And I thought how
appropriate for us
00:00:34.45\00:00:35.91
as we are coming down
to the end of our meetings
00:00:35.94\00:00:37.92
that we talk about these
vital, this important of baptism
00:00:37.95\00:00:41.80
and to really
discover what the Bible teaches
00:00:41.83\00:00:44.62
about this matter of baptism.
00:00:44.65\00:00:46.23
Don't you think that
would be an important subject
00:00:46.26\00:00:48.59
in the sequence of
things in our series like these?
00:00:48.62\00:00:52.02
Our study tonight
is an important one
00:00:52.05\00:00:54.93
for it is through baptism
00:00:54.96\00:00:57.52
that we become subjects of
God's spiritual kingdom now
00:00:57.55\00:01:01.59
and in faith of the Jesus
the kingdom of God in heaven
00:01:01.62\00:01:04.88
and the new earth to follow.
00:01:04.91\00:01:07.01
In fact Jesus says He spoke
about the gospel commission
00:01:07.04\00:01:10.87
as He gave it to his
disciples in Matthew 28:19, 20.
00:01:10.90\00:01:17.34
He said "Go therefore and make
disciples of all the nations,
00:01:17.37\00:01:21.00
baptizing them in
the name of the Father
00:01:21.03\00:01:24.49
and of the Son and
of the Holy Spirit,
00:01:24.52\00:01:27.27
teaching them to
observe all things
00:01:27.30\00:01:29.83
that I have commanded you,
and lo, I am with you always,
00:01:29.86\00:01:33.27
even to the end of the
age." Or the end of the word.
00:01:33.30\00:01:36.65
"Amen."
00:01:36.68\00:01:38.51
So we have been
commissioned as Christians to go
00:01:38.54\00:01:41.72
to the whole world to bear
witness to all of the nations.
00:01:41.75\00:01:46.78
And as we go to the whole world
00:01:46.81\00:01:48.39
what are the two
fundamental things
00:01:48.42\00:01:49.93
that we are to do as Christians?
00:01:49.96\00:01:51.99
Well, the first thing
is we are to be baptizing,
00:01:52.02\00:01:54.66
we are to baptize people
in the name of the Father
00:01:54.69\00:01:58.79
and of the Son and of the
Holy Spirit, is what it says.
00:01:58.82\00:02:04.26
What's the other
thing that is connected
00:02:04.29\00:02:05.78
to this matter of baptizing?
00:02:05.81\00:02:08.67
What else must be going on?
00:02:08.70\00:02:10.89
We just go out
there baptize people?
00:02:10.92\00:02:13.05
Yes, it involves
our acceptance of Jesus
00:02:15.60\00:02:18.07
but not as teaching is linked
to this matter of baptism.
00:02:18.10\00:02:22.26
So teaching is
an important aspect
00:02:22.29\00:02:25.13
of this matter of baptism
or preparation for baptism.
00:02:25.16\00:02:29.45
Does that mean
that's the end of it?
00:02:29.48\00:02:32.04
You know, whatever you've
learned before your baptism,
00:02:32.07\00:02:34.46
you know, that's it?
00:02:34.49\00:02:36.07
Of course not, because we
continue to grow in knowledge.
00:02:36.10\00:02:40.49
We want to continue to study.
00:02:40.52\00:02:42.12
We want to
continue to open God's word
00:02:42.15\00:02:45.01
and discover more
fully, more completely
00:02:45.04\00:02:48.31
the things under
taught in His word.
00:02:48.34\00:02:50.83
But teaching is an
important aspect of the process.
00:02:50.86\00:02:54.01
It is, but is not that we wait
00:02:54.04\00:02:57.80
until we have a
perfect knowledge.
00:02:57.83\00:03:00.37
We must not be caught up with
this idea because I'll tell you
00:03:01.77\00:03:04.81
none of us will ever
arrive to a perfect knowledge
00:03:04.84\00:03:08.91
I believe through
the ages of eternity.
00:03:08.94\00:03:11.76
I mean who can find out God?
00:03:11.79\00:03:13.44
I mean who can really, you know,
00:03:13.47\00:03:15.34
you can spend
that thousand years
00:03:15.37\00:03:18.00
and my friend we
can never fully know
00:03:18.03\00:03:20.80
everything about God.
00:03:20.83\00:03:21.98
Who He is, His
power, His knowledge
00:03:22.01\00:03:25.78
which is you
know it's unspeakable,
00:03:25.81\00:03:28.67
its' unspeakable His knowledge.
00:03:30.12\00:03:32.99
So there's always growing
as in any other relationship
00:03:33.02\00:03:36.64
but teaching as I said
is important part of it.
00:03:36.67\00:03:38.70
Take your bibles and
turn with me to Acts 2,
00:03:38.73\00:03:41.41
the New Testament page 93.
00:03:41.44\00:03:43.62
Page 93, we're
looking at Acts 2:37, 38.
00:03:43.65\00:03:49.74
And if you were
this last weekend
00:03:49.77\00:03:51.65
we also were in this
passage in other context
00:03:51.68\00:03:54.35
and we remember it
is the day of Pentecost.
00:03:54.38\00:03:58.52
There were
thousands, tens of thousands
00:03:58.55\00:04:01.78
that were
gathered there at Jerusalem
00:04:01.81\00:04:03.55
on the day of Pentecost
00:04:03.58\00:04:04.79
one of the Jewish
priest and the disciples
00:04:04.82\00:04:08.45
were in the
temple bearing witness,
00:04:08.48\00:04:10.19
the Holy Spirit had fallen
upon them in Pentecostal power.
00:04:10.22\00:04:15.31
And notice verse 37, says
"Now when they heard this"
00:04:15.34\00:04:18.50
that is the
multitude that was listening,
00:04:18.53\00:04:20.52
in on what the
disciples were saying
00:04:20.55\00:04:23.64
"Now when they heard this, they
were pricked in their heart."
00:04:23.67\00:04:27.20
That means they were convicted
00:04:27.23\00:04:29.56
and we have been
convicted haven't we
00:04:29.59\00:04:31.32
as we study God's word.
00:04:31.35\00:04:33.67
I mean, you know
think of the times
00:04:33.70\00:04:35.69
we have spend
in the word of God,
00:04:35.72\00:04:37.06
we have been talking
about the plan of salvation,
00:04:37.09\00:04:39.56
we have been talking about
00:04:39.59\00:04:41.00
you know the
basis of our acceptance.
00:04:41.03\00:04:43.18
How we come to
Him just as we are.
00:04:43.21\00:04:45.04
That's all good news, isn't it?
00:04:45.07\00:04:46.88
Says, "They were
pierced in the heart,
00:04:46.91\00:04:49.14
and they said to Peter
00:04:49.17\00:04:50.20
and to the rest of the apostles,
00:04:50.23\00:04:51.26
brethren, what shall we do?"
00:04:51.29\00:04:53.57
And I am gonna repeat
what I said last weekend.
00:04:54.79\00:04:56.97
You see the gospel is
not passive it is proactive.
00:04:57.00\00:05:02.46
It requires of us, it puts us
00:05:02.49\00:05:05.43
under the constraints
of love and of grace.
00:05:05.46\00:05:08.68
It demands of us a response,
the claims Jesus in our lives.
00:05:08.71\00:05:13.19
What shall we do?
00:05:13.22\00:05:16.37
Now notice what
we find in verse 38.
00:05:16.40\00:05:18.66
"Peter said to them, Repent,
00:05:18.69\00:05:21.16
" That's the first thing
we do as we come to Jesus.
00:05:21.19\00:05:23.39
We are to repent.
00:05:23.42\00:05:25.56
It is foundation to why we
come to Jesus in the first place
00:05:25.59\00:05:29.15
because we realize
we've fallen short.
00:05:29.18\00:05:31.89
We all have, haven't we?
00:05:31.92\00:05:34.00
We all have been tainted
by sin, we all need a Savior.
00:05:34.03\00:05:39.68
And my friend, in
probably counseling terms
00:05:39.71\00:05:42.63
you know when you
go to see a counselor
00:05:42.66\00:05:45.02
you're dealing with
some problems in your life
00:05:45.05\00:05:47.34
and as getting those
things out in the open.
00:05:47.37\00:05:50.77
Talking about them,
recognizing the problems
00:05:50.80\00:05:53.33
that we have in our lives.
00:05:53.36\00:05:54.59
And its part of the
process of resolving
00:05:54.62\00:05:57.08
some of those
things that we are dealing
00:05:57.11\00:05:58.46
with sometimes may be
mentally emotional issues,
00:05:58.49\00:06:01.38
psychological issues
that we are dealing with.
00:06:01.41\00:06:03.43
At some point we
have to get them out.
00:06:03.46\00:06:05.30
We have to deal with them
so that we can resolve them.
00:06:05.33\00:06:08.23
And so it is with the
process of repentance.
00:06:08.26\00:06:10.70
Repentance is acknowledging
the truth of ourselves
00:06:10.73\00:06:15.76
that we are fallen
short, that we are sinners.
00:06:15.79\00:06:18.49
And my friend, we
are safe, we are safe.
00:06:18.52\00:06:23.22
We understand
love draws us, woos us
00:06:23.25\00:06:26.93
and love is the only answer
00:06:27.90\00:06:29.91
for sin within our lives, right,
00:06:29.94\00:06:32.49
so we can
acknowledges before God
00:06:32.52\00:06:34.75
and feel safe
in doing so, right.
00:06:34.78\00:06:37.93
We don't have to fear
00:06:37.96\00:06:39.22
that somehow God is
gonna frowning on us.
00:06:39.25\00:06:41.78
Really, did you do
all of those things.
00:06:41.81\00:06:44.49
Were you really
thinking those thoughts?
00:06:44.52\00:06:48.01
You know, some of
us who have parents
00:06:48.04\00:06:49.55
that you know were little
harsh in the treatment of us.
00:06:49.58\00:06:52.89
And some of us
have gone through that.
00:06:52.92\00:06:54.45
Let me tell you some
times we project this upon God,
00:06:54.48\00:06:59.56
don't we?
00:06:59.59\00:07:00.69
And I think in the book
00:07:01.38\00:07:02.47
that was written some
years ago Never Good Enough.
00:07:02.50\00:07:06.08
Some of us have fought
with this our whole lives,
00:07:06.11\00:07:08.84
never feeling we
were good enough.
00:07:08.87\00:07:11.00
But my friend,
when we come to Him
00:07:11.74\00:07:13.51
as we acknowledge out
sins as we repent our sins
00:07:13.54\00:07:18.03
and it goes on to say "
00:07:18.06\00:07:20.44
Repent, and each
of you be baptized
00:07:20.47\00:07:24.04
in the name of Jesus Christ
00:07:24.07\00:07:26.71
for the
forgiveness of your sins."
00:07:26.74\00:07:30.15
So when we go
through the waters of baptism
00:07:30.18\00:07:32.01
it represents something that
is happening within our hearts.
00:07:32.04\00:07:34.97
It represents a
spiritual cleansing.
00:07:35.00\00:07:38.29
And my friend, Jesus
will cleanse us of every sin.
00:07:38.32\00:07:43.11
That is what
baptism represents, right.
