We worship God
because He is the Creator
00:00:16.60\00:00:23.11
of the heavens and the earth.
00:00:23.14\00:00:27.00
It's interesting in these
first few chapters of Revelation
00:00:27.03\00:00:32.95
John kind of sets the stage
00:00:32.98\00:00:36.81
for the big picture of
what's about to unfold.
00:00:36.84\00:00:43.54
And in Chapter 4 we
discover we worship God
00:00:43.57\00:00:47.70
because He is the Creator,
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but in Chapter 5 he gives us
00:00:49.39\00:00:52.46
the second reason
why we worship God.
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Not only is He the
Creator but in Chapter 5:6,
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as John is
looking at the throne,
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"Then I saw a Lamb,
looking as if it had been slain,
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standing in the
center of the throne,"
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poor, pitiful,
bleeding, slain lamb
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standing in the
centre of God's throne.
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And all the living
creatures around the throne
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saying a new song
in verse 9, they sang,
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"You are worthy
because you were slain,
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and with your blood
you purchased men for God."
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And in loud voice
verse 12 they sang,
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"Worthy is the Lamb who
was slain to receive power
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and wealth and
wisdom and strength
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and honor and glory and praise,
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worthy is the Lamb to
Him who sits on the throne
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and to the Lamb
be praise in honor
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and glory and
power for ever and ever
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and the four living
creatures said, amen
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and the elders
fell down and worshiped
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the Lamb who was slain."
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We worship God
because He is the Creator
00:02:33.60\00:02:39.19
of the heavens and the earth
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and we worship God
because He is our Redeemer
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who came and gave
His life to save us.
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God gave us a monument,
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a memorial to remind
us that He is the Creator
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and likewise He
gave us a monument,
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a memorial to remind
us that He is our Savior
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that He died on the cross,
that He was buried in the grave
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and rose up again in
victory to save you and me.
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He gave us a monument
to remind us of that event.
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What is it? That
monument is baptism.
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Mathew 28, in Mathew
28, the very last words
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that Mathew recorded of Jesus
before He ascended into heaven,
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His last words for his
church before He went to heaven,
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Jesus said in verse 18,
"He came to them and said,
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All authority in heaven and
on earth has been given to me."
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Now remember in Revelation
13 the dragon gave his authority
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to the beast but
Jesus said all authority
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in heaven and on
earth has been given to me.
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So what authority did
the dragon give to the beast?
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Nothing, it is a counterfeit
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and to acknowledge his authority
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is to
disacknowledge, is that a word?
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If it wasn't it is now
because this what I want to say
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to acknowledge his authority
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is to disacknowledge the
authority of Jesus Christ
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because all
authority has gone to him.
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Now watch, "Therefore go and
make disciples of all nations
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baptizing them in
the name of the father
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and of the Son
and of the Holy Spirit
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and teaching them to obey
everything I have commanded you,
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and surely I'm with you always
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even to the
very end of the age."
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Go and baptize them.
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You see baptism was so important
to Jesus that He included it
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among His very
last words to the church
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before He ascended to heaven.
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And along with
baptism is the promise
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that if we
baptize and teach people
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what it means to be baptized
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teach them all that
He has commanded us,
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then He says, I'll be with you
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all the way through
till the end of the age,
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that means that if you want
to know the secret of victory,
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then baptism
plays an important role
00:06:06.52\00:06:09.11
to give us
victory over the beast
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all the way
through to the end time.
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And I'm not interested in just
telling you who the beast is.
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I'm not interested in
just helping you understand
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the Book of Revelation I
want you to be victorious.
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I want you to be
standing on that sea of glass
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singing the song
of Moses and the Lamb,
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it's not enough
to know about it,
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folks, we need to experience it.
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That's why I take these little
side excursions that may seem
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as though they are not related
to the Book of Revelation
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but once you step back
and see that big picture,
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then you will understand
and then it all become so clear.
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Baptism is mentioned 80
times in the New Testament
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and yet in spite of that,
there is a lot of confusion
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even in the Christian
world today over baptism.
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How should a person be baptized?
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When should a
person be baptized?
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How many times
should a person be baptized?
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Does God recognize
all forms of baptism?
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I want to
answer those questions,
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I think they are important
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and I want to
start with the last one.
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Does God recognize
all forms of baptism?
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Turn to little
book of Ephesians 4:4.
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"There is one
body and one Spirit,
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just as you were
called to one hope, one Lord,
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one faith, one baptism,
one God and Father of all,
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who is over all,
through all and in all."
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So I want you to tell me.
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How many Lords are there? One.
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How many hopes are there? One.
00:08:00.25\00:08:02.58
How many faiths are there?
00:08:02.61\00:08:04.48
How many
baptisms are there? One.
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Now He is not saying
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that a person can
only be baptized one time.
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No, that's not what he is saying
00:08:13.71\00:08:17.22
because I'll show you
later some examples of Paul
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encountering people
that had been baptized
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and they didn't fully
understand what it meant
00:08:23.93\00:08:26.31
and so he taught
them just like Jesus said
00:08:26.34\00:08:29.04
and then he baptized them again,
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so that tells me
that it's not wrong
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to be baptized more than once.
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Sometimes people are baptized
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and they fall away far
away from the path like I did.
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And then when I came
back I wanted to start over,
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I wanted the clean slate.
00:08:48.19\00:08:49.47
I wanted to be baptized
again and I was baptized again
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and I praise God for that,
00:08:53.04\00:08:54.77
it was an important
step for me to take.
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So note, it's not wrong
to be baptized more than once
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usually once is enough.
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But sometimes
people are baptized
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without knowing
what they really meant
00:09:06.04\00:09:08.18
or may be they just
went along with the crowd
00:09:08.21\00:09:10.12
or may be they weren't
even old enough to understand.
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One fellow, I asked him,
I said, "Are you baptized?"
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He said, "I don't know,
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my mom is saying I
was but I don't remember."
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Well baptism is important.
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No, he is not saying you
can only be baptized one time,
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what he is saying is that
God only recognizes one baptism
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and that's the only baptism
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that's ever practiced
in the Christian church
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for the first 500
years of her existence
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and that is baptism by
emersion underneath the water.
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In fact that's
exactly what baptism means?
00:09:49.12\00:09:53.42
Baptism is really a Greek word,
baptize, it's a Greek word.
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We get it from the
Greek word baptizo.
00:10:02.68\00:10:07.13
Baptizo means to immerse,
to bury under the water.
00:10:07.16\00:10:14.01
That's the meaning of the word,
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to immerse, to
up under the water.
00:10:17.11\00:10:21.94
It wasn't even a
religious word in Bible times,
00:10:21.97\00:10:25.37
it was just a
common ordinary word.
00:10:25.40\00:10:28.11
Immerse, baptize,
00:10:28.14\00:10:31.61
If you were
living in Bible times
00:10:31.64\00:10:35.45
and you are a lady that
wanted to dye a piece of cloth,
00:10:35.48\00:10:39.66
you would say well I'm going to
baptize this cloth in the water.
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Now it doesn't do to just
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sprinkle a drop
or two on the cloth,
00:10:46.25\00:10:49.21
you need to put it
underneath the surface
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and get it good
and immersed in the dye
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or if you are one who
likes to dunk your donuts.
00:10:55.35\00:11:02.89
Now you would say, I'm
going to baptize my donut.
00:11:02.92\00:11:09.02
Now any donut dunker
worth its weight in salt
00:11:09.05\00:11:13.75
knows that sprinkling
a drop or two on there,
00:11:13.78\00:11:17.89
no, that's not going to get it.
00:11:17.92\00:11:19.68
What do you do?
00:11:19.71\00:11:20.83
You got to stick
it down in there,
00:11:20.86\00:11:22.39
get it good and
soaked, now you have dunked it.
00:11:22.42\00:11:25.95
Now you have baptized it
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because that's exactly
what the word meant, to immerse.
00:11:29.40\00:11:34.68
So when you see in here Jesus
saying, go and baptize them.
00:11:34.71\00:11:41.71
He is really
saying, go and immerse them
00:11:41.74\00:11:47.29
and that's the way
you should read it.
00:11:47.32\00:11:49.85
Well, why doesn't it
say that in the Bible?
00:11:49.88\00:11:54.35
Because by the time
the Bible was written
00:11:54.38\00:11:59.87
tradition, there
is that word again,
00:11:59.90\00:12:04.85
tradition had taken over
00:12:04.88\00:12:07.89
and they were not
baptizing by immersion anymore.
00:12:07.92\00:12:13.30
They were
sprinkling as a tradition,
00:12:13.33\00:12:18.27
so the
translators came to this word
00:12:18.30\00:12:21.87
Jesus said, go and baptizo.
00:12:21.90\00:12:26.44
They should had
translated it immerse.
