Participants: Pr. David Klinedinst
Series Code: DPR
Program Code: DPR000014A
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00:08 Jon and Sara
00:12 were sitting at their favorite restaurant enjoying a romantic meal together 00:16 they were celebrating their 20th wedding anniversary 00:20 they were sitting at a special table in the corner where 00:24 they could look out the large bay window and they saw the magnificent 00:28 sunset reflecting off the bright blue 00:32 waters of the carribean. Soft music was playing 00:36 in the background. As the music was playing 00:40 Jon began to reminisce about the last 20 years of their life 00:44 together. And as he did so he remembered all the times 00:48 when he was not a very good husband 00:52 he recalled times when he stayed out late at night and come home 00:56 home drunk, and when he speak 01:00 unkind words, hurtful words that his family would remember for years to 01:04 come he even remembered when he had been unfaithful 01:08 to his marriage vow and had an affair with another woman 01:12 as John remembered these things, his mind was flooded 01:16 with a sense of shame and guilt and regret 01:20 and he just looked at Sara and said 01:24 honey how could you still love me after all these years 01:28 and the mistakes the times I would 01:32 speak those unkind words and the affair 01:37 and she looked at him and said Honey when we started over 01:41 when we chose to begin a new life together 01:45 and we took all the mistakes of the past and buried them and forgot 01:49 about them we are not going to bring them up anymore 01:53 just hearing those words gave Jon a sense 01:57 of peace in his heart. Now truth be told 02:01 you and I can relate to Jon's experience because all of us 02:05 have done things we wish we had ever done 02:09 all of us have said things we wish we had never said all 02:13 of us have made choices we wish we could go back and do it over again 02:17 and sometimes people will come to us and say 02:21 well too bad you can't change the past 02:25 but actually you can. Did you know that 02:29 God has given us a way where we can take the guilt and mistakes of the past 02:33 and we can have them buried and forgotten about 02:37 all over again. It is actually a gift called Bible 02:41 baptism. Through having a relationship with Jesus Christ 02:45 and taking the step of baptism God gives us away to have 02:49 all those things from the past washed away 02:53 and we can have peace in our hearts and minds and 02:57 that is actually what we're gonna talk about tonight. Now some people may wonder 03:01 why are you gonna talk about baptism in a prophecy seminar. That isnt 03:05 in the book of Revelation. Well remember what we 03:09 have mentioned through this seminar. The whole point of prophecy 03:13 is to point people to Jesus. It is not about memorizing facts 03:17 and figures and all different theories It is to bring us into 03:21 a close surrendered relationship with Christ and being baptized 03:25 is an important part of that relationship 03:29 with Jesus and you'll find the devil has tried to confuse people 03:33 minds on this subject. See the devil wants us to 03:37 remember and burn that guilt into our minds so that 03:41 we never forget but it is Jesus who wants to set us free 03:45 so tonight we'll study what the Bible says on the importance 03:49 step of baptism. Take your Bibles and turn 03:53 with me to Matthew 28:18 03:57 Matthew 28:18 04:01 The Bible says, and Jesus came 04:05 and spoke to them saying, all authority 04:09 has been given to me in heaven and on earth 04:13 go therefore and make disciples of all the nations 04:17 (doing what?) baptizing 04:21 them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teaching 04:25 them to observe all things I have commanded you 04:29 and lo I am with you always even 04:33 to the end of the age amen. Now we're gonna pause 04:37 here for a second. How many of you 04:41 have ever been with someone when they spoke their final words 04:45 if you have that is a memorable 04:49 experience is it not becasue 04:53 when someone speaks their final words it is usually rather significant 04:57 if they are still in their right mind and it isnt clouded with drugs 05:02 or medication what they say in their final words 05:06 tells you what was nearest and dearest to their heart is that not true? 05:10 Usually it is about family or friends 05:14 or a spouse or perhaps their children. Well in Matthew 28 05:18 these are some of Jesus final words 05:22 the are some of the last things Jesus 05:26 wanted to communicate to his disciples before they were separated 05:30 and he ascended back to heaven and in 05:34 these final words Jesus tells them to go into all the world 05:38 now that you have spent 31/2 years with me 05:42 face to face on a daily basiss take the gospel 05:46 and the good news and go to every people group in the world 05:50 and when people choose to accept me 05:55 as their savior, What doe he tell them to do? 05:59 baptize them because baptism 06:03 is God's way of allowing us to wipe away the past, to bury 06:07 it and to start over again in a new life 06:11 following the principles and teachings of Jesus Christ 06:15 and so if baptism is something Jesus talked about in 06:19 His final words that tells us it is a very important 06:23 part of the christian journey today 06:27 in fact we could say that baptism 06:31 is an outward sign of something going on in our hearts 06:35 that one is chosen they want to follow Jesus, 06:39 Jesus is already changing the heart and mind it is a symbol 06:43 of what going on inside 06:47 in fact the Bible compares baptism to two people 06:51 getting married. did you know that? Many times the relationship 06:55 between Jesus and his church is compared to the husband and wife 06:59 relationship now I want you to think back, how many of, I'm going to put 07:03 on the spot, I might get in troubel. how many of you remember 07:07 the day on witch you were married? let me see yout hands. 