Participants:
Series Code: UBP
Program Code: UBP000013S
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00:01 Have you ever just wanted a do over in life?
00:04 Do you want that feeling of a brand new, fresh start? 00:08 Did you know that Jesus offers that to you right now? 00:12 If you are wondering how that is possible, 00:15 stay with me, friends. 00:17 My name is Cami Oetman, 00:18 and this Unlocking Bible Prophecies. 00:22 The rise of an international pandemic. 00:24 Breaking news about the Coronavirus. 00:26 Polarizing global politics. 00:28 The mismanagement and corruption. 00:29 Increasingly destructive natural disasters. 00:31 Bushfires in Australia are a warning 00:34 of what may be to come around the world. 00:36 What does it all mean? 00:37 What does the future hold? 00:42 Join international speaker Cami Oetman 00:44 on a journey for answers in Unlocking Bible Prophecies. 00:48 In her travels around the world, 00:50 she's come face to face with real life struggles, 00:53 but in the midst of them, she's found miracles of hope. 00:57 Join Cami Oetman for Unlocking Bible Prophecies 01:01 as she shares how Bible prophecy 01:02 is being fulfilled faster than ever before. 01:14 Can you believe that we are on topic 01:16 number 13 of 14 for Unlocking Bible Prophecies? 01:20 I would love to know how many of you 01:22 have watched all 13 sessions so far. 01:26 Yesterday's program was a thrilling study of prophecy. 01:29 Many of you expressed 01:30 how encouraged you are to know that God has a people 01:33 that He is preparing for the end time. 01:36 He is coming to rescue us soon 01:38 and take us home to heaven for eternity. 01:41 If you and I do not meet here on this earth, friend, 01:44 I look forward to meeting you inside 01:46 the holy city on the streets of gold. 01:49 Now, if you have missed any programs, go to awr.org/bible 01:53 for an archive of the entire series. 01:58 Since the topics builds on each other, 02:01 please be sure to try and watch them in order. 02:04 Tonight we will look at the new life, 02:06 a fresh start that is available through Jesus. 02:10 You know I was amazed 02:12 when I first joined Adventist World Radio 02:14 and witnessed two whole villages hike 48 miles 02:18 through jungle mountains to meet us at a waterfall 02:22 for baptism. 02:23 What a beautiful event. 02:25 They have been studying their Bibles with their radios 02:28 and wanted a new life in Jesus. 02:31 What is the new beginning look like? 02:33 How can you experience a clean slate? 02:36 Let's pray together before we dive into tonight's topic. 02:41 Heavenly Father, Lord, thank You so much for providing us 02:45 with Your words so that we have a clearer understanding 02:48 of what You desire for us and from us. 02:52 Lord, help us to have a deeper understanding 02:56 and fall deeper in love with You. 02:58 And tonight as we look at this topic of baptism together, 03:03 Lord, in Jesus' precious name, amen. 03:07 Come with me as we look to our perfect example, 03:10 found in Matthew Chapter 3. 03:13 We can visualize Jesus 03:15 making His way on a dusty trail to meet John 03:18 the Baptist for the first time. 03:21 Something unprecedented is about to happen. 03:25 Jesus hikes from Nazareth down to the Jordan River. 03:29 A buzzing excited multitude is gathered on the riverbank. 03:33 The crowd is enthralled by John's words, 03:36 "Repent and be baptized for the kingdom 03:38 of God is at hand." 03:40 As John is in the midst of his thundering discourse, 03:43 he suddenly stops. 03:46 For a moment there is silence. 03:49 His eyes zeroed in on one man. 03:53 He has never sensed such pure holy character. 03:58 The crowd notice the pause, who's John staring at? 04:03 A feverish hum of whispers spread throughout 04:05 the congregation. 04:07 Who is that guy? 04:09 They do not recognize their Kingly Messiah. 04:14 Even though John has never seen Him before, 04:17 the Holy Spirit reveals this is the Son of God. 04:22 Jesus eyes meet John's and request baptism. 04:27 But John vigorously tries to talk Him out of it. 04:30 "I am the one who needs to be baptized by You." 04:33 John says, "So why are You coming to me? 04:36 But Jesus says, 04:38 "It should be done for we must carry out 04:41 all that God requires." 04:43 So John agreed to baptize Him. 04:47 He yields and leads the Savior down into the Jordan waters. 04:51 As the two men stand in the water, 04:53 we can picture John putting one hand on Jesus' back 04:57 and raising his other hand toward heaven. 05:01 The crowd is in awe, and Jesus is immersed, 05:05 buried beneath the water, 05:07 and as Jesus comes up out of the water, 05:10 a new and important era is opening before Him. 05:15 He is now on a wider stage, 05:18 His ministry has begun. 05:21 He knows that He is entering the conflict of His life. 05:26 He exits onto the bank with water 05:28 streaming from His garment, 05:30 making little mud pools in the dust. 05:33 It was then that the heavens opened, and John sees 05:38 the Spirit of God descending like a dove 05:42 and settling on Jesus. 05:45 The people stand silent, gazing upon Christ, 05:49 His form is bathed in light, 05:52 His upturned face is glorified, 05:55 like they have never seen before. 05:58 And suddenly, a voice from heaven is heard saying, 06:02 "This is My beloved Son, 06:06 in whom I am well pleased. 06:10 In John Chapter 1, 06:12 we see that John the Baptist is so deeply moved, 06:15 that with an outstretched hand, he points to Jesus, 06:18 behold, the one we are looking for is in our midst, 06:23 the Lamb of God, 06:25 who takes away the sins of the world. 06:29 Friend, it is impossible for you 06:33 and me to fully understand or appreciate the intense, 06:37 electrifying effect of that very announcement. 06:43 For thousands of years, 06:46 mankind have been waiting for their Redeemer. 06:50 Israel had been living under the severe oppression of Rome, 06:54 and longing for their Messiah. 06:57 And now, suddenly, the desire of the ages, 07:02 the hope of all nations 07:05 is standing in their midst. 