John and Sarah were sitting
at their favorite restaurant
00:00:09.64\00:00:13.38
enjoying a
romantic meal together.
00:00:13.41\00:00:16.64
They were celebrating
their 20th wedding anniversary.
00:00:16.68\00:00:20.38
They were sitting at a
special table in the corner
00:00:20.42\00:00:23.65
where they could look
out the large bay window
00:00:23.69\00:00:26.65
and they saw the
magnificent sunset
00:00:26.69\00:00:29.46
reflecting off of
the bright blue waters
00:00:29.49\00:00:32.46
of the Caribbean.
00:00:32.49\00:00:34.06
Soft music was
playing in the background.
00:00:34.10\00:00:37.37
And as the music was playing,
00:00:37.40\00:00:39.47
John began to reminisce
about the last 20 years
00:00:39.50\00:00:43.20
of their life together.
00:00:43.24\00:00:45.07
And as he did so, he
remembered all the times
00:00:45.11\00:00:48.34
when he was not a
very good husband.
00:00:48.38\00:00:51.88
He recalled times
00:00:51.91\00:00:53.25
when he would
stay out late at night
00:00:53.28\00:00:55.25
and come home drunk.
00:00:55.28\00:00:57.25
He remembered times
00:00:57.29\00:00:58.62
when he would speak
unkind and hurtful words
00:00:58.65\00:01:01.46
that his family would
remember for years to come.
00:01:01.49\00:01:04.96
He even remembered the time
00:01:04.99\00:01:06.56
when he had been
unfaithful to his marriage vow
00:01:06.59\00:01:09.36
and had an affair
with another woman.
00:01:09.40\00:01:12.23
As John remembered these things,
00:01:12.27\00:01:14.24
his mind was flooded
with a sense of shame
00:01:14.27\00:01:17.41
and guilt and regret.
00:01:17.44\00:01:19.87
And he just looked at
Sarah and he said, "Honey,
00:01:19.91\00:01:22.94
how could you still love
me after all these years,
00:01:22.98\00:01:26.61
after the
mistakes of coming home
00:01:26.65\00:01:28.72
late at night drunk,
00:01:28.75\00:01:30.52
the times when I would
speak those unkind words
00:01:30.55\00:01:33.76
and the affair
with another woman."
00:01:33.79\00:01:36.26
And Sarah just looked
at him and said, "Honey,
00:01:36.29\00:01:39.36
when we started over,
00:01:39.39\00:01:41.56
when we chose to
begin a new life together,
00:01:41.60\00:01:44.30
we took all the
mistakes of the past
00:01:44.33\00:01:46.70
and we buried them
and we forgot about them,
00:01:46.74\00:01:49.74
we're not going to
bring them up anymore."
00:01:49.77\00:01:53.24
Just hearing those words
00:01:53.27\00:01:55.41
gave John a sense
of peace in his heart.
00:01:55.44\00:01:59.11
Now, truth be told,
00:01:59.15\00:02:00.48
you and I can
relate to John's experience
00:02:00.52\00:02:03.08
because all of
us have done things
00:02:03.12\00:02:05.22
we wish we'd never done.
00:02:05.25\00:02:07.66
All of us had said things
we wish we had never said.
00:02:07.69\00:02:11.83
All of us had made choices
00:02:11.86\00:02:13.46
we wish we could go
back and do it over again.
00:02:13.50\00:02:17.07
And sometimes people
will come to us and say,
00:02:17.10\00:02:19.50
"Well, that's too bad.
00:02:19.53\00:02:20.97
You can't change the past."
00:02:21.00\00:02:23.74
But actually, you can.
00:02:23.77\00:02:26.54
Did you know that
God has given us a way
00:02:26.57\00:02:29.21
where we can
take all the mistakes
00:02:29.24\00:02:31.48
and guilt of the past
and we can have them buried
00:02:31.51\00:02:35.12
and forgotten
about all over again?
00:02:35.15\00:02:38.09
It's actually a gift
that is called Bible baptism.
00:02:38.12\00:02:42.12
Through having a
relationship with Jesus Christ
00:02:42.16\00:02:44.66
and taking the
step of being baptized,
00:02:44.69\00:02:47.26
God gives us a way
00:02:47.30\00:02:48.93
to have all those things
from the past washed away
00:02:48.96\00:02:52.60
and we can have peace in
our hearts and in our minds,
00:02:52.63\00:02:55.94
and that's actually what
we're gonna talk about tonight.
00:02:55.97\00:02:58.97
Now some people may wonder,
00:02:59.01\00:03:00.81
why are you going
to talk about baptism
00:03:00.84\00:03:02.64
in a prophecy seminar,
00:03:02.68\00:03:04.25
that's not in the
Book of Revelation.
00:03:04.28\00:03:06.75
Well, you remember
what we've mentioned
00:03:06.78\00:03:08.58
all throughout this seminar.
00:03:08.62\00:03:10.49
The whole point of prophecy
is to point people to Jesus.
00:03:10.52\00:03:15.46
It's not about
memorizing facts and figures
00:03:15.49\00:03:18.19
and all the different theories.
00:03:18.23\00:03:19.79
It's to bring us into a close
00:03:19.83\00:03:21.66
surrendered
relationship with Christ.
00:03:21.70\00:03:24.30
And being baptized
is an important part
00:03:24.33\00:03:27.60
of that relationship with Jesus.
00:03:27.64\00:03:30.41
And you'll find
the devil has tried
00:03:30.44\00:03:32.37
to confuse people's
minds on this subject.
00:03:32.41\00:03:35.44
You see, the devil
wants us to remember
00:03:35.48\00:03:37.65
and to burn that
guilt into our minds
00:03:37.68\00:03:40.32
so that we never forget.
00:03:40.35\00:03:42.05
But it's Jesus who
wants to set us free.
00:03:42.08\00:03:45.15
So tonight we're going to
study what does the Bible say
00:03:45.19\00:03:48.49
about the
important step of baptism.
00:03:48.52\00:03:51.69
Would you take your
Bibles and turn with me
00:03:51.73\00:03:53.36
to Matthew 28:18,
00:03:53.40\00:03:57.70
Matthew 28:18.
00:03:57.73\00:04:01.20
The Bible says,
00:04:01.24\00:04:03.47
"And Jesus came and
spoke to them saying,
00:04:03.51\00:04:07.64
'All authority has
been given to me on heaven,
00:04:07.68\00:04:11.15
in heaven and on earth.
00:04:11.18\00:04:12.98
Go therefore, and make
disciples of all the nations,"
00:04:13.01\00:04:17.52
doing what?
00:04:17.55\00:04:19.15
"Baptizing them in the
name of the Father and the Son
00:04:19.19\00:04:23.12
and of the Holy Spirit,
00:04:23.16\00:04:24.93
teaching them to
observe all things
00:04:24.96\00:04:27.43
that I have
commanded you and lo,
00:04:27.46\00:04:30.60
I am with you always,
00:04:30.63\00:04:32.73
even to the end of the age."
00:04:32.77\00:04:35.54
Amen.
00:04:35.57\00:04:36.91
Now, we're gonna
pause here for a second.
00:04:36.94\00:04:39.57
How many of you have
ever been with someone
00:04:39.61\00:04:42.34
when they spoke
their final words?
00:04:42.38\00:04:45.05
Can I see your hands?
00:04:45.08\00:04:46.75
If you have, that is
a memorable experience,
00:04:46.78\00:04:50.29
is it not?
00:04:50.32\00:04:51.65
Because when someone
speaks their final words,
00:04:51.69\00:04:55.02
it is usually
rather significant,
00:04:55.06\00:04:57.06
you know, if they're
still in their right mind,
00:04:57.09\00:04:59.26
and it's not beclouded
with drugs or medication,
00:04:59.29\00:05:03.00
what they say in
their final words
00:05:03.03\00:05:05.43
tells you what was nearest
and dearest to their heart.
00:05:05.47\00:05:09.37
Is that not true?
00:05:09.40\00:05:11.01
Usually it's about
family, or friends, or a spouse,
00:05:11.04\00:05:14.51
or perhaps their children.
00:05:14.54\00:05:16.88
Well, here in Matthew 28,
00:05:16.91\00:05:18.75
these are some of
Jesus' final words.
00:05:18.78\00:05:23.25
There's some of the last things
00:05:23.28\00:05:24.89
that Jesus wanted to
communicate to His disciples
00:05:24.92\00:05:28.62
before they were separated,
and He ascended back to heaven.
00:05:28.66\00:05:33.46
And in these final words,
00:05:33.50\00:05:35.66
Jesus tells them to
go into all the world.
00:05:35.70\00:05:39.07
Now that you've spent
three and a half years with me
00:05:39.10\00:05:42.14
face to face on a daily basis,
00:05:42.17\00:05:44.44
take the gospel
and the good news
00:05:44.47\00:05:47.48
and go to every
people group in the world.
00:05:47.51\00:05:51.01
And when people choose to
accept Me as their Savior,
00:05:51.05\00:05:55.32
what does He tell them to do?
00:05:55.35\00:05:57.99
Baptize them
00:05:58.02\00:05:59.52
because baptism is
God's way of allowing us
00:05:59.55\00:06:03.73
to wipe away the
past, to bury it,
00:06:03.76\00:06:07.26
and to start over
again in a new life
00:06:07.30\00:06:10.60
following the principles
00:06:10.63\00:06:12.33
and the
teachings of Jesus Christ.
00:06:12.37\00:06:15.00
And so if baptism
is something Jesus
00:06:15.04\00:06:17.41
talked about in His final words,
00:06:17.44\00:06:19.54
that tells us it is
a very important part
00:06:19.57\00:06:23.48
of the Christian journey today.
00:06:23.51\00:06:27.22
In fact,
00:06:27.25\00:06:28.58
we could say that baptism
is an outward sign of something
00:06:28.62\00:06:32.85
that is going on in our hearts,
00:06:32.89\00:06:35.42
that one is chosen,
they want to follow Jesus.
00:06:35.46\00:06:38.66
Jesus is already
changing the heart and the mind,
00:06:38.69\00:06:41.73
it's a symbol of
what's going on inside.
00:06:41.76\00:06:46.37
In fact, you know,
the Bible compares baptism
00:06:46.40\00:06:49.80
to two people getting married.
00:06:49.84\00:06:51.24
Did you know that?
00:06:51.27\00:06:52.61
Many times the relationship
between Jesus and His church
00:06:52.64\00:06:56.04
is compared to the
husband and wife relationship.
00:06:56.08\00:06:59.75
Now I want you to think back.
00:06:59.78\00:07:01.18
How many of you and I'm
gonna put you on the spot,
00:07:01.22\00:07:02.92
I might get in trouble.
00:07:02.95\00:07:04.59
How many of you remember
00:07:04.62\00:07:06.49
the day on which
you were married?
00:07:06.52\00:07:08.69
Let me see your hands.
00:07:08.72\00:07:10.43
See, all the wives
are looking around.
00:07:10.46\00:07:11.89
You better remember,
00:07:11.93\00:07:13.76
I've gotten it wrong
only one time in my life.
00:07:13.80\00:07:16.36
But that's
because I was confused.
00:07:16.40\00:07:17.83
I was thinking of my
parent's anniversary.
