2. Why are these people getting dunked today?

3. What is Baptism?

4. It is the public declaration and outward expression of the believer’s inner reality, volitionally done to symbolize a person’s entrance into a relationship with Jesus Christ.

5. New Testament Baptism starts with J the B!

8. Matthew 3:1-6 1 In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the Desert of Judea 2 and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.” 3 This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah: “A voice of one calling in the desert, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, Make straight paths for him.’

9. New Testament Baptism starts with J the B! Matthew 3:1-6 4 John’s clothes were made of camel’s hair, and he had a leather belt round his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey. 5 People went out to him from Jerusalem and all Judea and the whole region of the Jordan. 6 Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River.

10. “Baptizo”

11. Definition:

12. “Baptizo” Definition: “to put or go under water in a variety of senses, usually in a ritual or ceremonial sense”

13. “Baptizo” Definition: “to put or go under water in a variety of senses, usually in a ritual or ceremonial sense” “to dip, plunge, wash, purify”

14. “Baptizo” Definition: “to put or go under water in a variety of senses, usually in a ritual or ceremonial sense” “to dip, plunge, wash, purify” “to use water in a rite for purpose of renewing or establishing a relationship with God” ~ William Arndt, Frederick W. Danker, and Walter Bauer, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2000), page 164.

15. What did Jesus say about baptism?

16. Matthew 28:18-20 18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

17. How did the early church apply this?

18. Acts 2:36-41 36 “Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.”

19. How did the early church apply this? Acts 2:36-41 37 When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”

20. How did the early church apply this? Acts 2:36-41 38 Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.”

21. How did the early church apply this? Acts 2:36-41 40 With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.” 41 Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.

22. How did the early church apply this? Acts 3:13-20, 4:1-4 13 The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified his servant Jesus. You handed him over to be killed, and you disowned him before Pilate, though he had decided to let him go. 14 You disowned the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a murderer be released to you. 15 You killed the author of life, but God raised him from the dead. We are witnesses of this.

23. How did the early church apply this? Acts 3:13-20, 4:1-4 16 By faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know was made strong. It is Jesus’ name and the faith that comes through him that has given this complete healing to him, as you can all see.

24. How did the early church apply this? Acts 3:13-20, 4:1-4 17 “Now, brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did your leaders. 18 But this is how God fulfilled what he had foretold through all the prophets, saying that his Christ would suffer. 19 Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord, 20 and that he may send the Christ, who has been appointed for you—even Jesus…”

25. How did the early church apply this? Acts 3:13-20, 4:1-4 1 The priests and the captain of the temple guard and the Sadducees came up to Peter and John while they were speaking to the people. 2 They were greatly disturbed because the apostles were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead. 3 They seized Peter and John, and because it was evening, they put them in jail until the next day. 4 But many who heard the message believed, and the number of men grew to about five thousand.

26. Repent

27. Believe

28. Repent Believe Be Baptized

29. What is being symbolized in baptism?

30. Romans 6:1-4 1 What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning, so that grace may increase? 2 By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? 3 Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 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.

31. HUGE POINT!!Declarati on of the believer’s union with Christ

32. Does baptism in itself save you?

33. 1 Peter 3:18-22 18 For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit, 19 through whom also he went and preached to the spirits in prison 20 who disobeyed long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built.

34. Does baptism in itself save you? 1 Peter 3:18-22 In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water, 21 and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also—not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a good conscience towards God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 22 who has gone into heaven and is at God’s right hand—with angels, authorities and powers in submission to him.

35. Why be baptized then?

36. 1. Because Jesus did

37. Why be baptized then? 1. Because Jesus did Matthew 3:13-17 13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. 14 But John tried to deter him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” 15 Jesus replied, “Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.” Then John consented.

38. Why be baptized then? 1. Because Jesus did Matthew 3:13-17 16 As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on him. 17 And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”

39. Why be baptized then? 2. Because you get to declare your union with Jesus Christ!

40. Why be baptized then? 2. Because you get to declare your union with Jesus Christ! Acts 8:27-38 27 So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian eunuch, an important official in charge of all the treasury of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians. This man had gone to Jerusalem to worship, 28 and on his way home was sitting in his chariot reading the book of Isaiah the prophet. 29 The Spirit told Philip, “Go to that chariot and stay near it.” 30 Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. “Do you understand what you are reading?” Philip asked.

41. Why be baptized then? 2. Because you get to declare your union with Jesus Christ! Acts 8:27-38 31 “How can I,” he said, “unless someone explains it to me?” So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. 32 The eunuch was reading this passage of Scripture: “He was led like a sheep to the slaughter, and as a lamb before the shearer is silent, so he did not open his mouth. 33 In his humiliation he was deprived of justice. Who can speak of his descendants? For his life was taken from the earth.”

42. Why be baptized then? 2. Because you get to declare your union with Jesus Christ! Acts 8:27-38 34 The eunuch asked Philip, “Tell me, please, who is the prophet talking about, himself or someone else?” 35 Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus. 36 As they traveled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, “Look, here is water. Why shouldn’t I be baptized?” 38 And he gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized him.

43. Why be baptized then? 3. Because Jesus asks it of us

44. Why be baptized then? 3. Because Jesus asks it of us Matthew 28:18-20 18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

45. Why are these people being dunked today?

46. It is the public declaration and outward expression of the believer’s inner reality, volitionally done to symbolize a person’s entrance into a relationship with Jesus Christ.

47. A word to those getting baptized:

48. “Baptism sets forth, as in a picture, the union of the believer with the Lord Jesus in his baptism of suffering, and in his death, burial, and resurrection. By submitting to that sacred ordinance, we declare that we believe ourselves to be dead with him, because of his endurance of the death penalty, and dead to the world and to the dominion of sin by his Spirit; at the same time, we also profess our faith in our Lord's resurrection, and that we ourselves are raised up in union with him, and have come forth through faith into newness of life. It is a very impressive and vivid symbol, but it is without meaning unless we rise to purity of life.” ~ Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit. Preached March 12th, 1891

49. Gospel Application: Is God calling you to experience Him through baptism, or to renew your baptismal vows?