My grandparents
from Russia and Ukraine
00:00:31.99\00:00:36.17
were pioneers to Western Canada
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just before the
Bolshevik Revolution.
00:00:38.48\00:00:41.78
They had been simple
farmers over in the old country.
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Peasants.
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Some of the relatives
who chose to stay in Ukraine
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suffered under Joseph
Stalin's totalitarian regime.
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But my grandparents were facing
so much hardship and bloodshed,
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and heartache that
they finally escaped
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and they fled as refugees
willing to sever all ties
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to their homeland
and leave their families
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and friends and flee.
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Step out in faith and make
a completely brand new start.
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They didn't have much
money, so they came over,
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believe it or not, as
cattle on a cattle ship.
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"Steerage," they
called it back then.
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Some of my family
died in those cattle ships
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on that horrific
voyage across the ocean.
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Tonight the Voice of
Prophecy speaks good news
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about how you can start again.
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I want you to take a trip
with me back 2,000 years ago
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when Christianity
first came into being
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in the very 1st
Century after Christ.
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It was a serious
threat to the Jewish religion.
00:01:44.05\00:01:47.82
So Saul of Tarsus,
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who is a
Pharisee of the Pharisees,
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he set out to
destroy Christianity.
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Stamp it out.
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In fact, Jesus predicted
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this would happen in Luke 21:12.
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Jesus said, "They will lay
hands on you and persecute you,
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delivering you up to
the synagogues and prisons,
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and you will be
brought before kings
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and rulers for My name's sake."
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And this prophecy was
fulfilled almost at once.
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And yet, despite persecution,
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Christianity
began to grow rapidly.
00:02:18.60\00:02:22.19
So Saul of Tarsus championed
stamping out Christianity.
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This young Jewish Pharisee,
in a very high position,
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was actually a
Roman citizen by birth.
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He had been educated
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at the feet of the most
eminent rabbi in Jerusalem
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by the name of Gamaliel,
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and he was so
zealous for his Jewish faith
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that the rabbis
promoted him to the Sanhedrin,
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as staunch
defender of their faith.
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Saul, whose name
later was changed
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to Paul after his conversion.
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He describes what he used to do
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to put an end to
the hated Christians.
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He says, "I was a
hired gun. I was a hit man."
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"Have gun-will
travel." That was me.
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Notice, Acts 22:4, 5, he says,
"I persecuted to the death,
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binding and
delivering into prisons
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both men and women
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I went to
Damascus to bring in chains
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even those who were there
to Jerusalem to be punished."
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But one day as he was
on his way to Damascus,
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a bright light
shone out of heaven.
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Brilliant like a
bolt of lightning,
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and it struck him to
the ground blinding him.
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And he heard a voice,
saying, in Acts 22:7, 8, 10
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"Saul, Saul, why
are you persecuting Me?'
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So I answered,
'Who are You, Lord?'
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And He said to me,
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'I am Jesus of Nazareth,
whom you are persecuting.'
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'What shall I do, Lord?'
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And the Lord said,
'Arise and go to Damascus,
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and there you
will be told all things
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which are
appointed for you to do.'"
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But Saul was so
blinded by that bright light,
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he had to be led by the
hand to a room in Damascus.
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And for three days he sat
there in his motel 6 room,
00:04:04.56\00:04:08.95
and Saul had a lot of time
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alone to think about all
the suffering and the pain
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that he had been
causing God's people.
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Can you imagine what his mind
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was like as he
replayed like videotapes
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all those times he
swore and cursed Jesus?
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Well, Saul sat
there in total darkness
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for three anxious days
brooding, worrying, alone.
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And then the Bible
says that God tapped a man
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on the shoulder by
the name of Ananias
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who was a prophet and He said,
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"Ananias, I want you to
go and visit Saul of Tarsus."
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Quaking in his
boots, Ananias says,
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"Lord! Did I hear
you right? Come again.
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Haven't you heard the reports
in the newspapers about Saul?"
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God said,
Ananias, I want you to go."
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So Ananias came and he
said, in Acts 22:13 and on.
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He said, "'Brother
Saul, receive your sight.'
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And at that same hour, he
says, I looked up and saw him.
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And then he said, 'The God
of our fathers has chosen you
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that you should know His will,
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and see the Just One,
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and hear the voice of His mouth.
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For you will be
His witness to all men
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of what you have
seen and heard.'"
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In other words,
Saul, God wants you
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to go forward in your life,
shut the door on your past,
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make things
right with your Lord.
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And then Ananias said something
of profound importance to Saul,
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in verse 16, "And
now, why are you waiting?
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Arise and be
baptized, wash away your sins,
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calling on the
name of the Lord."
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I beg your pardon. "What?
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I've been
baptized in Jewish baptism.
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Talking about
me?" "Yes, you, Saul."
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"How come?"
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"Baptism is the
way God designs you
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are to be joined
to your Lord forever.
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Baptism is the Christian
doorway to a new life, Saul.
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To wash you, to clean
you from the terrible things
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you've done in
the name of religion."
00:06:09.16\00:06:11.14
Well, Saul was kind of
setback, I mean, he thought
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he'd been one of the good guys.
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But he had been
murdering innocent people.
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His conscience
needed to be cleansed.
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I mean if anybody
needed mercy, Saul did.
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He needed to be baptized
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so he could know
God had forgiven him.
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So God could give him
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his brand new Holy Spirit power.
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Saul the Pharisee,
Saul the persecutor,
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was about to be
completely turned around,
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stood on his head,
and begin all over again
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and become the
great Apostle Paul.
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For the rest of his
life, a Jesus freak,
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a zealot for Jesus Christ.
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Have you ever hoped and wished
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that you could kind of
just start all over again?
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Just wash away
all of the mistakes
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of your past life?
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You know, God knew
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every one of us needs
just such an experience,
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and so He
instituted Christian baptism
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as a sign of a brand new start.
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That's heaven's sign
that we've been born again.
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And is there any
more beautiful symbol
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of death to sin,
and burial of our past,
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and resurrection
to a brand new life
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than baptism by immersion?
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Being buried beneath the water?
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When we were over in
Israel a few years ago
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before all of the
problems in the Middle East,
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you know, I was
fascinated to learn
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that Christian baptism
actually originated in Judaism.
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That's right.
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It began of
course for Christianity
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with John the Baptist,
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that rugged Jewish evangelist
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who appeared there in
the wilderness of Judea
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boldly preaching
repentance to Jews.
00:07:48.22\00:07:51.85
All roads led
to the Jordan River
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where crowds of
people listened to him.
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And we read in Matthew 3:5, 6.
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"Then went out to him
Jerusalem, and all Judea,
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and all the region
round about Jordan,
00:08:01.50\00:08:03.66
and were
baptized of him in Jordan,
00:08:03.69\00:08:06.11
confessing their sins."
00:08:06.14\00:08:08.91
But one day, word about
00:08:08.94\00:08:10.13
that spread clear
up to a little town
00:08:10.16\00:08:11.76
in the northern part of
Galilee called Nazareth.
00:08:11.79\00:08:14.77
And a young carpenter, quietly
closed the door of his shop,
00:08:14.80\00:08:19.35
and he said "good-bye" to
His mother, and His family,
00:08:19.38\00:08:22.13
and He made His
way all the way down
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to Jordan Valley,
to the Jordan River.
00:08:23.90\00:08:26.10
And when John
happened to catch sight of Him,
00:08:26.13\00:08:28.84
under inspiration
he pointed to Jesus
00:08:28.87\00:08:30.79
in John 1:29 and said, "Behold!
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The Lamb of God, who takes
away the sin of the world!"
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Folks, look,
there's the Messiah!
00:08:37.20\00:08:39.03
God's anointed One that
the prophecies have looked
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forward to for 4,000 years,
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that's Him, right there.
