What do the mysterious images
of Daniel and Revelation mean?
00:00:01.36\00:00:06.07
When will the Anti-Christ appear
and make his final move? How can
00:00:06.10\00:00:12.17
I be ready for the final events
of earth's history. You'll be
00:00:12.21\00:00:16.81
amazed and encouraged by what
the Bible reveals. Join us as
00:00:16.85\00:00:20.98
Pastor Brian McMahon
leads out in Prophecy Unsealed.
00:00:21.02\00:00:31.59
Welcome again every one, to our
Prophecy Unsealed seminar. And I
00:00:31.63\00:00:35.20
want to give a warm hello to
all of you who are joining us at
00:00:35.23\00:00:37.47
home as well. Our topic tonight
is the Doorway to a New Life.
00:00:37.50\00:00:42.54
Now, when you're going to
be away from someone that you
00:00:42.57\00:00:45.67
really love the last words
you say to that person are quite
00:00:45.71\00:00:50.21
important. We call them parting
words. And Jesus is going to be
00:00:50.25\00:00:54.48
away from his disciples for
a long time. They would not see
00:00:54.52\00:00:58.09
him again till he came in the
clouds of heaven at the time of
00:00:58.12\00:01:01.42
the second coming. And Jesus
gave his disciples some very
00:01:01.46\00:01:05.29
important parting words
and those words pertain to our
00:01:05.33\00:01:10.13
subject tonight. Let's go to
Matthew chapter 28 together and
00:01:10.17\00:01:15.27
verse 18. And here it says: And
Jesus came and spake unto them,
00:01:15.30\00:01:18.41
saying, All power is given unto
me in heaven and in earth. Go ye
00:01:18.44\00:01:22.14
therefore and teach all nations,
baptizing them in the name of
00:01:22.18\00:01:25.65
the Father, and of the Son, and
of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them
00:01:25.68\00:01:29.18
to observe all things whatsoever
I have commanded you: and lo, I
00:01:29.22\00:01:32.85
am with you always, even unto
the end of the world. Amen. So
00:01:32.89\00:01:37.73
Jesus says go out to the ends
of the earth and share the good
00:01:37.76\00:01:42.63
news, the gospel, of what I have
done for people. When they come
00:01:42.66\00:01:46.03
to an understanding that they
no longer need to be under the
00:01:46.07\00:01:48.57
condemnation of sin, when they
understand that I have taken
00:01:48.60\00:01:52.54
their sins to the cross and when
they understand that now they
00:01:52.57\00:01:56.41
can live for eternity if they
will give their hearts to me.
00:01:56.44\00:02:02.25
Jesus said when they understand
that, then baptize them in the
00:02:02.28\00:02:06.22
name of the Father and of
the Son and the Holy Spirit.
00:02:06.25\00:02:08.62
Baptism surely is very important
if Jesus used his last closing
00:02:08.66\00:02:14.03
words to address that subject.
Jesus' time on earth, his
00:02:14.06\00:02:18.67
ministry on earth was actually
very short. Only about 3-1/2
00:02:18.70\00:02:22.67
years. And Jesus bookended that
ministry with the subject of
00:02:22.70\00:02:26.37
baptism. He began his ministry
with baptism, and he ended it by
00:02:26.41\00:02:29.94
talking about baptism. So
certainly, it must be vitally
00:02:29.98\00:02:34.28
important. In fact, baptism is
mentioned some 80 times in the
00:02:34.32\00:02:37.75
New Testament. And so I
would be faithful to that gospel
00:02:37.79\00:02:41.06
message, and I would be
faithful to the Lord if I
00:02:41.09\00:02:45.09
Withheld from you what the Bible
actually says on that topic of
00:02:45.13\00:02:47.96
baptism. Mentioned some 80 times
You'd think that would be enough
00:02:48.00\00:02:51.37
for some people, but they still
ask, is baptism really important
00:02:51.40\00:02:54.57
It raises questions even today.
Now, for the Christian, the only
00:02:54.60\00:02:58.91
thing that really matters is
what does the Lord say and what
00:02:58.94\00:03:01.31
does the Bible say. Would you
agree? Now let's go to Mark 16
00:03:01.34\00:03:05.11
and verse 16. And here's Jesus
speaking and he says this to us:
00:03:05.15\00:03:09.62
He that believeth and is
baptized shall be saved; but he
00:03:09.65\00:03:15.16
that believeth not shall be
damned. Now that sounds to me
00:03:15.19\00:03:18.49
like a pretty important
thing, doesn't it to you?
00:03:18.53\00:03:19.89
Baptism is important
00:03:19.96\00:03:22.40
it's extremely
important. Jesus here lists some
00:03:22.43\00:03:25.57
requirements. He says: Whosoever
believes...you see that means
00:03:25.60\00:03:29.40
has faith...and then is baptized
...that's the action step, so
00:03:30.31\00:03:33.44
first, there's preaching, then
there is a faith response to the
00:03:33.48\00:03:38.08
preaching and then there is the
action response which of course
00:03:38.11\00:03:41.55
is baptism. So, we see now that
the Bible is telling us that
00:03:41.58\00:03:49.59
baptism is important. It's
something Jesus tells us to do.
00:03:49.62\00:03:52.33
Christians love to please
the Lord. We shouldn't have any
00:03:52.36\00:03:57.63
burden with what God requires
us to do or ask us to do. Would
00:03:57.67\00:03:59.50
you agree with that? 'When Jesus
asks us to do something, give it
00:03:59.53\00:04:02.64
always for our best good?
Absolutely friends. So if you
00:04:02.67\00:04:06.84
have never been baptized before
or if you have been baptized in
00:04:06.88\00:04:11.11
a way contrary to the baptism
that the Bible speaks about God
00:04:11.15\00:04:14.85
would have you very seriously
to consider this subject tonight
00:04:14.88\00:04:19.39
Now, right away, someone will
say but, Oh wait a minute now.
00:04:19.42\00:04:23.19
What about the thief on the
cross? The thief on the cross
00:04:23.22\00:04:26.70
was not baptized and yet didn't
Jesus promise him that he would
00:04:26.73\00:04:29.06
be with him in Paradise
that day? Or one day. Yes he did
00:04:29.10\00:04:33.20
promise the thief that he would
be saved in paradise and it is
00:04:33.23\00:04:37.54
true that the thief was not
baptized but why. I Think it's
00:04:37.57\00:04:41.94
obvious to us all isn't it? The
thief was nailed to a cross and
00:04:41.98\00:04:43.71
he couldn't be baptized. The
Lord does not close the windows
00:04:43.75\00:04:48.62
of heaven to those that are
physically incapable of carrying
00:04:48.65\00:04:51.85
out his commands. The thief was
converted on the cross. And if
00:04:51.89\00:04:55.06
the thief could have come down
the first thing the thief would
00:04:55.09\00:04:57.79
have said is Lord what do you
want me to do? And if the thief
00:04:57.83\00:05:01.56
would have learned of baptism
he would have loved to have been
00:05:01.60\00:05:03.60
baptized because the thief had
that desire to obey Jesus in his
00:05:03.63\00:05:06.87
heart. He was converted on
the cross. But we are physically
00:05:06.90\00:05:11.27
capable tonight and for those
that are physically capable we
00:05:11.31\00:05:13.54
hear what Jesus says we
would want to carry it out in
00:05:13.58\00:05:17.38
obedience. In fact, when it
comes to the thief, the Lord
00:05:17.41\00:05:20.05
imputed to the thief, just
as he imputes to all of us, his
00:05:20.08\00:05:23.25
righteousness. And so impute
means to give credit for. He
00:05:23.28\00:05:28.12
gave credit to the thief
something that the thief could
00:05:28.16\00:05:30.03
not do for himself. And because
Jesus' life included baptism
00:05:30.06\00:05:33.90
which we shall see tonight the
thief received it through the
00:05:33.93\00:05:37.03
imputed righteousness of
Christ but we who are physically
00:05:37.07\00:05:41.30
capable, we would want to carry
out what Jesus asked us to do.
00:05:41.34\00:05:44.64
Baptism is an outward sign of
an Inward commitment and loyalty
00:05:44.67\00:05:49.31
to Jesus. It's a way of letting
people know I have changed sides
00:05:49.34\00:05:54.18
in the great battle between good
and evil, right? We're born into
00:05:54.22\00:05:57.89
this world with a carnal mind,
selfish thinking and without any
00:05:57.92\00:06:01.52
kind of physical change in us
we're going to naturally serve
00:06:01.56\00:06:06.36
this evil one, the evil side.
And so that's why we need to be
00:06:06.39\00:06:10.20
converted. So now James chapter
2 verse 20 says faith without
00:06:10.23\00:06:13.57
works is what? Is dead. Right?
In other words, if we say we
00:06:13.60\00:06:18.14
have faith, but we don't want to
do anything, it's a dead faith.
00:06:18.17\00:06:21.41
So let's go to this most
wonderful passage here in Romans
00:06:21.44\00:06:25.48
chapter 6, where it tells us
more it describes more about the
00:06:25.51\00:06:29.52
significance and the symbolism
of baptism. Romans 6 and verse 3
00:06:29.55\00:06:33.12
says: Know ye not, that so
many of us as were baptized into
00:06:33.15\00:06:36.46
Jesus Christ were baptized
into his death? Therefore we are
00:06:36.49\00:06:40.50
buried: that like as Christ was
00:06:40.53\00:06:43.57
raised up from the dead by the
glory of the Father, even so we
00:06:43.60\00:06:46.74
also should walk in what kind
of life? Newness of life. So it
00:06:46.77\00:06:51.24
says just as Jesus died and was
buried and rose up, even so the
00:06:51.27\00:06:56.34
same thing happens to us in
the spiritual sense when we are
00:06:56.38\00:06:59.88
baptized. For if we have been
planted together in the likeness
00:06:59.91\00:07:03.25
of his death we shall be also in
the likeness of his resurrection
00:07:03.28\00:07:07.22
Knowing this, that our old man
is crucified with him, that the
00:07:07.26\00:07:08.59
old man is crucified with him,
that the body of sin might be
00:07:08.62\00:07:12.59
be destroyed, that henceforth we
should not serve sin. Now when
00:07:12.63\00:07:15.60
it says the old man that's
not talking about your husband
00:07:15.63\00:07:18.03
ladies right? It's not talking
about the father if we have
00:07:18.07\00:07:21.34
some young people here. But
it says the old man what's it
00:07:21.37\00:07:24.77
talking about? The selfish
nature, right? But we were
00:07:24.81\00:07:26.14
before we were converted. The
old man is a negative term in
00:07:26.17\00:07:29.81
the Bible. So it says that old
man it's crucified, it died and
00:07:29.84\00:07:34.52
now we're not going to serve
sin any more. So what are we
00:07:34.55\00:07:38.05
learning here? We're buried with
baptism, that's the significance
00:07:38.09\00:07:41.86
here. It's not just taking a
bath. It's very significant and
00:07:41.89\00:07:45.46
so baptism is dying to the old
way of life, it's burying our
00:07:45.49\00:07:49.83
sins in the watery grave. It is
rising up again out of the water
00:07:49.86\00:07:53.30
to walk in a brand new life.
