Devotional Materials. Week Commencing Sunday 29th May 2022
Call to worship
Jesus said “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” (Matthew 28; 19).
Paul recounting his own conversion in Acts 22 says how the Lord spoke to him: “and now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptised and wash your sins away, calling on his name (Acts 22:16).
We will be holding a baptismal service here on the 3rd July. I wanted to lead us this morning into what the Bible teaches about baptism, and give opportunity to those who may also want to be baptised on the 3rd July.
We will begin with a short song that invites us to worship, followed by a hymn that reminds us of the Lord’s love for us:
Hymns
“Come and praise Him, Royal Priesthood’ MP 87 (Piano)
A Carter
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g0oqkBrJSjM
“My Lord what love is this?” MP 476 (Piano)
Graham Kendrick
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jkr9d0O-dWM
Opening Prayer
We thank you Father that you invite us to worship and adore you. This is a wonderful privilege, and we realise we could not know you, but for the sacrificial death of the Lord Jesus Christ. But nothing is impossible with you, and we thank you that through his life given for us, our sin debt is paid. Through His death we live. And the sins that kept us separated from you are now washed away.
We recognise we were lost- like the lost coin, the lost sheep and the lost prodigal son, but you sought us out and found us. You called us to repentance and yet gave us yourself- your Holy Spirit to regenerate our lives and so empower us to change. Help us this morning to see how baptism speaks of these truths.
So please lead us this morning. Open our minds to receive your truth, thrill our hearts as we think about baptism, and how this act witnesses to your faithful love and the salvation you have procured for us. Shake us out of complacency, stir us to deep gratitude, and give us a compassion for those who are lost without you, and who have need of you as we do.
In Jesus name we ask these things. Amen.
Reading. Matthew 3:1-17
In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea 2 and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” 3 This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah:
“A voice of one calling in the wilderness,
‘Prepare the way for the Lord,
make straight paths for him.’”
4 John’s clothes were made of camel’s hair, and he had a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey. 5 People went out to him from Jerusalem and all Judea and the whole region of the Jordan. 6 Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River.
7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to where he was baptizing, he said to them: “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? 8 Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. 9 And do not think you can say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. 10 The axe is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.
11 “I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me comes one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 12 His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor, gathering his wheat into the barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”
13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. 14 But John tried to deter him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” 15 Jesus replied, “Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfil all righteousness.” Then John consented.
16 As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. 17 And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”
John the Baptist called the people to repent and believe. And we as a church have this same Gospel to proclaim
Hymn
“Far and near hear the call” MP 982 (Guitar)
Graham Kendrick
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BxNw_G72pR4
Sermon. “Baptism”
Introduction
There are people today who downplay the importance of believer’s baptism. Perhaps they are fearful of stirring up controversy with those who have different views of this ordinance. There is also an impatience in our culture with religious ritual. Some think it’s enough for us to declare our faith in other ways, such as publicly giving our testimony of how we became Christians. Yet baptism is the way ordained by the Lord Jesus Christ.
For us Christians-and this has always been central to Baptist thinking- we are convinced that the Bible has to be our ultimate authority both for what we believe and for how we live. So we need to look carefully at the relevant verses and passages about baptism.
Why Should I Be Baptised?
The first reason for baptism is found in the Great Commission. Jesus, as he was about to ascend to his Father, said, “All authority has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you” (Matt 28:18-20). It is the Lord Jesus Christ who commands his followers to be baptised. What right have you or I to disobey?
It’s also clear that the early church took seriously this command of Jesus to baptise. We see this on the Day of Pentecost. Luke tells us that, “When the people heard Peter’s sermon they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers what shall we do?” Peter replied, “repent and be baptised every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:37, 38). Read on in the book of Acts and you will see people becoming believers and then being baptised on coming to faith. The Ethiopian official was led to Christ and baptised by Philip (Acts 8:26-40); Paul was baptised by Ananias after meeting Jesus on the Damascus road (Acts 9: 1-19); Lydia, the business woman (Acts 16:11-15) and the Philippian jailer (Acts 16:25-34) were baptised by Paul. The witness of the New Testament is that there was no such thing as an unbaptised believer. Apart from the thief who was crucified next to Jesus (who for obvious reasons was not baptised), all the believers in the New Testament were baptised. Baptism was part and parcel of their faith.