00:07:17.87\00:07:20.27
But when Marquita
and I were married
00:07:20.30\00:07:22.47
on July 9, 1995,
00:07:22.50\00:07:26.68
it was in
Collegedale, Tennessee,
00:07:26.71\00:07:29.38
at the very school
where her and I had met.
00:07:29.41\00:07:33.75
Now on the day when
Marquita and I got married,
00:07:33.78\00:07:37.15
did I know
everything there was to know
00:07:37.19\00:07:39.79
about being a good
husband, yes or no?
00:07:39.82\00:07:42.26
I did not.
00:07:42.29\00:07:43.66
Now I knew that I loved her.
00:07:43.69\00:07:46.06
I knew that I wanted
to spend my life with her.
00:07:46.09\00:07:49.00
And I made that public
confession in front of others.
00:07:49.03\00:07:53.07
But after I said I do.
00:07:53.10\00:07:56.20
Do you suppose there were times
00:07:56.24\00:07:58.11
when I might have
fallen flat on my face
00:07:58.14\00:08:00.58
and made mistakes as a
husband, what do you think?
00:08:00.61\00:08:03.18
Sure there were ups
and there were downs.
00:08:03.21\00:08:06.08
See, when a
person gets baptized,
00:08:06.11\00:08:08.48
it's like
getting married to Jesus.
00:08:08.52\00:08:10.45
They come in front
of their church family,
00:08:10.49\00:08:12.72
or perhaps somewhere else.
00:08:12.75\00:08:14.26
They make a profession
00:08:14.29\00:08:15.62
to follow and love Jesus Christ,
00:08:15.66\00:08:17.43
and they're baptized
00:08:17.46\00:08:19.06
and in the sense
they are married to Jesus.
00:08:19.09\00:08:21.80
Doesn't mean that
they're perfect at that moment,
00:08:21.83\00:08:24.37
doesn't mean they were
never gonna make a mistake,
00:08:24.40\00:08:26.63
but it is the
beginning of a new relationship
00:08:26.67\00:08:30.31
with Christ.
00:08:30.34\00:08:31.67
That's what baptism represents.
00:08:31.71\00:08:34.24
Now, sometimes people wonder,
00:08:34.28\00:08:36.41
is it really
necessary to be baptized?
00:08:36.44\00:08:39.31
Is that something I have to do?
00:08:39.35\00:08:42.85
Well, to be honest, that's kind
of the wrong way to look at it.
00:08:42.88\00:08:46.35
To illustrate it,
let me ask you this.
00:08:46.39\00:08:48.02
I'll use the
ladies as an example.
00:08:48.06\00:08:50.96
Ladies, what would you
think, let's pretend that
00:08:50.99\00:08:54.76
you have been
dating a guy for 10 years.
00:08:54.80\00:08:59.53
You say, that's a long time.
00:08:59.57\00:09:01.60
And the whole 10 years,
he's always telling you,
00:09:01.64\00:09:04.64
"Oh, I love you.
00:09:04.67\00:09:06.24
I want to spend the
rest of my life with you.
00:09:06.27\00:09:09.01
I want to be with you."
00:09:09.04\00:09:11.45
But every time the
idea of marriage comes up,
00:09:11.48\00:09:15.08
you know of making
that public confession
00:09:15.12\00:09:17.72
in front of others,
00:09:17.75\00:09:19.09
he shies away
from it every time.
00:09:19.12\00:09:22.42
What would you start
to think in your minds?
00:09:22.46\00:09:26.56
You'd begin to wonder,
why doesn't he want to commit?
00:09:26.59\00:09:29.16
Is he ashamed of me?
Does he really love me?
00:09:29.20\00:09:32.07
It would raise
questions in a person's mind.
00:09:32.10\00:09:35.74
It's the same in our
relationship with Christ.
00:09:35.77\00:09:38.21
If we call
ourselves a Christian,
00:09:38.24\00:09:40.48
if we understand what
Jesus has done for us,
00:09:40.51\00:09:44.61
if we understand what it means
to make that public confession
00:09:44.65\00:09:48.22
that I love Jesus
that I want to follow Him
00:09:48.25\00:09:51.05
that He's given me a gift
I could never pay for myself.
00:09:51.09\00:09:55.36
Why would we not
want to take that step
00:09:55.39\00:09:58.03
and publicly confess
Jesus Christ as our Savior?
00:09:58.06\00:10:02.53
See, unless there's
some physical condition
00:10:02.56\00:10:04.97
that prevents us
from being baptized,
00:10:05.00\00:10:07.44
Jesus tells us this
is a very important step
00:10:07.47\00:10:11.64
that every believer
needs to seriously consider.
00:10:11.67\00:10:16.34
So obviously baptism
is an important thing.
00:10:16.38\00:10:19.45
But now the question is,
00:10:19.48\00:10:21.32
what exactly does
baptism specifically mean
00:10:21.35\00:10:25.55
and represent?
00:10:25.59\00:10:26.92
Now we've already
talked about that a little bit.
00:10:26.96\00:10:28.89
But I want us to
turn to what I think
00:10:28.92\00:10:31.03
is the clearest
single text in the Bible
00:10:31.06\00:10:34.63
that describes
the symbol of baptism.
00:10:34.66\00:10:38.50
Take your Bibles and go
with me to Romans Chapter 6
00:10:38.53\00:10:43.24
and we're going
to start in verse 3.
00:10:43.27\00:10:46.88
You want to go to Romans 6:3.
00:10:46.91\00:10:51.71
Now this is
only two verses long,
00:10:51.75\00:10:54.42
but I want you to know
how Paul describes this act.
00:10:54.45\00:10:59.05
Romans Chapter 6
00:10:59.09\00:11:01.26
and we'll be reading in verse 3.
00:11:01.29\00:11:05.49
The Bible says,
00:11:05.53\00:11:08.63
"Or do you not
know that as many of us
00:11:08.66\00:11:12.50
as were baptized
into Christ Jesus
00:11:12.53\00:11:15.67
were baptized into his," what?
00:11:15.70\00:11:18.37
"Death, therefore,
00:11:18.41\00:11:20.58
we were buried with Him
through baptism into death,
00:11:20.61\00:11:24.28
that just as Christ
was raised from the dead
00:11:24.31\00:11:27.45
by the glory of the Father,
00:11:27.48\00:11:29.42
even so we also should
walk in newness of life."
00:11:29.45\00:11:34.06
Now, let's pause here.
00:11:34.09\00:11:35.72
I want to put
something on the screen.
00:11:35.76\00:11:37.99
We are buried with
Him by baptism into death.
00:11:38.03\00:11:42.03
In other words, when I
stand in the waters of baptism,
00:11:42.06\00:11:45.53
and I am lowered
beneath the water,
00:11:45.57\00:11:48.47
that's a symbol I am
burying my life of sin.
00:11:48.50\00:11:52.04
I'm putting it to death.
00:11:52.07\00:11:53.94
I no longer want to
follow that way of life
00:11:53.98\00:11:56.64
where I'm not paying
attention to Jesus' principles
00:11:56.68\00:11:59.61
and to Jesus' teachings.
00:11:59.65\00:12:01.38
Where I'm on a row
that's bringing me pain
00:12:01.42\00:12:03.72
and suffering,
it's hurting my family.
00:12:03.75\00:12:06.32
I'm saying, "I
don't want that anymore.
00:12:06.35\00:12:08.42
I am putting that to death.
00:12:08.46\00:12:10.19
I am burying it
under the waters."
00:12:10.23\00:12:12.73
That's what it
means when Paul says,
00:12:12.76\00:12:14.90
"We are buried with Jesus,
00:12:14.93\00:12:16.93
just like He was
buried in the tomb."
00:12:16.97\00:12:20.67
In verse 4, Paul said that,
00:12:20.70\00:12:23.20
"Just as Christ was
raised from the dead
00:12:23.24\00:12:25.94
that we will walk
in newness of life."
00:12:25.97\00:12:28.61
That means when I am raised
up out of the waters of baptism,
00:12:28.64\00:12:32.75
in a sense, I am
resurrecting to a new life,
00:12:32.78\00:12:36.32
a new life that
follows different principles,
00:12:36.35\00:12:39.39
different morals,
different teachings,
00:12:39.42\00:12:42.96
a life that is solely focused
and centered on Jesus Christ
00:12:42.99\00:12:47.83
and His Word.
00:12:47.86\00:12:49.20
Can you say amen? Amen.
00:12:49.23\00:12:50.57
Just like Jesus resurrected,
00:12:50.60\00:12:52.10
I am resurrected
out of the water.
00:12:52.13\00:12:55.34
Because when you think about it,
00:12:55.37\00:12:57.51
the reason
baptism is so special.
00:12:57.54\00:13:00.61
It is meant to
symbolize the death, burial,
00:13:00.64\00:13:06.31
and resurrection of Jesus.
00:13:06.35\00:13:09.45
It's meant to symbolize
the full plan of salvation.
00:13:09.48\00:13:13.22
I am dying to
sin and Satan's way.
00:13:13.25\00:13:16.79
I am buried under the water.
00:13:16.83\00:13:18.93
It's gonna die, thanks to Jesus.
00:13:18.96\00:13:21.36
And when I come
up and resurrect,
00:13:21.40\00:13:23.83
it's to a new life
following a new way
00:13:23.87\00:13:27.17
and a new path.
00:13:27.20\00:13:28.77
Can you say amen? Amen.
00:13:28.80\00:13:31.17
But now that brings
us to a little question,
00:13:31.21\00:13:34.48
because sometimes people
can have some extreme views
00:13:34.51\00:13:39.78
when it comes to baptism.
00:13:39.81\00:13:42.38
Sometimes people
will treat baptism like
00:13:42.42\00:13:45.09
it is some sort
of insurance policy.
00:13:45.12\00:13:48.86
Well, you know what,
I'm going to go ahead
00:13:48.89\00:13:50.39
and be baptized just
to be on the safe side.
00:13:50.43\00:13:53.60
You know, in
case the Bible's true
00:13:53.63\00:13:55.30
and Jesus really does come,
00:13:55.33\00:13:57.03
I need to go
ahead and get baptized
00:13:57.07\00:13:59.30
because that's my
automatic ticket to heaven.
00:13:59.33\00:14:03.44
Baptism is not an
automatic ticket to heaven,
00:14:03.47\00:14:07.08
we need to understand that.
00:14:07.11\00:14:08.88
The purpose of baptism
is not simply to get wet,
00:14:08.91\00:14:12.88
so that I can go out
00:14:12.91\00:14:14.25
and keep living by
the same principles,
00:14:14.28\00:14:17.32
the same teachings,
the same immoralities
00:14:17.35\00:14:20.19
and continue to
bring pain and suffering
00:14:20.22\00:14:22.42
into my life and others.
00:14:22.46\00:14:24.79
See, if I treat
baptism as though
00:14:24.83\00:14:27.50
it's an
automatic ticket to heaven.
00:14:27.53\00:14:29.73
If I go in that
water a devil, guess what?
00:14:29.76\00:14:33.67
You're just gonna
come up a wet devil.
00:14:33.70\00:14:36.87
You see, baptism
doesn't automatically save us.
00:14:36.91\00:14:40.08
Only Jesus and
accepting Him as our Savior
00:14:40.11\00:14:43.11
can save us, amen?
00:14:43.14\00:14:44.75
So if I go under that water,
00:14:44.78\00:14:46.61
not truly
accepting Jesus as my Savior,
00:14:46.65\00:14:49.72
then it is a
meaningless ceremony.