07:11 see all the wifes are looking around, you better remember. I've gotten 07:15 it wrong only time in my live. that is because I was confused because I thinking 07:19 of my parents anniversary, but when Marquita and I were married 07:23 on July 9, 1995 07:27 it was in Collegedale, TN at the very 07:31 school where and I had met, now on the day 07:35 when Marquita and I got married did I know 07:39 everything there was to know about being a good husband yes or no 07:43 I did not now I knew I loved her 07:47 I knew I wanted spend my life with her and I made that public 07:51 confession in front of others but after I said 07:55 I do you suppose there are times 07:59 I've fallen flat on my face and mistakes as a husband. What do you think? 08:03 sure there were ups and downs 08:07 when a person is baptized its like getting married to Jesus 08:11 they come in front of their church family or perhaps somewhere else 08:15 they make a proffession to follow and love Jesus CChrist and they 08:19 are baptized and in a sense are married to Jesus doesn't mean 08:23 they're perfect at that moment, doesn't mean they're never gonna make a mistake, 08:27 but it is the beginning of a new relationship 08:31 with Christ that is what baptism represents 08:35 now sometimes people wonder, is it really neccesary to be baptized 08:39 is that something I have to do 08:43 to be honest that is the wrong way to look at it 08:47 to illustrate it let me ask you this I'll us the ladies as an example 08:51 ladies what would you think let's pretend that 08:55 you have been dating a guy for ten years 08:59 that a long time and the whole ten 09:03 years he is always telling you, I love you, 09:07 I wanna spend the rest of my life with you, I wanna be with you, 09:11 but every time the I idea of marriage comes up 09:15 of making the public ocnfession in front of others 09:19 he shies away from it every time 09:23 what would you start to think in your mind 09:27 you'd wonder why he doesn't want to commit? is he ashamed of me 09:31 does he really love me it would raise questions ina person mind 09:35 it is the same in our relationship with Christ if we 09:39 call ourselves christian and we understand what jesus 09:43 has done for us if understand means to 09:47 make that puplic confessiong saying I love Jesus and want to follow 09:51 him, then he has given me a gift I can never pay for for myself 09:55 why would we not take that step and 09:59 puclicallly confess Jesus as our savior 10:03 see unless there is some physical condition preventing us from being 10:07 baptized, Jesus tells us this a very important 10:11 step that every believer needs to seriously 10:15 consider so obviously it is important thing 10:19 but now the question is what exactly does 10:23 baptism specifically mean and represent 10:27 now we've already talked about that a little bit, but I want us to turn to what I 10:31 think is the clearest single text in the Bible 10:35 that describes the symbol of baptism 10:39 take your Bible's and go with me to Romans chapter 6 10:43 and we're going to start in verse 3 10:47 You want to go to Romans chapter 6 10:51 and verse 3, now this is anly 2 verses long 10:55 I want you to know how Paul describe this act 10:59 Romans chapter 6 and we will be reading in verse 11:03 3 The Bible says, 11:07 Or do you not know 11:11 that as many of us as were baptized into Christ's 11:15 Jesus were baptized into His (what?) 11:19 death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism 11:23 into death, that just as Christ was raised 11:27 from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so 11:31 we also should walk in newness of life. Now let's pause there. 11:35 I want to put something on the screen. "we are 11:39 buried with Him through baptism into death", in other words when 11:43 Bible I stand in the waters of baptism and I'm lowered 11:47 beneath the water is a symbol I am burying 11:51 my life of sin. I'm putting it to death I am no longer 11:55 wanting to follow that way of life where I am not payng attention to Jesus 11:59 principles and to Jesus teachings where I am on a road 12:03 that is bringing me pain and suffering and hurting my family I 12:07 am saying I dont want that any more. I am putting that to death I am 12:11 burying it under the waters that it what it means 12:15 when Paul says we are buried with Jesus just like he was buried 12:19 in the tomb. In verse 4 Pauls said 12:23 That just as Christ was raised from the dead that we will 12:27 walk in newness of life. That means when I am rised up 12:31 out of the water in a sense I am resurecting 12:35 to a new life that follows different principles 12:39 different morals, different teachings 12:43 a life solely focused and centered on Jesus 12:47 Christ and his word can you say amen just 12:51 like Jesus resurrected I am resurected out of the water 12:55 because when you think about it the reason baptism is 12:59 so special, it is meant to symbolize 13:04 the death, burial, and resurrection 13:08 of Jesus it is meant to symbolize 13:12 the full plan of salvation, dying to sin, 13:16 and satan's way, burying it under the waters 13:20 it is gonna die thanks to Jesus and when I come up 13:24 resurect it is to a new life following a new way 13:28 and a new path can you say amen 13:32 but now that bring us to a little question 13:36 because soemtimes people can have some extreme views 13:40 when it comes to baptism. Sometimes 13:44 people will treat baptism like some sort of 13:48 insurance policy. Well you know what? I'm going go head and be baptized, 13:52 just to be on the safe side you know in case the bible 13:56 is true and Jesus really does come I need to go ahead and get baptized 14:00 becasue that is my automatic ticket to heaven 14:04 baptism is not an automatic ticket to heaven 14:08 we need to understand that. The purpose of baptism is not 14:12 simply to get wet so I can go out and keep 14:16 living by the same principles, tachings, 14:20 same