And yet many people today think of baptism as an “optional extra”. This is particularly true of people who have grown up in Christian homes or joined a Church practising believer’s baptism after being in Churches which didn’t practise it. They often assume that baptism is for new believers. If you’re someone who thinks like that you need to take into account the example of Jesus. He was the perfect, sinless Son of God, so he, more than anyone else, could say that he didn’t need baptism- and yet he was baptised. If even our Lord and Saviour felt it necessary to be baptised, then it’s rather presumptuous of us to assume that we don’t need to be baptised.
The fact that Jesus was baptised reinforces His command to us to be baptised. He leads by example. John the Baptist did not want to baptise Him, but Jesus said “Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfil all righteousness” (Matt 3:15). So too when you are baptised you will be doing what God “requires”. You will be obeying Jesus’ command and following His example. You will be doing what is right according to God’s will.
So, baptism is not dependent upon our feelings but rather is in the first place an act of obedience. Are you truly a disciple of Jesus? If so you will want to keep his commandments. Jesus said, “You are my friends if you do what I command” (John 15:14).
In a previous church where I was pastor I had a phone call from an Iranian who wanted to talk with me. I was rather worried about this because I had read about how some muslim extremists had targeted Christian clergy in this country. So to bolster my courage I asked a lady deacon if she would be with me when I saw this man!!!
I needn’t have worried! As the man- we will call him Abtin- talked to us it became clear he was a true believer in Christ and had experienced His grace in a wonderful way.
Abtin told us how he first came to the UK from Iran with his work. He had married a woman here, but she betrayed him, and Abtin spoke of how he had planned to get even with her. However, it so happened that he was involved in a car crash at that time. Through that experience he came into contact with a Christian chaplain. Abtin was impressed by her example and her stress on forgiveness. He decided not to go through with carrying out revenge and returned to Iran. He kept thinking about these things; especially Christ’s forgiveness offered through the cross. And ironically that’s where he became a Christian- in Iran- one of the most oppressive regimes when it comes to persecuting Christians! Abtin asked Jesus to forgive him and to come into his life.
Abtin’s work brought him back to the UK. He had been reading a Bible and through doing so he had come to realise that it was required that Christians be baptised. This is why he had called me. He figured that since we were a Baptist Church we could baptise him! He had taken the Bible’s words at face value. It was clear his was a straight forward response of obedience to Christ’s command.
I asked him if he wanted me to baptise him privately; in case any muslims- however unlikely- might attend a baptismal service. He said no since baptism was a public witness. So I baptised Abtin. He has since returned to Iran. I do not know what has become of him.
I was so impressed by Abtin’s straight forward obedience, though for him there was real danger involved in doing so. So I wonder what is holding you back if you have not yet been baptised?
Who Should Be Baptised?
Baptism is only for those who repent and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Those who repent.
Look at Peter’s words on the day of Pentecost: “Repent and be baptised, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins” (Acts 2:38).