00:14:49.75\00:14:52.25
It is simply a symbol
00:14:52.29\00:14:54.32
of what is really
going on inside my heart
00:14:54.36\00:14:57.69
and who lives here.
00:14:57.73\00:14:59.49
So it's not an insurance policy
00:14:59.53\00:15:01.60
or an automatic
ticket to heaven,
00:15:01.63\00:15:03.13
we need to understand that.
00:15:03.16\00:15:05.17
But then there's
the other extreme,
00:15:05.20\00:15:08.47
where people treat baptism
00:15:08.50\00:15:11.07
as though it's
some kind of a reward
00:15:11.11\00:15:13.64
for attaining a certain
level of spiritual perfection.
00:15:13.68\00:15:18.21
You know, people will say,
00:15:18.25\00:15:19.58
"Oh, well, I've got
to overcome all my sins
00:15:19.61\00:15:21.85
and all my weaknesses
before I can be baptized."
00:15:21.88\00:15:25.55
Well, that's a
dangerous thing too
00:15:25.59\00:15:27.96
because if you wait
until you have overcome
00:15:27.99\00:15:31.13
every little fault
and weakness in your life,
00:15:31.16\00:15:34.10
you know what's gonna happen?
00:15:34.13\00:15:35.83
You will never take
the step of baptism.
00:15:35.86\00:15:39.87
Baptism is the
beginning of a relationship.
00:15:39.90\00:15:43.61
When you are baptized,
you are an imperfect person.
00:15:43.64\00:15:48.01
Of course, Jesus covers
you with His righteousness
00:15:48.04\00:15:50.91
but it's a beginning.
00:15:50.95\00:15:52.55
Just like when I
said I do to Marquita,
00:15:52.58\00:15:56.22
it was the
beginning of our husband
00:15:56.25\00:15:58.45
and wife relationship.
00:15:58.49\00:16:00.46
We need to understand that.
00:16:00.49\00:16:02.92
In fact, to be honest with you,
00:16:02.96\00:16:05.09
it makes me nervous
00:16:05.13\00:16:06.49
whenever I hear people
who are delaying baptism.
00:16:06.53\00:16:11.43
I'll tell you a true story.
00:16:11.47\00:16:13.77
When I was pastoring
over in western Pennsylvania,
00:16:13.80\00:16:17.31
I love doing these
kinds of prophecy seminars.
00:16:17.34\00:16:20.81
And so there was a church
in Leechburg, Pennsylvania.
00:16:20.84\00:16:24.08
I'm sure you never heard
of Leechburg, Pennsylvania.
00:16:24.11\00:16:27.02
It's a small little
town on the north east corner
00:16:27.05\00:16:30.29
just outside of Pittsburgh.
00:16:30.32\00:16:32.29
And so I went there and I did
a series of meetings like this.
00:16:32.32\00:16:36.02
And when I was there, I met Rob.
00:16:36.06\00:16:38.76
That is not his
real name, but I met Rob.
00:16:38.79\00:16:42.06
Rob came to the
meetings every night.
00:16:42.10\00:16:45.73
Eventually, I found
myself sitting in his home,
00:16:45.77\00:16:49.47
sitting on the
chair having a discussion
00:16:49.50\00:16:51.64
with him about baptism.
00:16:51.67\00:16:53.98
I said, "Rob, you've
been coming to the church
00:16:54.01\00:16:55.81
for quite a while.
00:16:55.84\00:16:57.18
You obviously
believe in the things
00:16:57.21\00:16:58.91
that are in the
Bible and the Scriptures,
00:16:58.95\00:17:01.15
is it time for
you to be baptized?"
00:17:01.18\00:17:03.85
And I remember Rob
looked at me and said,
00:17:03.89\00:17:05.95
"I do wanna be
baptized, pastor, but not yet."
00:17:05.99\00:17:10.33
I said, "Well, Rob, what is
it that's holding you back?"
00:17:10.36\00:17:13.43
"I still got things to
take care of in my life.
00:17:13.46\00:17:16.97
And I want my
family to join me."
00:17:17.00\00:17:21.64
Well, that made me
a little bit nervous
00:17:21.67\00:17:23.34
'cause I knew he was ready.
00:17:23.37\00:17:25.74
But at the same time,
everyone has a free will.
00:17:25.77\00:17:28.81
And I don't like pressuring
people to make a decision
00:17:28.84\00:17:31.68
because it has
to come from them.
00:17:31.71\00:17:33.82
I understand how a person
wants to get things together.
00:17:33.85\00:17:37.09
I understand how a person wants
their family to follow them.
00:17:37.12\00:17:40.82
So I kind of just left it.
00:17:40.86\00:17:43.89
A year later,
00:17:43.93\00:17:45.36
I was invited to go
back to that same church
00:17:45.39\00:17:47.66
to hold another
series of meetings.
00:17:47.70\00:17:50.37
And guess who was
there every night?
00:17:50.40\00:17:53.37
Well, that
wasn't a hard question,
00:17:53.40\00:17:54.74
what do you think?
00:17:54.77\00:17:56.10
Rob
00:17:56.14\00:17:57.47
and I found
myself in the same home
00:17:57.51\00:18:00.18
sitting on the same chair
having the same conversation.
00:18:00.21\00:18:04.91
I said, "Rob,
it's been a year now.
00:18:04.95\00:18:07.48
Is it time for
you to take that step
00:18:07.52\00:18:09.68
and give it all to Jesus."
00:18:09.72\00:18:11.92
And a year later,
Rob was still saying,
00:18:11.95\00:18:14.99
"Not ready yet.
00:18:15.02\00:18:16.83
Got some things to
take care of in my life.
00:18:16.86\00:18:19.79
I want my family to follow me."
00:18:19.83\00:18:23.37
Well, at that point,
00:18:23.40\00:18:25.10
since I knew he was
delaying for a year,
00:18:25.13\00:18:27.40
I decided to be
a little bit bold.
00:18:27.44\00:18:29.74
And I said, "Rob, you can't wait
00:18:29.77\00:18:32.71
until you have
everything perfect in your life,
00:18:32.74\00:18:36.44
or you'll never take that step.
00:18:36.48\00:18:38.41
This is a beginning.
00:18:38.45\00:18:40.08
Follow what you do know,
00:18:40.12\00:18:41.75
let Jesus take care of the rest.
00:18:41.78\00:18:44.89
And Rob, as far as
your family following you,
00:18:44.92\00:18:47.42
that's a noble thing.
00:18:47.46\00:18:49.02
But the truth is,
00:18:49.06\00:18:50.69
your family is
probably not gonna follow you
00:18:50.73\00:18:53.36
until they see you stepping
out and taking that step first.
00:18:53.40\00:18:58.57
When they see that it
means something to you.
00:18:58.60\00:19:01.27
And when they see the
change it causes in your life,
00:19:01.30\00:19:04.17
they will follow.
00:19:04.21\00:19:05.77
But you're gonna
have to step out first
00:19:05.81\00:19:07.81
as an example."
00:19:07.84\00:19:09.88
I let him think about that.
00:19:09.91\00:19:11.68
I told him the day on which
we were having the baptisms
00:19:11.71\00:19:15.85
and I remember that day
the church had rented a YMCA
00:19:15.88\00:19:19.15
to have the
baptisms in their pool.
00:19:19.19\00:19:21.39
And I was so much looking
for Rob to come in that door
00:19:21.42\00:19:25.43
and join the baptism.
00:19:25.46\00:19:27.70
But Rob never came.
00:19:27.73\00:19:30.63
A year later,
00:19:30.67\00:19:32.20
I was asked to go
back to the same church,
00:19:32.23\00:19:35.00
hold another set of meetings.
00:19:35.04\00:19:38.04
Rob never made his decision.
00:19:38.07\00:19:40.94
In fact, it's been
at least 10 years now.
00:19:40.98\00:19:43.68
And as far as I know,
00:19:43.71\00:19:45.58
Rob is waiting for
everything to be perfect
00:19:45.61\00:19:48.58
before he makes
his decision for Jesus.
00:19:48.62\00:19:54.66
Folks, it's important
when God lays it on your heart
00:19:54.69\00:19:58.23
that we not delay,
00:19:58.26\00:19:59.79
that we'd be sure
to take that step.
00:19:59.83\00:20:05.30
That actually
reminds me of another story.
00:20:05.33\00:20:07.74
There is a verse in
Scripture in 2 Corinthians
00:20:07.77\00:20:10.41
that says this,
00:20:10.44\00:20:12.21
"Therefore, if
anyone is in Christ..."
00:20:12.24\00:20:16.21
Now what does it
mean to be in Christ?
00:20:16.24\00:20:18.31
What do you think?
00:20:18.35\00:20:20.62
Means to be in a
relationship with Him.
00:20:20.65\00:20:23.79
The Bible says, "He
or she is a new creation,
00:20:23.82\00:20:27.62
the old things have passed away,
00:20:27.66\00:20:29.89
for behold, all
things have become new."
00:20:29.92\00:20:34.13
There was a woman
00:20:34.16\00:20:35.70
who came to a set of
meetings very much like this.
00:20:35.73\00:20:39.37
She had lived a
very sinful life.
00:20:39.40\00:20:42.37
She had been
involved in the mafia,
00:20:42.40\00:20:45.34
in the prostitution ring,
00:20:45.37\00:20:47.94
she'd even been
involved in murdering people,
00:20:47.98\00:20:51.41
and somehow she found out about
this series of Bible meetings
00:20:51.45\00:20:55.72
that was taking place near her,
00:20:55.75\00:20:59.32
and somehow the Holy Spirit
spoke to this woman's heart
00:20:59.35\00:21:02.69
and she chose to go.
00:21:02.72\00:21:05.23
And as she sat
in these meetings,
00:21:05.26\00:21:07.73
she heard for the first
time, the stories about Jesus.
00:21:07.76\00:21:12.40
And she began to
understand that even her
00:21:12.43\00:21:15.44
who had lived
such a terrible life,
00:21:15.47\00:21:17.31
who had been
involved in so many things,
00:21:17.34\00:21:19.61
for the first time in her life,
00:21:19.64\00:21:22.08
she realized that
she could have hope
00:21:22.11\00:21:25.88
that maybe there was
a way for all her shame,
00:21:25.91\00:21:29.22
for all her regret,
00:21:29.25\00:21:31.69
that she ruined the
first half of her life
00:21:31.72\00:21:33.96
and she could never change that,
00:21:33.99\00:21:35.52
she never imagined in her life
00:21:35.56\00:21:37.56
that something could
be different for her.
00:21:37.59\00:21:40.86
And so as she
listened to the preacher
00:21:40.90\00:21:43.37
and she understood the gospel,
00:21:43.40\00:21:45.80
she made the decision to
fully give her life to Jesus.
00:21:45.83\00:21:50.41
To go a totally
different direction in life
00:21:50.44\00:21:53.17
and she made the
decision to be baptized.
00:21:53.21\00:21:55.91
Can you say amen? Amen.
00:21:55.94\00:21:57.71
When she made that decision,
00:21:57.75\00:21:59.18
and the day of her baptism came,
00:21:59.21\00:22:01.08
she made a special
request to the preacher.
