What is Baptism and the Lord's Supper?

Any scripture you read you can replace baptize with to immerse to make you fully grasp the importance of it. So one just from a word study, one can already see the correct way to be baptized is to immerse. Sprinkling ain’t immersion. But let us look at several Scriptures that address baptism.

So the first one we are going to look at is Mark 1:5-10.

Mark 1:5–10 ESV

And all the country of Judea and all Jerusalem were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. Now John was clothed with camel’s hair and wore a leather belt around his waist and ate locusts and wild honey. And he preached, saying, “After me comes he who is mightier than I, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. I have baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.” In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And when he came up out of the water, immediately he saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove.

From the very beginning of the New Covenant coming baptism was occuring. People confessed their sins and followed up with baptism to signify what had happened. Let us also look at a context clue. Where were they? At the river, more specific in the river. Now if they were just sprinkling, would not this be extreme overkill. Also I feel like people would not get in the river if not necessary. During that time the Nile crocodile (20 ft long) was native to that area. Me personally if i could be sprinkled to satisfy this commandment, I would if I was living there. Let us also look at what John said. John said he baptizes with water while Jesus baptizes with the Holy Spirit. John used the same word to describe both. Let us read that sentence once with the words “to immerse” and then another time with “to sprinkle”. Which one makes more sense?

Jesus was baptized to show the importance of it.

Another passage is Acts 8:12.

Acts 8:12 ESV

But when they believed Philip as he preached good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.

These people started their walk off by being baptized.

We see the symbolism of baptism described in Colossians 2:11-14.

Colossians 2:11–14 ESV

In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead. And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.

Before going under your old self is represented. As you go under the old you is being symbolically washed off and buried. When you are raised up it represents the newness of life you have been given. It also in a sense pays tribute to the crucifixion and resurrection.

Baptism is symbolism of the change that has occured in our lives.

Why do we baptize in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit? Matthew 28:19 holds that answer:

Matthew 28:19 ESV

Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

Jesus commanded is why. Baptism is also commanded in this passage if it is not already evident from all the passages we have read.

Is it a sin to not be baptized if I have been saved? Well let us look at James 4:17:

James 4:17 ESV

So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.

So yes it is a sin.

If you have been saved and have chosen not to be baptized you are walking in sin.

You know it is the right thing to do, but have not. You are missing out on a blessing in your life by continuing to neglect the importance of baptism. The small acts of obeince prepare us for the bigger challenges life holds.

Baptism is a celebration.

Now does not getting baptized means you are not saved? No sometimes they are extreme circumstances that prevent baptist such as is seen in Luke 23:40-43.

Luke 23:40–43 ESV

But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.” And he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

Share your story about being baptized a second time

The Lord’s Supper

What do y’all know about the Lord’s Supper? Tonight we will look at two passages to understand the Lord’s Supper.

The first passage is Matthew 26:26-30:

Matthew 26:26–30 ESV

Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is my body.” And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, “Drink of it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you I will not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.” And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

But before we discuss this passage who knows what the Lord’s Supper replaced? The Passover (Exodus 12). What was the passover?

In the 10th plague leading up to the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt, God killed the firstborn (בְּכֹר, bĕkōr; πρωτότοκος, prōtotokos) of the land of Egypt. He commanded the Israelites to perform certain observances so that he would pass over פָסַח (pāsaḥ) their houses and not destroy their firstborns. These observances included slaughtering a small flock animal (שֶׂה, śeh) and sprinkling its blood (דָּם, dām; αἷμα, haima) on the doorposts and lintels of their houses to mark it as one to be passed over. The Israelites were to eat the roasted meat of the animal with unleavened bread (מַצָּה, maṣṣâ; ἄζυμος, azymos) and bitter herbs (מְרוֹרִים, mĕrôrîm). As a result of the death of the firstborns, the Egyptians commanded the Israelites to leave Egypt. God established an annual commemoration of these events involving the sacrifice of a flock animal and the eating of unleavened bread and bitter herbs. The word פֶּסַח (pesaḥ, “Passover”) refers both to the original event (e.g., Exod 12:11) and to the annual commemoration (e.g., Num 9:4).

Spencer A. Jones, “Passover,” ed. Douglas Mangum et al., Lexham Theological Wordbook, Lexham Bible Reference Series (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2014).

The Lord’s Supper replaces the Passover. The Passover looked forward to the application of the blood to our lives, while the Lord’s supper celebrates the blood applied to our hearts.

This passage though we just read in Matthew is when the Lord’s supper was initiated. Who initiated it? Jesus

How does the Lord’s supper look? Eating of bread and drinking of juice. What does the bread and juice symbolize? It symbolizes the flesh of Christ and the blood of Christ. Why is it important to remember the flesh and blood of Christ?

We do the Lord’s supper in remembrance of what Christ has done for us and also we do it in looking forward to the full restoration of our fellowship with Christ in eternity.

In what way should the Lord’s Supper be approached? The answer is found in 1 Corinthians 11:17-34

1 Corinthians 11:17–34 ESV

But in the following instructions I do not commend you, because when you come together it is not for the better but for the worse. For, in the first place, when you come together as a church, I hear that there are divisions among you. And I believe it in part, for there must be factions among you in order that those who are genuine among you may be recognized. When you come together, it is not the Lord’s supper that you eat. For in eating, each one goes ahead with his own meal. One goes hungry, another gets drunk. What! Do you not have houses to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God and humiliate those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I commend you in this? No, I will not. For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes. Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord. Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself. That is why many of you are weak and ill, and some have died. But if we judged ourselves truly, we would not be judged. But when we are judged by the Lord, we are disciplined so that we may not be condemned along with the world. So then, my brothers, when you come together to eat, wait for one another— if anyone is hungry, let him eat at home—so that when you come together it will not be for judgment. About the other things I will give directions when I come.

We should be very serious about how we approach the Lord’s supper. it is not something to be taken light hearted and it is not meant for everyone to partake in. So let us break this passage down to learn what to do and what not to do.

One it is not just another meal or snack. It is not a regular meal.

It is not a time to show off or to be in division. But it is a time to be unified in worship.

Don’t rush the Lord’s supper take time to experience the intimate worship it is meant to be.

Before taking part in the Lord’s supper you need to examine your life. Seek forgiveness of your sins. Don’t walk into the Lord’s supper knowing you have unconfessed sin in your life.

When you take the Lord’s supper their is consequences to be faced if you do it knowingly with sin in your lifes. So if you have not been baptized as a believer you do not need to take place in the Lord’s supper.

Related Media

Related Sermons