00:12:26.47\00:12:29.64
Oh, but we can't do that
because we are not doing that.
00:12:29.67\00:12:33.07
So what are we going to do?
00:12:33.10\00:12:35.67
So the translators did
a little linguistic trick
00:12:35.70\00:12:40.18
instead of
translating the word baptizo,
00:12:40.21\00:12:42.94
they transliterated the
word, but what's the difference?
00:12:42.97\00:12:48.76
In translating you look
at a word in one language
00:12:48.79\00:12:52.94
and find another
word in the other language
00:12:52.97\00:12:55.72
that says the exact same
thing as close as you can get
00:12:55.75\00:12:58.83
and you put that word in there
00:12:58.86\00:13:00.85
so when they saw baptizo
they should have put immerse
00:13:00.88\00:13:04.24
that would have
been translating it.
00:13:04.27\00:13:07.12
But they couldn't translate it.
00:13:07.15\00:13:08.76
Transliterating means
that instead of translating it
00:13:08.79\00:13:11.81
and putting what it means
00:13:11.84\00:13:13.32
you substitute the
letters for the new language
00:13:13.35\00:13:18.12
for example
baptizo the Greek beta is B
00:13:18.15\00:13:23.41
Alfa is A, Pie is P
00:13:23.44\00:13:29.73
and you put them all together
you get the world baptize.
00:13:29.76\00:13:33.42
You see, you knew some Greek
00:13:33.45\00:13:34.48
and didn't even
know you knew Greek.
00:13:34.51\00:13:36.99
So when you say baptize
you are saying a Greek word.
00:13:37.02\00:13:40.42
"Go," He said,
"Baptize them, immerse them."
00:13:40.45\00:13:45.51
And we can
understand why that's important
00:13:45.54\00:13:48.02
when we understand
exactly what baptism means
00:13:48.05\00:13:53.14
and my favorite place for that
is in Romans 6:1, Romans 6:1.
00:13:53.28\00:13:59.19
What shall we say then Paul
writes to the church at Rome.
00:13:59.22\00:14:03.08
What shall we say, then?
00:14:03.11\00:14:04.22
Shall we go on sinning
so that grace may increase?
00:14:04.25\00:14:07.30
I know what you
meant, I know, but what--
00:14:15.82\00:14:22.67
why did Paul even
ask that question? Why?
00:14:22.70\00:14:28.30
Because people were teaching,
00:14:28.33\00:14:33.37
hey Paul, you keep saying
00:14:33.40\00:14:35.10
we are saved by grace
through faith and not by works.
00:14:35.13\00:14:38.37
That's a gift of God.
00:14:38.40\00:14:41.12
Well, if that's
true then the more I sin,
00:14:41.15\00:14:47.23
the more I can
ask for forgiveness
00:14:47.26\00:14:50.61
and the more grace I get.
00:14:50.64\00:14:53.63
So the more I sin,
grace keeps increasing.
00:14:53.66\00:14:59.07
And so Paul says,
what shall we go on sinning
00:14:59.10\00:15:03.42
so that grace can increase?
00:15:03.45\00:15:05.75
By no means, why not?
00:15:05.78\00:15:09.47
Because we died to
sin, that's a good one.
00:15:09.50\00:15:14.83
We died to sin, you
can't go on sinning.
00:15:14.86\00:15:17.60
Why? You died to sin.
00:15:17.63\00:15:20.48
What does that
mean? I died to sin.
00:15:20.51\00:15:23.34
Watch, don't you
know that all of us
00:15:23.37\00:15:29.01
who were
baptized into Christ Jesus
00:15:29.04\00:15:33.63
were baptized into His death?
00:15:33.66\00:15:39.59
You can't go on
sinning, why not?
00:15:39.62\00:15:41.26
Because you are baptized.
What's I got to do with it.
00:15:41.29\00:15:45.26
When you were baptized,
00:15:45.29\00:15:46.75
you were
baptized into His death.
00:15:46.78\00:15:51.36
You can't go on sinning.
00:15:51.39\00:15:54.74
We were therefore, watch this,
00:15:54.77\00:15:56.64
"We were
therefore buried with him
00:15:56.67\00:15:59.40
through baptism into death,
00:15:59.43\00:16:03.75
in order that, just as
Christ was raised from the dead
00:16:03.78\00:16:10.71
through the glory of the Father,
we too may live a new life."
00:16:10.74\00:16:18.41
So you can't go on
sinning after you become saved.
00:16:18.44\00:16:21.95
Why not? Because
you were baptized.
00:16:21.98\00:16:24.39
What that got to do with it?
00:16:24.42\00:16:25.75
Don't you understand
when you were baptized,
00:16:25.78\00:16:28.50
you were baptized into His death
and you were buried with Him
00:16:28.53\00:16:35.10
just as He went
down in the grave
00:16:35.13\00:16:37.05
and came up again to
the glory of the Father,
00:16:37.08\00:16:39.76
you go down in the
grave under the water
00:16:39.79\00:16:42.81
and come back
up out of the water
00:16:42.84\00:16:44.85
in order to live a new
life that will glorify God.
00:16:44.88\00:16:47.92
You can't go on
sinning, you died to sin.
00:16:47.95\00:16:53.08
Wow, no wonder
it's so important.
00:16:53.11\00:16:57.67
See in baptism we're
died to that old life,
00:17:02.13\00:17:08.15
it's gone, it's buried.
00:17:08.18\00:17:12.18
We are leaving it in
the water, that's the grave
00:17:12.21\00:17:17.63
and we come out of
that water a new person,
00:17:17.66\00:17:21.94
a new creation the Bible
says, I'm a new creature.
00:17:21.97\00:17:28.23
To live a life that
will honor and glorify God.
00:17:28.26\00:17:31.88
You see that's
why it's important
00:17:31.91\00:17:34.21
to recognize God as the Creator
00:17:34.24\00:17:38.89
because it takes the
same creative power of God
00:17:38.92\00:17:44.63
to recreate us
into a new creature
00:17:44.66\00:17:48.80
as He did to create
us in the beginning.
00:17:48.83\00:17:52.89
Only the Creator can do that.
00:17:52.92\00:17:57.21
Only the Creator
can recreate this world
00:17:57.24\00:18:00.73
into a new
heaven and a new earth.
00:18:00.76\00:18:04.25
And if you believe in
the theory of evolution
00:18:04.28\00:18:06.56
or anything like
it, then how do you know
00:18:06.59\00:18:09.25
that when you
come out of the water
00:18:09.28\00:18:10.67
you are a different person,
00:18:10.70\00:18:12.40
how do you know that
yes, we still struggle
00:18:12.43\00:18:15.43
in this old world
in this body of sin
00:18:15.46\00:18:17.95
but one of these days
00:18:17.98\00:18:19.10
God is going to
recreate a new body for me
00:18:19.13\00:18:21.56
in a new heaven and a new earth.
00:18:21.59\00:18:23.50
How do you know He can do that
00:18:23.53\00:18:25.39
if you don't
believe He is the Creator?
00:18:25.42\00:18:28.14
You see these
things all fit together,
00:18:28.17\00:18:31.53
baptism and Creator.
00:18:31.56\00:18:33.20
No wonder God
gave us two monuments,
00:18:33.23\00:18:35.54
the Sabbath as a
reminder that He is the Creator
00:18:35.57\00:18:38.79
of the heavens and the earth
00:18:38.82\00:18:40.22
and baptism, a
reminder that He died
00:18:40.25\00:18:43.21
was buried and rose
again so that you can live.
00:18:43.24\00:18:49.70
The devil has killed
two birds with one stone.
00:18:49.73\00:18:54.95
You see when man
switched the Lord's day
00:18:54.98\00:19:01.12
from the Sabbath to Sunday
00:19:01.15\00:19:04.32
in honor of the
resurrection of Jesus,
00:19:04.35\00:19:08.36
now we have a day in
honor of the resurrection
00:19:08.39\00:19:13.44
and we no longer have a
day in honor of creation
00:19:13.47\00:19:18.71
and therefore evolution
has crept into the church,
00:19:18.74\00:19:22.22
it wasn't a coincidence
that Saint Augustine of Hippo
00:19:22.25\00:19:26.19
just 60 years after
the Council of Laodicea
00:19:26.22\00:19:29.54
officially decreed that
the Lord's day is changed
00:19:29.57\00:19:32.88
from the seventh day to
the first day of the week,
00:19:32.91\00:19:35.87
just 60 years later after
that Saint Augustine of Hippo
00:19:35.90\00:19:40.31
was saying that we
have probably evolved
00:19:40.34\00:19:43.17
instead we were
created on the sixth day.