Absolutely. In many ways it's
00:07:53.34\00:07:57.41
like a wedding ceremony, did you
know that? The ceremony is there
00:07:57.44\00:08:01.81
to remind us that we gave
our life to the Lord just as a
00:08:01.84\00:08:06.18
wedding ceremony today has
witnesses so baptism is a public
00:08:06.21\00:08:08.85
ceremony. It has witnesses there
to remind everyone involved that
00:08:08.88\00:08:11.95
that person had that service,
that ceremony, and they were
00:08:11.99\00:08:16.32
married to the Lord Jesus Christ
And you can say in baptism
00:08:16.36\00:08:21.66
Praise the Lord, my past is all
behind me and now I'm going to
00:08:21.70\00:08:25.30
walk through that brand new door
into a new life. One thing I
00:08:25.33\00:08:29.34
love about the Lord is that God
is a God of new beginnings Amen?
00:08:29.37\00:08:32.67
He gives us chances to begin
again. I'm so thankful for that.
00:08:32.71\00:08:36.98
We all have things we regret.
We all have things that we wish
00:08:37.01\00:08:40.35
were different. And God is
saying I am giving you that
00:08:40.38\00:08:43.28
opportunity to put it all in the
past and have a brand new start.
00:08:43.32\00:08:46.79
Let's go back here if we can.
Let's go back to Matthew chapter
00:08:46.82\00:08:50.53
28 again and this time verse 19.
It says: Go ye therefore, and
00:08:50.56\00:08:55.90
do what. Teach all nations, and
then he mentions baptizing. So
00:08:55.93\00:09:02.00
the passage in Matthew says go
and teach, and the one there in
00:09:02.04\00:09:05.47
Mark says go and preach. So we
teach and we preach the gospel
00:09:05.51\00:09:11.98
of Jesus. Now the one thing
is significant here because he
00:09:12.01\00:09:13.95
mentions teaching but now it
mentions teaching again, it says
00:09:13.98\00:09:16.42
teaching them to observe
all things. So, teach what? To
00:09:16.45\00:09:23.16
observe is to obey. Teach them
to obey what? Teach them to obey
00:09:23.19\00:09:26.53
it says all things whatsoever
I have commanded you. Teach them
00:09:26.56\00:09:30.60
to my commandments, not just
eight, not just nine but how
00:09:30.63\00:09:33.80
many do you think. All
10 of them. So teach them my
00:09:33.84\00:09:36.81
commandments. All things that
God has asked us to do. The Lord
00:09:36.84\00:09:40.28
is an intelligent God. Of course
that goes without saying. And
00:09:40.31\00:09:44.11
the faith of Jesus is
intelligent faith. So if we're
going to worship God, if
00:09:44.15\00:09:47.75
we're going to come and follow
Jesus, we ought to know what
00:09:47.78\00:09:51.75
does that mean? What is it all
about? No matter how sincere we
00:09:51.79\00:09:56.22
are we have to know what it
means to be a Christian. So a
00:09:56.26\00:10:00.66
lot of times people can have
revival services and there's
00:10:00.70\00:10:02.26
nothing wrong with that. But in
fact if all it is emotion that's
00:10:02.30\00:10:06.90
not enough friends. We want
here in this Prophecy Unsealed
00:10:06.94\00:10:10.01
seminar to teach in such a
way that that knowledge that we
00:10:10.04\00:10:13.64
receive, and the experience we
get from that is going to last
00:10:13.68\00:10:16.01
till Jesus comes, Amen? So
we don't want just some kind of
00:10:16.04\00:10:19.65
emotion that's going to die out
in a week or two. No. We want to
00:10:19.68\00:10:25.05
know God's will because before
you can do God's will you have
00:10:25.09\00:10:27.92
to know God's will. Does
that make sense A man or a woman
00:10:27.96\00:10:31.29
can't make an intelligent
decision on what we don't
understand. Jesus says go
00:10:31.33\00:10:35.46
and teach and then he said
baptize after that. Okay. So now
00:10:35.50\00:10:41.70
what are we going to do?
We're going to go to the time of
00:10:41.74\00:10:43.20
Pentecost. In the time of
Pentecost there was a man named
00:10:43.24\00:10:46.37
Peter and Peter was preaching
and he was preaching zealously
00:10:46.41\00:10:50.15
before a large crowd and look
what the response was here in
00:10:50.18\00:10:53.52
verse 37. It says: Now,
when they heard this, they were
00:10:53.55\00:10:57.55
pricked in their heart, which is
another way of saying they were
00:10:57.59\00:10:59.35
convicted in their conscience.
And it says: And they said unto
00:10:59.39\00:11:02.32
Peter and to the rest of the
apostles, Men and brethren, what
00:11:02.36\00:11:05.53
shall we do? Now one thing I
love about this group of people
00:11:05.56\00:11:09.60
that he was preaching to is
they were openhearted, Right?
00:11:09.63\00:11:12.73
They weren't like somebody that
says well I've been following
00:11:12.77\00:11:15.50
you know this way for a long
period of time and I know the
00:11:15.54\00:11:18.91
scriptures. There's nothing else
you can teach me. These people
00:11:18.94\00:11:22.01
were openhearted. They were open
minded. They said what shall we
00:11:22.04\00:11:25.01
do? And Peter's answer came back
It says: Peter said unto them,
00:11:25.05\00:11:29.42
Repent and be baptized those who
feel like it...Is that what he
00:11:29.45\00:11:33.69
said? No. He said to be baptized
how many? Every one of you in
00:11:33.72\00:11:38.66
the name of Jesus Christ for the
remission of sins and ye shall
00:11:38.69\00:11:42.93
receive the gift of the Holy
Ghost. Baptism is not optional
00:11:42.96\00:11:46.84
for the Christian. Now in case
you were wondering about a text
00:11:46.87\00:11:49.60
or two in the New Testament; it
says they were baptized in Jesus
00:11:49.64\00:11:54.94
name or baptized in the name of
the Lord Jesus Christ. The Bible
00:11:54.98\00:11:58.01
gives it to us differently some
times. Now in the New Testament
00:11:58.05\00:12:01.85
they were trying to write out
everything in the fullness of
00:12:01.88\00:12:05.62
the sense. There's a lot
condensed in the book of Acts
00:12:05.65\00:12:09.59
right? It's taking place over
years and years of time and it's
00:12:09.62\00:12:14.20
a very condensed synopsis
of what was going on. So they
00:12:14.23\00:12:17.57
understood about God is the
Father, they understood about
00:12:17.60\00:12:19.30
the Holy Spirit. Back in the
days of David he prayed that the
00:12:19.33\00:12:23.04
Holy Spirit would not leave him.
They understood that, but Jesus
00:12:23.07\00:12:26.81
was different. It says in John
1:11 it says he came to his own
00:12:26.84\00:12:30.08
and is own received him not.
So Jesus was the one they were
00:12:30.11\00:12:35.05
highlighting there in the
book of Acts as the one that was
00:12:35.08\00:12:38.69
going to be the Savior of
the world. So, they says he was
00:12:38.72\00:12:41.12
baptized in the name of Jesus
at least they did accept Jesus
00:12:41.16\00:12:43.99
into their life but Jesus
himself gave us the full gospel
00:12:44.03\00:12:47.20
commission when he said go
and baptize in the name of the
00:12:47.23\00:12:50.23
Father and the Son and of the
Holy Spirit. So you'll find some
00:12:50.27\00:12:53.03
placed in the Bible where it
mentions about the name of Jesus
00:12:53.07\00:12:55.10
but Jesus himself again gave
us that full commission. So if
00:12:55.14\00:13:00.68
you're planning to be baptized
there's a preparation of the
00:13:00.71\00:13:03.51
heart. He didn't just say go
and be baptized. He said Repent
00:13:03.55\00:13:06.88
and be baptized. There are
so many that are being baptized
00:13:06.92\00:13:10.85
today that have never really
made that decision, I am going
00:13:10.89\00:13:13.66
to live for the Lord. And if
they don't make a decision to
00:13:13.69\00:13:17.63
live for the Lord right with all
heart and soul they bring that
00:13:17.66\00:13:23.23
carnal nature into the church.
And what do you get when they
00:13:23.26\00:13:24.80
bring the carnal nature in
the church? That's when you get
00:13:24.83\00:13:28.47
backbiting and hatred and
prejudice and all of those kind
00:13:28.50\00:13:30.24
of things. Folks that should
be laid in the waters of baptism
00:13:30.27\00:13:33.11
and stay buried. Amen? All right
See now there are people not
00:13:33.14\00:13:37.21
understanding this. They
get some funny ideas. Here's one
00:13:37.25\00:13:40.95
that I found in a gift store.
Baptism in a bottle. Wash away
00:13:40.98\00:13:44.69
your sins. Kills sins on contact
I like how it says on the bottom
00:13:44.72\00:13:49.39
there: For liars, cheaters and
wrong doers. Very interesting.
00:13:49.42\00:13:52.83
Here's another one. Wash away
your sins towelette. No I don't
00:13:52.86\00:13:58.57
think that quite grabs it right
there. We need to experience
00:13:58.60\00:14:01.60
conversion before we're baptized
You might not feel electricity
00:14:01.64\00:14:03.77
running up and down your spine.
Right? You might not have a
00:14:03.81\00:14:07.48
you know getting knocked off
the horse like Paul did there.
00:14:07.51\00:14:10.18
But you still have felt the Holy
Spirit in your life made you new
00:14:10.21\00:14:15.45
We'll get to that verse in just
a little bit. When you are made
00:14:15.48\00:14:18.55
new friends places you used to
go, you don't want to go there
00:14:18.59\00:14:22.02
any more. We are made new in
Jesus things you used to think,
00:14:22.06\00:14:24.66
you don't think that way anymore
Things you used to say you don't
00:14:24.69\00:14:28.33
say those things anymore.