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I recognize Him, the
true sacrificial Lamb of God
00:08:44.44\00:08:47.72
who is going to die
for the sins of the world.
00:08:47.75\00:08:50.77
But then John was
struck absolutely speechless
00:08:50.80\00:08:54.69
when Jesus started to
take off His outer garment,
00:08:54.72\00:08:57.74
He removed His sandals,
and He started to walk down
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into the Jordan
River and He came down
00:09:01.01\00:09:02.58
and He stood
there right beside John.
00:09:02.61\00:09:04.34
And He said, "John, John,
I want you to baptize me."
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John hesitated,
"Me? Baptize You?"
00:09:10.76\00:09:15.31
Matthew 3:14, John says,
00:09:15.34\00:09:17.84
"I need to be baptized by You."
00:09:17.87\00:09:20.53
I'm not worthy to
even untie Your shoelaces.
00:09:20.56\00:09:22.77
But Jesus answered, and
said, "Let it be so now,
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for it is proper
for us to do this
00:09:26.74\00:09:28.46
to fulfill all righteousness."
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You see, Jesus
didn't need to be baptized
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to forgive His sins.
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But He asked to be baptized
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because He wanted to
leave us a perfect example.
00:09:38.62\00:09:42.21
And so the Bible says
that John immersed Jesus
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in the Jordan River
00:09:45.91\00:09:47.78
because that's what this
word baptism really means.
00:09:47.81\00:09:50.91
In the Greek, it's Baptizo.
00:09:50.94\00:09:54.18
And it means, to
dip, or plunge under.
00:09:54.21\00:09:57.65
The Bible says,
in Matthew 3:16, 17,
00:09:57.68\00:10:00.79
"As soon as Jesus was baptized,
00:10:00.82\00:10:03.84
He went up out of the water.
00:10:03.87\00:10:07.41
And at that
moment heaven was opened,
00:10:07.44\00:10:09.36
and He saw the Spirit of God
00:10:09.39\00:10:10.86
descending like a
dove and lighting on him.
00:10:10.89\00:10:12.83
And a voice from heaven
saying, 'This is my beloved Son,
00:10:12.86\00:10:17.82
whom I love, with
Him I am well pleased.'"
00:10:17.85\00:10:21.13
Amen.
00:10:21.16\00:10:22.21
See God publicly
introduced Jesus there
00:10:22.24\00:10:25.21
as His Son, the Anointed One.
00:10:25.24\00:10:27.16
Messiah!
00:10:27.19\00:10:28.61
Fulfilling the
prophecy of Daniel 9:24,
00:10:28.64\00:10:31.64
and the marking of
the official beginning
00:10:31.67\00:10:33.95
of Jesus Christ's
Messianic ministry,
00:10:33.98\00:10:36.01
exactly to the month
00:10:36.04\00:10:37.80
Old Testament prophecy predicted
00:10:37.83\00:10:39.68
He would be anointed as Messiah.
00:10:39.71\00:10:41.38
Remember, in the fall of A.D 27.
00:10:41.41\00:10:44.16
We studied about that in
our forth night here together
00:10:44.19\00:10:46.76
when we took
that 490 year prophecy
00:10:46.79\00:10:49.37
about that "One Life
that Changed the World."
00:10:49.40\00:10:52.55
But it was with
pinpoint accuracy,
00:10:52.58\00:10:54.27
in fact Acts 10:38 says,
"God anointed Jesus of Nazareth
00:10:54.30\00:10:59.65
with the Holy
Ghost and with power,
00:10:59.68\00:11:02.43
who went about
doing good, and healing
00:11:02.46\00:11:04.51
all that were
oppressed of the devil,
00:11:04.54\00:11:06.12
for God was with Him."
00:11:06.15\00:11:07.65
Amen.
00:11:07.68\00:11:09.18
In other words,
ladies and gentlemen,
00:11:09.21\00:11:11.27
baptism was the doorway
00:11:11.30\00:11:14.06
to a brand new
mission for Jesus.
00:11:14.09\00:11:17.44
Heaven's unique
sign that we're born
00:11:17.47\00:11:19.43
not of human birth only,
but now we're born from above.
00:11:19.46\00:11:23.52
A sign that we've
started all over again.
00:11:23.55\00:11:27.32
In fact, that happened to
be Christ's very last command
00:11:27.35\00:11:31.81
that He gave before
He ascended to heaven.
00:11:31.84\00:11:33.66
We read that in
Matthew 28:19, 20.
00:11:33.69\00:11:37.50
"Go therefore and make
disciples of all the nations,
00:11:37.53\00:11:41.20
baptizing them in
the name of the Father
00:11:41.23\00:11:43.24
and of the Son and
of the Holy Spirit,
00:11:43.27\00:11:45.17
teaching them to
observe all things
00:11:45.20\00:11:47.33
that I have
commanded you, and lo,
00:11:47.36\00:11:49.09
I am with you always,
even to the end of the age."
00:11:49.12\00:11:53.85
Jesus says, Lonn, if
you want to begin again,
00:11:53.88\00:11:57.42
baptism is the sign.
00:11:57.45\00:11:59.20
That's heaven's one-of-a-kind,
00:11:59.23\00:12:01.31
tailor-made plan to start
all over and be born again.
00:12:01.34\00:12:07.23
You know, people, and
even pastors and priests
00:12:07.26\00:12:09.57
and bishops used to argue
00:12:09.60\00:12:11.20
about this question of
baptism and they used to say,
00:12:11.23\00:12:13.36
"Well, you know,
what's the proper mode?"
00:12:13.39\00:12:15.87
If you walk down the
street of any community
00:12:15.90\00:12:17.84
and you knock on the doors
00:12:17.87\00:12:18.93
of 20 different
homes, and you ask,
00:12:18.96\00:12:20.99
"What do you believe
true Bible baptism is?"
00:12:21.02\00:12:23.30
You'd get 20 different answers.
00:12:23.33\00:12:25.60
Some would say, well, in
my church, we do sprinkling.
00:12:25.63\00:12:29.98
Others would say, well,
in ours, we pour on people.
00:12:30.01\00:12:33.11
Others say, well,
in ours we just put
00:12:33.14\00:12:34.77
a few drops of
oil on their head.
00:12:34.80\00:12:36.68
Some would say, well, in ours
00:12:36.71\00:12:37.75
we baptize three
times face forward.
00:12:37.78\00:12:40.84
I mean, there are so
many different customs,
00:12:40.87\00:12:42.49
sometimes you wonder if
baptism is even Christian.
00:12:42.52\00:12:45.79
Did you know that
some people baptize you
00:12:45.82\00:12:47.66
by sprinkling salt on you?
00:12:47.69\00:12:50.17
Some by dipping you?
00:12:50.20\00:12:52.68
We even baptize
animals now, don't we?
00:12:52.71\00:12:55.34
Some churches
baptize you in wine.
00:12:55.37\00:12:58.62
Or they baptize you by mail.
00:12:58.65\00:13:01.89
One preacher actually baptized
00:13:01.92\00:13:03.61
his great grandson by
long distance telephone.
00:13:03.64\00:13:07.30
In Texas, you Texans listening,
there's a church over there
00:13:07.33\00:13:10.65
where you don't even need water,
00:13:10.68\00:13:12.84
you simply go down to the front,
00:13:12.87\00:13:14.00
and the
preacher, he lays his dry,
00:13:14.03\00:13:16.11
bare hand on your head,
00:13:16.14\00:13:17.20
and he says, "I
now baptize you."
00:13:17.23\00:13:20.44
I guess you'd have to call
that the "dry-cleaning method."
00:13:20.47\00:13:25.98
There was a church in Hollywood
that started a new rage.
