We Believe in Baptism

Well this evening we continue our series on the articles of faith of Carl Richards. We have 15 of them. Tonight we come to the 12th article of faith that we believe in baptism and the Lord's supper and for those of you who have not memorized out articles of faith. I'm going to read the 12th one.

It is listening.

We believe that Christ instituted the only two ordinances of water baptism and the Lord's supper and commanded them to be observed by believers until he returns. We believe that by water baptism a believer is publicly identified with the Savior, and that baptism is to be administered by immersion to believers in Jesus Christ.

Exceptions due to physical or mental constraints may be granted as determined by the session. We believe that infants of believing parents may be dedicated to the Lord but not baptized.

We believe that the Lord's supper as a memorial of Christ's death.

The elements being symbols of his body and blood source told of two pastors who were discussing this question of baptism, which admittedly is a controversial subject among pastor asked the other is to say that you handle this whole matter of baptism in your church. With so many people coming from all kinds of backgrounds and other pastors that will is really quite easy.

First of all, for the Presbyterians. The Catholics and Lutherans in the Methodist and Episcopalians. We have the little wash is baptism by sprinkling. This is meant to be funny.

So far, obviously, is no less my hearing is going for the Baptists story jewel continuing for the Baptist Pentecostals and the Bible churches. We have the big wash baptism by immersion for the Salvation Army and the Quakers we have the dry clean the water tall. Thank you. Some of you are listening. Well it's true Calvary church.

We have one of wonder things seriously I love about Calvary church is that we do have people from all kinds of church backgrounds and from none that we had a very diverse group ecclesiastical speaking and leave. We took an examination of a pull of this congregation here this evening would have all kinds of different views of baptism and of how we are taught it is, however, baptism is one of the two ordinances of the church. The other is communion. The Lord suffered the breaking of bread.

So what do we mean by an ordinance.

While an ordinance is something which was taught and instituted by the Lord Jesus Christ. Secondly, it was practiced by the early church and third of the apostles in the New Testament gives doctrine and theological basis for the ordinance.

So with that we have two ordinances baptism and the Lord's supper. First of all baptism and ask you to open your Bibles to Matthew chapter 28, which is a favorite passage of hours. Matthew chapter 28 and in the last few verses we have what's called the great commission.

We've just been listing to report from members of Calvary church who went to represent Jesus Christ as ambassadors for Christ with his love, and with his message at the Monterey and we do that because, in part of Scriptures like this. Here it is. Matthew chapter 28 verse 18 Jesus came and said to them all authority in heaven and on that has been given to me.

Go therefore and make disciples of all nations. Now it seems to me that often we stop there that there are many parachurch groups. Many mission agencies that NSN stop there and say well. Our task is to go and make disciples. It is to preach the gospel and that is absolutely right.

But notice the command of our Lord doesn't stop there. Verse 19 again. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the father and the son and of the son and of the Holy Spirit verse 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I'm with you always, to the end of the H Lord Jesus has died on the cross is been buried is been raised from the dead he is about to ascend to his father in his garden before doing that he gets together his disciples and gives them what we call the great commission in their marching orders and he prefaces his command by saying all authority has been given to me in heaven and on is about to give a command is all authority. There's no higher authority. There is no appeal against Jesus Christ. There is no higher or greater name is all authority in heaven and on our and with such authority. He commands us to go and make disciples and part of that is to baptize the great commission is more than preaching the gospel is more than giving humanitarian aid and compassion in education and medical resources to the world. Christians have done that and we do that at Calvary and Lord willing, we will continue to do so. But notice, Jesus also says, baptizing them in the name of the father and of the son on them. The Holy Spirit, that is those who are saved by God's grace. Those who begin to follow Jesus Christ are to be baptized in the name of the father the son and the Holy Spirit, not baptism is not essential for our salvation. I realize there are people who teach that that's untrue.

