Sunday, Nov 19, 2017

And in Matthew chapter 3 we see what he does to inaugurate his his ministry. And it's something that we're going to experience toward the the conclusion of the service in water baptism, but there are two ordinances of the church only start there. the church routinely practices When is communion which reminds us of? The death of Jesus and the price that Jesus Paid for our salvation for our redemption and forgiveness of sins.

And we do this here in our church usually monthly. And then we have water baptism and water baptism. Is an ordinance of the church and I'm going to actually talk about that today.

That every believer in Jesus Christ should experience.

So what you look at?

Jesus and what he did in Matthew chapter 3 beginning with verse number 13 Then Jesus Came From Galilee to the Jordan to John which is John the Baptist to be baptized by him. John would have prevented him. Saying I need to be baptized by you Jesus. And you come to me. But Jesus answered him what it be. So now for those it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness then John consented. And when Jesus was baptized immediately he went up from the water and behold the heavens were opened to him and he saw the spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him. And behold a voice from Heaven said this is my beloved Son. With whom I am well pleased.

For the longest time I struggled with why Jesus was baptized. I was baptized when I was 8 years old. on Wiley Canyon Road in Newhall, California

It was a makeshift baptismal tank more looked like a cattle trough than anything else. It was a very scary zombie was with the person by the name of Gil priest. And Gil was blind since birth and I was terrified.

That he would lose me in the water.

But I knew even at that young age. That I wanted to follow the Lord's example in water baptism and that water baptism Illustrated what Jesus did in my my life and I wanted everybody to know that. I was a follower of Jesus Christ.

But why would Jesus need to be baptized because Jesus was perfect. He did no wrong. He doesn't need forgiveness. He doesn't need to repent of anything and and yet he allowed himself to be baptized. So I want to answer that question. This morning. Why was Jesus baptized? And what does that mean for us today? So very simple simple thought here this morning. But it has very powerful ramifications for a life.

The first significance concerning Jesus's water baptism is that it launched his ministry. In Mark chapter 1 verse 14 and 15. The scripture says now after John was arrested John the Baptist was rusted. Jesus came into Galilee proclaiming the gospel of God and saying the time is fulfilled the kingdom of God is at hand repent and believe in the gospel. no, the reason why I use that scripture in in Mark is because it ties into what Jesus was doing when he was water baptized because he was he was he was affirming the importance of John's baptism. See John's baptism was a baptism of repentance. He was calling the people of Israel to repent of their sins. No, repentance is not just saying I'm sorry for what I did that's not the full measure of repentance repentance is really turning changing. Turning and changing your direction your orientation. Going in a fresh new Direction. That honors and glorifies God. And Jesus was a firming what John was doing because what John was doing in and calling people to repentance was what the what was the heart of the message of Jesus Christ in the gospel. He was calling everyone to repent to turn to change direction to follow him. It's so when Jesus was baptized he was saying look at what I am doing. I am calling you to do and that is you need to turn to change to embrace the direction that I am calling you to. I'm calling you to follow me. so Jesus was illustrating something that was important for us to imitate and to do

the second reason why Jesus was baptized as it serves as an amazing powerful picture of Jesus's death and his resurrection. the Apostle Paul writing to the church in Rome in Romans chapter 6 verse 1 through 4 said that's what shall we say. Then. Are we to continue in sin that Grace May abound by no means how can we who died to sin still live in do not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ. Jesus were baptized into his death. We were buried there for 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. White bear in Romans chapter 6 gives a snapshot of what every person that's getting baptized today is going to be demonstrating in in in in a sense. Every person being baptized today is is giving a mini sermon. on Romans chapter 6 that when a person goes into the water and is lowered into the water. It illustrates what Jesus did for us that he died for us? And that when the person is brought out of the water, it's illustrates the resurrection power of Jesus and that resurrection power giving us New Life In Christ.

It is through Christ death that the penalty of sin is paid and it is through his resurrection that God's power to bring new life. Is a reality for all who would believe. Let me just say it this way.

If you've been in church. And while you've heard so many different messages.

You hear a message every single week on Sunday morning. You may go to a Bible study or a small group and hear different messages and we're inundated with messages. We got so many different messages so many different things to preach and teach about so many things to to talk about him in our relationship with God, but I will tell you the heart and soul of the message of the Gospel is Christ's death and his resurrection and how that impacts our life.

Jesus allows himself to be baptized and he's actually giving a prophetic message. Did you know that?

