The Radical Picture of Baptism
Notes
Transcript
Scripture Reading
Scripture Reading
37 When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”
38 Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.”
40 With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.” 41 Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.
Introduction
Introduction
This morning, we have the great privilege and joy of holding a baptismal service. Baptism is one of the two critical ordinances that have been instituted as perpetual reminders and signs for the church to practice throughout this age until the return of Christ. What we come to witness today in this service, is not in any way insignificant or small. Christ commanded baptism as a perpetual sign to be observed within the church, as a symbol of repentance of sin, and faith in Him as Saviour and Lord, so that the church might grow and be strengthened.
As we witness these baptisms taking place this morning, there is a public declaration, a proclamation, being made that Jesus Christ is continuing to build His church as sinners are brought to repentance and faith in Him.
As we consider this today, I want to begin by asking the question, what is the picture that is being portrayed in baptism?
In our text this morning from the book of Acts, Baptism is just one of the things that is commanded. But we will find that all of these facets that are addressed in our passage are very much inter-connected.
What I would like to do is just show you the significance of baptism as it relates to these various other important biblical subjects as we see them in our text.
Firstly, we will notice that in baptism, we see the reality of...
1. Conviction of Sin
1. Conviction of Sin
The first thing that we see as we consider this Biblical picture of baptism, is that it is preceded by a deep conviction of sin. In order to see this within our text, it will be helpful to consider the context that leads up to our passage.
At the start of Acts 2, the Holy Spirit had just come down upon the disciples of Jesus Christ at the time of Pentecost. Recall, that this feast of Pentecost was a time of gathering of the Jews from all different places. They spoke different languages - very important to recognise. The Spirit of God came down upon those who were the true disciples of Jesus, and these disciples began speaking in different languages - the languages of all the different people that had gathered in that place.
Here was a clear evidence of the working and presence of God upon these disciples of Jesus.
But some began to mock them, suggesting that this was wine, drunkenness, that was causing these people to speak like this. And this suggestion prompted the Apostle Peter to stand up and preach a powerful sermon to those there.
You see, the power of God was not only seen through the Spirit descending and enabling these people to speak in these different languages. Rather, the powerful working of the Spirit of God would now begin to work to impact and convict the hearts of those who for a long period of time had rejected Jesus Christ, and had actually participated with the religious leaders in having Jesus crucified. Their hearts would be convicted, and they would be transformed by the Spirit’s convicting work upon them.
As Peter began to preach to them and explain what was taking place, In essence he confirmed that this was a work of God as had been foretold by the prophet Joel (Joel 2:28-32).
He explained to them that the man that they had put to death - this great man Jesus, the Nazarene, who had performed great miracles around them - was God’s chosen servant.
But not only that, he told the people there that Jesus was also raised from the dead by God, and then ascended into heaven, and he now rules at the Father’s right hand.
As Peter preached these words, his sermon was directed at the Jewish people, who themselves had been those who together, actively participated in the crucifixion of Jesus Christ by calling for his death.
When Pilate had asked, “what shall I do with this man Jesus,” their cry had been, “crucify him, crucify him!!” That was who Peter was preaching to.
Having explained to the people there who it was that they had killed, Peter drove the sermon home to the hearts of the people…
36 “Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.”
Dear friends, those words pierced the hearers as their own sin was laid bare before God. The very people who were supposed to be eagerly awaiting the promised Messiah from God, had put that very Messiah to death on the cross. They had crucified the Lord’s chosen servant.
Their response is in verse 37…
37 When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”
Here was the conviction of sin!! They were cut to the heart. The double-edged sword of Christ, the powerful truth of God, cut into their souls for them to see that they were guilty before God. They had sinned gravely, and they were deserving of nothing short of the just wrath of God upon their lives!
Dear brothers and sisters, true salvation is always preceded by a conviction of sin! When we consider what salvation is, it can be no other way. Biblical salvation involves an understanding of man’s turning away from the righteous and just ways of God, and seeking to live by ones own wisdom and understanding, and so walking in rebellion against Him.
Thus, if anyone is to be saved, they must come to understand that they stand guilty before the thrice-holy God!
The Jewish people heard that they were guilty of putting Jesus, the chosen servant of God, the one sent to save them, to death. Was this part of God’s plan of salvation? Most certainly it was! But were they guilty of murdering the very Son of God? Most certainly!
Friends, let us be sure that it is our sin that ultimately necessitated the Son of God, the one who was both fully God, and fully man, to go to the cross in order to take upon himself the punishment that was deserving to rebellious humanity, and so allow the possibility of salvation to those that were incapable of saving themselves.
