The baptism by immersion

Today marks the beginning of the Passion Week in Christianity.

This week is the Passion week. And why is it

called the Passion week. It is the week in which

the Lord of Life himself, Jesus, went on to the

cross of cavalry. It was beaten, it was spat on,

and it was finally crucified. And after that old week,

on the first day of the week, the Lord of

Life ruse again. And as a result of its resurrection,

you and I have hope of eternal life. I hope

is not dashed. Our hope has not been put to rubbish.

But we have that faith that the life that we

have in Christ Jesus is a life.

That is It's anna. Now. I pray that as we

commemorate this.

Day and this week, very very important week for that matter,

in the Christian life, I pray that the joy of

this season will be asked forever in the name of Jesus. However,

this money, I want to speak on a subject that

is a little different from the trifile entry. In the

past three years we have spoken about key figures, you

remember very well. For those of us, we have spoken

about pe figures around the trifle entry. We're spoken about

the donkey, We're spoken about the palm, we are spoken

about the people, but there's one that we have not

spoken about. Right, there's one more figure around that that

we have not spoken about. What is that figure? Yes,

we're spoken about eh who said Jesus himself. Jesus was there,

the court was there, the palm was used, the people,

the crowd were there.

But we've not spoken about Jesus.

But this morning, I'm going to be talking about one

of those things that Jesus commanded us to do. So

I will take my Bible reading this money from the

Book of Matthew chapter three thirteen to seventeen. Matthew Chapter

three thirteen to seventeen. Matthew, Chapter three thirteen to seventeen.

This Morney, I want to talk about the baptism by immersion.

The baptism by immersion Matthew, chapter three thirteen to seventeen.

Here the word of the Lord.

Then Jesus came to Galilee, to the Jordan, to be

baptized by John. But John tried to detire him, saying

I need to be baptized by you, and do you

come to me. Jesus replied, let it be so now

it is proper for us to do this to fulfill

all righteousness. Then John consented. As soon as Jesus was baptized,

he went up out of the water. At that moment

heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God

descended like a dove. And I lightened on him, and

a voice from heaven said, this is my son, whom

I love.

With him, I am well pleased.

But the Lord grants a deep interpretation to his word

in our hearts in Jesus' name. This passage describes Jesus's baptism.

At the beginning of his public ministry, John the Baptist

had been preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness

of saying, if you go to.

The Book of Mark, chapter one, verse four, you will

see that account.

The Jordan River that the Bible is talking about in

this passage was chosen specifically for these baptisms. Why this

is due to its sufficient debt, because there is so

much water in the river Jordan for full immersion to

have taken place. But in that text that we have

read the Greek texts in the Greek Bible, the word

baptizo was used, which means specifically to submerge, to immerse,

or to deep inside water.

That's the meaning of baptism. So when you see.

The word Baptism or Baptists in the Shilow Baptist Church,

what that Baptist means is too deep inside water. Do

we get that too deep inside water? So when the

text says in verse sixteen that Jesus went up out

of the water, it clearly indicates he had been fully

immersed inside that water, and so it came out of

that water. Matthew chapter three thirteen to seventeen records the

baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist. And when Jesus

came to join the Baptist, John the Baptist was like,

a you are the one that's supposed to do this

to me, and not me in it to you. And

he said, let's let it be for now, so as

to fulfill or righteousness. This is a mad german ends

in the life and ministry of Jesus, and it offers

us a deep insight into the mini and the method

of baptism. So in this text we see the mini

and the method of baptism. Verse sixteen a says as

soon as Jesus was baptized, it went up out of

the water. This verse alone gives a picture of baptism

by immersion. Jesus was in the water, then it came

out of it. But the passage teaches also why baptism

is important and what it represents. And that's what I

just briefly want us to look at this morning. Baptism

is a deep p doctrine in the Baptist and for

every Christian. And the fact that the Bible says, go

and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the

name of the Father, of the Son, and of the

Holy spirits. So when Jesus says, go and make disciples

of our nation and baptizing them, it is a command

that Jesus has given to us. And so by that

command it is expected that everyone who has surrendered is

our life to Christ be baptized. But let's look at

that text. Let's take it verse by verse invest thirteen.

We see Jesus coming to John the Baptist to be baptized.

He says, then Jesus.

Came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John.

So Jesus traveled a long distance, A long distance to

obey the will of God.

That's the implication of that perseadon that text.

Jesus traveled a long distance, why so as he can

obey the commands of God.

And we also see in that.

Statement that in voluntarily submitted to baptism. Although Jesus had

not seen he is a seinless son of God, yet

he submitted himself to be baptized. And this shows obedience

and identification with sinners. So Jesus, by going into the water,

identified itself with sinners, with you and me, and it

showed us a way by which we must follow.