00:07:43.14\00:07:45.96
And with that He
assures that we are forgiven.
00:07:45.99\00:07:50.08
I remember my
baptism at 11 years of age.
00:07:50.11\00:07:52.55
I remember, coming
up out of those waters.
00:07:52.58\00:07:54.81
I remember that sense
00:07:54.84\00:07:56.70
that the page of my
life was white and clean.
00:07:56.73\00:07:59.42
I remember those
thoughts specifically
00:07:59.45\00:08:01.66
and probably it was an
illustration I heard somewhere
00:08:01.69\00:08:04.66
in church or may be
that series of meetings
00:08:04.69\00:08:07.19
I went through some
months before I was baptized
00:08:07.22\00:08:10.12
and I went to
meetings just like this
00:08:10.15\00:08:12.41
and that had to be an
illustration because I knew
00:08:12.44\00:08:15.85
that every sin I had
ever committed was forgiven.
00:08:15.88\00:08:19.75
Isn't' that good news?
00:08:21.51\00:08:23.30
It's a place of new beginnings.
00:08:23.33\00:08:25.50
You know, I
remember when I was baptized
00:08:25.53\00:08:27.22
I was baptized with one of
my best friends Joe Hottendorf.
00:08:27.25\00:08:30.89
And I remember,
when Joe was baptized
00:08:30.92\00:08:33.35
he kind of have
this idea that, you know,
00:08:33.38\00:08:35.12
now he had set a new
course in his life and that,
00:08:35.15\00:08:38.70
you know, he probably
wouldn't ever sin again.
00:08:38.73\00:08:41.68
You know, how when you're kids
00:08:41.71\00:08:43.62
you think about these
ideas in childish ways
00:08:43.65\00:08:46.98
but let me tell you of course,
00:08:47.01\00:08:49.36
we still, we still
sometimes will fail, right.
00:08:49.39\00:08:53.68
We still will
sometimes stumble and fall.
00:08:53.71\00:08:57.25
So how about it you've baptized,
00:08:57.28\00:09:00.91
got to be baptized again?
00:09:00.94\00:09:03.46
I will tell you if that's
the way with that it worked
00:09:03.49\00:09:05.95
then we would have to
baptize time and time again.
00:09:05.98\00:09:10.25
No, no, when we have been
baptizing into Jesus Christ
00:09:10.28\00:09:13.87
we are in a saving
relationship and when we stumble
00:09:13.90\00:09:16.34
we just get on our
knees we confess it
00:09:16.37\00:09:19.33
and He freely
forgives us of all of our sins
00:09:19.36\00:09:24.37
"Repent, and each
of you be baptized
00:09:24.40\00:09:26.59
in the name of Jesus Christ
00:09:26.62\00:09:29.15
for the
forgiveness of your sins,
00:09:29.18\00:09:31.28
and you will receive the
gift of the Holy Spirit."
00:09:31.31\00:09:34.57
The spirit is given us to
give us the power we need,
00:09:34.60\00:09:39.74
the spiritual power,
it's the new birth experience
00:09:39.77\00:09:42.03
really what he is
talking about here
00:09:42.06\00:09:44.53
by which we can
live a godly life.
00:09:44.56\00:09:47.41
By which we can live
a Christ centered life.
00:09:47.44\00:09:50.00
Let's go to the story
of the Ethiopian eunuch.
00:09:50.03\00:09:53.08
You remember the story don't you
00:09:53.11\00:09:54.56
from the Book of Acts 8,
00:09:54.59\00:09:56.37
Ethiopian eunuch had
come up to the temple
00:09:56.40\00:09:59.03
in Jerusalem to worship God.
00:09:59.06\00:10:00.63
The first thing we
take note of from that
00:10:00.66\00:10:02.50
is that he was
a believer in God.
00:10:02.53\00:10:05.81
That's why he was there.
00:10:05.84\00:10:07.50
And as, as we pick
up the story in Acts 8,
00:10:07.53\00:10:11.63
he is on his way
back home to Ethiopia
00:10:11.66\00:10:15.40
and he is in his chariot and
he is reading the scriptures.
00:10:15.43\00:10:20.71
He is reading, he is
reading from the prophet Isaiah.
00:10:20.74\00:10:24.77
He is reading Isaiah Chapter
53 as we know it in our bibles
00:10:24.80\00:10:28.55
and Phillip the deacon
was led by the Holy Spirit
00:10:28.58\00:10:31.05
to run to go with him
out there in the desert.
00:10:31.08\00:10:34.22
He climbed up in the
chariot and he began by asking
00:10:34.25\00:10:38.83
the Ethiopian
eunuch do you understand
00:10:38.86\00:10:40.37
what you are reading?
00:10:40.40\00:10:41.80
And he said no.
00:10:41.83\00:10:42.86
I don't know who is
talking about here--
00:10:42.89\00:10:45.29
this messianic prophecy.
00:10:45.32\00:10:47.25
I don't know who he is talking--
00:10:47.28\00:10:48.31
is he talking about himself,
00:10:48.34\00:10:49.58
is he talking
about somebody else.
00:10:49.61\00:10:51.07
And from that very
passage of scripture
00:10:51.10\00:10:53.47
Philip began to
present Jesus to him.
00:10:53.50\00:10:56.92
"As they traveled along
they came to some water."
00:10:56.95\00:11:00.07
That's what we are
going to picking up here
00:11:00.10\00:11:01.38
at Acts 8 beginning verse 36.
00:11:01.41\00:11:04.08
"And as they went along the road
00:11:04.11\00:11:06.75
they came to some water,
00:11:06.78\00:11:08.20
and the eunuch
said, 'Look! Water!
00:11:08.23\00:11:10.76
What prevents me
from being baptized?'
00:11:10.79\00:11:13.22
And Philip said, 'If you
believe with all your heart,
00:11:13.25\00:11:15.89
you may.'
00:11:15.92\00:11:17.09
And he answered and said,
00:11:17.12\00:11:18.15
"I believe that Jesus
Christ is the Son of God.'
00:11:18.18\00:11:21.32
And he ordered
the chariot to stop,
00:11:21.35\00:11:23.08
and they both went
down into the water,
00:11:23.11\00:11:25.03
Philip as well as the
eunuch, and he baptized them."
00:11:25.06\00:11:28.40
Now I don't know really
how long Philips was there
00:11:29.88\00:11:33.50
with the eunuch in that chariot.
00:11:33.53\00:11:36.74
I can imagine
some hours going by
00:11:36.77\00:11:40.42
as we he was
sharing from the scriptures
00:11:40.45\00:11:43.14
telling the story about Jesus.
00:11:43.17\00:11:46.08
But I want you
to notice something.
00:11:46.11\00:11:48.62
I want to know
something that once
00:11:49.69\00:11:52.74
the eunuch
understood the message of Jesus,
00:11:52.77\00:11:56.33
once he embraced Jesus
he didn't waste much time
00:11:56.36\00:11:59.68
in acting upon it, did he.
00:11:59.71\00:12:01.14
He just been introduced
to Jesus some hours before
00:12:02.77\00:12:05.59
and now when he saw water he
knew he wanted to act upon it.
00:12:05.62\00:12:08.98
Somewhere
obviously in the process
00:12:09.01\00:12:10.60
Philip had shared
with the Ethiopian eunuch
00:12:10.63\00:12:13.23
the importance of baptism
in the process of accepting
00:12:13.26\00:12:16.30
or embracing Jesus
as our personal Savior,
00:12:16.33\00:12:19.01
or else he
wouldn't been asking for it.
00:12:19.04\00:12:20.76
And so it is my friend,
00:12:20.79\00:12:22.10
if you and I believe
in the Lord Jesus Christ
00:12:22.13\00:12:25.37
and we have
accepted Him as our Savior
00:12:25.40\00:12:28.17
we will want to go
through the waters with Him.
00:12:28.20\00:12:30.98
Now let's get
to some of practice
00:12:31.77\00:12:33.65
involved in baptism.
00:12:33.68\00:12:36.14
You have heard me
talking about this before
00:12:36.17\00:12:38.65
with many subjects
they are what I call
00:12:38.68\00:12:40.36
the nuts and bolts of it.
00:12:40.39\00:12:41.47
You got to put
them together, you know,
00:12:41.50\00:12:43.27
and got to get it
all put to together
00:12:43.30\00:12:44.98
so you can really
understand the teaching.
00:12:45.01\00:12:47.29
As I have said
before often you know
00:12:47.32\00:12:49.29
if we leave it right there
we miss something important
00:12:49.32\00:12:52.87
because often there
is spiritual application
00:12:52.90\00:12:55.52
that we get as we
understand the teaching.
00:12:55.55\00:12:57.95
And certainly this
subject we want to understand,
00:12:57.98\00:13:00.65
you know, the fundamentals
of what the bible teaches
00:13:00.68\00:13:02.86
about baptism but
we don't want to miss
00:13:02.89\00:13:05.21
the underlying spiritual
lesson that comes from this.
00:13:05.24\00:13:09.29
In Ephesians 4:5, we
have the simple statement,
00:13:09.32\00:13:16.31
it's a significant one.
00:13:16.34\00:13:17.86
It says "One Lord one
faith," how many baptisms,
00:13:17.89\00:13:22.83
it says "one baptism."
00:13:22.86\00:13:25.28
And yet as we look at
the Christian world today
00:13:25.31\00:13:27.95
we find that there are
numerous forms of baptisms
00:13:27.98\00:13:31.12
that are being practiced today.
00:13:31.15\00:13:32.61
You know, that there
is those who are insisting
00:13:32.64\00:13:34.75
that you have to be immersed,
others who are sprinkling,
00:13:34.78\00:13:38.44
some are pouring
and I will tell you
00:13:38.47\00:13:40.35
they're just some
interesting things
00:13:40.38\00:13:41.57
that are being done in
this process of evangelism.
00:13:41.60\00:13:44.97
I heard of a pastor who
used rose petals for baptism.
00:13:45.00\00:13:51.55
I mean that has to be
one of the creative ways
00:13:51.58\00:13:55.13
of baptizing somebody.
00:13:55.16\00:13:57.35
And I can well, imagine probably
00:13:57.38\00:13:59.57
as he was baptizing the
individual with rose petals
00:13:59.60\00:14:03.10
that he referred to
the passages scriptures
00:14:03.13\00:14:05.10
that refers to Jesus
as the rose of Sharon.
00:14:05.13\00:14:08.96
And Jesus is the rose of Sharon.
00:14:08.99\00:14:11.52
And then I heard
of the individual
00:14:11.55\00:14:13.32
the pastor who
used salt in baptizing.
00:14:13.35\00:14:17.20
I said at camps
people really get creative
00:14:17.23\00:14:19.91
sometimes about these things
00:14:19.94\00:14:21.64
and probably quoted
the passage of scripture
00:14:21.67\00:14:24.49
where Jesus said you
are the salt of the earth.
00:14:24.52\00:14:27.90
I am not sure that's one
I would really want to have,
00:14:27.93\00:14:30.71
you know, salt you
know but anyway it was done.
00:14:30.74\00:14:35.86
And then even heard--
I heard of a young person
00:14:35.89\00:14:39.89
that was baptized
into the snow on a--
00:14:39.92\00:14:43.16
you know they were out for
an outing over the weekend.