07:10 Baptism is a crucial part of the Christian life. 07:15 Not only was Jesus baptized as an example to us, 07:20 but He also strongly admonished His people to be baptized. 07:24 Baptism is a symbol of our willingness to accept 07:29 the gospel of Jesus. 07:31 It is a conscious decision and proclamation. 07:35 We will see that baptism is a symbolic act, 07:39 that it is thoroughly covered in the Bible. 07:42 Many people have misconceptions about its significance, 07:46 and are confused about whether it is necessary for salvation. 07:51 So why do we need baptism? 07:53 And what does it mean? 07:55 Let us go to some important verses in the Bible to outline 07:59 the necessity of baptism, 08:01 and what we need to do to prepare for it. 08:04 We can demonstrate our faithfulness 08:06 and loyalty by following Christ's example in baptism. 08:11 God is calling each one of us to take a public stand. 08:16 The truth of God's Word give us something to stand on. 08:21 Our theme for this series is, if it's in the Bible, 08:25 I believe it. 08:27 If it disagrees with a Bible, it's not for me. 08:32 All of us at times have wished that we could just start over 08:36 with a new life, a clean record. 08:40 Now the Book of Revelation 08:41 repeatedly refers to this opportunity. 08:45 Revelation 1:5, "To Him who loved us 08:49 and washed us from our sins in His own blood." 08:53 That tells us that Jesus washes evil 08:56 from our lives so we can start over. 09:00 Revelation 3:8, "I know your works. 09:04 See, I have set before you an open door." 09:07 Jesus sets before us an open door to a new life. 09:12 The Book of Revelation reveals a God of incredible love, 09:16 who never forces our allegiance or coerces our will. 09:21 Throughout the Book of Revelation, 09:23 He invites us to come to Him freely. 09:28 He says, Revelation 22:17, "Whoever desires, 09:33 let him take the water of life freely." 09:38 In Revelation, Jesus is pictured 09:40 as the Lamb who dies to gain our ultimate freedom. 09:45 God is calling out people to be faithful to Him. 09:49 He is calling them to lovingly keep His commandments. 09:54 Jesus invites them to publicly acknowledge 09:56 and proclaim their loyalty to declare 10:00 their allegiance to Him. 10:03 Now how do we take a stand? 10:05 Revelation points us in the right direction. 10:09 Jesus instructed His disciples in Matthew 28:19-20. 10:14 "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, 10:18 baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, 10:22 and the Holy Spirit, 10:24 teaching them to observe all things that I have 10:27 commanded you. 10:28 And lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. 10:34 Amen." 10:36 When we are baptized, 10:37 we declare our allegiance by taking a public stand, 10:41 showing whose side we are on. 10:45 Yet many Christians are confused 10:47 over this basic Bible ordinance. 10:50 How many kinds of baptisms are there? 10:54 Some churches sprinkle babies, 10:56 others pour water over the head of a baby or young child. 11:00 One denomination practices olive oil baptism, 11:04 I even read of a church that sprinkled rose petals over 11:07 the heads of its youth, 11:08 declaring they were now baptized. 11:12 One pastor took his youth out into the mountains, 11:15 and so called baptize them by letting them lay in the snow 11:19 and covering them with it. 11:22 When he was questioned about this method, 11:24 he said, it doesn't make any difference whether 11:27 the water is liquid or solid. 11:30 Was this pastor right? 11:33 The Bible declares that there 11:35 is only one true method of baptism. 11:38 It clearly says in Ephesians 4:5, 11:42 "One Lord, one faith, 11:46 one baptism." 11:49 If we take God at His Word, 11:52 then there is only one biblical method. 11:56 Wouldn't you agree with me that the best way to know 11:58 the true method of baptism is to read it in the Bible? 12:03 If we are baptized the same way Jesus was, 12:06 we certainly cannot go wrong. 12:09 Mark 1:9, 12:11 "It came to pass in those days that Jesus 12:15 came from Nazareth of Galilee, 12:17 and was baptized by John in the Jordan." 12:21 Matthew 3:16-17, "When He had been baptized, 12:25 Jesus came up immediately from the water, and behold, 12:29 the heavens were open to Him, 12:31 and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, 12:34 and alighting upon Him. 12:36 And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, 12:39 'This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.'" 12:45 Jesus was immersed. 12:48 When Christ was baptized, He went down into the water, 12:52 and came up out of the water. 12:55 Jesus' baptism by full immersion 12:58 was a significant event in His life. 13:02 Your baptism will be a significant event in your life. 13:07 There were two special things that happened to Jesus 13:09 at His baptism. 13:11 First, the Holy Spirit descended upon Jesus, 13:15 to give Him supernatural spiritual power to face 13:20 the temptation of the evil one. 13:23 The Bible promises that when we are baptized, 13:25 we too will receive that same spiritual power, 13:30 that same spiritual help. 13:32 Don't you desire this spiritual power in your life, friend? 13:37 It came upon Jesus, and it also will be given to us. 13:41 He received divine power at His baptism. 13:45 And as we, by faith, open our hearts to the Lord, 13:49 we will receive the Holy Spirit at our baptism too. 13:54 The scripture says in Acts 10:38, 13:57 "God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit 14:02 and with power." 14:04 I love that. 14:06 The second thing that happened at Jesus' 14:08 baptism was what the Father spoke to Him in Matthew 3:17, 14:13 saying, "This is My beloved Son, 14:17 in whom I am well pleased." 14:21 Every time a child of God responds to the call of Christ, 14:25 and is baptized, taking a public stand for our Lord, 14:29 all of heaven rejoices. 14:32 When you are baptized, once again, the Father will say, 14:37 "This is My beloved son. 14:39 This is My beloved daughter, 14:42 in whom I am well pleased." 