00:22:01.12\00:22:05.02
And she said, now listen,
00:22:05.05\00:22:08.22
"You know the kind
of life that I lived.
00:22:08.26\00:22:12.19
This baptism is
very special to me.
00:22:12.23\00:22:14.66
I want it to last for a while."
00:22:14.70\00:22:17.63
'Cause see, when
someone's baptized,
00:22:17.67\00:22:19.53
it usually
doesn't take that long,
00:22:19.57\00:22:21.04
you know, a couple
seconds under the water,
00:22:21.07\00:22:23.27
and then they're up.
00:22:23.30\00:22:24.77
So she asked the minister,
"Will you do me a favor?
00:22:24.81\00:22:29.18
When you put me under the water?
00:22:29.21\00:22:32.21
Will you just hold
me there for a while?
00:22:32.25\00:22:35.08
Hold me for
about 10 or 15 seconds.
00:22:35.12\00:22:37.95
I wanna silently pray.
00:22:37.99\00:22:40.09
I want to think about
what Jesus has done for me.
00:22:40.12\00:22:43.02
I want to remember this moment."
00:22:43.06\00:22:46.90
Now the minister had
never been asked that before,
00:22:46.93\00:22:49.56
but he understood why
00:22:49.60\00:22:51.30
and he graciously
granted that request.
00:22:51.33\00:22:54.24
So as they were standing
in the baptismal waters,
00:22:54.27\00:22:57.51
and he lifted up
his hand and said,
00:22:57.54\00:22:59.11
I now baptize you in
the name of the Father
00:22:59.14\00:23:02.34
and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
00:23:02.38\00:23:05.05
He lifted her
underneath the water
00:23:05.08\00:23:07.78
and time was passing one second,
00:23:07.82\00:23:11.75
two seconds, three seconds,
00:23:11.79\00:23:15.46
four except for one thing,
00:23:15.49\00:23:19.76
the minister forgot
to tell his congregation
00:23:19.79\00:23:22.80
about the
woman's special request.
00:23:22.83\00:23:25.67
And so when they saw him
00:23:25.70\00:23:27.44
holding her under the
water for like 10 seconds,
00:23:27.47\00:23:30.04
the deacons jumped
up out of the front row
00:23:30.07\00:23:32.17
and they thought, "Oh,
my, something is wrong.
00:23:32.21\00:23:34.28
The pastor is
drowning this woman."
00:23:34.31\00:23:36.54
And so they ran up to the front.
00:23:36.58\00:23:38.21
And when they
finally realized it was okay,
00:23:38.25\00:23:40.85
the pastor brought
her up out of the water.
00:23:40.88\00:23:43.39
She raised her hands
and said, "Praise the Lord.
00:23:43.42\00:23:46.39
Hallelujah."
00:23:46.42\00:23:47.76
Now pull out the plug
00:23:47.79\00:23:49.16
and let all my sins
be washed down the drain.
00:23:49.19\00:23:52.49
Can you say amen? Amen.
00:23:52.53\00:23:54.53
Now, of course, literally,
00:23:54.56\00:23:55.90
our sins aren't
washed down the drain,
00:23:55.93\00:23:58.03
but she
understood what baptism meant
00:23:58.07\00:24:01.14
and it was a
meaningful experience for her.
00:24:01.17\00:24:07.04
But then comes another question.
00:24:07.08\00:24:10.21
People wonder if
there's all these different ways
00:24:10.25\00:24:12.95
that one can be baptized,
00:24:12.98\00:24:14.92
does it really
make a difference?
00:24:14.95\00:24:18.25
If you were to call up
different denominations
00:24:18.29\00:24:21.16
and get the
different doctrines that exist,
00:24:21.19\00:24:23.93
some would say,
"Well, baptize by sprinkling,
00:24:23.96\00:24:27.23
some baptize by pouring,
00:24:27.26\00:24:29.56
some baptize by
infusion or using oil."
00:24:29.60\00:24:33.30
Others say, "Well, no
baptism is by immersion.
00:24:33.34\00:24:36.50
Some baptize by telephone."
00:24:36.54\00:24:39.04
I'm not exactly
sure how that works.
00:24:39.07\00:24:40.68
I've never seen that
done. I've heard about it.
00:24:40.71\00:24:42.88
Some baptize through proxy,
00:24:42.91\00:24:44.75
like you can be baptized
for someone who's already died.
00:24:44.78\00:24:48.78
I even heard a story once.
00:24:48.82\00:24:50.29
I don't know if it's true,
I really hope it's not true.
00:24:50.32\00:24:53.15
But I even heard a
story once of a minister
00:24:53.19\00:24:55.59
who was sprinkling holy
water on his congregation
00:24:55.62\00:24:59.23
and he ran out of holy water,
00:24:59.26\00:25:01.13
so he picked up a can of
coke and started using that.
00:25:01.16\00:25:04.93
Now, I don't
know if that's true.
00:25:04.97\00:25:07.07
But when you look at the Bible,
the question we have to ask is,
00:25:07.10\00:25:11.27
does it make a difference?
00:25:11.31\00:25:13.94
You notice we've
asked that question
00:25:13.98\00:25:15.38
before in this seminar,
00:25:15.41\00:25:17.45
back when we
talked about the Sabbath.
00:25:17.48\00:25:19.91
Does the day make a difference?
00:25:19.95\00:25:22.75
If God says it does,
00:25:22.78\00:25:25.22
if God is specific
about it and God says,
00:25:25.25\00:25:28.82
"The seventh
day is the Sabbath,"
00:25:28.86\00:25:30.79
then yes, it matters.
00:25:30.83\00:25:33.53
What about baptism?
00:25:33.56\00:25:35.66
If baptism is meant
to represent the death,
00:25:35.70\00:25:39.80
burial, and
resurrection of Jesus,
00:25:39.83\00:25:43.51
and the full plan of
salvation in our life,
00:25:43.54\00:25:46.37
dying to sin, burying it,
00:25:46.41\00:25:49.04
rise into a new life.
00:25:49.08\00:25:50.75
The truth is before we even look
00:25:50.78\00:25:52.85
something up in the Bible,
00:25:52.88\00:25:54.45
just knowing what
baptism represents,
00:25:54.48\00:25:57.25
there is only
one form of baptism
00:25:57.29\00:25:59.95
that represents the
full plan of salvation,
00:25:59.99\00:26:02.82
death, burial, and resurrection.
00:26:02.86\00:26:05.09
What do you think that would be?
00:26:05.13\00:26:07.23
Baptism by immersion.
00:26:07.26\00:26:12.27
Is there an example?
00:26:12.30\00:26:13.64
Does the Bible actually say
that baptism is by immersion?
00:26:13.67\00:26:18.07
And actually it does.
00:26:18.11\00:26:19.84
Let's go to the
example of Jesus.
00:26:19.87\00:26:21.74
Jesus is our ultimate example.
00:26:21.78\00:26:23.98
Let's see how
Jesus was baptized.
00:26:24.01\00:26:27.12
Take your
Bibles and turn with me
00:26:27.15\00:26:29.28
to Matthew Chapter 3, and
we're gonna go to verse 13.
00:26:29.32\00:26:34.62
Matthew Chapter 3,
00:26:34.66\00:26:37.63
and I want to read something
00:26:37.66\00:26:38.99
that we don't
always pay attention to,
00:26:39.03\00:26:41.76
in verse 13.
00:26:41.80\00:26:44.57
Now, here, Jesus
comes to John the Baptist,
00:26:44.60\00:26:48.04
at the Jordan River.
00:26:48.07\00:26:49.74
Notice the kind of
conversation that takes place.
00:26:49.77\00:26:54.18
Matthew 3:13,
00:26:54.21\00:26:57.21
The Bible says,
00:26:57.25\00:26:59.48
"Then Jesus came
from Galilee to John
00:26:59.51\00:27:03.15
at the Jordan to
be baptized by him.
00:27:03.18\00:27:07.16
And John tried to
prevent him saying,
00:27:07.19\00:27:10.76
"I need to be baptized by
you, and are you coming to me?"
00:27:10.79\00:27:16.53
But Jesus
answered and said to him,
00:27:16.56\00:27:19.20
'Permitted to be so for now,
00:27:19.23\00:27:21.94
for thus it is fitting for
us to fulfill all righteousness,
00:27:21.97\00:27:26.31
then he allowed him.'
00:27:26.34\00:27:28.71
"Now let's pause here a second.
00:27:28.74\00:27:31.91
Put yourself in
John the Baptist shoes.
00:27:31.95\00:27:35.55
To put it in modern terms,
00:27:35.58\00:27:37.79
this really freaked the guy out
00:27:37.82\00:27:41.16
that Jesus
Christ, the Son of God,
00:27:41.19\00:27:44.79
the one whom he had
been preaching about
00:27:44.83\00:27:47.23
for quite some time
00:27:47.26\00:27:50.00
comes to him and says,
00:27:50.03\00:27:51.83
"Would you baptize me?"
00:27:51.87\00:27:54.14
Now how would you feel if
you were John the Baptist?
00:27:54.17\00:27:56.34
Basically God is
asking you to baptize Him.
00:27:56.37\00:28:00.11
I don't know about you,
00:28:00.14\00:28:01.48
but that would
throw me for a loop.
00:28:01.51\00:28:03.31
I mean, John looks at him
00:28:03.35\00:28:04.98
and he's probably
thinking in his mind,
00:28:05.01\00:28:06.35
"Are you kidding me?
00:28:06.38\00:28:08.65
You should be baptizing me.
00:28:08.68\00:28:11.22
And you want me to baptize you?"
00:28:11.25\00:28:14.16
And what was Jesus answer?
00:28:14.19\00:28:16.96
"Permitted to be so for now
to fulfill all righteousness."
00:28:16.99\00:28:23.23
'Cause really when
you think about it,
00:28:23.26\00:28:25.77
if baptism represents
having your sins washed away,
00:28:25.80\00:28:30.71
did Jesus have any sins
that needed to be washed away?
00:28:30.74\00:28:34.64
None.
00:28:34.68\00:28:36.51
Jesus did it as an
example for you and me.
00:28:36.54\00:28:40.92
He did it as an example,
00:28:40.95\00:28:42.85
even though He
didn't necessarily have to,
00:28:42.88\00:28:45.45
to show mankind
what step we are to take
00:28:45.49\00:28:49.32
when we accept the gospel
and choose to have Jesus Christ
00:28:49.36\00:28:53.36
as our Lord and Savior
00:28:53.40\00:28:56.53
and then in the
rest of the verses,
00:28:56.56\00:28:58.63
it actually
describes how He was baptized.
00:28:58.67\00:29:01.44
Let's go to
verse 16, Matthew 3:16.
00:29:01.47\00:29:05.57
The Bible says,
00:29:05.61\00:29:08.08
"And when He had been baptized,
00:29:08.11\00:29:10.78
Jesus came," what's that word?
00:29:10.81\00:29:13.72
"Up immediately from
the water and behold,
00:29:13.75\00:29:17.49
the heavens were opened to Him.
00:29:17.52\00:29:20.12
And He saw the Spirit of
God descending like a dove
00:29:20.16\00:29:24.29
and lighting upon Him.
00:29:24.33\00:29:26.06
And suddenly a voice
came from heaven saying,
00:29:26.09\00:29:29.40
'This is my beloved Son,
00:29:29.43\00:29:31.77
in whom I am well pleased.'"
