Retreat/Baptism

Intro

Moses - name means up out of the water

Baby in a basket down the river, he was picked up out of the water

Then of course, the splitting of the Red Sea and he lead the people of Israel through, we might could say up out of the water.

Who was Moses’ successor? Joshua - what does the name Joshua mean?

When we get to the New Testament who’s the first prominent character? John the baptist. What does John the baptist do? He baptizes people. Raises them up out of the water.

Who comes after John the Baptist? Jesus. What does the name Jesus mean - Savior. Jesus name is actually, Joshua.

I don’t know exactly what you do with that, but there it is.

Maybe it helps increase your faith in God because thousands of years before John the Baptist and Jesus, God gave us a foreshadowing of them through Moses and Joshua.

Truth

2 things baptism is not. And they kind of coincide.

Baptism does not save you. Ephesians 2:8-10

Ephesians 2:8–10 NKJV

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. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

2. In that same vain, baptism is not you trying harder to be better. Baptism isn’t going to make you better. The water doesn’t save you, it also doesn’t change your heart or transform your mind.

Here’s what baptism is:

An act of obedience. We usually call a 1st step of obedience, after salvation.

Acts - repent and be baptized. Turn from thinking that you can earn salvation. Place your faith in Jesus Christ, and follow Him in baptism.

Which leads me to this question: Why did Jesus need to be baptized? He didn’t need to be saved. He didn’t need to have His sins washed away, He didn’t have any sin. So why did Jesus need to be baptized?

Matthew 3:13–17 NKJV

13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him. 14 And John tried to prevent Him, saying, “I need to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me?” 15 But Jesus answered and said to him, “Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he allowed Him.

So why did Jesus need to be baptized? To fulfill all righteousness. Jesus needed to be obedient to His father’s will.

Matthew 3:13–17 NKJV

16 When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him. 17 And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”

Baptism served as a marker for Jesus’ earthly ministry. So too, it should serve as a marker for your faith journey.

2. Baptism is a public act of identification with Christ and the community of believers. (body of Christ)

Romans 6:3–4 NKJV

3 Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? 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.

Colossians 2:11–12 NKJV

11 In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ,

Cutting off of our sinful fleshly desires. The mutilation of the flesh of Christ.

Colossians 2:11–12 NKJV

12 buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead.

3. Baptism is a symbol of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and a symbol of your spiritual death, burial, and resurrection.

Romans 6:3–4 NKJV

3 Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? 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.

Acts 2:36–38 NKJV

36 “Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.” 37 Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?” 38 Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.