14:45 Believers down through the centuries have experienced 14:48 the joy of making 14:50 a full commitment to Christ through baptism. 14:54 Sometimes they have been 14:55 the only member of their family, 14:58 or village, or tribe to come forward. 15:01 You see God calls each of us individually. 15:05 He certainly did that with an Ethiopian eunuch 15:08 returning from Jerusalem. 15:11 As the Ethiopian was riding in his chariot, 15:14 he was also reading Scripture. 15:17 God miraculously led Philip to him. 15:21 Philip clearly explained 15:22 the Word of God to this prominent Ethiopian. 15:25 He answered his Bible questions, 15:27 and made a strong appeal for this man to fully, 15:31 completely dedicate his life to Christ. 15:35 The Ethiopian immediately responded, 15:39 thrilled with his new relationship with Jesus, 15:42 he desired to be baptized. 15:45 His request is found in Acts 8:36-39. 15:50 "Now, as they went down the road, 15:52 they came to some water and the eunuch said, 15:55 'See, here is water. 15:57 What hinders me from being baptized?' 16:00 Then Philip said, 16:02 'If you believe with all your heart, you may.' 16:06 And he answered and said, 16:08 'I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. 16:13 So he commanded the chariot to stand still. 16:16 And both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, 16:21 and he baptized him. 16:23 Now when they came up out of the water...'" 16:27 See, these verses right here teach us 16:30 some vital truths about baptism. 16:34 The Ethiopian was baptized 16:36 when he openly accepted Christ. 16:39 His baptism was a public decision that he was taking 16:43 a stand. 16:44 And both Philip and the Ethiopian 16:47 went down into the water, and Philip lowered 16:50 the Ethiopian and fully immersed him into the cool 16:54 deep water as a symbol of Christ's 16:57 ability to cleanse the entire person from sin. 17:01 The whole person must be immersed, 17:05 because the whole person has sinned. 17:08 Every part of us must go under the water, 17:12 because every part of us has sinned. 17:15 Friends, we need a lot more than sprinkling. 17:19 We want to be cleansed totally. 17:21 And God requires Bible baptism, full immersion. 17:27 In fact, you may not be aware of the meaning 17:29 of the word baptism, 17:31 the Greek word baptizo or baptize means to dip, 17:37 to immerse, to plunge underwater. 17:42 For example, if a Greek woman desired to completely change 17:47 the color of a piece of cloth, 17:49 she wouldn't just sprinkle little dots 17:51 of dye on to the cloth, 17:53 she would plunge it under the water. 17:57 Baptism by immersion was certainly the practice 18:00 of the ancient churches. 18:03 Archeology reveals baptismal sites 18:05 found in these churches in the early centuries. 18:09 Ancient churches expose the method of baptism used then. 18:14 Here's an ancient Christian Church site with a baptistery 18:18 near Ephesus, near the western shores of modern day Turkey. 18:23 The size of the pool like structure, 18:25 according to archaeologists and historians, 18:28 demonstrates the fact that in those days, 18:31 only adults were baptized by immersion. 18:35 This is an early Christian Church in Philippi. 18:38 In the remains of the church, we see an early baptistery, 18:42 where New Testament Christians 18:43 baptized believers by immersion. 18:47 St. John of Lateran is the second largest church in Rome. 18:51 It is the most famous church in Rome, 18:53 next to St. Peter's Cathedral. 18:56 If you walk through the narrow alleyway to the back 18:59 of the church, you discover something quite remarkable. 19:04 A beautiful baptistery 19:06 clearly showing that Roman Catholicism 19:10 practiced baptism by immersion. 19:13 They continued this practice as late as the 13th century. 19:17 The baptisteries in these ancient churches 19:19 reveal that the church practiced Bible 19:22 baptism by immersion for hundreds of years. 19:26 And here you can see the Leaning Tower of Pisa, 19:30 you may be familiar with a Bell Tower, 19:32 which is world famous because of the angle 19:35 at which it is leaning. 19:37 But you may not be as familiar with the baptistery behind 19:40 the tower, where Roman Catholics practiced 19:43 baptism by immersion for centuries. 19:47 One of the most remarkable baptisteries in the world 19:50 is found in Cappadocia, a City of Refuge, 19:54 deep within the caves of Southeast Turkey. 19:57 Here Christians found 19:59 refuge from their oppressors in the Middle Ages, 20:02 the Dark Ages. 20:04 Let's enter through the carved rock into the Secret City 20:07 of Refuge, their place of worship. 20:10 We see carved in Iraq a baptistery, 20:13 where these faithful Christians 20:15 were baptized by full immersion. 20:19 Immersion was a practice of the New Testament Church. 20:23 Jesus was baptized by immersion. 20:26 The disciples, the early church, 20:29 and believers through the centuries 20:31 have followed this biblical practice. 20:34 It was not until the church or excuse me, 20:36 the Council of Ravenna in AD 1311, that sprinkling 20:41 and pouring were officially accepted. 20:44 Sprinkling became as equally valid 20:46 as immersion in the rite of baptism. 20:49 The church introduced sprinkling as a more 20:52 convenient method. 20:53 Many people delayed baptism until they were near death, 20:57 when it became difficult for them to be immersed. 21:00 So gradually, over many years, sprinkling was accepted 21:03 as equally valid as immersion. 21:07 Friends, during this series, 21:09 we have seen many practices that have gradually 21:13 slipped into the Christian Church, 21:15 which have no foundation in Scripture. 21:19 For example, Sunday worship, 21:22 the concept of the immortal soul, 21:25 and now sprinkling. 21:27 God is calling us back to the Bible, 21:31 back to the true biblical method of baptism. 21:35 What is the meaning of Bible baptism? 21:38 Romans 6:3-4, 21:41 "Or do you not know that as many of us, 21:43 as were baptized into Christ Jesus, 21:46 were baptized into His death? 