Baptism of Jesus

Jesus was willing to go where the sinner should be, walk where the sinner should walk, where humanity like all sinners do, and still be obedient to complete all righteousness. He became a servant. ()

“All righteousness”- not in that moment. But, from the starting line looking forward, He knew what was going on.

The value of watching Jesus be physically verified as the Savior, the Messiah, the Lamb of God is HUGE

The Entrance of the Holy Spirit

The power of jesus’ ministry

The ministry itself was not active before hand

All events of Jesus’ life were had through the Spirit

“Baptism”-

We see Jesus begin with a baptism and then end with a “baptism” as he goes into death and then is raised in newness of life

In the same way we experience baptism:

We obey God and this shows a picture of what is going to happen

We live and are used as ministers

Final baptism: we die going down, we come back up in new life

Baptism for us

It is commanded that we do it- not to earn our salvation- but to be obedient

Can you go to heaven without being baptised? Yes.

But, why would you? Isn’t that a weak faith? A faith that refuses to obey the command right out of Jesus’ mouth probably won’t stand up under much weight. ()

Baptism was based on the ritual cleansing- It is admitting that you are dirty and you need God to make you clean

Why is this new? Because of repentance.

Jesus said “Repent and be baptized.” John say bear fruit of repentance.

People would get cleaned, but then return to what they were doing. There was no real change, just cleaner skin.

Then Jesus shows up and His baptism has the Holy Spirit involved. His Holy Spirit changes hearts. His baptism shows that now, they have some place to turn to. Repent from sins, be cleansed of them, and walk in this new life.

Notes 2

The bible is clear that we are saved by grace, through faith. Baptism is not a pre-req.

But, salvation is holistically transforming. We confess with our lips, we believe in our hearts, we know and decide in our minds that Jesus is Lord. All are necessary because they can’t exist in little bits.

When we fully believe in Christ, then we live that way. All of our being and all of our actions. Within baptism, this action is a symbol the way a ring is an engagement ring is a symbol. It only is real if it is real and its only really given if it is really given.

You can give a ring to someone and not love them, but that isn’t the full symbolism of the ring. When I see the real ring on the real fiance, I see the physical sign of the reality of her heart: she is in love, she is promised, she is bound to another.

Baptism is the engagement ring to Christ. Baptism is the physical expression of the reality of the heart.

Sermons from John Piper (1980–1989) Thoughts on Baptism

I think it is fitting because what happens in becoming a Christian involves the body as well as the heart. In conversion the heart is freed from sin to be enslaved to God. But in Romans 6, Paul really stresses that our bodies too are involved in this change over. For example, verse 13: “Do not yield the members of your body to sin as instruments of wickedness but yield yourselves to God as men who have been brought from death to life and your members to God as instruments of righteousness.”

it makes sense that God asks us to do something with our body to reflect this reality, because he asks us to do so much with our bodies. shows us that we should offer our bodies as weapons of righteousness.

Every part of us is a Christian, so be a Christian with every part.

Piper, J. (2007). Sermons from John Piper (1980–1989). Minneapolis, MN: Desiring God.

Intro

This sermon is kind of tricky. Because we are looking at Jesus, what he did and at the same time we are looking at us and what he asked us to do. They are kind of different, but a the connector piece is that Jesus changes us.

How will be able to change our whole life around? How will we be able to stand up against temptation? How will we be able to follow all the rules? How will we be able to do everything He asks? and why would we want to?

Matthew 3:

Matthew 3:1–12 CSB

In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea and saying, “Repent, because the kingdom of heaven has come near!” For he is the one spoken of through the prophet Isaiah, who said: A voice of one crying out in the wilderness: Prepare the way for the Lord; make his paths straight! Now John had a camel-hair garment with a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. Then people from Jerusalem, all Judea, and all the vicinity of the Jordan were going out to him, and they were baptized by him in the Jordan River, confessing their sins. When he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, “Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? Therefore produce fruit consistent with repentance. And don’t presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you that God is able to raise up children for Abraham from these stones. The ax is already at the root of the trees. Therefore, every tree that doesn’t produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire. “I baptize you with water for repentance, but the one who is coming after me is more powerful than I. I am not worthy to remove his sandals. He himself will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing shovel is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the barn. But the chaff he will burn with fire that never goes out.”

