announcer: This presentation
is brought to you by
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the friends of the
Amazing Facts ministry.
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Doug Batchelor: Did you know
that when a human baby is born,
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about 78% of its
body is made up of water?
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Our water ratio
drops somewhat as we age,
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but water remains an
essential part of our survival.
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In fact, a mere
2% drop in body water
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can cause fuzzy
short-term memory,
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difficulty with basic math,
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and trouble focusing on a
computer or a printed page.
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If the water in
your body drops 5%,
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you'll no longer be able to see.
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A 10% drop takes
away your ability to hear.
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Water plays a crucial role
in almost every body function.
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But some researchers
estimate that 75% of Americans
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are chronically dehydrated.
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Insufficient water
increases the risk for obesity,
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fatigue, and a
host of common diseases.
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Water is essential not
only to our physical bodies,
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but our
spiritual survival as well.
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As the Living Water, Jesus
is the ultimate thirst quencher
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for our souls, and we
receive him in a special way
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when we enter the
waters of baptism.
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So join me now,
friends, for today's program
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as we take a closer look at
this very important subject,
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how we can be born of
the Spirit and the water.
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Doug: Our lesson today
is a very important subject.
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It may be one of
the most important.
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And some of you're
going to think, Pastor Doug,
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are you pulling a fast one?
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Why are you dropping this
subject into a prophecy seminar?
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As we move on, I
think you'll understand
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why it belongs and
why it's so important.
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The lesson title is
"The River of Life."
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And I would like to
direct your attention to a story
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that you find in the
second book of Kings,
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II Kings chapter five.
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It tells us about a character.
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He's an Assyrian
by the name of Naaman.
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And it says Naaman was a
mighty man with his master.
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He was a valiant man.
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He's well-known.
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He was successful.
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And by him, the Lord had
given deliverance to Syria.
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Wealthy man, courageous.
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He was the general for the king.
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But at the end
of that first verse,
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it's got five words it
says, "But he was a leper."
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Everything changes.
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I mean, what profit is it
if you gain the whole world
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and you're dying of a
deadly, contagious disease
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for which there is no cure?
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He was wealthy, he was
strong, had a great reputation.
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It says he was an honorable man.
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But one day, he came
down with this terrible,
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dreaded contagious
disease of leprosy.
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The Bible often compares
leprosy to sin, you may know.
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Well, the story goes
on to tell that Naaman
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bought a slave girl
that worked in his household,
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he's a wealthy man, and she
had been captured from Israel.
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This little girl,
she had probably heard
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the story of Joseph, how
Joseph found himself a slave
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in a foreign land and said,
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Well, if I'm going
to be a good slave,
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God's got a
reason for me to be here.
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I'm going to trust the Lord.
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If God was able to use
Joseph in that capacity,
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then perhaps he can use me.
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And when she found out
that her master had leprosy,
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she said to her
mistress, she said,
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"For if he, Naaman, would go
to Israel, the prophet there,
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"Elisha, would heal
him of his leprosy."
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So Naaman goes down to Israel.
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And they'd often been enemies,
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so it's kind of an odd request.
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I mean, here Naaman
has been the general
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who has attacked Israel.
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And there's this
brief period of truce.
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So he goes down
there and gives a message
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to the king of Israel that says,
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King of Syria sent a
message to the king of Israel,
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I've sent Naaman
my servant unto you
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so you can heal
him of his leprosy.
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King of Israel said, What?
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What am I now?
Some faith healer?
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Well, word came to
Elisha, what had happened.
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He sent a message
to the king of Israel.
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He said, "Send him
to me that you may know
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"that there is a
prophet in Israel."
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And so Naaman comes to the
house of Elisha, the prophet,
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but Elisha
doesn't even come out.
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He sends out
his servant, Gehazi,
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and he is got a very
short, simple message.
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"Go and wash in the
Jordan River seven times
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"and your flesh shall
be restored to you again
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"and you'll be clean."
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Evidently, his leprosy
had advanced, when it says,
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"Your flesh shall be restored."
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He may have already gotten
to the stage in his leprosy
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where sometimes you can
lose digits or piece of them
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through injury, and it
was pretty far advanced.
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And Naaman says,
"Wash in the Jordan River?"
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Well, the Jordan River was
not the best river in the world.
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Matter of fact,
in the summertime,
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the Jordan is like a
series of stagnating pools.
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But what does it mean if
someone tells you to take
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seven baths in a dirty river?
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The Jordan River,
it's either green or brown.
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It's very rarely clear.
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And when Naaman heard that,
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I mean, he was expecting
the prophet to come out
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and go through some
incantations and say, you know,
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magic words and he'd be healed.