Inasmuch as the Jewish people saw their sin, it is necessary that we see our own sin. To those that are being baptised this morning, they too have come to that recognition that they were living in sin and rebellion before God. There was a sense of conviction of this sin.
It is precisely this conviction that leads people to ask the question that was asked by the Jews in our passage. “What shall we do?!”
Those who will be baptised this morning will testify that they have come to a point where they recognise their own sin, and they have asked the question, “what shall I do?”
I would ask each one of you this morning, have come to be convicted of your own sin before our holy God? Have you come to the point that you have truly understood that you have no claim of righteousness before God on your own merit? Having been convicted of your sin, have you asked the question, “what shall I do?”
This leads us to our second point. And that is that in Baptism, we have a clear picture of…
2. Repentance from Sin
2. Repentance from Sin
Baptism is preceded by, and pictures, repentance from sin.
The words of Peter in verse 38 are these…
Acts 2:38 (NIV84)
38 Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized....
Baptism itself is a picture that a person so convicted of their sin, seeing their guilt before God, humbles themselves and confesses that sin before Him, and turns away from such a life of sin.
For the person that is truly convicted of God’s holiness, and their own unrighteousness, they cannot continue to willingly live in such sin any longer. Furthermore, they recognise that they cannot continue seeking to please God through their own acts of righteousness. There is a deep recognition that they need to turn away from every form of selfishness, and turn towards a life of dependence and trust in Christ.
The repentance that is spoken of here entails a deep conviction of wrong. It involved sorrow and sadness of that sin in the life of the person.
But it is a sorrow that leads to a life that is now lived differently. Literally the word that is used means to change one’s ways. It involves a change of direction.
As Peter spoke these words to the crowds, he was calling these people to recognise their sinfulness and their inability to seek after God through their own works of righteousness, and to turn towards humble obedience to God.
You will recall John’s words to the religious leaders that were coming to be baptised by him in the wilderness. He said to them,
Luke 3:7–9 (NASB95)
7 ...“You brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?
8 “Therefore bear fruits in keeping with repentance, and do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham for our father,’ for I say to you that from these stones God is able to raise up children to Abraham.
9 “Indeed the axe is already laid at the root of the trees; so every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.”
Dear friends, we need to see the importance of this!!! The picture of baptism is a radical picture partly because it points to a profound work of God. A work that could only be effected by God as people humble themselves under His mighty hand.
But we must see also the statement that is being made by the person baptised. Part of what is being testified to and confessed in the waters of baptism is that they have personally come to that place of repenting of sinful ways, and have now turned to a newness of life. They are declaring publicly to us all that they are no longer walking according to an old manner of life, because God’s grace has so beautifully transformed them.
In the Scriptures, this is spoken of as putting to death the old way of life according to the sinful nature.
24 Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
When we talk about repentance in the Chrstian life, this is what is bound up in it. It is a crucifixion, a putting to death, of old patterns according to the flesh. It also involves a turning away from sinful ways of seeking God and salvation, and a turning towards Christ, and trusting in Him alone for salvation.
This is precisely what is involved in the picture of baptism - this death to an old way of life. Paul tells the Roman Christians:
3 Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death?
Romans 6:6 (NASB95)
6 ...our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin;
7 for he who has died is freed from sin.
As we witness the baptisms here today, we need to see that those going through the waters of baptism are declaring publicly that an old life of sin has been crucified. It has been put behind them.
Further to this, we see in baptism a picture of...
3. Faith in Christ
3. Faith in Christ
We see in our text before us that Baptism is preceded by, and it is in fact inextricably linked to faith in Christ. Peter’s words in his sermon, as found in verse 38 are…
Acts 2:38 (NASB95)
38 ...”Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
This phrase, “in the name of Jesus Christ,” has become so watered down and misunderstood in our day, because it is used so flippantly. It is attached to just about every prayer (which it should be) but without even a thought of its meaning.
Some people say things “in the name of Jesus,” believing that simply by invoking the name of Christ will bring forth his power as from a spiritual being that is summonsed from the spirit world to do their bidding. But this is not what is meant as the phrase is used here. In fact, to invoke the name of Jesus without actual faith demonstrated in Jesus Christ is absolutely ineffective, and may even prove to be dangerous!
Do you remember the account of the sons of Sceva, that tried to invoke the name of Jesus with an improper use?
13 But also some of the Jewish exorcists, who went from place to place, attempted to name over those who had the evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, “I adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preaches.”
14 Seven sons of one Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this.
15 And the evil spirit answered and said to them, “I recognize Jesus, and I know about Paul, but who are you?”
16 And the man, in whom was the evil spirit, leaped on them and subdued all of them and overpowered them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.