00:19:43.20\00:19:46.55
Because creation, the
Sabbath was God's boulevard,
00:19:46.58\00:19:50.98
His reminder that
He is the Creator.
00:19:51.01\00:19:54.40
But, you see when you keep a day
00:19:54.43\00:19:56.05
in honor of the resurrection,
00:19:56.08\00:19:57.64
you don't have a day in
honor of creation anymore
00:19:57.67\00:20:00.76
but when you keep a day
in honor of the resurrection,
00:20:00.79\00:20:04.41
then baptism loses its meaning
00:20:04.44\00:20:10.07
and it becomes water
down and meaningless,
00:20:10.10\00:20:15.19
it's just a symbol,
you don't really die,
00:20:15.22\00:20:19.48
so why all the
fuss with the water,
00:20:19.51\00:20:22.32
little water or lot
of water doesn't matter,
00:20:22.35\00:20:23.64
just a drop or two will do.
00:20:23.67\00:20:26.93
You see baptism and it's a
lot easier on the conscience
00:20:26.96\00:20:32.18
to be sprinkled
with a drop of water
00:20:32.21\00:20:37.67
and then to go on
living the same old life
00:20:37.70\00:20:40.60
that they were living before
00:20:40.63\00:20:43.42
because when you are
buried in that water,
00:20:43.45\00:20:45.41
that means you are
dying to that old life,
00:20:45.44\00:20:48.64
so it's a lot
easier on the conscience,
00:20:48.67\00:20:50.38
I'll just drop a
two and I'll just go on.
00:20:50.41\00:20:54.17
No, I'm not trying to say
00:20:54.20\00:20:55.31
that everybody
baptized by sprinkling did it
00:20:55.34\00:20:57.63
because they don't want
00:20:57.66\00:20:58.80
to change their
life, that isn't true.
00:20:58.83\00:21:03.96
Most people don't really
know the true meaning of baptism
00:21:03.99\00:21:09.13
and they are just following what
they believe is right and true
00:21:09.16\00:21:14.88
and you know as
long as we are sincere
00:21:14.91\00:21:17.40
and doing what we
believe is right and true
00:21:17.43\00:21:19.72
and God honors
that, He recognizes that
00:21:19.75\00:21:26.10
and I'll show
you why in a minute.
00:21:26.13\00:21:29.24
So little water, lot of water
00:21:29.27\00:21:30.38
doesn't matter,
it's just a symbol.
00:21:30.41\00:21:33.83
See the problem is when we
start rationalizing God's word.
00:21:33.86\00:21:41.33
How do you know when to stop?
00:21:42.67\00:21:46.91
And I guess the
lesson that I really want
00:21:46.94\00:21:49.29
to take out of this about
God is that He is not like us.
00:21:49.32\00:21:55.03
Lot of times we
say things and then,
00:21:55.06\00:21:57.82
you know, don't
even really mean it.
00:21:57.85\00:22:00.99
But when God says
something He really means it
00:22:01.02\00:22:07.69
because He is the
truth and He knows the truth
00:22:07.72\00:22:13.31
and to try to
rationalize that truth
00:22:13.34\00:22:16.03
is to walk down a
very dangerous path
00:22:16.06\00:22:19.22
of slippery
slope, rationalizing.
00:22:19.25\00:22:25.41
For first 500 years in church
they baptized by immersion,
00:22:25.48\00:22:28.42
but you know lot of the
churches out in desert country,
00:22:28.45\00:22:31.18
there is not a lot
of water out there.
00:22:31.21\00:22:33.47
Oh, man, that's a lot of trouble
00:22:33.50\00:22:34.70
to get that much water
together and it's just a symbol,
00:22:34.73\00:22:37.22
little water, lot of
water doesn't matter,
00:22:37.25\00:22:38.57
why don't we just get
a bucket and dump on top
00:22:38.60\00:22:42.20
and so they started pouring.
00:22:42.23\00:22:45.36
And then perhaps one day
a lady comes to be baptized
00:22:45.39\00:22:47.91
and she said,
well, I just came from
00:22:47.94\00:22:49.20
the beauty parlor
with my new hairdo,
00:22:49.23\00:22:54.13
it's just a symbol, little
water lot of water doest matter,
00:22:54.16\00:22:56.54
you know, you
gonna mess it all up
00:22:56.57\00:22:57.72
with that bucket on my head,
00:22:57.75\00:22:59.09
why don't you
just do a drop or two.
00:22:59.12\00:23:02.24
So, they start baptizing
by sprinkling, it makes sense.
00:23:02.27\00:23:05.40
Once you begin to rationalize,
00:23:05.43\00:23:07.45
you see how do you
know where to stop.
00:23:07.48\00:23:12.01
I have read some
churches in Orient,
00:23:12.04\00:23:13.85
they baptize with salt.
00:23:13.88\00:23:16.89
Other churches with
little oil on the forehead,
00:23:16.92\00:23:19.11
that's nice but where does
the Bible say to immerse in oil
00:23:19.14\00:23:22.44
dropping in here doesn't immerse
00:23:22.47\00:23:25.34
it's not baptism,
sprinkling isn't baptism
00:23:25.37\00:23:30.14
'cause baptism is immersion.
00:23:30.17\00:23:33.74
I read about one
church in Hollywood,
00:23:33.77\00:23:39.63
beautiful movie star
wanted to be baptized
00:23:39.66\00:23:42.88
and she thought it
will look nice if they just
00:23:42.91\00:23:45.08
sprinkle rose petals
on her pretty blonde hair
00:23:45.11\00:23:48.18
so in that church they
baptized with rose petals.
00:23:48.21\00:23:51.59
I even read about one church
00:23:51.62\00:23:53.13
where the pastor has
everyone being baptized,
00:23:53.16\00:23:55.59
come standup in
front of the congregation
00:23:55.62\00:23:58.12
and he raises his hand, he says,
00:23:58.15\00:23:59.92
I now baptize you in
the name of the Father,
00:23:59.95\00:24:02.12
the Son and the Holy Spirit,
00:24:02.15\00:24:03.68
I guess that's a
dry cleaning method.
00:24:03.71\00:24:09.52
How do you know when to stop
00:24:09.55\00:24:15.68
when you start
rationalizing God word?
00:24:15.71\00:24:20.39
It's dangerous to rationalize.
00:24:20.42\00:24:24.70
I think of two
brothers Abel and Cain,
00:24:24.73\00:24:30.63
both born in the
same godly family,
00:24:30.66\00:24:32.43
both instructed by
the same godly parents
00:24:32.46\00:24:38.29
and they understood how
God wanted them to worship.
00:24:38.32\00:24:42.70
He wanted the lamb pointing
forward to the Lamb of God
00:24:42.73\00:24:46.12
like we learned last time.
00:24:46.15\00:24:49.75
Now Abel offered his lamb
and God accepted that offering,
00:24:49.78\00:24:55.87
Cain, his brother rationalized,
00:24:55.90\00:25:00.34
he said, "Well, you
know, Abel is a Sheppard,
00:25:00.37\00:25:02.76
easy for him to get
a lamb, I'm a farmer,
00:25:02.79\00:25:06.58
I don't have any lambs
but I got pomegranates,
00:25:06.61\00:25:11.54
tomatoes, beets,
all these red juice
00:25:11.57\00:25:15.62
after all that blood
doesn't save anybody,
00:25:15.65\00:25:18.25
it's just a symbol,
00:25:18.28\00:25:20.24
so I'll offer
some of my vegetables.
00:25:20.27\00:25:24.60
Now he was worshiping God
00:25:24.63\00:25:26.90
and he taught he was
doing the right thing
00:25:26.93\00:25:29.54
even though he
was rationalizing,
00:25:29.57\00:25:31.25
in fact that he rationalized it,
00:25:31.28\00:25:32.63
he thought it
was the right thing.
00:25:32.66\00:25:36.51
But, God didn't
and God rejected it.
00:25:36.54\00:25:40.27
Cain did not believe
that God meant what He said
00:25:40.30\00:25:43.58
when He said give me a lamb,
he substituted his own works,
00:25:43.61\00:25:46.98
his own idea for
the way it should be.
00:25:47.01\00:25:49.54
He taught it was
right, God rejected it
00:25:49.57\00:25:52.22
but when God rejected
it, God rejected his worship,
00:25:52.25\00:25:56.17
he got so angry that he went
and murdered his own brother.
00:25:56.20\00:26:00.34
Why did he murdered his brother?
00:26:00.37\00:26:03.09
It was over worship.
00:26:03.12\00:26:07.34
Now you think
that story is in there
00:26:07.37\00:26:08.84
just to read a bedtime
story to your children.
00:26:08.87\00:26:12.49
Read Revelation 13.