We've been learning in a study of Romans very clearly that were saved by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone not believe in Christ. Plus baptism. For example, listen to the words of our Lord in Matthew five verse 24 truly, truly, I say to you is Jesus figuring whoever hears my word and believes him. He sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment that is passed from death to life at the gospel is needed. Few today believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. You will pass from death to life pass from judgments. The place of condemnation to the place of justification to the place of a true and lasting relationship with God. And this is accomplished not by baptism but through the redemptive work of our Lord Jesus Christ. I hope you're not trusting in your baptism. Whatever kind it was. Hope you're not trusting in your church membership or being a child of the covenant are being brought up in a Christian home to get you into heaven as the only people who asked him about the soul and the spiritual journey they want to tell me that they been raised in the Christian home is wonderful. I was privileged to be raised in a strong Christian godly home but that does not get me into heaven. It is through faith in Christ of the time of the Lord, the Jews were very very proud that Abraham was the father but Jesus makes it clear having Abraham as your father as you claim to be doesn't get you into the kingdom of God. And when Jesus comes and begins his public public ministry is message was one of repentance. Repentance Mark 115 and believe in the gospel. But now with those who do believe those who have passed from the place of condemnation to the place of justification to those who have passed from darkness to light to those who have come from the kingdom of Satan into the kingdom of God are no to be baptized, and this is what the apostles based on the great commission. This is what they did in the acts of the apostles turn with me to ask chapter 2 where we will see this on the great day of Pentecost, Peter, the leader sirens then uptime Downingtown old Jerusalem were privileged to be there just a few days ago and I thought of Peter with filled with the spirit with great boldness preach to those who just days before had crucified his Savior and read the account in acts chapter 2. Let's pray.

Can he says in verse 38 Peter said to them repentance and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ.

Verse 41, so those who received his word. What happened to them. They were baptized under what I did that day about 3000 souls.

Here is the great commission in action Peter understanding and proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ are very skeptical unbelieving crowd just days after the crucifixion of our Lord and he presents to them that the one crucified, is none other than the Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ and he is true to the great commission not only preaches the gospel he preaches. In fact, he commanded the commands baptism yes. He tells them about the promise of forgiveness of sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit. And that's not just the Jews but is also to those who hear the message on the day of Pentecost and for the descendents for their descendents, and the Gentiles, and Luke records here in verse 41 these beautiful words so those who received his word where baptized there were impeachment to the word of the Lord.

Turnover to chapter 8 and we will see Philip the evangelist, what is he doing he's preaching the gospel, not just preaching the gospel is preaching baptism to those in Samaria acts eight verse 12.

Acts 812 and when they believed Philip as he preached good news is the gospel of the kingdom of God in the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women syringe and chapter 8 verse 34. Here is here is an Ethiopian on his way back from Jerusalem and he's reading what we know is Isaiah 53 and the eunuch says to fill up their study for a vaccine, about whom I asked, does the prophet say this about himself or about someone else. Philip opened his mouth and beginning with the Scripture. He told him the good news about Jesus.

He presents the gospel to this Ethiopian verse 36 is there going along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, see, here is water. What prevents me from being baptized, commanded the chariot to stop.

They both went diving into the water. Philip and the eunuch and he baptized him and when they came up out of the water and the spirit of the Lord Counted Philip away, and the eunuch saw him no more and went on his way rejoicing. Here is a man who hears the gospel as Philip presents Jesus to them from the great passage of Isaiah 53 puts his trust in Christ and he is baptized here is Paul is Michael Saul on the road to Damascus. Geiger's would open the Golan Heights a few days ago with Damascus being only 40 miles away says that some what I've noticed is the road to Damascus that Paul was on and so on the road to Damascus is gloriously saved and we read in acts nine verse 18 that he was then baptized. Is Peter preaching the gospel to Cornelius the centurion, a Gentile, and the next 10 verses 47 and 48 as they present the gospel to him.

The apostles then command them to be baptized.

Paul and Silas in Philippi and the present the gospel to the jailer who says what must I do to be saved and they said, believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved, Junior are so and he is baptized them over to ask chapter 18 here is I'm saying here, in part, is the record of the New Testament of the apostles going preaching the gospel and baptizing those who believe acts 18 verse eight. Here is Paul in Corinth Christmas, the ruler of the synagogue, believed in the Lord together with his entire household and many of the Corinthians hearing Paul believed and where baptized in the New Testament. Every single believer in Jesus Christ, with the exception of the thief on the cross every single believer is baptized is no exception. The idea that you can be an unbaptized believer in Jesus Christ is no place in the teaching of the New Testament was baptism doesn't save us. It doesn't cleanse us of our sins. Whether this assigned the symbol, the outward uniform that was saved by God's grace what was assigned the New Testament to your follower of Christ, to walk the aisle to answer some altar call to sign a card to put up your hand.