21:49 Therefore we are buried with Him, 21:52 through baptism into death, that Justice Christ 21:56 was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, 21:59 even so we also should walk in newness of life." 22:04 When you go into the water, it is saying, 22:06 "Lord, I accept Your death on the cross for me." 22:10 It is saying, "I want my old way of life to be buried, 22:15 and I want to live a new life in Christ." 22:19 Friends, baptism represents dying to your old sinful 22:25 way of life. 22:27 Is there something you did a year ago, 22:30 five years ago, 22:32 10 years ago, that still haunts you today? 22:36 Something that troubles your soul 22:38 and keeps you up at night? 22:41 When you walk into the waters of baptism, 22:45 you are dying to all those sins of the past. 22:49 Your guilt and condemnation can be gone. 22:54 Your past is wiped clean. 22:57 The act of baptism itself has no magic. 23:02 There are no spiritual properties in the water. 23:05 It is symbolic and important. 23:08 Nonetheless, in order to fully live in Christ, 23:12 we must first fully die to our old lives. 23:17 In my travels, no matter where in the world, 23:21 no matter which culture, 23:22 I see the same happy expressions on the faces 23:27 of those that have just been baptized. 23:30 I have witnessed those precious moments 23:33 when a newborn Christian comes up out of the water, 23:37 their eyes are filled with joy, 23:39 acceptance, and inner peace. 23:43 You can sense that they know their slate has been wiped 23:47 clean and their whole being radiates excitement. 23:52 No matter what their lives 23:53 were like before that moment they now 23:56 know they can start over. 23:59 And with the help of the Holy Spirit, 24:01 live changed lives. 24:05 Baptism is like burying your sins in a watery grave. 24:09 But you may think, wait a minute, 24:12 doesn't God forgive me every time I confess my sin? 24:17 Absolutely He does. 24:19 As it says in 1 John 1:9, "If we confess our sins, 24:24 He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, 24:29 and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." 24:32 As you step into the water, you are demonstrating, 24:37 God, I give myself to You. 24:40 All the sins that I remember, 24:43 and all the sins that I don't. 24:46 Because we can't remember every sin 24:48 we have committed, friends. 24:50 Lord, I'm so grateful that when I come up out 24:54 of the water, I am a new person with a new slate 24:59 as I begin a new life. 25:02 You know, friends, I've had a lot of incredible 25:06 adventures and experiences throughout my life. 25:10 Some the world would even deem ultimate accomplishments, 25:13 but I want to tell you something, 25:17 nothing compares to witnessing souls, 25:21 giving themselves to Jesus in baptism, 25:26 accepting eternal life. 25:30 My team and I go to great lengths to be at baptisms 25:33 anywhere that we can in the world. 25:36 I remember when we heard about a village 25:38 high up in the mountains of the Philippines. 25:41 They had been listening to our radio programs about Jesus 25:44 and Bible truth, and were wanting baptism. 25:48 There were only two ways 25:50 you could reach them in their village, 25:52 either by horseback, which took a little longer, 25:55 or motorcycle. 25:57 I voted for motorcycles. 26:00 We crossed 24 streams 26:02 and zoomed up hillsides to make our winding way to the top. 26:06 And we were welcomed by dozens of smiling, 26:09 beautiful children. 26:11 And as we attract to the nearby stream, 26:15 we were able to witness 26:16 18 commit their lives to Jesus that day. 26:21 When those precious people rise up out of baptismal water, 26:27 they walk in newness of life. 26:30 This is a symbol of the resurrection, 26:33 coming up out of that watery grave. 26:38 Now, do you have to wait 26:40 until you are perfect before you get baptized? 26:44 No. 26:46 Baptism does not mean you're flawless. 26:48 It means you are committed. 26:52 So if you are hesitating to be baptized, 26:55 because you think you need to wait until you're perfect, 26:58 friend, then you will never go through with it. 27:03 Baptism shows your commitment to God, 27:07 your decision to follow His ways. 27:10 Baptism is not the end of the Christian life, 27:13 it is just the beginning. 27:15 With a new sense of direction and freedom we say, 27:19 "God, I am yours, guide me and use me." 27:24 Baptism gives us 27:25 a new spiritual power in our lives, friends. 27:29 So let's look at what happens when we are baptized. 27:33 We see that every sin is forgiven. 27:37 Acts 2:38, 27:39 "Then Peter said to them, 27:41 'Repent and let every one of you be baptized in the name 27:45 of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins." 27:49 The Apostle Peter makes it clear that everyone 27:53 should be baptized. 27:56 Wait a minute, then what about the thief on the cross? 28:00 He was never baptized. 28:02 After such a heartfelt exchange, 28:05 the Savior promised the thief that he would be remembered 28:09 and saved to God's kingdom. 28:11 There was no opportunity for the thief to be baptized 28:14 at that point. 28:15 When he gave his life to Christ while hanging on the cross 28:18 Jesus knew he would be baptized if he could. 28:22 We know that Jesus never sinned. 28:25 Christ Himself did not need baptism, 28:28 but He did it as an example for us. 28:32 Christ baptism serves for all who like the thief on the cross 28:36 were unable to be baptized, 28:39 like those on death row in prisons, 28:42 or in a hospital bed. 28:44 I love that the Bible says baptism is for everyone, 28:49 every precious soul on earth, not just a select few. 28:54 And at baptism, every sin is forgiven. 28:57 There is no sin too great. 29:00 Another promise at the time of baptism 29:03 is that the Holy Spirit is given to us. 29:06 Mark 1:10, 29:08 "And immediately, coming up from the water, 29:10 He saw the heavens parting 29:12 and the Spirit descending upon Him like a dove." 29:16 Let's go back to Acts 2:38, 29:19 and look at the rest of the text which says, 29:21 "And you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." 