You see, these men were not true disciples of Jesus Christ. They were using a name, the name of Jesus, but there was no reliance upon the true person and work of Jesus. And that’s very important for us to recognise here.
We need to see that using the name of Jesus in baptism was a declaration of the authoirty of Jesus over them. To do anything “in the name of” someone was to invoke their authority and power, on the basis of who they truly were. It was a declaration by the person baptised in their name that they acknowledged the authority of that person in their own life, and were submitting to them.
In the Old Testament, in Exodus 5:23, Moses speks about having gone to Pharoah to speak in the name of God. That means that he was going to speak as a representative of God. And to do that, it was a very serious thing!
When the 10 commandments were given to the Jewish people, the third of them was
7 “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not leave him unpunished who takes His name in vain.
The name of a person stood for the fullness of the person themselves. It involved their entire character, and the fullness of their authority.
When Peter says to these Jews that they are to be baptised into the name of Jesus, he is telling them that they must identify and accept the authority of Jesus Christ over their lives as the Messiah.
Now, keep in mind that these are the very people that have put Jesus to death. Peter has just confronted them about this, and they are cut to the heart. Having been cut to the heart, he tells them that this very man that they killed, they are to submit to him as the one with authority over them. They are to confess a willing submission to Him.
Given their background, and what they had done, and given that the religious authorities of the day would continue to be opposed to Jesus and all who followed him, this was and act of great significance. It was an expression of faith in Christ, irrespective of the consequences.
As these individuals will come forward today and go through the waters of Baptism, they are declaring to the church gathered, to all of us as public witnesses, that they have willingly submitted themselves to the authority of Jesus Christ, according to who He has revealed himself to be. Their faith and trust in Christ as the true Messiah, the only Lord, is being publicly declared.
As such, they are declaring that they will be living their lives going forward, in the context of a local church, in obedience and submission to Christ and all that he calls them to as his disciples.
The fourth thing that we can see from our text is that Baptism is indicative of…
4. Spiritual Life
4. Spiritual Life
Baptism is indicative of new spiritual life. One of the sides of the picture of baptism is that the person was confronted with their sin, and they were led, by the grace of God, to repent of their sin before him, and to express faith in Christ alone as their Saviour.
But the other side of this picture of baptism is that of a resurrection to a newness of life that results in a different manner or pattern of living their lives in this world. Their is a new orientation in the life of the person being baptised, and baptism points to this newness of life.
From our text this morning, we see three important truths concerning this newness of life that we speak about here.
Firstly, there is a forgiveness of sin.
The blotting out of sins is necessitated by the consequences came into play in the Garden of Eden, where Adam and Eve committed the very first sin, and as a consequence thereof, in that very moment experienced spiritual death. They would certainly also succumb to a physical death, but the greater tragedy was not so much the physical death, but the physical separation that was brought in between God and man as a consequence of sin.
Following that first sin in the Garden of Eden, there was a separation between God and man. No longer could there be intimate communion and fellowship between God and Adam, but a gulf of separation was now made.
This is precisely the ill that has afflicted all of mankind since that time of the fall in Eden. This is the core concern and plight of every human being. We tend to think of the biggest problems in our world as certain ills of the world.
Man thinks that disease and sickness is the problem of the world.
They think of poverty and hunger as the great problem with the world.
They think of all kinds of different natural ills - earthquakes, famines etc as the problem.
People consider oppressive systems to be the problem.
The truth is that these are merely symptoms of the true problem.
The cause of all of those ills and wrongs in the world is the curse that came upon the world as a result of sin entering into the world through Adam. When Jesus Christ came into the world, he didn’t come so much to deal with the symptoms of the disease, but with the root cause itself.
Christ came into the world in order to reverse the negative effects of sin. In particualr, Christ came to reverse the consequence of separation between God and man that entered the world through sin.
When a person has been convicted of their sin, and when they’ve thus repented of sin, and they have professed faith in Jesus Christ as Lord, the sins of that person are forgiven by God.
They are cast away as far as the east is from the west (Psalm 103:12).
God declared that he would remember their sin no more (Jeremiah 31:34).
That in itself is a picture of life for the person. The spiritual death that came about in Eden is reversed when forgiveness is granted, and reconciliation takes place between God and man. In fellowship with God there is life.
The spiritual death that once existed in the hearts of these people being baptised today has given way to newness of life! The spiritual death that once marked them has given way to resurrected spiritual life through the forgiveness of their sins. This is the promise of God under the New Covenant.