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Or ask him to do
something like climb a mountain,
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go kill some other enemies.
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And he says, "Go wash."
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And it offended his pride.
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Here he is.
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Brought millions of
dollars in gold, and silver,
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and clothing to
pay for his healing.
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I think someone once calculated
it was over $52 million
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in gold and silver
had been sent by the king
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to heal Naaman of his leprosy.
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And he says, "Go wash."
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Well, he had just
ridden by the Jordan River
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on his way to Israel.
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Now see, he's so mad,
he turns his horse around.
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He begins to
gallop off and he said,
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the Bible says
he left in a rage.
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He said, "Are not the rivers
of Damascus, Abana and Pharpar,
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cleaner than all
the waters in Israel?
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And he thought his
problem was leprosy
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and God knew his
problem was pride.
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Good man, but he was proud.
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Pride is the mother of all sins.
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And on his way down to Damascus,
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he had to ride
by the Jordan River.
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And the soldiers
came to him and they said,
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"Master," they drew
near 'cause they had been
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keeping their
distance, he's contagious.
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They said, "If he had
asked you to do some hard thing,
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"wouldn't you have done it?
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"If he had said go
conquer a thousand Philistines,
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"you would've done it.
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"But he's saying wash."
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Naaman thought, Well, you
know, I'm going home to die.
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What have I got to lose?
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And he gets off his horse
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and he steps on
down into the river.
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Has to take off his
clothes and his armor
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with his men watching.
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It's sort of a
humbling experience.
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And the water's brown.
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And he gets off there and
you see little clouds of mud
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coming up underneath his feet.
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And he thought, How
can this possibly help?
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They said, "Master, do it."
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So he goes and he
dunks himself the first time
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and it comes up and
all he knows is it stings.
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And he's still got his leprosy.
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And he thinks, Well, you know,
why am I going through this?
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They said, "No, he
didn't say one time, Master.
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"Seven times."
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He dunks
himself again and again.
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And he thought every
time he dunked himself
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that it was
washing aways leprosy.
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It was washing away his pride.
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Finally, after six times, he
thought, Oh, enough's enough,
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and he's going to get out.
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And they said, "No, no, Master,
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"he said seven times."
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Now, let me ask you a question.
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Does God mean what He says?
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Do numbers matter to God?
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When God told Joshua to
march around Jericho seven times
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on the seventh day and
you'll gain the victory,
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did they get the victory before?
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The Lord means what He says.
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So Naaman obeyed and he
went down the seventh time.
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And something happened.
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He felt it. He had to feel it.
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He came up out of the
water, leprosy was gone.
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Any missing digits
popped back into place.
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He was completely
and totally healed.
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Well, this was one of
the first times we see
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something connected with washing
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in the Jordan
River and cleansing.
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Now, there were
several miracles that happened
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in the Jordan River, and
one of the greatest miracles was
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this is where Christ was
anointed with the Holy Spirit,
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because this is where John
the Baptist began baptizing.
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And that is our
subject for tonight.
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We're going to be talking
about the subject of baptism.
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It is a prophecy subject.
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And so people who are
coming to a prophecy seminar
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and saying, Well Doug, I don't
want to know about salvation.
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I'm not
interested in my salvation.
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I'm interested in the details.
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Do you realize that the heavy
subjects that are coming now,
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if you're not born again,
you're not going to understand?
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Jesus said,
"Seeing, they will not see.
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"Hearing, they will not hear.
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"But to those who
consecrate themselves,
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"he will give them ears
to hear what the Spirit says
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"to the church."
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That's in
Revelation chapter two.
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And so, this is a
subject where you say,
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All right, Lord, we're
getting into deep water now
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and I need to follow
Youand choose to say,
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Lord, you're my Savior.
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And so we're
presenting this Bible subject
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because it really is a
symbol of how God saves people
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from their sins.
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The children of
Israel, Paul tells us
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in I Corinthians chapter 10,
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they went through the Red Sea.
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This is way back
in the Old Testament.
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And Paul says they
were baptized in the sea.
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They didn't walk on
the water, they went down.
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And God wants us to go down.
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Baptism is a symbol of
death, burial, and resurrection.
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We're going to
talk about that tonight
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and maybe speaking to you
or you who are watching now.
00:10:01.26\00:10:04.40
As we move on into the
future, we want you cleansed.
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We want your robes made
white in the blood of the Lamb.
00:10:07.60\00:10:10.37
First question in our lesson.
00:10:10.41\00:10:11.94
What New Testament
prophet used the Jordan River
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for baptizing or cleansing?