29:26 God has a gift for you at your baptism. 29:30 You are cleansed and promised the gift of the Holy Spirit 29:33 being added to your life. 29:35 He is your personal helper through life's trials. 29:38 Scripture describes the Holy Spirit in personal terms, 29:42 when it says that He teaches, guides, 29:46 comforts and intercedes. 29:49 The gift of the Holy Spirit is simply God empowering 29:53 faithful Christians to do what He has called 29:56 us to do. 29:58 By your baptism you are adopted into God's family. 30:02 We become part of a body of believers worldwide. 30:07 Acts 2:41 says, 30:10 "Then those who gladly receive the word were baptized, 30:13 and that day about 3000 souls were added unto them." 30:18 Many people wonder how baptism relates to church membership. 30:23 Did people who were baptized also join the church? 30:27 Let's go on to verse 42. 30:30 "And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine 30:33 and fellowship, in the breaking of bread and in prayers." 30:37 Now drop down to verse 47. 30:40 And we see that "They are praising God 30:42 and having favor with all the people. 30:45 And the Lord added to the church 30:47 daily those who were being saved." 30:51 Amen. 30:52 Your baptism symbolizes that you 30:55 have chosen to become a part of God's body of believers. 30:58 His Sabbath keeping, commandment keeping 31:02 Adventist Christian people, just like we read, 31:06 they continued steadfastly in the apostles' 31:09 doctrine and fellowship. 31:10 God asks that you find a church that follows in harmony with 31:15 the teachings of His Word. 31:19 When you are baptized, your sins are forgiven. 31:22 Not only is your life cleansed, but you receive the Holy Spirit 31:27 and become part of a worldwide Sabbath keeping fellowship, 31:31 an international community of faith. 31:35 God is leading people of all nationalities, 31:38 of all languages, 31:40 and of all religious persuasions to His last day, 31:44 final movement. 31:46 Let's review what steps a person needs to take 31:49 before being baptized. 31:52 First, we must repent and have a genuine sorrow for our sin. 31:56 Have you come to Jesus and said, 31:58 "Lord, I believe that only You can forgive my sins, 32:03 as You alone are my Savior." 32:06 If you have, 32:07 you have taken the first step on this journey of faith. 32:11 Repentance is being sorry enough for your sins, 32:14 that you are willing to turn away from your old lifestyle. 32:18 Repentance means your attitude towards your sins has changed, 32:23 you no longer want to do them, 32:25 they are no longer attractive to you. 32:28 Secondly, we must believe and accept that Jesus 32:32 is both Savior and Lord of our lives. 32:36 And lastly, we must continue to learn 32:40 and receive instruction in the essentials 32:43 of Biblical faith. 32:44 Once you understand the basics of Bible faith, 32:48 the essential truth of His Word, 32:50 God invites you to make the decision to be baptized. 32:56 Many wonder about infant baptism. 32:59 James 4:17 tells us, 33:01 "Therefore to him who knows to do good 33:05 and does not do it, to him it is sin." 33:10 Obviously, infants do not know about sin yet, 33:13 they cannot make a conscious decision. 33:16 Infants are unable to repent of their sins. 33:20 Infant baptism is never promoted in the scriptures. 33:25 The doctrine of infant baptism is of pagan origin, 33:29 and was brought into the church by Roman Catholicism. 33:33 As with most Catholic doctrines, 33:35 infant baptism has its origins in the Babylonian mysteries. 33:40 In Babylon, new birth was honored by baptism of infants. 33:45 European pagans sprinkled their newborns or immersed them. 33:49 To this day, the holy water 33:52 used for baptism in some circles, 33:54 is still prepared according to the pagan custom 33:58 of plunging a torch from the altar into the water. 34:03 Having introduced infant baptism, 34:05 the Roman Catholic Church was fiercely 34:07 opposed to adults being baptized, 34:10 and even issued the following decree in the book History 34:14 of Romanism, page 510. 34:17 "Let him be accursed who says adults must be baptized." 34:25 During this series of presentations, 34:28 you may have learned new truths from God's Word, 34:31 then the time has come to commit to follow Jesus 34:35 all the way into Bible baptism. 34:39 But what if you have already been baptized? 34:41 Do you need to be baptized again? 34:45 There is an instance in the Bible 34:46 when people were rebaptized. 34:49 Here it is. 34:50 The Apostle Paul was preaching in the upper coast of Ephesus, 34:54 and a group of people came to him. 34:56 In Acts 19:2-5 34:59 describes it like this. 35:01 "Paul said to them, 35:02 'Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?' 35:05 So they said to him, 35:07 'We have not so much as heard 35:08 whether there is a Holy Spirit.' 35:11 And he said to them, 35:12 'Into what then were you baptized?' 35:14 So they said, 'Into John's baptism.' 35:18 Then Paul said, 35:19 'John, indeed baptized with a baptism of repentance, 35:23 saying to the people that they should believe on Him 35:26 who would come after him, 35:28 that is, on Christ Jesus.' 35:31 When they heard this, 35:33 they were rebaptized in the name 35:35 of the Lord Jesus.'" 35:38 Paul instructed them more fully, 35:41 and though they had once been baptized by immersion already, 35:45 Paul did rebaptized them by immersion. 35:50 They wanted to walk in all the light of God's Word. 35:53 These are two reasons to consider rebaptism. 35:58 An individual may desire to be rebaptized 36:01 if they once were baptized, 36:03 but left their life with Christ. 36:05 They wandered away from God, 36:07 but now they long to return to Him. 36:11 You don't get rebaptized every time you sin, 36:14 because if you did, people would spend 36:16 a whole lot of time in the baptismal pool. 36:20 But if you intentionally turn your back to on Christ, 36:24 baptism by immersion is a symbol 36:26 of death to the old way of life, 36:28 and resurrection to the new way. 36:32 Is God moving on your heart tonight? 