John 1:29–31 CSB

The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Here is the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! This is the one I told you about: ‘After me comes a man who ranks ahead of me, because he existed before me.’ I didn’t know him, but I came baptizing with water so he might be revealed to Israel.”

*Jesus comes down to be baptized*

Matthew 3:14–17 CSB

But John tried to stop him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and yet you come to me?” Jesus answered him, “Allow it for now, because this is the way for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then John allowed him to be baptized. When Jesus was baptized, he went up immediately from the water. The heavens suddenly opened for him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming down on him. And a voice from heaven said: “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well-pleased.”

So here is John preaching. And He is preaching to repent. And he is preaching to confess. And he is preaching to be baptized.

All of these things are known by Jewish people listening. These are common religious practices.

You just came out to hear him cause you heard he was crazy, but he is actually making a lot of sense

HOWEVER, he isn’t preaching about what is going to be used to pay for the sins. Everyone is used to these teachings plus killing something, like a lamb, to pay for the mistakes.

He talks about how you know you aren’t perfect— You feel that.

He talks about how you know you should live differently— You feel that too.

John tells everyone why he is doing this: Judgement is coming, things are going to get real, learn this, I am saying it “so that (the Savior) might be revealed to Israel”

You feel that.

He talks about how you are seperated from God— You don’t like it, but that one hits home too.

His purpose was not to get people washed off to go back and live the same way

His purpose was to get them to look to the King who was coming, the Savior, their salvation.

John the Baptist is a bit scary. He is loud. He looks almost angry, tough, like someone who knows they are in charge. His voice carries over the crowd all around you- hundreds and hundreds of people looking to be entertained and starting to feel the weight of eternity press in on them, just like you. They weren’t expecting that. And neither were you.

So, what does baptism have to do with all this? why is baptism always talked about with salvation?

(**Discussion about asking the text questions**)

But, not everyone is here for the first time. Other people nod in agreement, like they have been listening to him teach many times. What are they agreeing to? That no one is safe and God is coming to judge? Why would people smile about that?

Baptism

You do not need to be baptized to be saved.

John goes on though: He says there is a way to be free from our own actions. He says that if we want to be pure that we can turn back to God. Just like any other time something needs to be cleaned, we should come forward to him. When we confess our sins then, like our other rituals, we would wash.

The bible is clear that we are saved by grace, through faith. Baptism is not a pre-req.

- For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift—not from works...

Baptism for us

It is commanded that we do it- not to earn our salvation- but to be obedient

Can you go to heaven without being baptised? Yes.

Christian Standard Bible. (2017). (). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.

But, why would you choose that? Isn’t that a weak faith? A faith that refuses to obey the command right out of Jesus’ mouth probably won’t stand up under much weight. ()

John says that this will be the beginning of a new life where we love one another because God loves us. We will share, care, give, help, open our hearts, arms, and homes to people who need to know God’s love.

You aren’t a little dead, a little alive, a little American

I thought that this was a pretty simple idea: when we mess up, we try harder. When we get dirty, we wash off. But John wasn’t done. He talked about how this new life and salvation in God couldn’t be earned. It didn’t matter if we were holy, from a good family, or good people- John said that this water washing baptism is just a picture of a Holy fire baptism.

When we fully believe in Christ, then we live that way. All of our being and all of our actions.

Within baptism, this action is a symbol the way an engagement ring is a symbol. It only is real if it is real and its only really given if it is really given.

You can give a ring to someone and not love them, but that isn’t the full symbolism of the ring.

I was kinda losing my mind at this point. What was he even talking about?

When I see the real ring on the real fiance, I see the physical sign of the reality of her heart: she is in love, she is promised, she is bound to another.