00:10:15.64\00:10:18.75
You can read here in Matthew
chapter three, verse one.
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"In those days,
John the Baptist came
00:10:21.55\00:10:24.59
"preaching in the
wilderness of Judea."
00:10:24.62\00:10:27.79
And the people came
from everywhere and it says,
00:10:27.82\00:10:30.33
"Then Jerusalem, and all Judea,
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"and all the region
round about the Jordan
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"went to him and were baptized
by him in the Jordan River."
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Jordan in the Bible
is a symbol of death.
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It is the lowest river in
the world and it represents
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like a humbling of ourself.
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It also represents a burial.
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Then you come up
out of the water,
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it represents a
cleansing and a new birth.
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What glorious Bible
ceremony symbolizes a washing
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from the leprosy of sin?
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Acts 22:16, "Arise and be
baptized, and wash away your
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sins, "calling on
the name of the Lord."
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Baptism is this ceremony.
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And John the Baptist,
of course was baptizing.
00:11:10.30\00:11:12.17
Someone was asking,
is this the first time
00:11:12.20\00:11:17.27
baptism is
mentioned in the Bible?
00:11:17.31\00:11:19.17
Well, you got the
children of Israel going
00:11:19.21\00:11:20.71
through the Red
Sea, you've got Naaman,
00:11:20.74\00:11:22.24
you've got the
children of Israel walking
00:11:22.28\00:11:24.28
across the Jordan, or
through the Jordan River
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when they came
into the Promised Land,
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and it's like baptism.
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According to the Bible,
00:11:30.29\00:11:31.85
how many different kinds
of baptism are acceptable?
00:11:31.89\00:11:35.69
Well, the Bible says in
Ephesians 4:5, there is,
00:11:35.72\00:11:38.56
you see it on your screen there?
00:11:38.59\00:11:39.89
How many?
00:11:39.93\00:11:41.20
"One Lord, one
faith, one baptism."
00:11:41.23\00:11:45.10
Is the Lord important?
00:11:45.13\00:11:46.47
Is faith
important in the gospel?
00:11:47.27\00:11:49.10
Is baptism important?
00:11:50.04\00:11:52.04
According to the Bible writers,
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they gave it a priority.
00:11:53.41\00:11:55.08
One baptism.
00:11:55.11\00:11:56.41
Not only does that
mean there's one truth
00:11:56.44\00:11:58.25
that we are baptized into,
00:11:58.28\00:12:00.12
there's really one
method of baptism in the Bible.
00:12:00.15\00:12:03.42
Question number four:
What's the word baptize mean?
00:12:03.45\00:12:07.39
The word baptism, it comes
from the Greek word baptizo,
00:12:07.42\00:12:10.89
and that simply means to
dip, to immerse, to plunge.
00:12:10.93\00:12:14.76
You can find it
in Greek literature
00:12:14.83\00:12:17.00
where when they
were dying cloth,
00:12:17.03\00:12:18.77
they would take these
big vats of purple or red dye
00:12:18.80\00:12:21.57
and they would plunge the
cloth under so that the dye
00:12:21.60\00:12:25.81
would sink into all the
fibers and saturate things
00:12:25.84\00:12:28.01
and it would be
adequately baptize or submerged.
00:12:28.04\00:12:32.18
And so the Bible's pretty
clear the method of baptism
00:12:32.21\00:12:36.22
that Jesus experienced,
that John the Baptist practiced,
00:12:36.25\00:12:40.02
that Naaman experienced
was where they were immersed.
00:12:40.06\00:12:44.23
The Lord wants us
to be immersed in Him.
00:12:44.26\00:12:47.66
He wants us to be
completely cleansed.
00:12:47.66\00:12:50.37
It's not just, you
know, washing your hands.
00:12:50.40\00:12:53.27
It's a total consecration
and baptism represents that.
00:12:53.30\00:12:57.37
That's why you
read in Colossians 2:12,
00:12:57.41\00:12:59.64
"Buried with Him in baptism,
in which you are also raised
00:12:59.67\00:13:03.18
"with Him through
faith in the working of God
00:13:03.21\00:13:05.81
"who raised Him from the dead."
00:13:05.85\00:13:07.82
Baptism is compared
to a death, a burial,
00:13:07.85\00:13:12.19
and a resurrection.
00:13:12.22\00:13:13.99
Jesus is our example.
00:13:14.02\00:13:16.09
How was He baptized?
00:13:16.12\00:13:18.03
If you are a
Christian, you follow Jesus.
00:13:18.06\00:13:21.03
What does the
Bible say about Him?
00:13:21.06\00:13:24.17
"Jesus came and was
baptized by John in the Jordan.
