Christian Baptism
Notes
Transcript
Announce Mission Trip Dates
June 2-9th.
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As in the previous years, the cost of $1000 covers airfare and ground transport.
Lodging is yet to be determined according to how many feel called to go.
Again please let Sharon know today, f you plan to go this year.
I once heard about a little boy who got baptized one Sunday morning.
He was old enough to understand the gospel, but still young enough to still ask honest questions.
The pastor took him down into the water
And just as he lowered him under, the boy panicked a little and plugged his nose with one hand —
but the other arm shot straight up out of the water like he was calling for a lifeguard.
When the pastor brought him back up, the whole church laughed —
because all you could see was one hand sticking up toward heaven.
After the service, someone said, “were you scared?”
He said, “No . I just wanted to make sure if I went too far down, Jesus knew where to find me!”
Church family,
There are moments in life that mark you.
Moments you never forget.
For instance,
The day you were married.
The day your child was born.
or maybe even, The day you buried someone you loved.
There are moments that define a chapter in your life.
And then there are Some moments that define your identity.
Baptism is one of those,
Baptism is not just a church event.
It is an identity marker.
It is a line that is drawn in the sand.
It is a public declaration that says:
“I belong to Jesus Christ.”
And today, I want us to slow down a bit,
And look carefully at what baptism truly is —
And, what it is not — and why it matters deeply for every believer.
Because if we misunderstand baptism,
we misunderstand obedience,
and if we misunderstand obedience, we misunderstand discipleship.
Now, We do not begin with the history of Baptism.
Nor do we do start with denominational differences or distinctives.
We start with Jesus.
After His crucifixion and resurrection, standing with nail-scarred hands and resurrection authority,
Jesus said:
18 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
Do you understand the weight of that?
“All authority.”
Not partial authority.
Not advisory authority.
But, Supreme authority.
And from that authority flows a command:
Make disciples
Then Baptize them.
and then Teach them.
The construct of Baptism is not a creative idea of the early church.
It is not optional, its commanded
It is not some symbolic gesture added later.
It was commanded by the risen Christ.
And notice the order:
Make disciples —Then baptize them.
Notice — Discipleship comes before baptism.
and Salvation comes before the water.
Faith comes before baptism.
That is why, from a Baptist perspective, we practice the believer’s baptism.
Not because we are stubborn.
Not because we want to be different somehow.
But because we want to follow the biblical pattern.
Now we must be crystal clear here.
The water does not save you.
The baptistry does not regenerate you.
and The pastor does not forgive you of your sins.
Only Jesus can save you.
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast.
If baptism could save you, then salvation would depend on a human action.
But it can’t, so, salvation depends entirely on finished work of Christ.
When Jesus cried from the cross,
“It is finished.”
He did not whisper, “It is mostly done — just add water.”
No.
The work was complete.
The blood was sufficient.
The sacrifice was accepted.
Now, Scripture closely connects baptism with salvation — because true salvation produces obedience.
But baptism does not bring salvation.
The thief on the cross never touched baptismal water.
Yet Jesus said:
43 And Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.”
What saved him?
It was his Faith in Christ. That’s what saved him
That is the same thing that saves you.
And once you are saved —You should live as though you’re saved .
This is where the beauty unfolds.
Paul writes in
4 Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
Baptism is not some empty symbolism ritual.
It is visible theology.
When someone steps into the water, we are witnessing a sermon without words.
When they are lowered beneath the surface:
—That is burial.
—That is death.
—That is the old life crucified.
—That is sin’s dominance being broken.
When they come up from the water:
—That is resurrection.
—That is new life.
—That is grace displayed.
Baptism declares:
“I was dead in my trespasses.”
“I have died with Christ.”
“I have been raised with Christ.”
“I am not who I used to be.”
Let’s remember however this important truth,
The water doesn’t perform the miracle.
But, it does proclaim the miracle.
And that is why it is so powerful.
Because it dramatizes the gospel.
Now,
Some might ask, “Why does it matter how it’s done?”
Can’t it just be a sprinkle?
Or fully immersed?
The answer is — It does matter because symbolism matters.
The word itself baptizo actually means to immerse.
Every clear New Testament example points to immersion.
Jesus went down into the water and came up out of it.
Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch went down into the water.
Notice all Burials require a full covering of the grave.