What I will say here.

When you are baptized as a Christian someone who has

surrendered him or asself to Jesus. When a person is baptized,

that person is simply obey the will of God. And

baptism is not by first. So you don't see somebody

that says, see all your meeting, they are going to

be baptized. You to go and baptized. No, it does

not happen that way. Baptism is involuntary activity. You must

be willing and you must have countered the costs.

Before you get into that water for baptism.

So that your story will not be a dry sinner

going into the water and then coming out as a

wet sinner. Whichever way it is, a sinner is a sinner.

In verse fourteen, we see John trying to refuse he said,

But John tried to detire him, saying, I need to

be baptized by you, and do.

You come to me.

John understood that Jesus was greater than him.

In other words, if baptism is to take place, it.

Is expected that a Christian, a Christian is the one

that can baptize someone else who is not who is

just coming as new believer.

And that is why.

Even the way it is in the christ in the

Baptist setting, it is not just every pastor that can baptize.

But does this mean that what if in a situation

where we don't have somebody to do that baptism, because

baptism is a command, what do we do? It is

also possible that any other person can carry out that

baptism session.

And I know it. Dicking was actually been given.

That grace of going ahead because it was into very

strong ministry with people in deep interior villages, and there

was no way it could get any pastor minister around

there and so when they went for the evangelism, as

many that came to the knowledge of Christ, it went.

On to carry on the baptism. So that text.

Shows us also that baptism was known to be for

repentance all right, which did Jesus did not really need personality.

Jesus didn't have to repent, but the essence of baptism

in that place, because the baptism of John the Baptist

is that of repentance. What we're saying by that is

that unless soone as repentant, and when we meet by repentance,

you are going in a specific direction.

And you suddenly turn and you say you.

Are not going that way again, that is repentance. So

for anybody to be baptized, that person was fully surrendered

to the person of Jesus Christ. Yet Jesus chose baptism,

why to fulfill all righteousness.

And to show.

Us the right way that we need to go, and

that you will see it. In verse fifteen, Jesus explains

the reason why he had.

To go through that baptism. He says, let it be

so now.

It is proper for us to do this to fulfill

all righteousness. Baptism was part of God's righteous plan for salvation.

Baptism was part of God's righteous plan for salvation. Jesus

wanted to set an example for all who will follow him,

and that was why he had to go through that

process himself. And this shows that baptism is not just

for cleansing, but for obedience and righteousness. That is to say,

if you're baptized, you have simply obeyed the command of God.

So someone who says I am a Christian and that's

not gone through the process of baptism, it's not obeyed.

The command of God. Look at verse sixteen.

In that verse sixteen, we see that baptism is by immersion,

by dipping someone into the water.

That is immasion. That's what it means.

As soon as Jesus was baptized, it went up out.

Of the water.

So this show clearly that Jesus was fully dipped into

the water, and as it was dipped into the water,

it came out of the water.

The phrase that you.

See there went up out of the water, supports baptism

by Marsian. There are other forms of baptism. There are

there is the baptism by sprinkling. There is the baptism

by pouring, but that is not given at all in

the Bible, not anywhere in the Bible. Even the one

that Jesus is given to roseer is by Marsian by

dipping the individual into the water, and that represents.

Two things.

To go under the water simply means you are dying,

to say, and you are being buried like Christ was buried.

And then coming out of the water means resurrection and

new life.

That's what it means.

And if that is what baptism't means, you and I

well agree with me that by sprinkling that does not

picture it at all. By pouring water, that does not

picture it at all. The only one that pictures that

to us is when someone is deeped into the water.

The person dies to sin, dies to.

All righteousness, dies to the old life, and then the

person is brought out of the water and the person

comes alive in a new journey of faith in the

Lord Jesus Christ. In verse sixteen b and verse seventeen,

there's the divine approval that you see in that place.

The Bible says, at that moment, heaven was opened, and

he saw the spirit of God descending like a door

and I lighting that is landing or staying upon Jesus.

And a voice from heaven said, this is my song

whom I love with him, I am well pleased.

This is one verse.

A situation in the scripture that you know depicts to

us the presence of God, the Father, Son, and the

Holy Spirit. You see three of them all in performance

in this place. You see this song being baptized and

coming out of the water. And there you see the

Holy Spirit coming in form of a door upon him.

And then you see the voice of the Father coming

from heaven. This is my beloved son. God publicly affirmed

baptism by immersion. You see that God himself approved baptism

by immersion. And so when anyone comes to the place

of baptism, what is simply means is that you are telling.

The whole world before.

