Baptism (Baptism in.....)
And all theme for August is baptism. So throughout throughout August will be looking at various things around baptism and I particularly want to look at today baptism in response to you, might say in response to what, that's exactly my question. What causes us to be? Baptized, I'm going to stop with the story. Is gentleman listing from to unlock door, as I was chatting to you, I just felt God speak to me. And so it goes with you today. Go to with you and he has a he he he's opening doors in your life. I didn't know circumcised. I don't know you from Adam but God knows you. He knows you'll suck him thinks. He knows your situation, and I just sent you right now, the door unlocked, but the door is already out for yourself. Come stand, sees you as that door opens walk through it with faith. And with confidence, for God is with you, he has opened the door for you. And father, I pray that Lord, I asked doors open for others to not just these gentlemen. He's listing right now but to others, as well. Father, I pray that you open doors that do seem to have been shot. Would you close? Those windows need to be close. But father we come to you with all needs and we sideload move in our lives. Move in also can move also got the, we would change the change from glory to glory till in have recycle place.
Chilling. Having me take off ice, we're on a journey. We're on a journey, we're on a journey with you or go with learning stuff everyday. You help us looking to the depth of your word and we see something more of ourselves you move us aside and we have a different view, an order of God as we do that, sometimes when we get out of the way with the biggest problem. And as we step out of the way, you move things change. I'm breakthrough. Comes so father. I pray for this man in Thailand, and for others to who are seeking for a new card, with a new Pathway, to a New Journey to join. Father, I pray that you would like and do as we pry in your Mighty nein. I meant. I'm going to start with a bit of scripture. You probably know the story recently about Matthew chapter 3 verses 13 to 17. Jesus Came From Galilee to the Jordan River. You wanted to be baptized by John, but John tried to stop him. He told, Jesus. I need to be baptized by you. So why didn't you come to me? Jesus replied. Let it be this way for now. It is right for us to do this. It carries out God's holy plan. Send John the great as soon as Jesus was baptized, he came up out of the water and at that moment heaven was opened. Jesus sold the spirit of God. Coming down on him as a dog, a voice from Heaven said this is my son. I love him and I'm very pleased with him.
Some people think the baptism is the beginning of becoming a Christian.
It's it's a sign on the journey and it's something that I'd encourage, all of us to get baptized at some point in our lives. The sooner, the better in my opinion. But it's not the point. We become a Christian. The point we become a Christian is when we put our trust in Christ beside you all Lord. You Are, You Are My Savior? Yeah, we can study this great book, The Bible, and we could learn history ounce of it. We could learn poetry out of it. We can learn wisdom out of it, but the most important thing is he becomes off on book for Life, something that guides our journey. Something that leads us uci's Norfolk tide book pages in March Madness. This is probably my face, 06 Bible now. And as you can see, if you can see on the camera, it's just full of pieces of paper. Every one of them is a sermon and ice cream trucks in the in the in in the corners of Ages. But slowly over time eventually, the spying guys, and once the spying goes, I get myself another Bible by Ian and Val Perez in about Bud. Lead on that work in like 2 weeks International. And I went to that church plums as he was in Calgary and I went to speak The first time group before they'd even moved into a building. And now it's a multiple congregation across Calgary in Canada, and they have money to at that point, to be able to, to, to give a love offering. But this Bible is the Bible. They gave me, let me see. 24th of October 2011. But the point is, I've read many of these Pages, many time, some of them, a crumpled, some of them I folded, but he still fresh. Even though I've read it many times, it's still fresh. He's still living. Still changes me and soul. I need courage, you please don't think of this is a Duffy boat. Will blow the dust off of it and let the Life of Christ speak to you until you let the Holy Spirit anointing, his words. So I come to you with life and with purpose, I'm so be right