You are made whole in Jesus. And
00:14:28.36\00:14:33.00
when you have had that
experience friends, it is
00:14:33.03\00:14:35.50
wonderful. Baptism is a way of
symbolizing the change in your
00:14:35.54\00:14:41.58
life. But baptism itself doesn't
have the power to change you.
00:14:41.61\00:14:45.15
There's no magic in the
baptismal waters isn't that
00:14:45.18\00:14:49.82
right. If a person wants
to be a sinner, right and
00:14:49.85\00:14:52.52
keep on sinning, they
00:14:52.55\00:14:53.89
can go down to the waters of
baptism as a sinner and the only
00:14:53.92\00:14:56.42
change that's going to occur is
they're going to come up a wet
00:14:56.46\00:14:58.36
sinner. Amen. There's no power
in the water. There's power in
00:14:58.39\00:15:02.56
the Holy Spirit. What do you
say folks? Amen. So there's no
00:15:02.60\00:15:06.74
spiritual benefit in being
baptized if we don't want to be
00:15:06.77\00:15:10.87
obedient. 2 Corinthians 5 verse
17. It says: Therefore if any
00:15:10.91\00:15:13.58
man...any person...be in Christ,
he is a new creature: old things
00:15:13.61\00:15:17.95
are passed away; behold,
all things are become what? New.
00:15:17.98\00:15:21.72
And once you are baptized no one
has a right to come along and
00:15:21.75\00:15:25.15
dig up your past. Nope. God
says you put a marker down right
00:15:25.19\00:15:29.42
there. Because that person's
given their life to me. I've
00:15:29.46\00:15:31.73
forgiven their past and now
they're starting with a brand
00:15:31.76\00:15:35.50
new beginning. The old life
of sin is to be buried there. We
00:15:35.53\00:15:39.67
can praise God for that. This
is the experience of the new
00:15:39.70\00:15:44.91
covenant friends. We talked
about their new covenant in a
00:15:44.94\00:15:48.38
previous time of our Prophecy
Unsealed seminar. It says: This
00:15:48.41\00:15:51.75
is the covenant that I will
make with them after those days,
00:15:51.78\00:15:53.42
saith the Lord, I will put
my laws into their hearts and in
00:15:53.45\00:15:55.75
their minds will I write them.
When God writes his law on your
00:15:55.78\00:15:58.29
heart and mind, and makes you
a new person you say as a result
00:15:58.32\00:16:01.99
of that I want to witness
that I'm a brand new person. And
00:16:02.02\00:16:05.93
baptism is an opportunity to
have that witness. Now Ephesians
00:16:05.96\00:16:09.46
4:4-5 It says: There is one body
and one Spirit, even as you are
00:16:09.50\00:16:14.70
called in one hope of your
calling: One Lord, one faith,
00:16:14.74\00:16:17.71
and how many baptisms folks. One
baptism. Now when it says one
00:16:17.74\00:16:21.74
baptism that doesn't mean you
can only be baptized one time.
00:16:21.78\00:16:24.48
This is talking
about methodology here.
00:16:24.51\00:16:26.72
Right. Lot of people think well
that means if I were baptized
00:16:26.75\00:16:28.98
once I never have to be baptized
again no matter what happens.
00:16:29.02\00:16:31.15
No that's not what it's talking
about. It's talking about only
00:16:31.19\00:16:34.56
one true method of baptism and
because there's only one true
00:16:34.59\00:16:36.09
method of baptism that
makes it very important that we
00:16:36.12\00:16:38.53
understand what that method is.
So baptism shows us there's one
00:16:38.56\00:16:43.30
body, one faith, and one baptism
with Jesus of course at the head
00:16:43.33\00:16:47.30
of that body. If you were to
go to 14 different homes in this
00:16:47.34\00:16:52.47
city tonight and knock on the
door and said to them can you
00:16:52.51\00:16:56.64
tell me what baptism is I wonder
if you wouldn't just get 14
00:16:56.68\00:16:59.95
different answers. Because a lot
of people wonder about baptism
00:16:59.98\00:17:03.49
and they really have no idea
what it's really all about. You
00:17:03.52\00:17:06.45
can go from church to church and
one will tell you one thing and
00:17:06.49\00:17:09.72
one will tell you another
thing and as usual the devil has
00:17:09.76\00:17:14.30
brought in a lot of counterfeit
on this subject as well as he
00:17:14.33\00:17:17.23
has on other things. One thing
is for certain. There aren't 14
00:17:17.27\00:17:20.90
different methods of baptism and
there aren't even seven, or six
00:17:20.94\00:17:24.77
or three. The Bible says how
many? One baptism. Absolutely.
00:17:24.81\00:17:28.88
So, what are some of these
other things. People sometimes
00:17:28.91\00:17:32.41
sprinkle with water and say
they're baptized. Others maybe
00:17:32.45\00:17:35.75
pour water over their head and
say they're baptized. Some might
00:17:35.78\00:17:38.62
even anoint with an oil. Some
have heard of people having rose
00:17:38.65\00:17:42.16
petals thrown on them. There
was one church where the pastor
00:17:42.19\00:17:46.83
herded his congregation out into
street and he opened the fire
00:17:46.86\00:17:51.27
hydrant hose there, right,
and he shot a stream of water up
00:17:51.30\00:17:54.94
in the air and of course all
these droplets came down upon
00:17:54.97\00:17:58.61
them. I guess if you do it
long enough you're going to get
00:17:58.64\00:18:01.24
totally wet but nevertheless
he says now you're all baptized.
00:18:01.28\00:18:04.98
Now again this totally misses
the symbolism of this beautiful
00:18:05.01\00:18:09.02
ordinance that God has given to
us. Jesus is our example in all
00:18:09.05\00:18:12.89
things. Amen. 1 Peter 2 verse 21
says: For even hereunto were ye
00:18:12.92\00:18:17.96
called because Christ also
suffered for us, leaving us an
00:18:17.99\00:18:21.83
example, that ye should do what?
Follow his steps: When Jesus
00:18:21.86\00:18:26.70
gives us an example what should
we do? Follow his steps. Follow
00:18:26.74\00:18:31.91
what he showed us. Well what was
Jesus' example when it comes to
00:18:31.94\00:18:36.34
the subject of baptism? Let's go
find out tonight. We've already
00:18:36.38\00:18:41.68
learned at a previous time of
our seminar what Jesus' example
00:18:41.72\00:18:45.99
was when it came to the second
coming, what his teaching was,
00:18:46.02\00:18:48.89
We learned what Jesus' teaching
was when it came to the subject
00:18:48.92\00:18:51.56
of death. We've learned what
Jesus' teaching was when it came
00:18:51.59\00:18:53.83
to the subject of hell
fire. We've learned what Jesus'
00:18:53.86\00:18:56.97
teaching was when it came to the
law of God and what his example
00:18:57.00\00:18:59.37
was for us when he says
I've kept all my Father's
00:18:59.40\00:19:02.74
Commandments. We've seen what
Jesus' example was for us when
00:19:02.77\00:19:05.71
he kept the seventh day Sabbath.
Right. So what was Jesus's
00:19:05.74\00:19:08.64
example for us when it comes to
the subject of baptism? How was
00:19:08.68\00:19:13.11
our Lord baptized? Let's go
to Matthew chapter 3 verse 16.
00:19:13.15\00:19:17.22
Here's what the Bible says.
And Jesus, when he was baptized,
00:19:17.25\00:19:21.46
went up straightway out of the
water: and, lo, the heavens were
00:19:21.49\00:19:25.73
opened unto him, and he saw the
Spirit of God descending like a
00:19:25.76\00:19:28.56
dove, lighting upon him: And a
voice from heaven, saying, This
00:19:28.60\00:19:31.47
is my beloved Son, in whom I
am well pleased. Don't you love
00:19:31.50\00:19:35.04
that verse right there? I
believe that every time a man or
00:19:35.07\00:19:38.87
a woman or a young person is
baptized God the father looks
00:19:38.91\00:19:42.28
down from heaven and with a joy
and a smile on his face he says,
00:19:42.31\00:19:44.38
This is my beloved child in
whom I am well pleased. Amen.
00:19:44.41\00:19:50.09
Absolutely. See baptism pleases
God because you are obedient to
00:19:50.12\00:19:55.52
what he asks us to do. He's
saying this is my son, this is
00:19:55.56\00:19:58.19
my daughter, these are my
children. Welcome to the family
of God. So Jesus our
00:19:58.23\00:20:02.16
example was baptized, no
question about it, but he was
00:20:02.20\00:20:04.77
baptized with what we call
immersion. Immersion means he
00:20:04.80\00:20:08.10
went all the way under the water
and came up out of the water.
00:20:08.14\00:20:11.71
So did Jesus ever commit sin?
No. So when Jesus was baptized
00:20:11.74\00:20:17.51
did he do it because he
was washing away his sin. No he
00:20:17.55\00:20:22.32
didn't that. He was the one that
knew no sin. So Jesus did it as
00:20:22.35\00:20:27.46
an example to us that we might
do it and he did it to add that
00:20:27.49\00:20:31.16
righteous act to his life so he
could then impute or give credit
00:20:31.19\00:20:34.86
to people that could not be
baptized just as he did to the
00:20:34.90\00:20:38.33
thief on the cross. So here
we find Jesus was very serious
00:20:38.37\00:20:41.87
about this subject obviously.
He wanted to add it to his life.
00:20:41.90\00:20:45.54
John the Baptist said Lord
I need to be baptized of you.
00:20:45.57\00:20:49.34
Right? And you come to me.
And Jesus said allow it to be to
00:20:49.38\00:20:52.91
fulfill all righteousness. So
Jesus was very serious that this
00:20:52.95\00:20:56.08
act be added to his life.
It says he came up straightaway
00:20:56.12\00:20:59.29
out of the water. Now let me ask
you this. If he came up straight
00:20:59.32\00:21:03.43
way out of the water, what had
to happen first? He had to first
00:21:03.46\00:21:07.36
go down straight way into the
water. Right? And that's what we
00:21:07.40\00:21:10.70
call baptism by immersion. Let's
go through another gospel. This
00:21:10.73\00:21:14.80
time the gospel of Mark chapter
1 verse 9. It says: It came to
00:21:14.84\00:21:18.37
pas in those days, that Jesus
came from Nazareth of Galilee,
00:21:18.41\00:21:22.44
and was baptized of John
in Jordan. Now why is that
00:21:22.48\00:21:26.72
important? Because it doesn't
say he was baptized by Jordan
00:21:26.75\00:21:31.19
or on the banks of Jordan
as some of these pictures and
00:21:31.22\00:21:34.79
statues show us, right? No, he
wasn't nearby Jordan. He was in
00:21:34.82\00:21:40.23
Jordan. It says straight way
coming up out of the water, he
00:21:40.26\00:21:43.93
saw the heavens opened, and the
Spirit like a dove descending
00:21:43.97\00:21:46.37
upon him: And there came a voice
from heaven, saying, Thou art
00:21:46.40\00:21:48.84
my beloved Son, in whom I am
well pleased. Have you ever seen
00:21:48.87\00:21:52.84
artwork like this. Here they
have John the Baptist here in
00:21:52.87\00:21:57.55
this scene and he's pouring
water over Jesus' head. Or you
00:21:57.58\00:22:01.28
see statues where in the statue
again he's doing the same thing.