What does it mean to repent? It means to ‘change your mind’, to turn around in your thinking and way of life. The greatest change is in our attitude to the lord Jesus Christ. Before our conversion we might have seen him as a good man or a religious teacher; perhaps we despised him. Some of those to whom Peter preached may have been involved in Jesus’ crucifixion. But now they must recognise that He is Lord and God. Now our lives are turned around. Instead of serving ourselves, we must serve the Lord Jesus Christ. Our old life of rebellion against God is finished with. Our baptism is like a funeral service; our old self is dead and left behind. The imagery of baptism reflects this. Our body is lowered into the water symbolising this death to our ‘old self’ which is left behind in the grave. But the imagery thankfully does not stop there!! We have been raised to new life in Christ. Baptism symbolises this truth too. The person being baptised is raised out of the water, and this symbolises our new resurrection life in Christ
In Romans 6:4 Paul describes the newly baptised as rising to “live a new life”. Our new life with Christ has begun. It continues through this present life and into eternity. Now Jesus is Lord of our lives and our lifestyle. Now we devote every part of our lives to his service: our work, our home, our church, even our private thoughts and plans. There are ethical implications in repentance- we are turning from evil, yes, but we now turn towards what is good. We pursue what is good. This means new attitudes towards money, sex and the way we view others- we now seek to love others as we love ourselves, indeed we are now to consider their interests above our own. All this is implied in repentance. John the Baptist called for such changes of lifestyle when he summoned people to be baptised, they were to “produce fruit in keeping with repentance” (Matt 3: 8) and in Luke 3: 10-14 we read of practical examples of such fruit where John the Baptist encouraged generosity and discouraged greed.
Baptism is for those who repent. It is also for:
Those who believe.
Here are some other verses that speak of baptism for those who believe in Jesus Christ:
“But when they believed Philip as he preached the good news of the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptised, both men and women.” (Acts 8:12)
“One of those listening was a woman named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth from the city of Thyatira, who was a worshipper of God. The lord opened her heart to respond to Paul’s message. When she and the members of her household were baptised, she invited us to her home. “If you consider me a believer in the Lord,’ she said, ‘come and stay at my house.’ And she persuaded us.” (Acts 16:14, 15. See also Crispus Acts 18:8).
To believe or have faith in Christ is more than believing He exists. It is to trust Him completely. A small child trusts her father to catch her as she jumps into his arms. So we have complete confidence that the Lord Jesus has died on the cross on our behalf. No longer do we fear God’s wrath and condemnation because of our sins. Jesus has paid the price on our behalf, and trusting in His saving work we are secure.
Baptism is for those who repent and believe.
Baptism is not for infants. Baptists maintain that infant baptism is not found in the New Testament. Not even when Luke tells us that somebody and their family were baptised.
Household baptisms? When we look carefully at household baptisms we should first consider that while today a family normally means father, mother and 2 children, in the first century it was considerably extended and included not just the immediate family, but relatives and servants. This weakens the paedobaptist position in itself. But it is very weak when we look at specific instances. Careful reading of Acts 16:30-34 shows that if “all the family” included young children, then the young children not only listened to Paul and Silas preaching at midnight but they also put their trust in God!!
Acts 10:44-46 and 11:4 tell how all the house of Cornelius heard the word, received the Spirit, spoke in tongues and were baptised: are we to believe that little children were involved in all this? It is a dangerous thing to read a doctrine into the silences of Scripture-especially when elsewhere is quite clear. No, the baptism talked about in the Bible is for those old enough to repent and believe.
‘Covenant theology? Some have argued that children of Christian parents should be baptised since children born to Jewish parents in the Old Testament were circumcised. They argue that baptism now replaces circumcision as the means of being received into God’s covenant people. This view was popularised by a theologian called Marcel which he called “covenant theology” There is no evidence of this outlook, however, in the early church. On one level this argument can be clearly countered by seeing that in Acts 21, verse 20 onwards, Jewish Christians continued in both circumcision and baptism. So Baptism was not seen as replacing circumcision.
Indeed, circumcision and baptism do not signify the same thing.
This is because of the fundamental difference between Old and New Covenants. The Old Covenant is one of promise. The New Covenant is one of fulfilment. Under the Old Covenant you were circumcised and included in the community because you were born an Israelite. Your membership was due to your blood line and parentage that could be traced back to Abraham. But only those who have personal faith are included in the New Covenant. Galatians 3:7 describe how if Abraham’s sons were to share in this covenant they would have to share Abraham’s faith. Our membership among God’s people depends not on our parentage or blood relations but on faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. All who believe are to be baptised, both male and female, from all the peoples and nations of the world. As Galatians 3:29 states: “If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.”