00:29:31.80\00:29:35.80
Now notice,
00:29:35.84\00:29:37.17
it said that Jesus
came up out of the water.
00:29:37.21\00:29:42.04
The only way you can come
up out of the water is what?
00:29:42.08\00:29:46.11
Is if you went
down into the water.
00:29:46.15\00:29:49.15
So Jesus gives us
the example of baptism
00:29:49.18\00:29:52.62
by immersion
00:29:52.65\00:29:53.99
'cause Jesus Himself knew
00:29:54.02\00:29:56.12
it represents the
full plan of salvation.
00:29:56.16\00:29:59.69
Death, burial, and resurrection.
00:29:59.73\00:30:05.53
In fact this
reminds me of another story.
00:30:05.57\00:30:09.34
There was a missionary
00:30:09.37\00:30:10.91
who was working
over in South America.
00:30:10.94\00:30:14.34
And he had committed
to spending a few years
00:30:14.38\00:30:16.98
with this jungle tribe
00:30:17.01\00:30:19.11
in the South American
mountains and jungles.
00:30:19.15\00:30:22.68
And so as he spent day by
day teaching them about Jesus,
00:30:22.72\00:30:26.29
teaching them about the Bible,
00:30:26.32\00:30:27.96
the time came
for every missionary
00:30:27.99\00:30:29.79
when they have
to go on furlough,
00:30:29.82\00:30:31.36
which means they
go back to the States
00:30:31.39\00:30:33.06
for a short period of time
to be with friends and family.
00:30:33.09\00:30:36.30
Well, before he left,
00:30:36.33\00:30:37.73
he went to the
chief of the village
00:30:37.77\00:30:39.53
and he said, "Listen,
00:30:39.57\00:30:40.90
while I'm going,
here's what I want you to do.
00:30:40.94\00:30:43.37
I want you to gather
your people together.
00:30:43.41\00:30:45.64
And I want you to
read the Bible to them
00:30:45.67\00:30:47.94
for a period of
time every single day,"
00:30:47.98\00:30:52.05
and the chief agreed to do it.
00:30:52.08\00:30:54.62
So while this missionary
is gone for a month or two,
00:30:54.65\00:30:57.79
the chief is reading the gospel
to his people every single day.
00:30:57.82\00:31:02.52
And as they're
reading through the Bible,
00:31:02.56\00:31:05.46
they come to the conclusion,
00:31:05.49\00:31:06.93
"Oh, the Bible says
we should be baptized."
00:31:06.96\00:31:12.03
And so when the
missionary comes back,
00:31:12.07\00:31:15.70
the chief says to him, "Listen,
00:31:15.74\00:31:17.91
we've been reading
the Bible, like you said,
00:31:17.94\00:31:19.84
the Bible says we
should be baptized."
00:31:19.87\00:31:22.31
Well, how do you
think the missionary felt?
00:31:22.34\00:31:25.18
Oh, he's on cloud nine.
00:31:25.21\00:31:27.02
Wow, I haven't even been here
00:31:27.05\00:31:28.98
and they've
decided to be baptized.
00:31:29.02\00:31:31.52
So he thought, we're
gonna do this tonight.
00:31:31.55\00:31:34.26
And so they built a
little wooden pulpit
00:31:34.29\00:31:36.39
and decided they're going
to have a baptismal service,
00:31:36.42\00:31:40.43
except there was one problem.
00:31:40.46\00:31:42.93
This missionary did not quite
understand the Bible teaching
00:31:42.96\00:31:47.87
about baptism by immersion.
00:31:47.90\00:31:50.81
This missionary
taught baptism by sprinkling.
00:31:50.84\00:31:55.38
And so while he was
preaching the baptismal sermon,
00:31:55.41\00:31:59.78
he has a little bitty cup
of water sitting right there
00:31:59.81\00:32:03.18
on the pulpit.
00:32:03.22\00:32:05.05
And as he's preaching,
00:32:05.09\00:32:07.16
the chief's right
there in the front row
00:32:07.19\00:32:10.79
and he's looking
at the missionary.
00:32:10.83\00:32:13.63
Look at that
little cup of water,
00:32:13.66\00:32:16.50
looking back at that missionary,
00:32:16.53\00:32:19.30
and he's
getting awfully fidgety.
00:32:19.33\00:32:22.60
And the missionary notices this.
00:32:22.64\00:32:24.74
He says, "Boy, I
better cut this sermon short,
00:32:24.77\00:32:26.78
or this guy is
gonna change his mind."
00:32:26.81\00:32:28.84
So he ends his
sermon rather abruptly
00:32:28.88\00:32:30.95
and he says, okay, Chief,
00:32:30.98\00:32:32.45
now it's time for
you to be baptized.
00:32:32.48\00:32:34.78
And the chief
stands up and says,
00:32:34.82\00:32:36.15
"No, I cannot be baptized."
00:32:36.18\00:32:39.02
And the
missionary says, "Why not?"
00:32:39.05\00:32:41.12
And the chief says to him,
00:32:41.16\00:32:43.09
"Chief's too
big, cup's too small."
00:32:43.12\00:32:47.10
See, that chief understood
that baptism was by immersion,
00:32:47.13\00:32:52.00
and he couldn't figure out
00:32:52.03\00:32:53.37
how that
missionary was gonna stuff him
00:32:53.40\00:32:55.50
in that little
bitty cup under the water.
00:32:55.54\00:32:58.64
See, it's always important that
we follow what the Bible says,
00:32:58.67\00:33:02.84
because it has a
special meaning attached to it.
00:33:02.88\00:33:07.55
In fact, just like the Sabbath,
remember the question we asked?
00:33:07.58\00:33:11.82
Okay, well, if the
Sabbath is in the New Testament,
00:33:11.85\00:33:14.62
we ought to find the
early New Testament Church
00:33:14.66\00:33:17.69
keeping it
00:33:17.73\00:33:19.06
and we looked
up all those verses
00:33:19.09\00:33:20.43
in the Book of Acts.
00:33:20.46\00:33:21.80
Same thing with baptism.
00:33:21.83\00:33:23.33
If baptism is by immersion,
00:33:23.37\00:33:25.80
do you think that we
ought to find a record of it
00:33:25.83\00:33:28.50
in the Book of
Acts, What do you think?
00:33:28.54\00:33:30.47
We should, and it's there.
00:33:30.51\00:33:32.67
It's actually Acts 8:35-38.
00:33:32.71\00:33:37.55
Now this one I have
on the screen for you,
00:33:37.58\00:33:39.71
but here's what's happening.
00:33:39.75\00:33:41.68
Philip is on his way to Samaria
00:33:41.72\00:33:45.89
and the Holy
Spirit impresses him,
00:33:45.92\00:33:48.66
"Go and run beside that
chariot up on the road."
00:33:48.69\00:33:53.66
That chariot has an Ethiopian
government leader in it.
00:33:53.70\00:33:58.87
That Ethiopian leader is reading
00:33:58.90\00:34:01.37
from the Book of Isaiah
about the suffering servant,
00:34:01.40\00:34:04.41
about the
Messiah who was to come.
00:34:04.44\00:34:06.84
He didn't understand
who is this talking about?
00:34:06.88\00:34:10.18
And so when Philip
runs up beside him,
00:34:10.21\00:34:12.71
he says to the
Ethiopian government leader,
00:34:12.75\00:34:16.79
"Do you understand
what you're reading?"
00:34:16.82\00:34:18.92
He says, "No, I don't."
00:34:18.95\00:34:20.79
And he invites Philip
to come up in the chariot
00:34:20.82\00:34:24.03
and Philip
begins to explain to him
00:34:24.06\00:34:26.83
from the Book of Isaiah,
00:34:26.86\00:34:28.33
how it's talking
about Jesus Christ,
00:34:28.36\00:34:30.77
the One who died on
the cross of Calvary.
00:34:30.80\00:34:33.87
And so the Ethiopian
eunuch sense to fill up,
00:34:33.90\00:34:38.14
"Why can't I be baptized?
00:34:38.17\00:34:40.78
Just pick it up now, Acts 8:36.
00:34:40.81\00:34:43.85
The Bible says,
00:34:43.88\00:34:45.95
"Now as they went down the road,
00:34:45.98\00:34:48.42
they came to some," what?
00:34:48.45\00:34:50.79
"Water, and the eunuch said,
00:34:50.82\00:34:53.89
'See, here is water.
00:34:53.92\00:34:56.56
What hinders me
from being baptized?'
00:34:56.59\00:35:01.00
Then Philip said,
00:35:01.03\00:35:02.36
'If you believe with
all your heart you may.'
00:35:02.40\00:35:05.03
And he answered and said,
00:35:05.07\00:35:06.63
'I believe that Jesus
Christ is the Son of God.'
00:35:06.67\00:35:10.61
So he commanded the
chariot to stand still.
00:35:10.64\00:35:13.81
And both Philip and the
eunuch went down into the water,
00:35:13.84\00:35:19.41
and he baptized him.
00:35:19.45\00:35:21.65
Now when they came
up out of the water..."
00:35:21.68\00:35:26.25
Did you catch that?
00:35:26.29\00:35:28.46
The eunuch wants to
know why can't I be baptized?
00:35:28.49\00:35:31.96
He sees water.
00:35:31.99\00:35:33.33
He says, "Philip, I
want you to baptize me,
00:35:33.36\00:35:35.73
I believe in Jesus."
00:35:35.76\00:35:38.37
And it
specifically says in the Bible,
00:35:38.40\00:35:41.00
"They went down into the water,
00:35:41.04\00:35:43.87
and then they came
up out of the water."
00:35:43.91\00:35:46.68
That's baptism by immersion.
00:35:46.71\00:35:49.91
The disciples knew that
00:35:49.94\00:35:51.71
because it's what
Jesus taught and the example
00:35:51.75\00:35:54.48
He gave in His own life,
00:35:54.52\00:35:57.15
death to sin,
burial of the old life,
00:35:57.19\00:36:00.99
resurrection to a
new life following Jesus.
00:36:01.02\00:36:04.49
It points us to
the cross, the tomb,
00:36:04.53\00:36:08.46
and victory over the grave.
00:36:08.50\00:36:11.10
That's why it's important
00:36:11.13\00:36:12.57
because Jesus wants to do
the same thing in our life,
00:36:12.60\00:36:17.21
dying to old
principles, burying them,
00:36:17.24\00:36:20.74
being resurrected
to a new way of living
00:36:20.78\00:36:23.95
that fills us with joy,
with peace, with patience,
00:36:23.98\00:36:28.05
and with all the
fruit of the Spirit.
00:36:28.08\00:36:30.62
Can you say amen?
00:36:30.65\00:36:32.69
In fact, really,
00:36:32.72\00:36:34.26
if you just look up
the Greek word of baptism,
00:36:34.29\00:36:36.89
it's baptizo.
00:36:36.93\00:36:38.46
And the Greek word
means to dip or to immerse
00:36:38.49\00:36:42.03
or to plunge underwater.
00:36:42.06\00:36:45.57
See, knowing that,
00:36:45.60\00:36:47.30
there may be some
people here tonight
00:36:47.34\00:36:48.90
who are thinking, you know,
00:36:48.94\00:36:50.27
I never had the privilege
to be baptized the Bible way,
00:36:50.31\00:36:56.11
the way Jesus was by immersion.