00:22:01.32\00:22:03.55
Jesus kneeling down and he pours
water over his head. Folks that
00:22:03.59\00:22:06.76
isn't how Jesus was baptized.
Not even close to it at all.
00:22:06.79\00:22:09.82
That is a terrible distortion
of what took place. John the
00:22:09.86\00:22:14.70
Baptist took Jesus down into the
water, he immersed him in the
00:22:14.73\00:22:19.67
water and that is Bible baptism.
Let's go see another example of
00:22:19.70\00:22:24.37
that. John chapter 3 verse
23. It says: And John also was
00:22:24.41\00:22:27.48
baptizing...this is John the
Baptist now...was baptizing in
00:22:27.51\00:22:30.48
AEnon near to Salim because
there was much water there:
00:22:30.51\00:22:33.62
and they came and were baptized.
It doesn't say there was a
00:22:33.65\00:22:37.09
little water there. He had to go
where there was much water. Now
00:22:37.12\00:22:40.26
why. If John the Baptist was
sprinkling people for baptism
00:22:40.29\00:22:44.49
he took a pail of water
from some well out there in the
00:22:44.53\00:22:48.00
desert, and he could have walked
around and sprinkled, you know,
00:22:48.03\00:22:51.37
a hundred people with that,
right? But he couldn't do that
00:22:51.40\00:22:56.97
because he wasn't baptizing
people by sprinkling or even
00:22:57.01\00:22:58.34
pouring it over their head. He
had to go where there was much
00:22:58.37\00:23:01.68
water, there and that clearly
establishes baptism by
immersion. Absolutely
00:23:01.71\00:23:07.65
So basically, to say it another
way, the Bible is showing us
00:23:07.68\00:23:11.69
that baptism calls for a lot of
water. So John had to go where
00:23:11.72\00:23:17.03
there was a lot. Colossians
chapter 2 and verse 12 says
00:23:17.06\00:23:19.96
Buried with him in baptism.
Now again there's that term that
00:23:20.00\00:23:24.53
Romans gave us, right? Baptism
is like a burial. As a person
00:23:24.57\00:23:29.97
dies, is buried in the grave,
so you go down in the water and
00:23:30.01\00:23:33.38
that represents a spiritual
burial, a body burial, and then
00:23:33.41\00:23:36.31
they come up to brand new
life. There was another story in
00:23:36.34\00:23:40.55
scripture about a person that
was baptized, and it reinforces
00:23:40.58\00:23:44.22
our understanding that baptism
is by immersion. Let's see here:
00:23:44.25\00:23:49.82
Acts chapter 8. This is the
story of course of Philip and
00:23:49.86\00:23:51.56
the treasurer of Ethiopia. It
is Acts 8 and verse 38: And he
00:23:51.59\00:23:56.70
commanded the chariot to stand
still, and they went down both
00:23:56.73\00:23:59.27
into the water, both into
the water, both Philip and the
00:23:59.30\00:24:01.50
eunuch; and he baptized him. And
when they were come up out of
00:24:01.54\00:24:04.64
water, the Spirit of the Lord
caught away, Philip, that the
00:24:04.67\00:24:06.84
eunuch saw him no more: and
he went on his way, how friends?
00:24:06.88\00:24:09.88
Rejoicing. Again, I love that.
That is how you feel when you
00:24:09.91\00:24:16.79
obey the Lord and the Spirit is
with you. Amen? You go on your
00:24:16.82\00:24:21.49
way rejoicing. So baptism shows
us takes place fairly soon after
00:24:21.52\00:24:25.79
a person is taught this man
allowed Philip to get up into
00:24:25.83\00:24:29.96
his chariot. And we don't know
how long the chariot ride was
00:24:30.00\00:24:32.67
but obviously Philip was
teaching him all along the way.
00:24:32.70\00:24:34.80
And eventually they came to a
body of water and the Ethiopian
00:24:34.84\00:24:38.07
man says can I be baptized?
And the deacon there, Philip, he
00:24:38.11\00:24:43.11
says as long as you believe
with all your heart, you may. So
00:24:43.14\00:24:47.52
there it is. He was given Bible
baptism. The method of baptism
00:24:47.55\00:24:52.15
is really dictated to us by the
very meaning of the word baptize
00:24:52.19\00:24:55.76
Let's go here to one of
the greatest proofs of all by
00:24:55.79\00:24:59.33
looking into the word
itself. The Greek word "baptizo"
00:24:59.36\00:25:03.43
actually means "to dip," "to
immerse," or to plunge it under
00:25:03.47\00:25:08.70
water. So you look that up
in a Greek dictionary or a Greek
00:25:08.74\00:25:11.61
Lexicon of some kind, it'll
say Baptizo means to dip or to
00:25:11.64\00:25:15.68
submerge under water. Now by the
time they came along and they
00:25:15.71\00:25:18.18
were translating the Bible from
Greek into English right, the
00:25:18.21\00:25:22.15
method of baptism had already
been tampered with. And what
00:25:22.18\00:25:24.42
they did was they took a Greek
word and they gave it English
00:25:24.45\00:25:28.42
letters. So it now becomes an
English word that originally was
00:25:28.46\00:25:30.99
a Greek word and they just
brought it over into the English
00:25:31.03\00:25:34.56
language. It literally means to
immerse or to put under water.
00:25:34.60\00:25:39.37
So You say you're baptizing, but
you're not putting people under
00:25:39.40\00:25:41.87
water, it's like saying one
thing but doing another. I mean
00:25:41.90\00:25:46.31
you can call an apple an orange,
but it doesn't make it so you
00:25:46.34\00:25:49.98
can call baptism by many other
things, but again, it doesn't
00:25:50.01\00:25:52.45
make it so. So you might ask the
question well, where did this
00:25:52.48\00:25:56.79
change happen. How did it
occur that if they started out
00:25:56.82\00:26:00.32
baptizing people by immersion,
and all of a sudden, you've got
00:26:00.36\00:26:02.99
all these other methods going on
in these various churches. Well
00:26:03.02\00:26:05.96
believe it or not all the
Christian churches started out
00:26:05.99\00:26:09.20
with baptism by immersion.
It wasn't until about 1300 years
00:26:09.23\00:26:15.37
after Jesus that the method of
baptism started to be tampered
00:26:15.40\00:26:18.44
with. They didn't originally
sprinkle babies or pour water
00:26:18.47\00:26:22.18
over people They had it exactly
as the Bible said. It was not
00:26:22.21\00:26:26.65
until the Council of Ravenna
in around 1311 A.D., that
00:26:26.68\00:26:30.69
sprinkling and pouring was
officially accepted as methods
of baptism into the
00:26:30.72\00:26:36.19
then known church, the medieval
church. Christian Institutions
00:26:36.22\00:26:39.49
page 21, it says this: It says:
For the first thirteen centuries
00:26:39.53\00:26:43.03
the almost universal practice
of baptism was that of which we
00:26:43.06\00:26:47.24
read in the New Testament and
that which is the very meaning
00:26:47.27\00:26:49.64
of the word "baptize,"- that
those who were baptized were
00:26:49.67\00:26:53.14
plunged, submerged, immersed
into the water. Okay? So it's
00:26:53.17\00:26:58.75
telling us, yeah, this is what
they did for centuries. It goes
00:26:58.78\00:27:02.45
on In Faith of Our Fathers, we
mentioned this man in a previous
00:27:02.48\00:27:04.99
session of our study, Cardinal
James Gibbons. He said: For
00:27:05.02\00:27:09.06
several centuries after the
establishment of Christianity
00:27:09.09\00:27:11.89
baptism was usually conferred by
immersion, but since the twelfth
00:27:11.93\00:27:16.23
century, the practice of baptism
by infusion...which means the
00:27:16.26\00:27:19.07
pouring of water over someone...
has prevailed...as this manner
00:27:19.10\00:27:22.80
is attended with less
inconvenience than baptism by
00:27:22.84\00:27:27.08
immersion. Now that's kind
of sad because baptism isn't
00:27:27.11\00:27:30.15
inconvenient. I mean, there may
be some places where you have to
00:27:30.18\00:27:32.15
look around for a body of water
to be able to immerse someone
00:27:32.18\00:27:35.08
but generally speaking, it's not
inconvenient at all. So that's
00:27:35.12\00:27:39.69
where you started getting this
idea of simply pouring water
00:27:39.72\00:27:41.56
over someone, and if that
sufficed, well may be just
00:27:41.59\00:27:44.66
sprinkle over someone, and if
that sufficed, well maybe just
00:27:44.69\00:27:47.36
put a dab of water on their
forehead. Things can get changed
00:27:47.40\00:27:49.13
pretty quickly when you leave
out what the Bible says. But the
00:27:49.16\00:27:53.23
ancient churches actually showed
that they once had the method of
00:27:53.27\00:27:56.40
immersion. You can go to some
of these archeological digs and
00:27:56.44\00:28:01.44
it's amazing what they had there
Here of course is one, a very
00:28:01.48\00:28:06.48
creative one. This was an
ancient baptistery filled with
00:28:06.51\00:28:10.25
water where they would baptize
by immersion. Here's one I think
00:28:10.29\00:28:11.99
this shows you how important
they thought baptism was because
00:28:12.02\00:28:16.32
they carved it right out of
stone, right? You can see the
00:28:16.36\00:28:17.69
steps where they walked down
into the baptistry, actually
00:28:17.73\00:28:20.56
they made it in the shape
of a cross. But again, they
00:28:20.60\00:28:23.77
considered It is so important
that they weren't going to go
00:28:23.80\00:28:25.97
without baptism. And then when
the Christians started to flee
00:28:26.00\00:28:28.70
from persecution in the time of
the middle ages, they went into
00:28:28.74\00:28:30.74
some very remote places, and
they carved homes in basically
00:28:30.77\00:28:34.91
rock. And when they did,
and they went into these remote
00:28:34.94\00:28:40.92
places, they even made
baptistries right there. Again,
00:28:40.95\00:28:42.92
this is a pretty large one. You
can see the water spout coming
into it. Here are a
00:28:42.95\00:28:47.76
couple of pastors having some
fun reenacting a baptism. You
00:28:47.79\00:28:49.42
can see the stairs going down
into it. But again, it shows you
00:28:49.46\00:28:52.69
that they considered it very,
very important that they would
00:28:52.73\00:28:55.40
actually, carve it out of rock
and make a baptistery. Even the
00:28:55.43\00:29:00.10
churches of Rome, who today
sprinkle for baptism, usually
00:29:00.14\00:29:04.01
you can see that when you go
into those ancient churches they
00:29:04.04\00:29:07.68
had Baptisteries. You can see
one, very beautiful, very ornate
00:29:07.71\00:29:12.28
once was used for baptizing the
way the Bible teaches. Now the
00:29:12.31\00:29:16.69
main reason that I think things
got confused was in the time of
00:29:16.72\00:29:19.22
the dark ages the Bible was
actually for a period of time
00:29:19.25\00:29:21.86
banned. If you were caught
with a Bible you could be put to
00:29:21.89\00:29:25.29
death. And without the word of
God shedding light on our path
00:29:25.33\00:29:29.83
all kinds of errors and
counterfeits to teachings came
00:29:29.86\00:29:31.47
in like a flood. upon the church
and one was the idea that when
00:29:31.50\00:29:36.54
you were born into this world, a
baby is instantly guilty before
00:29:36.57\00:29:39.61
God. And they thought, well, if
he's guilty before God, we got
00:29:39.64\00:29:42.24
to baptize this little
infant because if it dies before
00:29:42.28\00:29:44.08
baptism it's going to be lost.