No, the sign was baptism it was that I would visible sign of the inner work of the Spirit of God in saving and transforming lives. Yes, it's Christ and Christ alone who saves us but the disciples set the pattern that is we preach the gospel. We are to baptize those who put their trust in Jesus Christ and in the New Testament every single case of baptism occurs after conversion, not before conversion. No babies baptize the New Testament we clearly see from the Newton from the great commission of her Lord and the practice of the apostles that baptism is a commands to understand that we we we really, I think often of weakened this we give it as a kind of optional extra. If you feel like it. Maybe one day I'll get baptized is not the teaching of the New Testament. Why would you hesitate if you're a follower of Christ.

So you are you ashamed of Christ that wherever you go you see people with them shirts of their favorite team, the Panthers's Manchester United who happen to them today again you see people wearing the uniform there prior to the a Panther fan the plywood to be a follower of the a particular sports team are proud to be a Clemson with that terrible orange and that is a Paul or something on it.

People are proud to wear these things. We are proud to be a follower of Christ want to height that is like being married and being ashamed of your wife.

We gave to the children today that baggie which has on and I'm not ashamed of the gospel. What is the power of God unto salvation to everyone who believes it is a command. What about the meaning of baptism. Baptism is a public confession of faith in Jesus Christ is the outward symbol of what has taken place inwardly so the individual being baptized as they stand in this baptismal font or any other font they're saying I'm a follower of Jesus, I love Jesus Christ had been saved by his grace. I'm not ashamed of the gospel are not ashamed that my top allegiance in life is to Jesus Christ I'm a follower of Christ. What a wonderful declaration is in the can you be a secret disciple � sticker disciples New Testament, there are secret disciples today. There are many people who are followers of Jesus mother doing it privately. They're doing it secretly.

God doesn't want you to do it. Once you to be publicly known.

As a follower of Jesus.

So baptism is a public confessing of your allegiance to Jesus Christ through the act of baptism is also a symbol of our identification with Christ and the body of Christ. Every Christian on the moment of conversion receives the spirit of God that baptized by the Holy Spirit and that Holy Spirit baptism is symbolized by more than baptism.

Read the opening verses of Romans one where Paul talks about this baptism and that we not walk in newness of life as we step into the waters of baptism we are identifying with Christ. We die with Christ that Jesus Christ died on the cross for the sins of John Monroe as I go under the water that symbolizes my burial with Christ, you're betting the old man coming up out of the water it, symbolizing my resurrection with Jesus Christ I've received new life. I am a new creation in Christ that is being symbolized by that that my life was changed once I was going in this direction. Now I'm going in this direction and that is beautifully symbolized by baptism, the old has gone, and the new has come. So as an act of obedience is an act of submission to the Lordship of Christ. It's not an optional extra for a few dedicated Christians. It's a command given to those who love and follow Jesus. I find it interesting that in the great commission in Matthew chapter 28 verse 19 Jesus commands us and says, baptizing them in literally in Greek. It is into little Greek preposition. I into the name of the father and of the son and of the Holy Spirit.

There is a transfer. No longer is a John Monroe deciding his own life. I am baptized into the name of the father and the son and the Holy Spirit had been bought with a price. I'm no longer my own. I surrender my ambitions.

My my agenda at the Christ and this is being symbolized in my baptism belonging to Jesus Christ to life surrender to Christ is King.

He is your master, he should Lord your following Tri-Star are articles of faith states that we administered baptism quote by immersion to believers in Jesus Christ and I realize this is controversial, but we believe that the proper mode of baptism is by immersion. This is what the word means baptism. So in Greek and means to dip or to plunge or to MSR's. It was used in classical Greek of someone drowning in a ship drowning or ownership being a Marist and water. It was used of taking a garment and putting it into die.