00:14:43.19\00:14:46.77
And knowing something
about the background of this
00:14:46.80\00:14:48.68
I am sure that they were
careful the make sure that they
00:14:48.71\00:14:51.48
that young person was
completely under the snow
00:14:51.51\00:14:54.59
and probably
quoted the scripture
00:14:54.62\00:14:56.48
that says no
your sins be scarlet
00:14:56.51\00:14:58.26
they shall be white as snow.
00:14:58.29\00:15:00.86
He even heard of the
pastor who laid his bare hand
00:15:00.89\00:15:03.38
on the head of the
baby and baptized that baby.
00:15:03.41\00:15:06.90
I don't know you
probably call that
00:15:06.93\00:15:08.19
the dry cleaning of
baptizing, you know.
00:15:08.22\00:15:11.79
So what does the Bible
really teach about this matter.
00:15:11.82\00:15:14.85
Does the form
matter? Does it matter?
00:15:14.88\00:15:18.89
Well, is the
Bible clear about it?
00:15:18.92\00:15:21.71
What does the Bible
actually teach about the form,
00:15:21.74\00:15:23.88
and does the form relate
to the meaning of baptism?
00:15:23.91\00:15:28.83
We are gonna find out
there's a direct correlation
00:15:28.86\00:15:31.25
which takes us to the
word that we translate baptism
00:15:31.28\00:15:34.74
is the word Greek the
Greek word here baptizo
00:15:34.77\00:15:38.27
which we retranslate I baptize
00:15:38.30\00:15:41.61
but as you look at this
Greek, this Greek dictionary.
00:15:41.64\00:15:45.06
This is from the
theological dictionary
00:15:45.09\00:15:46.83
the New Testament
volume 1 pages 529 and 530.
00:15:46.86\00:15:51.45
And as you look at how
this word was used in secular,
00:15:51.48\00:15:55.36
in a secular
setting among the Greeks
00:15:55.39\00:15:57.79
this is what it means
00:15:57.82\00:15:59.69
"To dip in or under"
"immerse," "going under."
00:15:59.72\00:16:05.51
In fact they quote
from a secular source
00:16:05.54\00:16:08.16
where the word
baptism or baptizo was used
00:16:08.19\00:16:11.65
to describe a
ship that had sunk.
00:16:11.68\00:16:14.71
Now we don't think
a ships being baptized
00:16:14.74\00:16:16.66
that's the way it was used
and again in a secular study.
00:16:16.69\00:16:21.00
So it does mean to be immersed
00:16:21.03\00:16:24.89
or one of those synonyms
as we find them in the Bible.
00:16:24.92\00:16:29.65
It does mean immersion.
00:16:29.68\00:16:32.40
This word baptism
occurs one hundred times
00:16:32.43\00:16:36.47
in the New Testament.
00:16:36.50\00:16:38.28
Let me tell you that
is given a lot of space
00:16:38.31\00:16:40.86
and a lot emphasis to
the experience of baptism.
00:16:40.89\00:16:43.92
One hundred times we
find it in the New Testament.
00:16:43.95\00:16:47.71
Now among the
things we want to find out
00:16:47.74\00:16:49.52
how in the world
that we come to the state
00:16:49.55\00:16:52.19
in the Christian church where
we have so many different forms
00:16:52.22\00:16:55.37
and again that question I
have already raised with you
00:16:55.40\00:16:58.69
does it matter,
is a relationship
00:17:00.08\00:17:02.88
between the former baptism
and the meaning of baptism?
00:17:02.91\00:17:06.88
So where did we
get this word baptism?
00:17:08.86\00:17:10.59
I think you may be pick this up
00:17:11.85\00:17:13.31
that baptizo and baptism
are words that are related.
00:17:13.34\00:17:20.26
We actually get this
word baptism from the Greek.
00:17:20.29\00:17:22.84
In fact, let me
share this with you
00:17:22.87\00:17:25.32
it's going back
primarily not exclusively
00:17:25.35\00:17:27.73
but primarily
back to the translators
00:17:27.76\00:17:29.74
of the King James,
King James Version.
00:17:29.77\00:17:33.30
You know, this is some
five hundred years ago,
00:17:33.33\00:17:35.55
this novel idea that the people,
00:17:35.58\00:17:37.96
the common people
ought to have the Bible
00:17:37.99\00:17:40.08
in their own language.
00:17:40.11\00:17:42.00
In the modern
vernacular at that time.
00:17:42.03\00:17:44.79
It was revolutionary.
00:17:44.82\00:17:47.36
It was, you know,
00:17:47.39\00:17:48.47
it was the
heartbeat of the reformation.
00:17:48.50\00:17:50.64
Man, when you give the
Bible in the people's hands
00:17:50.67\00:17:52.69
things change, things happen.
00:17:52.72\00:17:56.63
King James was
sponsoring the translation
00:17:56.66\00:17:59.64
and in the process the scholars
00:17:59.67\00:18:01.33
as they came to
the New Testament
00:18:01.36\00:18:02.88
it did not take them long
00:18:02.91\00:18:04.26
before they came
to this word baptism
00:18:04.29\00:18:06.35
and it was a problem.
00:18:08.38\00:18:11.42
It was a problem to the extent
00:18:11.45\00:18:13.20
that the scholars ask for
a hearing before King James
00:18:13.23\00:18:17.01
which was granted to him.
00:18:17.04\00:18:18.66
Now remember the Church of
England had all ready broken
00:18:18.69\00:18:21.73
from the Church of Rome
00:18:21.76\00:18:23.52
and which meant
that the head of state
00:18:23.55\00:18:26.28
that would be the king
or queen of the England
00:18:26.31\00:18:28.52
is the head of the church.
00:18:28.55\00:18:31.68
So I want you to remember that
as I share the story with you.
00:18:31.71\00:18:34.64
So it's granted, so
they come to King James
00:18:34.67\00:18:37.28
and they're
explaining that if you know
00:18:37.31\00:18:39.82
if we translate this
term into the New Testament
00:18:39.85\00:18:43.38
its going to go in as immersion
or one of those synonyms.
00:18:43.41\00:18:47.58
What was the problem with that?
00:18:49.93\00:18:52.06
The problem with that is
that the Church of England
00:18:52.09\00:18:56.65
was not practicing
immersion they were sprinkling.
00:18:56.68\00:19:01.35
That's the dilemma they were in
00:19:01.38\00:19:03.25
and I wish I can tell
you the King James said well
00:19:04.41\00:19:06.88
if that is what the meaning
of the word we better change.
00:19:06.91\00:19:11.70
Give me a document,
let me sign this off.
00:19:11.73\00:19:14.53
You know we are going to go and
we are gonna practice baptism
00:19:14.56\00:19:17.93
just like the Bible teaches.
00:19:17.96\00:19:19.32
We are gonna practice immersion.
00:19:19.35\00:19:21.18
But no that's what he said.
00:19:21.21\00:19:22.78
He said don't
translate it at all.
00:19:22.81\00:19:25.80
And so what they did
is they transliterated it
00:19:25.83\00:19:30.87
which means they
took the Greek word
00:19:30.90\00:19:34.32
and they put it into
the into an English form
00:19:34.35\00:19:38.62
and that is one
of the primary ways
00:19:38.65\00:19:40.39
by which we come
by this word baptism
00:19:40.42\00:19:42.39
which means whenever we see
this word in the New Testament
00:19:42.42\00:19:45.72
it remains an
on translated term.
00:19:45.75\00:19:49.53
Okay, so just remember as
we continue on to the Bible
00:19:51.38\00:19:55.06
whenever we come
across this word baptism
00:19:55.09\00:19:58.12
remember the word
again is immersion.
00:19:58.15\00:20:01.56
In fact, in faith of our fathers
00:20:01.59\00:20:04.33
we find this
historical reference
00:20:04.36\00:20:06.40
where it says
"For twelve centuries
00:20:06.43\00:20:08.38
after the
establishing of Christianity,
00:20:08.41\00:20:10.95
baptism was
usually by immersion."
00:20:10.98\00:20:13.96
For the first
twelve hundred years
00:20:13.99\00:20:16.07
well, changes were
taking place before that.
00:20:16.10\00:20:19.09
So I want to take you to John 3,
00:20:19.12\00:20:21.72
the New Testament page 73.
00:20:21.75\00:20:23.91
Page 73, John 3:23
00:20:25.58\00:20:29.65
I want to take to the
story about John the Baptist
00:20:29.68\00:20:33.94
until you realize basing want
00:20:33.97\00:20:35.37
I'll share with you
about the word baptism,
00:20:35.40\00:20:37.70
baptizo instead of
knowing John as John Baptist
00:20:37.73\00:20:42.20
we actually should know
him as John the immerser.
00:20:42.23\00:20:45.57
That's literally what it means.
00:20:45.60\00:20:47.45
So here it is in John 3:23
00:20:47.48\00:20:50.77
and I am gonna use
the translated term
00:20:50.80\00:20:52.74
and notice what
meaning it gives to the text.
00:20:53.98\00:20:56.42
"John also was
immersing in Aenon near Salim,
00:20:56.45\00:21:00.05
because there
was much water there
00:21:00.08\00:21:01.69
and people were coming
and were being immersed."
00:21:01.72\00:21:04.16
I tell you if they
are only been translated
00:21:05.48\00:21:07.63
we will now have the
confusion about this word today
00:21:07.66\00:21:10.58
in the Christian
church at large, wouldn't we?
00:21:10.61\00:21:12.93
I mean it will be right there.
00:21:12.96\00:21:15.00
I mean, then could have
to use the word submersion
00:21:15.03\00:21:17.14
I suppose other
words they could use
00:21:17.17\00:21:18.88
but it all would be very clear.
00:21:18.91\00:21:21.45
And my friend,
he was at this site
00:21:21.48\00:21:22.83
because it requires
a lot of water to give,
00:21:22.86\00:21:25.79
you know, to baptize
somebody in a full body baptism.
00:21:25.82\00:21:29.67
You don't need a lot of water
00:21:31.95\00:21:34.01
if you're gonna
spring the people.
00:21:34.04\00:21:36.48
I remember in Sioux
Falls, South Dakota,
00:21:36.51\00:21:39.63
I had an older
gentleman that was attending.
00:21:39.66\00:21:42.07
He was Lutheran in background,
00:21:43.31\00:21:45.18
you know a faithful
member of this church
00:21:45.21\00:21:46.72
that was coming to our
meetings and when he learned
00:21:46.75\00:21:49.93
what the bible really taught
about this thing of baptism
00:21:49.96\00:21:53.35
he decided he
wanted to be immersed
00:21:53.38\00:21:56.19
just like the Bible taught.
00:21:56.22\00:21:57.53
In fact, in his excitement
00:21:57.56\00:21:59.02
he shared this was some
of his friends at his church
00:21:59.05\00:22:02.01
and it was
taking a little bit back
00:22:02.04\00:22:03.45
when they looked at
him kind of scans and said
00:22:03.48\00:22:06.07
"you know, why are
you wanting to that?"
00:22:06.10\00:22:08.20
You've been a
member of this church.