Again we are brought back to the importance of repentance and faith on the part of the individual concerned. Arguments about family and covenant theology to try and justify infant baptism are undermined by these fundamental principles. Biblical baptism is not for infants, it is always for those who repent and believe.
George Beasley Murray has written the definitive book on baptism it is entitled “Baptism in the New Testament”. Wayne Grudem in his “Systematic Theology” has also written in some detail on this theme. Interestingly both are convinced Baptists, both advocate ‘Believers Baptism’ but both these writers argue that those who believe in Paedobaptism can still be members of a Baptist Church. This is because the membership of the church in the New Testament does not rest on baptismal status but on faith in Christ – on ones standing in Christ. Although Church leaders would be expected to be baptised as believers and those who join a Baptist Church would be encouraged to consider being baptised as believers if they have not already done so.
Conclusion
So then, why be baptised? Jesus has commanded us to do so. We are obedient to His command and follow his example.
Who should be baptised? Baptism is for those who repent and believe.
What does baptism mean? It is a picture of salvation. Of our old sinful and worldly life being buried in baptism but of our being raised up out of the waters, symbolising our new life in Christ.
One further question remains and with this I finish: “When should I be baptised?” and the answer is “As soon as you have believed!” Acts 2:41 says “Those who believed…were baptised… that day!” Philip when he spoke to the Ethiopian, the Bible says, “…began with Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus. As they travelled along the road, they came to some water, and the man said, “Look here is water! Why shouldn’t I be baptised right now? Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart, you may” The man answered, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.” So they went down into the water and Philip baptised him” (Acts 8:35-38).
There is no reason to delay. If you are repentant- you have turned from known sin- and put your faith in Christ you should be baptised. This is not about waiting for some level of perfection. But if you can say with the Ethiopian “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God” you can and should be baptised. Make an appointment with me after this service and I’ll arrange it for the 3rd July!!
…………………………………………………
Prayers
Prayer about baptism
Holy God, gracious Father: We give you thanks, for in the beginning your Spirit moved over the waters and you created heaven and earth. By the gift of water you nourish and sustain us and all living things.
By the waters of the flood you condemned the wicked and saved those whom you had chosen, Noah and his family. You led Israel by the pillar of cloud and fire through the sea, out of slavery into the freedom of the Promised Land. In the waters of the Jordan your Son was baptized by John and anointed with the Spirit. By the baptism of his own death and resurrection your beloved Son has set us free from the bondage to sin and death, and has opened the way to the joy and freedom of everlasting life. He made water a sign of the kingdom and of cleansing and rebirth. In obedience to his command, we make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Pour out your Holy Spirit, so that those who are baptised may be given new life. Wash away the sin of all those who are cleansed by water and bring them forth as inheritors of your glorious kingdom.
To you be given praise and honour and worship through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, now and forever. (Lutheran book of worship).
Prayer for someone to come to know Christ.
There are countless verses in the Bible through which you can pray for a family member or friend by name. Here are a few to help guide you in your prayers:
Father God, I know that “no one can come to [Jesus] unless the Father . . . draws them” (John 6:44). I ask that You draw _____________ to Your Son, that he/she may know You personally and spend eternity with You.
Lord God, I ask that You move upon _____________’s heart to accept the Truth of Christ. “Give them a heart to know [You], that [You are] the Lord, [so that] they will be [Your] people, and [You] will be their God,” and may they “return to [You] with all their heart” (Jeremiah 24:7).
Overwhelm _____________ with the reality of Your love for him/her, that he/she may “grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge” (Ephesians 3:18-19).
Lord, use me to “open _____________’s eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in [You]” (Acts 26:18).
Holy Spirit, show me specifically how to minister to each member of my family—whether I should “be merciful to those who doubt; save others by snatching them from the fire; [or] show mercy, mixed with fear” (Jude 1:23). Reveal opportunities to share about You, and give me the strength to obey when You open the door.