00:13:24.20\00:13:26.67
"And immediately
coming up from the water,
00:13:26.70\00:13:29.67
"He saw the heavens open."
00:13:29.70\00:13:31.07
Is it pretty clear?
00:13:31.11\00:13:32.47
He goes down in the water,
he comes up from the water.
00:13:32.51\00:13:35.01
John baptized in the Jordan.
00:13:35.04\00:13:36.58
It's a river.
00:13:36.61\00:13:37.91
You can also read
where the Bible says
00:13:37.95\00:13:39.31
that he baptized in Salim
00:13:39.35\00:13:40.88
because there
was much water there.
00:13:40.92\00:13:43.18
What other truths are
symbolized in baptism?
00:13:43.22\00:13:46.52
"Therefore, we are
buried with Him through baptism,
00:13:48.09\00:13:51.53
"that just as Christ
was raised from the dead
00:13:51.56\00:13:54.10
"by the glory of the Father,
00:13:54.10\00:13:55.70
"even so we should
walk in a newness of life.
00:13:55.73\00:13:59.77
"For if we have been
united together in the likeness
00:13:59.80\00:14:02.77
"of His death, certainly
shall we be in the likeness
00:14:02.80\00:14:06.37
"of His resurrection."
00:14:06.41\00:14:08.31
Baptism is a symbol of a death,
00:14:08.34\00:14:11.38
but it's not only just a death,
00:14:11.41\00:14:12.71
it's a burial, and
then it's a resurrection.
00:14:12.75\00:14:15.55
Doug: Don't go
anywhere, friends.
00:14:16.79\00:14:18.12
In just a moment,
we're going to return
00:14:18.15\00:14:19.85
for the rest of
today's presentation.
00:14:19.89\00:14:22.46
Baptism, how important
is this Christian rite?
00:14:22.49\00:14:26.06
Is it essential to go to heaven?
00:14:26.09\00:14:28.06
And if so, is there a right
way and a wrong way to do it?
00:14:28.10\00:14:31.73
Can you get baptized on
behalf of another person?
00:14:31.77\00:14:34.87
The answers may surprise you.
00:14:34.90\00:14:37.64
We have a wonderful free
resource we'd like to share
00:14:37.67\00:14:40.24
with you called "Baptism,
Is It Really Necessary?"
00:14:40.28\00:14:43.65
In this book, you're going
to find all of the balanced
00:14:43.68\00:14:46.11
and biblical answers you need
about the purpose and meaning
00:14:46.15\00:14:49.08
of baptism in the
life of every Christian,
00:14:49.12\00:14:51.45
straight from God's Word.
00:14:51.49\00:14:53.69
To get your free copy, call
the phone number on your screen
00:14:53.72\00:14:56.89
and ask for offer number
165, or visit the web address.
00:14:56.93\00:15:01.36
And after you read
this incredible resource,
00:15:01.40\00:15:04.27
make sure to
share it with a friend.
00:15:04.30\00:15:06.13
Well, let's get back
now to today's presentation
00:15:07.00\00:15:09.07
and learn some more amazing
facts from the Word of God.
00:15:09.10\00:15:11.61
Doug: I remember
hearing about this baptism
00:15:13.01\00:15:14.98
here in northern California.
00:15:15.01\00:15:16.48
There was this Spanish gentleman
00:15:17.48\00:15:20.32
and he told the pastor, he said,
00:15:20.35\00:15:22.08
You know, I've
lived a pretty wild life.
00:15:22.12\00:15:24.05
And he said,
when you baptize me,
00:15:25.25\00:15:26.62
and he said, I want to
get baptized in the lake.
00:15:26.65\00:15:29.46
And he said, when you
baptize me, I'm a good swimmer.
00:15:29.49\00:15:34.13
He said, I want to have a
prayer while I'm under water.
00:15:36.46\00:15:39.77
Pastor said, All right.
00:15:39.80\00:15:41.57
Usually, when
they baptize a person,
00:15:41.60\00:15:42.94
they just immerse 'em and
you bring them right up again.
00:15:42.97\00:15:45.74
You just, you know, important
you don't hold 'em under.
00:15:45.77\00:15:48.58
So the pastor said, I baptize
you in the name of the Father,
00:15:48.61\00:15:51.05
the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
00:15:51.08\00:15:52.95
And he put him down
and he hold him there.
00:15:52.98\00:15:56.58
And people on the shore
are shifting back and forth
00:15:57.85\00:15:59.55
and they're wondering
if they're going to charge
00:15:59.59\00:16:00.96
out in the lake
and attack the pastor.