immorality, and continue bring pain and suffeirng 14:24 into my life and others see if I treat baptism as 14:28 though it is an automatic ticket to heaven if I go in that 14:32 water a devil, guess what? Your're come up a 14:36 wet devil. You see baptism doesn't automatically 14:40 save us, only Jesus and accepting him as our Savior 14:44 can save us amen. So if I go under that water, 14:48 not truly accepting Jesus as my Savior, then it is a meaningless 14:52 ceremony, it is simply a symbol of what is really 14:56 going on inside my heart and who lives here 15:00 So it is not an insurance policy or automatic ticket to heaven 15:04 we need to understand that. But then there is the other extreme 15:08 where people treat baptism 15:12 as though it is some kind of reward for attaining a certain 15:16 level of spiritual perfect you know people will say 15:20 Oh well I've got to overcome all my sins and weaknesses before 15:23 I can be baptized. Well that is dangerous 15:27 thing too because if you wait unitl you have overcome 15:31 every little fault and weakness in your life you know what is going to 15:36 happen? you will never take the step 15:40 of baptism, baptism is the begining of relationship 15:44 when you are baptized you are an imperfect 15:48 person of course Jesus covers you with His rightness, 15:52 but it a beginning like when I said I do 15:56 to Marquita, it was the beginning of our husband wife 16:00 relationship we need to understand that 16:04 in fact to be honest it makes me nervous whenever 16:10 I hear people who are delaying baptismI will tell you a true story 16:14 when i was pastoring is western Pennsylvania 16:18 I loved doing these kind of prophecy seminars 16:22 and so there was a church in Leechburg I sure you have never heard 16:26 of Leechburg it is small town on the 16:30 northeast corner outside of Pittsburg and so I went there 16:34 and did a series like this and when I was there 16:38 I met Rob (that is not his real name) but I met Rob. 16:42 Rob came to the meaning every night 16:46 eventually I found myself sitting in his home 16:50 sitting on the chair having a discussion with him about baptism. 16:54 I said Rob you've been coming the church for quite a while, you 16:58 obviously believe in the things that are in the bible and the scriptures is it 17:02 time for you to be baptized and I remember Rob looked at me and said 17:06 I do want to be baptized pastor, but not yet 17:10 I said Rob what is holding you back? 17:14 I've still got things to take care of in my life 17:18 and I want my family to join me 17:22 well that made me nervous because I knew he was ready 17:26 but at the same time everyone has free will and I don't like 17:31 pressuring people to make decisions because it has to come from them 17:35 I understand how a person wants to get things together 17:39 I understand how a person wants their family to follow them 17:43 so I left it, a year later 17:47 I was invited to go back that same church to hold another series meanings 17:51 and guess who was there every night? 17:55 That wasn't a hard question, what do yo think? Rob and I found 17:59 myself in the same home sitting on the same chair 18:03 having the same conversation I said Rob it's 18:07 been a year now, is it time for you to 18:11 and give it all to Jesus and year later Rob was still 18:15 saying not ready got some things 18:19 to take care of in my life, I want my family to follow me 18:23 well at that point since I knew 18:27 he was delaying for a year I decited to a liitle bit bold 18:31 and I said you can't wait until you have 18:35 everything perfect in your life or you'll never take that step 18:39 this is a beginning follow what you do know 18:43 and let Jesus do the rest and Rob as far as 18:47 your family following you that is a noble thing but the truth 18:51 is your family is probably not go ing to follow you until they 18:55 see you stepping out and taking that step 18:59 first when they see it meaning something to you and when they see 19:03 change it causes in your life they will follow but 19:07 youre going to have to step out first as an example 19:11 I let him think about that I told him the day on which we were having 19:15 the baptisms and I remember that day the church had rented a 19:19 YMCA to have the baptisms in thier pool and I was so 19:23 much looking for Rob to come in that door and join the 19:27 baptisms but Rob never came 19:31 a year later I was asked to go back to the same church 19:35 hold another set of meanings Rob 19:39 never made his decision in fact its been at least 19:43 10 years now and as far as I know Rob 19:47 is waiting for everything to be perfect before he 19:51 makes his decision for Jesus 19:55 folks it is important when God lays it on your heart 19:59 that we not delay that we be sure to take 20:03 that step. That actually 20:07 reminds me of another story. There is verse in scripture 20:11 2 Corinthians that says this. Therefore, 20:15 if anyone is in Christ, (now what does it mean to be in 20:19 Christ, what do you think? In means a 20:23 a relationship with Him, the Bible says he or she) 20:27 is a new creation; old things have passed away; 20:31 behold all things have become new. 20:35 There was a woman who came to a set of meaning very much like 20:39 these. She had lived a very sinful life 20:43 she was involved in the mafia, in prostitution 20:47 ring, she was even had been involved in murdering people 20:51 and somehow she found about this 20:55 series of bible meanings taking place near her 20:59 and some how the Holy Spirit spoke to this womans 21:03 heart and she choose to go sat 21:07 in these meanings, she heard for the first time the story 21:11 about Jesus and she became to understood 21:15 that even her, who had lived such a terrible life who hab been involved 21:19 in so many things for the 1st time in her life 21:23 she realized that she could have hope that 21:27 maybe there was a way for all her shame, all her regret, 21:31 that she