People can be engaged but not have a ring. Not having the ring doesn’t mean that the wedding wont happen, but all the reality of their love is now symbolized in an object.

No way to earn salvation? how were we supposed to get it then? I don’t need to pay with blood for my sins? how were they supposed to get paid for then?

Baptism is the engagement ring to Christ. Baptism is the physical expression of the reality of the heart. “This is showing you the reality of this relationship”

Can you go to heaven without being baptised? Yes.

It is commanded that we do it- not to earn our salvation- but to be obedient

But, why would you choose that? Isn’t that a weak faith? A faith that refuses to obey the command right out of Jesus’ mouth probably won’t stand up under much weight. ()

When a guy proposes he WANTS to give her that ring. Especially if she asked specifically for it, because that is a reflection of the realness of his love.

Obedience is a way to show love

But, things got cleared up a minute later when I saw Him.

Back to the story

John the Baptist saw Him first. In the middle of a sentence, he stopped and began to yell. Over the roar of the crowd, John’s voice boomed. “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” Everything got quiet and the crowd scanned amongst itself. A path was made and a man walked to the edge of the water to meet John.

So John has been showing everyone that they need to turn to God and that when they do that, their sins can be forgiven.

But, this still leaves a question in people’s minds- because forgiveness is never free

**Think through the cost: stolen money, hurt pride, lost experiences**

Jewish people especially knew that blood had to be poured out as payment for sin.

- According to the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.

Christian Standard Bible. (2017). (). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.

This was Jesus, and John explained this is who we have been waiting for. This is where the baptism of fire and judgment would come from. This is the one who would pay for our salvation. This is the one who would bleed out what we owed to God. This was Him.

So, Jesus comes out and John yells out “Behold, the Lamb of God has come to take away the sins of the world!”

Jesus is the Lamb of God

All those sins we were just worried about— he is going to take them

It was starting.

All that sacrifice we were just talking about— He is the Lamb

John was confounded when Jesus asked to be baptized. It was ridiculous to John, but Jesus assured him it was necessary.

All that cleaning that needs to happen— He will purify us

**But, Jesus didn’t go under the water confessing sins like everyone else had. He didn’t go under seeking to be saved. He didn’t get baptized to repent.

**No, Jesus went down into human submission as a humble obedient servant King.

This is the announcement of the good news!

Everyone baptized goes under to signify that they will die. Everyone comes back up, signifying that they will live again. Everyone has now become symbolically clean and is able to live a new life.

He, like others would die, but not because he deserved it.

GMSK

He, like others would live again, but not by someone else’s power.

The start of Jesus’ whole ministry is going to be sounded off: like the pistol at the start of the race— God’s voice, the light of heaven, the power of the Holy Spirit

“All righteousness”- not in that moment. But, from the starting line looking forward, He knew what was going on.

He, like others would be clean, but he was never dirty.

Jesus begins this journey with obedience to the Father’s will.

He didn’t need to repent, he didn’t need forgiveness, and he didn’t need to be cleaned. But he obeyed this command from God to be baptized.

The next moment is blurry in my memory. I know that i heard God. I know that I saw the Holy Spirit coming down from the place I heard the voice. It flew like a dove. The brightness overtook my eyes and I only then could see Jesus standing there: absolutely pleasing to God the Father.

Then, just like he came out of the crowd, he left. Alone, I saw him head up into the mountains. He didn’t even take any food.

If you have not been baptized, but you know that you believe in the Gospel, I would ask you to consider this step in obedience.

There is something Kingly about this Man. Something Godly about this Servant.

The baptism of Jesus was

If we are committed to a team, we wear the jersey.

If we are committed to marry someone, we put on the ring.

This relationship with God is much more serious.

Do you see your faith in Christ as overflowing into your heart, mind, and body? Does your relationship with God, through Christ, by the Spirit make changes in your life?

Baptism is one expression of that, and it is commanded. But there are many more that will happen also.

Being a Christian will change everything.

*Baptism class 6-7pm, Wednesday*

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Baptism of Jesus

Intro

Intro

Baptism

Back to the story

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GMSK