00:13:26.01\00:13:28.46
And they used to practice
sprinkling in that church
00:13:28.49\00:13:31.71
but the pastor, you know,
00:13:31.74\00:13:32.79
he felt this wasn't a
very enjoyable experience
00:13:32.82\00:13:34.95
for the little babies who
would kind of squirm and panic
00:13:34.98\00:13:37.83
when that
unpleasant little thunderstorm
00:13:37.86\00:13:40.21
struck them in the
face with the cold water.
00:13:40.24\00:13:41.91
So the pastor called
and had the local florist
00:13:41.94\00:13:44.44
send him some
beautiful white roses.
00:13:44.47\00:13:47.56
White of course
symbolizes purity in the Bible
00:13:47.59\00:13:49.73
and the rose, well,
that's a symbol of Jesus.
00:13:49.76\00:13:52.24
He's called the Rose of Sharon.
00:13:52.27\00:13:53.83
So it was beautiful
and the next Sunday,
00:13:53.86\00:13:55.42
this pastor
proceeded to the surprise
00:13:55.45\00:13:57.50
and delight of the congregation
00:13:57.53\00:13:59.22
to sprinkle
pretty white rose petals
00:13:59.25\00:14:01.99
softly over the babies' cheeks.
00:14:02.02\00:14:05.49
Baptized with rose petals.
00:14:05.52\00:14:08.76
Well, what will
they think of next?
00:14:08.79\00:14:09.85
You know what, movie stars
00:14:09.88\00:14:11.10
started to hear about this place
00:14:11.13\00:14:12.41
and they would come
and they were ordering
00:14:12.44\00:14:13.73
different colored rose
petals to match the color
00:14:13.76\00:14:16.40
of their clothes or
their bleached blonde hair.
00:14:16.43\00:14:18.92
In fact one of them
really did it up right
00:14:18.95\00:14:21.36
and arranged to get baptized
00:14:21.39\00:14:23.25
in a whole tank
full of rose petals.
00:14:23.28\00:14:26.59
Well, I am so glad
00:14:26.62\00:14:27.68
that preachers don't
argue about this any more.
00:14:27.71\00:14:29.93
They've re-discovered
Bible baptism by immersion.
00:14:29.96\00:14:34.48
I agree, that some
still offer a smorgasbord.
00:14:34.51\00:14:36.97
You can do it
different varieties.
00:14:37.00\00:14:38.88
But Jeannie and I were
in Downtown Los Angeles
00:14:38.91\00:14:40.80
not too long ago
with a series of meetings
00:14:40.83\00:14:42.43
like this at the Berean Church
00:14:42.46\00:14:43.84
which is watching tonight there.
00:14:43.87\00:14:46.34
We went down to the brand
new $300 million Catholic Church
00:14:46.37\00:14:50.46
on Temple Street in Los Angeles,
00:14:50.49\00:14:52.13
and it is absolutely phenomenal.
00:14:52.16\00:14:55.63
Do you know that that
brand new Catholic Church
00:14:55.66\00:14:57.61
has a great big
baptistery in it?
00:14:57.64\00:15:00.13
A pool, so you can
get baptized by immersion.
00:15:00.16\00:15:04.15
Methodists now do that.
00:15:04.18\00:15:05.46
Lutherans give you the choice.
00:15:05.49\00:15:07.57
Bible baptism,
you can go to a river,
00:15:07.60\00:15:09.97
you can go to a lake,
you can go to the ocean.
00:15:10.00\00:15:11.18
And I'm glad
00:15:11.21\00:15:12.25
that Christians are
finally getting it together.
00:15:12.28\00:15:14.60
Back to Ephesians 4:5
where the Apostle Paul says,
00:15:14.63\00:15:17.67
there isn't to be any
confusion on how to do this.
00:15:17.70\00:15:20.22
"There is one
Lord, there is one faith,
00:15:20.25\00:15:22.70
and there is one baptism."
00:15:22.73\00:15:24.13
Amen.
00:15:24.16\00:15:25.19
That's because the
Greek word Baptizo means
00:15:25.22\00:15:28.19
literally "to
immerse," "to plunge under."
00:15:28.22\00:15:33.30
Like you ladies
might dye a piece of cloth,
00:15:33.33\00:15:37.60
you don't take
that piece of cloth
00:15:37.63\00:15:38.89
and go over to the dye
00:15:38.92\00:15:39.95
and dip your little
fingers in it and go...
00:15:39.98\00:15:41.18
It's not the way you're
gonna change that cloth.
00:15:43.00\00:15:45.58
No, you take that and you
completely plunge it under.
00:15:45.61\00:15:48.41
You baptize it.
That's what the word means.
00:15:48.44\00:15:52.64
In fact, probably
the most interesting
00:15:52.67\00:15:54.22
detailed account of baptism
00:15:54.25\00:15:55.84
by immersion is
recorded in the Bible
00:15:55.87\00:15:57.79
and it's found
in the Book of Acts.
00:15:57.82\00:16:00.16
A few years ago I
went on a tour by myself
00:16:00.19\00:16:02.34
with a group of ministers
00:16:02.37\00:16:03.47
from many
denominations to the holy land.
00:16:03.50\00:16:05.86
And I actually stood on the road
00:16:05.89\00:16:07.74
just outside of Jerusalem
00:16:07.77\00:16:09.72
where God had
directed Philip the evangelist
00:16:09.75\00:16:12.63
to go out and do a
little bit of hitch-hiking.
00:16:12.66\00:16:14.34
Did you know that there's
hitch-hikers in the Bible?
00:16:14.37\00:16:16.09
There are.
00:16:16.12\00:16:17.56
You see God had someone in mind
00:16:17.59\00:16:19.11
that he wanted Philip to
meet, who needed the gospel,
00:16:19.14\00:16:22.56
the good news about
Jesus and it was on that road
00:16:22.59\00:16:24.97
that leads from
Jerusalem down to Gaza.
00:16:25.00\00:16:28.34
That's the Gaza strip we
hear about in the news now.
00:16:28.37\00:16:30.78
Well, Philip goes out
there and he is standing there,
00:16:30.81\00:16:32.63
waiting as the
traffic's going by,
00:16:32.66\00:16:34.45
then he sees a
VIP stretch limousine
00:16:34.48\00:16:37.25
come racing toward him.
00:16:37.28\00:16:39.47
It's Alan Greenspan.
00:16:39.50\00:16:42.17
Ethiopia's Chancellor-Exchequer,
00:16:42.20\00:16:44.58
financial wizard and treasurer
for Queen Candace in Egypt.
00:16:44.61\00:16:49.20
He's this big diplomat
00:16:49.23\00:16:50.59
in charge of all of her treasury
00:16:50.62\00:16:52.13
and evidently this
government official.
00:16:52.16\00:16:54.26
He'd gone to
Jerusalem to worship
00:16:54.29\00:16:55.80
the true God, the Bible says.
00:16:55.83\00:16:57.55
And now this African
celebrity is on his way home,
00:16:57.58\00:17:00.59
riding in his limousine-chariot,
00:17:00.62\00:17:02.55
but he's reading from the scroll
00:17:02.58\00:17:04.75
of the Prophet Isaiah.
00:17:04.78\00:17:06.81
And as this chariot flashes
by, Philip runs toward it,
00:17:06.84\00:17:10.05
the Spirit
encourages, he's the one
00:17:10.08\00:17:11.95
and he finally calls out.
00:17:11.98\00:17:13.53
In Acts 8:30, 31, I kind
of smile when I read this.
00:17:13.56\00:17:16.76
Hey, Mr. Chariot Man,
00:17:16.79\00:17:19.33
"Do you understand
what you are reading?"
00:17:19.36\00:17:21.85
Surprised and startled,
00:17:21.88\00:17:23.14
he pulls the horses to
a stop and he calls back.
00:17:23.17\00:17:25.94
"How can I,
unless somebody would
00:17:25.97\00:17:28.73
come up here and guide me?"
00:17:28.76\00:17:30.93
Come up on up here, Sir,
and explain this passage.
