CF Dinner Church Guide Sept 4

Big Idea:

We’ve been uncovering God's design for each of us, His church, and this world. DNA determines the structure and function of every cell. This is true both with how God created you physically but also true with how God made your identity and your relationships with Him and with others in His church. Even living in a modern world, we have commonalities with believers in the early church. One of those commonalities is believer’s baptism. Baptism is the public display of your faith in Christ. As important as believer’s baptism is, it must be preceded by salvation.

Scripture Focus & Discussion:

Ask the Right Questions

Acts 16: 25-31 -

Acts 16:25–31 CSB

25 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. 26 Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the jail were shaken, and immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone’s chains came loose. 27 When the jailer woke up and saw the doors of the prison standing open, he drew his sword and was going to kill himself, since he thought the prisoners had escaped. 28 But Paul called out in a loud voice, “Don’t harm yourself, because we’re all here!” 29 The jailer called for lights, rushed in, and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas. 30 He escorted them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” 31 They said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.”

While Paul and Silas were imprisoned for preaching the gospel, God sent an earthquake to swing the prison doors open. In the Roman empire, if prisoners escaped under a jailer’s watch, then it meant certain death for the jailer. So, the jailer reaches for his sword to take his own life. But there was no jailbreak. Because of Paul and Silas’ faith in Christ, the Holy Spirit empowered them to do what was countercultural: remain in a jail cell despite being wrongfully imprisoned. As a result, the jailer falls to the ground trembling in fear. He asks the singular most important question: Sirs, what must I do to be saved?

The language denotes salvation is once and for ALL. Once saved, we are saved for all eternity. What must I do to be free from harm, evil, and imprisonment?

Sit in the lap of Jesus

John 3:16 CSB

16 For God loved the world in this way: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.

The word ‘believe’ means to place our full confidence in Jesus Christ. This means we have full confidence of His atoning work on the Cross. Our confidence gives way to joy that there is nothing we can do in and of ourselves to earn salvation. The opposite is equally true: there is nothing we can do to lose our salvation. Salvation is once and for all!

Walk in obedience of Baptism

Baptism is the picture and proclamation of four important things:

The believer’s death, burial, and resurrection with Christ. - Colossians 2:12 The death of our old life to sin, and our resurrection to walk in the newness of life. -

Romans 6:4

Romans 6:4 CSB

4 Therefore we were buried with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too may walk in newness of life.

Our faith in the Trinity of the Godhead. - Matthew 28:19

Our "putting on" of Christ. - Galatians 3:27

Galatians 3:27 ESV

27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

Water baptism is a picture of what transpires when you place your faith and trust in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ to save you from your sins. It does not atone for sin. Only the blood of Christ cleanses us from sin.

Activate the promises of God

Until we believe and are baptized, we aren’t able to experience the fullness of God’s promises. The same God who saved you, is the same God who will save your children if they believe. The world is looking for a savior, that’s why God tells us to go out into the world and preach the gospel. People want freedom from evil, harm, and imprisonment. Just like God saved us, He can save them.

Acts 16:30, 33b

Acts 16:30 CSB

30 He escorted them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”

Acts 16:33b CSB

33 He took them the same hour of the night and washed their wounds. Right away he and all his family were baptized.

It’s important to notice that there was no waiting around for the right time. Instead, the jailer believed and right away was baptized–he and his household.