that from Matthew about how Jesus wants you to be. But now Jesus was John the Baptist cousin. Ali B, that preaching. What did he mean? Preaching, the kingdom of God is near the kingdom of God is at hand? All I want to say that to everybody who's listening who's listening to the recording lights of. Those are the people in the room. The kingdom of God is at hand, what do we know about a kingdom? That right, there is a king who rules and Rhymes. The second thing in the kingdom is, there are subjects who submit themselves to the king. Look at Queen Elizabeth, the wife believed was Kohl's to be Queen. No, she's still doing a great job even though she's way past retirement age. But she I sent, she feels cold to be quick, and she's going to stay until go. To either gives the permission to step down, or she Posse's on to God's Kingdom. And I'm just, I just but we know that's clean, she's in charge now. Historically, I know we will still go to Parliament to me, but that all still built in history. The Prime Minister, when he gets, you like the ghost of the queen and that's the first thing he thought, this was the election results. He's declared. He goes to the queen or the king. If it was a king on the throne and submits his prime ministerial elections, Boris Johnson and then the queen comes to Parliament and these the Queen's speech, a government will do a money using. This is an illustration because lots of people say what a kings and queens, whether we live in the Kingdom of the United Kingdom, I'm the queen in some sense is in charge. The same with the kingdom of God. We say the kingdom of God is at hand, who's in charge of the kingdom of God, got it. And the kingdom of God is near. I'm so if we choose to cite Lord, we want to be citizens of your kingdom. We want to partake of what your kingdom means. We wants to adopt some of the principles and rules. We want to submit ourselves to your rulership rulership. Then when we saw that, we start to realize that she he is king of Alfonso jo'mas declaring. The kingdom of God is at hand. Jesus, as he grew up, he wanted to get back twice and he said to John, I want you to baptize me now. John you who Jesus? Was he recognized them? What's the son of God?
I just quite swallow his back to business is a wonderful thing to do. One of my favorite songwriters, who wrote a song called there is a redeemer, Jesus Culture in some Keith Green. He died in a plane crash in the 1970s, he's no longer with us, he's going to be with the Lord, but he might seem great statements. He was as he described it, but not going to church. Doesn't make us a Christian any more than going to McDonald's. We might learn some good thing. We might go to church because my parents went to church, we might go to church because it's The Hobbit we've got into. It was a young man is a small child, my mom. My dad went to church, I used to love singing in the choir. So I went to sometimes on a Sunday three different jet, you like singing 1 in the morning at 9:30, go to my mom and dad Stitch at 11 and then sing a different Church in the evening. So I went to church a lot as a child, but I wasn't a Christian. I just enjoyed the singing. I just enjoyed the community. I just enjoyed the fellowship and there's nothing wrong with that, but church is about glorifying. God church is God's hands and feet here on Earth movie often moves through you and me the church. Now, sometimes, if you ever had somebody saw, you know, you're an angel. I just used it because maybe you've been good all nice, but, you know, genuinely speaking, I believe that we can act as Angels because God sends us on his behalf that going through something. I once remember many, many years ago, when we used to have a senior citizens luncheon, the building be used to volume. Like I felt a nut from the holy spirit's again for a certain amount of money is a very, very specific amounts of money through this lady's door and I just kind of thought it was eaten too much cheese. No, right? And why I'm telling you this maybe even a week, maybe some cheese now and Senior Citizens male. She came along and she called out to give a testimony and she said You know what? My gas bill came through the door and it was this Samantha, she named Samantha have the money. I'm so, I decided that I need to spend money more on food than I did on the gas bill if I could come later, she said I prayed about it. Under. she said, and then nothing happens and then the Red Bull can So now I was panicking and that's the day off to the Redfield. Came December, like, come through my door for exactly the right amount for my gas bill.