00:26:12.52\00:26:15.99
Those who worship the
beast turn against the ones
00:26:16.02\00:26:21.91
who worship the Creator and
try to destroy and kill them
00:26:21.94\00:26:29.35
just like Cain tried to
murder his brother Abel.
00:26:29.38\00:26:33.64
When we attempt to
rationalize God's word,
00:26:33.67\00:26:37.95
it does something back to us
00:26:37.98\00:26:41.96
and it changes those
people into something
00:26:41.99\00:26:44.89
that is willing to kill
another person over worship
00:26:44.92\00:26:49.11
and claim that they are
doing it in the name of God.
00:26:49.14\00:26:53.39
You know, I'm getting
00:26:53.42\00:26:54.58
into the mark of
the beast a little bit
00:26:54.61\00:26:56.40
but you see
these are all related
00:26:56.43\00:27:01.00
and God said, I want you to
give Me a lamb, He meant a lamb.
00:27:01.03\00:27:06.41
When God said, I blessed
the seventh day and made it holy
00:27:06.44\00:27:09.56
He meant the seventh
day, not the first day,
00:27:09.59\00:27:12.32
second or third, He
meant the seventh day,
00:27:12.35\00:27:14.52
God means what He says.
00:27:14.55\00:27:17.73
When God said to Eve and Adam
00:27:17.76\00:27:19.34
don't eat that apple in
the middle of the garden,
00:27:19.37\00:27:21.64
I don't know if it's
an apple or not, whatever.
00:27:21.67\00:27:24.85
He said don't eat the fruit.
00:27:24.88\00:27:27.44
He meant the
fruit from that tree.
00:27:27.47\00:27:31.04
He didn't say, well,
look at all these other trees,
00:27:31.07\00:27:32.83
you know, they are okay
and this one looks better than,
00:27:32.86\00:27:35.63
I think I'll just not
eat from that tree there
00:27:35.66\00:27:37.63
and I'll eat from
this one here, makes sense.
00:27:37.66\00:27:42.05
But you see, God
means what He says.
00:27:42.08\00:27:44.75
When God told Noah, He said,
00:27:44.78\00:27:46.90
"Noah, I want you
to build a big boat,
00:27:46.93\00:27:50.01
because I'm going to
destroy this world by flood."
00:27:50.04\00:27:52.11
Noah built the boat,
he didn't rationalize,
00:27:52.14\00:27:55.95
he didn't say well there
are lot of other boats around,
00:27:55.98\00:27:57.61
I'll get on that
one. He could have.
00:27:57.64\00:28:01.31
No, but he believed
God meant what He said
00:28:01.34\00:28:05.73
and when we believe God,
00:28:05.76\00:28:07.95
we are going to do
what God says to do.
00:28:07.98\00:28:12.80
It's dangerous to rationalize.
00:28:12.83\00:28:14.64
Big chief one day walked into
the mission on the reservation,
00:28:14.67\00:28:19.43
and Padre was there doing things
and chief saw a big Bible,
00:28:19.46\00:28:25.99
saw a big Bible
sitting on the desk
00:28:26.02\00:28:30.57
and he said, "What's that?"
00:28:30.60\00:28:33.38
Padre said,
"That's the holy Bible,
00:28:33.41\00:28:36.75
that's the word of God."
00:28:36.78\00:28:39.05
Chief said, "I
want to read that book,
00:28:39.08\00:28:44.09
so the Padre let him
take the Bible to his home
00:28:44.12\00:28:48.15
and every night, every
night he read the word of God
00:28:48.18\00:28:51.19
all the way through
Genesis to Revelation.
00:28:51.22\00:28:54.26
Then he came back and
he brought that big Bible
00:28:54.29\00:28:57.36
and he put it back on the
top of the count-- desk there,
00:28:57.39\00:29:01.46
and he told the Padre, he
said, I want to be baptized.
00:29:01.49\00:29:08.09
Padre says, "Good,
00:29:08.12\00:29:11.08
it's a great thing when
somebody wants to be baptized."
00:29:11.11\00:29:14.20
So he turned around
and he opened his cupboard
00:29:14.23\00:29:16.73
and took out a little
cup and a jug of water
00:29:16.76\00:29:19.72
and put it on the desk top
and pour some water in that cup
00:29:19.75\00:29:23.78
and the big
chief looked at that,
00:29:23.81\00:29:25.70
stepped back and
he said, "Too small."
00:29:25.73\00:29:28.21
Too small, and Padre says,
00:29:32.35\00:29:35.58
"No, no, no, you
don't understand,
00:29:35.61\00:29:39.08
you don't have
to get in the cup,
00:29:39.11\00:29:41.67
I'm just gonna sprinkle a
drop from the cup on your head.
00:29:41.70\00:29:45.60
Big chief step back
and looked at the Padre
00:29:45.63\00:29:48.36
and he said, "If
that's the right baptism
00:29:48.39\00:29:52.03
then you gave
me the wrong book."
00:29:52.06\00:29:58.58
Because he
understood what it meant
00:29:58.61\00:30:00.31
to be buried in the
water after dying with Christ
00:30:00.34\00:30:03.58
and rising up again to
live a new life to glorify God?
00:30:03.61\00:30:11.08
Well, is it important,
00:30:12.14\00:30:13.77
is baptism really
all that important?
00:30:13.80\00:30:18.13
Let's ask Peter.
Peter, what do you think?
00:30:18.16\00:30:23.03
Is baptism important?
00:30:23.06\00:30:27.56
1 Peter 3:21, after
talking about the flood,
00:30:27.59\00:30:34.01
Noah building the
Ark, in verse 21 it said,
00:30:34.04\00:30:38.99
actually the end of verse 20,
00:30:39.02\00:30:40.87
"In it," that's the
ark, "only a few people,
00:30:40.90\00:30:44.02
eight in all were
saved through water,
00:30:44.05\00:30:46.84
and this water symbolizes
baptism that now saves you."
00:30:46.87\00:30:54.35
You say, "Peter, you
don't really mean that.
00:30:54.38\00:30:58.46
Baptism doesn't save us.
00:30:58.49\00:31:01.24
We are saved by grace
through faith in Jesus Christ,
00:31:01.27\00:31:04.89
not by works, not even baptism."
00:31:04.92\00:31:08.53
Well, I think if Peter
was here to speak for himself,
00:31:08.56\00:31:11.30
he would probably
say something like,
00:31:11.33\00:31:13.03
"Oh, you're right?
00:31:13.06\00:31:15.74
We are saved by grace
through faith in Jesus Christ."
00:31:15.77\00:31:19.47
Paul has made that crystal clear
00:31:19.50\00:31:21.88
but can you claim
to have faith in God
00:31:21.91\00:31:27.51
and not be willing to
do what God says to do?
00:31:27.54\00:31:32.33
Can you claim to believe God
and not be willing to obey God?
00:31:32.36\00:31:40.33
Baptism saves you.
00:31:44.09\00:31:48.10
We are not saved
because we are baptized,
00:31:48.13\00:31:52.62
we are saved by grace
through faith in Jesus Christ.
00:31:52.65\00:31:57.11
And if we have faith in Christ,
00:31:57.14\00:31:59.16
then we are
going to be baptized.
00:31:59.19\00:32:05.14
In fact in one sense the
act of baptism does save you.
00:32:05.17\00:32:13.14
You say, "how do
you get that preacher?"
00:32:15.29\00:32:18.16
Well, Peter said it. "Is
baptism that now saves you,
00:32:18.19\00:32:24.85
not the removal
of dirt from the body
00:32:24.88\00:32:26.66
but the pledge of a
good conscience toward God."
00:32:26.69\00:32:29.53
How does it saves you?
00:32:29.56\00:32:30.97
It saves you by the
resurrection of Jesus Christ,
00:32:31.00\00:32:34.67
who has gone to heaven
and He is at God's right hand
00:32:34.70\00:32:37.88
with angels, authorities,
and powers in submission to Him.
00:32:37.91\00:32:40.83
Baptism saves you, not
your baptism but His baptism
00:32:40.86\00:32:47.60
When Jesus was baptized
remember John the Baptist said,
00:32:47.63\00:32:50.22
"Oh no, no, not me,
00:32:50.25\00:32:51.31
I can't baptize you,
I'm not even worthy."
00:32:51.34\00:32:53.53
Jesus said, "This must be done
00:32:53.56\00:32:57.18
in order to
fulfill all righteousness."
00:32:57.21\00:33:02.05
So Jesus had to be baptized
to fulfill all righteousness."
00:33:02.08\00:33:06.07
He was baptized for
you not for Himself.
00:33:06.10\00:33:08.89
He never sinned, He
didn't need to die to sin,
00:33:08.92\00:33:11.72
He was baptized for you.
00:33:11.75\00:33:13.61
He had to die to
your sins not His,
00:33:13.64\00:33:16.63
so His baptism was for
you, it becomes your baptism.