Perhaps it was orange and I was going to be green. It is plunged into the dye it is baptized in the die and comes out the different color.

It is a Marist that is the meaning of it. When Jesus was baptized in the River Jordan Whittington Matthew three, he went up from the water difficult to think that was sprinkling was in the when he went up from the water. We read in John 323.

The John the Baptist baptized in Salem court because the water was plentiful. There you don't need plentiful water to do some sprinkling I could sprinkle many of you just from this cup butter Matthew I needs plenty of water and accepted a twin Philip is baptizing the Ethiopian Luke says they both went diving into the water and came up of the water so we believe that immersion is the biblical mode of baptism and also best symbolizes its meaning. Baptism of Presbyterian and the Baptist were arguing about the mood of baptism are neither Presbyterian not a Baptist, but we believe that people would be arguing about this.

This is another joke right. The laugh Sunday nights at tough crowd in the depressed and said that answers your Baptist mind goes into the water up to his knees. Is he baptized Baptist as well of course not. His equality goes into the water up to his waist as he baptizedthe Baptist pastor while he goes into the water up to his shoulders as he baptized no to the Baptist pastor well if he goes right up over his head as he baptized yesterday Baptist pastor there says that Presbyterian is the water on top of the head.

The kinds of with great respect and Presbyterian Bujold with terrible theology, no baptism is taught by Scripture to be by immersion. I realize many of you, perhaps the majority of you were brought up in churches where you were christened as a little baby come to saving faith.

Since then, that you've never been baptized by motion, it would be a great joy for you for us to baptize you because Calvary church believes it, but because you as you study the Scriptures as you search the Scriptures believe this is what God wants for me the ordinance of baptism and secondly the Lord's supper is a commands.

This is less controversial, and I will deal with it quicker turn to Luke chapter 22 Luke chapter 22 and we read of the institution of the Lord suffered.

The Lord commands us to remember him.

I guess one of the points that set my heart tonight to communicate is these are not optional extras. These are the commands.

Baptism is a command the Lord's supper is a command that it does somewhat distressed me when some people have such a low view of the ordinances. Some churches hardly celebrate the very very important.

The commands of Jesus Christ was and what he says and looks are currently 22 verse 19 and he took bread context is the Passover, he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, this is my body which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me as a command, isn't it, do this in remembrance of me and likewise a couple after they were eaten, saying, this cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood. Both ordinances baptism and the Lord's supper a commands of Scripture. So we don't make decisions based on our feelings people say well one day I may get run into being baptized when I feel like it inside right does it do make these decisions based on your feelings or do we make decisions based on the clear teaching of Scripture will make decisions based on our comfort to our own priorities, but on what Jesus says is important that he commands us to remember him in this way he invites us.

Please understand not to an altar, but to the table where people who come passing by Calvary church in the sea. This church in the coming to the sanctuary and the sometimes say to me when is the altar or they say well I'm going to go up on the altar so we don't have an altar. I hear some of you talking about an altar there is no altar recovery church. What was annulled as a place of sacrifice, Lord Jesus invites us not to an altar invites us to a table is the Lord's supper its communion. What's the only altar that we have is across.

It is there where that one's ultimate and repeatable sacrifice to place when the Lord Jesus Christ is the Lamb of God took away the sin of the world. What we are doing at the Lord's supper as we celebrated we are not really sacrificing Christ. We don't believe as Roman Catholics do, and transubstantiation was transubstantiation well. Roman Catholics believe that as they please consecrate the bread that bread actually becomes the very body of Christ that the cop actually becomes the blood of Christ at the moment of consecration by the ordained priesthood. We see no what are we doing we are remembering Christ would not release sacrificing him and why is it so important because Jesus says do this in remembrance of me. Many of you, including myself, of loved ones who died of a father, two brothers who are in heaven. The many friends who passed away when we do we remember them trying to remember them because we love them will of Christ only is it well I can remember a Jesus Christ without communion. That is true, but in order that we would never ever forget the centrality of our faith that we would never forget that once we were on the road to destruction, and Christ has intervened and has saved us and has saved us as we thought of this morning, not by our works, but by shedding his blood by giving his own life. Christ said I never want you to forget this and I want you to do in this very simple way bread symbolizing my body. The cup symbolizing my blood and you to do this in remembrance of me and so when we come we invite every believer to participate in the Lord's supper is not just for members of Calvary church.