What you said, praise God. Knew my circumstances, she said, but you know, I was a little worried between when the first bill came on when the second bill came he said I was a little worried. I was a little stressed, you out there. When I cried, I didn't say anything to her ass at my try, cuz I realize go to spoke to me when I first build to come and have trouble. And strife was down to me. Thank God. I haven't been obedient, I had to leave it in God's kingdom. God moves in mysterious ways. He asks people to do things. I did encourage you to do it. If you feel a prompting to go somewhere, you feel the prompting to do something. Cuz he's he's, he's moving people around, he's moving situations around, and he will provide
Back. But ladies trouble. Trying to avoid those ten days ten days or so between the first goal in the second that worried was down to me, like, on point to go to go in fuel for should have shot. The clouder, I had relations in God's kingdom, he speaks in God's kingdom, he moves? I'm sorry. Just being baptized, this make as a Christian, but I encourage you cuz but fully motion baptism is important. And let me read some more in Matthew chapter, 3 verses 1 and 2. Let's just get the contacts to who, John the Baptist, John, the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness for the Kingdom of Heaven is at times. Is hear the response to the kingdom is to repent because God's rules of some of God's rules. Even the Ten Commandments, the Ten Commandments of pretty basic that they are in the Torah. The books of the Bible. I just trying to keep the tank, East halt cuz when Jesus was asked about them, he said, well, actually the Commandment about now shalt not murder. He said, if you've been exposed if you've murdered somebody What he was saying was you want me to deal with the heart? He wants you to deal with the heart mean God's kingdom. Let me start compare ourselves to go to Lowe's and start to think about God's ruling, right? We started my goodness. He's the reality. We can't keep goats rules without God's help.
I've got lots of friends. You would say, to me things, like if I might go to willing, they would say things like, I'll see you tomorrow. God willing. Maybe we're trying to fundraise, we're trying to fundraise. Grab my father's house of God willing. One person could just move one person's have the money could be solved in unresolved. And so what was John Wayne's, real Wicked B for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.
And what was the response then Jerusalem or Judea and all the region around Jordan went out to him and was baptized by him in the Jordan. Confessing this in this with other believers, we need to be baptized. That was response to the word. North Chester Locust noticed people from church. But from all around the other people said I need to be baptized. Now, you want me to put themselves into the kingdom of God? They wanted to put themselves in the place where they acknowledged to Christ was and who who God is. Baptism is an amazing thing. A baptize people in swimming pools in in, in, in the river, in the Thames on a Sunday night. In the baptismal pool, I'm in a bar, we baptize people in lots of different ways, so, baptism pool in the front of it, if it, if it's in the front of the church until we use that sometimes
What people say when should I get baptized? Do you know what will I'd encourage you to get back twice? The moment, you know, Jesus is Lord. Let's do it. Now, what difference does baptism, Mike.
Iraq. Iraq. Joseph thinking we baptize people in the swimming pool at medical school as well. Remember standing there in my t-shirt and my shorts and baptizing medi medi. Young people who've been through this church will now, lead is another church and what do we do when we fight? Till I somebody, we take them and we take them under the water and we bring them up again and I need a symbol of dying to the past and Rising again in your life and the end of something in the beginning of something new. Our bodies wrestle between or all our hearts and Minds wrestle between a flash, what we want to do and the spirit what God wants us to do. I messed up something that happens out there, something that happens enough, a Spirit-filled Believers, we have to know what the right thing to do is when we don't do it. Anybody else, do anybody do things that we know God doesn't really want us to do and sometimes we regret it. Sometimes there's a price to be paid. Sometimes there's a consequence. Remember this lady who's who's Bill wasn't paid until like 2? That was the consequence of me not responding to a teaspoon.
And once had the privilege, we used to have a number of people used to come to our church from the Travelling community. Over the years. Do you want me to mention the schools? Sometimes about 10-15 minutes into the service? For 05 trucks, that will pull into the car park of the school. And then they do pot in What has moved in the Travelling Community. Around London. Now, there are three Church. He's travelling Community Church in Leatherhead on one over in Essex being touched by the Holy Spirit.