00:33:16.66\00:33:20.25
When you accept Jesus
Christ as your Savior,
00:33:20.28\00:33:22.61
His baptism covers you.
00:33:22.64\00:33:24.71
So even though
you were sprinkled,
00:33:24.74\00:33:26.65
even though your were salted,
00:33:26.68\00:33:28.20
even though you were
rose petaled or dry-cleaned,
00:33:28.23\00:33:31.08
if you truly and sincerely felt
00:33:31.11\00:33:33.37
that you are following
Jesus in the eyes of God,
00:33:33.40\00:33:36.25
you are an
immersed baptized Christian
00:33:36.28\00:33:39.47
because Jesus
was immersed for you.
00:33:39.50\00:33:45.87
Some of you are saying, "well,
I didn't know about the Sabbath.
00:33:45.90\00:33:48.76
Have I have been
sinning all this time?"
00:33:48.79\00:33:50.70
In the eyes of God, if you
have been following the Lamb,
00:33:50.73\00:33:54.20
living up to the light
that God has given you,
00:33:54.23\00:33:56.52
in the eyes of God you are
a Seventh-day Sabbath keeper
00:33:56.55\00:34:00.92
even though you keep Sunday
00:34:00.95\00:34:02.70
because Jesus was a
Seventh-day Sabbath keeper
00:34:02.73\00:34:06.08
and His life stands
in the place of yours.
00:34:06.11\00:34:10.00
That's what the gospel means
or it means nothing at all.
00:34:10.03\00:34:14.22
But once you study
your Bible and discover,
00:34:14.25\00:34:19.38
wow, God didn't
bless the first day,
00:34:19.41\00:34:22.47
He blessed the seventh day.
00:34:22.50\00:34:24.86
Now what am I
going to do about it?
00:34:24.89\00:34:27.57
Once you study
your Bible and discover,
00:34:27.60\00:34:30.12
wow, sprinkling, that
wasn't what Jesus did,
00:34:30.15\00:34:34.66
He wants me to be immersed,
He was immersed for me.
00:34:34.69\00:34:38.67
Do I believe
enough to do it for Him?
00:34:38.70\00:34:43.31
You see, can we
accept the blood of the Lamb
00:34:43.34\00:34:46.47
and reject the water of
baptism? I don't think so.
00:34:46.50\00:34:51.10
So, yes, His life covers ours,
00:34:55.01\00:34:56.58
but once God reveals
His truth and His way to us,
00:34:56.61\00:35:00.12
then He expects us to follow.
00:35:00.15\00:35:03.65
And if we choose not to,
00:35:03.68\00:35:05.76
can we really
claim to believe God?
00:35:05.79\00:35:10.08
I'm not saved
because I got baptized,
00:35:10.11\00:35:13.53
I'm not saved because I
tried to keep the Sabbath holy.
00:35:13.56\00:35:18.39
No, I'm saved
because I believe God.
00:35:18.42\00:35:22.16
But can I claim to believe
God and not do what He says?
00:35:22.19\00:35:24.89
Jesus said,"Iif you love Me,
you will keep My commandments."
00:35:24.92\00:35:29.71
John wrote, That
he who says I know Him
00:35:29.74\00:35:31.84
but doesn't do what
He commands is a liar."
00:35:31.87\00:35:35.33
I don't want to be a
liar that's why I strive to do
00:35:35.36\00:35:38.35
what He commands
because I love Him.
00:35:38.38\00:35:41.90
My wife fixes
things I like to eat
00:35:41.93\00:35:46.13
and she is nice to me,
00:35:46.16\00:35:48.98
and she does things
I like for her to do.
00:35:49.01\00:35:52.59
Why does she do that?
00:35:52.62\00:35:54.13
So she can get me to marry her?
00:35:54.16\00:35:57.89
We are already married,
00:35:57.92\00:36:00.66
I love her, she
knows I love her,
00:36:00.69\00:36:02.48
she loves me, I
know she loves me.
00:36:02.51\00:36:04.54
I try to do the
things that please her.
00:36:04.57\00:36:06.54
She tries to do the
things that please me
00:36:06.57\00:36:08.80
not in order to get
us to marry one another
00:36:08.83\00:36:11.11
but because we are married
because we love each other,
00:36:11.14\00:36:13.85
because we want to
make each other happy
00:36:13.88\00:36:18.04
and I furthermore
believe that when I please her,
00:36:18.07\00:36:21.23
I'm doing the one thing
00:36:21.26\00:36:22.36
that makes me
happier than anything else
00:36:22.39\00:36:25.34
and so that's the
way it is with God.
00:36:25.37\00:36:27.49
I don't obey him
because I want him to save me,
00:36:27.52\00:36:30.18
He saved me and
because of that I trust Him,
00:36:30.21\00:36:35.29
I obey Him and the
bonus is when I follow Him,
00:36:35.32\00:36:39.59
I'm doing the thing
that makes me happy too.
00:36:39.62\00:36:42.74
He said, "He
withhold no good thing
00:36:42.77\00:36:43.98
for those who walk uprightly."
00:36:44.01\00:36:46.36
That the lesson we
need to learn about God.
00:36:46.39\00:36:50.75
He say, "Well, okay, okay,
00:36:50.78\00:36:53.61
I'm convinced
baptism is important
00:36:53.64\00:36:57.16
but what do I need to do in
order to prepare for baptism?
00:36:57.19\00:36:59.71
I found three
things in the Bible
00:36:59.74\00:37:01.64
that I think would encompass
the preparation for baptism.
00:37:01.67\00:37:05.70
First one is in Mark 16:16,
"Whoever believes, Jesus says,
00:37:05.73\00:37:11.88
and is baptized will be saved,
00:37:11.91\00:37:16.10
but whoever does not
believe will be condemned."
00:37:16.13\00:37:20.19
Now that's interesting,
He says, if you believe
00:37:20.22\00:37:23.11
and is baptized
you will be saved,
00:37:23.14\00:37:25.26
you can't believe
without being saved,
00:37:25.29\00:37:27.85
did you know that?
00:37:27.88\00:37:29.68
The devil believes that
God wants us to be baptized
00:37:29.71\00:37:33.99
that he isn't going to be saved,
00:37:34.02\00:37:35.42
the devil believes that
Jesus died on the cross,
00:37:35.45\00:37:38.23
he was there
watching it, he believes it
00:37:38.26\00:37:41.48
but he isn't going to be saved,
00:37:41.51\00:37:44.25
He says, whoever
believes and is baptized,
00:37:44.28\00:37:47.81
you see, both,
00:37:47.84\00:37:49.53
because baptism is
a visible expression
00:37:49.56\00:37:51.50
of the inward invisible thing.
00:37:51.53\00:37:54.47
But notice, whoever does
not believe would be condemned.
00:37:54.50\00:37:59.00
Nobody is condemned
because they don't get baptized
00:37:59.03\00:38:02.57
as much as they are condemned
because they didn't believe
00:38:02.60\00:38:07.22
just like Eve, her real sin
00:38:07.25\00:38:09.44
wasn't so much
that she ate the apple.
00:38:09.47\00:38:13.09
I mean that was a
sin, don't misunderstand me
00:38:13.12\00:38:15.23
but the real sin was she
didn't believe God when He said,
00:38:15.26\00:38:19.32
if you eat it, you will die.
00:38:19.35\00:38:22.26
See the issue is
do you trust God,
00:38:22.29\00:38:24.14
do you believe God
when He tells you something,
00:38:24.17\00:38:26.34
do you believe it.
00:38:26.37\00:38:27.41
So baptism is for
believers, not for nonbelievers.
00:38:27.44\00:38:34.09
I'm sorry, it won't help
to get one of your friends
00:38:34.12\00:38:36.49
and toss them
into the swimming pool
00:38:36.52\00:38:38.41
on the way to the water,
00:38:38.44\00:38:39.59
you say, "I baptized you
in the name of the Father,
00:38:39.62\00:38:41.46
the Son, and the Holy Spirit."
00:38:41.49\00:38:42.52
It won't help because
they have to be a believer.
00:38:42.55\00:38:47.31
The water is not magic.
00:38:47.34\00:38:50.33
And then the second thing
in preparation for baptism
00:38:50.36\00:38:53.27
Matthew 28, we already read it,
00:38:53.30\00:38:55.20
Jesus said, "Go and
teach them all things."
00:38:55.23\00:38:58.71
Baptize them,
teach them all things.
00:38:58.74\00:39:00.71
So a person should be taught
what it means to be baptized.
00:39:00.74\00:39:04.81
A person should be taught
00:39:04.84\00:39:06.24
that when you are
going into that water,
00:39:06.27\00:39:08.30
you are dying to the old life,
00:39:08.33\00:39:10.84
you are burying it
that old man is dead,
00:39:10.87\00:39:13.55
you come up a new
person, a new creation in Jesus.
