Acts 2:36-41
I.
Introduction
A. Primary Beliefs
B. Distinctive Beliefs. These are the beliefs that determine how you live, and how far you trust God
II.
Review
A. Biblical Authority (1Cor 1:10)
B. Autonomy of the Local Church
C. Priesthood of the Believer
III.
Background
A. What is an Ordinance?
B. The Three Ordinances
1. Baptism – Immersion
2. The Lord’s Supper
3. Love One Another
IV.
Lesson – Biblical Baptism – The Reason Why Baptists are Called
Baptists
A.
Introduction (Acts 2:36-41)
1. Did you notice how “automatic” it was for these 3,000 who got saved, to get baptized? Seemed like they knew it was right, and were delighted to do it!
2. They paid a high price thought - the price to follow, and live for Jesus
a. Could have just “quietly” believed – stayed secret
b. But then Jesus wouldn’t have been honoured, and the world would be lost
3. That’s what Biblical baptism says to the world – it is an announcement that Jesus Christ is a person’s Saviour, Yes, but Lord also! Worthy of our life!
4. Let’s do a bit of study this morning and learn what got our Baptist forefathers in a lot of “hot water” during the dark ages, and even during the reformation!
B.
Message – Biblical Baptism
1. Common Errors about Baptism
a. There are two extremes – either make it into a big fancy ritual, or into nothing at all
1) Most people make it into a big religious ritual and ceremony
a) Make it part of salvation – a sacrament
b) Make it so that babies must be baptized – infant baptism
c) Use the sprinkling of water, and special holy words
d) Make it so that the water itself has to be holy – i.e., the Jordan River, or must be “blessed”
e) All so that “original sin” can be washed away – it is a lie!
2) Some people make it into an event of no real meaning
a) Believe it can happen in your own bathtub
b) Or, that you don’t really need it at all
b. Neither extreme is correct, because they are not Biblical
c. This is why I am a Baptist – because understanding this great truth has protected Bible believers from the errors of Catholicism and Protestantism, even to the point of persecution, and torture, and death.
d. The Bible speaks only about believer’s baptism by complete immersion
2. The Required Examination Before Baptism (Mt 3:1,2,5-12) – not just anybody gets baptized – we don’t have a spiritual “car wash” here!
a. Baptism saves NO ONE! If someone wants to be baptized to wash away sins, they are wasting their time!
1) Thief on the cross was not worried about getting baptized – he knew he needed Christ to save him, and Christ gave Him eternal life there!
2) Paul knew his calling was not to perform baptisms, but to PREACH the GOSPEL (1Cor 1:17-18)
b. So, before you can be Baptized, Jesus said, You must be born again!
1) You must be able to say there was a time in your life that you were NOT a believer in Jesus Christ, and were lost and on your way to hell – as much as you would hate to admit it – you were a sinner (Mt 3:6)
2) And then somebody gave you a Gospel leaflet, or a New Testament, or dragged you to a Bible preaching church, and helped you to see it wasn’t more churchianity that you needed, it was simply Jesus!
3) You see, no child can be baptized – they can’t believe (Ac 16:30-33)
4) That made the catholics mad for 1,000 years, and the protestants mad for 300 years!
c. You always have people who think they don’t need any of this kind of preaching (Mt 3:7) – real humility would kill them!
1) The Pharisees thought they were nearly perfect anyway
2) They thought they were born “special” – Abraham being their father
d. Before John baptized anybody, he did two things (Mt 3:8,10-12):
1) He required of them to show they had repented! Not just “wanted a better life” or wanted to turn over a new leaf! But actually surrendered to the coming Messiah that John was preaching about!
2) He put the fear of God into them so that they would cling simply to the coming Saviour! Jesus is the only chance anyone has!
e. Do you realize who ended up coming and getting baptized? Not the religious crowd, but the harlots, and sinners, and publicans! They so desperately wanted to live for God! It’s a great day when people are broken!
3. Our Example of Baptism – Jesus Christ (Mt 3:13-17)
a. He did not baptized Himself! Came to John (God’s man) walked 60 miles
b. Publicly walked into the water, just like everyone else was doing
c. Was determined to live His life “by the Book” to obey God’s way – so that He could be our example from start to finish in His life!
d. Notice - It Pleased God! Whether no one else gets pleased by your faith in Christ, and then getting baptized, know this – it pleases God!