But these folks Rough and Ready, let me describe them like that. And we had one man who could rate I became a Christian in one of our services, and Assembly said, what can I do? I can't read it. So how can I read these Bible that I meant to read. Message will pry. I'm one of the ladies in the church also offered to give him some coffee, but he really struggled to learn English until then to read hotel in to read English.
So we pride and his two bees off thing. He couldn't read all the books but you could read the Bible. You could pick up the Bible now, I remember him once reading this. He said I can read now go to give me the ability to read and you got up and he turned to a particular scripture and you write out a script until my first alarm was a little cynical here. Was he just memorized? It says it could you read us another one? He said, what one do you want me to put the random scripture and turn to the right page? It took him a little time to find it to the right page in the Kingdom. We don't have to play it by our rules. And there was another man, from the Travelling Community was baptized when we were meeting at New Roads and he had quite a few came to Christ. He wanted to be baptized and we baptized in Monday's with permanent tattoos and there was one or two, that we're really not very nice tattoos. And when he came out, he went down with a, with a frown on his face. And as we lifted him out, he felt like the story that I just read that of Jesus, the Holy Spirit coming on, he felt the Holy Spirit, he just screams like someone a ton of giving him Duracell batteries and put them inside and turn the lights on. It was shining from the inside out. But here's the thing, I left it was we found out a few weeks lights, are you said My Tattoos have gone. And there was two or three tattoos, one of these one of these like I'm one somewhere else. Had dissipated
I'm so pleased, not promising, Miracles, through baptism. But God does, as we draw the line with saying we leaving behind the past, we stepping into God's plans and purposes for our lives.
In Matthew 3:15.
Don't you know, I'm going to be home from that. So I think about this, when we think about the order of goes, we realized Lenny lineage of Jesus came through Abraham. Abraham was the father of fight. So, let me just turn back to Genesee 17 verses 1 and 2. And read this. When Abraham was 99 years old, the Lord of pizza Abraham and said to him, I am on my teeth before me and be blameless and I will make my Covenant between me and you. And you will multiply exceedingly, God is a god of promises. And one of the things that we know for the story of Abraham is God, made promises and he promised Compromise in my opinion has gone down down down, he's got reduced and its value. When God in his word talks about A promise is a promise that will be cats. I'm sorry a covenant promise, this is the kind of thing. You might, when you get married, you make vows before the church before the people before it goes.
I will love you. Now, if you all skinny husband to wife all the way through their marriage, have I always left the hospital has probably been moments when they happen. Maybe this even being a season when they haven't, but we've God's help is coolness can be *. I'm so Covenant relationship is important. Promising is important people. The we have become Christians and we setting aside the pasta me stepping into the future whatever it contains
the gods of God of promises and Covenant promises and I want to encourage you if it's giving you a promise and hang on to it. That's a good friend of mine, run, King, he and his wife duties to lead a Life Link Church in Lewiston, Idaho, I had privilege of staying with him a number of times. And some of, you know, claim fairest, one of all the church, he will be with us in September, when his wife's right back, but Clem went to run and Judy Street in Lewiston Idaho. So it's kind of messed up, and they go to college. That is right next to the church, and the college has a relationship.
Undone. So I got to reach out to the college and they got to get to know some of these Japanese. Do they, they'd learn English or American and they stay with people in the local community. And I have a time running Julie who had two children of their own and I had a full bedroom house and they said that we can have some of these Chinese students to stay with us. But they had one staying then they had to stain instead of having a room with just one bed in it. We could have a bunk bed in it and what that means we can have more people to start. And so in every room in the house including their own, their own bedroom, light has a bunk bed and then fold it down to be a double bed. Sorry, the full bedroom house that had room to sleep 12. People, as long as you were willing to share a room, And I had many Japanese students play with him over the years and he didn't know anything about this, Japanese relationship. I believe such a pain. Going to send you to Define. You're going to be church planting in Japan. I need to know that have one or two at this point. In time they had one or two Japanese students coming through, didn't really think too much of it. And he stayed on the shelf and like on it and then I'm staying with him. Somebody else came through and said to send you to Japan in the church and now that we're going back to Japan, Gundam.