00:22:08.23\00:22:10.61
That set him back
just a little bit.
00:22:10.64\00:22:11.96
He thought about
this for day or two
00:22:11.99\00:22:13.57
but he said you know I
know this what the Bible teaches
00:22:13.60\00:22:15.83
and I am going to
practice that the Bible teaches.
00:22:15.86\00:22:19.08
And so he was in our baptism
00:22:19.11\00:22:20.98
that last night of our meetings.
00:22:21.01\00:22:22.74
He was crippled it
was not easy thing for him
00:22:22.77\00:22:25.43
to do get inside
water but he was determined
00:22:25.46\00:22:28.12
he was going to follow what
the Bible taught about this.
00:22:28.15\00:22:30.91
So when it comes to the form
00:22:32.48\00:22:34.52
we in one sense we
have not truly been baptized
00:22:34.55\00:22:37.90
until we have been
baptized as the Bible teaches.
00:22:37.93\00:22:41.01
So what if you as an
individual have been sprinkled,
00:22:41.04\00:22:46.30
what is that leave you?
00:22:46.33\00:22:48.63
Does that mean that your
faith in Jesus means nothing?
00:22:48.66\00:22:52.24
Of course not, you know,
00:22:52.27\00:22:54.54
remember Jesus meets us
exactly where we are at.
00:22:54.57\00:22:56.94
He knows the intent
of our hearts, right.
00:22:56.97\00:23:00.58
He knows the desires we
have to do what is right.
00:23:00.61\00:23:04.57
And when we are seeking to do
00:23:04.60\00:23:06.18
what we understand to be
right by His Grace my friend,
00:23:06.21\00:23:10.33
He accepts that even though,
00:23:10.36\00:23:13.62
you know, may be we need
to grow in understanding.
00:23:13.65\00:23:17.96
So I just want you
to be assured of that
00:23:17.99\00:23:19.88
but nevertheless as we
come to knowledge of the truth
00:23:19.91\00:23:22.93
in our life for
Jesus we want to follow
00:23:22.96\00:23:24.83
what the Bible
teaches in regards to baptism.
00:23:24.86\00:23:28.66
As we talk about sprinkling
00:23:28.69\00:23:30.34
"It was at the Council
of Ravenna in 1311 A.D.
00:23:30.37\00:23:34.44
that sprinkling and
pouring were officially accepted
00:23:34.47\00:23:38.09
as equally valid as immersion."
00:23:38.12\00:23:40.75
And you know during
the series of meetings
00:23:42.08\00:23:43.52
we have looked at
the historical background
00:23:43.55\00:23:45.66
about the
practices of the church.
00:23:45.69\00:23:48.34
And my friend, if
you really want to know,
00:23:48.37\00:23:50.91
you know, where some of
these practices comes from
00:23:50.94\00:23:53.23
you have to trace
the back historically
00:23:53.26\00:23:56.87
unless they are
actually in the Bible.
00:23:56.90\00:24:00.09
So we have two sources here
00:24:00.12\00:24:02.05
either it's in the
Bible or if its not
00:24:02.08\00:24:05.31
then we have to turn
00:24:05.34\00:24:06.51
to the historical
record as we do here.
00:24:06.54\00:24:08.97
And my friend, that
is we are sprinkling
00:24:09.00\00:24:10.55
in pint has come from.
00:24:10.58\00:24:12.79
Now you find incidences of
the certainly before this time
00:24:12.82\00:24:16.19
but this is where it
was officially accepted.
00:24:16.22\00:24:19.04
And so we have again
this Greek word baptizo
00:24:19.07\00:24:21.78
which means I baptized.
00:24:21.81\00:24:24.18
That's a literal translation
I baptize, I immerse.
00:24:24.21\00:24:27.63
If the word in
the New Testament--
00:24:28.92\00:24:31.12
if there was God's
intention that we be sprinkled
00:24:31.15\00:24:33.66
this is the Greek
word you would find
00:24:33.69\00:24:36.31
it is word rantizo it's
the word for sprinkling.
00:24:36.34\00:24:40.91
And my friend, you
will never find this word
00:24:40.94\00:24:43.20
in the New Testament
in reference to baptism.
00:24:43.23\00:24:46.04
It's just is not there
00:24:46.07\00:24:49.62
and so there is no confusion
between the two terms right.
00:24:49.65\00:24:52.99
And my friend, that
means if the word is not there
00:24:53.02\00:24:56.01
the Bible does
not teach sprinkling.
00:24:56.04\00:24:58.26
Now I know some people say
00:24:59.71\00:25:00.86
you know what difference
does that make, who cares?
00:25:00.89\00:25:05.28
Well, it depends on
how biblical we want to be
00:25:05.31\00:25:07.91
in our faith, in our
connection to Jesus Christ
00:25:07.94\00:25:11.07
and our practice
of that faith, right.
00:25:11.10\00:25:14.42
So I take you to
this next statement
00:25:14.45\00:25:16.06
this historical statement this
is I am quoting Dean Stanley
00:25:16.09\00:25:19.80
who was a
chaplain of Queen Victoria.
00:25:19.83\00:25:22.85
He said "There
can be no question
00:25:22.88\00:25:24.12
that the
original form of baptism,
00:25:24.15\00:25:25.98
and the very
meaning of the word,
00:25:26.01\00:25:27.45
was complete immersion in
the deep baptismal waters,
00:25:27.48\00:25:31.11
and that for at
least twelve centuries
00:25:31.14\00:25:33.89
any other form was
little known or regarded."
00:25:33.92\00:25:37.78
And again that's
a historical fact.
00:25:37.81\00:25:41.28
When I was in Rome and you
remember I have shared with you
00:25:41.31\00:25:44.32
a little bit of my
experience in Rome.
00:25:44.35\00:25:45.64
When I was in Rome, you
know, I did my background study.
00:25:45.67\00:25:49.50
I-- we are gonna have
only three days in Rome.
00:25:49.53\00:25:52.66
I mean all of this history
00:25:52.69\00:25:54.53
compacted into
these place three days.
00:25:54.56\00:25:56.84
What can you do with three days?
00:25:56.87\00:25:58.52
Well, it meant
that I was out the door
00:25:58.55\00:26:01.77
in the morning at seven o'clock
00:26:01.80\00:26:02.97
in the morning taking it back
to the about seven at night.
00:26:03.00\00:26:05.66
And the days were just
packed for those three days.
00:26:05.69\00:26:08.86
I wanted to see and experience
many things there in Rome
00:26:08.89\00:26:12.44
and one of things I
was determined to seek out
00:26:12.47\00:26:15.55
was San Giovanni Cathedral
one of the Pope's cathedrals.
00:26:15.58\00:26:18.88
In fact he had this
cathedral that once a year
00:26:18.91\00:26:22.11
the pope comes and
anybody within the city of Rome
00:26:22.14\00:26:25.54
I guess outside of
Rome who wants to come
00:26:25.57\00:26:28.18
they have this large square
00:26:28.21\00:26:29.84
outside of San
Giovanni Cathedral
00:26:29.87\00:26:33.16
and if you want your automobile
to receive the papal blessing
00:26:33.19\00:26:36.65
you come this one time a
year to get the papal blessing
00:26:36.68\00:26:40.05
for your automobile.
00:26:40.08\00:26:41.88
And so I was there, I
was at San Giovanni Cathedral
00:26:41.91\00:26:44.37
because I heard there
was a yet a baptistery
00:26:44.40\00:26:47.57
that showed that you
know right up into the 1200s
00:26:47.60\00:26:50.67
the church was
the established church
00:26:50.70\00:26:52.32
was still baptizing by immersion
00:26:52.35\00:26:54.12
and I wanted to see this place.
00:26:54.15\00:26:56.32
Finally, I saw a
catholic priest there
00:26:56.35\00:26:59.50
turned out to be
deacon but he was dressed,
00:26:59.53\00:27:01.53
he had the collar and everything
00:27:01.56\00:27:02.97
and so I went out
over and found out
00:27:03.00\00:27:05.41
that he spoke excellent English.
00:27:05.44\00:27:08.34
He was from Germany actually
00:27:08.37\00:27:10.96
a very
gregarious guy and I said,
00:27:10.99\00:27:13.08
you know, I am looking
for the baptisterinist.
00:27:13.11\00:27:14.99
He smiled and he said you know
it's not in the main cathedral
00:27:15.02\00:27:17.55
it's the building next door.
00:27:17.58\00:27:19.07
And he said would
you like to see it?
00:27:19.10\00:27:20.89
Boy, did I ask the right guy.
00:27:20.92\00:27:23.31
He when and got the
curator who took the keys
00:27:23.34\00:27:26.95
and he opened the doors
00:27:26.98\00:27:28.62
and I got a private
showing of the baptistery
00:27:28.65\00:27:31.87
that you know they were using
right up into the 13th century
00:27:31.90\00:27:35.99
where they were
baptizing by immersion.
00:27:36.02\00:27:38.23
That's the picture, it's
the best picture I have got
00:27:38.26\00:27:41.25
but let me tell you
that's a size of a small pool.
00:27:41.28\00:27:45.01
And so they
were immersing people
00:27:45.04\00:27:47.06
in this church right
up to this period of time.
00:27:47.09\00:27:50.29
That's the historical
practice as you look at it.
00:27:50.32\00:27:52.84
How about his matter
of baptizing the babies?
00:27:52.87\00:27:56.30
This idea of baptizing
babies was first sanctioned
00:27:56.33\00:27:59.72
by the church
council Mallory in 416 AD.
00:27:59.75\00:28:04.39
By the 13th century the
church was demanding it.
00:28:04.42\00:28:08.77
It really goes back to
the idea of original sin
00:28:08.80\00:28:11.13
that the church had at
that time period of time
00:28:11.16\00:28:12.97
which I am not going to
spend time going through tonight
00:28:13.00\00:28:15.38
but this idea that
babies had to be baptized.
00:28:15.41\00:28:18.17
Well, how about it?
Should the babies be baptized?
00:28:18.20\00:28:23.33
You know, it's this idea
00:28:23.36\00:28:24.55
what would happen to
a baby if it should die.
00:28:24.58\00:28:26.64
Something should happen to it.
00:28:26.67\00:28:27.94
And let me take you
to Deuteronomy 1:39.
00:28:27.97\00:28:31.75
The background of
this passage is this.
00:28:33.12\00:28:35.49
The children of Israel
00:28:35.52\00:28:37.18
have been wandering
through the wilderness
00:28:37.21\00:28:39.47
I used to think as a kid man,
00:28:39.50\00:28:41.33
you know, the
distance from Egypt
00:28:41.36\00:28:43.19
to the promise land the Canaan
00:28:43.22\00:28:44.67
was a long distance it
took that 40 years to get there.
00:28:44.70\00:28:47.86
Now, it really didn't take
them 40 years to get there.
00:28:47.89\00:28:51.91
You know, they spend
the year at Mount Sinai
00:28:51.94\00:28:54.50
they spend a year there about
00:28:54.53\00:28:56.27
and then it didn't
take by the few months
00:28:56.30\00:28:58.55
to get to the Promise Land.