00:16:00.99\00:16:02.29
What are you
trying to do? Drown him?
00:16:02.32\00:16:04.46
And then he squeezed his hand,
he brought him back up again.
00:16:04.49\00:16:06.46
Then he explained everybody,
00:16:06.49\00:16:07.76
I wanted to just have a
prayer while I was under water.
00:16:07.83\00:16:11.60
But usually, one of the
ways you tell a person is dead,
00:16:11.63\00:16:14.54
they stop breathing.
00:16:14.57\00:16:15.90
And so at least for that
moment that you hold your breath
00:16:17.07\00:16:19.81
while you're under water,
00:16:19.84\00:16:21.51
it's like I'm
dying to my old ways.
00:16:21.54\00:16:22.94
When a baby's born, it comes
out of an envelope of water
00:16:22.98\00:16:25.71
and it takes its breath.
00:16:25.75\00:16:27.05
And we all worry when it doesn't
00:16:27.08\00:16:28.38
take that first breath, right?
00:16:28.42\00:16:30.39
That first cry is
symbolic of a new birth.
00:16:30.42\00:16:33.19
How important is baptism?
00:16:34.59\00:16:36.09
The Bible tells us,
Mark 16:16, Pastor Doug,
00:16:38.09\00:16:41.13
why are you
talking about this subject?
00:16:41.16\00:16:43.70
"He who believes and is
baptized will be saved."
00:16:43.73\00:16:47.94
Does that sound important?
00:16:47.97\00:16:49.54
"But he who does not
believe will be condemned."
00:16:49.57\00:16:51.74
You notice the
emphasis is on belief.
00:16:51.77\00:16:53.81
Will there be some people in
heaven who were not baptized?
00:16:55.14\00:16:59.65
Well sure.
00:16:59.68\00:17:01.05
You've got all these
characters in the Old Testament
00:17:01.08\00:17:02.38
who will be saved
and it doesn't tell us
00:17:02.42\00:17:03.72
that they practice
baptism as a a rite back then.
00:17:03.75\00:17:07.69
What about the thief on the
cross who died next to Jesus?
00:17:07.72\00:17:10.69
Will he be saved?
00:17:11.79\00:17:13.16
Why was Jesus baptized?
00:17:14.36\00:17:16.46
Was Jesus baptized for His sin?
00:17:17.50\00:17:19.40
No.
00:17:20.77\00:17:22.07
Jesus is baptized as
an example for you and me.
00:17:22.10\00:17:25.17
Another reason that I
believe Jesus was baptized,
00:17:26.41\00:17:29.08
Jesus did not die for
His sin; He died for mine.
00:17:29.11\00:17:31.95
I get credit for His death.
00:17:31.98\00:17:33.58
I think there are going
to be people like that thief
00:17:33.62\00:17:35.52
on the cross who turn to Jesus
00:17:35.55\00:17:37.39
in the closing
hours of their life
00:17:37.42\00:17:38.92
and they cannot practically
accommodate a baptism
00:17:38.95\00:17:42.09
and the Lord gives
them credit for His baptism.
00:17:42.12\00:17:45.46
'Cause He certainly wasn't
baptized to wash away His sin.
00:17:45.49\00:17:48.93
There's some times I'll
visit someone in the hospital
00:17:48.96\00:17:51.93
and they're in the closing
days or hours of their life
00:17:53.27\00:17:56.47
and they're hooked up
to apparatus and they say,
00:17:56.50\00:17:59.27
"Pastor Doug, I
want to accept the Lord."
00:17:59.31\00:18:03.08
Well, they can't be baptized,
00:18:03.11\00:18:04.68
but can they accept the Lord
and have their sins forgiven?
00:18:04.71\00:18:06.88
Yes.
00:18:06.92\00:18:08.25
Third reason Jesus was
baptized is to show you and me
00:18:08.28\00:18:12.19
what to expect
when we are baptized.
00:18:12.22\00:18:16.06
But I'll elaborate on that a
little more in a few moments.
00:18:16.09\00:18:18.96
Is it important?
00:18:19.76\00:18:21.03
Listen to what
Jesus said to Nicodemus.
00:18:21.06\00:18:23.30
"Unless one is born of
the water and the Spirit,
00:18:23.33\00:18:26.77
"he cannot enter,"
that's pretty absolute,
00:18:26.80\00:18:29.84
"he cannot enter
the kingdom of God."
00:18:29.87\00:18:32.54
You and I cannot pick the time
when God's going to baptize us
00:18:34.08\00:18:36.31
with the Holy Spirit.
00:18:36.34\00:18:38.08
We can ask, but He does it.