Call Ashley b. B. They said we need we need to find a check in Japan. Can you come? We plan to church? And run, stopped me realize. In spite, and once he's fighting again, and now the request was coming, could he go to Japan?
And then they developed a new leadership. So he handed the leadership of the church over in Lewiston Idaho. And he and Judy went to to to find a job because they like Western weddings in Japan. So he's Joe, he got paid by the Japanese government to marry people. Cuz he was a minister to marry people. Typically in the week and leave it to a western wedding and I paid good money for this. So the government was paying him to marry people. In a country that is not a Christian country. And then he was free on Sunday, you still didn't set up Church.
Johnson, amazing God. Now, go to spoken about it years before, go to set it again. And then when the cool came, they win, Yeah, and I still in Japan. Now, they're still in Japan now and they say they've seen the number Japanese judge has plummeted. Now he's on the Move in God's kingdom received God's promises coming through it so that Covenant promise I promise it was in line because Whitney is with themselves to it and if they aligned themselves to it got stepped up and follow through.
Just want to read something. I think it's quite important here from Philippians chapter 2 verses 6 through 8. How do you say is pooping in the form of God? Did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made himself of no reputation taking the form of a bondservant. I'm coming in the likeness of man and being found in the parents has a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death, even that on the cross, who does he speak about? It speaks about Jesus, Jesus humbled himself, Jesus, part of a father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Jesus, the son of God on the cross.
He could have got down off the cross. But he didn't, he submitted himself to his father's will being found in fashion, as a man suffering as a man. He became obedient even to the point of that he died. Unless he's all right. He paid a price for you and for me this is the Covenant. Most ultimate Covenant promise. Is God sent his one and only son that whosoever believes in Him. Should not perish but have everlasting life. An appointment, this afternoon to talk to a young man who wants to know about life after death. Is mum rang me yesterday and I'm going to have a conversation with him this afternoon in this car to the top of the pile. Again, he's either died or being native. No, I don't think we should be frightened about talkin about this.
I don't say that cuz I know where I'm going, but there are many people who do who do fit, that's because they don't. That's exactly the end for them. I'm what breaks up privilege? Would it be so show someone that is not the end. There is an eternity with God that he's promised in his relationships with you and with me
We know this, as we read, when Jesus sent out his disciples in the end of the Gospel of Matthew, what did he say to his disciples? And this is kind of pulling us back to baptism again. So you must go and make disciples in or nations, baptizing them in the name of the father and of the son and of the holy spirit's, teach them to obey, everything I have commanded you and you can be sure that I am always with you to the very end.
Jesus sent out his disciples that go back to teach.