Now here's where the error is.
00:29:44.11\00:29:47.92
We know that Adam's sin wreaked
terrible consequences and
00:29:47.95\00:29:54.22
upon the world. The effects of
Adam's sins were worldwide. But
00:29:54.26\00:29:57.53
the guilt of Adam's sin was his
own. And when a child is born
00:29:57.56\00:30:01.80
it is not instantly
guilty before God. Yes, it has a
00:30:01.83\00:30:05.43
selfish nature, but Adam's guilt
was upon himself. And so the
00:30:05.47\00:30:09.87
clergy not understanding this
decided that they're going to
00:30:09.90\00:30:12.17
baptize babies. Well, babies
can't hold their breath very
well, and so rather
00:30:12.21\00:30:15.58
than plunge the baby under water
they're just going to you know
00:30:15.61\00:30:18.68
sprinkle some water on that
baby's head and if the suffices
00:30:18.71\00:30:21.02
then why not put a little dab
of water here. You can see how
00:30:21.05\00:30:24.09
things get distorted very, very
quickly. So remember what is the
00:30:24.12\00:30:29.12
very meaning of baptism. Is
baptism, some kind of mystical
00:30:29.16\00:30:31.26
magic that if the person is
not baptized, they go right to
00:30:31.29\00:30:35.63
hellfire. If you do put a little
dab of water on the child now
00:30:35.66\00:30:38.53
he's going to be saved. That
is not the meaning of baptism at
00:30:38.57\00:30:41.44
all. Baptism is for converted
people because it indicates a
00:30:41.47\00:30:46.14
change, a conversion, in
their life. So there are many
00:30:46.17\00:30:50.75
individuals that have been
sprinkled in the past, I was you
00:30:50.78\00:30:53.38
know when I was just a little
tiny infant. My parents in all
00:30:53.42\00:30:57.09
good faith took me down to a
priest and they sprinkled some
00:30:57.12\00:30:59.79
water over my head. I don't
remember it, but they tell me it
00:30:59.82\00:31:02.12
happened, and maybe it happened
to many of you. Now if that
00:31:02.16\00:31:06.26
happened to you, don't worry
about it. It didn't do you any
00:31:06.29\00:31:08.40
harm. But it's not Bible baptism
It's not what the scriptures say
00:31:08.43\00:31:12.63
So, what steps should a person
take before baptizing. I think
00:31:12.67\00:31:16.07
this will help us here. It
says that first of all we are to
00:31:16.10\00:31:19.21
repent. We saw that in Peter's
preaching in Acts chapter 2 and
00:31:19.24\00:31:23.31
verse 37. It says we are to
believe which is an acceptance
00:31:23.35\00:31:26.58
of Jesus as both Lord and Savior
And we are to learn. We are to
00:31:26.61\00:31:31.95
have instruction in the
essentials of Biblical faith.
00:31:31.99\00:31:33.59
Jesus says, Go and teach them
and then baptize. So no one can
00:31:33.62\00:31:37.79
do the believing for us. We have
to believe for ourselves and
00:31:37.83\00:31:41.83
that's why friends you don't see
any examples of infants being
00:31:41.86\00:31:44.87
baptized from cover to cover
from Genesis to Revelation, you
00:31:44.90\00:31:48.40
never see that in the Bible
because baptism is for converted
00:31:48.44\00:31:51.77
people. First, the gospel
is preached, and then we have
00:31:51.81\00:31:54.71
belief or then we have faith in
that which is preached. Let me
00:31:54.74\00:31:56.98
ask you a question: Can a little
baby, repent of its sins? Of
00:31:57.01\00:32:00.82
course not. A little baby
is innocent before God. All it
00:32:00.85\00:32:02.75
knows is it wants a meal, right?
That's all it knows. It doesn't
00:32:02.78\00:32:06.19
know sin. Can it believe with
all of its heart, the gospel
00:32:06.22\00:32:09.52
message? No, of course not.
Can it learn the essentials of
00:32:09.56\00:32:13.06
instruction of Christian faith?
Of course not. Now, once again:
00:32:13.09\00:32:17.03
You can't teach a
little child like that.
00:32:17.07\00:32:18.53
It says baptism is for
converted people. The old
00:32:18.57\00:32:22.50
nature is to die and when God
regenerates us with his Spirit
00:32:22.54\00:32:28.44
then we're ready for
baptism. Okay. So it's a
00:32:28.48\00:32:33.78
whole-hearted choice isn't
it? It's a choice we make as
00:32:33.82\00:32:35.98
believers. Many things have
changed over the centuries but
00:32:36.02\00:32:37.92
God's truth never changes. Amen?
Come on you can say it louder
00:32:37.95\00:32:40.66
than that. Amen. All right. What
does the Bible say about those
00:32:40.69\00:32:43.76
who put the teachings of
men before the teachings of God?
00:32:43.79\00:32:46.06
What does it say? Jesus said in
Matthew 15 and in verse 9: But
00:32:46.09\00:32:50.63
in vain they do worship
me, teaching for doctrines the
00:32:50.67\00:32:53.67
commandments of men. So we play
around with the sacred rite of
00:32:53.70\00:32:58.97
baptism, we're playing around
with the plan of salvation.
00:32:59.01\00:33:01.84
Because baptism is an important
part of that plan of salvation.
00:33:01.88\00:33:05.41
But really when you think
about it, a misunderstanding of
00:33:05.45\00:33:09.05
baptism probably demonstrates a
misunderstanding of the gospel.
00:33:09.08\00:33:13.46
Because once you understand
the gospel, then you realize why
00:33:13.49\00:33:17.43
sprinkling really isn't relevant
Now, if we teach and we preach
00:33:17.46\00:33:21.26
properly about baptizing, we're
not only are we equipping people
00:33:21.30\00:33:25.10
we're equipping our own
communities teaching clearly
00:33:25.13\00:33:28.17
about what it
means to follow Jesus.
00:33:28.20\00:33:29.64
Remember now what is the
devil's purpose. He wants
00:33:29.67\00:33:31.61
to put traditions in place of
the Bible doesn't he. He wants
00:33:31.64\00:33:34.18
to put human thoughts in place
of Jesus' teaching. He wants to
00:33:34.21\00:33:37.35
put error in place of truth.
He wants to put man's way in
00:33:37.38\00:33:40.82
place of God's way. Here is his
plan friends to confuse people.
00:33:40.85\00:33:44.25
First he deceives people about
the mode of baptism, right? He
00:33:44.29\00:33:47.92
says oh, it's not immersion, you
can do these other things. Once
00:33:47.96\00:33:51.86
he's confused us about the mode
of baptism, they're confused
00:33:51.89\00:33:53.93
about the meaning of it.
Remember our subject in a
00:33:53.96\00:33:59.40
previous session of this seminar
we discussed the subject of the
00:33:59.43\00:34:04.21
Sabbath. And when we saw that
we saw that those who lost the
00:34:04.24\00:34:08.41
understanding of the seventh day
Sabbath they lost the meaning
00:34:08.44\00:34:13.05
behind the Sabbath. And so
many Christians today believe in
00:34:13.08\00:34:15.85
Darwinian evolution because they
don't believe that God created
00:34:15.88\00:34:19.02
the world in six days and
rested the seventh day which of
00:34:19.05\00:34:21.19
course the Sabbath is a
fundamental memorial of that.
00:34:21.22\00:34:24.29
Right? So when they lost the day
they lost the meaning behind the
00:34:24.33\00:34:28.20
day. So it is with baptism. Once
you lose the method, you've lost
00:34:28.23\00:34:32.50
the meaning behind it. I re-
member, and I'm not very proud
00:34:32.53\00:34:35.90
of this, but there was a time
when I was a young adult, and I
00:34:35.94\00:34:39.47
went into...I was of drinking
age and so I went into a bar and
00:34:39.51\00:34:42.74
you know was consuming alcohol
with friends. And we'd come out
00:34:42.78\00:34:46.72
sometimes, and there'd be a
Christian group on the sidewalk
00:34:46.75\00:34:49.58
with a guitar playing, you
know Christian songs and singing
00:34:49.62\00:34:52.45
about being born again. And
I'm like, what are they talking
00:34:52.49\00:34:56.16
about Born
again? Now again I was
00:34:56.19\00:34:57.89
raised in a church that
sprinkled. I'd never seen a
00:34:57.93\00:34:59.26
baptism by immersion, not even
one time. Not even on television
00:34:59.29\00:35:02.56
I'm thinking, what are they
talking about, born again? I'd
00:35:02.60\00:35:06.43
never seen a baptism by
immersion. Now if I had I might
00:35:06.47\00:35:10.14
have said, why are they doing
that and someone would explain
00:35:10.17\00:35:12.04
to me, well, that means that
you're being regenerated by the
00:35:12.07\00:35:15.84
Holy Spirit, and now you're
symbolizing that through baptism
00:35:15.88\00:35:18.01
But I didn't ever see one, and
so I didn't have knowledge of
00:35:18.05\00:35:21.55
that. So once they're confused
about the meaning of baptism,
00:35:21.58\00:35:25.95
Satan steps in to do another
act of confusion because then he
00:35:25.99\00:35:29.96
said oh, the meaning or the way
to memorialize the resurrection
00:35:29.99\00:35:33.66
of Jesus is to take the Sabbath
from the seventh day and put it
00:35:33.70\00:35:36.56
on the first day, and that's how
we remember the resurrection of
00:35:36.60\00:35:40.00
Jesus. Does the Bible ever say
to do that. No, of course not.