Father God, Your Word says that “godly sorrow brings repentance which leads to salvation and leaves no regret” (2 Corinthians 7:10). Only You can open our eyes to the reality that all have sinned and fallen short of Your glory. Come upon _____________ with a sense of godly sorrow for his/her sin, that he/she may repent, surrender to You, and be saved.
s we pray, God readies our hearts to do His will, while also inviting us to rest in the fact that only He can change hearts. You may see the fruit of your prayers immediately, or you may never see the full impact of your intercession. Either way, don’t give up praying for your unsaved family members. Remember, we are engaged in a spiritual battle (see Ephesians 6:12-20), and one of our greatest weapons is prayer. God is in the business of doing the impossible, and He can change even the hardest of hearts. (Dr Michael Youssef. ‘Leading the way’)
Hymn
“All my days” MP 1024 (Piano)
Stuart Townend
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RSm6fdZHl5Q
Please do speak to me after the service or call me on the phone if you would like to be baptised. Jesus said ‘Go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit’
Blessing.
Go into God’s world with joy and peace and love, and hope in your hearts; and the blessing of almighty God, creator, redeemer, and sustainer, be with you all. Amen.
David Barnes 25/5/22
ance. But after me comes one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 12 His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor, gathering his wheat into the barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”
13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. 14 But John tried to deter him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” 15 Jesus replied, “Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfil all righteousness.” Then John consented.
16 As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. 17 And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”
John the Baptist called the people to repent and believe. And we as a church have this same Gospel to proclaim
Hymn
“Far and near hear the call” MP 982 (Guitar)
Graham Kendrick
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BxNw_G72pR4
Sermon. “Baptism”
Introduction
There are people today who downplay the importance of believer’s baptism. Perhaps they are fearful of stirring up controversy with those who have different views of this ordinance. There is also an impatience in our culture with religious ritual. Some think it’s enough for us to declare our faith in other ways, such as publicly giving our testimony of how we became Christians. Yet baptism is the way ordained by the Lord Jesus Christ.
For us Christians-and this has always been central to Baptist thinking- we are convinced that the Bible has to be our ultimate authority both for what we believe and for how we live. So we need to look carefully at the relevant verses and passages about baptism.
Why Should I Be Baptised?
The first reason for baptism is found in the Great Commission. Jesus, as he was about to ascend to his Father, said, “All authority has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you” (Matt 28:18-20). It is the Lord Jesus Christ who commands his followers to be baptised. What right have you or I to disobey?
It’s also clear that the early church took seriously this command of Jesus to baptise. We see this on the Day of Pentecost. Luke tells us that, “When the people heard Peter’s sermon they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers what shall we do?” Peter replied, “repent and be baptised every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:37, 38). Read on in the book of Acts and you will see people becoming believers and then being baptised on coming to faith. The Ethiopian official was led to Christ and baptised by Philip (Acts 8:26-40); Paul was baptised by Ananias after meeting Jesus on the Damascus road (Acts 9: 1-19); Lydia, the business woman (Acts 16:11-15) and the Philippian jailer (Acts 16:25-34) were baptised by Paul. The witness of the New Testament is that there was no such thing as an unbaptised believer. Apart from the thief who was crucified next to Jesus (who for obvious reasons was not baptised), all the believers in the New Testament were baptised. Baptism was part and parcel of their faith.
And yet many people today think of baptism as an “optional extra”. This is particularly true of people who have grown up in Christian homes or joined a Church practising believer’s baptism after being in Churches which didn’t practise it. They often assume that baptism is for new believers. If you’re someone who thinks like that you need to take into account the example of Jesus. He was the perfect, sinless Son of God, so he, more than anyone else, could say that he didn’t need baptism- and yet he was baptised. If even our Lord and Saviour felt it necessary to be baptised, then it’s rather presumptuous of us to assume that we don’t need to be baptised.
The fact that Jesus was baptised reinforces His command to us to be baptised. He leads by example. John the Baptist did not want to baptise Him, but Jesus said “Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfil all righteousness” (Matt 3:15). So too when you are baptised you will be doing what God “requires”. You will be obeying Jesus’ command and following His example. You will be doing what is right according to God’s will.