Teach what you're not now. No, I want to make this very real for us today, cuz lots of us would go Lexi story. That's what Jesus said to his disciples online, okay. It's like for the price he speaks to you go. Now, I'm not saying he's asking you to go to Japan, like Ron and Judy sometimes go, but just might be go to your neighbor, speak to your friend. Pick up the phone, but do something say something. Don't be silenced. The world is full of too much silence, and we need more good news. And the good news is that Jesus Christ died, and he rose again, in fulfillment of scripture in fulfillment of that promised that the price has been paid. So go into all the world and what to teach, teach what I have commanded you now if you haven't been to all the Commandments yet, takes the ones, you know. Please don't think I can't go until I got my Ph.D account go until I got my a level in the Bible. Go and share, what, you know, every one of us know, something about Jesus and that's enough. And if you need to know, more. Will help you. That happens. Sometimes when I was young, Christian, when the only word I had, I was, I was, I was standing there in my sobriety. I don't like to think was Jesus. I just felt God's will say what you got in safe. So I said Jesus, and then the rest of the sentence he's came. I didn't know what I was going to say. I had to know what are some of us like to be so much in control that we've already written out the prayer before we going to say. You're sometimes, God doesn't want to written prayer. You want some hot fries. What is it? You're crying out for today cuz he's a God who he is. He's a God who listens. And what happened after Jesus was baptized in Matthew, 3:16 and 17 immediately from the walls and behold. The heavens were open to him, and he saw the spirit of God, descending upon him like a dog. And a little, like, seeing upon him. I'm suddenly a voice from Heaven, said, this is my beloved Son. In whom I am. Well pleased. I'm hoping it's going to say that to me, one day. I'm hoping I'm trying to align myself to it, but you know what? I don't know. Already. I am one of the questions he was also in his last when you get to heaven, what are you looking forward to it? He said, I'm hoping for this is Betty. Graham respond to millions of people let tens of thousands, maybe Millions. And he said, I'm hoping to get a well done. Good and faithful servant. Okay, I'm going to put myself in that place too cuz I don't want to presume. I want to do all that I can to have done what God told me to do. One of those things is to encourage people to be baptized So if, if you, if you're online, if you're in the room, and you've not being baptized, let me know, we can organize, a baptism of the summer, that's not difficult to do. We're out of lockdown, we can do outside, we can do it, we can do it wherever
I'm going to go talk about other baptisms. Just water baptism. That's just one baptism. Baptism in the Holy Spirit and other baptism people saying I want to show two other people that are being baptized baptism set to seal on what God has already begun. I'm about to say, Sam is a healthy sign of a healthy Journey.
So let me fly.
Father are first. You want to fry. I want to say no, I don't know if I want to say the kingdom of God is at hand, the kingdom of God is at hand. And so, what did John say? He said, repent for the kingdom of God is at hand. So let me repeat those words. Repent for the kingdom of God is at hand and if there are people who are listing later before listing, now people are in the room and you need to do some repentance
The privately that you can do it with God, you didn't have to do it publicly.
But repentant turn from the things that are not glorifying to God. The things that are hurting you, maybe a hurting others.
And also God's help to walk down these new pop.
Process return from Asia. No wrongdoing. Return to Worlds. Christ has returned from the things that I know of God, return to the things that are of God. Oil and water to do easy. Mix the spirit and the Flash Denalis Lee mix.
So how do you spare like pie Brian lewerke, Invictus and father help us in that journey holness and Haven restore a strenuous reprieve.
Follow a particular. You want to pray for those who cannot
Repair something that he's broken. I just felt a touch of the spirit wear that people have said things to people who are no longer here. Like how do you say sorry to that person here on this Earth is gone. You know, you can still say sorry. Talk to use the sorry. He's the repent.
And God is able to repair and restore renew relationships and situations self value. I'm ready. Sent this one to two people as I'm praying who ready?
Go to science, you stand up, son of mine, stand up tool to remind, you are precious. You are valued. You are loved, do not believe the past, when you had other words, it says, you're no good. Cuz all you got you you the father probably going to findings you. He sent his son Jesus for you for you personally. And he wants a relationship with you from today.
And if you need to turn and repent and say some stories of encourage you to do, then you want to pray a prayer then pray I pray like this. Maybe you want to follow me right now. It's like father like son for my sins. I time for my Wicked wife.
I Turn to You. Unlike knowledge. Jesus, your son as my sight in. Your kingdom is at hand and I am repenting. But I'm putting my trust in you. And you've made a way. Through your son, Jesus, like the price for my sin has been paid. I see that now. And I've received the forgiveness. Hoodies true. I received my forgiveness for things that I have said. I receive that forgiveness, but things that I have done that will roll as I turn from those things and father, help me to follow. You help me to be more like your son Jesus.
And feel me with your Holy Spirit.
Bobby empowering in Tooele The Remains with us this time for and forever more.