ruined the first half of her life and she 21:35 could never change that she never imagined in her life that something 21:39 could be different for her and so as she listened 21:43 to the preacher and she understood the gospel 21:47 she made the decision to fully give her life to Jesus 21:51 to go a totally different direction in life and she made the decision 21:55 to be baptized can you say amen when she made 21:59 that decision and the day of baptism can she a made a special 22:04 request to the preacher she said now listen 22:08 you know the kind of life 22:12 that I lived. this baptism is very special to me 22:16 I want it to last for a while. Because 22:20 see when someone is baptized it usually doesn't take long a couple of seconds 22:24 under the water and then their up so she asked the minister 22:28 will you do me a favor when you put me under 22:32 the water will you just me there for a while 22:36 hold me for about 10 or 15 seconds I want to 22:40 silently pray and I want to think about what Jesus has done 22:44 for me I want to remmeber this moment 22:48 now the minister had never been asked that before but he understood 22:52 why and he graciously granted that request 22:56 so as they were standing the baptismal waters and He lifted up 23:00 said I now baptize you in the name of the Father,and 23:04 the Son and the Holy Spirit he lifted her 23:08 underneath the water and time was passing 23:12 1 second 2 sconds 3 seconds 23:16 4 except for one thing 23:20 the minister forgot to tell his congregation 23:24 about the woman special request and when 23:28 they saw him holding her under for like 10 seconds 23:32 the deacons jump out of the front row and thought oh my something is wrong 23:36 the pastor is drowning this woman and so they ran up to the front and 23:40 they finally realized it was okay the pastor brought he up 23:44 her up out of the water she raised her hands and said praise the Lord 23:48 hallelujah now pull that plug and let all my sins 23:52 be washed down the drain! Can you say amen? 23:56 now literal of course our sins are not washed down the drain 24:00 but she understood what baptism meant and it was a meaningful 24:04 experience for her 24:08 but then comes another question 24:12 people wonder, if there is all these ways one can be baptized 24:16 does it really make a difference. 24:20 if you were to call different denominations and get the different 24:24 doctrines that exist some would say well baptize by 24:27 sprinkling, some baptize by pouring, some 24:31 baptize by infusion or using oil, others says 24:35 no baptism by immersion, some baptize by telephone, 24:39 not sure how that works, never seen it, heard of it 24:43 some baptize through proxy like you can be baptize 24:47 someone who has already died I even heard a story once 24:52 I don't know if its true, I hope it that it is not true, but I even heard a story 24:56 of a minister who was sprinkling holy water on his congregation 25:00 and he ran out of holy water so he picked up a can 25:04 of coke and used that. I don't know if that's true, 25:08 but when you look at the bible the question we have to ask is 25:12 does it make a difference. You notice 25:16 we've asked that before in this seminar back when we talked about 25:20 sabbath. Does the day make a difference 25:24 if God says it does, if God is specific 25:28 about it and God says the seventh day is the Sabath 25:32 then yes it matters what about baptism 25:36 If baptism is meant to represent 25:40 the death burial and resurection of Jesus 25:43 and the full plan of slavation in our life, 25:47 dying to sin burying it raising to a new life 25:51 the truth is before we even look something up in the Bible just 25:55 knowing what baptism represents there is only 25:59 one form of baptism that represetns the full plan of 26:03 slavation death, burial, and resurrection. What do you think that would be? 26:07 baptism by Immersion 26:12 you say now is there an example? Does the Bible actually 26:16 say that baptism is by immersion? 26:20 actually it does. lets go to the example fo Jesus. Jesus 26:24 is our ultimate example lets see how Jesus was baptized 26:28 take you Bibles and turn with me to Matthew 26:32 chapter 3, and we'll go to verse 13. 26:36 Matthew chapter 3 and I would to read 26:40 somthing we don't that we don't alway pay attention to in verse 26:44 13 Now here, Jesus comes to 26:48 John the Baptist at the Jordan notice 26:52 the kind of conversation that takes place. 26:56 Matthew 3 verse 13 The Bible says, 27:00 Then Jesus came from Galilee to 27:04 John at the Jordan, to be baptism by him. 27:08 But John tried to prevent Him, saying, 27:12 "I have need to be baptized by You, and are You 27:16 coming to me But Jesus answered and said 27:20 permit it to be so for now for thus 27:24 it is fitting for us to fulfil all righteousnees 27:28 then he allowed Him. Let's pause here a second 27:32 put yourself in John the Baptist shoes 27:36 to put in modern terms this really 27:40 freaked the guy out that Jesus Christ 27:44 the Son of God, the one whom he had been preaching 27:48 about for quite some time comes 27:52 to him and says would you baptize me now how 27:56 would you feel if you were John the Baptist basically God was asking you 28:00 to baptize Him I don't about you that would throw me for a loop 28:04 I mean John looks at him and probably thinks in his mind, 28:08 are you kidding me you should be baptizing me 28:12 and you want me to baptize you? and What was 28:16 Jesus answer? permit it to be so for now 28:20 to fullfil all righteousness. 