1. God’s Master Plan Session 5 How can we participate in the Master Plan?

2. Slide 2 (C) OBEDIENCE 7) How can we participate in the Master Plan? 8) How should citizens of the Master Plan live? (A) KINGDOM OF GOD 1) What is God's Master Plan 2) How will God's Master Plan be realised? 3) Why do we need God's Master Plan? 4) What stops us from participating in God's Master Plan? (B) NAME OF JESUS CHRIST 5) Who is the key to the Master Plan? 6) Who is the Master Planner? Salvation The faith God requires for eternal life in his Kingdom (John 3:16-17) Belief in the Gospel Acts 8v12 Life of Obedience Acts 2v42

3. Slide 3 Objective Explain the importance of baptism Outline the steps required for salvation  Belief  Repentance  Baptism

4. Slide 4 Overview Belief Repentance Baptism  What is it?  Why be baptised?  How does baptism save us?  How does baptism fit into the Master Plan?  What happens after baptism? Conclusion

5. Slide 5 What is Belief? Belief is related to God’s Master Plan  HOW?  Belief means understanding…. “Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptised will be saved.” (Mark 16v15-16)

6. Slide 6 What is Belief? Understanding we have fallen short of the ideal What ideal?  The Master Plan  The glory of God!  “For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God” (Romans 3v23)

7. Slide 7 What is Belief? Understanding we have the wrong relatives! Get rid of relation with Adam (sin and death) Get a new relation with Jesus (eternal life) understanding belief This understanding - is belief

8. Slide 8 What is Belief? Belief before baptism was common in the early church.  Acts 8v12  Acts 8v26-27  Acts 16v32 It is important to understand our hopeless situation It is important to believe Let’s look at some examples

9. Slide 9 What is Repentance? Belief is a good start… but… we need Repentance A total turn around!

10. Slide 10 What is Repentance? A new way of life A new relationship Out of Adam Into Christ

11. Slide 11 What is Repentance? The bottom line……… If you believe And if you are truly sorry Then you will repent “Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret…..” (2 Corinthians 7v10)

12. Slide 12 What is Baptism? leads to“…repentance that leads to salvation…” There is still more. Baptism - “it’s all Greek to us”  baptizo  dying (baptizo) a garment  ship sunk (baptizo) in a storm  dipping, sinking  immersing fully

13. Slide 13 What is Baptism? An example from the Bible. Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch Acts 8v35-38 35Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning from this Scripture he preached Jesus to him. 36As they went along the road they came to some water; and the eunuch said, "Look! Water! What prevents me from being baptized?" 37And Philip said, "If you believe with all your heart, you may." And he answered and said, "I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God." 38And he ordered the chariot to stop; and they both went down into the water, Philip as well as the eunuch, and he baptized him.

14. Slide 14 What is Baptism? Why the big deal about full immersion? Baptism represents a burial “Don’t you know that all of us who were baptised in Christ Jesus were baptised into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.” (Romans 6v3-4)

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16. Slide 16 Why be Baptised? It is a commandment! “Whoever believes and is baptised will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.” (Mark 16v16) “I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.” (John 3v3)

17. Slide 17 Why be Baptised? You want to be a Christian don’t you? A follower of Jesus Christ? Follow his example then….. Jesus himself was baptised!  Matthew 3v13-17 13Then Jesus arrived from Galilee at the Jordan coming to John, to be baptized by him. 14But John tried to prevent Him, saying, "I have need to be baptized by You, and do You come to me?" 15But Jesus answering said to him, "Permit it at this time; for in this way it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness." Then he permitted Him. 16After being baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove and lighting on Him, 17and behold, a voice out of the heavens said, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased."

18. Slide 18 Why be Baptised? Symbolic start of a new life. Now “in Christ” or have “put on Christ” We have changed our clothes! “For all of you who were baptised into Christ have clothed yourself with Christ” (Galatians 3v27)

19. Slide 19 Why be Baptised? Adam and Eve changed their clothes  “The LORD God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them.” (Genesis 3v21) An animal died to give them a covering Jesus died to to give us a covering

20. Slide 20 Why be Baptised? In the Old Testament  Associated with animal by laying hands on head In the New Testament  Associate with Jesus by being baptised!

21. Slide 21 How does Baptism save us? By washing away stubborn dirt! By washing away our sins!  “And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptised and wash away your sins, calling on his name.” (Acts 22v16) We are forgiven

22. Slide 22 How does Baptism save us? By associating with Jesus’ victory over sin! “If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection.” (Romans 6v5) through baptism

23. Slide 23 How does baptism save us? Being saved by water is an OT principle  Children of Israel crossing the Red Sea Paul picks this up (1 Cor 10v1-2)  Noah and the ark Peter picks this up (1 Peter 3v20-21)

24. Slide 24 How does Baptism fit into the Master Plan? God made promises to Abraham  Have land to live in forever  Have many descendants  Have a son to rule forever Abraham never received his promises  “He gave him no inheritance here, not even a foot of ground…..” (Acts7v5) Why not?

25. Slide 25 How does Baptism fit into the Master Plan? God is waiting for a few more people to become a part of his Master Plan “….none of them received what had been promised. God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.” (Hebrews 11v39-40) (Hebrews 11v39-40)

26. Slide 26 How does Baptism fit into the Master Plan? How do we share in these promises and become a part of his Master Plan? Baptism Baptism is how we become a part of the Master Plan! For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ… …And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's descendants, heirs according to promise. (Gal 3:27-29)

27. Slide 27 What happens after Baptism? Is this the end? This is the beginning….  “If you love me, you will obey what I command” (John 14v15)  “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” (Matthew 16v24) Next week we will learn about the life of the follower!

28. Slide 28 Conclusion This week we looked at...  Belief which is understanding God’s Master Plan  Repentance which is being sorry for our sins and turning around  Baptism which is full immersion in water

29. Slide 29 Conclusion We are baptised to:  associate with death and resurrection of Jesus  wash away sins  become a part of the family of Christ and so share in the promises and God’s Master Plan.

30. Slide 30 Question and Answer How can we participate in the Master Plan? We must believe in God’s Master Plan, repent of our old life, and start a new life by being baptised.

31. Slide 31 Conclusion Next week we look at….  How should a citizen of the Master Plan live?  What does Christ require of us? Teaching, Fellowship, Prayer, Breaking of Bread  Foundations of the Master Plan  Guiding Principles  Does God provide help?  Tying it all up!