00:28:58.58\00:29:00.13
They set spies over there
when they came back to 12 spies
00:29:00.16\00:29:03.39
and they said it is truly a land
00:29:03.42\00:29:05.49
falling with milk and honey
00:29:05.52\00:29:07.01
but there's giants in the land.
00:29:07.04\00:29:10.01
And remember, 10 of
them we dare not go up there.
00:29:10.04\00:29:13.33
Only Caleb and Joshua
two of these spies said,
00:29:13.36\00:29:18.34
"it is beautiful,
they are giants in there
00:29:18.37\00:29:21.32
but Lord as promises to us
00:29:21.35\00:29:23.06
let us go up and
take possession of it."
00:29:23.09\00:29:26.23
But the people of
God rebelled against God
00:29:26.26\00:29:29.36
and rebelled against the
leadership of Moses in this.
00:29:29.39\00:29:33.46
And I want to tell
you it is an awful story
00:29:33.49\00:29:36.66
as you look at what happened
00:29:36.69\00:29:38.61
and finally when
God in effects did
00:29:38.64\00:29:41.89
was you don't want to go up.
00:29:41.92\00:29:43.75
You know, they
wandered again for next 40 years
00:29:43.78\00:29:46.89
until that generation was gone.
00:29:46.92\00:29:49.25
And it was their
sons and daughters
00:29:49.28\00:29:51.15
that took
possession of the land.
00:29:51.18\00:29:52.48
But notice this statement.
00:29:52.51\00:29:53.80
It says God says
"Moreover your little ones
00:29:55.17\00:29:57.53
who you said would
become a prey, and your sons,
00:29:57.56\00:30:00.34
who this day have no
knowledge of good over evil,
00:30:00.37\00:30:02.93
shall enter there and
I will give it to them,
00:30:02.96\00:30:05.88
and they shall possess it."
00:30:05.91\00:30:08.63
In other words,
those little children
00:30:08.66\00:30:11.93
because they didn't have
a knowledge of good and evil
00:30:11.96\00:30:14.63
were not held accountable
for the sins of their parents.
00:30:14.66\00:30:20.11
Is that clear from this text?
00:30:20.14\00:30:22.21
Let's go back, was
the key part of it.
00:30:22.24\00:30:25.35
"Who this they have no
knowledge of good and evil,
00:30:25.38\00:30:28.58
shall enter there."
00:30:28.61\00:30:31.42
And my friend, I think that
gives us a clear understanding
00:30:31.45\00:30:33.94
what would happen to a
little baby if it should die.
00:30:33.97\00:30:38.77
One is not held accountable
for that which they do not know.
00:30:38.80\00:30:43.53
About it says as James
4:17 "To the one that knoweth
00:30:43.56\00:30:46.52
to good and do with
not to him it is sin."
00:30:46.55\00:30:50.32
But if an individual
doesn't know what is right
00:30:50.35\00:30:52.55
and does not do it
to him it is not sin.
00:30:52.58\00:30:56.51
And then you have
this whole thing about
00:30:56.54\00:30:58.17
you know the righteousness
the faith of the parent
00:30:58.20\00:31:02.90
and of the godparents stand
00:31:02.93\00:31:04.20
in the place of
these little children.
00:31:04.23\00:31:07.52
But my friend
that is not a teaching
00:31:07.55\00:31:09.25
that you find
anywhere in the scriptures
00:31:09.28\00:31:11.97
it's just not there.
00:31:12.00\00:31:13.47
And in fact in Ezekiel
14:20 we find this statement
00:31:13.50\00:31:17.98
"'Even though Noah, Daniel
and Job were in its midst,
00:31:18.01\00:31:21.03
as I live,'
declares the Lord God,
00:31:21.06\00:31:23.35
'they could not deliver either
their son or their daughter.
00:31:23.38\00:31:27.00
They would
deliver only themselves
00:31:27.03\00:31:29.31
by their righteousness.'
00:31:29.34\00:31:31.11
" And my friend this idea
that the faith of the parents
00:31:32.52\00:31:34.66
stands in place of the
child is not a biblical concept.
00:31:34.69\00:31:37.76
Its sounds theological
but it is not biblical
00:31:37.79\00:31:42.17
and if its is not biblical
it is to sound theology.
00:31:42.20\00:31:45.26
Now listen I have two sons
00:31:45.29\00:31:47.32
as you already
know David and Calvin.
00:31:47.35\00:31:49.25
I am not sure how they really
look back on this been raised
00:31:49.28\00:31:52.07
in a pastors home
in a evangelistic home
00:31:52.10\00:31:55.08
but let me tell you they
stand on their own faith.
00:31:55.11\00:32:00.34
I hope it's been
advantaged to them
00:32:00.37\00:32:02.66
that they lived in a home
00:32:02.69\00:32:04.00
where their dad
was in the ministry,
00:32:04.03\00:32:06.17
that's certain
advantages to that.
00:32:06.20\00:32:09.18
But you know in the end
they're going to be saved
00:32:09.21\00:32:12.47
because they made
their own decision for Jesus.
00:32:12.50\00:32:15.87
My faith will not be
put to their account.
00:32:15.90\00:32:20.64
They have to make their
own decision abut these things.
00:32:23.65\00:32:26.83
But there comes a
point in which a child comes
00:32:26.86\00:32:30.81
to a realization of some
of these fundamental issues
00:32:30.84\00:32:36.09
of right and wrong,
of sin and of salvation.
00:32:36.12\00:32:40.86
And for me it came
when I was 11 years of age.
00:32:40.89\00:32:44.78
My mother had saw-- my mother--
00:32:44.81\00:32:47.19
I tell my mother
was a hardworking woman.
00:32:47.22\00:32:49.81
She tells a story for 20 years
she worked for minimum wage.
00:32:49.84\00:32:53.49
And she was working hard
00:32:53.52\00:32:54.61
because she wanted to
give us three children
00:32:54.64\00:32:56.50
the benefit of the
Christian education.
00:32:56.53\00:32:58.26
Other than the kindergarten
I have been through right
00:32:58.29\00:33:01.77
through college and
two masters programs
00:33:01.80\00:33:03.85
I have had the benefit
of the Christian education,
00:33:03.88\00:33:06.35
a private Christian education
it was a great education.
00:33:06.38\00:33:10.15
And so she worked
hard but she saw to it
00:33:10.18\00:33:14.19
that when we had
a series of meetings
00:33:14.22\00:33:16.23
in our town in Everett
00:33:16.26\00:33:17.75
she saw to it that
us kids where there.
00:33:17.78\00:33:20.59
I was there, I was there a
enough nights I won my Bible.
00:33:20.62\00:33:24.53
I should have brought
it because I still have it.
00:33:24.56\00:33:26.65
It's called the
friendship edition
00:33:26.68\00:33:28.33
and it was the beautiful Bible
00:33:28.36\00:33:29.43
I thought it was
beautiful it was blue
00:33:29.46\00:33:30.98
and it has zipper on it.
00:33:31.01\00:33:33.87
You know, it was
a King James Bible
00:33:33.90\00:33:36.32
and evangelists had
us writing the text down
00:33:36.35\00:33:39.98
for each subject in
the back of our Bible
00:33:40.01\00:33:42.04
so then we were
chain referencing it
00:33:42.07\00:33:44.23
through the Bible.
00:33:44.26\00:33:45.73
It was a Bible marking program.
00:33:45.76\00:33:48.29
I was just looking
at this a few months ago
00:33:48.32\00:33:50.17
and with my
childish handwriting there
00:33:50.20\00:33:52.28
I could make out all
little texts on that night
00:33:52.31\00:33:54.99
that he preached on
the coming of Jesus.
00:33:55.02\00:33:58.32
I tell you that just gripped me,
00:33:58.35\00:34:01.64
when I heard in
preaching on the coming of Jesus
00:34:01.67\00:34:03.99
that just gripped me.
00:34:04.02\00:34:06.46
And I remember
coming home that week
00:34:06.49\00:34:07.87
just thinking about these
days I came home from the school
00:34:07.90\00:34:10.75
and I was in my
bedroom and I was over my Bible
00:34:10.78\00:34:13.69
and I was pouring
through Matthew 24
00:34:13.72\00:34:16.20
because I
remember that previous.
00:34:16.23\00:34:18.62
I think it was a
previous Saturday night
00:34:18.65\00:34:20.18
he has taken us through so
many passages in Matthew 24
00:34:20.21\00:34:23.37
and I was reading these things.
00:34:23.40\00:34:25.61
And it was convicting me.
00:34:25.64\00:34:26.87
And I sat down this
was my first feeble attempt
00:34:28.61\00:34:31.84
to witness as an 11 year old.
00:34:31.87\00:34:34.16
I sat down, I wrote
out the whole chapter
00:34:34.19\00:34:36.95
and it is a long
chapter I wrote it out by hand.
00:34:36.98\00:34:40.31
And then I snuck over
to my neighbor's mailbox.
00:34:40.34\00:34:44.29
Make sure nobody was looking
00:34:44.32\00:34:45.39
and opened it up
and stuck in there.
00:34:45.42\00:34:47.73
I don't know what they
thought of it when they found it
00:34:47.76\00:34:49.74
that was obviously in
the Childs handwriting
00:34:49.77\00:34:51.89
but it was my first attempt.
00:34:51.92\00:34:53.17
I man that was good news.
00:34:53.20\00:34:55.94
You know, about Jesus coming.
00:34:55.97\00:34:57.75
And then a few months
later I was Sabbath school
00:34:57.78\00:35:00.23
and I heard there was
gonna be a baptism that morning
00:35:00.26\00:35:02.67
and after Sabbath
school between services
00:35:02.70\00:35:05.49
I went looking for my
pastor, Pastor Dick Renfrew.
00:35:05.52\00:35:10.33
And I found Pastor Renfrew
and I said Pastor Renfrew,
00:35:10.36\00:35:13.40
do you think I
could be in the baptism
00:35:13.43\00:35:16.28
that you have planed for today?
00:35:16.31\00:35:17.74
Now if I had a child ask
me that question I would say,
00:35:17.77\00:35:21.67
you know, some wonderful things
Jimmy that you want to do.
00:35:21.70\00:35:24.33
But let's do some
study and you know
00:35:24.36\00:35:27.05
and then we will have a baptism
00:35:27.08\00:35:28.39
but he chose
and let me baptized.
00:35:28.42\00:35:31.50
And I have never looked back
00:35:31.53\00:35:33.23
and regretted that I
made that decision that day.
00:35:33.26\00:35:36.19
Remember, I was with
this mischievous guy,
00:35:36.22\00:35:38.22
this little mischievous boy
00:35:38.25\00:35:41.04
and I know that
when I was baptized
00:35:41.07\00:35:43.49
there was some
sitting in that congregation
00:35:43.52\00:35:46.64
that Sabbath morning
00:35:46.67\00:35:47.92
who must have been
thinking to themselves pastor,
00:35:47.95\00:35:50.42
what in the world are you
doing-- baptizing that kid
00:35:50.45\00:35:54.22
and having not a clue
what was going on my heart.
00:35:54.25\00:35:56.90
Let me tell you I didn't
go to my mom and tell my mom
00:35:56.93\00:35:59.73
you know I decided to
give my life to Jesus.