00:17:30.96\00:17:33.26
Who's this talking
about here? This Messiah.
00:17:33.29\00:17:37.12
Well, Philip immediately knew
00:17:37.15\00:17:38.94
that the man was
reading from Isaiah 53,
00:17:38.97\00:17:41.72
which is a detailed prophecy
00:17:41.75\00:17:43.24
about the
crucifixion of Jesus as Messiah.
00:17:43.27\00:17:46.23
And Acts 8:35, it
says, "Then Philip began
00:17:46.26\00:17:49.98
with that very
passage of Scripture
00:17:50.01\00:17:52.47
and he told him the
good news about Jesus."
00:17:52.50\00:17:55.86
I mean, what a
marvelous Bible study.
00:17:55.89\00:17:58.15
Can you imagine, there they are,
00:17:58.18\00:17:59.60
bouncing along in that chariot,
00:17:59.63\00:18:01.29
Philip's trying to tell
him about Jesus and Calvary.
00:18:01.32\00:18:04.16
He told him the
parables, no doubt.
00:18:04.19\00:18:05.86
He must have told him
about the wonderful miracles
00:18:05.89\00:18:07.85
that Jesus did and
they traveled for hours
00:18:07.88\00:18:10.60
as he explained the significance
00:18:10.63\00:18:12.13
of baptism by immersion,
00:18:12.16\00:18:14.70
for the Bible says
that finally when they came
00:18:14.73\00:18:16.82
to a desert oasis out there,
the Ethiopian said to eunuch--
00:18:16.85\00:18:20.88
I should say Philip
said to this Ethiopian
00:18:20.91\00:18:23.29
in Acts 8:36 and on,
00:18:23.32\00:18:27.68
The Ethiopian
says, "Philip, look here.
00:18:27.71\00:18:30.69
Here's water.
00:18:30.72\00:18:32.32
What would hinder
me from being baptized?
00:18:32.35\00:18:34.91
Philip said,
'Well, if you believe
00:18:34.94\00:18:37.47
with all your heart, you may.'
00:18:37.50\00:18:40.65
And he answered and said,
00:18:40.68\00:18:41.72
'I believe that Jesus
Christ is the Son of God.'
00:18:41.75\00:18:46.02
So it says, he commanded
the chariot to stand still.
00:18:46.05\00:18:48.90
And both Philip and the eunuch
00:18:48.93\00:18:50.65
went down into the
water and he immersed him.
00:18:50.68\00:18:55.65
He baptized him."
00:18:55.68\00:18:57.11
Didn't sprinkle
rose petals on him.
00:18:57.14\00:19:00.41
Philip immersed
him, just as John
00:19:00.44\00:19:02.67
immersed Jesus
Christ when He was baptized.
00:19:02.70\00:19:05.53
And by the way,
the Bible then says
00:19:05.56\00:19:06.99
that the Ethiopian,
"went on his way rejoicing!"
00:19:07.02\00:19:11.18
Because he had followed
God's instructions explicitly
00:19:11.21\00:19:14.37
to bury the old life of sin,
00:19:14.40\00:19:16.64
start a brand new
life in Jesus Christ.
00:19:16.67\00:19:18.77
And by the way,
00:19:18.80\00:19:19.83
that's a wonderful
promise, too, friend.
00:19:19.86\00:19:22.22
Joy and rejoicing always happen
00:19:22.25\00:19:24.96
when we know we are following
God's instructions explicitly.
00:19:24.99\00:19:30.83
Well, the Bible
is very, very clear
00:19:30.86\00:19:33.13
and I am so glad
that my Catholic friends
00:19:33.16\00:19:34.94
and Protestants now agree
00:19:34.97\00:19:36.41
that immersion was
the only mode of baptism
00:19:36.44\00:19:39.99
practiced by the
early Christian church.
00:19:40.02\00:19:41.68
There's no other way.
00:19:41.71\00:19:43.77
Jeannie and I visited
Macedonia in northern Greece
00:19:43.80\00:19:50.28
and we visited the little
town of Philippi in July, 2001.
00:19:50.31\00:19:54.92
Philippi was where the
very first Christian church
00:19:54.95\00:19:57.56
was ever established in Europe
by the Apostle Paul himself.
00:19:57.59\00:20:02.73
By the way, if you ever go
to Philippi, fascinating place,
00:20:02.76\00:20:06.07
but don't miss the
1st Century Church there.
00:20:06.10\00:20:09.75
That church has
a huge baptistery,
00:20:09.78\00:20:12.11
right there in the middle of it.
00:20:12.14\00:20:13.29
In fact, all
the ancient churches
00:20:13.32\00:20:15.27
in Europe had big baptisteries,
00:20:15.30\00:20:17.16
little pools like
the one in Milan, Italy,
00:20:17.19\00:20:20.74
if you ever go there.
00:20:20.77\00:20:22.12
Because, you see,
for nearly 1,200 years
00:20:22.15\00:20:25.29
that's how all the
people were baptized.
00:20:25.32\00:20:28.03
Historians, archaeologists
00:20:28.06\00:20:29.94
of every
denomination will agree.
00:20:29.97\00:20:32.18
Let me quote from
Catholic Cardinal James Gibbons.
00:20:32.21\00:20:35.98
He wrote, "For several centuries
00:20:36.01\00:20:39.19
after the
establishment of Christianity
00:20:39.22\00:20:41.25
baptism was usually
conferred by immersion."
00:20:41.28\00:20:45.40
But he says,
"Since the twelfth century
00:20:45.43\00:20:49.64
the practice of
baptizing by infusion"
00:20:49.67\00:20:52.52
that's pouring or sprinkling.
00:20:52.55\00:20:54.23
"Has now prevailed
in the Catholic Church,
00:20:54.26\00:20:56.30
as this manner is
attended with less inconvenience
00:20:56.33\00:20:59.45
than baptism by immersion.
00:20:59.48\00:21:01.32
The Church
exercises her discretion
00:21:01.35\00:21:03.60
in adopting the
most convenient mode,
00:21:03.63\00:21:06.01
according to the circumstances
of time and place."
00:21:06.04\00:21:10.33
Well, when Jeannie
and I visited Philippi,
00:21:10.36\00:21:12.58
what an experience.
00:21:12.61\00:21:14.00
I mean, that was the
exact same riverside there
00:21:14.03\00:21:17.54
where Paul came on that
Sabbath and he met Lydia,
00:21:17.57\00:21:20.17
that seller of purple, remember,
00:21:20.20\00:21:21.81
and those very first Christians
00:21:21.84\00:21:23.15
who were worshipping
down there by the river.
00:21:23.18\00:21:25.60
First Christian beach-head
in Western civilization.
00:21:25.63\00:21:29.78
I mean, Philippi was where Paul
00:21:29.81\00:21:31.94
got started preaching
and he was so effective,
00:21:31.97\00:21:35.09
he stirred up the people
in that town to a revolution.
00:21:35.12\00:21:38.07
It erupted, a mob
attacked Paul and Silas,
00:21:38.10\00:21:40.82
tore off their clothing.
00:21:40.85\00:21:42.06
The authorities beat them,
00:21:42.09\00:21:43.28
they flogged them,
they threw them in prison.
00:21:43.31\00:21:45.23
And, by the way, we
actually saw the prison.
00:21:45.26\00:21:47.92
It's there.
Archaeology has uncovered it.
00:21:47.95\00:21:50.26
Broken down by an earthquake
00:21:50.29\00:21:51.85
where the jailor
put them in stocks,
00:21:51.88\00:21:55.09
their bodies half upside down,
00:21:55.12\00:21:56.90
and their lacerated
backs, they were hanging
00:21:56.93\00:21:59.58
from the stocks
with their filthy
00:21:59.61\00:22:01.69
whatever was there, the
muck and the confinement.