You don’t just sprinkle dirt over a body and call it burial.
So, the Burial means complete identification with Christ.
And the Immersion captures the depth of Romans 6.4
It is not about tradition.
It is about theological clarity.
We immerse because the gospel deserves to be pictured or modeled accurately.
The Baptist conviction stands firmly.
In every New Testament account, baptism follows personal faith.
Repentance requires understanding.
Faith requires response.
Think about it,
An infant cannot repent.
An infant cannot consciously trust Christ.
So, We dedicate children.
We pray over them.
And We disciple them.
Baptism, biblically, follows belief.
Its a confession of personal faith.
That is why we call it the believer’s baptism.
It preserves the integrity of the gospel.
In the early church however, baptism was a dangerous thing.
It could cost you your family.
—Your reputation.
—Your livelihood.
When someone was baptized, they were declaring:
“Jesus is Lord.”
And that statement was explosive.
Today we treat baptism casually.
In the first century, it was a dividing line.
It said:
“I have switched kingdoms.”
“I have changed allegiance.”
“I belong to Christ.”
Baptism then, is not private spirituality.
It is a public display of loyalty.
It is a stepping into the light.
Now let me speak pastorally.
If you are saved —
If you love Christ —
But you have not been baptized —
Ask yourself, “Why not?”
It can’t be ignorance. Because now you know better, —You should be baptized
It can’t be fear, Because if it was fear, you wouldn’t have given you’re life to Christ
But rather, prolonged refusal to be baptized reveals something deeper.
There was a woman once — faithful, loved Jesus, served everywhere.
in the Nursery, serving Meals ministry.
Showed up early. Stayed late at events
She believed in Christ for years, but she kept postponing baptism.
Every time the subject came up she’d say,
“Oh I will… just not yet.”
Finally someone asked her gently, “Why not?”
She said, “Because I don’t like getting my hair wet.”
Now before we judge — some of you understand.
I say, it wasn’t about the hair.
It was about the control.
It was about the comfort.
Then one Sunday she heard a message from Matthew 25 —
about loving Christ more than self,
And something clicked in her.
she thought,
If Jesus could leave heaven…
If Jesus could surrender His body to a cross…
If Jesus could be buried in a borrowed tomb…
Surely she could risk a bad hair day.
The next week she signed up.
When she came up out of the water, her mascara was running, her hair was flat —
and she was smiling like she had just saw Jesus
She said— “I realized something… if I can’t surrender my hairstyle, how will I surrender my life?”
That’s just it isn’t it?
Remember, baptism is the first step of obedience.
If we hesitate at the first step of obedience, how then will we run the race?
Let’s be real clear, - Delayed obedience is still disobedience.
The water does not save you— But obedience honors the Savior.
Every baptism says something special.
It says Christ died.
It says Christ rose.
It says Christ saves.
It says this person belongs to Him.
And church family — when someone is baptized, we are not just spectators.
We are live witnesses.
We, being present with them are affirming their confession.
We are pledging to walk along side them.
Baptism is individual in action — But corporate in affirmation.
Let me bring this home.
Have you trusted Christ?
I don’t mean in religious tradition.
I don’t mean in your family heritage.
And definitely not only trusting in your childhood exposure, from Sunday school or camping retreats.
No, but rather, Have you personally repented of your sin and trusted Jesus?
If not, please know these very important details.
The water will not help you.
Only Christ can save you.
And if you have trusted Him —Have you obeyed Him?
The question isn’t:
“Have you been submerged or dunked in water?”
Rather the question is:
Have you been buried with Christ and raised to walk in newness of life?
There is something powerful about stepping into that water.
It says:
— “My sin no longer defines me.”
— “My shame no longer owns me.”
— “My past is under the blood.”
— “I belong to Christ.”
And when you come up —
The church should rejoice with you,
And The bible tells us that the angels in Heaven also rejoices with you.
Your obedience, then, becomes your testimony.
You were Buried with Him.
You are Raised with Him.
And now you’re — Walking in the newness of life.
That is Christian baptism.
It’s Not magic.
It’s Not a ritual.
It’s Not through tradition.
But by your obedience.
your new Identity is in Christ.
And your Allegiance is to Jesus
And Since Christ is Lord —
Then your obedience to Him is beautiful.
Amen.
