sin.
5. Water Baptism is a testimony to Satan’s defeat. (Col 2:12 & 15)
12 For you were buried with Christ when you were baptized. And with him you were raised to new life because you trusted the mighty power of God, who raised Christ from the dead.
15 In this way, he disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by his victory over them on the cross.
6. Water baptism is a public acknowledgement of repentance and faith in Christ. (Matthew 10:32-33)
32 So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven, 33 but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven.
7. As the Church, baptism is a testimony to the oneness of true believers in Christ. (1 Cor 12:13)
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.
8. Baptism shows our willingness to accept God’s purpose for our lives. (Luke 7:29-30)
29 (When all the people heard this, and the tax collectors too, they declared God just, having been baptized with the baptism of John, 30 but the Pharisees and the lawyers rejected the purpose of God for themselves, not having been baptized by him.)
When should we be water baptized?
When should we be water baptized?
If you are a disciple of Christ, who has repented of your sins and are following Jesus then what are you waiting for? If you are a follower of Jesus Christ then NOW is the time, here is your moment to be baptized.
If you are a disciple of Christ, who has repented of your sins and are following Jesus then NOW is the time.
As Ananias told Saul after he encountered Christ on the Damascus Road… in Acts 22:16.
16 What are you waiting for? Get up and be baptized. Have your sins washed away by calling on the name of the Lord.’
Through the book of Acts we see that in each case those who commit their lives to Christ, were baptized immediately. There was no delay.
After Peter’s Message at Pentecost (Acts 2:41)
When Philip Ministered to the Samaritans (Acts 8:12)
After the Ethiopian Eunuch committed his life to Jesus on the road (Acts 8:37-38).
After Paul’s conversion to Christ (Acts 9:18)
With the Jailer and his family (Acts 16:30-34)
30 Then he brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” 31 They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, along with everyone in your household.” 32 And they shared the word of the Lord with him and with all who lived in his household. 33 Even at that hour of the night, the jailer cared for them and washed their wounds. Then he and everyone in his household were immediately baptized. 34 He brought them into his house and set a meal before them, and he and his entire household rejoiced because they all believed in God.
In Acts 19 when Paul ministered to the people of Corinth and they put their faith in Christ it says…
5 As soon as they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
As soon as you have committed your life to the Lordship of Jesus and repented from your sin, the next step is baptism.
TAKE AWAY:
Do you want to Follow Christ’s Example?
Do you want to Obey Christ’s Command?
Do you want to Publicly Identify with Christ?
If you say yes, and you’ve never been baptized, take the plunge.
Before you get baptized…
Think about what the Lord has done in your life.
Take time to search God’s Word on baptism.
Invite friends and family
Think about what the Lord has done in your life.
Write down your story so you can share it before you take the plunge. Remember that this is a public declaration that you are a follower of Jesus.
What has God done in your life? Why do want to get baptized?
What does this step in your life mean to you?
What is an area of your life that you desire to grow in as you commit your life to the Lord?
Take time to search God’s Word on baptism.
A great place to start is Romans 6. (the meaning of baptism and how this should affect the way I live)
Baptism is not the end, it’s the beginning.
After you’ve been baptized, that evening, spend some time being quiet before the Lord reflecting on all that He has done for you.
Invite friends and family
This is an important step in your spiritual formation and this is a public declaration of your faith in God!
Invite those people who are important to you so that they can share with you this very special decision as a follower of Jesus.
