Why Do We Baptize? (Acts 10:35-48)

· Years ago, a high school student come up to me and asked if he could do some community service around the church. I had never met him before. I put him to work doing things like sweeping, vacumming, and re-organizing some of our closets. He asked me at one point, “What’s that thing behind the stage?” I wasn’t even sure at first what he meant. Then I realized he was referring to our baptistry. Then I went on to explain what it was for. From time to time, it’s good to take a step back and ask, why do we do what we do? Also good to remember that the church is to be in a constant state of growth and renewal, so even things that were explained long ago must be explained over and over again. The title of today’s sermon is, “Why Do We Baptize?” If you’ve not been baptized, be thinking about it as we walk through this passage.

· This is a long chapter, so for sake of time, let me summarize the first half. We are introduced to a Roman centurion named Cornelius. He’s described as “a devout man who feared God,” and he is told by an angel to send for Simon Peter. Peter knows this is of the Lord, and so he comes. Now we pick up in v. 30…

· Read 10:30-48

· What is happening here in this chapter is nothing less than a seismic shift in the nature of the church that leads to two different entities becoming one.

· Back in 2013, a volcanic eruption took place in the Pacific Ocean, about 600 miles south of Tokyo. Millions of tons of lava and ash spewed out from the ocean, then cooled, forming a new land mass. It was literally the birth of a new island! A small island nearby already existed, and as the lava continued to spew out, the two islands actually fused together into a single land mass, known as Nishinoshima. For a short time, as the islands continued to join together, satellite images showed an uncanny resemblance to the cartoon character Snoopy. Over time, the two islands continued to fuse together until they were indistinguishable. What we are witnessing here in Acts 10 is a similar “seismic shift,” and the formation of something new.

· This passage describes the expansion of the church from being exclusively Jewish to allowing Gentiles into the body of Christ. The story culminates with the first baptism of Gentile Converts. Let me share with you FOUR TRUTHS ABOUT BAPTISM this morning….

The Surprising Recipients of Baptism (30-35)

· The baptism of some Gentiles may not seem like much to us, but it’s hard to convey just how earth-shattering this was to the early church. They simply had no concept of the global nature of the church.

· Jewish Christians still did not associate with Gentiles. Acts 10:28–29 And he said to them, “You yourselves know how unlawful it is for a Jew to associate with or to visit anyone of another nation, but God has shown me that I should not call any person common or unclean. So when I was sent for, I came without objection. I ask then why you sent for me.”

· Even into the next chapter, we are told that Jews were not sharing the gospel with Gentiles. Acts 11:19 [As the church was scattered, they were] speaking the word to no one except Jews. Jesus had said to Go to the all the nations, but it hadn’t sunk in yet.

· Thousands had already heard the gospel and been baptized (see Ac. 2:41; 4:4), but all of them were Jews. Not until the previous chapter did we see Samaritans getting baptized, but they were still at least half-Jew. Here for the first time, the people being baptized are not Jews, not even Samaritans, but uncircumcised Gentiles. This was absolutely mind-blowing.

· Cornelius receives a vision. Calls for Peter. Peter answers that call. This itself was a step of faith for Peter. Something he had never in his life done before.

· Acts10:34–35 So Peter opened his mouth and said: “Truly I understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him.

· After this incident, word began to spread.The first half of ch. 11 basically recounts the story we’ve just read, as Peter retells it for the church in Jerusalem, and reports how they received the Holy Spirit.

· Acts11:18 [A favorite verse. I would have loved to see this] When they heard these things they fell silent. And they glorified God, saying, “Then to the Gentiles also God has granted repentance that leads to life.”

· The gospel is for all people, regardless of language, citizenship, or ethnicity. Romans 10:12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. God has given us at Immanuel a special opportunity to declare his glory among the nations. Wasn’t it great to have Pastor William read scripture this morning? Part of my role here is to oversee discipleship and leadership development, and to help our church planting partners. Just this past week, I had the opportunity to with a Korean seminary student, a Spanish church planter, a Bangladeshi pastor, and a missionary on furlough from East Asia. All right here, connected in one way or another to Immanuel. Amazing!

· >>The Gentiles were certainly Surprising Recipients! And what does Peter say is necessary in order for them to be baptized?

The Simple Requirement for Baptism (36-43)

· Notice how Peter summarizes the entire ministry of Jesus Christ in this one short passage for Cornelius. He explains the public ministry of John the Baptist (37), the anointing of Jesus with the Holy Spirit at his baptism (38). He recounts the good works and many miracles he performed (38), his death upon a cross (39), his resurrection (41), his great commission to go and preach (42), and his promise to come again to judge the living and the dead (42).

· Peter did not just hear about these things. He saw them with his own eyes. “We are witnesses” (39). And then he makes this very interesting comment: “Not to all the people but to us who had been chosen by God as witnesses” (41).

· I take great comfort in that statement. At times, I wish I could have been an eye witness. It would have been nice to “see it with my own eyes.” But that’s not how God chose to work. He appointed hundreds of credible eyewitnesses, then instructed them to go tell others and faithfully report all that they had seen.