00:35:59.76\00:36:02.42
I am just really
excited about all of this.
00:36:02.45\00:36:04.45
I didn't have that kind
of conversation with her.
00:36:04.48\00:36:07.05
I know what God can do
in the hearts of children
00:36:07.08\00:36:11.32
because I know what He
did in the heart of this child
00:36:11.35\00:36:13.77
when I was that age.
00:36:13.80\00:36:15.02
Let me take you to Galatians
3 the New Testament page 148.
00:36:15.05\00:36:19.57
So we've dealt with the form,
00:36:19.60\00:36:22.22
we dealt with issue sprinkling
the baptizing the babies
00:36:22.25\00:36:26.07
so lets really to
get into the importance
00:36:26.10\00:36:28.56
not only the importance
but the meaning of baptism.
00:36:28.59\00:36:31.64
Galatians 3:27, where it says
00:36:31.67\00:36:37.85
"For all for all of you
who were immersed into Christ
00:36:37.88\00:36:44.03
have clothed
yourself with Christ."
00:36:44.06\00:36:46.21
The King James says "you are
put on the Lord Jesus Christ."
00:36:46.24\00:36:49.55
Just as two
individuals fall in love
00:36:49.58\00:36:52.37
and at the appropriate
times stand up and say
00:36:52.40\00:36:56.75
I do, so baptism is the means
00:36:56.78\00:37:00.34
by which we formally
proclaim our commitment
00:37:00.37\00:37:04.33
to the Jesus Christ publicly
and usually it's publicly.
00:37:04.36\00:37:09.04
Once a while when we
make the exception for that
00:37:09.07\00:37:10.94
but usually, it's publicly.
00:37:10.97\00:37:13.27
So it the basis on which
we accept the Lord Christ,
00:37:13.30\00:37:16.02
it is the significant experience
00:37:16.05\00:37:18.86
because it is
connected with our an indication
00:37:18.89\00:37:23.05
of our commitment to
the Lord Jesus Christ.
00:37:23.08\00:37:26.31
And yet, I know, there
are those who feel sometimes
00:37:26.34\00:37:28.61
they are just not good enough.
00:37:28.64\00:37:30.47
My friend, we got to
get this out of our thinking
00:37:30.50\00:37:32.37
because we will
never be good enough.
00:37:32.40\00:37:35.45
Have I uttered those words
00:37:35.48\00:37:36.98
before during the
series of meetings
00:37:37.01\00:37:38.40
I have and we need to hear it.
00:37:38.43\00:37:40.73
We will never be good enough
00:37:40.76\00:37:42.93
though wait until
you are good enough.
00:37:42.96\00:37:45.16
If you wait until
you're good enough
00:37:45.19\00:37:46.52
you are gonna be
waiting a long and long time.
00:37:46.55\00:37:49.17
Remember, it was for
sinners that Jesus died
00:37:49.20\00:37:52.15
and it is as sinners
that we must come to Jesus.
00:37:52.18\00:37:56.15
And remember it says "He
who repents and is baptized
00:37:56.18\00:37:59.45
shall be forgiven."
00:37:59.48\00:38:02.57
Okay, so its part of the process
of receiving the forgiveness
00:38:02.60\00:38:07.10
and the cleansing that
is ours in Jesus Christ.
00:38:07.13\00:38:10.85
And then I want to
take you to Romans 6
00:38:10.88\00:38:12.63
the New Testament page 122, 122,
00:38:12.66\00:38:16.59
I love this
passage of scripture.
00:38:16.62\00:38:18.16
When you talk about
the meaning of baptism
00:38:18.19\00:38:20.43
this is the primary
passage of scripture.
00:38:20.46\00:38:23.97
Roman 6 and we are
looking at verse 3 to begin with
00:38:24.00\00:38:27.44
where it says "Or do
you not know that all of us
00:38:29.30\00:38:33.05
who have been
immersed into Christ Jesus
00:38:33.08\00:38:35.91
have been
immersed into His death?"
00:38:35.94\00:38:40.00
We are getting in to
the some of the symbolism
00:38:40.03\00:38:42.58
that is associated with baptism.
00:38:42.61\00:38:45.04
So by baptism we are
immersed into His death.
00:38:45.07\00:38:48.39
Verse 4 says, "Therefore,
we have been buried with Him
00:38:48.42\00:38:51.94
through immersion into death
so that is Christ was raised
00:38:51.97\00:38:55.32
from the death to
the glory of the Father
00:38:55.35\00:38:57.21
so we too might from
walk in newness of life."
00:38:57.24\00:39:00.86
And so we by faith in
baptism by faith in Jesus
00:39:00.89\00:39:05.24
we enter into
His death, His burial
00:39:05.27\00:39:08.91
and what follows His
burial, the resurrection.
00:39:08.94\00:39:13.65
And we find that
is we move to verse 5
00:39:13.68\00:39:15.77
"For if we have
become united with Him
00:39:15.80\00:39:18.22
in the likeness of His
death certainly we shall also be
00:39:18.25\00:39:21.27
in the likeness
of His resurrection."
00:39:21.30\00:39:23.97
So by faith we enter into His
death, burial and resurrection.
00:39:25.65\00:39:32.44
And my friend, all of us as
sinners have something to bury.
00:39:32.47\00:39:37.99
It is a life of sin
that is buried in Jesus
00:39:38.02\00:39:41.72
which means that baptism
is a point of new beginnings.
00:39:41.75\00:39:45.75
Again its symbolic in what's
been happening in the heart.
00:39:45.78\00:39:48.73
There is nothing magical
about the waters of baptism
00:39:48.76\00:39:51.09
be clear of it, it
is an act of faith.
00:39:51.12\00:39:54.50
It's again representative,
representative of what Jesus
00:39:54.53\00:39:57.88
has been
accomplishing in ones heart.
00:39:57.91\00:40:00.50
One has been born again,
00:40:00.53\00:40:01.82
one has been made
the commitment to Jesus
00:40:01.85\00:40:04.83
as they are
baptized into the waters.
00:40:04.86\00:40:08.20
As I said, we all
have something to bury
00:40:08.23\00:40:10.61
verse 6 speaks of it.
00:40:10.64\00:40:11.87
"Knowing this, that our old
self was crucified with Him,
00:40:11.90\00:40:15.90
in order that our body
sin might be done away with,
00:40:15.93\00:40:18.40
so that we might would
no longer be slaves to sin."
00:40:18.43\00:40:22.54
My friend,
baptism is a decoration
00:40:22.57\00:40:25.70
that we are no longer
under the bondage of sin.
00:40:25.73\00:40:29.70
Isn't that not good news?
00:40:29.73\00:40:30.91
It's that transforming
power of the relationship
00:40:33.84\00:40:36.86
with Jesus Christ and so we
are passing from death into life
00:40:36.89\00:40:42.89
is what is being pictured here.
00:40:42.92\00:40:45.64
So we enter into His death,
His burial and His resurrection,
00:40:45.67\00:40:50.29
okay, that's what involved here.
00:40:50.32\00:40:51.66
Now we have got
a video clip of it.
00:40:51.69\00:40:53.22
You know, its full body.
00:40:53.25\00:40:54.35
Notice she closed her
eyes, she took her breath
00:40:54.38\00:40:58.00
and then she came up
notice she opened her eyes
00:40:58.03\00:41:00.59
and she caught her breath.
00:41:00.62\00:41:02.33
You see how death, burial
00:41:02.36\00:41:05.00
and resurrection
are indicated there.
00:41:05.03\00:41:07.74
So let me ask you
does the form of baptism
00:41:07.77\00:41:11.03
is it relevant to
the meaning of baptism?
00:41:11.06\00:41:13.76
Absolutely.
00:41:13.79\00:41:16.36
You don't get this imagery
out of sprinkling do you?
00:41:16.39\00:41:21.14
And it is true when
you baptize somebody I--
00:41:21.17\00:41:25.11
you know everybody does
this they close their eyes,
00:41:25.14\00:41:27.67
they take their good breath
00:41:27.70\00:41:28.73
and they are
buried into the water
00:41:28.76\00:41:30.20
and then they come up and
as I have already described it.
00:41:30.23\00:41:32.59
I was up there in
that same territories
00:41:33.38\00:41:36.59
again remember I
thought of gale up there
00:41:36.62\00:41:39.39
to pastor these two country
churches in Oroville Tonasket
00:41:39.42\00:41:42.63
and we have what we
call the earth people.
00:41:42.66\00:41:46.02
Earth people, let me
tell you the earth people
00:41:46.05\00:41:47.89
up there on the eastern
slopes of the cascade mountains
00:41:47.92\00:41:51.66
of foothills there.
00:41:51.69\00:41:52.72
They were hippies.
00:41:52.75\00:41:55.17
You know, it was the
back to earth movement
00:41:55.20\00:41:57.47
that overtook the hippy movement
00:41:57.50\00:41:59.75
and so we are
communes up there I remember
00:41:59.78\00:42:03.94
and the privilege of
baptizing a number of hippies
00:42:03.97\00:42:06.28
out there Bible
studies with them.
00:42:06.31\00:42:08.15
I remember one
guy who had his writs
00:42:08.18\00:42:11.61
in the hippy
movement his name was Jim.
00:42:11.64\00:42:14.60
Man, I had to go a long
ways up to the foothills
00:42:14.63\00:42:17.27
he was doing some dry
weed farming up there way,
00:42:17.30\00:42:20.62
you know, seems like it
to me at least 45 minutes
00:42:20.65\00:42:23.22
to get to his
house or may be longer.
00:42:23.25\00:42:24.95
And so I went through a
whole winter studying with Jim
00:42:24.98\00:42:28.19
and he made his
decision for Jesus
00:42:28.22\00:42:30.93
and decided he
was gonna be baptized.
00:42:30.96\00:42:33.57
Didn't want to
wait until warmed up
00:42:33.60\00:42:36.14
there are lot of cold
water baptism at the gale
00:42:36.17\00:42:38.34
I don't know if you
got into that but man,
00:42:38.37\00:42:41.71
I remember
baptizing Thomas Armsby
00:42:41.74\00:42:44.51
who had the
ultimate hippy philosophy,
00:42:44.54\00:42:48.07
if you can't carry it on
your back you've got too much.
00:42:48.10\00:42:50.97
And man the water
was boom chilling cold
00:42:54.38\00:42:56.79
in that river
down by Lake of Suez.
00:42:56.82\00:42:59.70
So we went all
the way down all man
00:42:59.73\00:43:01.43
because we didn't
have a baptistery.
00:43:01.46\00:43:03.70
There was a church baptistery,
00:43:03.73\00:43:05.14
we went there on
a Sabbath afternoon
00:43:05.17\00:43:06.81
and so Jim and I were
getting dressed into our robes
00:43:06.84\00:43:09.98
and while we
were getting dressed
00:43:10.01\00:43:11.09
and ready for the
baptism Jim says to me,
00:43:11.12\00:43:13.10
now when you baptized me
I want you to put me under
00:43:13.13\00:43:16.82
and count to ten, count to ten.
00:43:16.85\00:43:20.83
And, you know, that
touch me I knew he had a past
00:43:20.86\00:43:23.81
but he didn't
speak much about it.