28:24 Becasue really when you think about it, if baptism 28:28 represents having your sins washed away 28:32 did Jesus have sins that needed to be washed away? 28:36 None Jesus did it as an example 28:40 for you and me he did it as an example 28:44 even though he didn't necessarily have to to show mankind 28:48 what step we are to take when we accept the gospel 28:52 and choose to have Jesus as our Lord and Savior 28:56 and then in the rest of the verses it 29:00 actually describes how he was baptized. lets go to verse 16 29:04 Matthew 3 verse 16 Yhe Bibel says 29:08 And when he had been baptized, 29:12 Jesus came (What is that word?) up 29:16 immediately from the water and behold the heavens were opened 29:20 to him and he saw the spirit of God descending 29:24 like a dove and lighting upon him and suddenly 29:28 a voice came from heaven saying this is my beloved 29:32 Son with whom I am well pleased. 29:36 now notice, it said Jesus 29:40 came up out of the water the only way 29:44 you can come up out of the water is what? is if 29:48 you went down into the water so Jesus gives us the example 29:52 of baptism by immersion because Jesus himself knew 29:56 it represents the full plan of salvation 30:00 death, burial, and 30:04 resurrection. this reminds me of another story 30:08 there was a missionary 30:12 who was working over in South America and he had 30:16 committed to spending a few years with this jungle tribe 30:20 in the south american mountians and jungles and 30:25 so as he spent day by day teaching them about Jesus teaching them about 30:29 the Bible the time came for ever mssionary when they have to go on furlough, 30:33 which means they back to the states for a short period of time to be with 30:37 friends and family well before he left he went to the 30:41 chief of the village and said he said listen while I am gone here is waht I want yo to do 30:45 I want your to gather your people togather and I want you to read 30:49 the Bible to them for period of time every single day 30:53 and the chief agreed to do it. So while 30:57 this missionary was gone for a month or two, 31:01 the chiefis reading the gospel to his people single everyday and as 31:05 they are reading through the Bible they come to the conclusion 31:09 oh it Bible says we should be baptized 31:13 and so when he comes back 31:17 the chief says to him listen we have been the Bible 31:21 like you said and it says we should be baptized well how do you think 31:25 the missionary felt Oh he is on cloud nine 31:29 I haven't ever ben hear and they decided to be baptized 31:33 so he thought were are going do this tonight and so they built a little 31:37 wooden pulpit and decided there're going to have a baptismal service 31:41 except there was one problem this 31:45 missionary did not quite understand the Bible teaching 31:49 of baptism by emmersion this missionary 31:53 taught baptism by sprinkling 31:57 so while he preached the baptismal sermon, 32:01 he has a little bitty cup of water 32:05 on the pulpit and as he is preaching,the chief 32:09 is right there in the front and he looking 32:13 at the missionary and looking at that little cup of water 32:17 looking back at that missionary 32:21 and he geting offly fidgety. and the missionary notices it 32:25 he says boy I better cut this short or this guy 32:29 change his mind and so he ends his sermon rather abruptly it and says 32:33 ok chief now it's time for you to be baptize you and the chief stands up 32:37 and says no, no I cannot be baptised and the missionary 32:41 says why not? and the chief says to him 32:45 chief too big cup too small 32:49 see that chief understood that baptism is by immersion 32:53 and he couldn't figure out how that missionary was going to stuff him 32:57 in that little bitty cup unser the water 33:01 it is alwasy important that we follow what the Bible because it has 33:05 a special meaning attached to it 33:09 in fact just like the Sabbth remember the question we asked 33:13 ok if the sabbath is in the new testment we ought to find 33:17 the early New Testment Church keeping it and we look up all 33:21 those verses verse in the book of Acts same thing with baptism 33:25 if baptism is by immersion do you think we ought to 33:29 record of it in the book of Acts? What do you think? We should 33:33 it is there. It's actually Acts chapter 8 verses 33:37 35-38 now one I have on the screen for you 33:41 but here is what is happening Phillip is on his way 33:45 to Samaria and the holy spirit impresses him 33:49 go and run beside that chariot 33:54 on the road that chariot has an 33:58 Ethiopian government leader in it that Ethiopian 34:02 leader is reading from Isaiah about the suffering 34:06 servent about the messiah that was to come he didn't 34:10 understand who is this talking about and so when Philip runs up 34:14 beside him he says to the Ethiopian government leader 34:18 do you understand what you're reading he says no I don't 34:22 and he invites Philip to come up into the chariot 34:26 and Philip begans to explain to him from the book Isaiah 34:30 how it is talking about Jesus Christ the one who died 34:34 on the cross of calvary and so the Ethiopoian 34:38 eunuch says to Philip why can't I be baptized 34:42 lets pick it up now Acts 8 verse 36 34:46 The bible says 35:26 did you catch that 35:29 the Eunich was like why can't I be baptized 35:34 and he see water and says Philip I want you to baptize me 35:38 I beleive in Jesus and it specifically 35:42 says in the Bible they went down into the water 35:46 and then they came up out of the water that is 35:50 baptism by immersion the disciples knew that 35:54 because it is what Jesus taught and the example her gave 35:58 in his own life death to sin, burial 36:02 of the old life, resurrection to new life 36:06 following Jesus it points use to the cross the tomb 36:09 and victory over the grave 36:13 that is why it is importnat because Jesus wants to do the same thing 36:17 in our life. Dying to old principles, 36:21 burying them, being resurrected to a new way of living 36:25 that fills us with Joy, peace, patience 36:29 and with all the fruit of the spirit can you say amen 36:33 in fact really if you just look up 36:37 greek word of baptism, it's baptizo and Greek word 36:41 means to dip or immerse or plunge 36:45 underwater see kbowing that 36:49 there may be some people here tonight you know I never had 36:53 the