Untitled Sermon (29)
Sermon • Submitted
0 ratings
· 4 viewsNotes
Transcript
42 And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. 43 And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. 44 And all who believed were together and had all things in common. 45 And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. 46 And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, 47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.
WELCOME: eMember Reflections Group Tuesdays @ 7:00 pm
Reflections Church Service
December 5th, 2021
“You Better Finish”
John 19:28 - 30
One of our biggest problems is we start things, but we don’t finish
We start things in our minds, but does it ever move to action
Primal enemies of progress:
Fear
Lethargy
Not finishing on time costs you time and resources
What’s the “F” you’er working with?
Faithful
Focused
Have some Fight
We have the wrong “F”s
Flaky
Finicky
Flighty
Fearful
You have to fight to remain focused. You have to fight in order to finish.
Some not only fear failure, they fear success.
You cannot grow without evaluation
Not wanting the process to end
To become a finisher you need some accountability. You need an accountability partner.
You need family, friend, and mentors to help you keep the promises you made to yourself.
You cannot grow spiritually, and be effective without the body of Christ.
Jesus is the greatest finisher ever.
ICEBREAKER:
Baptism: The Outward Expression of an Inward Reality
Opening Question: What were you taught about baptism growing up?
Matthew 3:13 - 17
13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him. 14 John would have prevented him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” 15 But Jesus answered him, “Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he consented. 16 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; 17 and behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”
Definition:
Baptism is the outward expression of an internal conversion and signifies a new believer’s immersion into the body of Christ. It represents that you as a believer identify with Christ’s death on the cross, burial, and resurrection. It represents the birth of your newness of life in the moment of conversion (2 Corinthians 5:17), and your integration into the church, the body of Christ (Romans 7:4; 12:5; 1 Corinthians 12:12; 12:27)
During the 1st century the term baptism related to the textile industry and specifically was associated with the dying of a piece of cloth. As cloth is lowered into a vat of dye, the cloth absorbs the dye. The cloth is in the dye, and the dye is in the cloth.
In Greek, the word “baptize” is translated as baptismos and means to fully immerse. This is the extent to which we as believers are called, and the degree of immersion we should desire, experience, and participate in when we are baptized as believers on the Body of Christ.
Biblical Baptism:
There are several examples of baptism throughout the Bible revealing its relevance for the life of the believer.
- Old Testament
Although the Old Testament does not mention baptism, the story of Moses and the children of Israel contains types and shadows of baptism.
1 Corinthians 10:1-2
1 For I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, 2 and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea,
The children of Israel were “baptized” in the sea. They went into a watery grave (Red Sea) as slaves of Pharoah (a type of the devil), but they came out a free people on the other side.
Their old life, represented by the bondage the Egyptians wanted them to return to went into the water. But the children of Israel came out of sea with a new life while their old life, the Egyptians, was buried in the sea. This is a great metaphor for what baptism represents for the Kingdom citizen. (Exodus 14)
- New Testament
The book of Matthew records the activities of John the baptizing one, who as a forerunner of Christ and baptized believer unto repentance (Matthew 3:11). Matthew also records Jesus’ last commandments (the Great Commission) to the disciples, which included the practice of baptizing new believers.
Matthew 28:19-20
19 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, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Question: Has the meaning of baptism changed since you came into faith?
Acts 8:26-37
26 Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Rise and go toward the south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” This is a desert place. 27 And he rose and went. And there was an Ethiopian, a eunuch, a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasure. He had come to Jerusalem to worship 28 and was returning, seated in his chariot, and he was reading the prophet Isaiah. 29 And the Spirit said to Philip, “Go over and join this chariot.” 30 So Philip ran to him and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet and asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?” 31 And he said, “How can I, unless someone guides me?” And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. 32 Now the passage of the Scripture that he was reading was this: “Like a sheep he was led to the slaughter and like a lamb before its shearer is silent, so he opens not his mouth. 33 In his humiliation justice was denied him. Who can describe his generation? For his life is taken away from the earth.” 34 And the eunuch said to Philip, “About whom, I ask you, does the prophet say this, about himself or about someone else?” 35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning with this Scripture he told him the good news about Jesus. 36 And as they were going along the road they came to some water, and the eunuch said, “See, here is water! What prevents me from being baptized?”
After explaining the meaning of the book, the eunuch asked Phillip to baptize him. “See, here is water! What prevents me from being baptized?” (v.36). This question indicates that the eunuch understood the importance of baptism and desired to experience it for himself.
Question: Who Should be Baptized?
Contrary to popular belief and tradition, baptism is specifically intended for individuals who have repented and confessed that Jesus is Lord. Baptism is for the mature who understand how to exercise their faith toward God.
Therefore, babies and those with limited mental ability and understanding should not be baptized because of their inability to understand the salvation experience.
The tradition of infant baptism began in the 4th century following the signing of the Edict of Milan, which declared Christianity as the official religion of the Roman Empire. The edict signed by Constantine the Great resulted in Roman citizenship and Christianity becoming interchangeable. Anyone born in any of the Roman territories was not only a Roman citizen, but also considered a Christian.
Baptism by immersion was replaced with the sprinkling of water on infant’s foreheads, so the need for personal confession and conversion became obsolete. Baptism was now non-committal status symbol (sign of Roman citizenship) rather than the intended symbols (death, burial, and resurrection of Christ) that is was intended to be.
[Churchy Stuff]
The Protestant church rejects the notion that this sacrament born in Roman Catholicism can offer salvation. We see it as one of two ordinances that are symbolic of the gospel message. Ordinances are determined by three factors: they were instituted by Christ, they were taught by the apostles, and they were practiced by the early church. Baptism and communion are the two rites that most Christians consider ordinances, and neither or them is required for salvation, but are done as a symbolic reminder. Scriptural support for baptism; Matthew 28:18-20, and support for communion in Luke 22:19.
Question: When Do we Baptize?
Baptism takes place after we confess the Lord Jesus Christ. Those who undergo baptism without making an inward decision to die to themselves and serve Christ simply go into the water a dry sinner and come up a wet sinner. Confession precedes water baptism and helps you prioritize the Kingdom of God; without it, baptism would have no meaning.