He is prophesying of what was going to happen to him. When he would die for our sins, and then three days later rise from the debts.

the 3rd significance of Jesus's baptism

Is that Jesus is identifying with those who sends he would bear? This is amazing to me about Jesus. This this right here is what what draws me to him every single day. Is this point right here? Is that Jesus the infinite Son of God second person of the trinity?

What set aside? his power and authority

a Bing a member of the Triune godhead

and become Flesh and Blood just like us.

No, Jesus did not have to do that.

I wonder if we were God's would we do that?

I mean, we grow impatient with one another often.

We get frustrated with one another.

We struggled to forgive one another and have compassion toward one another and yet Jesus Christ who knows our heart who knows everything about us became a human being.

to live among us

To feel what we feel. To experience the pain and the hurt that we go through to fully identify. With the people that he intends to save. That blows my mind.

That Jesus would reach down. And not be the disinterested God that so often is betrayed in our culture. But a God who is upfront and personal personal engages in our life.

and Jesus who knew no sin who was perfect in every single way would allow the consequences of sin. Be a place to pawn him.

the prophet Isaiah said in Isaiah 53 11 out of the anguish of his soul. He shall see and be satisfied. By his knowledge. Shall the righteous one my servant make mini to be accounted righteous and he shall bear their iniquities.

I'm going to call you that overwhelms me.

but the God that I so routinely sin against so often forget about so many times marginalized because of my busy life.

Reaches down into my life and allows the consequences of my infirmities to be placed upon him.

The one who knew no sin becoming sin. for us why? Because there's several important spiritual principles in play.

number one

send invite separation from God

the scripture says for the wages of sin is death.

The other principal that's in place is that all of us have sinned and fallen short of God's glory friends. There is not one person in this room. That is perfect.

Not one of us is perfect.

I wish I could say that after after 4 plus Decades of being a follower of Jesus Christ that I I can figure out life and I can handle it because every time I reached the point where I think I can handle it. I realize I can't.

It's easy for me. To forget and to marginalize into the push aside the most powerful truth and that truth. Is that Jesus? He identifies with me.

He knows me.

He's not just the the Jesus that's above in heaven. He's right here with me. The Bible says where two or three are gathered in his name. He is in our midst. That's what Jesus said.

Spirit of the Living God in dwells within me as a believer in Jesus Christ

And I'm stunned by it. See the thing that I fear the most is that I will allow so many things the crowd out the truth that Jesus loves me.

That I would even allow. the religious stuff the political stuff the people stuff the live stuff too. So Captivate my mind that I lose sight of the truth that Jesus loves me.

That Jesus values me not because I am something special. I know I am not but he loves me anyways unconditionally.

And he loves you, too. And you may say you don't know what I did this morning or you don't know what I did this past week or you don't know the struggles that I think I will tell you. I I know those are important things, but the listen to me listen to me and don't don't forget this dog loves you.

He loves you no matter what you've done. CC wings pervert Love by saying I love you because you will love me. I will be nice to you because you're nice to me. See God doesn't work under that economy. the creator of the heavens and the Earth Lord of Life loves you unconditionally Steve value value so much p.m. Printed his image upon you. You you are there's a sacredness about you.

Jesus identifies with those who sins he bears.

Personally be deceived. Jesus was not just 100% man. He was 100% guide. Be 100%. He's he's omniscient. He is all-knowing. He's on my present. He's everywhere. He's not limited by us. So he knows every single thing about us. He knows us more than we know ourselves.

And when he was hanging on the cross.

It was like if you were the only person that existed.

And when he died on the cross he had you on his mind.

And he loved you so much.

That he died for you to rescue you.

Baptism is an identification of Jesus to his people.

the force significance of Jesus's baptism was that in Affirmed? his messiahship

it affirmed Jesus as the Redemptive plan of God. It was God's plan from the very beginning. All you have to do is look at the beginning of the Bible in Genesis chapter 3 and you see how God began to unfold his plan because he knew that there would be a descendant from the woman. That would have been truly bring bring Victory to Mankind and and defeat the enemy.

Jesus the anointed one the setup part 1 was God's way of salvation for all who would believe.

in fact, we see this actually at the baptism in Matthew chapter 3 verse 16 and 17 the scripture says and when Jesus was baptized

Immediately he went up from the water and behold the heavens were opened to him and he saw the spirit of God descending like a dove and be coming and coming to rest on him and behold the voice from Heaven said, this is my beloved Son. With whom I am. Well pleased right here. We have the Triune God. being declared we have Jesus being baptized in the Holy Spirit as the dove descending upon him and the voice of the father declaring. This is my beloved Son in whom I am. Well pleased the father giving testimony to what Jesus was all about and what he was going to do to redeem Mankind from there since Listen, you do not need any convincing that in our world today. We have the same problem.