00:18:38.11\00:18:40.68
Sometimes He does it suddenly.
00:18:40.72\00:18:42.15
At Pentecost, it says suddenly.
00:18:42.18\00:18:44.69
You and I can choose
when we are baptized by water.
00:18:44.72\00:18:48.69
And so it's basically saying,
00:18:48.72\00:18:50.39
unless you're born of
the water, your choice,
00:18:50.43\00:18:52.19
and born of the
Spirit, my choice,
00:18:52.23\00:18:54.30
you cannot enter
the kingdom of heaven.
00:18:54.36\00:18:56.53
When the children of
Israel came out of Egypt,
00:18:56.56\00:18:59.67
the Bible says they
went through the Red Sea,
00:18:59.70\00:19:01.94
baptized in water, and
God sent a pillar of fire,
00:19:01.97\00:19:05.17
baptized in fire.
00:19:05.21\00:19:07.58
Water baptism, fire
baptism, new person, new nation.
00:19:07.61\00:19:12.18
When they came out of that
water and they were baptized
00:19:12.21\00:19:14.35
in the cloud of fire,
they became a new nation.
00:19:14.38\00:19:16.58
You know, even our world
is getting both baptisms.
00:19:16.62\00:19:19.42
The days of Noah, the
world was washed with water.
00:19:19.45\00:19:22.16
Peter says this next time
it's not going to be water,
00:19:23.66\00:19:25.53
but the heavens will
dissolve with a great noise
00:19:25.56\00:19:28.50
and the elements will
melt with fervent heat.
00:19:28.53\00:19:30.57
The earth and the works
in it will be burned up.
00:19:30.60\00:19:32.60
Next time, he said, it's
going to be baptized in fire
00:19:32.63\00:19:35.17
and then God
will make a new earth.
00:19:35.20\00:19:37.51
So even our world is going
to go through both baptisms
00:19:37.54\00:19:39.91
before it's made new.
00:19:39.94\00:19:41.38
You need both baptisms as well.
00:19:41.41\00:19:43.41
What blessed ceremony
can be compared to baptism?
00:19:44.98\00:19:47.65
I already give you
a little peek into it.
00:19:47.68\00:19:49.45
It's a symbol of like marriage.
00:19:49.48\00:19:51.99
And you can read
in Galatians 3:27,
00:19:52.02\00:19:54.66
"For as many of you as
were baptized into Christ,"
00:19:54.69\00:19:58.26
have put on Christ,
it's like putting on
00:19:58.29\00:20:01.10
the wedding garment.
00:20:01.13\00:20:03.10
Now, baptism is as
important to a Christian
00:20:03.13\00:20:08.14
as a wedding is to a marriage.
00:20:09.17\00:20:11.54
Typically, though there's
exceptions, baptisms are public.
00:20:11.57\00:20:15.08
Most people want others
to know about their wedding.
00:20:15.11\00:20:17.81
Love must be involved.
00:20:18.98\00:20:20.55
Faith must be involved.
00:20:20.58\00:20:22.68
It's a
consecration. It's a commitment.
00:20:22.72\00:20:25.22
What command did
Jesus give to His people
00:20:26.39\00:20:28.16
just before His ascension?
00:20:28.19\00:20:30.46
He said, "Go therefore and
make disciples of all nations,
00:20:30.49\00:20:34.23
"baptizing them in
the name of the Father
00:20:34.30\00:20:37.13
"and the Son and
the Holy Spirit."
00:20:37.17\00:20:40.14
So the Lord wants us to
go everywhere and to teach
00:20:41.50\00:20:43.91
and to baptize.
00:20:43.94\00:20:45.74
And He said, "Baptize
in the name of the Father,
00:20:45.77\00:20:47.38
"Son and Holy Spirit."
00:20:47.41\00:20:48.78
Now when you get
to the New Testament,
00:20:48.81\00:20:50.11
you get to the Book of
Acts, it says go baptize
00:20:50.15\00:20:52.05
in the name of the Lord,
00:20:52.08\00:20:53.38
baptize in the
name of the Lord Jesus.
00:20:53.42\00:20:55.68
So what are the criteria?
00:20:55.72\00:20:57.55
This is where it
gets really important.
00:20:57.59\00:20:59.19
Before a person's baptized,
what do they need to know?
00:20:59.22\00:21:02.09
Well, it says, for one thing,
00:21:02.12\00:21:03.73
they need to understand
the teachings of Jesus.
00:21:03.76\00:21:06.13
Matthew 28:19, He said, "Go
therefore teach all nations,
00:21:06.16\00:21:10.27
"baptizing them in
the name of the Father,
00:21:10.30\00:21:12.10
"Son and Holy Spirit, teaching
them to observe all things
00:21:12.13\00:21:15.04
"whatsoever I've commanded you.