So, baptism is not dependent upon our feelings but rather is in the first place an act of obedience. Are you truly a disciple of Jesus? If so you will want to keep his commandments. Jesus said, “You are my friends if you do what I command” (John 15:14).
In a previous church where I was pastor I had a phone call from an Iranian who wanted to talk with me. I was rather worried about this because I had read about how some muslim extremists had targeted Christian clergy in this country. So to bolster my courage I asked a lady deacon if she would be with me when I saw this man!!!
I needn’t have worried! As the man- we will call him Abtin- talked to us it became clear he was a true believer in Christ and had experienced His grace in a wonderful way.
Abtin told us how he first came to the UK from Iran with his work. He had married a woman here, but she betrayed him, and Abtin spoke of how he had planned to get even with her. However, it so happened that he was involved in a car crash at that time. Through that experience he came into contact with a Christian chaplain. Abtin was impressed by her example and her stress on forgiveness. He decided not to go through with carrying out revenge and returned to Iran. He kept thinking about these things; especially Christ’s forgiveness offered through the cross. And ironically that’s where he became a Christian- in Iran- one of the most oppressive regimes when it comes to persecuting Christians! Abtin asked Jesus to forgive him and to come into his life.
Abtin’s work brought him back to the UK. He had been reading a Bible and through doing so he had come to realise that it was required that Christians be baptised. This is why he had called me. He figured that since we were a Baptist Church we could baptise him! He had taken the Bible’s words at face value. It was clear his was a straight forward response of obedience to Christ’s command.
I asked him if he wanted me to baptise him privately; in case any muslims- however unlikely- might attend a baptismal service. He said no since baptism was a public witness. So I baptised Abtin. He has since returned to Iran. I do not know what has become of him.
I was so impressed by Abtin’s straight forward obedience, though for him there was real danger involved in doing so. So I wonder what is holding you back if you have not yet been baptised?
Who Should Be Baptised?
Baptism is only for those who repent and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Those who repent.
Look at Peter’s words on the day of Pentecost: “Repent and be baptised, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins” (Acts 2:38).
What does it mean to repent? It means to ‘change your mind’, to turn around in your thinking and way of life. The greatest change is in our attitude to the lord Jesus Christ. Before our conversion we might have seen him as a good man or a religious teacher; perhaps we despised him. Some of those to whom Peter preached may have been involved in Jesus’ crucifixion. But now they must recognise that He is Lord and God. Now our lives are turned around. Instead of serving ourselves, we must serve the Lord Jesus Christ. Our old life of rebellion against God is finished with. Our baptism is like a funeral service; our old self is dead and left behind. The imagery of baptism reflects this. Our body is lowered into the water symbolising this death to our ‘old self’ which is left behind in the grave. But the imagery thankfully does not stop there!! We have been raised to new life in Christ. Baptism symbolises this truth too. The person being baptised is raised out of the water, and this symbolises our new resurrection life in Christ
In Romans 6:4 Paul describes the newly baptised as rising to “live a new life”. Our new life with Christ has begun. It continues through this present life and into eternity. Now Jesus is Lord of our lives and our lifestyle. Now we devote every part of our lives to his service: our work, our home, our church, even our private thoughts and plans. There are ethical implications in repentance- we are turning from evil, yes, but we now turn towards what is good. We pursue what is good. This means new attitudes towards money, sex and the way we view others- we now seek to love others as we love ourselves, indeed we are now to consider their interests above our own. All this is implied in repentance. John the Baptist called for such changes of lifestyle when he summoned people to be baptised, they were to “produce fruit in keeping with repentance” (Matt 3: 8) and in Luke 3: 10-14 we read of practical examples of such fruit where John the Baptist encouraged generosity and discouraged greed.
Baptism is for those who repent. It is also for:
Those who believe.