36:35 Maybe you have slipped away over the years. 36:38 Maybe you've backslidden or drifted away. 36:42 It's okay. 36:44 Jesus is ready for you to return to Him. 36:47 His arms are open wide. 36:51 When we look around our world, 36:54 we see the signs that this world is amping up. 36:59 Jesus is preparing His people for His soon return. 37:04 Now is the time to get serious about the Lord. 37:08 Come back to your savor 37:09 and be rebaptized. 37:14 Someone may also desire to be rebaptized 37:16 if they are committed Christians who have 37:18 discovered new truth in God's Word 37:21 and desire to be a part 37:22 of His commandment keeping people. 37:25 There are Christians who love Jesus so much 37:27 with all their hearts, that when they study the Bible 37:30 and learn new truths, like John's disciples did, 37:34 they add these new truths to what they already believed. 37:38 You too may wish to be rebaptized, 37:41 if this is your desire, there is a biblical 37:44 precedence for being rebaptized. 37:47 If you are a Christian, by going into the water, 37:51 you are not denying your prior Christian experience. 37:55 When John's disciples were rebaptized, 37:57 they did not deny their previous walk with God. 38:03 How important is baptism? 38:05 Nicodemus came seeking Jesus at night. 38:08 We must know that baptism 38:10 is so important that we are told in John 3:5, 38:15 "Jesus answered, 'Most assuredly, 38:17 I say to you, unless one is born of water, 38:22 and the Spirit, 38:23 he cannot enter the kingdom of God.'" 38:28 Jesus said water baptism is essential for salvation. 38:33 Jesus' cross 38:34 which is of priceless importance is mentioned 38:37 28 times in the New Testament, 38:40 whereas baptism 38:42 is mentioned over a hundred times. 38:46 No one should treat it as a non-essential. 38:50 At conversion, the change in a person 38:52 is so radical and crucial. 38:55 Jesus knows human needs, 38:57 He knows that we need points of beginning again, 39:01 event dates are important 39:03 so that we can look back on them. 39:06 It is the same with a wedding ceremony. 39:08 It sets the date of when our new life with our spouse began. 39:13 We make a public commitment of love and devotion. 39:18 The Bible says in Mark 16:16, 39:21 "He who believes and is baptized will be saved." 39:26 The scriptures are our safe and sure guide 39:31 and through them we can follow in the footsteps 39:34 of Jesus our Savior. 39:36 It is not enough to believe the gospel, 39:39 one must live it. 39:42 2 Corinthians 6:2, 39:45 "Behold, now is the accepted time, behold, 39:48 now is the day of salvation." 39:51 Friends, there's no need for you to wait. 39:53 Now is the day to seal 39:55 your commitment to Jesus in your heart. 39:59 Acts 22:16, 40:01 "And now why are you waiting? 40:04 Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, 40:08 calling on the name of the Lord." 40:10 All of heaven is waiting for you to take 40:13 this stand for Jesus, friend. 40:16 At baptism, a person is unified with Christ. 40:21 Galatians 3:27 says, 40:23 "For as many of you as were baptized into Christ 40:26 have put on Christ." 40:29 Baptism is as essential to a Christian, 40:32 as the wedding is to a marriage. 40:35 Both ceremonies must be based on deep seated love 40:39 and full understanding if they are to be meaningful. 40:43 To refuse baptism is to refuse to be united with Christ. 40:48 Baptism is a public declaration of a relationship to Jesus. 40:53 2 Corinthians 5:17, says, 40:55 "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, 40:59 he is a new creation, old things have passed away, 41:04 behold, all things have become new." 41:09 Do you wish to be made new? 41:11 Is your heart drawing you to Jesus right now? 41:15 Are you wanting to make Him your number one priority? 41:21 Are you saying? 41:22 Yes, Lord, I want to make a decision for you. 41:27 I want to follow you all the way in Bible baptism. 41:32 Friend, what would be holding you back? 41:36 Are you scared to make this commitment? 41:38 Are you afraid of the cost of your decision? 41:42 Are you thinking that the price of this decision 41:45 is too high that it will cost 41:48 me too much? 41:52 I wanna share a story with you that we filmed on the border 41:56 of the DMZ between North and South Korea. 42:02 There is a river on the border of North Korea and China. 42:07 People from North Korea 42:08 try to swim this river to escape to China. 42:13 North Korea has a three strike rule. 42:16 If someone escapes once and is caught, 42:19 they are sent back and imprisoned. 42:23 The second time they are severely punished. 42:27 If they're caught a third time, 42:30 they're executed. 42:33 There was a young lady named Kim, 42:36 who was longing for freedom. 42:38 She wanted to escape to Mongolia 42:41 so that she could make her way to South Korea. 42:44 She planned to earn money to send back to help her family. 42:49 When Kim escaped, 42:50 she was not a Christian and did not know God. 42:53 The first time she was caught, 42:55 she was sent back and put in prison. 42:58 They warned her, don't try this again 43:00 or something worse will happen to you. 43:03 Do you think that stopped Kim? 43:06 No. 43:08 She tried a second time going under the cover of darkness. 43:12 But someone with a light captured her 43:15 and she was punished more severely. 43:18 They warned her harshly, Kim, if you try this again, 43:22 you will be executed. 43:24 Do not try to escape again. 43:28 But Kim wanted freedom more than anything. 43:31 So for a third time at the risk of her life, 43:34 in the middle of the night, she swam the river again. 43:40 This time, she made it to the other side. 43:43 She found her way to the Chinese border, 43:46 where a very kind Chinese family hid her in their house. 43:50 While she was there for several months with these dear people, 43:54 she found a radio. 