The two rules…

The two rules are dependent on two “if” statements

IF you have repented of your sins and trusted in Christ for salvation.

If you have not yet been baptized as a believer in Christ.

Why should Christians get baptized?

Jesus commanded believers to be baptized.

Matthew 28:18–20 ESV

And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 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, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

All authority has been given to me. The world operates within the boundaries and rules that God has written. Discipleship is a simple three step process that actually never ends.

Go win people to Jesus, baptize them, and teach them God’s Word.

Christians get baptized to openly declare their faith in Jesus.

Acts 2:37–38 ESV

Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” 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.

Baptism does not save a person. Baptism publically declares a decision you already made to trust Jesus as Lord of your life and to surrender your agenda and submit to his plan.

Colossians 2:11–12 ESV

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, 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.

In Old Testament, Jewish men were circumcised as an outward demonstration of an inward decision. When a person is baptized, there are photos and videos. You remember it. You attach a date to it. You get in a body of water and get soaked as an outward demonstration of an inward decision. You are put under water illustrating you have been buried with Christ. You are raised out of water illustrating new life provided as Christ raised from the dead.

Declaring your faith deepens your faith.

Confessing your faith confirms your faith.

Sharing your faith strengthens your faith.

Christians get baptized and publically commit to a church.

Acts 2:39–42 ESV

For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.” And with many other words he bore witness and continued to exhort them, saying, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation.” So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls. And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.

Baptism happens in a church so a body of believers can affirm your public declaration of faith and begin mutual Christian edification with you. If you are willing to leave you alone after your baptism, we shouldn’t baptize you. If you are not willing to engage in the life of our church, we shouldn’t baptize you.

Why is communion so important?

Communion is a time to remember and reflect.

Exodus 12:12–27 ESV

For I will pass through the land of Egypt that night, and I will strike all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and on all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgments: I am the Lord. The blood shall be a sign for you, on the houses where you are. And when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and no plague will befall you to destroy you, when I strike the land of Egypt. “This day shall be for you a memorial day, and you shall keep it as a feast to the Lord; throughout your generations, as a statute forever, you shall keep it as a feast. Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread. On the first day you shall remove leaven out of your houses, for if anyone eats what is leavened, from the first day until the seventh day, that person shall be cut off from Israel. On the first day you shall hold a holy assembly, and on the seventh day a holy assembly. No work shall be done on those days. But what everyone needs to eat, that alone may be prepared by you. And you shall observe the Feast of Unleavened Bread, for on this very day I brought your hosts out of the land of Egypt. Therefore you shall observe this day, throughout your generations, as a statute forever. In the first month, from the fourteenth day of the month at evening, you shall eat unleavened bread until the twenty-first day of the month at evening. For seven days no leaven is to be found in your houses. If anyone eats what is leavened, that person will be cut off from the congregation of Israel, whether he is a sojourner or a native of the land. You shall eat nothing leavened; in all your dwelling places you shall eat unleavened bread.” Then Moses called all the elders of Israel and said to them, “Go and select lambs for yourselves according to your clans, and kill the Passover lamb. Take a bunch of hyssop and dip it in the blood that is in the basin, and touch the lintel and the two doorposts with the blood that is in the basin. None of you shall go out of the door of his house until the morning. For the Lord will pass through to strike the Egyptians, and when he sees the blood on the lintel and on the two doorposts, the Lord will pass over the door and will not allow the destroyer to enter your houses to strike you. You shall observe this rite as a statute for you and for your sons forever. And when you come to the land that the Lord will give you, as he has promised, you shall keep this service. And when your children say to you, ‘What do you mean by this service?’ you shall say, ‘It is the sacrifice of the Lord’s Passover, for he passed over the houses of the people of Israel in Egypt, when he struck the Egyptians but spared our houses.’ ” And the people bowed their heads and worshiped.

When Jesus sat with his disciples at the Last Supper in Matthew 26, the food they were eating prompted specific memories about their history and their redemption.

In Matthew 26:26–28, Jesus took the unleavened bread and told them he was their redemption. Then Jesus took a cup and told them his blood would be a covenant. Like the blood that was placed on the door in Egypt, his blood would be poured and save many. I think the disciples would have been reminded of all they learned celebrated their entire lives.

Communion should remind us that we were once an enemy, but now we are a son or daughter.

We should be reminded that we were condemned in our sin, but now we’re found righteous.

We should be reminded that we were a slave to sin, but now we’re free in Jesus.

We should be reminded that we were dead, but now we’re alive.

We should be reminded that old things are passed away, behold all things are new.

Communion is a time for Christian togetherness.

I have never read a passage about a person celebrating communion alone. It’s always about God’s people celebrating with God’s people. We could refer to Acts 2 or 1 Corinthians 11. There is a togetherness and a unity that surrounds the communion table.

Communion is a time to anticipate what God will do in the future.

Revelation 21:1–7 ESV

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” And he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment. The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son.

End with baptism