00:39:13.58\00:39:16.53
You can't go on sinning now,
00:39:16.56\00:39:18.10
you need to live a
new life for Jesus.
00:39:18.13\00:39:22.05
Well, they ought to understand
little bit about that old life
00:39:22.08\00:39:24.16
we are saying goodbye
to and be willing to do it.
00:39:24.19\00:39:28.57
And they should
understand about the new life
00:39:28.60\00:39:30.56
that they are wanting to
live in order to glorify God,
00:39:30.59\00:39:33.20
they should know a little bit
00:39:33.23\00:39:34.68
at least about
what that encompasses
00:39:34.71\00:39:37.00
and they should
be willing to do it.
00:39:37.03\00:39:38.95
Doesn't mean you
are going to be perfect,
00:39:38.98\00:39:40.95
that mean when you
come out of that water,
00:39:40.98\00:39:42.62
you are perfect and you
never make another mistake,
00:39:42.65\00:39:45.08
it doesn't mean that at all.
00:39:45.11\00:39:46.40
It simply means
that you are willing
00:39:46.43\00:39:48.14
to live your life
to the way God made us,
00:39:48.17\00:39:50.46
you trust Him and
when you do make mistake,
00:39:50.49\00:39:52.69
you say, "God, I
have sinned forgive me."
00:39:52.72\00:39:54.47
And He says, "I already
have." That's what it means.
00:39:54.50\00:40:00.49
See you need to understand
00:40:00.52\00:40:02.00
the little bit
about the Christian walk.
00:40:02.03\00:40:05.35
I think you can tell from this
00:40:05.38\00:40:06.73
that baptism then is for
people who are old enough
00:40:06.76\00:40:13.53
to be able to understand
and believe and trust God.
00:40:13.56\00:40:19.52
Baptizing an infant who can't
even believe if he wanted to
00:40:19.55\00:40:26.86
is not going to mean anything.
00:40:26.89\00:40:29.37
The Bible doesn't
say we baptize infants,
00:40:29.40\00:40:33.49
that's a
tradition that was brought
00:40:33.52\00:40:36.13
into the
medieval Church of Rome.
00:40:36.16\00:40:39.06
No, the Bible says believe
the Bible says, bethought.
00:40:39.09\00:40:44.73
It also teaches that we
dedicate infants to God.
00:40:44.76\00:40:51.13
We dedicate them to God
and pledge to raise them
00:40:51.16\00:40:55.14
to the best of our ability
as parents to follow the Lamb,
00:40:55.17\00:40:58.99
so that when they are old
enough to make their own choice
00:40:59.02\00:41:01.45
then they will want to be
baptized and follow the Lamb.
00:41:01.48\00:41:06.67
But it doesn't
help to immerse a baby,
00:41:06.70\00:41:11.37
that's why they just sprinkle,
but that's not baptism.
00:41:11.40\00:41:19.00
And then the next thing
about baptism in Luke 3,
00:41:19.03\00:41:25.12
John the Baptist
was preaching a baptism
00:41:25.15\00:41:28.48
in verse 3 of repentance
for the forgiveness of sins.
00:41:28.51\00:41:34.44
Peter when he preached
on the day of Pentecost.
00:41:34.47\00:41:38.22
What should we
do, they asked him.
00:41:38.25\00:41:40.43
Repent and be
baptized every one of you.
00:41:40.46\00:41:44.75
See, baptism should be
preceded by repentance.
00:41:44.78\00:41:50.46
Now that's it pretty heavy
word what is repentance mean?
00:41:50.49\00:41:56.83
Well, repentance, I
think a good way to understand
00:41:56.86\00:42:00.25
it is to be sorry for sin,
00:42:00.28\00:42:04.42
but not just in a
careless flipping way
00:42:04.45\00:42:09.14
but a heartfelt sorrow,
00:42:09.17\00:42:13.04
a determination to never
do it again, a hatred for it.
00:42:13.07\00:42:18.12
We had-- we had two boys,
00:42:18.15\00:42:21.73
they are not little boys
anymore they are big men.
00:42:21.76\00:42:24.99
When they were
little they played together,
00:42:25.02\00:42:28.46
three years
apart, the little fellow,
00:42:28.49\00:42:31.39
the younger one always came out
00:42:31.42\00:42:33.19
on the short end to the
stick when things got rough.
00:42:33.22\00:42:36.56
He was the one who
get knocked down and hurt
00:42:36.59\00:42:38.86
and one time
they were roughhousing
00:42:38.89\00:42:40.63
a little bit too much
00:42:40.66\00:42:41.69
and poor little
guy got knocked down,
00:42:41.72\00:42:44.48
hurt, started crying.
00:42:44.51\00:42:46.50
And so we went to
his big brother and said,
00:42:46.53\00:42:48.67
"Now look, you
need to go over there
00:42:48.70\00:42:51.46
and tell him, you're sorry."
00:42:51.49\00:42:53.86
Well that didn't
always go over to be
00:42:53.89\00:42:56.81
and sometimes he would
just inch his way over there
00:42:56.84\00:43:03.87
may be hoping that
we would forget about it
00:43:03.90\00:43:05.69
by the time we got
there for he took so long
00:43:05.72\00:43:09.19
and then when he gets there
without even looking at him,
00:43:09.22\00:43:12.27
he mumble something and
nobody could understand.
00:43:12.30\00:43:15.99
See, that's not repentance.
00:43:16.02\00:43:18.35
Repentance hates sin.
I hate it when I do that.
00:43:18.38\00:43:24.25
I don't ever
want to do that again.
00:43:24.28\00:43:25.91
I got impatient
with my family today,
00:43:25.94\00:43:28.21
God, I hate it.
00:43:28.24\00:43:29.62
I don't ever want to--
help me never do it again.
00:43:29.65\00:43:33.26
You see, that's
what repentance means.
00:43:33.29\00:43:36.04
Hatred for sin, you
say, "What, I don't know
00:43:36.07\00:43:38.88
that I always hate
everything I do, that's true."
00:43:38.91\00:43:42.00
Think if we are
honest with ourselves,
00:43:42.03\00:43:43.33
we discover that there may
be some sins we might not hate.
00:43:43.36\00:43:47.95
One part of us doesn't,
another part of it secretly,
00:43:47.98\00:43:50.93
you know, that's why I really
appreciate the Bible saying
00:43:50.96\00:43:55.90
that repentance
is a gift from God.
00:43:55.93\00:43:58.94
And you just pray,
00:43:58.97\00:44:00.02
"God, you know, my
heart, I can't fool you,
00:44:00.05\00:44:04.33
I kind of enjoy
that but I don't enjoy
00:44:04.36\00:44:06.89
because I know it hurts
you and I don't want to do it,
00:44:06.92\00:44:08.89
I don't want to hurt You,
00:44:08.92\00:44:09.98
make me hate it,
Lord, make me repent."
00:44:10.01\00:44:14.04
and He will answer a prayer
like that, just give it to God.
00:44:14.07\00:44:18.21
So believe in Jesus, be
taught what it means and repent.
00:44:18.24\00:44:22.98
John the Baptist said to
the crowd coming on, in verse 7.
00:44:23.01\00:44:25.94
He said, those
coming out to be baptized,
00:44:25.97\00:44:28.46
you brood of
vipers, and be like me
00:44:28.49\00:44:32.11
having an altar call
and you come down from
00:44:32.14\00:44:33.92
as you bunch of rattlesnakes.
00:44:33.95\00:44:37.01
What would you think of
that? "You brood of vipers!
00:44:37.04\00:44:42.30
Who warned you to flee
from the coming wrath."
00:44:42.33\00:44:45.33
You see they just
wanted to be baptized,
00:44:45.36\00:44:46.87
so they wouldn't burn in
hell not because they love God.
00:44:46.90\00:44:51.11
Now watch this, verse 8,
00:44:51.14\00:44:52.64
"Produce fruit in
keeping with repentance.
00:44:52.67\00:44:55.67
And don't begin
to say to yourselves,
00:44:55.70\00:44:57.35
'We have Abraham as our father.'
00:44:57.38\00:44:59.09
I tell you out of these stones
00:44:59.12\00:45:00.86
God can raise up
children of Abraham."
00:45:00.89\00:45:04.62
Oh, well, we're
okay, we are saved
00:45:04.65\00:45:06.18
because we are
descendants of Abraham.
00:45:06.21\00:45:10.10
Now, Pastor, I
don't need to be baptized,
00:45:10.13\00:45:11.55
my church don't do it that way,
00:45:11.58\00:45:12.90
I got sprinkled, that
should be good enough.