43:56 As she was tuning the radio, she heard the familiar words 43:59 of her Korean language. 44:02 Now before I finished this presentation tonight, 44:05 I want to share with you our Adventist World Radio 44:07 short film about Kim's escape that will illustrate 44:11 what one woman chose to go through for her love for Jesus. 44:22 One night at my church, an unfamiliar woman entered 44:25 and sat near the back. 44:27 Her face bore hard lines hiding her youth. 44:31 I wondered who she was. 44:34 This stranger sat alone on a pew. 44:37 And after everyone had left, the pastor joined her. 44:41 I escaped North Korea, she admitted, 44:45 and I'm not safe here in China either. 44:48 But I have one request, she said, 44:53 "Will you baptize me?" 44:57 "Do you even know what baptism means?" 45:00 I questioned. 45:02 Yes. 45:03 Was her resolute response. 45:06 I learned about Jesus through the radio. 45:14 While in hiding this dear woman found 45:17 a radio and tuning it stopped 45:20 when she heard bits of the familiar 45:22 Korean language. 45:25 It was the voice of hope through Adventist World Radio. 45:30 This discovery soon turned her loneliness 45:32 and fear into courage 45:34 and hope as she learned about the one 45:37 who left all and died for her salvation. 45:40 A longing was born in her heart to one day go back 45:44 and share what she was learning with her family 45:47 and friends in North Korea. 45:50 We studied the Bible together for one week, 45:53 and she soaked up every word. 45:56 You could feel the Holy Spirit's 45:58 presence in the room. 46:02 After this week of studying, a secret baptism was held. 46:06 All the doors and windows were closed 46:08 and everyone sang hymn softly so as not to be heard. 46:13 And in a lonely bathtub, 46:14 this North Korean lady was baptized. 46:22 With tear stained cheeks and joyous eyes, 46:25 she declared her allegiance to God alone. 46:30 After her baptism, 46:32 she expressed her desire for freedom 46:34 and the ability to study the Bible 46:36 at the Adventist University in South Korea. 46:40 She set off on foot that very night. 46:50 Sometime later, I received a phone call. 46:53 The voice on the other line said in a whisper. 46:56 I have safely arrived to the border. 46:58 Tonight is the night. 47:00 Please pray for me. 47:03 All I could think about were the eight strands 47:05 of barbed wire. 47:07 Would she make it? 47:11 Unfortunately, she did not cross the border that night. 47:15 But was found by Chinese soldiers 47:18 who sent her back to her country of birth, 47:21 where she was executed. 47:24 I was so saddened to receive this news. 47:28 I would never see those joyful eyes again. 47:32 I remember what she had told me. 47:35 "Even if I am captured, 47:37 I will die with the hope of salvation." 47:43 She sought freedom. 47:45 And what the North Korean soldiers 47:47 did not realize is she found it. 47:52 True freedom in Jesus Christ, 47:56 and no one could take this from her. 48:03 Like Kim, there are many others 48:06 who are also seeking freedom around this world tonight. 48:10 Friend, are you one of them? 48:13 Do you want to give your heart to Jesus 48:16 and claim Him as your personal Savior 48:19 regardless of the cost? 48:23 Are you thinking about being baptized? 48:27 Is the Holy Spirit moving on your heart right now? 48:30 Are your thoughts filled with should I, what if? 48:34 God says yes. 48:36 And He is with you in every step you take. 48:40 Is it your desire to say, yes, Jesus, 48:43 I wanna stand for You publicly. 48:45 I wanna be a part of the millions 48:47 around the world who have already taken their stand. 48:51 This is the time to make your decision, friend, 48:55 maybe you've slipped away, but God is calling you back. 49:00 This is your time to make a decision. 49:04 Now is a wonderful opportunity to say, 49:06 Lord, I want to be baptized. 49:09 I want my sins cleansed. 49:13 Pray with me. 49:16 Heavenly Father, 49:18 we come before You with outstretched hands 49:21 tonight in surrender for You to lead us on Your 49:25 path that is homeward bound. 49:28 May the Holy Spirit work mightily 49:30 on our hearts right now, 49:32 as we consecrate our lives to You, 49:36 to follow You through the cleansing waves of baptism. 49:40 Lord, You know the person who is all alone right now, 49:44 and is struggling to stand for truth, 49:47 because they may be the only one in their family 49:50 or community. 49:52 Give them special attention right now, Lord, 49:56 comfort them with a knowledge that You will protect 50:00 and You will provide. 50:02 Surround them with an army of angels. 50:06 We know that all of heaven is rejoicing 50:08 over those that are choosing You tonight. 50:12 Blessed be the name of Jesus in all the universe, 50:16 in His holy name, amen. 50:21 The greatest and most important thing that can 50:24 happen from Unlocking Bible Prophecies 50:27 is for you to draw closer to Jesus 50:32 and commit your whole life to Him. 50:35 God bless you my friend. 50:37 Meet me back here tomorrow for our final Unlocking Bible 50:41 Prophecies presentation that's entitled, 50:45 The Great Controversy. 50:48 Friends, this is the message that changed 50:51 my life personally. 50:56 Choose God's way. 50:58 Good night friends. 51:01 As a special bonus for our 3ABN viewers, 51:03 we want to share this story featuring one 51:05 of God's incredible miracles before we end this program. 51:09 Thank you for your prayers and support 51:11 of Adventist World Radio. 51:13 Everyday lives like these are being 51:15 changed for eternity. 51:20 Greetings from the Island 51:21 of Mindoro here in the Philippines. 51:24 The big question is how can we train, 51:26 equip and excite Japanese pastors to preach 51:29 evangelistic series in their own country next year? 51:33 The answer is here in the Philippines, 51:36 The Mindoro for Christ Event. 51:38 Adventist World Radio's goal was to ignite both Japan 51:41 and the Philippines at the same time 51:44 with a fire of evangelism. 