00:21:15.07\00:21:16.87
"Lo, I'm with you to
the end of the world."
00:21:16.91\00:21:18.84
So you must be taught
the fundamental teachings
00:21:18.87\00:21:22.18
of the Bible and accept them.
00:21:22.21\00:21:23.75
And that's the next point.
00:21:23.78\00:21:25.08
Believe all of the
teachings of Jesus.
00:21:25.11\00:21:27.35
So yes, I embrace them.
00:21:27.38\00:21:28.92
I believe the
teachings of Jesus.
00:21:28.95\00:21:31.45
Be willing to
repent of your past sins.
00:21:31.49\00:21:35.02
Now, that means a sorrow for sin
00:21:35.89\00:21:38.33
and a turning away from sin.
00:21:38.36\00:21:40.23
Let me ask the ladies, if
a man came to you and said,
00:21:41.53\00:21:43.90
I love you, I'd
like to get married,
00:21:43.93\00:21:46.27
and we've been
dating for a little while.
00:21:46.30\00:21:49.30
And I think if we
got married I could stop
00:21:49.34\00:21:51.71
dating the other girls.
00:21:51.74\00:21:53.21
What would you say
to a proposal like that?
00:21:55.41\00:21:57.55
Crazy.
00:21:58.91\00:22:00.28
But there are people who say,
Pastor Doug, if you baptize me,
00:22:00.32\00:22:02.58
I think I can stop these
major addictions and sins
00:22:02.62\00:22:05.19
in my life.
00:22:05.22\00:22:06.72
No, John the Baptist
said, "Bring forth fruits
00:22:06.76\00:22:09.79
"meat of repentance in advance."
00:22:09.82\00:22:11.33
In other words,
repent of your sins,
00:22:11.36\00:22:12.66
turn from your sins,
and make that covenant.
00:22:12.69\00:22:16.70
You don't get baptized
in order to love the Lord.
00:22:16.73\00:22:19.50
Some people have said, I
think if you just baptize me,
00:22:19.53\00:22:21.20
then I'll love the Lord.
00:22:21.24\00:22:22.54
No, you want to
consecrate yourself to the Lord,
00:22:22.57\00:22:25.11
be converted, and be baptized.
00:22:25.14\00:22:29.04
Repent of your past sins.
00:22:29.08\00:22:30.38
Repent and turn.
00:22:30.41\00:22:31.71
And that's the next verse.
00:22:31.75\00:22:33.05
Romans 6:5-6 and Luke 3:7-8,
00:22:33.08\00:22:36.15
agree to turn
from your life of sin.
00:22:36.18\00:22:39.12
Be willing to say,
Lord, I want to follow you.
00:22:39.15\00:22:41.12
Jesus gives you the power
to change before your baptism.
00:22:41.16\00:22:45.99
He gives you the power to
change before your baptism.
00:22:46.03\00:22:49.26
And so don't worry
that I don't get the power
00:22:49.30\00:22:51.87
until I get baptized.
00:22:51.90\00:22:53.20
Baptism's a
ceremony like a marriage.
00:22:53.23\00:22:54.64
The love must come first.
00:22:54.67\00:22:56.04
The commitment must come first.
00:22:56.07\00:22:57.54
You don't say, If I got married,
00:22:57.57\00:22:58.87
then I think I can be committed.
00:22:58.91\00:23:00.48
Don't marry that person.
00:23:01.61\00:23:02.94
Accept Christ as
a personal Savior
00:23:04.18\00:23:06.75
and experience the new
birth, II Corinthians 5:17
00:23:06.78\00:23:11.12
and John three
verses three and five.
00:23:11.15\00:23:13.39
But doesn't
baptism of the Holy Spirit
00:23:14.59\00:23:16.79
replace baptism by immersion?
00:23:16.83\00:23:19.09
No, need both.
00:23:20.16\00:23:22.06
You can read where
in Acts chapter two
00:23:22.10\00:23:24.03
the apostles were
baptized by John the Baptist,
00:23:24.07\00:23:27.57
but then at Pentecost they're
baptized in the Holy Spirit.
00:23:27.60\00:23:31.04
And then Peter told
them, after the Holy Spirit
00:23:31.07\00:23:33.31
had been poured out,
he says in Acts 2:38,
00:23:33.34\00:23:36.71
"Repent and be
baptized every one of you."