00:35:40.04\00:35:43.97
The Bible says every time a
person is baptized, and they die
00:35:44.01\00:35:48.68
they go down into the water
symbolic of dying to self and
00:35:48.71\00:35:51.51
rising back up. They are
reenacting the fact that Jesus
00:35:51.55\00:35:54.85
died. He was buried. He rose
again, and we also in a symbolic
00:35:54.88\00:35:59.82
sense can go through that
by regeneration, right? So we
00:35:59.85\00:36:04.06
remember the fact that Jesus
did that every time a person is
00:36:04.09\00:36:07.56
baptized, not by keeping a
different day of the week. This
00:36:07.60\00:36:13.10
blessed ceremony can be
compared to baptism. Well we've
00:36:13.13\00:36:14.47
already mentioned this tonight
but let's go to the Bible.
00:36:15.14\00:36:17.47
Ephesians 5 and verse
25. Ephesians 5 and verse 25.
00:36:17.51\00:36:24.45
It says: Husbands love
00:36:24.48\00:36:26.98
your wives, even as Christ
also loved the church, and gave
00:36:27.02\00:36:30.69
himself for it. So again it's
compared the relationship that
00:36:30.72\00:36:34.56
a husband and wife have with the
relationship that Jesus has with
00:36:34.59\00:36:38.53
his church. And then we're told
in Galatians 3:27 For as many of
00:36:38.56\00:36:43.03
you as have been baptized into
Christ have put on Christ. It's
00:36:43.06\00:36:45.60
just like in a marriage a person
often the bride will put on the
00:36:45.63\00:36:50.14
last name of her husband, right?
She takes upon herself the last
00:36:50.17\00:36:54.24
name, so we take upon ourself
the last name Jesus Christ,
00:36:54.28\00:37:01.52
which means Jesus Messiah,
we take upon Jesus' name or his
00:37:01.55\00:37:05.69
title maybe, and we become
called Christian. So in the same
00:37:05.72\00:37:11.49
sense that a husband and
wife are reunited like that, or
00:37:11.53\00:37:15.06
united, so, we are united
to Christ in Baptism. Now, when
00:37:15.10\00:37:19.53
someone says to me, you
know, and this has happened many
00:37:19.57\00:37:24.04
times, they'll say well, I'm not
really sure if I'm baptized. Let
00:37:24.07\00:37:27.28
me go home and ask someone and
check on it. I'll come back and
00:37:27.31\00:37:30.15
let you know. Now, if the Bible
compares baptism to marriage,
00:37:30.18\00:37:35.38
think about it. Wouldn't it
be kind of funny if someone said
00:37:35.42\00:37:38.15
you know, I'm not really sure if
I'm married. Let me go home and
00:37:38.19\00:37:41.32
check on it and I'll come back
and let you know. If we're
married, we ought to
00:37:41.36\00:37:44.43
know, Amen? And if we're
baptized, we ought to know about
00:37:44.46\00:37:49.46
it. And if we don't know about
it, if we're not certain about
00:37:49.50\00:37:52.20
it, and if we can't remember
it it's probably a pretty good
00:37:52.23\00:37:54.50
indication that we should be
baptized again. A lot of people
00:37:54.54\00:38:00.88
think it doesn't really matter
but folks marriage is a public
00:38:00.91\00:38:04.78
ceremony, it's done in front
of witnesses and so is baptism.
00:38:04.81\00:38:07.88
Back in the days of ancient
Israel, when God was calling his
00:38:07.92\00:38:12.62
people out of Egypt, what did he
do? He had them enact a public
00:38:12.65\00:38:19.16
ceremony. They took a lamb and
they slayed that lamb to show
00:38:19.19\00:38:22.93
their faith in a Redeemer that
one day would give his life for
00:38:22.96\00:38:25.10
them. They took the blood of
that sacrifice he had them apply
00:38:25.13\00:38:28.47
that blood within their home on
the outside of the door, on the
00:38:28.50\00:38:32.54
outside of the door right.
They couldn't just do it in the
00:38:32.57\00:38:34.88
privacy of their home only. They
had to make a public statement
00:38:34.91\00:38:38.05
that they were going to believe
in the Messiah to come, and so
00:38:38.08\00:38:42.88
he had them apply it on the
outside of the door. And when he
00:38:42.92\00:38:45.55
had that witness on the outside
the angel that came over, the
00:38:45.59\00:38:49.06
destroying angel, it passed over
the home where that witness was.
00:38:49.09\00:38:53.13
And that's a good example for us
today friends. God's protection
00:38:53.16\00:38:58.17
is over his people that make
a stand for him. Amen? Right.
00:38:58.20\00:39:01.40
Absolutely. He that believeth
and is baptized, we're told
00:39:01.44\00:39:05.77
shall be saved. Let's have faith
enough to do what God asks us
00:39:05.81\00:39:11.91
to do. You know the Bible has
an absolutes, did you know that?
00:39:11.95\00:39:14.82
And I'm glad that it
does because if it didn't have
00:39:14.85\00:39:18.75
absolutes, someone might say,
well I'm the exception. And they
00:39:18.79\00:39:22.52
go through their whole life,
every one else has been baptized
00:39:22.56\00:39:25.43
but they're the exception. And
then they get down to the end of
00:39:25.46\00:39:27.76
their life and they find out
they're not the exception. So
00:39:27.80\00:39:31.00
God just takes away all the
guess work and he says No repent
00:39:31.03\00:39:34.47
and be baptized every one
of you. It doesn't matter how
00:39:34.50\00:39:36.67
talented you are, it doesn't
matter how famous you are, it
00:39:36.71\00:39:39.97
doesn't matter how rich you
are. We're all the same in God's
00:39:40.01\00:39:43.11
sight. He says repent and be
baptized. God is no respecter of
00:39:43.14\00:39:45.71
persons. We're all going to
face our creator. Many times in
00:39:45.75\00:39:48.65
meetings like this, people come
from all different backgrounds,
00:39:48.68\00:39:53.12
different churches, different
faiths, different walks of life,
00:39:53.15\00:39:56.49
and they see these wonderful
things that we've been sharing
00:39:56.52\00:39:58.99
here in the Prophecy Unsealed
seminar and they've learned
00:39:59.03\00:40:00.63
things, and they say you know I
want to rededicate myself to the
00:40:00.66\00:40:03.63
Lord. And that's so wonderful.
We're so glad that you do. And
00:40:03.67\00:40:08.87
that brings up this question.
Should a person be rebaptized.
00:40:08.90\00:40:12.51
There are some that tell
you that you just can't be
00:40:12.54\00:40:16.18
rebaptized. But there is an
example in the Bible of a
rebaptism. Let's go take a
00:40:16.21\00:40:17.68
look at it here. Acts 19 and
verse 2. It says: He said unto
00:40:17.71\00:40:20.95
them, Have you received the Holy
Ghost since you believed? And
00:40:20.98\00:40:23.28
they said unto him, We have not
so much as heard whether there
00:40:23.32\00:40:25.29
be any Holy Ghost. So these
people are missing an essential
00:40:25.32\00:40:28.19
teaching. And he said unto them,
Unto what then were ye baptized?
00:40:28.22\00:40:29.72
And they said, Unto John's
baptism. Now there was nothing
00:40:29.76\00:40:34.50
wrong with John's baptism. That
is the baptism that Jesus had.
00:40:34.53\00:40:36.56
But it goes on, it says: Then
said Paul, John verily baptized
00:40:36.60\00:40:41.24
with the baptism of repentance,
saying unto the people, that
00:40:41.27\00:40:44.27
they should believe on him which
should come after him, that is
00:40:44.31\00:40:47.08
on Christ Jesus. When they heard
this, they were baptized in the
00:40:47.11\00:40:51.48
name of the Lord Jesus. So yes
they had had a previous baptism
00:40:51.51\00:40:56.38
It says that they were disciples
but they were followers or
00:40:56.42\00:40:59.65
disciple is a follower. But
there was an essential teaching
00:40:59.69\00:41:02.89
that was missing, and when they
got that teaching, and they had
00:41:02.92\00:41:05.59
more understanding they were
baptized again. So what happens
00:41:05.96\00:41:11.20
when we're baptized? Let's
review a little bit here. When
00:41:11.23\00:41:13.74
we're baptized sins are
forgiven, the Spirit is given to
00:41:13.77\00:41:17.34
us we're told. It says that
we are adopted into God's family
00:41:17.37\00:41:24.28
and those are wonderful things,
those are wonderful things.
00:41:24.31\00:41:26.72
We're adopted into God's
family to be called a son and
00:41:26.75\00:41:29.08
daughter of God. That would be
a pretty high privilege wouldn't
00:41:29.12\00:41:32.15
you think. Amen. Now
who should be baptized?
00:41:32.19\00:41:34.82
Well if you've
never had previous baptism
00:41:34.86\00:41:36.99
I think that would
be an automatic for us,
00:41:37.03\00:41:39.09
wouldn't it. If you were
previously baptized even by
00:41:39.16\00:41:42.10
immersion but it was just an
empty form. You did it because
00:41:42.13\00:41:45.53
maybe others around you were
doing it. Your heart wasn't in
00:41:45.57\00:41:48.87
it, but you went through it. A
lot of people who had that kind
00:41:48.90\00:41:52.54
of experience, say you know I
want to do it now with my whole
00:41:52.57\00:41:55.64
heart behind it. Number three:
You strayed far from Jesus.
00:41:55.68\00:41:59.21
You were baptized, maybe even
followed Jesus for a period of
00:41:59.25\00:42:02.88
time, but for whatever reason
the relationship slipped and
00:42:02.92\00:42:06.62
finally, you maybe even went
away and you went out and you
00:42:06.65\00:42:11.46
lived apart from the Lord for
a while and now you want to come
00:42:11.49\00:42:13.90
back. Establish the relationship
and sometimes people get married
00:42:13.93\00:42:18.50
and divorced, but now they want
to get remarried. They have the
00:42:18.53\00:42:20.37
ceremony again, so we have
the ceremony again, we have that
00:42:20.40\00:42:23.91
wonderful ceremony of baptism.