51:46 Could this be done simultaneously? 51:48 Most thought it wouldn't work, but Adventist World Radio, 51:51 AWR moved forward in faith. 52:04 This island is one of the most promising in all 52:07 of the Philippines. 52:10 Oriental Mindoro is home to over 800,000 people, 52:14 most of whom make their living by fishing along 52:17 the coast or farming in the rice fields. 52:21 The mountains are full 52:22 of countless unreached villages, 52:24 but that is all about to change because of what God 52:28 is about to do through Adventist World Radio. 52:33 Three months ago, 52:35 AWR started broadcasting that we were gonna be holding 52:38 evangelistic series Mindoro For Christ. 52:41 And the people that came to do those evangelistic series 52:45 were mostly Japanese pastors. 52:48 Most of them had never preached a series before. 52:52 It was almost to be a field school 52:54 of evangelism for Maranatha Japan, 2018 53:00 Well, in doing this layman got involved 53:03 and began broadcasting every day nine radio stations, 53:08 four people each so 36 layman. 53:12 These are local laypeople 53:14 who have an interest in sharing Jesus. 53:17 They volunteer their time they go into the studios 53:20 and they talk for two hours. 53:22 These laymen began broadcasting. 53:24 But after three weeks of not having a single response, 53:28 they became discouraged. 53:30 They begin to doubt the effectiveness of the radio. 53:33 They wondered if anyone was even listening. 53:35 There was no response from the listeners. 53:37 And they wondered, is this even working? 53:43 He decided to have a Bible question of the day. 53:47 The question of the day, I think 53:48 is the most brilliant idea. 53:49 The day before they would have a sermon like on the state 53:52 of the death, what happens to you when you die? 53:53 The next day, then that would be the question of the day, 53:56 where you go when you die? 53:57 And the first five people 53:58 who'd call in will get a special gift. 54:00 Either cell phone with recorded programs on it a little radio 54:05 Steps to Christ. 54:07 As the listeners called in and they had contact with them, 54:10 they would actually go to those villages 54:13 and meet those people personally. 54:18 This is dedication. 54:20 This is people that are not being paid to do this, 54:22 but people that love the Lord 54:24 and are doing whatever they can to draw someone to Christ. 54:39 One day, while here in Mindoro we visited the six day store 54:43 That's run by two Adventist ladies, they're open six days 54:46 a week, they're closed on Sabbath. 54:48 This mother daughter duo 54:51 decided to take their little radio, 54:53 set it out in front of their store. 54:55 And it wasn't long before people from the mountains 54:59 started coming down. 55:00 I know there was some that were walking one hour, 55:04 every day to come down just to listen to the radio. 55:09 The music started coming on 55:11 and all of a sudden everybody's clapping and wondered, 55:16 did someone prompt them to clap just because we're there. 55:19 But no, they clap every single day 55:23 when that music comes on because they're 55:25 so excited about the broadcast. 55:33 The year was 1977. 55:35 We were missionaries in Zaire in the Congo 55:36 living on the mission station in the Kasai. 55:39 I was on safari in Decassy. 55:41 I was at the village of Inkloloka 55:43 and went to Inklokoka's way. 55:44 The next morning I woke up, a lady knocked on my door, 55:47 her name is Bertha. 55:48 She said, "Pastor will you baptize me?" 55:50 I said, "Sure, Bertha I will baptize you. 55:52 But why would you walk 20 miles 55:54 all night long to be baptized." 55:56 She says something I'll never forget. 55:58 She said Pastor McKey, 56:00 "I am so sick and tired of this old world. 56:02 I want to go home and see Jesus." 56:04 I thought I would never see that kind 56:06 of a desire to be baptized. 56:07 That excitement again in my ministry my life, 56:10 but it happened. 56:12 It has happened right now here in the Philippines, 56:14 a group of people, 25 of them walked out 56:17 of the mountains across the jungles, 56:19 and rivers and streams, to be baptized. 56:22 Twelve of them were baptized. It was so exciting. 56:24 They walked not 20 miles, not 20 miles, 48 miles. 56:29 It was thrilling, unbelievable to baptize these people 56:33 who had so much excitement and desire to see Jesus. 56:42 We are experiencing the outpouring 56:44 of the Holy Spirit here on this island. 57:07 We knew we would have success here. 57:09 But we never imagined 57:11 we would have the success that we are having here today. 57:16 Some of these Japanese pastors their entire lives, 57:19 they baptize one or maybe two people a year 57:23 and to be here and all sudden have this mass baptism 57:26 where they're baptizing 25, 30 people 57:29 that will change their lives forever, 57:31 and they're gonna take that fire 57:33 and they're gonna go back to Japan. 57:36 To see that person come up out of the water 57:40 with such joy on their face. 57:42 There's nothing like that. 57:44 And you times that by 1400, 57:47 that's what the Sabbath was like. 57:56 As a result of AWR's Ministry in Mindoro, today, 58:00 we are baptizing more than 1400 people. 58:04 I thought before that radio would never work 58:06 here in Mindoro. 58:08 Now, I believe that God 58:11 is still working radio to reach people 58:14 and to prepare people for His Kingdom. 58:34 Thank you so much for your support 58:36 of Adventist World Radio whose Bible programs penetrate 58:39 all countries and through all walls, no, no borders. 58:43 Thank you for your prayers and for your support 58:45 which make all this possible. 58:47 May God bless you. 58:49 These miracles are not from our grandparents 58:51 old mission storybooks. 58:53 No, this is happening now. 58:55 We are reaching the final chapters in earth's history 58:59 and God's Spirit is being poured out all over this world. 59:03 It's time to take our listeners from broadcast to baptism. 59:07 This is AWR 360. |
Revised 2021-11-11