00:43:23.84\00:43:25.74
I didn't know much
about just knew there is this
00:43:25.77\00:43:27.96
you know counterculture
and all of the stuff
00:43:27.99\00:43:31.23
that went with it.
00:43:31.26\00:43:32.83
So I knew that were something
that he was intending to bury
00:43:32.86\00:43:36.54
in Christ and in that experience
so I am a young pastor
00:43:36.57\00:43:40.57
and so I come out
there and I raised my hand
00:43:40.60\00:43:42.97
I am baptize you in
the name of the Father
00:43:43.00\00:43:44.56
and the Son and the Holy Spirit
00:43:44.59\00:43:46.23
and I as I putting
him under the water
00:43:46.26\00:43:48.10
remembering me he
told me to count to ten.
00:43:48.13\00:43:50.56
I am actually
starting to count to ten.
00:43:50.59\00:43:52.69
I'm wondering to myself
did he get a good breath.
00:43:52.72\00:43:56.35
So you know, I didn't
count as slowly as it turned out
00:43:56.38\00:44:01.37
as he really wanted and
anticipated I was going to
00:44:01.40\00:44:04.66
for when I brought
him up he turned to me
00:44:04.69\00:44:06.31
and he said you
brought me up too soon.
00:44:06.34\00:44:08.70
Which I tell you it
really touched my heart
00:44:08.73\00:44:11.25
and I didn't know what to do.
00:44:11.28\00:44:14.10
Now, with years of experience
I know what I would do now.
00:44:14.13\00:44:18.35
You know what I
would do now wouldn't you.
00:44:18.38\00:44:20.72
I will say Jim, take several
good breaths are you ready?
00:44:20.75\00:44:26.28
I may put you under,
I'm gonna start counting
00:44:26.31\00:44:28.70
and I am going to count to 50.
00:44:28.73\00:44:30.41
Actually I would
start counting to the point
00:44:30.44\00:44:33.34
that he started to struggle
just a little bit not much
00:44:33.37\00:44:35.78
just a little bit and
then I will bring him up.
00:44:35.81\00:44:38.62
Might bless his heart
00:44:38.65\00:44:40.06
it was a point of
new beginnings for him.
00:44:40.09\00:44:41.98
It's such a
wonderful experience baptism is
00:44:43.58\00:44:47.03
and many of you had memories
don't you at you're baptism
00:44:47.06\00:44:50.64
if you been
baptized and if you haven't
00:44:50.67\00:44:53.66
you know your one of way
too long before you do it.
00:44:53.69\00:44:56.34
Okay, what else about
baptism 1 Corinthians 12:13,
00:44:56.37\00:45:00.86
I remember it been
said in my early ministry.
00:45:00.89\00:45:03.59
I would hear the term we
baptize so many into the church
00:45:03.62\00:45:08.10
or so and so was
baptized into the church
00:45:08.13\00:45:10.20
as a young pastor
I objected to that.
00:45:10.23\00:45:12.30
I didn't verbalize it
often by the objected to it.
00:45:12.33\00:45:14.76
What do you mean they
were baptizing to their church?
00:45:14.79\00:45:16.91
They were baptized
into the Lord Jesus Christ.
00:45:16.94\00:45:20.21
And I begin to understand that
there are number of meanings
00:45:20.24\00:45:24.07
that are
associated with baptism.
00:45:24.10\00:45:26.01
It is primarily our coming
to the Jesus no doubt about it.
00:45:26.04\00:45:29.42
Everything close out of
that commitment to Jesus right.
00:45:29.45\00:45:32.60
But 1 Corinthians 12:13 says,
00:45:32.63\00:45:34.53
"For by one Spirit we were
all immerse into one body."
00:45:34.56\00:45:39.40
We were baptized into one body.
00:45:39.43\00:45:41.52
What is the body
that we are baptized into?
00:45:41.55\00:45:44.51
Well, Ephesians
1:22, 23 tell us clearly
00:45:44.54\00:45:49.05
it says "And He."
00:45:49.08\00:45:51.16
That is God.
00:45:51.19\00:45:52.26
"Put all things in
subjection under His feet,
00:45:52.29\00:45:55.36
" speaking of Jesus "
and gave Him as head over
00:45:55.39\00:45:58.80
all things to the
church, which is" what?
00:45:58.83\00:46:03.69
"Which is His body."
00:46:03.72\00:46:05.44
The church is
the body of Christ.
00:46:05.47\00:46:10.46
And so we are baptizing
to Jesus but my friend,
00:46:10.49\00:46:12.77
we also are baptize into
the fellowship into the church.
00:46:12.80\00:46:18.13
And my friend, I
been in the very best way
00:46:18.16\00:46:20.12
I could put this we
have a spiritual family.
00:46:20.15\00:46:24.06
We become brothers
and sisters in Christ.
00:46:24.09\00:46:29.14
We have we have
that connection ones
00:46:29.17\00:46:31.86
and especial my early ministry
thinking of those earth people
00:46:31.89\00:46:36.21
you know the
antiestablishment idea
00:46:36.24\00:46:38.69
you know
spillover into our society.
00:46:38.72\00:46:40.48
There was a period of time
and people just didn't want
00:46:40.51\00:46:42.41
anything to do
with an organization,
00:46:42.44\00:46:43.93
they didn't want
anything to do with the church.
00:46:43.96\00:46:45.44
Baptized me into Jesus but don't
baptize me into the church.
00:46:45.47\00:46:49.84
And because of this text
I am not able to do that.
00:46:49.87\00:46:52.74
Because, God intents for
us to be a part of the family
00:46:52.77\00:46:57.37
the family of God.
00:46:57.40\00:46:58.51
And the church I tell you
the church is such a valuable
00:46:59.90\00:47:04.63
part of our growing
spiritual experience.
00:47:04.66\00:47:08.98
I want to tell you something.
00:47:09.01\00:47:13.10
I did not learn
these things on my own.
00:47:13.13\00:47:17.69
The things that I am preaching
and am I've been preaching
00:47:17.72\00:47:21.26
I didn't come by
this because I have any
00:47:21.29\00:47:23.57
unique genius of my own
when it came to the Bible
00:47:23.60\00:47:26.93
I learned these
things because of the church.
00:47:26.96\00:47:30.28
I learned this
in Sabbath school.
00:47:30.31\00:47:32.72
I learned these things as I
went to my Christian school.
00:47:32.75\00:47:36.40
I learned these things of
course when I took theology.
00:47:36.43\00:47:39.70
I learned these things
in my masters of divinity,
00:47:39.73\00:47:42.70
I am deep in it.
00:47:42.73\00:47:43.98
I've learned things as I
have continued in ministry
00:47:44.01\00:47:46.42
to study the Bible.
00:47:46.45\00:47:48.97
I owe, I own all of
this really to the church.
00:47:49.00\00:47:54.31
I wouldn't know these things
but it wasn't for the church.
00:47:54.34\00:47:56.69
If I had not gone through
some of the kind of things
00:47:56.72\00:47:59.26
that you are going
through Bible studies,
00:47:59.29\00:48:01.60
going to meetings like this.
00:48:01.63\00:48:04.67
My friend, the church
has played a valuable part
00:48:04.70\00:48:07.22
in my experience
in accepting Jesus
00:48:07.25\00:48:09.51
in my baptism and
commitment to Him.
00:48:09.54\00:48:11.75
As we move on to Mark 16,
00:48:11.78\00:48:13.72
as we are looking at
the importance of baptism
00:48:13.75\00:48:15.68
Mark 16, that's the
New Testament page 43.
00:48:15.71\00:48:19.44
Mark 16:15, 16.
00:48:19.47\00:48:25.75
It's the same at the
Jesus makes about baptism.
00:48:25.78\00:48:28.63
Find Mark 16 chapter
right on down here to verse 16,
00:48:28.66\00:48:34.98
where Jesus said
"He who has believed
00:48:35.01\00:48:37.87
and has been
immersed shall be saved."
00:48:37.90\00:48:42.95
So does this
related to our salvation?
00:48:42.98\00:48:47.87
Will one be saved
if they are baptized
00:48:47.90\00:48:52.51
but they have not
accepted the Jesus Christ?
00:48:52.54\00:48:56.37
Has that happened?
00:48:56.40\00:48:59.65
Remember, up in
that same country
00:48:59.68\00:49:01.65
in the my country
church of Tonasket
00:49:01.68\00:49:05.14
I had a young
man who was an Elder
00:49:05.17\00:49:07.67
in the church Rowley Coleman.
00:49:07.70\00:49:10.89
Rowley Coleman.
00:49:10.92\00:49:12.14
Remember Rowley
coming to me and saying
00:49:12.17\00:49:13.72
you know I need
to be re-baptized.
00:49:13.75\00:49:15.17
He said elder of my church,
one of my spiritual leaders.
00:49:15.20\00:49:17.84
I need to be baptized again.
00:49:17.87\00:49:20.49
And he told me the story.
00:49:20.52\00:49:21.99
My mother decided it was
time for us kids to be baptized.
00:49:22.02\00:49:25.66
And so at the point of
time she said let's go,
00:49:25.69\00:49:29.16
Rowley took off running.
00:49:29.19\00:49:30.53
He didn't want to baptized
he was trying to runaway--
00:49:30.56\00:49:33.40
she tracked him down.
00:49:33.43\00:49:34.93
Drag him to the place
where he was gonna be baptized.
00:49:34.96\00:49:37.85
And so he had for the rest
of his spiritual experience
00:49:37.88\00:49:41.28
he had always his annoying sense
00:49:41.31\00:49:43.62
that he really
had not been baptized
00:49:43.65\00:49:44.99
because it wasn't
something that he chose to do.
00:49:45.02\00:49:47.75
In 1986 I said Rowley its
time for us to deal with this.
00:49:47.78\00:49:52.00
And so he was re
baptized an elder of the church.
00:49:52.03\00:49:55.90
So one is not saved by baptism.
00:49:55.93\00:49:59.20
One is saved by the relationship
that is he who believes
00:49:59.23\00:50:03.79
that's the faith part of
it, right, and is baptized.
00:50:03.82\00:50:07.41
That's the linkage
both must be present
00:50:07.44\00:50:10.71
is what the Bible tells us.
00:50:10.74\00:50:12.54
This is the thing that I
really enjoy about by work
00:50:12.57\00:50:15.31
in ministering most of all
00:50:15.34\00:50:17.09
I've seen individuals
coming to Jesus Christ
00:50:17.12\00:50:18.81
and making this
kind of the commitment.
00:50:18.84\00:50:21.54
I was doing a series in
00:50:21.57\00:50:24.57
I want to say
Pierre, South Dakota
00:50:24.60\00:50:25.75
but that was a
rapid city South Dakota.
00:50:25.78\00:50:27.53
Probably it's been about
four or five years ago now
00:50:27.56\00:50:30.89
and I had this
couple that are coming
00:50:30.92\00:50:32.56
this is their second marriage
00:50:32.59\00:50:34.90
and Mikes
background was that a Baptist
00:50:34.93\00:50:37.45
and Corny here
00:50:37.48\00:50:38.92
as you can see
her being baptize.