00:36:56.14\00:37:00.35
If God's Spirit is
laying that on your heart,
00:37:00.38\00:37:03.95
this is the opportunity to say,
00:37:03.99\00:37:05.49
"Lord, I want to do
that one day, very soon."
00:37:05.52\00:37:11.16
And then the
question that comes up is,
00:37:11.19\00:37:14.20
"Well, if the Bible
teaches baptism by immersion,
00:37:14.23\00:37:19.10
where in the world
did we get all these
00:37:19.13\00:37:21.77
other forms of baptism?"
00:37:21.80\00:37:24.54
You know just when we studied
the Sabbath, we said, "Well,
00:37:24.57\00:37:26.74
if the Sabbath is
taught in the Bible,
00:37:26.78\00:37:28.64
where in the world
did Sunday come from?"
00:37:28.68\00:37:31.45
Well, I wanna to share
with you did you know that
00:37:31.48\00:37:33.25
for the first 1300
years of Christian history,
00:37:33.28\00:37:36.45
baptism was always by immersion
without any exceptions,
00:37:36.48\00:37:40.92
the early
Christian church knew that.
00:37:40.96\00:37:43.79
It wasn't until
1311 that human teachings
00:37:43.83\00:37:47.83
and traditions came in.
00:37:47.86\00:37:49.96
It was in the
Council of Ravenna,
00:37:50.00\00:37:51.80
now notice, not from the Bible,
00:37:51.83\00:37:54.04
it's from a human council,
00:37:54.07\00:37:56.17
that sprinkling and
pouring were officially accepted
00:37:56.20\00:38:00.48
as equally valid as
baptism by immersion.
00:38:00.51\00:38:05.41
Now that alter too is seen here.
00:38:05.45\00:38:07.68
It doesn't say
00:38:07.72\00:38:09.05
that it was
discovered from the Bible.
00:38:09.08\00:38:11.85
It says that it was
decided by a human council
00:38:11.89\00:38:16.73
and that's going
back to the deeper issue.
00:38:16.76\00:38:19.63
Do I follow
tradition above truth?
00:38:19.66\00:38:23.13
Do I follow the teachings of men
00:38:23.16\00:38:26.13
above the
teachings of God's Word?
00:38:26.17\00:38:28.57
What is the highest authority,
00:38:28.60\00:38:30.64
a church body
or the Word of God?
00:38:30.67\00:38:35.78
Now, the catalyst that
prompted that decision was this.
00:38:35.81\00:38:41.35
If you've ever seen
pictures of the clergy
00:38:41.38\00:38:43.52
in the Middle Ages,
00:38:43.55\00:38:44.89
you notice that they're wearing
very heavy robes and vestments.
00:38:44.92\00:38:48.62
And so to take them off
00:38:48.66\00:38:50.23
or to get them wet
to baptize someone,
00:38:50.26\00:38:52.49
it's just very,
very inconvenient.
00:38:52.53\00:38:54.36
So doing it by
sprinkling is easier
00:38:54.40\00:38:57.07
because then you don't
have to take those robes off.
00:38:57.10\00:38:59.13
You don't even have to
get in the water yourself.
00:38:59.17\00:39:02.34
But the real catalyst was this.
00:39:02.37\00:39:05.87
Unfortunately,
00:39:05.91\00:39:07.74
the church of the Middle
Ages created a false teaching
00:39:07.78\00:39:11.61
that terrified people.
00:39:11.65\00:39:14.22
And the false
teaching said this.
00:39:14.25\00:39:18.22
If a baby is born,
00:39:18.25\00:39:21.49
and that baby dies
before it can be baptized,
00:39:21.52\00:39:26.93
that baby will be
lost and go to hell
00:39:26.96\00:39:29.66
or purgatory or whatever.
00:39:29.70\00:39:32.63
Now understand, that
would strike utter fear
00:39:32.67\00:39:36.87
and terror in the
heart of any mother
00:39:36.91\00:39:40.28
to think that my little baby
00:39:40.31\00:39:42.64
if he or she isn't
baptized and she dies,
00:39:42.68\00:39:45.58
'cause remember, the
infant mortality rate
00:39:45.61\00:39:47.42
was much higher back
then than it is today
00:39:47.45\00:39:49.88
to think that they
could be tormented in hell
00:39:49.92\00:39:51.99
or purgatory or a
place of suffering.
00:39:52.02\00:39:55.26
And remember,
the Bible was hidden
00:39:55.29\00:39:57.39
from the people back then,
00:39:57.43\00:39:58.76
they couldn't just
open up the Bible and see,
00:39:58.79\00:40:00.66
"Oh, well, that's not true."
00:40:00.70\00:40:02.76
And so as a result of
that, infant baptism was begun.
00:40:02.80\00:40:07.10
And since you
really can't throw a baby
00:40:07.14\00:40:09.10
underneath the
water, baptism by sprinkling
00:40:09.14\00:40:12.64
or pouring came into
being not based on the Bible.
00:40:12.67\00:40:17.28
Because truthfully,
00:40:17.31\00:40:18.65
if you read the Bible
from Genesis to Revelation,
00:40:18.68\00:40:22.38
you will not find one
example of infant baptism
00:40:22.42\00:40:26.62
that is there,
did you know that?
00:40:26.65\00:40:28.56
Just like the Sabbath,
from Genesis to Revelation,
00:40:28.59\00:40:31.36
no change in the Sabbath.
00:40:31.39\00:40:33.63
Now you say, "Well,
00:40:33.66\00:40:35.00
why is there no
infant baptism in the Bible?
00:40:35.03\00:40:38.10
Don't babies matter to God?"
00:40:38.13\00:40:41.10
Certainly they do.
00:40:41.14\00:40:42.90
But baptism is
meant for a person
00:40:42.94\00:40:46.21
who can make their
own free will decision
00:40:46.24\00:40:49.78
to follow Jesus.
00:40:49.81\00:40:51.35
Can a baby
choose to follow Jesus?
00:40:51.38\00:40:53.48
Yes or no?
00:40:53.52\00:40:54.85
He can or she can.
00:40:54.88\00:40:57.49
Really babies can
be considered innocent
00:40:57.52\00:41:00.79
until they reach the age
00:41:00.82\00:41:02.39
where they are able to
make a decision for themselves.
00:41:02.42\00:41:07.23
That's why it takes parents
who teach them about Jesus,
00:41:07.26\00:41:10.97
have family
worship, read the Bible,
00:41:11.00\00:41:13.87
and bring them to church.
00:41:13.90\00:41:15.90
Because hopefully,
when they get to an age
00:41:15.94\00:41:18.64
where they can make a decision,
00:41:18.67\00:41:20.51
they will make
their own freewill choice
00:41:20.54\00:41:22.68
to follow Jesus as their Savior.
00:41:22.71\00:41:25.08
Can you say amen? Amen.
00:41:25.11\00:41:26.68
So even though there
is not infant baptism
00:41:26.72\00:41:28.95
in the Bible,
00:41:28.98\00:41:30.32
there is something
called child dedication,
00:41:30.35\00:41:32.95
did you know that?
00:41:32.99\00:41:34.72
When Mary and Joseph,
when they gave birth to Jesus,
00:41:34.76\00:41:37.53
it says that on the eighth day,
00:41:37.56\00:41:39.39
they went to the
temple where he was dedicated.
00:41:39.43\00:41:43.13
And remember one of
the priest and Anna,
00:41:43.16\00:41:45.03
Simeon laid hands on
him and prayed for him.
00:41:45.07\00:41:48.47
I've done many child
dedications as a minister,
00:41:48.50\00:41:51.64
where a family will
bring their newborn baby,
00:41:51.67\00:41:54.54
sometimes
they're a little older,
00:41:54.58\00:41:56.14
and they say, "I wanna
dedicate my child to the Lord."
00:41:56.18\00:41:59.41
It doesn't mean
they're automatically saved,
00:41:59.45\00:42:01.25
but you pray a
special prayer saying,
00:42:01.28\00:42:03.08
"Lord, bless this child,
00:42:03.12\00:42:04.85
watch over them
and protect them,
00:42:04.89\00:42:06.65
help them when
they get to the age
00:42:06.69\00:42:08.99
that they will make a
decision to follow You."
00:42:09.02\00:42:12.19
Baby dedication,
00:42:12.23\00:42:14.60
but really to
be honest with you,
00:42:14.63\00:42:17.87
baby dedication is
as much for the parents
00:42:17.90\00:42:20.54
as it is the child.
00:42:20.57\00:42:22.14
Because how's that
child gonna know about Jesus?
00:42:22.17\00:42:26.11
I mean, is God gonna
send the Angel Gabriel down
00:42:26.14\00:42:29.74
to witness to this child?
00:42:29.78\00:42:32.11
Probably not.
00:42:32.15\00:42:33.52
That's why he
or she has parents.
00:42:33.55\00:42:35.85
See, baby dedication is
just as much the parents saying
00:42:35.88\00:42:39.85
that I make a commitment.
00:42:39.89\00:42:41.86
I understand how important
00:42:41.89\00:42:43.36
my role is as a
mother or a father
00:42:43.39\00:42:46.29
and I commit to
teaching this child about Jesus
00:42:46.33\00:42:49.40
doing everything I
can, having family worship,
00:42:49.43\00:42:52.53
to give them the right influence
00:42:52.57\00:42:54.67
so they can make
a decision for Him,
00:42:54.70\00:42:57.41
Jesus in the future.
00:42:57.44\00:42:59.81
See, the problem is
00:42:59.84\00:43:01.18
and I'm just gonna
be very blunt here.
00:43:01.21\00:43:03.95
Many Christian parents today
00:43:03.98\00:43:07.08
expect the church or the
pastor to do for their kids,
00:43:07.12\00:43:10.65
what they're not
doing for themselves.
00:43:10.69\00:43:14.36
The first and primary way
00:43:14.39\00:43:17.23
that a child learns about Jesus,
00:43:17.26\00:43:19.13
their first church is their home
00:43:19.16\00:43:21.93
and their parents.
00:43:21.96\00:43:24.17
And if I am so busy
00:43:24.20\00:43:25.80
having to work 80
to 100 hours a week
00:43:25.83\00:43:28.57
that I don't have
time for family worship,
00:43:28.60\00:43:31.41
I don't have
time to read the Bible
00:43:31.44\00:43:33.34
or read Bible
stories to my children.
00:43:33.38\00:43:35.41
I'm telling you
right now, get another job.
00:43:35.44\00:43:38.85
I don't care if you
have to live in poverty.
00:43:38.88\00:43:42.28
Because one of the worst
things in the world will be that
00:43:42.32\00:43:45.39
when Jesus comes
00:43:45.42\00:43:46.96
and I realize my
children are lost
00:43:46.99\00:43:49.26
because I
didn't make them first.
00:43:49.29\00:43:51.36
I am going to
absolutely loathe myself.
00:43:51.39\00:43:56.63
Your first
church is your family.
00:43:56.67\00:44:01.07
Do whatever it takes
00:44:01.10\00:44:03.34
to spend time reading the Bible,
00:44:03.37\00:44:06.11
having a family worship,
00:44:06.14\00:44:08.51
teaching them to
love and to follow Jesus.
00:44:08.54\00:44:12.25
Now, yes, they will make
their own decision on their own,
00:44:12.28\00:44:15.48
and they may choose
not to follow Jesus.