We have heartache and we have pain because that's what sin brings.

Only Jesus can bring peace.

Only Jesus can bring victory in our life friends.

I want you to know that when Jesus was water baptized. This was not some archaic ritual. It was not an ambiguous religious symbol.

Baptism is a powerful message of God's love.

baptism washed Jesus's early Earthly Ministry It's signified a starting point as soon as Jesus came out of the water the Holy Spirit. What him into the Wilderness where he fasted and prayed for 40 days? He was tempted. By the enemy just like we're a tempted by the enemy. And then he began to preach the good news of repentance and the kingdom of God baptism was the starting point.

Secondly that Jesus served or Jesus when he was baptized. It's served as a powerful picture of what Jesus was going to do for us.

That he would take the penalty of our sin and place it upon himself.

Everytime I see or witness a baptism. I'm being reminded that Jesus Paid a Debt. He did not owe. And that I owe the debt I could not pay.

And he paid it.

baptism demonstrates Jesus's identification for with Humanity

Helping us grass. If it is possible to see his Selfless Love grace and mercy exemplified. For he identified with every single person.

and bearing there since

and then baptism affirms that Jesus is indeed the savior of the world that he is truly the only way the only truth and the only life no one can come to the father except through him. So what does this mean for believers? What does this mean for all of us if we if we just keep that baptism in Matthew chapter 3 and just relegated to some historical event. We're going to miss something very powerful for our lives when somebody is water baptism baptized what happens to them?

First let me let me make this point very clear and I I told all those that are going to be water baptized this as well.

Water baptism doesn't save anybody. Listen to me very very carefully. I know that in this room are representatives of a lot of different traditions in Christian faith, but I want to tell you this one. I draw the Line in the Sand. Salvation is only through God's grace received by faith set. No ritual. No ceremony. No, no activity takes the place of the fact that Jesus gave his brace to us and the only way we can access that Grace is by faith not by some symbolism. And so if somebody is does not receive God's Grace by faith in their water baptized. All that happens is they get wet.

But when somebody puts their faith and trust in Jesus Christ, and they follow the Lord's example in water baptism things begin to happen. This is not just some symbolic experience. There is something powerful that happens. When a believer in Jesus Christ follows. The Lord's example by being water baptized something begins to happen in their life first. As baptism watch Jesus's Ministry water baptism serves as a powerful moment where we tell the world of our new life in Christ. It is the Line in the Sand I am identifying with Jesus Christ when I get water baptized and that's why many times we we don't want it to be some private ceremony. We want everybody to see it because we are telling the world. I am a follower of Jesus Christ. Secondly as baptism illustrates Jesus's death and Resurrection. Water baptism serves to illustrate our death in the old life and our Resurrection as a person who trust in Jesus Christ Alone. In Jesus Christ who gives us new wife. third as baptism demonstrates Jesus's identification with Humanity. Water baptism demonstrates our identification with Christ. Did you get that? Remember Jesus was water baptized and one of the reasons is he wants to identify with us. He wants to connect with us when we are water baptized. We are connecting with Christ and his message and the gospel. K Force that's baptism of firms that Jesus is the savior of the world water baptism of firms that Jesus is my personal Lord and savior. I'm up firming. This is the power of water baptism friends. This is why we practice this.

Because it does indeed change us. There's something powerful that happens when we identify with Christ.

Even though what happened to me happen when I was 8 years old.

long time ago

and even though the experience was in some regards terrifying for me because I had a fear of water.

But having your priest baptize me that was something special.

Let me just tell you a little Story by the way 3 years later. I was at a Royal Ranger camp. The boys in Gilcrease was there. Like I told you some of these some of this story, but you'll priest to baptize me and water. He was at the camp. And there were about five six of us boys. And we were staying up late at night is boy sometimes do and we were you know. Not letting everybody sleep. And so Gil priest came in and he caught got us boys all together. He sat down with us instead of chastising us. He said you want all that God has for you.

I'm still the same person that water baptized me. Was there to witness to pray for me to be there when I receive the baptism in the Holy Spirit and incredible experience? friends when we follow the Lord's example in water baptism. It just solidifies. what we decided follow Christ the glorify and honor and praise His holy name Helmet, would you come to the piano for me?

Stacey I'm going to make one little change, but I know you guys are instant in season and out of season. Helmet, I'm going to throw something at you at the very last minute. Solid Rock my hope is built on.