00:22:01.72\00:22:04.50
And their feet,
Paul says, were so tight,
00:22:04.53\00:22:06.38
the pain was
absolutely excruciating.
00:22:06.41\00:22:08.79
But, you know what,
Paul and Silas didn't murmur.
00:22:08.82\00:22:12.72
Bible tells us that
in that total darkness,
00:22:12.75\00:22:15.10
utter
desolation of that dungeon,
00:22:15.13\00:22:17.89
they encouraged each other,
00:22:17.92\00:22:19.46
and they prayed with each other
00:22:19.49\00:22:20.61
and they sang to God
00:22:20.64\00:22:22.47
because they thought that
they had been found worthy
00:22:22.50\00:22:24.87
to suffer for the
name of Jesus Christ.
00:22:24.90\00:22:27.38
Amen.
00:22:27.41\00:22:28.44
Well, the other prisoners there,
00:22:28.47\00:22:29.62
they're absolutely astonished.
00:22:29.65\00:22:30.72
Not a very big
prison by the way.
00:22:30.75\00:22:33.10
But those prisoners
were evidently only used
00:22:33.13\00:22:35.23
to hearing moans
and groans and curses
00:22:35.26\00:22:37.76
from anybody thrown
into that confinement cell.
00:22:37.79\00:22:40.80
Gloom.
00:22:40.83\00:22:42.12
And the guards
were even wondering.
00:22:42.15\00:22:43.72
These guys are praising?
00:22:43.75\00:22:45.31
They're praying?
Who are these men?
00:22:45.34\00:22:48.35
Cold, hungry, tortured
and yet, they're rejoicing?
00:22:48.38\00:22:51.47
Well, the Bible says
that suddenly at midnight
00:22:51.50\00:22:54.02
an earthquake shook
those prison walls so violently
00:22:54.05\00:22:57.76
that the doors flew open
and everyone's chains fell off
00:22:57.79\00:23:00.50
and the keeper of the
prison, he came running,
00:23:00.53\00:23:02.86
and, seeing that
the doors were all open,
00:23:02.89\00:23:04.55
and in the dark assuming
all the prisoners had fled.
00:23:04.58\00:23:07.09
He knew Rome's punishment
for letting prisoners escape.
00:23:07.12\00:23:10.92
So the Bible says,
he was in the process
00:23:10.95\00:23:12.61
of taking out his own
sword to commit suicide.
00:23:12.64\00:23:15.51
And Acts 16:28,
"But Paul called out
00:23:15.54\00:23:19.31
with a loud voice, saying,
00:23:19.34\00:23:20.92
"Do yourself no
harm, for we are all here."
00:23:20.95\00:23:26.18
The jailor was shocked.
00:23:26.21\00:23:28.45
I mean, Paul and Silas had
suffered torture at his hands,
00:23:28.48\00:23:31.78
untold agony and
yet these poor men,
00:23:31.81\00:23:34.69
they held no resentment.
00:23:34.72\00:23:36.07
They wanted no revenge.
00:23:36.10\00:23:39.29
Now that jailor knew
that they were innocent men.
00:23:39.32\00:23:42.45
Bible says, he
ran, he got a light,
00:23:42.48\00:23:44.20
and he went into their cell.
00:23:44.23\00:23:45.36
And Acts 16:30, 31, he says,
00:23:45.39\00:23:48.23
"And he brought
them out and said,
00:23:48.26\00:23:50.33
'Sirs, what must
I do to be saved?'
00:23:50.36\00:23:55.45
And they said, 'Believe
on the Lord Jesus Christ,
00:23:55.48\00:23:58.85
and you will be
saved, and your household.'"
00:23:58.88\00:24:02.09
And the Bible
says, "And he took them
00:24:02.12\00:24:03.74
the same hour of the
night, washed their stripes.
00:24:03.77\00:24:06.69
And immediately he and all
of his family were baptized."
00:24:06.72\00:24:09.79
Amen.
00:24:09.82\00:24:10.97
At that river
spot where we were,
00:24:11.00\00:24:12.30
just a couple of
stones' throw from that prison.
00:24:12.33\00:24:15.73
By the way, the worship service
that we held by that river.
00:24:15.76\00:24:18.20
I'll never forget it.
00:24:18.23\00:24:19.28
I get choked up
just thinking about it.
00:24:19.31\00:24:21.65
Right near that
jail in Philippi,
00:24:21.68\00:24:23.77
it's a service that
I'll cherish forever.
00:24:23.80\00:24:26.42
Precisely where that jailor
and his family became members
00:24:26.45\00:24:29.37
and they sat on the front
row of the new congregation
00:24:29.40\00:24:31.47
of the first Christian church
ever in the Western world.
00:24:31.50\00:24:36.43
By the way, if you
ever get over there
00:24:36.46\00:24:38.96
and you visit Ephesus in Turkey,
00:24:38.99\00:24:42.09
by all means, go and
visit St. John's Church.
00:24:42.12\00:24:45.91
Because the disciple John
00:24:45.94\00:24:47.15
who wrote the
Book of Revelation,
00:24:47.18\00:24:48.59
he actually
pastored that church,
00:24:48.62\00:24:51.04
which was built
as a memorial to him.
00:24:51.07\00:24:53.49
It is so old that the
third general church council
00:24:53.52\00:24:56.82
took place in that
very building in 431 A.D.
00:24:56.85\00:25:01.31
But what's of special interest,
00:25:01.34\00:25:03.09
if you go there
is the baptistery,
00:25:03.12\00:25:05.25
it's circular in shape,
it's about 12 feet in diameter
00:25:05.28\00:25:09.12
and 4 feet deep,
with stairs leading down
00:25:09.15\00:25:12.36
into the font
on two sides of it.
00:25:12.39\00:25:15.52
Let's move in our
little geographical tour
00:25:15.55\00:25:17.52
while we're on tour right now.
00:25:17.55\00:25:18.73
Let's go over to Italy.
00:25:18.76\00:25:20.43
Did you folks ever hear
of the Leaning Tower of Pisa?
00:25:20.46\00:25:24.74
Did you know that that is
really an ancient cathedral?
00:25:24.77\00:25:28.08
And if you ever go
there, please don't miss
00:25:28.11\00:25:30.82
what's inside the Leaning
Tower of Pisa, that cathedral.
00:25:30.85\00:25:34.78
There's an ancient baptistery,
it's a pool 20 feet across
00:25:34.81\00:25:39.17
and 4 feet deep constructed
by the Catholic Church.
00:25:39.20\00:25:42.93
And tourists will often say,
00:25:42.96\00:25:45.14
"How come some Catholics needed
00:25:45.17\00:25:46.93
so much water to
sprinkle people."
00:25:46.96\00:25:49.25
And the tour guides
will correctly inform you,
00:25:49.28\00:25:52.36
"Ladies and
gentlemen, that is because
00:25:52.39\00:25:53.94
for 1,300 years the
only mode of baptism
00:25:53.97\00:25:57.62
was immersion,
even for Catholics."
00:25:57.65\00:26:00.07
Almost to the time
that Christopher Columbus
00:26:00.10\00:26:02.39
sailed for America in 1492.
00:26:02.42\00:26:05.49
And there are dozens and dozens
00:26:05.52\00:26:07.11
and dozens of such cathedrals
00:26:07.14\00:26:08.67
with these large
baptismal fonts all over Europe.
00:26:08.70\00:26:11.56
Sixty-six in Italy
alone, whose construction dates
00:26:11.59\00:26:15.57
between the 4th
and the 14th centuries.
00:26:15.60\00:26:19.44
So my point is
that there is no debate
00:26:19.47\00:26:21.94
about the mode of baptism.
00:26:21.97\00:26:25.43
The important
question tonight is
00:26:25.46\00:26:28.46
how important is
the rite of baptism?