And then number four, new
00:42:23.94\00:42:30.05
life-changing truth. You may
have come through your Christian
00:42:30.08\00:42:32.58
life for a lot of years
practicing a certain way, but
00:42:32.61\00:42:35.25
now through understanding and
seminars just like this, you're
00:42:35.28\00:42:38.75
learning a lot of things that's
renewing your faith. You have a
00:42:38.79\00:42:41.86
whole different understanding
and outlook of the Christian
00:42:41.89\00:42:43.76
faith, and you say you know what
I want to be baptized again with
00:42:43.79\00:42:47.10
this fuller understanding
Absolutely fine. We will present
00:42:47.13\00:42:54.54
anyone who wants to unite
yourself to Christ in baptism.
00:42:54.57\00:42:55.90
What does baptism not do? That's
important too. It does not
00:42:55.94\00:42:59.51
change the heart of man.
We've already talked about that.
00:42:59.54\00:43:01.44
There's no magic in the water.
Right. No power in the water.
00:43:01.48\00:43:04.25
the power's in the Holy Spirit.
Say Amen. Right. Baptism does
00:43:04.28\00:43:07.45
not necessarily make us feel
different. You might not have
00:43:07.48\00:43:10.42
electricity running up and down
your spine, Right? But you know
00:43:10.45\00:43:15.86
in your heart you're doing the
right thing. It does not remove
00:43:15.89\00:43:18.99
temptations. The devil's still
going to throw temptations at us
00:43:19.03\00:43:21.26
He wants to see are you dead to
sin, right? So he throws things
00:43:21.30\00:43:25.27
at us all the time. There's ways
of dealing with it. We'll also
00:43:25.30\00:43:27.57
covered that in a future session
of our Bible study. And Baptism
00:43:27.60\00:43:33.48
does not guarantee salvation.
Jesus says, Abide in me and I in
00:43:33.51\00:43:37.28
you. Stay connected to the vine.
Right? We can't just as branches
00:43:37.31\00:43:41.65
stay apart from the true vine.
We have to stay connected to
00:43:41.68\00:43:43.52
Jesus. So here's another thing
people wonder about. They say
00:43:43.55\00:43:48.72
well, I'm just not perfect yet.
I'm not perfect enough to be
00:43:48.76\00:43:53.43
baptized. You'd be amazed how
many times, people tell me that
00:43:53.46\00:43:56.06
friends. Baptism does not mean
you're perfect. It means you're
00:43:56.10\00:44:00.50
committed. Just as in a marriage
ceremony, you don't get up, a
00:44:00.54\00:44:04.07
bride, groom, and the bride.
They don't get up there. They
00:44:04.11\00:44:06.27
don't have to profess to each
other that they're going to be
00:44:06.31\00:44:08.44
perfect. Right? If they did, I
don't think we have any weddings
00:44:08.48\00:44:11.01
No, they don't say they're going
to be perfect for each other. We
00:44:11.05\00:44:14.38
say we're going to be committed
to each other. And when they
00:44:14.42\00:44:17.82
commit to each other, then they
have the ceremony. Same thing
00:44:17.85\00:44:19.72
in baptism, friends. It
means we want to unite and be a
00:44:19.75\00:44:24.06
commandment keeping person by
God's grace. So, three points to
00:44:24.09\00:44:27.33
remember here as we sort of
recap what we've been studying
00:44:27.36\00:44:30.27
tonight. Baptism is one of the
most important aspects of the
00:44:30.30\00:44:32.40
Christian life. We covered
this in the beginning. He that
00:44:32.43\00:44:35.70
believeth and is baptized shall
be saved. Jesus tells us how
00:44:35.74\00:44:39.64
important it is. Number two:
Only baptism by full immersion
00:44:39.67\00:44:42.94
of a believing person is
Biblical and reflects the
00:44:42.98\00:44:47.45
meaning behind the symbolism of
baptism. Romans 6 and verse 4:
00:44:47.48\00:44:52.29
We are buried with him by
baptism into death. So baptism
00:44:52.32\00:44:55.22
has to represent a burial.
Number three: Baptism is the
entry point into the
00:44:55.26\00:45:00.43
Christian church. Acts 2:41:Then
they that gladly received his
00:45:00.46\00:45:04.00
word were baptized: and the same
day there were added unto them
00:45:04.03\00:45:07.80
about three thousand souls. So
they were baptized but they were
00:45:07.84\00:45:11.47
added to the church. So
that's an important part. You're
00:45:11.51\00:45:15.94
married to Christ but
they become part of the body of
00:45:15.98\00:45:17.98
Christ. You understand the
essentials. It doesn't mean you
00:45:18.01\00:45:22.65
everything but when you
understand the essentials you
00:45:22.68\00:45:26.99
have enough. There's a story in
scripture about a Syrian captain
00:45:27.02\00:45:33.03
named captain Naaman. He was
a man, that I guess wanted to
00:45:33.06\00:45:37.10
quarrel with God's ways. However
this commander he got leprosy.
00:45:37.13\00:45:41.64
and when he got leprosy, I mean
he had a hard heart, and he was
00:45:41.67\00:45:45.47
a proud man, but fortunately for
him, he had within his household
00:45:45.51\00:45:48.24
a Jewish girl that understood
about the power of the true God
00:45:48.28\00:45:51.81
who was revealing that power in
the land of Israel. So she told
00:45:51.85\00:45:58.29
her master this and he got
his servants together and he got
00:45:58.32\00:46:01.79
some gifts together and off he
went to the land of Israel. Now
00:46:01.82\00:46:05.93
again he was a proud man and
so to help him to humble himself
00:46:05.96\00:46:12.00
the prophet himself did not
go out but the prophet sent his
00:46:12.03\00:46:15.57
servant out to meet this man.
And it says and Elijah sent the
00:46:15.60\00:46:20.08
servant unto him saying, Go and
wash in the Jordan seven times.
00:46:20.11\00:46:22.34
and thy flesh shall come unto
thee, and thou shalt be clean
00:46:22.38\00:46:25.65
Now again he called for humble
obedience for this great warrior
00:46:25.68\00:46:30.19
right? And Naaman is now being
asked to wash. Well Naaman gets
00:46:30.22\00:46:35.72
he gets offended by that doesn't
he? He says does the prophet
00:46:35.76\00:46:38.69
think that I am dirty. Does
he think that I need a bath. He
00:46:38.73\00:46:41.50
said I've got cleaner rivers
to go bathe in back in my home
00:46:41.53\00:46:44.63
country, right. And he probably
in terms of the water itself, he
00:46:44.67\00:46:47.80
probably did. So he turns around
and he starts heading back home.
00:46:47.84\00:46:50.71
Now, fortunately for him, he had
wiser people with him than he
00:46:50.74\00:46:56.28
was himself at least at that
time, and the servants talked to
00:46:56.31\00:46:59.18
him and said Captain Naaman, if
the prophet had asked you to do
00:46:59.21\00:47:03.25
something easy, excuse me. If
the prophet had asked you to do
00:47:03.28\00:47:07.12
something hard would you have
done it? Why don't you do this
00:47:07.16\00:47:11.59
easy thing. Why don't you go
wash. So he thinks about it and
00:47:11.63\00:47:16.13
he changes his mind and he goes
out toward the Jordan River.
00:47:16.16\00:47:18.80
I don't know how many of
you have ever been to the Jordan
00:47:18.83\00:47:20.17
River but it's vile and muddy
and it's not that appealing
00:47:20.20\00:47:23.10
really. But he goes off toward
the Jordan River and there he
00:47:23.14\00:47:27.24
starts to wash. And as he
starts to wash I mean really he
00:47:27.28\00:47:33.48
realizes that living with
leprosy is a death sentence.
00:47:33.52\00:47:35.55
It was back then. And really
it's a grand biblical narrative
00:47:35.58\00:47:42.66
of what sin does to us. But
nevertheless, he is washing.
00:47:42.69\00:47:46.29
And he washes once, and there is
no change. The leprosy's still
00:47:46.33\00:47:50.73
there. And he washes again and
there is no change at all. He
00:47:50.77\00:47:54.70
washes a third and a fourth and
a fifth and a sixth time, and
00:47:54.74\00:47:57.51
again, there is absolutely no
change in his leprosy. No change
00:47:57.54\00:48:02.14
in his body. Because God didn't
say wash six times. He said wash
00:48:02.18\00:48:04.51
how many times? Seven times.
So he washes the seventh time in
00:48:04.55\00:48:08.55
obedience to God and what
happened? He comes up absolutely
00:48:08.58\00:48:12.72
perfectly clean. Now thanks
to God, the leprosy did not kill
00:48:12.75\00:48:17.13
Naaman but pride almost did.
Right? Let me ask you a question
00:48:17.16\00:48:23.63
Was it the water there that
healed him, Yes or No. No. You
00:48:23.67\00:48:27.14
remember it's not about the
water. It's about the action
00:48:27.17\00:48:29.80
itself. It's about surrendering
in heartfelt obedience to God.
00:48:29.84\00:48:34.01
Naaman almost...this is why I'm
telling you this story, friends,
00:48:34.04\00:48:36.91
...Naaman almost missed out
on the great blessing of being
00:48:36.95\00:48:42.48
healed from a terrible
affliction, leprosy, because he
00:48:42.52\00:48:45.62
didn't follow through with one
of the easiest things that God
00:48:45.65\00:48:48.32
asked him to do. Washing was
so easy; he almost didn't do it.
00:48:48.36\00:48:52.46
And what does God ask of us
today? You know I'm so glad that
00:48:52.49\00:48:57.03
Naaman did do what God asked him
to do. Aren't you? Aren't you
00:48:57.07\00:49:00.04
glad that Naaman followed
thought on that. He went and
00:49:00.07\00:49:02.70
washed. God was looking for
simple obedience back then. God
00:49:02.74\00:49:08.84
is looking for simple obedience
now. But people say, well, I
00:49:08.88\00:49:12.91
don't know if I want to be
baptized. They have all these
00:49:12.95\00:49:16.48
reasons for it. Think about
it. Baptism is readily available
00:49:16.52\00:49:20.62
today. You can go
anywhere and be baptized.