00:45:12.93\00:45:17.91
God can make church
members out of stones.
00:45:17.94\00:45:23.42
You are not saved
because you are church member.
00:45:23.45\00:45:26.83
You are not saved
because you are Catholic,
00:45:26.86\00:45:28.44
Methodist, Baptist,
00:45:28.47\00:45:29.60
Presbyterian,
Seventh-day Adventist.
00:45:29.63\00:45:33.99
You are saved because you
have faith in Jesus Christ
00:45:34.02\00:45:37.84
and you are
willing to follow the Lamb,
00:45:37.87\00:45:40.01
that's what saves us,
00:45:40.04\00:45:41.48
no matter what
label we tag on ourselves,
00:45:41.51\00:45:43.63
no matter what church you go to,
00:45:43.66\00:45:45.62
you need to follow the Lamb.
00:45:45.65\00:45:50.05
Now notice, John the Baptist
would not baptize everyone
00:45:50.08\00:45:54.25
that came up to him
and said baptize me.
00:45:54.28\00:45:56.22
So, what should I do
00:46:00.99\00:46:03.02
if somebody comes up to me
and says, "Baptize me, pastor."
00:46:03.05\00:46:07.08
John had a criteria, he said,
00:46:07.11\00:46:08.78
"Produce fruit,
show me a little evidence
00:46:08.81\00:46:10.63
that you really want
to die to that old life."
00:46:10.66\00:46:14.05
He had a criteria, he
wouldn't just baptize anyone,
00:46:14.08\00:46:18.42
he wanted to see
evidence of repentance.
00:46:18.45\00:46:23.71
See, baptism is not a game,
it's not just a swimming pool.
00:46:23.74\00:46:27.79
Sometimes young
people, they gonna say,
00:46:27.82\00:46:30.04
I want to get
baptize, I said, "Why, why?"
00:46:30.07\00:46:31.52
I get to go swimming.
00:46:31.55\00:46:33.73
No, it's not about swimming,
00:46:33.76\00:46:36.68
it's called
dying to that old life.
00:46:36.71\00:46:39.76
Then sometimes people ask me,
00:46:51.49\00:46:55.92
what's the urgency,
pastor, about baptism?
00:46:55.95\00:46:59.75
I'm going to have a
birthday in about eight months
00:46:59.78\00:47:02.98
and I think I want to wait till
my birthday to get baptized.
00:47:03.01\00:47:06.94
I want to wait till I
can save up enough money
00:47:06.97\00:47:08.92
and fly over to the east coast
00:47:08.95\00:47:10.57
and see my great grand
parents and get baptized there,
00:47:10.60\00:47:13.90
I think they
would like to see that.
00:47:13.93\00:47:18.25
But I don't see that
attitude in the Bible.
00:47:18.28\00:47:21.70
For example in Acts
8:26, An angel of the Lord
00:47:21.73\00:47:25.46
said to Philip
who was an evangelist.
00:47:25.49\00:47:27.14
He said, "Philip,
go south to that road
00:47:27.17\00:47:29.02
and a desert road and
so Philip went down there
00:47:29.05\00:47:32.35
on his way he met an Ethiopian,
00:47:32.38\00:47:34.13
the treasurer of
Ethiopia, important man."
00:47:34.16\00:47:38.93
Verse 30, "Philip ran up to
the chariot and heard the man
00:47:38.96\00:47:41.58
reading Isaiah the
prophet and he asked him,
00:47:41.61\00:47:44.21
"Do you understand what
you are reading?" Philip asked.
00:47:44.24\00:47:46.73
"How can I understand that?"
00:47:46.76\00:47:48.60
He said, "Unless
sombody explains it to me?"
00:47:48.63\00:47:50.76
So he invited Philip to
come up and sit with him.
00:47:50.79\00:47:53.01
And Philip explained to him
00:47:53.04\00:47:54.63
what Isaiah was
writing about Jesus Christ,
00:47:54.66\00:47:57.91
that's an Old
Testament book, Isaiah.
00:47:57.94\00:48:00.62
Read Isaiah 53,
that's what he was reading,
00:48:00.65\00:48:03.27
read Isaiah 53,
it's all about Jesus
00:48:03.30\00:48:05.36
dying on the cross for
you in the Old Testament
00:48:05.39\00:48:08.73
and so he studied
Isaiah with the man
00:48:08.76\00:48:11.31
and as verse 36 says, "They
traveled along that desert road,
00:48:11.34\00:48:15.05
they came to an
oasis or some thing
00:48:15.08\00:48:17.22
because they saw water
00:48:17.25\00:48:19.05
and the Ethiopian
said, "Look, here is water.
00:48:19.08\00:48:21.76
Why shouldn't I be baptized?
00:48:21.79\00:48:24.11
And so he gave
orders to stop the chariot.
00:48:24.14\00:48:26.05
And both he and Philip
went down into the water."
00:48:26.08\00:48:30.77
Did you get that?
00:48:30.80\00:48:32.46
They went down into the
water and Philip baptized him
00:48:32.49\00:48:36.95
and then when they
came up out of the water,
00:48:36.98\00:48:41.61
so how do you baptize him,
00:48:41.64\00:48:42.72
he didn't bend
down, get a handful
00:48:42.75\00:48:44.30
and I baptized you.
00:48:44.33\00:48:46.73
No, they went
down into the water,
00:48:46.76\00:48:49.13
he baptized and then
they came up out of the water.
00:48:49.16\00:48:54.62
Now notice, he
was on his way home.
00:48:54.65\00:48:57.48
He could have said,
"Well, I'm on my way home,
00:48:57.51\00:48:58.87
I can go to my own
church and get baptized there."
00:48:58.90\00:49:02.54
No, when the Spirit moves
on the heart it's time to do it
00:49:02.57\00:49:05.31
even if you are
out in the desert.
00:49:05.34\00:49:08.86
It's dangerous to put
off following what God says.
00:49:09.00\00:49:13.48
Don't give the devil a chance
to put his foot in the door
00:49:13.51\00:49:18.14
because he gets it open a crack,
00:49:18.17\00:49:20.12
he would bust it
open all the way.
00:49:20.15\00:49:23.03
So when God impresses
your heart to do something,
00:49:23.06\00:49:25.82
it's time to do it right then.
00:49:25.85\00:49:28.56
Now a person should be prepared.
00:49:28.59\00:49:30.48
It doesn't mean you
are going to be perfect,
00:49:30.51\00:49:32.70
that means you should understand
00:49:32.73\00:49:34.69
and once you
understand what it means
00:49:34.72\00:49:36.49
then it's time to be baptized.
00:49:36.52\00:49:38.40
Don't put it off, don't wait.
00:49:38.43\00:49:40.59
Sometimes you'll say, "Well,
my birthday is next month,
00:49:40.62\00:49:42.51
I want to get
baptized on my birthday."
00:49:42.54\00:49:44.43
There is not one verse
in the Bible that says,
00:49:44.46\00:49:47.00
"Thou shall wait until
thine birthday to get baptized."
00:49:47.03\00:49:51.47
Not one, when the
spirit moves on the heart
00:49:51.50\00:49:55.10
it's dangerous to
delay, it's times to respond.
00:49:55.13\00:50:01.83
It's urgent, Acts 22,
there is another story
00:50:01.86\00:50:05.66
because people
ask me a lot of times,
00:50:05.69\00:50:07.65
oh, what about
me, I'm a Christian,
00:50:07.68\00:50:09.21
I have been a
Christian for 50 years
00:50:09.24\00:50:10.71
and God has used
me in so many ways
00:50:10.74\00:50:12.50
and work miracles
and answered my prayers
00:50:12.53\00:50:14.81
and are you telling
me I need to be baptized?
00:50:14.84\00:50:18.75
Chapter 22:6, "About
noon as I came near Damascus,
00:50:18.78\00:50:22.70
suddenly a bright light
from heaven flashed around me
00:50:22.73\00:50:24.80
and I fell to the ground
00:50:24.83\00:50:26.08
and I heard a
voice saying to me,
00:50:26.11\00:50:27.75
'Saul! Saul! why
do you persecute me?'"
00:50:27.78\00:50:32.62
Now do you know why
Saul was going to Damascus?
00:50:32.65\00:50:36.78
He was going to
persecute Christians.
00:50:36.81\00:50:40.19
He was going to
put them to death
00:50:40.22\00:50:42.03
and then he hears this voice,
"Saul, why do you persecute me""
00:50:42.06\00:50:45.33
"Who are you, Lord?"
00:50:45.36\00:50:48.11
I am Jesus of Nazareth,
whom you are persecuting.
00:50:48.14\00:50:52.08
Now Jesus had been
dead for a long time,
00:50:52.11\00:50:54.57
He was up in heaven.