Now I have believed in the Lord Jesus Christ. Yes,

but the next thing that you do is to go

and be baptized. And that is a public declaration that

indeed you have a genuine faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

This reveals that God is pleased when we work in obedience,

not just tradition. So baptism it's not just because we

are Baptists, all right, Yes, Baptist people believe by Marson.

There are other denominations who believed by Marsian. So we

are not talking about tradition of the Baptist now, but

we are talking about obedience to what the world of

God is saying to us. What are the lessons that

we can see from this passage this morning? Number one

is that baptism by Marsion is biblical, right, it is biblical.

Jesus went in too and came out of the water,

and that act symbolizes being buried and raised with Christ.

So if you go to Romance chapter six three to five,

you see that explanation in that place Romance six three

to five. Number two is that Number two lessons we

see in this passage is that baptism is an act

of obedience. So when you are baptized, you are simply

obeying the command of the Lord Jesus. First John, chapter four,

chapter two, verse four, where we read this morning in

Sunday school. Can somebody read it for us? First Johnt

chapter two, verse four. Is that chapter two verse four?

First John chapter two verse four. Who is there?

First John chapter two, verse four?

The man who says I know him but does not

do what he commands is a liar, and the truth

is not in him a lawyer. You see that this

explains this subject of baptism. If you say you are

a Christian, if you say you know Jesus and yet

Jesus has commanded baptism and you have not obeyed by baptized,

you are a liar. You're not a Christian. You're not

a Christian. So baptism is an act of obedience. Jesus

didn't need to repent, but still got baptized to set

us an example.

It was an act of obedience.

Today Christians showed their faith and submission by being baptized

after believing. Number three things that we see in that

text is that baptism is a public identification with Christ.

Your identification with Christ may.

Have been in the hiding before, but at the moment

you get into the water and then you come out,

you are simply saying I belong to Jesus, and Jesus

is mine. Hallelujah. It simply says that you're not shame

any longer of this Jesus. Through baptism, we say I

belong to Jesus. I share in this death and resurrection.

That's exactly what you're saying. It is a public confession

of an inner change that has taken place in our

individual life. So you're publicly declaring it that this change

has taken place, but now everyone has to know about it.

Number four lessons that you see in that passage is

that God himself is pleased when we obey. God is

pleased when we obey. So God the Father properly declared

is approval of what Jesus did. So baptism by I

Marsham done in faith and obedience pleases God. What is

importance of this baptism for Christian faith today? What is

the importance of baptism for Christian faith today? Number one

is that when you are baptized, you are following Christ's example.

You're following christ example. So Jesus was immersed as his followers,

we must do the same. We must do the same.

Number two, Baptism is a symbol of salvation experience. Have

you truly been saved?

Then?

If you have been saved, then get baptized. Baptism by

Marshan tells the story of salvation. That you have been

dead to sin, buried the buried the old life, and

then you have resurrected to a new life. That's what

is simply means. And that's the importance of this to

the Christian faith. Number three importance of this to Christian

faith today is that obedience before blessing, Obedience before blessing.

Jesus is baptized.

The baptism came before the public beginning of its ministry.

It was immediately after that he went into the wilderness,

and then before he commenced his ministry. Many believers experience

deeper growth and spiritual power after baptism.

So baptism is very very important, very important.

And another importance of this is that it is a

witness to the world. It is a testimony of your

commitment to Christ in front of family members, in front

of friends, in front.

Of the church.

When you do that, baptism is very very important. I

read from the Book of Romance, the Book of Romance,

chapter six.

Three to five. The Bible says, or do you.

Not know that all of us who were baptized into

Christ Jesus were baptized into his death. We were therefore

buried within through baptism into death. In order that just

as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory

of the Father, we too may live in new life.

So after the experience of baptism, it is not expected

that a person will continue to live in that same

way anymore. It is expected that that person, that person

will begin to live in new life. In new life,

that we bring glory and honor to the Lord Jesus Christ.

If you look at the book of Act of the

Apostles in verse chapter two, verse thirty eight. Act of

the Apostle, Chapter two, verse thirty eight, from verse thirty seven,

thirty seven says that when the people heard this, they

were caught to the acts, very important, very important. They

were caught to the acts and said to Peter and

the other apostles, brothers, what shall we do? Prior to

this time, the tongue of fire had descended upon the

apostles in the upper room, and they were speaking diverse tones,

and this caught the attention of the people, and by

the power of the spirits, Peter began to speak to

the people. And after he finished speaking to them, they

asked this question, brothers, what shall we do? And verse

thirty eights Peter replied, repents number one, and then the baptized.

Number two, every one of you in the name of

Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your saying, and you

will receive the gift of the Holy spirits and the Luwyer.