00:49:20.66\00:49:23.93
Simple to understand. Easy to
do Free of cost. Amen. Beautiful
00:49:23.96\00:49:29.30
in symbol. Sacred in the meaning
of it and it is peaceful in it's
00:49:29.33\00:49:35.50
results. One, two, three, four,
five, six, seven good reasons.
00:49:35.54\00:49:38.74
Maybe you can think of some
more. Folks, is there anything
00:49:38.77\00:49:41.14
that should keep us from being
baptized if we really need it?
00:49:41.18\00:49:44.61
And aren't you glad that we?
don't have to go half way around
00:49:44.65\00:49:47.62
the world to some brown and
muddy river over there, which is
00:49:47.65\00:49:52.52
the Jordan. I was on a trip
there and I was baptized, I mean
00:49:52.55\00:49:57.43
I did some baptizing in the
Jordan River. Anyway, it was so
00:49:57.46\00:50:01.00
cold, that by the time I
finished I couldn't feel from my
00:50:01.03\00:50:02.36
waist down. I mean, I was
absolutely frozen. It was in
00:50:02.40\00:50:05.23
February, which tells you
something. Nevertheless, I'm so
00:50:05.27\00:50:08.20
glad that we don't have to
go over to the Jordan to be
00:50:08.24\00:50:12.04
baptized aren't you? We can come
right here to a crystal clear
00:50:12.07\00:50:15.84
baptistery in this city, and we
can just as much fulfilling the
00:50:15.94\00:50:20.35
word of God as Naaman was over
there in the Jordan River so
00:50:20.38\00:50:24.49
many years ago. Some people
say well, I don't want to be
00:50:24.52\00:50:27.86
baptized. I'll be baptized, but
only on my conditions. I want to
00:50:27.89\00:50:31.86
do it here and I want to do
it that way and I want to do it
00:50:31.89\00:50:34.73
how? They all name their
conditions. Folks I want to tell
00:50:34.76\00:50:36.60
you something. We don't name the
terms when it comes to faith.
00:50:36.63\00:50:40.14
God names the terms for us.
00:50:40.17\00:50:41.94
Would you agree? We don't tell
God, how we're going to do it.
00:50:42.00\00:50:44.71
God says this is how you do
it. And if we are humble and
00:50:44.74\00:50:49.81
obedient, we'll do it as
God asked us to do it. There are
00:50:49.84\00:50:54.35
some that delay and delay and
delay, and I don't believe in
00:50:54.38\00:50:55.78
manipulating people to be
baptized, do you? Right. I mean
00:50:55.82\00:50:59.15
I don't think we should offer
people incentives in terms of
00:50:59.19\00:51:02.52
well, you can have a cell
phone. You can have this gift or
00:51:02.56\00:51:04.73
whatever that. Folks, if I
wasn't baptized, but I knew I
00:51:04.76\00:51:11.30
needed to be baptized, and I
read that passage that said, He
00:51:11.33\00:51:14.60
that believeth and is baptized
shall be saved, and I knew that
00:51:14.64\00:51:20.21
I needed to folks, there's
nothing that would keep me back.
00:51:20.24\00:51:23.28
I don't feel that you need to
twist someone's arm because that
00:51:23.31\00:51:27.98
doesn't count, right? I believe
that people who love the Lord
00:51:28.02\00:51:30.82
are going to want to do what
Jesus said, don't you friend?
00:51:30.85\00:51:34.22
If I wasn't baptized, I'd
be asking people, how can I get
00:51:34.26\00:51:38.29
baptized. Because I'm serious
about heaven, aren't you friend?
00:51:38.33\00:51:40.90
I know you are. You see if
somebody offered you a million
00:51:40.93\00:51:48.60
dollar check, they wrote
out a check for your name for a
00:51:48.64\00:51:51.04
million dollars and they handed
it to you what would be the
00:51:51.07\00:51:52.47
first thing you'd do. (Chuckles)
Well you might just praise the
00:51:52.51\00:52:00.52
Lord but if you'd think
you'd probably say is this real?
00:52:00.55\00:52:06.15
(Chuckles again) That'd probably
be the first thing on your mind.
00:52:06.19\00:52:07.92
Is this realistic. That was real
The money was in the bank behind
00:52:07.96\00:52:10.79
the check. The person says you
mean to tell me that I got to
00:52:10.83\00:52:18.83
go all the way to the bank? Do
you mean to tell me that I got
00:52:18.87\00:52:25.41
to get in my car and drive way
down there, and that's going to
00:52:25.44\00:52:28.84
costs you money to get there.
You know, nobody complains about
00:52:28.88\00:52:33.35
going to the bank to cash a big
check isn't that right. Nobody.
00:52:33.38\00:52:37.52
And yet God offers us eternal
life. Why should we complain
00:52:37.55\00:52:43.49
about God's terms when he's
offering us something far more
00:52:43.53\00:52:47.86
valuable than a million dollar
check? Well someone says I don't
00:52:47.90\00:52:51.03
want that check. You know he
goes down to the bank. I don't
00:52:51.07\00:52:56.74
need that. He goes down to the
bank and up to the teller and
00:52:56.77\00:52:58.91
says so and so offered me a
million dollars, and I want it
00:52:58.94\00:53:02.68
paid, and the teller says can
I see the check? And he says I
00:53:02.71\00:53:06.15
don't need that. I just want
the million. You're lucky if you
00:53:06.18\00:53:07.52
didn't get arrested, right?
You see again, the paper itself
00:53:07.55\00:53:12.49
isn't really worth at all
anything. But it's what's on it
00:53:12.52\00:53:17.09
that represents something very
valuable. Again baptism itself
00:53:17.13\00:53:21.03
may not seem like a huge deal.
What it represents is a big, big
00:53:21.06\00:53:25.70
deal. Amen? It's a big, big deal
So yes, it's important. Now the
00:53:25.73\00:53:33.68
apostle Paul, he fought this
subject for a little bit. I mean
00:53:33.71\00:53:37.91
just think about it. The apostle
Paul had persecuted Christians.
00:53:37.95\00:53:40.45
The apostle Paul had put
people to death, and when he was
00:53:40.48\00:53:45.99
converted, he did not think that
he was worthy of being baptized.
00:53:46.02\00:53:50.66
And God had to send a special
message to a man and relay that
00:53:50.69\00:53:58.03
to Paul. And say, Paul, you're
not the exception. Paul, yes,
00:53:58.07\00:54:03.97
you did all of those things, but
Paul, you need to be baptized.
00:54:04.01\00:54:09.84
Acts 22 and in verse 16, it
says this: And now, why tarriest
00:54:09.88\00:54:14.52
thou? arise and be baptized, and
wash away thy sins, calling on
00:54:14.55\00:54:17.95
the name of the Lord. Paul, why
are you putting it off? Paul,
why are you waiting
00:54:17.99\00:54:23.16
You've been taught, you believe
you've repented. Time to get
00:54:23.19\00:54:29.73
baptized. And friends the
question that came to Paul comes
00:54:29.76\00:54:34.47
to you and me also. If you've
not understood the meaning of
00:54:34.50\00:54:38.11
baptism before and the
Holy Spirit is speaking to you
00:54:38.14\00:54:41.74
tonight about this subject, well
I'm going to ask you to make a
00:54:41.78\00:54:46.45
recommitment and all of you who
are watching at home, same thing
00:54:46.48\00:54:50.85
If you've never been baptized
by immersion before, and you're
00:54:50.89\00:54:54.02
hearing the Spirit of God
speaking to your heart, I'm
00:54:54.06\00:54:56.19
going to ask you to make a
recommitment today, too. Because
00:54:56.22\00:55:00.50
if you're not a believer in
Christ, or even if you're not
00:55:00.53\00:55:04.90
sure, you are. I want to
encourage you to talk to someone
00:55:04.93\00:55:07.77
who can help you with that. Talk
to someone who can help you put
00:55:07.80\00:55:11.04
your trust in Jesus. And if
you're not doing that, you're
00:55:11.07\00:55:16.75
missing out on something
really big and really valuable.
00:55:16.78\00:55:19.25
as I said, much more valuable
than a million dollar check,
00:55:19.28\00:55:22.28
right? If you've chosen Jesus
and you'd like the Holy Spirit
00:55:22.32\00:55:27.09
to be in your life and your
heart. Just remember tonight,
00:55:27.12\00:55:32.79
remember how much God loves you.
He loves you not because you're
00:55:32.83\00:55:35.66
talented. He loves you not
because you're famous. He loves
00:55:35.70\00:55:40.17
you not because you're popular.
He loves you simply because of
00:55:40.20\00:55:43.57
who you are. Make the decision
to follow Jesus with all your
00:55:43.61\00:55:47.78
heart and life. Jesus will lead
you personally. The devil will
00:55:47.81\00:55:53.62
whisper things in your ear. The
devil will give you all kinds of
00:55:53.65\00:55:56.25
reasons to delay. But if
you love the Lord with all your
00:55:56.28\00:56:00.52
heart and mind, there's
no reason to delay friends.
00:56:00.56\00:56:02.86
If you love the Lord
with all your heart and mind.
00:56:02.89\00:56:05.16
Remember what the Bible says,
00:56:05.19\00:56:10.90
Today, if you hear his voice
harden not your heart. May God
00:56:10.93\00:56:14.54
bless you and lead you as
you make the commitment to him
00:56:14.57\00:56:16.71
today. Most
gracious Father, once again
00:56:16.74\00:56:22.38
we can see that salvation is a
wonderful thing. You've not made
00:56:22.41\00:56:28.52
it difficult, you've not made
it burdensome. You've made it
00:56:28.55\00:56:32.75
beautiful. Thank you for so
many wonderful people not only
00:56:32.79\00:56:36.32
joining us here but also at home
that truly love you and want to
00:56:36.36\00:56:41.76
serve you. We ask Father that
you would give us the very heart
00:56:41.80\00:56:45.03
of the new covenant experience.
Write your law in our hearts and
00:56:45.07\00:56:49.57
minds. Help us to be obedient
in everything. And thank you for
00:56:49.60\00:56:54.64
this wonderful ordinance
of baptism, you have given us.
00:56:54.68\00:56:58.05
Remember that we can be born
again, we can have a brand new
00:56:58.08\00:57:02.62
doorway to a whole new under
standing if we'll just walk
00:57:02.65\00:57:05.35
through it. To this end, dismiss
us now from this place and may
00:57:05.39\00:57:08.96
we never leave your presence.
Bring us back again tomorrow
00:57:08.99\00:57:12.56
night we pray in
Jesus' name Amen.
00:57:12.59\00:57:15.33
� �
00:57:15.36\00:57:29.91