This is for those who are members of the family of God and so succumb to cover charge of your born-again believer saved by the grace of God. We invite you to participate in this wonderful ordinance of the Lord's supper. I believe is one of the highest privileges we have as worshipers of the living God says this new, in remembrance of me and he invites us to a stable the giving of thanks, Jesus instituted this feast, he took bread, what they do.

He gave thanks to give thanks to his father and his God know he wasn't just giving thanks for the physical bread and wine. He was giving thanks surely for the eternal plan of redemption for all of the glorious and eternal benefits which flow from his redemptive work and we, and we thank God and I believe here and there are Thanksgiving our worship reaches its culmination reaches its climax at the Lord's table, giving of thanks we do remember Jesus it's rooted. Of course in the Passover just as Israel was never ever to forget their deliverance from the bondage of Egypt. We who follow Jesus Christ are never ever diverted that once we were lost and there were funds once I was in the kingdom of darkness. And now I'm in the kingdom of God's marvelous light and it is also on the dissipation of Christ's return for Paul says in first Corinthians 11. We do this on till he comes so easy to forget is in the in our own lives to be absorbed by one exciting life absorbed by the worries and the tensions of our own life and that the Lord's supper. We set that aside and we focus on Christ will look back to the wonder of the cross we think of the present receiving of this wonder as we did this morning that now we have peace with God. We have this access into garden you. We also have the hope of the glory of God, because Christ is coming back. We remember Christ as we do that, don't you find your faith being strengthened and when you find the wonder of doing it with brothers and sisters in Christ that we are the family of God by go back to Scotland in and get together with my mother and my brothers we remember my dad.

He died many years ago, but we love them and we talk about item. Some of these little idiosyncrasies with some of his sons of picked up we think of his godly example we think of his love for Christ filled his love for my mother's love and devotion for us whether we doing with remembering my dad and as we do that it draws us closer together as a family doesn't will love the same person. And as we come together as a people of God the Savior you love is exactly the same Savior as I love and the blood that was shed for my salvation is the same blood that was shed for your salvation and all that you have of seeing Christ and of being glorified one days the same hope that I have in the heavenly father that you have is the same heavenly father that I have been. We remember that all of this is you to our Savior, who loved us and gave himself for us and as we do that we have communion and it draws us together as the people of God, what am I saying I'm saying today that these are commands I don't be wiser than God. Follow the commands of Scripture. Jesus says my yoke is easy and my burden is light. Follow the things that Christ commanded you. This is not difficult, isn't it. John says in first John five verse three that his commandments are not burdensome. He could have given us very difficult things to do. He hasn't.

I want you to be baptized.

I want you to remember me gracious provisions by our Savior at the end of Matthew three is an amazing scene.

I thought of it. And though a few days ago when we were in Israel and had the privilege of baptizing a number of you then of my country.

There's an amazing scene when the Lord was baptized in the Jordan by John the Baptist and his Jesus came out of the water. Something miraculous happens, the heavens were opened. In fact, the text says they were torn apart and the father speaks and a dove symbolizing the spirits comes to Christ and the father Saiz of his son as his son is being baptized.

This is my son, my well beloved, in whom I am well pleased. One got to say that here is my daughter. Here is my son. Here is one of my followers. And as we obey him as Jesus Christ always obeyed his father ends as he was totally surrendered to the will of his father that God is well pleased.

When we speak well of his son.

God is well pleased when you and I as his followers humbled ourselves and debated and go through the waters of baptism father under guard. Thank you for the simple ordinances taught so clearly in your word and we pray that we will be humbled will be obedient thank you that we can identify with Jesus through baptism. Thank you for the privilege that we have regularly here at Calvary and elsewhere, of remembering our Lord. We love our Savior, we thank you for the cross. We thank you for his glorious resurrection.

We thank you that soon he's coming in will be caught up to be forever with them. We thank you for the body of Christ here at Calvary that we can encourage one another and altogether in love and serve your in Christ name, amen