Here are some other verses that speak of baptism for those who believe in Jesus Christ:
“But when they believed Philip as he preached the good news of the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptised, both men and women.” (Acts 8:12)
“One of those listening was a woman named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth from the city of Thyatira, who was a worshipper of God. The lord opened her heart to respond to Paul’s message. When she and the members of her household were baptised, she invited us to her home. “If you consider me a believer in the Lord,’ she said, ‘come and stay at my house.’ And she persuaded us.” (Acts 16:14, 15. See also Crispus Acts 18:8).
To believe or have faith in Christ is more than believing He exists. It is to trust Him completely. A small child trusts her father to catch her as she jumps into his arms. So we have complete confidence that the Lord Jesus has died on the cross on our behalf. No longer do we fear God’s wrath and condemnation because of our sins. Jesus has paid the price on our behalf, and trusting in His saving work we are secure.
Baptism is for those who repent and believe.
Baptism is not for infants. Baptists maintain that infant baptism is not found in the New Testament. Not even when Luke tells us that somebody and their family were baptised.
Household baptisms? When we look carefully at household baptisms we should first consider that while today a family normally means father, mother and 2 children, in the first century it was considerably extended and included not just the immediate family, but relatives and servants. This weakens the paedobaptist position in itself. But it is very weak when we look at specific instances. Careful reading of Acts 16:30-34 shows that if “all the family” included young children, then the young children not only listened to Paul and Silas preaching at midnight but they also put their trust in God!!
Acts 10:44-46 and 11:4 tell how all the house of Cornelius heard the word, received the Spirit, spoke in tongues and were baptised: are we to believe that little children were involved in all this? It is a dangerous thing to read a doctrine into the silences of Scripture-especially when elsewhere is quite clear. No, the baptism talked about in the Bible is for those old enough to repent and believe.
‘Covenant theology? Some have argued that children of Christian parents should be baptised since children born to Jewish parents in the Old Testament were circumcised. They argue that baptism now replaces circumcision as the means of being received into God’s covenant people. This view was popularised by a theologian called Marcel which he called “covenant theology” There is no evidence of this outlook, however, in the early church. On one level this argument can be clearly countered by seeing that in Acts 21, verse 20 onwards, Jewish Christians continued in both circumcision and baptism. So Baptism was not seen as replacing circumcision.
Indeed, circumcision and baptism do not signify the same thing.
This is because of the fundamental difference between Old and New Covenants. The Old Covenant is one of promise. The New Covenant is one of fulfilment. Under the Old Covenant you were circumcised and included in the community because you were born an Israelite. Your membership was due to your blood line and parentage that could be traced back to Abraham. But only those who have personal faith are included in the New Covenant. Galatians 3:7 describe how if Abraham’s sons were to share in this covenant they would have to share Abraham’s faith. Our membership among God’s people depends not on our parentage or blood relations but on faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. All who believe are to be baptised, both male and female, from all the peoples and nations of the world. As Galatians 3:29 states: “If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.”
Again we are brought back to the importance of repentance and faith on the part of the individual concerned. Arguments about family and covenant theology to try and justify infant baptism are undermined by these fundamental principles. Biblical baptism is not for infants, it is always for those who repent and believe.
George Beasley Murray has written the definitive book on baptism it is entitled “Baptism in the New Testament”. Wayne Grudem in his “Systematic Theology” has also written in some detail on this theme. Interestingly both are convinced Baptists, both advocate ‘Believers Baptism’ but both these writers argue that those who believe in Paedobaptism can still be members of a Baptist Church. This is because the membership of the church in the New Testament does not rest on baptismal status but on faith in Christ – on ones standing in Christ. Although Church leaders would be expected to be baptised as believers and those who join a Baptist Church would be encouraged to consider being baptised as believers if they have not already done so.
Conclusion
So then, why be baptised? Jesus has commanded us to do so. We are obedient to His command and follow his example.
Who should be baptised? Baptism is for those who repent and believe.
What does baptism mean? It is a picture of salvation. Of our old sinful and worldly life being buried in baptism but of our being raised up out of the waters, symbolising our new life in Christ.