· 2 Peter 1:16 For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. He goes on to say that written revelation from God (the Bible) is even more reliable than existential experience. 2 Peter 1:19 And we have the prophetic word more fully confirmed, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place …,

· Cornelius and his friends had not seenthese things first-hand. But they had an eyewitness. And they also knew at least basic details about what had happened. “You yourselves know what happened” (10:37).

· The stories of Jesus in his life, death, and resurrection were widely circulated in those days. Everyone knew at least something about him, even those who hadn’t seen him personally.

· I’m reminded of the men on the road to Emmaus, who said to Jesus, Luke 24:18 “Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?” And Paul’s words to King Herod Agrippa in Acts 26:26 For the king knows about these things, and to him I speak boldly. For I am persuaded that none of these things has escaped his notice, for this has not been done in a corner.

· What is it that Peter tells them to do? Change your ways? Be nice to others? Try to live a good life? Maybe God will let you into heaven? No. Here is the simple requirement: faith in Jesus Christ. Acts 10:43 To him all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believesin him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.” Salvation is not by works. It is a free gift.

· Result: forgiveness of sins. The prophets foretold it. Perhaps Peter has in mind passages like Isaiah 53:11 …the righteous one, my servant, [will] make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities.

· Let’s be clear: baptism is not what saves you. Trusting in Jesus Christ is. You must put your complete trust in him alone to receive eternal life. Have you done that?

· >>As Peter preached this message, it appears that the entire group responds. I once heard evangelism described as lightning rods. We don’t know where lightning is going to strike, but when we share the gospel with someone, we give someone the message necessary for the Holy Spirit to awaken them and give them eternal life. Here in the passage, lightning is about to strike!

The Spiritual Reality Behind Baptism (44-47)

· Read vv. 44-45

· It goes on to say that they began speaking in tongues (v. 46), which is foreign languages. In the book of Acts, there are several times that God demonstrates that he has poured out his Holy Spirit by allowing them to speak in tongues. Think about this for a moment. The gift of tongues was proof from God that they had the Holy Spirit. And the gift of the Holy Spirit was proof that they had been born again and received new life.

· This event causes Peter to remember back to something Jesus had said before his ascension. Acts 11:15–16 As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell on them just as on us at the beginning. And I remembered the word of the Lord, how he said, ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’

· That is, they were buried with Christ in his death, and raised to walk with newness of life. They had been born again by the Holy Spirit, and had now entered into the new covenant. Going down into the water is a powerful image, a kind of re-enactment, of a spiritual reality.

· Millard Erickson: “Baptism is a powerful form of proclamation of the truth of what Christ has done; it is a “word in water” testifying to the believer’s participation in the death and resurrection of Christ (Rom. 6:3–5). It is a symbol rather than merely a sign, for it is a graphic picture of the truth it conveys. There is no inherent connection between a sign and what it represents. It is only by convention, for example, that green traffic lights tell us to go rather than to stop. By contrast, the sign at a railroad crossing is more than a sign; it is also a symbol, for it is a rough picture of what it is intended to indicate, the crossing of a road and a railroad track. Baptism is a symbol, not a mere sign, for it actually pictures the believer’s death and resurrection with Christ.” (Millard Erickson, Christian Theology, p. 1110)

· >>When Peter observes that the Holy Spirit has been poured out on these Gentiles and that they have been saved, he asks, “Can anyone withhold water for baptizing them?” (v. 47). It’s as though he is saying, “God just gave these Gentiles the Holy Spirit! Who are we to withhold baptism from them?” It would be silly to deprive them of being baptized, when God just put an exclamation point on their conversion by sending the Holy Spirit.

· >> So Peter exhorts his Jewish brothers to let these Gentiles get baptized. And then he goes one step further. Notice what Peter does in v. 48...

The Submissive Response to Baptism (48)

· “And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ” (48). This is our last point. The Submissive Response to Baptism. Baptism is not merely a nice idea, a creative symbol. It is a command.

· Matthew 28:19 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,

· Ac 2:37-38 “Brothers, what shall we do?” And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ”

· You are not required to be baptized in order to be saved. Baptism does not save you. However, I have a hard time imagining any born again Christian walking with the Lord and yet refusing to get baptized. Baptism is meant to be an early step of obedience in the life of the Christian.

· Have you been baptized? What prevents you from doing so soon? And to the rest of the church, I would say pray for more baptisms. The waters of our baptistry have been a little too quiet over there lately. But the only way that’s going to happen is by people hearing and receiving the gospel.

Conclusion

· In light of all this, let’s see if we can answer our original question: Why do we baptize?

· 1) We baptize to express our unity as the one true church composed of people from every tongue, tribe, and nation, and throughout all the ages.

· 2) We baptize to remember the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and to publicly confess that “everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins.”

· 3) We baptize to symbolize our union with Christ and the Holy Spirit who lives within us.

· 4) We baptize to obey the clear commandof Christ and his apostles.

· That is why we baptize. That is why we are Baptist. Let’s pray…

Related Media

Related Sermons