privelege to be baptized the bible way 36:57 the way Jesus was, by immersion 37:01 if God's spirit is laying that on your heart 37:06 this is the opportunity to say Lord I wanna do that 37:10 one day very soon. Now 37:14 the question that comes up is well if the Bible teaches 37:18 baptism by immersion where 37:22 in the world did we get all these other forms of baptism 37:26 you now just when we study the sabbath we said 37:30 if the sabbath is taught in the Bible where in the world did Sunday come form 37:34 I want to share with yoy. Did you know that for the first 1300 years of Christian 37:38 history baptism was always by immersion 37:42 without any exception. The early christian church knew that 37:46 it wasn't until 1311 that human teachings 37:50 and traditions came in. It was in the council of 37:54 Ravenna now notice not from the bible it from a human council 37:58 that sprinkling and pouring were accepted 38:02 as equally valid as baptism by 38:06 immersionnow that ought to clue us in here 38:10 it doesn't say that it was discovered from the Bible 38:14 it says it was decided by a human council 38:18 and that is going back to the deeper issue 38:22 do I follow tradition above truth do I follow 38:26 the teaching of men above the teachins of God words 38:30 what is the highest authority a church body 38:34 or the word of God 38:38 now the catalyst prompting that decision was this. 38:42 If you have every seen the pictures clergy in the middle ages 38:46 you notice their clothing is very heavy robes and vestments 38:50 and so to take them off or get them wet to baptism 38:54 someone is very very inconvenient so doing it by sprinkling 38:58 is easier because then you dont have to take those robes off you don't even 39:02 have get in the water yourself but the real catalyst 39:06 was this. Unfortunately 39:10 the church of the middle ages created a false teaching 39:14 that terrified people and the false teaching said this, 39:18 if a baby is born 39:22 and that baby dies, 39:26 beforeit can be baptizsed, that baby will 39:30 be lost and go to hell or purgatory or whatever 39:34 now understand that would strike 39:38 utter fear and terror in the heart of any mother 39:42 to think my little baby if he or she isn't baptized 39:44 if he or she isn't baptize she dies because remember 39:48 the infant mortality rate was much higher back then that than it is today 39:52 to think they could be tormented in hell or purgatory or place of suffering 39:56 and remember the bible was hidden from the people 40:00 back then, they couldn't just open up the Bible, and say that's not true 40:04 and so as a result of that infant baptism 40:08 was begun and since you can't throw a baby underneath the water 40:12 baptism by sprinkling or pouring came 40:16 into being not based on the bible cause truthfully 40:20 if you read the bible from Genesis to Revelation 40:24 you will not find one example of infant baptism 40:28 that is there did you know that? Just like the Sabbath 40:32 from Genesis to Revelation no change in the sabbath 40:36 you say why is is there no infant baptism in the bible 40:40 don't babies matter to God certainly they do 40:44 But baptism is meant for a person 40:48 who can make their own free will decision to 40:52 follow Jesus can a baby choose to follow Jesus Yes or NO 40:56 He can't or she can't Really 41:00 babies can be considered innocent until they reach the age 41:05 where thye are able to make a decision for themselves 41:09 thats why it takes parents who teach them about Jesus 41:13 have family worship read the Bible and bring them to church 41:17 because hopefully when they get to an age where 41:21 they can make a decison they will make their own free will choice 41:25 to follow Jesus as thier Savior. Can you you say amen? 41:29 Even though there is not infant baptism in the bible, there is 41:33 something called child dedication, did you know that? 41:37 when Mary and Joseph when they gave birth Jesus is says on the 8th day 41:41 they went to the temple were he was dedicated 41:45 and remember one of the priests and Simeon laid hands on him and prayed 41:49 and for him. I have done many child dedication as a minister 41:53 where a family will bring their newborn baby 41:57 sometimes they are a little older and they say I want to dedicate my child to the Lord 42:01 that doesn't mean they're automatically saved, but you pray a special prayer saying 42:05 Lord bless this child, watch over them and protect them, help 42:09 them and guide them when the get to the age they will make decison to follow 42:13 You. Baby dedication but 42:17 really to be honest with you, baby dedication is 42:21 as much for the parents as it is the child becasue how is that child 42:25 going to know about Jesus? I mean 42:29 is God going to send the angel Gabriel to witness this child? 42:33 probably not that is why he or she has parents 42:37 see baby dedication is just as much the 42:41 parents saying I make a commitment, I understand 42:45 important my role is as a mother or father and I commit 42:49 to teaching this child about jesus doing everything I can 42:53 have family worship to give them the right influence so 42:57 they can make a decision for Him (Jesus) in the future 43:01 see the problem is I'm just going be very blunt here 43:05 many christian parents today 43:09 expect the church and pastor to do for thier kids what they 43:13 are not doing themselves, The first 43:17 primary way that a child learns about Jesus 43:21 Their first church is their home and their parents 43:25 and if I am so busy have to work 43:29 80 to 100 hours a week that I don't have time for family worship 43:33 I don't have time to read the bible or read bible stories to my 43:37 children I am telling you right now get another job 43:41 I dont care if you have to live in poverty becasuse 43:45 one of the worst things in the world will be that when Jesus comes 43:49 and I realizing my children are lost because because didn't make them 