One further question remains and with this I finish: “When should I be baptised?” and the answer is “As soon as you have believed!” Acts 2:41 says “Those who believed…were baptised… that day!” Philip when he spoke to the Ethiopian, the Bible says, “…began with Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus. As they travelled along the road, they came to some water, and the man said, “Look here is water! Why shouldn’t I be baptised right now? Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart, you may” The man answered, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.” So they went down into the water and Philip baptised him” (Acts 8:35-38).
There is no reason to delay. If you are repentant- you have turned from known sin- and put your faith in Christ you should be baptised. This is not about waiting for some level of perfection. But if you can say with the Ethiopian “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God” you can and should be baptised. Make an appointment with me after this service and I’ll arrange it for the 3rd July!!
……………………………………………………………
Prayers
Prayer about baptism
Holy God, gracious Father: We give you thanks, for in the beginning your Spirit moved over the waters and you created heaven and earth. By the gift of water you nourish and sustain us and all living things.
By the waters of the flood you condemned the wicked and saved those whom you had chosen, Noah and his family. You led Israel by the pillar of cloud and fire through the sea, out of slavery into the freedom of the Promised Land. In the waters of the Jordan your Son was baptized by John and anointed with the Spirit. By the baptism of his own death and resurrection your beloved Son has set us free from the bondage to sin and death, and has opened the way to the joy and freedom of everlasting life. He made water a sign of the kingdom and of cleansing and rebirth. In obedience to his command, we make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Pour out your Holy Spirit, so that those who are baptised may be given new life. Wash away the sin of all those who are cleansed by water and bring them forth as inheritors of your glorious kingdom.
To you be given praise and honour and worship through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, now and forever. (Lutheran book of worship).
Prayer for someone to come to know Christ.
There are countless verses in the Bible through which you can pray for a family member or friend by name. Here are a few to help guide you in your prayers:
Father God, I know that “no one can come to [Jesus] unless the Father . . . draws them” (John 6:44). I ask that You draw _____________ to Your Son, that he/she may know You personally and spend eternity with You.
Lord God, I ask that You move upon _____________’s heart to accept the Truth of Christ. “Give them a heart to know [You], that [You are] the Lord, [so that] they will be [Your] people, and [You] will be their God,” and may they “return to [You] with all their heart” (Jeremiah 24:7).
Overwhelm _____________ with the reality of Your love for him/her, that he/she may “grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge” (Ephesians 3:18-19).
Lord, use me to “open _____________’s eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in [You]” (Acts 26:18).
Holy Spirit, show me specifically how to minister to each member of my family—whether I should “be merciful to those who doubt; save others by snatching them from the fire; [or] show mercy, mixed with fear” (Jude 1:23). Reveal opportunities to share about You, and give me the strength to obey when You open the door.
Father God, Your Word says that “godly sorrow brings repentance which leads to salvation and leaves no regret” (2 Corinthians 7:10). Only You can open our eyes to the reality that all have sinned and fallen short of Your glory. Come upon _____________ with a sense of godly sorrow for his/her sin, that he/she may repent, surrender to You, and be saved.
As we pray, God readies our hearts to do His will, while also inviting us to rest in the fact that only He can change hearts. You may see the fruit of your prayers immediately, or you may never see the full impact of your intercession. Either way, don’t give up praying for your unsaved family members. Remember, we are engaged in a spiritual battle (see Ephesians 6:12-20), and one of our greatest weapons is prayer. God is in the business of doing the impossible, and He can change even the hardest of hearts. (Dr Michael Youssef. ‘Leading the way’)
Hymn
“All my days” MP 1024 (Piano)
Stuart Townend
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RSm6fdZHl5Q
Please do speak to me after the service or call me on the phone if you would like to be baptised. Jesus said ‘Go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit’
Blessing.
Go into God’s world with joy and peace and love, and hope in your hearts; and the blessing of almighty God, creator, redeemer, and sustainer, be with you all. Amen.
David Barnes 25/5/22
David Barnes 25/5/22