00:26:28.49\00:26:32.29
Is it really necessary
to be baptized by immersion?
00:26:32.32\00:26:37.10
Yes.
00:26:37.13\00:26:38.74
In fact, Jesus says it means
00:26:38.77\00:26:40.65
something
profoundly significant.
00:26:40.68\00:26:42.93
In Mark 16:16, Jesus says,
00:26:42.96\00:26:46.02
"Whoever believes and
is baptized will be saved."
00:26:46.05\00:26:53.94
Well, you say, is
it that important?
00:26:53.97\00:26:56.91
In John 3:5
Jesus told Nicodemus,
00:26:56.94\00:27:00.76
"Unless one is born
of water and the Spirit,
00:27:00.79\00:27:04.40
he cannot enter
into the kingdom."
00:27:04.43\00:27:07.57
"Well," someone says, "Lonnie,
00:27:07.60\00:27:09.58
if it's that important,
how do I prepare for baptism?
00:27:09.61\00:27:12.73
What do I have to do?"
00:27:12.76\00:27:14.46
You know, there's I
believe just three simple steps.
00:27:14.49\00:27:18.36
Jesus told His disciples,
step one, Matthew 28:19,
00:27:18.39\00:27:22.42
"Go and teach all
nations, baptizing them
00:27:22.45\00:27:27.41
in the name of the Father,
the Son, the Holy Spirit."
00:27:27.44\00:27:29.58
Teaching then
must precede baptism.
00:27:29.61\00:27:34.05
You got to study first.
00:27:34.08\00:27:35.34
You got to get
some basic teaching.
00:27:35.37\00:27:37.22
Like taking our
Discover Bible course
00:27:37.25\00:27:39.14
or coming to a series of
Bible meetings like this.
00:27:39.17\00:27:41.75
Teaching. Uh-oh!
00:27:41.78\00:27:45.26
That means then that sprinkling
00:27:45.29\00:27:47.89
as an infant might
be called sprinkling
00:27:47.92\00:27:51.22
but it is not baptism
00:27:51.25\00:27:53.47
because an infant
can't be taught doctrine.
00:27:53.50\00:27:57.04
Jesus said the baptismal
candidate first must be taught.
00:27:57.07\00:28:01.73
Must choose and make
an intelligent decision.
00:28:01.76\00:28:04.60
"To obey everything I
have commanded you" he says.
00:28:04.63\00:28:09.10
By the way, this doesn't mean
00:28:09.13\00:28:10.19
you have to have
your Ph.D. in religion
00:28:10.22\00:28:12.06
before you can get baptized.
00:28:12.09\00:28:13.32
Candidates simply
prepare for the sacred rite
00:28:13.35\00:28:16.84
of baptism by getting acquainted
00:28:16.87\00:28:18.43
with some of the
basic teachings of Jesus,
00:28:18.46\00:28:20.73
like we've been
doing from night to night.
00:28:20.76\00:28:22.76
But then we start
on a wonderful journey
00:28:22.79\00:28:24.97
of living a brand
new life, Christ's way.
00:28:25.00\00:28:28.88
Step number one is teaching.
00:28:28.91\00:28:31.93
Well, what would you
suggest would be the second step
00:28:31.96\00:28:33.99
in preparing a
person for baptism?
00:28:34.02\00:28:37.22
When that
Ethiopian asked Philip,
00:28:37.25\00:28:41.27
"Could I be
baptized, what hinders me?"
00:28:41.30\00:28:44.27
Philip said, in Acts 8:37,
00:28:44.30\00:28:46.97
"If you believe with
all of your heart, you may."
00:28:47.00\00:28:52.58
Total belief in Jesus Christ.
00:28:52.61\00:28:56.19
Well, now you got to remember
00:28:56.22\00:28:57.25
that there's two
different kinds of belief
00:28:57.28\00:28:58.78
or faith, or three at least
00:28:58.81\00:29:00.48
I told you the other night
that even the devils believe,
00:29:00.51\00:29:02.99
they tremble, but that
won't save the devil, will it?
00:29:03.02\00:29:06.16
Remember my illustration
of the chair up here
00:29:06.19\00:29:09.04
or when I gave
away that $20 bill,
00:29:09.07\00:29:11.72
got to have the
right kind of faith.
00:29:11.75\00:29:14.43
This is the kind of
trusting faith, accepting faith,
00:29:14.46\00:29:17.81
where you put your
whole weight on Jesus Christ.
00:29:17.84\00:29:21.67
Belief.
00:29:21.70\00:29:23.11
But there's a third step
00:29:23.14\00:29:24.17
that the Apostle
Peter refers to in Acts 3:19
00:29:24.20\00:29:27.13
and it's called Repentance.
00:29:27.16\00:29:30.52
It says, "Repent
therefore and be converted,
00:29:30.55\00:29:33.89
that your sins
may be blotted out."
00:29:33.92\00:29:36.40
Well, what is repentance?
00:29:36.43\00:29:38.21
Repentance simply means
to be sorry for my sins,
00:29:38.24\00:29:41.52
what they did to Jesus.
00:29:41.55\00:29:42.96
And with God's help that
I'm gonna turn from my past sins
00:29:42.99\00:29:46.42
and Jesus, by the way,
promises to do this for you.
00:29:46.45\00:29:49.79
He'll give you
repentance, He says.
00:29:49.82\00:29:52.52
So there they are,
three simple steps.
00:29:52.55\00:29:54.74
1. Before baptism you
should at least understand
00:29:54.77\00:29:56.79
some of the basic
teachings of Jesus.
00:29:56.82\00:29:59.61
2. You should believe
with all of your heart
00:29:59.64\00:30:01.32
in Jesus Christ as
Savior and Lord of your life.
00:30:01.35\00:30:04.84
As Billy Graham
says, he is boss.
00:30:04.87\00:30:07.38
3. And third, you should confess
00:30:07.41\00:30:09.09
all of your sins and repent.
00:30:09.12\00:30:11.02
Not very complicated
but it is very personal.
00:30:11.05\00:30:14.67
Friend, if you've ever wished
00:30:17.29\00:30:18.45
that you could change
your life for the better
00:30:18.48\00:30:20.76
but you haven't known
how, these three simple steps
00:30:20.79\00:30:24.25
prepare you for
baptism so you may truly become
00:30:24.28\00:30:27.78
a brand new person,
from the inside out.
00:30:27.81\00:30:31.88
And Jesus invites us to come,
come just as you are, He says.
00:30:31.91\00:30:35.23
Come today. Come now.
00:30:35.26\00:30:37.56
Don't wait until you
think you're perfect.
00:30:37.59\00:30:39.60
He says, "Let Me
worry about your sins.
00:30:39.63\00:30:41.52
Let me worry about your habits.
00:30:41.55\00:30:43.17
They're My problem
now. You just do the coming.
00:30:43.20\00:30:46.73
I'll do the
forgiving. I'll convert you.
00:30:46.76\00:30:49.17
I'll empower you.
I'll help change you."
00:30:49.20\00:30:52.27
He invites us in Acts 22:16.
00:30:52.30\00:30:54.73
"And now why are you waiting?
00:30:54.76\00:30:56.58
Arise, be baptized,
wash away your sins."
00:30:56.61\00:31:01.33
One very dark
night, the Bible tells us
00:31:01.36\00:31:03.73
in the 3rd chapter of the Book
of John that a Jewish leader
00:31:03.76\00:31:06.28
by the name of
Nicodemus came to Jesus.
00:31:06.31\00:31:08.26
He came very secretly because
00:31:08.29\00:31:10.32
well, he didn't
want his peers to know
00:31:10.35\00:31:12.30
he was really interested
00:31:12.33\00:31:13.39
in this itinerant
teacher's new theology.