It's important that we look at this verse, look at

what Peter said. Peter said, repent repents, meaning that you

are turning away.

From saying and righteousness.

You are turning away from lying, you are turning away

from evil acts. And he said, after that repentance, the

next stage is baptism. And when you are baptized in

our says, and you will receive the gift of the

Holy Spirit. In other words, as far as the Bible

is concerned, the gift of the Holy Spirit does not

rest upon a man unless that person has repented, and

that person is baptized baptism by immersion. But today, forgive

me again, I'm only trying to bring clarity.

Today.

We have a lot of people who have not repented,

They have not been baptized by immotion, eh, but they

have the gift of the dispirit. Does that call any question?

Call us to any question. The person has not repented,

the person has not been baptized by yet the person

displays the gift of the only Spirit. There is need

for us to ask that very many questions. It is

either it cannot There is no response other than the

fact that that person is not operating under the influence

of the Holy Spirit. Because the gift of the Holy Spirit.

You can see a lot of counterfeit in our world today. Church,

every one of us, as much as we have surrendered

our life to Jesus Christ, we have repented of our sins.

There is a call to baptism. And that call to

baptism is a sincere call, is a call to discipline,

it's a call to righteousness. It's a call to holy living.

It is a call to bear the body, the body

that Christ himself will only give to you. Jesus says,

come on to me, Are you the level and the

heavy lending?

And I we give you rests.

Jesus says, if anyone will come after me, let him

deny himself, take up his cross daily and follow me.

In this season of Easter.

I want to plead with every one of us, if

you are yet to commit your life onto Jesus, this

is an opportunity. Don't let the death and the resurrection

of Jesus Christ, be a waste over your life.

Two days ago I went to just.

For the barrier of one of us who passed on

some two weeks ago. Madam Ruth. She was always in church,

seated somewhere around there. She was always involved in church

life in a little way. She chose to be cleaning

the church, and she was always doing it diligently, without complaining.

But today she's no longer here with us. She has

gone ahead of us. Well, we need profit a man.

If he gains the old world and loses his soul

in hell.

It is of no use. It is a waste.

I appeal to us by the Man of God, that

there's a way that seems right onto a man.

The end thereof is destruction.

But Jesus says, I am the Way, the Truth, and

the life. No one comes to the Father except by Me,

and it is appointed onto man worse to.

Die, and after that it is judgment.

But that you are alive today, it's an opportunity for

each and every one of us to have every connection.

With a Lord of life. I appeal to you today, if.

You are yet to surrender yourself onto Jesus as your

savior and Lord today is another opportunity.

Don't waste that opportunity.

And perhaps you are so that your life to Jesus,

and you are yet to be baptized. The opportunity is there.

And you know what, before now this place behind me.

Was not ready, But by the grace of God is

getting ready.

As much as anyone is willing to say a surrender home,

you can surrender all and come to Jesus and let

Him wash you, let Him cleanse you, die to see

and come my life in the new life of righteous living.

Just imagine that every way in our community, everyone has

repented of their sin, they have been baptized, and they

are living in your life in Christ Jesus. They are

feeled by the spirit of God. How beautiful will these

environments be? And so, by the grace of God, this Thursday,

I want to invite every one of us two baptism

and communial service. This is the first since I came

here get into four years now. This is the first

since I came here. And we're going to be coming

to church on that Thursday, and I want to invite

every one of us. I want to invite you please

come and join as we fellowship together on the Lord's

table are their criterias for participating on the Lord's table.

On that day, two things will be done. We're going

to be having the baptism as service. We have candidates

who have surrendered themselves onto Christ and they are willing

to go through this process of baptism. So they will

be baptized right inside this place by the grace of God.

And I pray that the Heaven of God, just like

the heaven was opened upon Christ, the heaven will be

opened upon this once in.

The mighty name of Jesus Christ.

And after that experience, we will all come together on

the Lord's table and will come to share of the

blood and share of the flesh of Christ. It is symbolic,

all right. I've done a teaching on the Lord's Supper before.

So some people believe that once you take the supper

and you put it in your mouth, it comes to

flesh and blood in your mouth. No, no, we are

not cannibals, So we are not We're not eating the

flesh and blood. But it is symbolic, all right, of

the body. And that's why Jesus said, do this in

a remembrance of me. As many times so we're going

to begin that this close day. I want to invite

us that we come to the Lord's table together, but

they say criteria for us to participate on that lost table.

The criteria is that you must have repented. You must

have been baptized by immersion. If that has not been done,

you would it to not be advisable for you to

participate on the Lord's table. I invite every one of us,

whether you're participating or not. Some people will be here

and we're going to be celebrating with them. It's a

beautiful thing for us to have that. So I invite

all of you to come on that day.