00:23:36.75\00:23:40.52
He says, "Repent and let
every one of you be baptized,"
00:23:40.55\00:23:43.05
and so repentance and baptism,
00:23:43.08\00:23:45.52
they made it clear all through.
00:23:45.55\00:23:47.06
Even Paul when he was converted,
00:23:47.09\00:23:48.76
Ananias came to Paul and he said
00:23:49.96\00:23:52.13
I've been sent by
the Lord to baptize you.
00:23:52.16\00:23:55.70
Paul had been converted.
00:23:55.73\00:23:57.03
And so connected
with your decision to say
00:23:57.07\00:23:58.83
I want to be a Christian,
I want my sins washed away,
00:23:58.87\00:24:01.77
I want to follow the
Lord, is this sacred rite
00:24:01.80\00:24:05.24
that
encompasses that commitment,
00:24:05.27\00:24:07.38
that covenant
that you're making.
00:24:07.41\00:24:09.68
Now, I told you, you may not
know everything about a person
00:24:09.71\00:24:13.15
before you get married.
00:24:13.18\00:24:14.48
You need to know the basics.
00:24:14.52\00:24:15.85
There needs to be a commitment.
00:24:15.88\00:24:17.35
But don't wait until you
feel like you're perfect.
00:24:17.39\00:24:20.26
Because if you wait until
you feel like you're perfect
00:24:20.29\00:24:22.59
before you get baptized,
nobody will ever get baptized.
00:24:22.62\00:24:26.46
Even after Peter,
James, and John were baptized,
00:24:26.49\00:24:30.10
you see that they
weren't quite perfect yet.
00:24:30.13\00:24:32.90
In fact, Peter said,
"Lord Jesus, depart for me.
00:24:32.93\00:24:35.84
"I'm a sinful man."
00:24:35.87\00:24:37.34
That's in Luke chapter five.
00:24:37.37\00:24:38.87
Jesus said, "When
you're converted, Peter."
00:24:39.97\00:24:41.78
That's long after His baptism.
00:24:41.81\00:24:43.58
So you want to make your
commitment, but don't say
00:24:43.61\00:24:45.55
I've gotta make
sure that I'm perfect,
00:24:45.58\00:24:47.05
or you'll never get there.
00:24:47.08\00:24:48.42
And furthermore, Acts 2:38,
00:24:50.12\00:24:52.59
"Baptize in the name of
Jesus Christ for the remission
00:24:52.62\00:24:55.06
"of sins and you will receive
the gift of the Holy Spirit."
00:24:55.09\00:24:58.66
So you got water
baptism, spirit baptism.
00:24:58.69\00:25:01.46
Now you'll notice
biblically those baptisms
00:25:01.50\00:25:04.67
might happen at different times.
00:25:04.70\00:25:06.53
In Acts chapter 10,
00:25:06.57\00:25:08.67
Cornelius as Roman
centurion and his household,
00:25:08.70\00:25:11.87
they are baptized
with the Holy Spirit.
00:25:11.91\00:25:14.64
And Peter said, "Wow, they got
baptized with the Holy Spirit
00:25:14.68\00:25:17.45
and they haven't been
baptized with water yet.
00:25:17.48\00:25:19.15
Who can forbid that we
baptize one with water?"
00:25:19.18\00:25:21.85
So he said let's
do both baptisms.
00:25:21.88\00:25:23.89
He baptizes them with water.
00:25:23.92\00:25:25.65
Then you've got
where Jesus is baptized,
00:25:25.69\00:25:27.36
the Holy Spirit and
the water baptism happened
00:25:27.39\00:25:29.29
at the same time.
00:25:29.32\00:25:31.06
When Jesus was baptized,
what did His Father say?
00:25:31.09\00:25:34.50
You can look here in Mark 1:9.
00:25:35.73\00:25:38.97
"It came to pass in
those days that Jesus came
00:25:39.00\00:25:41.94
"from Nazareth of
Galilee and was baptized by John
00:25:41.97\00:25:45.11
"in the Jordan.
00:25:45.14\00:25:46.57
"And then a voice
came from heaven saying,
00:25:46.61\00:25:49.14
"You are My beloved son
in whom I am well pleased."
00:25:49.18\00:25:53.78
When we are
baptized, God adopts us.
00:25:53.82\00:25:55.85
He says we are His
beloved son or daughter
00:25:55.88\00:25:58.19
and He is well pleased.
00:25:58.22\00:26:00.12
How many of us
want to know that God
00:26:00.16\00:26:01.46
is well pleased with us?
00:26:01.49\00:26:02.92
He looks upon us as
though we have never sinned
00:26:02.96\00:26:05.43
and all of our sins washed away.
00:26:05.46\00:26:07.13
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