00:50:38.95\00:50:41.00
Corny told me she had
been baptized 27 times
00:50:41.03\00:50:45.74
and she chose to
be baptizing again.
00:50:48.01\00:50:50.28
Twenty seven times now her
background was that of a Mormon.
00:50:50.31\00:50:56.31
I am not get into the
teaching but there is a reason
00:50:56.34\00:50:59.07
why they are into genealogies
00:50:59.10\00:51:00.79
and baptizing for
the death and all that.
00:51:00.82\00:51:03.69
So that's what was
going on with the lives
00:51:03.72\00:51:05.94
and I tell you
as I was preparing
00:51:05.97\00:51:08.10
Mike and Corny
for their baptism,
00:51:08.13\00:51:11.39
you know, Mike took me side
00:51:11.42\00:51:13.16
and he said "I
want to thank you."
00:51:13.19\00:51:14.83
He said you know we have
not been together in our faith.
00:51:14.86\00:51:19.39
Now they both have
been inactive as Christians.
00:51:19.42\00:51:22.32
They said "you know
that we can come together
00:51:22.35\00:51:25.58
to make this commitment."
00:51:25.61\00:51:27.50
It was something
that meant a lot to him.
00:51:27.53\00:51:30.09
I can tell you story
after story about this Theresa
00:51:30.12\00:51:33.30
this is in Walla Walla.
00:51:33.33\00:51:35.14
Theresa she had put off
this because of her husband.
00:51:35.17\00:51:38.28
I think I shared
this one night didn't I.
00:51:38.31\00:51:40.36
Her husband had
threatened to leave her
00:51:40.39\00:51:43.02
if she made this decision
00:51:43.05\00:51:44.95
and as her daughter her
sweet daughter made a decision
00:51:44.98\00:51:48.06
to be baptized as
I was preparing her.
00:51:48.09\00:51:49.99
I knew I was
00:51:50.02\00:51:51.46
you know had the opportunity
to prepare her mother
00:51:51.49\00:51:54.14
and indeed they both
chose to be baptized.
00:51:54.17\00:51:57.10
Remember I told
you what happened.
00:51:57.13\00:51:59.61
Her husband who had threatened
00:51:59.64\00:52:02.14
to leave her if she
ever did this a year later
00:52:02.17\00:52:05.28
I attended my series
in Clarkston, Washington,
00:52:05.31\00:52:08.36
came to my meetings and
made his decision was baptized.
00:52:08.39\00:52:13.36
So don't let
somebody put you off
00:52:13.39\00:52:17.68
in regards to
making your decision.
00:52:17.71\00:52:20.21
And sometimes this happens.
00:52:20.24\00:52:22.32
I'll tell you if my mother
had waiting for my dad to,
00:52:22.35\00:52:25.84
you know, get
born again to get saved
00:52:25.87\00:52:29.57
she wouldn't to this day
00:52:29.60\00:52:30.91
probably
wouldn't be a Christian.
00:52:30.94\00:52:33.82
Now I want tell you my mother,
my mother is a visionary.
00:52:33.85\00:52:38.05
She really is.
00:52:38.08\00:52:39.30
She was driven, she is you know
00:52:39.33\00:52:41.37
she is in the
middle of ten children.
00:52:41.40\00:52:43.22
She is not the
in the oldest group
00:52:43.25\00:52:44.66
and she is not the
youngest she is in the middle.
00:52:44.69\00:52:47.26
And my mother is a, has
always been a driven women
00:52:47.29\00:52:51.91
and she made that determination
that she was going to make
00:52:51.94\00:52:56.33
a recommitment
for her life to Jesus
00:52:56.36\00:52:59.20
before us kids came along
and we make the benefits of it.
00:52:59.23\00:53:03.02
And she saw to it you know that
we had the benefits of this.
00:53:03.05\00:53:07.13
What if my
mother had just decided
00:53:07.16\00:53:09.53
I am gonna wait for my husband
00:53:09.56\00:53:11.59
to make this decision?
00:53:11.62\00:53:13.70
What would have done to as kids?
00:53:13.73\00:53:16.07
It just doesn't
always happen this way
00:53:16.10\00:53:17.91
that everybody just
comes onboard at the same time.
00:53:17.94\00:53:21.70
And often I do
find that one individual
00:53:21.73\00:53:25.33
has to take the first
steps and that God will bless.
00:53:25.36\00:53:29.94
God often will
bless in that process.
00:53:29.97\00:53:32.38
And when we take you John 3:5
00:53:32.41\00:53:34.35
as we move down to
just couple of texts.
00:53:34.38\00:53:37.38
In John 3:5 it says.
00:53:37.41\00:53:38.79
"I tell you the truth, no
one can enter the kingdom of God
00:53:38.82\00:53:42.63
unless he is born of
water and the Spirit."
00:53:42.66\00:53:47.22
I share with you the
story of my oldest son
00:53:47.25\00:53:49.62
remember I am
part of that generation
00:53:49.65\00:53:51.33
I was expected to be a
part of the birthing process
00:53:51.36\00:53:54.53
and I was there and I remember
00:53:54.56\00:53:56.55
and I told you this one
night I think it was night
00:53:56.58\00:53:58.87
as preaching on
the coming of Jesus.
00:53:58.90\00:54:01.21
Now I remember when
David came into the world.
00:54:01.24\00:54:03.97
You know, first thing I
noticed is he didn't make cry,
00:54:04.00\00:54:08.47
he didn't make a whimper.
00:54:08.50\00:54:10.19
I thought all babies cried.
00:54:10.22\00:54:12.54
I thought the doctor
was gonna lift him up
00:54:12.57\00:54:14.84
and whack him on the bumps.
00:54:14.87\00:54:17.54
And that didn't' happened.
00:54:17.57\00:54:20.06
But he laid the doctor,
00:54:20.09\00:54:22.00
Dr. Siya laid David
on my wife's stomach
00:54:22.03\00:54:27.90
and he just sat
there with those big eyes
00:54:27.93\00:54:30.66
you know just
kind of looking around.
00:54:30.69\00:54:34.02
And that was the
last quite moment
00:54:34.05\00:54:36.19
we have with David
my hyperactive one.
00:54:36.22\00:54:41.64
But, the first thing we noticed
is that my wives water broke.
00:54:41.67\00:54:47.71
That was the first clue we had
that something was happening.
00:54:47.74\00:54:50.82
And when he came into the
world and she was lying their
00:54:50.85\00:54:52.93
on my wives stomach
he had blood on him.
00:54:52.96\00:54:56.60
So the New Testament takes
that which is so familiar to us
00:54:56.63\00:55:01.14
those of us who have
been through this process
00:55:01.17\00:55:03.48
and apply it to the
new birth experience.
00:55:03.51\00:55:06.76
It means that when we are going
00:55:06.79\00:55:08.29
through the new birth experience
00:55:08.32\00:55:09.49
we too must break
water that's baptism.
00:55:09.52\00:55:12.68
We too must be
masked under the blood
00:55:12.71\00:55:15.50
that is the blood of Jesus.
00:55:15.53\00:55:18.27
That is the meaning
behind again baptism
00:55:18.30\00:55:22.31
as it relates to the
new birth experience.
00:55:22.34\00:55:24.66
And then last of all let
me take you to the Acts 19
00:55:24.69\00:55:27.36
the New Testament page 109.
00:55:27.39\00:55:29.22
Acts 19 the last
text will look at tonight.
00:55:29.25\00:55:33.47
Is it appropriate
to be re baptized?
00:55:33.50\00:55:35.69
Well, look at it here Acts 19:1
00:55:38.15\00:55:42.65
where it says
00:55:42.68\00:55:43.91
"It happened that
while Apollos was at Corinth,
00:55:43.94\00:55:46.71
Paul passed
through the upper country
00:55:46.74\00:55:48.56
and came to Ephesus,
and found some disciples."
00:55:48.59\00:55:51.88
Notice they are
disciples they are believers.
00:55:51.91\00:55:54.62
"And He said to them, 'Did
you receive the Holy Spirit
00:55:54.65\00:55:56.69
when you believed?'
00:55:56.72\00:55:57.75
And they said to him,
'No we have not even heard
00:55:57.78\00:56:00.23
whether there is a Holy Spirit.'
00:56:00.26\00:56:02.51
" Well, let me tell
you whoever baptized them
00:56:02.54\00:56:04.69
and left out
something pretty essential
00:56:04.72\00:56:06.24
in their understanding, right.
00:56:06.27\00:56:10.19
Now the fact that
they were disciples
00:56:10.22\00:56:12.14
would bare witness to the fact
00:56:12.17\00:56:13.41
that they had experienced
the workings of the Holy Sprit.
00:56:13.44\00:56:17.25
I will say wouldn't
have been disciples, right
00:56:17.28\00:56:19.01
we would agree with that.
00:56:19.04\00:56:20.77
But anyway we had not even heard
00:56:20.80\00:56:22.08
whether there is a Holy Spirit.
00:56:22.11\00:56:23.51
Verse 3 and he said "'Into
what then were you baptized?'
00:56:23.54\00:56:26.27
" Or immersed?
00:56:26.30\00:56:27.49
"And they said,
'Into John's baptism.'
00:56:27.52\00:56:29.84
" His immersion.
00:56:29.87\00:56:31.29
"Paul said, 'John baptized
with the baptism of repentance,
00:56:31.32\00:56:35.04
telling the
people to believe in Him
00:56:35.07\00:56:36.68
who was coming after
him, that is, in Jesus.'
00:56:36.71\00:56:39.54
And when they heard
this, they were baptized
00:56:39.57\00:56:41.78
in the name of the Lord Jesus."
00:56:41.81\00:56:44.99
So they came to a
fuller understanding
00:56:45.02\00:56:47.02
of the issues
regarding faith and Holy Spirit
00:56:47.05\00:56:50.14
and a greater understanding
of the relationship of all
00:56:50.17\00:56:53.49
in the experience with Jesus.
00:56:53.52\00:56:56.53
And as a result they
chose to be re-baptized
00:56:56.56\00:57:01.05
and I often
will have individuals
00:57:01.08\00:57:02.69
in meetings to do this.
00:57:02.72\00:57:04.97
They have been Christians,
they were been baptized
00:57:05.00\00:57:07.02
by immersion often years ago
00:57:07.05\00:57:09.08
and sometimes
they have fallen away,
00:57:09.11\00:57:10.68
sometimes they grew
careless in the spiritual walk
00:57:10.71\00:57:14.01
or sometimes they decide
00:57:14.04\00:57:16.52
because they
have learned so much
00:57:16.55\00:57:19.43
in the process of the meetings
00:57:19.46\00:57:21.16
that they want to
make a recommitment
00:57:21.19\00:57:24.10
of their life to Jesus.
00:57:24.13\00:57:25.28
With a deeper understanding
and meaning that goes with it.
00:57:25.31\00:57:29.43
Now we should lead that as
a decision for the individual
00:57:29.46\00:57:34.07
because usually we
don't have a burden
00:57:34.10\00:57:35.61
to put somebody
to be re-baptized
00:57:35.64\00:57:38.00
unless they have wondered away
00:57:38.03\00:57:39.45
then it's appropriate.
00:57:39.48\00:57:40.83