00:44:15.52\00:44:19.15
But I know that when
you spend time with a child,
00:44:19.19\00:44:21.56
the chances are much higher
00:44:21.59\00:44:23.79
that they will make a
decision on their own.
00:44:23.83\00:44:26.16
Yes, the church
can supplement that,
00:44:26.19\00:44:28.23
even a
Christian school can help,
00:44:28.26\00:44:31.13
but we can't expect
even the school to do for us
00:44:31.17\00:44:34.77
what we're not doing at home.
00:44:34.80\00:44:37.14
Children matter to God.
00:44:37.17\00:44:40.44
So our children
should matter to us.
00:44:40.48\00:44:45.38
Now, that's how
baptism by sprinkling came in.
00:44:45.41\00:44:49.12
Now, some of you may be
sincerely asking and saying,
00:44:49.15\00:44:52.09
"Well, you know, Pastor Dave,
00:44:52.12\00:44:54.09
I was baptized
when I was a baby.
00:44:54.12\00:44:57.59
Did I sin doing that?
00:44:57.63\00:44:59.26
Was I wrong?"
00:44:59.29\00:45:01.30
Oh, brothers and sisters,
00:45:01.33\00:45:03.90
you had no choice in
the matter back then.
00:45:03.93\00:45:07.17
And I'm sure that your parents
00:45:07.20\00:45:09.37
were living up to all
the light that they knew
00:45:09.40\00:45:11.77
and they were trying
to do the right thing
00:45:11.81\00:45:13.78
in their best judgment.
00:45:13.81\00:45:16.24
But now you have the opportunity
00:45:16.28\00:45:18.91
to make a decision on your own.
00:45:18.95\00:45:21.98
To be able to say,
00:45:22.02\00:45:23.35
I wanna be baptized
the way that Jesus was.
00:45:23.39\00:45:26.65
I want to experience
00:45:26.69\00:45:28.06
what it means to be
baptized the Bible way,
00:45:28.09\00:45:30.76
death, burial under the water,
and resurrection to a new life.
00:45:30.79\00:45:35.96
If God has laid
that on your heart,
00:45:36.00\00:45:38.60
that is something
to seriously consider
00:45:38.63\00:45:40.80
to follow in the
footsteps of Jesus Christ.
00:45:40.84\00:45:46.27
Now, sometimes people
wonder, are there any steps?
00:45:46.31\00:45:49.21
Are there
requirements to baptism?
00:45:49.24\00:45:50.88
Or can we just pull
someone off the street and say,
00:45:50.91\00:45:53.21
"Hey, I'm gonna baptize you?"
00:45:53.25\00:45:55.48
Well, the Bible does give us
some requirements for baptism.
00:45:55.52\00:45:58.42
Now notice,
00:45:58.45\00:45:59.79
the Bible doesn't give
us a list of 100,000 things
00:45:59.82\00:46:02.16
that would be
absolutely impossible to attain.
00:46:02.19\00:46:05.09
There are three
basic steps to baptism.
00:46:05.13\00:46:08.90
Number one, what does it say?
00:46:08.93\00:46:12.10
Belief in Jesus Christ.
00:46:12.13\00:46:14.44
Well, that one's common sense,
00:46:14.47\00:46:16.67
because baptism would
be a meaningless experience
00:46:16.71\00:46:20.11
if I didn't believe that
Jesus Christ was my Savior.
00:46:20.14\00:46:24.25
But it's more than that.
00:46:24.28\00:46:26.98
It also requires
repentance from sin.
00:46:27.02\00:46:30.82
Now, that doesn't mean
that I got to be perfect
00:46:30.85\00:46:33.05
and overcome every weakness.
00:46:33.09\00:46:34.72
It just simply means
00:46:34.76\00:46:36.09
that there ought to be
some evidence in my life
00:46:36.12\00:46:38.53
that the Holy Spirit is working
00:46:38.56\00:46:40.50
and that person is
responding to it in some way.
00:46:40.53\00:46:44.13
They'll still have weaknesses.
00:46:44.17\00:46:45.63
They'll still have
faults when they're baptized,
00:46:45.67\00:46:47.74
but there should be an evidence
00:46:47.77\00:46:49.14
that the Holy
Spirit is beginning
00:46:49.17\00:46:51.41
to turn them around.
00:46:51.44\00:46:53.14
Does that make sense?
00:46:53.17\00:46:54.64
Because really,
00:46:54.68\00:46:56.01
if only number one was required,
00:46:56.04\00:46:58.85
I want you to
think about something.
00:46:58.88\00:47:01.42
If number one was
the only requirement
00:47:01.45\00:47:03.49
belief in Jesus Christ,
00:47:03.52\00:47:05.82
guess who could be baptized?
00:47:05.85\00:47:08.32
The devil.
00:47:08.36\00:47:09.69
You say what?
00:47:09.72\00:47:11.06
Think about it.
00:47:11.09\00:47:12.49
The devil knows
00:47:12.53\00:47:13.86
that Jesus
Christ is the Son of God
00:47:13.90\00:47:16.30
better than you and I do,
00:47:16.33\00:47:18.37
because he was in
the kingdom of heaven.
00:47:18.40\00:47:21.27
He saw it himself.
00:47:21.30\00:47:22.64
He knows Jesus
is the Son of God.
00:47:22.67\00:47:24.31
The difference is,
00:47:24.34\00:47:25.67
he doesn't plan on
repenting from anything.
00:47:25.71\00:47:29.08
Step number three, a
basic knowledge of the faith.
00:47:29.11\00:47:32.88
Not that one has to be a scholar
00:47:32.91\00:47:34.72
and know Greek and Hebrew,
00:47:34.75\00:47:36.52
but they ought to have
at least a basic knowledge
00:47:36.55\00:47:38.95
of what the teachings
of Jesus are so one knows
00:47:38.99\00:47:42.29
what they're committing to.
00:47:42.32\00:47:43.93
I mean, really, when
two people get married,
00:47:43.96\00:47:46.76
do you think
perhaps it's a good idea
00:47:46.80\00:47:49.10
for the husband and wife
to be to have some concept
00:47:49.13\00:47:53.74
of what marriage is all about?
00:47:53.77\00:47:55.97
'Cause they need to know
what they're committing to.
00:47:56.00\00:47:57.74
It's the same with baptism.
00:47:57.77\00:48:01.94
You know, I want to go back
00:48:01.98\00:48:03.31
to that story of
the Ethiopian eunuch.
00:48:03.35\00:48:07.78
That eunuch said to Philip,
00:48:07.82\00:48:12.65
"What hinders me
from being baptized?"
00:48:12.69\00:48:18.36
God asked that
question of you and I,
00:48:18.39\00:48:22.10
"What is hindering you
00:48:22.13\00:48:25.00
from taking that step of
Bible baptism by immersion?"
00:48:25.03\00:48:30.97
Really, it was no
coincidence that Philip met up
00:48:31.01\00:48:34.91
with that Ethiopian eunuch.
00:48:34.94\00:48:37.05
You think it was by coincidence
00:48:37.08\00:48:38.85
that Philip was on the same road
00:48:38.88\00:48:41.02
at the same time
00:48:41.05\00:48:42.62
that this leader was
reading from the Book of Isaiah,
00:48:42.65\00:48:45.25
how many people think, "Oh,
well, that's just coincidence."
00:48:45.29\00:48:49.12
That's God's
divine intervention.
00:48:49.16\00:48:53.96
I don't believe any of you
are here by accident tonight.
00:48:54.00\00:48:57.77
I've heard some of your stories
00:48:57.80\00:49:00.10
how you've been
searching for truth,
00:49:00.14\00:49:02.94
how you want to know
what the Bible teaches.
00:49:02.97\00:49:06.01
You've shared with me
00:49:06.04\00:49:07.38
what Jesus has
been doing in your life,
00:49:07.41\00:49:09.88
both in the past,
and even right now today.
00:49:09.91\00:49:14.12
And when you got
that brochure in the mail
00:49:14.15\00:49:16.45
or when someone
invited you to come,
00:49:16.48\00:49:18.79
that was not by coincidence,
00:49:18.82\00:49:20.49
that was God
leading you on a journey,
00:49:20.52\00:49:22.89
'cause the truth is,
there's a lot of other things
00:49:22.92\00:49:25.59
you could be doing
four nights a week.
00:49:25.63\00:49:27.10
Isn't that the truth?
00:49:27.13\00:49:28.66
There's a lot of things
you could be doing right now.
00:49:28.70\00:49:31.53
But somehow the
Holy Spirit has drawn you
00:49:31.57\00:49:34.14
to come to this meeting,
00:49:34.17\00:49:35.67
because he has
something in store for you.
00:49:35.70\00:49:39.01
None of us, including
myself, are here by accident.
00:49:39.04\00:49:43.68
Can you say amen?
00:49:43.71\00:49:45.45
So if you fulfill
those three steps,
00:49:45.48\00:49:48.35
and you have never been baptized
00:49:48.38\00:49:50.05
the way the Bible teaches,
00:49:50.09\00:49:52.15
perhaps the Holy Spirit
is laying that on your heart
00:49:52.19\00:49:55.62
to consider.
00:49:55.66\00:49:58.03
Now there's one more
thing I need to cover that
00:49:58.06\00:49:59.83
people many times ask.
00:49:59.86\00:50:02.10
They want to know,
what about re-baptism?
00:50:02.13\00:50:05.80
Is it biblical
to be re-baptized?
00:50:05.83\00:50:09.60
Actually, there is
an example in the Bible
00:50:09.64\00:50:12.04
in Acts Chapter 19.
00:50:12.07\00:50:13.84
And I want us to read it,
00:50:13.88\00:50:15.24
because we don't
want to go to the extreme
00:50:15.28\00:50:17.65
where we think, "Oh my,
every time I make a mistake,
00:50:17.68\00:50:20.55
I've got to be
baptized, you know,
00:50:20.58\00:50:22.12
10 times 20 times 30 times."
00:50:22.15\00:50:24.45
I mean, that
would make a mockery
00:50:24.49\00:50:25.82
of what baptism represents.
00:50:25.85\00:50:27.89
But there is a case of
re-baptism in Scripture.
00:50:27.92\00:50:31.79
And I want to share it with you.
00:50:31.83\00:50:33.40
Go to Acts 19:1-5.
00:50:33.43\00:50:39.37
Acts Chapter 19
00:50:39.40\00:50:42.17
and we're gonna read
about something that happened
00:50:42.20\00:50:44.97
in the city of Ephesus.
00:50:45.01\00:50:48.61
Acts 19:1,
00:50:48.64\00:50:50.21
I want you to just
picture this in your mind.
00:50:50.25\00:50:53.95
The Bible says,
00:50:53.98\00:50:56.55
"And it happened,
00:50:56.58\00:50:58.15
that while
Apollo's was at Corinth
00:50:58.19\00:51:01.02
that Paul having passed
through the upper regions
00:51:01.06\00:51:04.79
came to," what city?
00:51:04.83\00:51:06.86
"Ephesus and finding some
disciples he said to them,
00:51:06.90\00:51:11.67
'Did you receive the Holy Spirit
00:51:11.70\00:51:13.37
when you believed?'
00:51:13.40\00:51:15.07
So they said to him,
00:51:15.10\00:51:16.84
'We have not so much as heard
that there is a Holy Spirit.'