43:53 first I am going to absolutely loathe myself 43:57 your first church is 44:01 your family do whatevery it takes 44:05 to spend time in the read the Bible and have family 44:09 worships teaching them to love and follow Jesus 44:13 now yes they will make their own decision on their 44:17 own and they may choose not to follow Jesus 44:21 but I know that when you spend time with a child the chances are much 44:25 higher that they will make a decision on their own, yes the church 44:29 supplement that even a Christian school can help 44:33 we can't expect even the school to do for us 44:37 what we are not doing at home, children matter to God 44:41 so our children should matter 44:45 to us. Now that is how baptism by sprinkling 44:49 came in now some may sincerely ask 44:53 Pastor Dave, I was baptized 44:57 when I was a baby did I sin doing that 45:01 was I wrong Oh bother and sister 45:05 you had no chioce in the matter back then 45:09 and I'm sure your parents were living up to all the light that 45:13 they knew and they trying to do the right thing in their best judgement 45:17 but now you have the opportunity to make a 45:21 decision on your own to be able to say 45:25 I wanna be baptized the way that Jesus was I wanna 45:29 experience what it means to be baptized the bible way death 45:33 Burial under the and resurrection to a 45:37 to a new live. If God has laid that on your heart, that is something 45:41 to seriously consider to follow in the foot steps of 45:45 Jesus christ. Now soemtimes people 45:49 wonder are there any steps or requirements to baptism or 45:53 can we just pull someone off the street and say I'm going to baptize you 45:57 well the Bible does give some requirements for baptism 46:01 notice the Bible doesn't giv4e us a list of 100,000 things that would be 46:06 absolutely impossible to attain there are three basic steps. 46:10 to baptism to attain # 1 what doe it say? 46:14 Belief in Jesus Christ. well that one common sense 46:18 because baptism would be meaningless experience 46:22 if I didn't believe that Jesus Christ was my savior 46:26 but it's more than that it also 46:30 it requires repentance from sin, now that doen't mean 46:34 I got to be perfect and over every weakness is just simple means 46:38 there ought to be some evidence in my life that the Holy Spirit is working 46:43 and that person is responding to it in some way 46:47 they'll still have weakness, they still will have faults when they are baptized, but there should 46:51 be evidence that the Holy Spirit is beginning to turn them 46:55 around. Does that make sense? Because really if only # 1 46:59 was required, I want you to think about something 47:03 If # 1 was the only requirment believe in Jesus Christ 47:08 guess who could be baptized? The Devil 47:12 do what? think about it, the Devil 47:16 know that Jesus Christ is the Son of God better then you and I do 47:20 because he was in the kingdom of heaven, he saw it 47:24 he knows that Jesus is the Son of God, the difference is he desn't plan 47:29 On repenting from anything. Step # 3 47:33 Basic knowledge of faith, not that one has to be scholar 47:37 but they oughta have at least basic knowledge 47:41 of what the teaching of Jesus are so one knows what there're committing 47:45 too. I mean really when two people get married 47:49 do you think perhaps it's good idea for the husband and wife 47:53 to be, to have some concept of what marriage is all about 47:57 they need to know what they are commiting to it is the same 48:01 with baptism. You know I want to go back 48:05 to that story of the Ethiopian Eunich 48:09 That Eunich said to Philip 48:13 what hinders me from 48:17 being baptize God asked that 48:21 question of you and I. What is hindering 48:25 you from taking that step of 48:29 Bible baptism by immersion 48:33 really it was no coinciedence that Philip met up 48:37 with that Ethiopian Eunich. Do you think it was a coincidence that 48:42 Philip was on the same road at the same time that this 48:45 Eunich reading from the book of Isaiah? How many people think that was just 48:50 coinciedence? That is God's divine 48:54 intervention I don't believe any of you are 48:58 here by accident tonight I have heard some of your stories 49:02 how you have been searching for truth how 49:06 you want to know what the Bible teaches, you shared with me 49:10 what Jesus has been doing it your life both in the past and 49:14 even right now today and whenyou got that brochure 49:18 in the mail or someone invited you to come that was 49:22 not a coincidence that was God's leading on a journey cause the truth 49:26 is there are many other things you could be doing 4 nights a week isn't 49:30 that the truth! There is a lot things youcould be going ight now 49:34 but somehow the Holy Spirit has drawn you to come to this meaning 49:38 because He has something in store for you. None of us 49:42 including myself are here by accidnet 49:46 Can you say amen? So if you fulfil those 3 steps 49:50 and you have never been baptized the way the bible teaches 49:54 perhaps the Holy Spirit is laying that on your hear 49:58 to consider. now there is one more thing I need to cover 50:02 that people many times ask, they want to know 50:06 what about rebaptism is it biblical to be 50:09 rebaptize? Actually there is an example 50:13 in the bible in Acts chapter 19 and I want us to read it 50:17 because we don't want go to extreme where we think oh my 50:21 everytime I make a mistake I have got to be baptized 10 times 20 times 50:25 30 times that would make a mockery of what baptism repersents 50:29 but there is a case of rebaptism scripture 50:34 and I want to share it you go to Acts 50:38 chapter 19 verses 1 - 5 50:42 Acts chapter 19 and we are going to read about 50:46 something that happen in the city of 50:50 Ephesus Acts 19 verse 1 I want to 50:54 picture this in your mind. The bible says 50:58 And it happened that while Apollos 51:02 was at Corinth that Paul having past 51:06 thorugh the upper