00:50:54.60\00:50:56.25
I love this because it tells me
00:50:56.28\00:50:58.25
whatever happens
to you happens to Him.
00:50:58.28\00:51:01.82
Nothing happens to you
00:51:01.85\00:51:03.37
that Jesus isn't
experience in Himself,
00:51:03.40\00:51:06.96
He understands
you. You can trust him.
00:51:06.99\00:51:12.23
Why are you persecuting Me?
00:51:12.26\00:51:16.22
Now watch this, verse
10, "What shall I do, Lord?'
00:51:16.25\00:51:22.28
Saul of Tarsus, calling
Jesus of Nazareth, Lord,
00:51:22.31\00:51:30.04
he was converted, he
was born again right there.
00:51:30.07\00:51:35.23
He encountered
Christ, he was born again,
00:51:35.26\00:51:37.47
"What shall I do, Lord?"
00:51:37.50\00:51:38.61
"Get up, the Lord
said, go to Damascus
00:51:38.64\00:51:40.44
there you will be told all that
you have been assigned to do."
00:51:40.47\00:51:42.66
God had an assignment for him.
00:51:42.69\00:51:44.47
He has got an
assignment for you,
00:51:44.50\00:51:46.06
he is just waiting for
you to get up and move on it
00:51:46.09\00:51:48.43
but he has got an assignment
00:51:48.46\00:51:49.60
just like he did
for Saul of Tarsus.
00:51:49.63\00:51:52.97
Verse 11, "My companions had to
lead me by the hand of Damascus,
00:51:53.00\00:51:56.19
because the brilliance of
the light had blinded me."
00:51:56.22\00:51:58.32
Now folks we are
looking at a miracle, amen.
00:51:58.35\00:52:03.47
And so verse 12, "A man
named Ananias came to see me.
00:52:03.50\00:52:06.20
He was a devout
observer of the law."
00:52:06.23\00:52:09.27
A sprit filled Christian called
the devout observer of the law.
00:52:09.30\00:52:13.41
The spirit doesn't
do away with the law,
00:52:13.44\00:52:14.92
it intensifies
the law in our hearts.
00:52:14.95\00:52:18.59
Verse 13, "He stood beside me
00:52:18.62\00:52:20.53
and said, 'Brother
Saul, receive your sight'
00:52:20.56\00:52:23.73
And at that very
moment I was able to see him,
00:52:23.76\00:52:26.04
another miracle, isn't it?
00:52:26.07\00:52:28.40
I have never seen anyone
00:52:28.43\00:52:30.33
more miraculously
convert than Saul of Tarsus.
00:52:30.36\00:52:35.67
Then he said, "The God of
our fathers has chosen you
00:52:35.70\00:52:37.49
to know his will, to
see the Righteous One
00:52:37.52\00:52:39.86
to hear words from his mouth
00:52:39.89\00:52:41.59
and you will be
his witness of all men
00:52:41.62\00:52:44.38
of what you have seen and heard
00:52:44.41\00:52:46.00
and Saul of Tarsus
became Paul the Apostle.
00:52:46.03\00:52:51.02
What a
conversion, what a miracle.
00:52:51.05\00:52:53.94
Nobody has ever had
miraculous conversion like that
00:52:53.97\00:52:58.28
and yet verse 16, "And
now what are you waiting for?
00:52:58.31\00:53:03.25
Get up, be baptized
and wash your sins away,
00:53:03.28\00:53:06.89
after all of that he
still needed to go get baptized
00:53:06.92\00:53:11.35
even after receiving his call
00:53:11.38\00:53:13.65
to be an apostle
for Jesus Christ,
00:53:13.68\00:53:16.24
he still needed to get baptized.
00:53:16.27\00:53:18.01
If Paul needed to be baptized
00:53:18.04\00:53:20.50
then how much that you
and I needed to be baptized?
00:53:20.53\00:53:24.72
Jesus told
Nicodemus in John 3:5,
00:53:24.75\00:53:28.91
"Accept you're born
of water and the Spirit
00:53:28.94\00:53:31.61
you cannot see
the kingdom of God."
00:53:31.64\00:53:34.17
That ought to sell it for us.
00:53:34.20\00:53:36.42
We can't see the kingdom of God
00:53:36.45\00:53:37.68
without the Holy Spirit
00:53:37.71\00:53:40.22
but he is also saying we
can't see the kingdom of God
00:53:40.25\00:53:42.52
unless we are born of water.
00:53:42.55\00:53:45.35
Baptism and spirit, the water
00:53:45.38\00:53:48.10
and the blood of
Jesus, we need them both.
00:53:48.13\00:53:53.38
But just in case
you are not convinced,
00:53:53.41\00:53:58.30
I want you to go
with me to Jordan River
00:53:58.33\00:54:00.16
and there's Jesus
standing on the bank
00:54:00.19\00:54:06.97
taking off His outer robe
walking down into the water
00:54:07.00\00:54:12.58
and said, "John baptize me."
00:54:12.61\00:54:14.28
John said, "I'm not even
worthy to untie Your shoes,
00:54:17.48\00:54:20.97
I can't baptize You."
00:54:21.00\00:54:24.56
And Jesus said,
"John this must be done,
00:54:24.59\00:54:29.67
if you want to fulfill all
righteousness it must be done."
00:54:29.70\00:54:35.95
And so John the
Baptist, baptized Jesus Christ
00:54:35.98\00:54:42.39
the Son of God in the
muddy water of the Jordan River.
00:54:42.42\00:54:50.39
Watch Jesus as he
comes up out of the water,
00:54:50.42\00:54:55.41
and He looks up and praise
00:54:55.44\00:54:58.31
and the Holy Spirit
comes down on Him like a dove
00:54:58.34\00:55:03.58
and He hears the
voice of His Father saying,
00:55:03.61\00:55:05.87
"This is My Son and I'm happy."
00:55:05.90\00:55:13.87
And Jesus
trudges out of the water
00:55:15.04\00:55:19.37
on to the bank of the river.
00:55:19.40\00:55:22.81
You see Him standing there
water dripping from His hair,
00:55:22.84\00:55:27.21
His beard, His robe
into a little puddle
00:55:27.24\00:55:31.46
in the bank of the river
00:55:31.49\00:55:34.93
and then He notices a
man standing next to him
00:55:34.96\00:55:38.75
and He asked the man, He
said, have you been baptized?
00:55:38.78\00:55:45.80
And the man says, no,
I haven't been baptized
00:55:45.83\00:55:51.22
and Jesus says,
well, I was baptized.
00:55:51.25\00:55:56.99
And the man says, well,
may be it is necessary for you.
00:55:57.02\00:56:03.28
I don't think
it's necessary for me.
00:56:03.31\00:56:07.42
It makes me feel
blasphemous just saying that.
00:56:07.45\00:56:11.96
Because if it was necessary
for the sinless Son of God
00:56:11.99\00:56:18.76
to be baptized in the
waters of the Jordan River,
00:56:18.79\00:56:22.87
how much more necessary
00:56:22.90\00:56:27.23
and willing should you
and I be to follow the Lamb.
00:56:27.26\00:56:33.40
Brandon because you are giving
yourself back to Jesus tonight,
00:56:33.43\00:56:36.81
I baptize you in
the name of the Father,
00:56:36.84\00:56:39.30
and the Son, and
Holy Spirit, amen.
00:56:39.33\00:56:44.13
Amen. Amen.
00:56:48.58\00:56:51.97
Lord, we have just seen it.
00:56:55.02\00:56:57.74
We've been talking
about it but we have seen it.
00:56:57.77\00:57:03.71
And all we can do
is just stand in awe
00:57:03.74\00:57:07.96
of all that you
have done for us.
00:57:07.99\00:57:11.89
Lord as we sit here, the
image is still in our mind.
00:57:11.92\00:57:19.02
There are some who
have never been baptized.
00:57:19.05\00:57:22.56
They need to take that step,
00:57:22.59\00:57:25.40
may be there are even
some who have been baptized
00:57:25.43\00:57:30.28
but it wasn't the Bible way
00:57:30.31\00:57:34.09
and then perhaps there are some
00:57:34.12\00:57:35.15
who have been
baptized the Bible way
00:57:35.18\00:57:37.07
but they have
wandered off the path
00:57:37.10\00:57:39.88
or they didn't
understand what it meant.
00:57:39.91\00:57:43.50
They want to come back home.
00:57:43.53\00:57:46.20
And Lord I pray that You
will just search every heart
00:57:46.23\00:57:50.12
and convict every
person who needs to be baptized
00:57:50.15\00:57:54.09
to take that step
and follow the Lamb.
00:57:54.12\00:57:58.21
We ask you in Jesus' name, amen.
00:57:58.24\00:58:02.13