00:51:16.87\00:51:20.51
And he said to them,
00:51:20.54\00:51:22.71
'Into what then
were you baptized?'
00:51:22.74\00:51:24.91
So they said,
'Into John's baptism.'
00:51:24.95\00:51:28.08
" Now I'm gonna
pause here for a second.
00:51:28.12\00:51:29.95
Now, can you imagine how
that threw Paul for a loop?
00:51:29.98\00:51:32.85
He's in Ephesus,
he needs some people
00:51:32.89\00:51:35.46
that he thinks are
believers and disciples,
00:51:35.49\00:51:37.76
and he says,
00:51:37.79\00:51:39.13
"Hey, have you
received the Holy Spirit?"
00:51:39.16\00:51:41.30
And they look at him and
say, "Holy Spirit, what's that?
00:51:41.33\00:51:43.23
Never heard of it."
00:51:43.26\00:51:45.33
And Paul's like,
"Where were you baptized?
00:51:45.37\00:51:48.87
How could you not have
heard of the Holy Spirit?"
00:51:48.90\00:51:52.07
And they tell him
notice what it says in verse 4.
00:51:52.11\00:51:55.34
"Then Paul said,
00:51:55.38\00:51:56.75
'John, indeed baptized
with a baptism of repentance,
00:51:56.78\00:52:00.95
saying to the people that
they should believe on Him
00:52:00.98\00:52:04.65
who would come after him
that is on Christ Jesus.'
00:52:04.69\00:52:08.39
And when they heard this,
00:52:08.42\00:52:09.89
they were baptized in
the name of the Lord Jesus.'
00:52:09.92\00:52:13.63
" See, these disciples,
00:52:13.66\00:52:15.10
they had heard John the
Baptist preach at the Jordan.
00:52:15.13\00:52:17.93
Apparently they had
come from Ephesus down
00:52:17.97\00:52:19.83
to Jerusalem for something,
00:52:19.87\00:52:21.74
heard John talk about a
Messiah who is yet to come,
00:52:21.77\00:52:25.87
and that they should be baptized
00:52:25.91\00:52:27.58
to show their
repentance from sin to get ready
00:52:27.61\00:52:30.55
for the Messiah.
00:52:30.58\00:52:31.91
And so they were baptized.
00:52:31.95\00:52:33.42
But they went back to Ephesus
00:52:33.45\00:52:35.98
before they had
ever seen or met Jesus
00:52:36.02\00:52:39.19
and heard the rest of the story.
00:52:39.22\00:52:41.16
They only knew half the story.
00:52:41.19\00:52:43.69
And so Paul then gave
them as Paul Harvey would say,
00:52:43.73\00:52:47.63
the rest of that story.
00:52:47.66\00:52:49.36
And he explained
how Jesus was the one
00:52:49.40\00:52:51.93
that John the
Baptist talked about,
00:52:51.97\00:52:54.10
how He died on
the cross of Calvary.
00:52:54.14\00:52:56.94
And when this new
light came to them,
00:52:56.97\00:53:00.28
what does it say they did?
00:53:00.31\00:53:02.94
They were baptized again,
in the name of the Lord Jesus.
00:53:02.98\00:53:08.82
So you see, Acts 19
gives us this example
00:53:08.85\00:53:12.65
that there may be times
00:53:12.69\00:53:14.02
when we come to
significant new light.
00:53:14.06\00:53:17.63
Things in a Bible that
we didn't know about before
00:53:17.66\00:53:20.66
and deep in our hearts,
00:53:20.70\00:53:22.33
maybe we feel like
we want to be re-baptize
00:53:22.36\00:53:26.00
to show our commitment
00:53:26.03\00:53:27.80
to follow these new
truths that we have learned
00:53:27.84\00:53:30.41
because that's exactly
00:53:30.44\00:53:31.77
what happened to
these believers in Ephesus.
00:53:31.81\00:53:35.38
There is another reason.
00:53:35.41\00:53:37.85
Sometimes a person
who was once baptized
00:53:37.88\00:53:41.58
falls away and departs
from Christ and the church.
00:53:41.62\00:53:46.29
But then they long to
desire to come back again.
00:53:46.32\00:53:50.19
They realize this
isn't the way I wanted,
00:53:50.23\00:53:52.33
I should have gone.
00:53:52.36\00:53:53.76
They begin to recognize, I
need to come back to Jesus.
00:53:53.80\00:53:57.03
I want to be
connected to His church.
00:53:57.07\00:53:59.40
I mean, even though the
church doesn't save you,
00:53:59.43\00:54:01.47
Jesus talks about the importance
00:54:01.50\00:54:03.41
of that fellowship.
00:54:03.44\00:54:05.47
And so in their heart
they feel like, you know,
00:54:05.51\00:54:07.44
I need to be re-baptized.
00:54:07.48\00:54:09.21
I want to show my
recommitment to Jesus.
00:54:09.24\00:54:12.75
According to the Bible,
that is perfectly fine and
00:54:12.78\00:54:16.62
it is perfectly acceptable.
00:54:16.65\00:54:19.25
There are times when re-baptism
00:54:19.29\00:54:22.89
would be a blessing
to our spiritual life.
00:54:22.92\00:54:27.76
Lastly, I don't want to
forget about this verse.
00:54:27.80\00:54:31.90
Jesus said to Nicodemus
about being born again,
00:54:31.93\00:54:35.04
he said,
00:54:35.07\00:54:36.40
"Jesus answered and said to him,
00:54:36.44\00:54:37.94
'Most assuredly, I say to you,
00:54:37.97\00:54:41.24
unless one is born
of water and the," what?
00:54:41.28\00:54:45.61
"Spirit,
00:54:45.65\00:54:46.98
he cannot enter
the kingdom of God."
00:54:47.02\00:54:50.89
Now notice,
00:54:50.92\00:54:52.25
being born again
has two parts to it,
00:54:52.29\00:54:54.59
according to Jesus.
00:54:54.62\00:54:56.09
You're born of the water.
00:54:56.12\00:54:57.99
That's baptism.
00:54:58.03\00:54:59.79
But you're also
born of the spirit.
00:54:59.83\00:55:03.90
You say, now what's that?
00:55:03.93\00:55:05.27
'Cause there's surely
a lot of different ways
00:55:05.30\00:55:06.63
people look at that.
00:55:06.67\00:55:08.67
When we gave our lives to Jesus,
00:55:08.70\00:55:11.24
Jesus did not say, "Great,
00:55:11.27\00:55:13.14
I brought you to
the waters of baptism,
00:55:13.17\00:55:15.04
from then on you
are on your own."
00:55:15.08\00:55:17.75
Is that what Jesus does?
00:55:17.78\00:55:19.45
No.
00:55:19.48\00:55:20.82
He said, "You also need
to be born of the Spirit."
00:55:20.85\00:55:24.72
Jesus said that when
He went back to heaven,
00:55:24.75\00:55:28.66
He would give His disciples
the gift of the Comforter,
00:55:28.69\00:55:33.19
the gift of the Holy Ghost,
00:55:33.23\00:55:35.33
who would remind them
of the teachings of Jesus,
00:55:35.36\00:55:38.23
who would remind them
of the truths of Scripture.
00:55:38.27\00:55:41.84
And what happens
is that after baptism,
00:55:41.87\00:55:44.21
even though there
will be times that I fall,
00:55:44.24\00:55:46.37
that Holy Spirit continues
to do the work of conversion
00:55:46.41\00:55:50.11
in my life.
00:55:50.15\00:55:51.75
He continues to renew my mind.
00:55:51.78\00:55:54.68
He continues to change my heart
00:55:54.72\00:55:57.09
and convict me of decisions
00:55:57.12\00:55:59.05
that I need to continue to make.
00:55:59.09\00:56:01.39
He is with me
00:56:01.42\00:56:02.76
as I walk the path
of the Christian faith,
00:56:02.79\00:56:05.79
I am not left alone.
00:56:05.83\00:56:08.43
Can you say amen? Amen.
00:56:08.46\00:56:09.96
And you see the
greatest evidence
00:56:10.00\00:56:12.13
that someone is
born of the Spirit
00:56:12.17\00:56:14.84
is not because they
have a particular gift.
00:56:14.87\00:56:18.51
The evidence of someone
being born of the Spirit
00:56:18.54\00:56:21.64
is very simply what
Galatians 5:22 says,
00:56:21.68\00:56:25.08
you see the fruit of
the Spirit in their life,
00:56:25.11\00:56:29.35
love, joy, peace,
patience, kindness, etc.
00:56:29.38\00:56:34.79
Because when you think about it,
00:56:34.82\00:56:37.56
the fruit of the
Spirit is nothing more
00:56:37.59\00:56:39.96
than a description of what?
00:56:40.00\00:56:43.10
The character of Jesus Christ.
00:56:43.13\00:56:46.87
The Holy Spirit wants
to create in you and I,
00:56:46.90\00:56:51.47
Christ's own character,
00:56:51.51\00:56:54.54
so that people
can see Jesus in me.
00:56:54.58\00:56:59.55
And when you
see Christ character
00:56:59.58\00:57:01.88
formed in someone's life,
00:57:01.92\00:57:03.59
you can be sure
00:57:03.62\00:57:05.22
that person did
not do it on their own,
00:57:05.25\00:57:08.26
because it is
impossible for the human nature
00:57:08.29\00:57:11.66
to reproduce the
character of Jesus.
00:57:11.69\00:57:14.10
It is only the divine
supernatural intervention
00:57:14.13\00:57:19.47
and converting power
of God's Holy Spirit.
00:57:19.50\00:57:23.44
Can you say amen? Amen.
00:57:23.47\00:57:25.21
And that work of conversion
00:57:25.24\00:57:27.24
continues to happen
all throughout our life,
00:57:27.28\00:57:30.31
born of the water in a moment,
00:57:30.35\00:57:33.18
but I'm born of the
spirit throughout my life
00:57:33.21\00:57:35.85
as I spend time
with Jesus every day,
00:57:35.88\00:57:38.72
and I open my heart
00:57:38.75\00:57:40.32
for that spirit
00:57:40.36\00:57:41.69
to make changes in me.
00:57:41.72\00:57:47.03
Brothers and sisters, as
you've come to this seminar,
00:57:47.06\00:57:51.10
perhaps the Holy
Spirit has convicted you
00:57:51.13\00:57:53.13
of things in your life.
00:57:53.17\00:57:54.50
I don't know what that may be.
00:57:54.54\00:57:56.81
Maybe you sense the
times in which we're living.
00:57:56.84\00:58:01.04
Maybe you're sensing
00:58:01.08\00:58:02.41
that you need to make a
full decision for Jesus.
00:58:02.44\00:58:07.12
Maybe you're
convicted of things in your life
00:58:07.15\00:58:09.18
that you need to let go of.
00:58:09.22\00:58:11.95
Maybe there's areas
00:58:11.99\00:58:13.32
where I'm straddling
the fence on something.
00:58:13.36\00:58:16.69
Or I'm making excuses.
00:58:16.73\00:58:20.03
And maybe God's
Spirit is encouraging you
00:58:20.06\00:58:22.16
that it's time to
take a step of baptism.
00:58:22.20\00:58:26.84
Or maybe it's
time to follow God.
00:58:26.87\00:58:29.94