00:31:13.42\00:31:16.53
And as he met
Jesus, the Bible says,
00:31:16.56\00:31:18.10
he kind of flattered
him there in John 3:2,
00:31:18.13\00:31:20.49
and he said, "Rabbi, we know
00:31:20.52\00:31:24.30
that You are a
teacher come from God,
00:31:24.33\00:31:26.26
for no one can do these signs
00:31:26.29\00:31:28.15
that You do
unless God is with him."
00:31:28.18\00:31:31.26
Well, you know, Jesus could read
00:31:31.29\00:31:32.32
that man like a book,
00:31:32.35\00:31:34.44
so He cut right to the point
00:31:34.47\00:31:36.41
and He showed
Nicodemus what he really needed.
00:31:36.44\00:31:39.27
Verses 3 and 4, "I say unto you,
00:31:39.30\00:31:42.94
unless one is born again,
00:31:42.97\00:31:45.79
he cannot see
the kingdom of God.
00:31:45.82\00:31:48.74
Nicodemus said to him,
00:31:48.77\00:31:50.70
'How can a man be
born again when he is old?
00:31:50.73\00:31:54.91
Can he enter a second time
00:31:54.94\00:31:56.15
into his mother's
womb and be born?'"
00:31:56.18\00:31:58.67
Jesus must have
chuckled and said,
00:31:58.70\00:32:01.06
"Nicodemus, I'm talking
about spiritual rebirth."
00:32:01.09\00:32:06.69
Nicodemus, you can't
get yourself born, can you?
00:32:06.72\00:32:10.37
Can you get yourself born? No.
00:32:10.40\00:32:13.08
Birth is a gift, given
to you by someone else.
00:32:13.11\00:32:17.43
Nicodemus, it's the same
thing with being born again.
00:32:17.46\00:32:20.31
That's a gift someone else
give you outside of yourself.
00:32:20.34\00:32:25.93
Notice John 3:5,
"Jesus assuredly said,
00:32:25.96\00:32:29.18
'Most assuredly, I
say to you, Nicodemus,
00:32:29.21\00:32:31.84
unless one is born of
water and of the Spirit,
00:32:31.87\00:32:35.57
he cannot enter into
the kingdom of God.'"
00:32:35.60\00:32:39.15
Well, now, Nicodemus
was a Jew, a Pharisee.
00:32:39.18\00:32:43.39
And he knew that the
Jews baptized people.
00:32:43.42\00:32:47.27
They outwardly dunked them in
what they called a ritual bath.
00:32:47.30\00:32:52.53
Jews you could
even find them now,
00:32:52.56\00:32:53.97
the historians have found it
00:32:54.00\00:32:55.07
underneath the
city of Jerusalem,
00:32:55.10\00:32:56.77
those mikveh
baths, a ritual baptism.
00:32:56.80\00:33:01.35
But Jesus said
Nicodemus I'm talking about
00:33:01.38\00:33:03.45
more than just getting
dunked like the Jews do.
00:33:03.48\00:33:06.86
I'm talking
about spiritual rebirth
00:33:06.89\00:33:09.08
on the inside as well.
00:33:09.11\00:33:10.93
There's got to be water, yes.
00:33:10.96\00:33:12.54
But it's got to
also have the spirit.
00:33:12.57\00:33:14.71
Outside. Inside.
00:33:14.74\00:33:17.08
True baptism is an
outward demonstration
00:33:17.11\00:33:20.70
of an inward transformation.
00:33:20.73\00:33:24.20
What He was
saying to Nicodemus is
00:33:24.23\00:33:26.00
just going over
there to somebody
00:33:26.03\00:33:27.66
and having them dunked you
00:33:27.69\00:33:29.80
or sprinkle you,
that isn't enough.
00:33:29.83\00:33:32.31
Jesus made it very
clear. That won't change you.
00:33:32.34\00:33:36.47
What you need is the
power of the Holy Spirit
00:33:36.50\00:33:38.34
to transform your life
00:33:38.37\00:33:40.22
because anything else
is totally inadequate.
00:33:40.25\00:33:44.72
Jesus says, you
come to the water.
00:33:44.75\00:33:47.51
I'll send the Holy Spirit.
00:33:47.54\00:33:49.90
Water and the Spirit,
that's the way a person
00:33:49.93\00:33:53.48
officially seals his
acceptance of Jesus Christ.
00:33:53.51\00:33:56.90
You know, I like
the Bible's analogies
00:33:56.93\00:33:58.56
and it calls it very
much like a wedding ceremony.
00:33:58.59\00:34:02.10
Now wedding is a public sign
00:34:02.13\00:34:05.48
of a brand new
relationship with a couple,
00:34:05.51\00:34:08.04
we call that
"marriage" or "matrimony."
00:34:08.07\00:34:10.91
And the ceremony of
baptism is simply the same.
00:34:10.94\00:34:14.10
It's a public sign of
our marriage to Christ.
00:34:14.13\00:34:18.13
When we're
baptized, God announces,
00:34:18.16\00:34:21.14
like the pastor would
say, ladies and gentlemen,
00:34:21.17\00:34:23.30
I'm happy to introduce to
you for the very first time
00:34:23.33\00:34:25.24
the newest wedded couple
00:34:25.27\00:34:26.34
in the state of
Carolina, Mr. and Mrs.
00:34:26.37\00:34:28.62
And Jesus,
announces Matthew 3:17,
00:34:28.65\00:34:31.46
when we're baptized, here
they are, here's this person.
00:34:31.49\00:34:34.29
"This is my beloved Son
in whom I am well pleased."
00:34:34.32\00:34:37.56
Here is one of My saints.
00:34:37.59\00:34:40.85
Now the Apostle Paul says
00:34:40.88\00:34:42.05
something
interesting about baptism.
00:34:42.08\00:34:43.76
He says when you're
baptized, you "put on Christ"
00:34:43.79\00:34:46.98
like you'd put on
a gorgeous new coat.
00:34:47.01\00:34:49.97
I want you to watch
00:34:50.00\00:34:51.03
very carefully
what baptism symbolizes.
00:34:51.06\00:34:52.94
In Romans 6 Paul
very clearly says
00:34:52.97\00:34:55.91
that immersion
visually commemorates faith
00:34:55.94\00:34:59.59
in three great facts
of Christ's sacrifice,
00:34:59.62\00:35:02.27
His death, His
burial, and His resurrection.
00:35:02.30\00:35:06.08
Notice Romans 6:3,
"Or do you not know
00:35:06.11\00:35:10.60
that as many of us as
were baptized into Christ
00:35:10.63\00:35:13.48
were baptized into His death?"
00:35:13.51\00:35:17.95
Now how can you know
when a person's dead?
00:35:17.98\00:35:21.85
Well, breathing stops.
00:35:21.88\00:35:24.84
For a moment in
baptism, you take your breath,
00:35:24.87\00:35:27.91
breath is
suspended, the eyes shut.
00:35:27.94\00:35:31.43
Lips close. Hands
are folded usually.
00:35:31.46\00:35:36.43
Death.
00:35:36.46\00:35:37.96
The next step is you lay
down in that watery grave.
00:35:37.99\00:35:42.91
Romans 6:4, "Therefore
we are buried with Him
00:35:42.94\00:35:47.75
through baptism into death."
00:35:47.78\00:35:50.67
And we're
immersed. Not very long.
00:35:50.70\00:35:53.70
I usually tell the candidate,
00:35:53.73\00:35:54.92
it will be like two
seconds, 1,000, 2,000.
00:35:54.95\00:35:57.88
That's all.
00:35:57.91\00:35:59.08
But this immersion
symbolizes something special.
00:35:59.11\00:36:01.96
It means you died
00:36:01.99\00:36:04.71
in a voluntary death
decision for Jesus Christ.
00:36:04.74\00:36:07.87
And when you're
immersed under that water,
00:36:07.90\00:36:09.90
it means something, friend.
00:36:09.93\00:36:11.20
It means that something drowns.