4. The Experience of Baptism (Acts 8:36-39) Looking at Jesus’ baptism, it seems simple enough! What happens?
a. Must be something YOU want to do
1) As you learn this Bible
2) As you see Christ working in your life
3) As you discover that Baptism is the Christian’s first step of obedience to God after getting born again
b. Must be done, because you are saved
1) Not in any way, part of your way to heaven
2) No amount of water can wash away your sin
3) No amount of confessing can pay the price of your sin – only blood
4) Baptism is a believer’s way of declaring to the whole world, you belong to Jesus – like the wearing of a wedding ring!
c. Must be public
1) Not a secret act like in the mormon cult
2) Not a mysterious act with magical words, and fancy outfits, etc
3) But just a bunch of Bible believers gathering at a river, or the ocean, or even at a swimming pool if it is the only place available, to witness any number of new Christians standing up for their Saviour!
4) You are asked to give your testimony – of what happened to YOU!
5) Every married couple have their own memories of what happened on the day they met and fell in love! So must every Christian!!!
d. Must be simple – pictures the whole Gospel
1) Go INTO the water – the death of Christ
2) Go UNDER the water - burial
3) Come Back OUT of the water – resurrection – the new life
e. Must be serious – leads to the next truth!
5. God’s Expectation for Baptism (Rom 6:1-5)
a. It is a radical expression of your commitment to living for Jesus Christ
b. God expects you to do three things at baptism:
1) Make a statement to the world of what Jesus did for you – died, was buried, and rose again all to purchase for you redemption!
2) Vow to live your life differently now – through burying your past, and committing yourself to a life of following Christ – like jumping off a diving board – once you jump, might as well go all the way!
3) Allow some things to die along the way
a) Your relationship to any previous religion - must live for Jesus
(i) If you were a Jew, you were a Christian now
(ii) If you were a catholic, protestant, muslim, you’re a Christian
(iii) There are no religions in the kingdom of God – just sinners, saved by God’s grace!
b) Mortify your old ways of doing things
(i) Christ died to pay for your sins and purchased you a new life
(ii) He expects you to live the new life He purchased for you
c) The world’s power over you – you’re saying, bye world, I’m heaven bound and not ashamed of it, even if I have to stand alone
6. The Effect of Baptism
a. It interests the world to watch and see if your life really DOES change – and when it does, many will want to know what made the change – and you get to tell them it was a WHO!
b. It encourages you to know that you can take a stand for the Lord Jesus
c. It encourages other Christians who need to be reminded just how simple, child-like faith that a new Christian has, can change the world!
d. It gets you in big trouble with the dominate religion of the day! They will call you a RE-baptizer, an ANA-baptist
V.
Conclusion
A. The Requirement Before Baptism – you must be born again, and know it! Baptism can’t save, or forgive anybody, anymore than the wearing of a doctor’s smock can make you a surgeon! You have to be born again!
B. Our Example– Jesus Christ – Thank God for a simple example – all we need
C. The Experience of Baptism (Acts 8:36-39)
1. Must be something YOU want to do
2. Must be done, because you are saved
3. Must be public - give your testimony – of what happened to YOU!
4. Must be simple – pictures the whole Gospel
a. Go INTO the water – the death of Christ
b. Go UNDER the water - burial
c. Come Back OUT of the water – resurrection – the new life
5. Must be serious – leads to the next truth!
D. God’s Expectation for Baptism (Rom 6:1-5) God expects you to do three things at baptism:
1. Make a statement to the world of what Jesus did for you
2. Vow to live your life differently now
3. Allow some things to die along the way
a. Your relationship to any previous religion - must live for Jesus
b. Your old ways of doing things
c. The world’s power over you – you’re saying, bye-bye world, I’m heaven bound, and not ashamed of it! Even if I have to stand alone!
E. The Effect of Baptism
1. The world will watch in amazement that somebody would follow Jesus!
2. You will be glad that you took a stand for the Lord Jesus
3. Christians will be reminded that simple, child-like faith changes the world
4. It gets you in big trouble with the dominate religion of the day!