regions came to (Want city?) Ephesus 51:10 and finding some disciples he said to them 51:14 did you receive the holy spirit when you believed 51:18 and they said to him, we have not so much heard there is a 51:22 Holy Spirit, and he said to them into what 51:26 were you baptized, so they said into John's baptism 51:30 now I'm going to pause here a second. Can you imagine who that through Paul 51:34 for loop? He is in Ephesus, he means some people 51:38 that he thinks are believers and disciples an he says hay have 51:42 you recieved the Holy Spirit, they look at him and say Holy Spirit what's that? 51:46 Never heard of it. And Paul is like where you 51:50 baptized, how could you not have heard of the Holy Spirit 51:54 and they tell him and notice what is says in verse 4 51:58 then Paul said John indeed baptized with a baptism 52:02 of repentance saying to the people that they should believe 52:06 on Him who would come after him that is on 52:10 Christ Jesus when they heard they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus 52:16 see theses disciples they had heard John the Baptist preach at the Jordan 52:20 apparently they had come from Ephesus down to Jerusalem for something 52:24 heard John, talk about a messiah who was yet to come 52:28 and they should be baptize to show thier repentance from sin 52:32 to get ready for the messiah so they were baptized 52:36 but they went back to Ephesus before they ever 52:40 seen or ment Jesus and heard the rest of the story they 52:44 only new half of the story and so Paul then gave them 52:48 the rest (as Paul Harvey would say) of that story and 52:52 he explained how Jesus was the one that John the baptist talked about, 52:56 how He died on the cross of calvary and 53:00 when this new light came to them. What does it say they did? 53:04 they were baptized again 53:08 in the name of the Lord Jesus. So you see Acts 19 53:12 gives us this example that there 53:16 may be times when we come to significant new light 53:20 things in the bible that we didn't know before and deep in our hearts 53:24 may be we feel like we want for rebaptism to 53:28 show our commitment to follow these new truths we learned 53:32 because that is exactly what happened to 53:36 these believers in Ephesus.Tehe is another reason 53:40 sometimes a person who was once baptized, falls 53:44 away and departs from Christ and the church, 53:48 but then they long to desire to come back again, 53:52 they realize this isn't the way I should have gone 53:56 they begin recognize the need to come back to Jesus I want to be 54:00 connected to His church, I mean even though doesn't save you 54:04 Jesus talks about the importance of that fellowship 54:08 and they know in thier heart they feal like I need to be rebaptized I want to 54:12 show my recommitment to Jesus according to the bible 54:16 that is perfectly fine, and perfectly 54:20 acceptable there are times when rebaptism 54:24 would be a blessing to our spiritual life 54:28 lastly, I don't want to forget about 54:32 this verse. Jesus said to Nicodemus 54:36 about being born again he said 54:52 now notice being born again has two 54:56 parts. accordning to Jesus, you're born of the water 55:01 that is baptism, but also born 55:05 of the spirit, you say now what's that, cause surely a lot of 55:09 different ways people look at that when we gave our lvies 55:13 to Jesus, Jesus did not say great I brought you 55:17 to the waters of baptism from then on you're on your own. 55:21 is that what Jesus does? No! He says you 55:25 also need to be born of the spirit Jesus said, 55:29 that when he went back to heaven he would give 55:33 his disciples the gift of the comforter, the gift 55:37 of Holy Ghost who reminding of the teching of Jesus. 55:41 Who would remind them of truths of scripture 55:45 and what happens after baptism even though there will be times I 55:49 fall that Holy Spirit continues to the work of 55:53 conversion in my live He continues to renew my 55:57 mind,He continues to change my heart and convicted 56:01 of decision that I need to continue to make, He is 56:05 me as I walk the path of the chirstian faith 56:09 I am not left alone, can you say Amen? 56:13 and you see the greatest evidence that someone is born of the spirit 56:17 is not because they have a particular gift, 56:21 the evidence of some being born of the Spirit is 56:25 every simply what Galatians 5:22 says you see the 56:29 the fruit of the Spirit in their life. Love, 56:33 joy, peace patience, kindness, etc 56:37 because when you think about 56:41 the fruit of the Spirit is nothing more than description of what 56:45 the character of Jesus Christ 56:49 the Holy Spirit wants to create 56:53 in you and I Christ own character 56:57 so that Ppeople can see Jesus in me 57:01 and when you see Christ character 57:05 formed in someone's life you can be sure that person 57:09 did not do it on there own because it is impossible 57:13 for human nature to reproduce the character of Jesus 57:17 it is only Divine supernatural 57:21 intervention and converting power of God's 57:25 Holy Spirit. Can you say Amen? And that 57:29 work of conversion continues to happen all through our life 57:33 I'm born of the water in a moment, but I'm born of 57:37 the spirit throughout my life as I spend time with Jesus 57:41 everyday and I open my heart for that spirit to make 57:45 changes in me. 57:49 Brothers and sister as you have come to this seminar 57:53 perhaps the Holy Spirit has convicted you of things in your 57:57 life I don't what that may be, maybe you sense the 58:01 the time in which we are live, maybe your 58:05 sensing that you need to make a full decision for Jesus 58:09 maybe your convicted of thing in your life you need let 58:13 go of, maybe there is area's where I'm straddling 58:17 the fence on something or I'm makeing excuses 58:21 maybe God's Spirit is encouraging you 58:25 that it is time to take a step of baptism 58:29 or maybe it is time to follow God? |
Revised 2015-11-10