Secondly in terms of this newness of life, we must recognise that there is the receiving of the Holy Spirit. Peter says to these men that when they repent of their sin and are baptised in the name of Christ there is forgiveness of sins and they will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Before we consider what this means and the implications thereof, I must state that this does not mean that the Holy Spirit is given to a person at their baptism, or after they are baptised. Remember that Peter is preaching a sermon on the need for repentance and faith in Christ, and the importance of identification of Christ as Lord through baptism. His message to them in the context of this is that when they repent of their sin and so place their trust in faith in Christ, they will be “born again” as Christ said to Nicodemus, and so receive the Spirit of Christ.
In fact, it is the very Spirit of God that is at work in regeneration, when a person is turned by God away from their way of sin, and towards the Saviour. In other words, this newness of life that we’re consdering is entirely a reality because of the Spirit within us.
9 However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him.
11 But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.
Very clearly, the Spirits presence in a person indicates that new life has begun.
In fact, Paul is very clear that the entire Christian life for those who are truly born again is tied to the working of the Holy Spirit. It cannot be separated.
5 Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God. 6 He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant—not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.
It is the Spirit that gives life. The old way of seeking to win God’s favour was through more rigorous obedience to the law. But God was saying that you cannot do that. It is imperative that your trust be in the Saviour. Your hope must be in His power to save you and to transform you.
16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh.
17 For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please.
The one who has submitted to Christ, and has placed their faith and trust in him for salvation, is given of the Spirit of God so that they may walk in humble obedience to him, living a life by the power of the Spirit, growing in Christ-likeness.
The spiritual death that came through Adam, gives way to newness of spiritual life as the believer is filled with life-giving power by the Holy Spirit.
Thirdly and finally in terms of the dimensions of this Newness of life, we find that the life of the person with such new life will be marked by transformed behaviours that are consistent with the new life that is lived according to the Spirit.
When a person is born again, as pictured in baptism, their lives ought to be increasingly different as they grow in their faith. Their lives will become characterized all the more by Godly behaviour, by the fruit of the Spirit in their lives.
By the powerful working of the Spirit of God in the early church, we see precisely this radical transformation of life. Verse 42 tells us.
42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.
Their lives were marked with a devotion to the things that Christ had commanded. They followed Jesus in wilful (even delightful) obedience! It was a joy for them to engage in these practices that had been instituted by Christ.
Their relationships with one another were radically impacted.
44 All the believers were together and had everything in common.
They loved to be together, and to spend time together in fellowship. This was a Spirit-driven work. There was no coaxing and pleading with the people to do these things. They delighted to do this. They lived their lives in communion and fellowship. They loved to be together with each other as God’s people. And they shared their lives together.
45 Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. 46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.
What a joyous picture of a new life that has been granted by the Spirit of God.
As these people will be baptised this morning, they are declaring that by God’s grace, they have been given newness of life.
This new life exists because they have been forgiven of sin, because they have been indwelt by the Spirit of God, and the fruit of it will be seen in their manner of life.
Baptism is a picture of new life. Coming up out of the water of baptism shows that picture of Christ himself being raised from the dead. As these candidates are baptised, they are identifying themselves with Christ’s own resurrection. The picture for their own lives is that they are raised with Christ to a new manner of life.
3 Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death?
4 Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.
11 Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus.
12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its lusts,
13 and do not go on presenting the members of your body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness; but present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God.
Conclusion
Conclusion
Baptism is no small or insignificant picture. It is a radical picture of the glorious work of Jesus Christ in the lives of those being baptised. It is a beautiful moment in the life of these individuals, and it is a beautiful moment in the life of the church, particularly Emmanuel Baptist Church.
As I end, some words of encouragement. Firstly, to those being baptised, we rejoice with you in God’s grace given to you. The step you take today is a public declaration that you are united with Christ. As a church, we are here to share in your life, to encourage you, to come along side you in your walk with Christ, and to help guard you when you would start to wander away from Christ and a life of obedience to him. My encouragement to you today, is to live your Christian life according to the word, in the context of the church. Be involved.
To those who have previously been baptised, consider for yourselves your own public declaration. And ask yourself if you are continuing to live according to that which you have publicly professed. Are you living life by the Spirit, in communion with Christ and His saints. If you have perhaps started to drift away, or you are seeing some patterns in your life that are inconsistent with your public profession of faith, draw near to God again. Share your struggles with those around you, and seek their support and guidance.
To those who have not been baptised, I pray that today’s message has been helpful, and has challenged you to consider where you stand before God. Baptised was commanded by Christ for all thsoe who believe in Him. Our hope is in Him alone. Life - eternal life - is in him alone. I would encourage you to take these truths to heart, to confess your sin before God, repent of your sin, confess Christ as Saviour and Lord, and then to pursue baptism yourself, so that you too may publicly declare that Christ is your Saviour.
May the Lord grant that we continue to grow and mature as His people, and may He continue to add to the number that are being saved, to the glory and honour of His name.