00:36:11.23\00:36:13.72
Materialism, racism, war,
00:36:13.75\00:36:16.32
intemperance, greed and pride
00:36:16.35\00:36:17.97
and all of your secret
sins, they are drowned,
00:36:18.00\00:36:20.41
friends, in
that baptismal water.
00:36:20.44\00:36:23.26
Now if any evil manages
to snorkel its way underwater
00:36:23.29\00:36:26.31
and you're still
hiding something,
00:36:26.34\00:36:27.54
well, of course the
true meaning of baptism
00:36:27.57\00:36:29.18
is violated, it's ruined.
00:36:29.21\00:36:32.06
But there's a crucial
third part in this symbol,
00:36:32.09\00:36:36.35
you don't just
leave a person there.
00:36:36.38\00:36:38.98
Resurrection.
00:36:39.01\00:36:40.26
And Paul says in Romans 6:4,
00:36:40.29\00:36:42.14
"That just as Christ
was raised from the dead
00:36:42.17\00:36:45.17
by the glory of the Father,
00:36:45.20\00:36:46.63
even so we also should
now walk in newness of life."
00:36:46.66\00:36:52.29
Beautiful symbol.
00:36:52.32\00:36:54.02
But now please friend, remember
00:36:54.05\00:36:55.26
there's nothing
magical about the water.
00:36:55.29\00:36:58.11
That water will not save you.
00:36:58.14\00:37:00.19
It's not the act
of being baptized
00:37:00.22\00:37:02.26
that works some mysterious
00:37:02.29\00:37:03.47
miraculous
change in an individual.
00:37:03.50\00:37:05.54
I mean, I could
immerse a person 50 times
00:37:05.57\00:37:08.23
and they'd be just
be as sinful as before,
00:37:08.26\00:37:09.75
unless their
heart has been changed.
00:37:09.78\00:37:11.76
Amen.
00:37:11.79\00:37:12.93
But God declares
that when you have
00:37:12.96\00:37:14.75
that inward spiritual new birth
00:37:14.78\00:37:16.90
plus the outward
symbol of baptism,
00:37:16.93\00:37:19.25
the person baptized is
born of water and the Spirit.
00:37:19.28\00:37:23.30
It was June 11, 1958.
00:37:26.02\00:37:31.10
I well remember the day
00:37:31.13\00:37:32.22
because I was just 11 years old.
00:37:32.25\00:37:36.39
But that was
the day that I died,
00:37:36.42\00:37:39.34
I was buried alive and
I lived to tell about it.
00:37:39.37\00:37:43.99
I stepped into a baptistery
in Springfield, Massachusetts,
00:37:44.02\00:37:47.26
and after a very simple
but meaningful statement
00:37:47.29\00:37:49.27
about my young
Christian experience
00:37:49.30\00:37:51.09
and my desire to
follow Jesus my whole life,
00:37:51.12\00:37:53.98
I was baptized by
Pastor Dan Sherman Harris
00:37:54.01\00:37:58.30
in the name of the Father,
the Son and the Holy Spirit.
00:37:58.33\00:38:01.53
You know that that was the
most important day of my life.
00:38:01.56\00:38:05.32
My public baptism demonstrated
my personal faith in the death,
00:38:05.35\00:38:10.39
burial, and
resurrection of Jesus Christ.
00:38:10.42\00:38:13.66
Paul says, "Lonnie,
00:38:13.69\00:38:15.26
what happened to you
is that you died to sin,
00:38:15.29\00:38:19.73
the old you was buried,
00:38:19.76\00:38:21.18
and a brand new you came
out of that baptismal pool."
00:38:21.21\00:38:25.53
I might not have looked
any different to my parents,
00:38:25.56\00:38:28.03
my four brothers, I
still looked the same.
00:38:28.06\00:38:30.03
But in God's
sight, I was born again.
00:38:30.06\00:38:32.13
I was brand new.
00:38:32.16\00:38:33.26
I was now covered
with the righteousness
00:38:33.29\00:38:34.90
of Jesus Christ.
00:38:34.93\00:38:35.96
Paul says in Romans
6:11, "Likewise you also,
00:38:35.99\00:38:39.68
now reckon yourselves
to be dead indeed to sin,
00:38:39.71\00:38:43.06
but alive to God in
Christ Jesus our Lord."
00:38:43.09\00:38:45.66
I'll tell you a little
secret about Jeannie and me.
00:38:48.66\00:38:50.32
When we got
engaged I was nearly 20,
00:38:50.35\00:38:58.32
and let me tell
you, when we got married,
00:38:58.35\00:39:01.27
we weren't perfect.
But we got married anyway.
00:39:01.30\00:39:05.38
And it was a perfect beginning.
00:39:05.41\00:39:08.13
You see, that's
what's important tonight.
00:39:08.16\00:39:09.61
Ephesians 4:5 says, "One
Lord, one faith, one baptism."
00:39:09.64\00:39:14.81
Keep it simple,
Lonn. No confusion.
00:39:14.84\00:39:17.11
The only question to
ask is, what did Jesus do?
00:39:17.14\00:39:21.81
When it was the
right time, He did it.
00:39:21.84\00:39:24.24
No hesitation,
no putting it off.
00:39:24.27\00:39:26.86
And the question today is,
00:39:26.89\00:39:28.40
will I take Him at His
word and follow His example?
00:39:28.43\00:39:32.60
Friend, I may not
know who you are out there.
00:39:32.63\00:39:34.60
I mean, I would have
met you in your location
00:39:34.63\00:39:36.29
or where you have been
on your spiritual journey.
00:39:36.32\00:39:40.20
If you have not
understood the meaning
00:39:40.23\00:39:42.30
and importance
of baptism before,
00:39:42.33\00:39:44.21
or if you have not had
00:39:44.24\00:39:45.57
the privilege of following Jesus
00:39:45.60\00:39:47.22
in this sacred ceremony
of baptism by immersion,
00:39:47.25\00:39:50.71
well, then the same question
00:39:50.74\00:39:51.97
and the same
invitation comes to you
00:39:52.00\00:39:53.67
just now that Paul presented
to the Philippian jailer
00:39:53.70\00:39:56.13
when he cried out, "Sirs,
what must I do to be saved?"
00:39:56.16\00:40:02.76
It's still the same
question, still the same answer.
00:40:02.79\00:40:06.75
And the invitation
comes to you tonight.
00:40:06.78\00:40:08.93
Acts 22:16,
"Why are you waiting?
00:40:08.96\00:40:12.21
Arise, be baptized,
wash away your sins."
00:40:12.24\00:40:17.94
Will you say
"yes" to Jesus today?
00:40:17.97\00:40:22.87
Well, you say, you know,
00:40:22.90\00:40:23.94
"I don't know if I really
feel like I'm really ready."
00:40:23.97\00:40:27.72
Well, friend, feelings
have very little to do with it.
00:40:27.75\00:40:31.24
I mean, how can we
rely on our feelings
00:40:31.27\00:40:33.23
for something as
important as baptism?
00:40:33.26\00:40:35.75
I just told you that Jeannie
00:40:35.78\00:40:36.95
and I couldn't
wait to get married.
00:40:36.98\00:40:39.72
We've been separated
by three years of college.
00:40:39.75\00:40:41.56
Me on the West Coast,
00:40:41.59\00:40:42.62
she living in the
state of Maryland.
00:40:42.65\00:40:44.79
But let me tell
you, we were so thankful
00:40:44.82\00:40:46.55
to finally get married.
00:40:46.58\00:40:47.94
And let me tell a little secret.
00:40:47.97\00:40:49.77
We got married in that
little Methodist Church
00:40:49.80\00:40:51.28
in Frederick, Maryland.
00:40:51.31\00:40:52.53
When the ceremony was
over, we are just kids.
00:40:52.56\00:40:54.51
We walked out.
00:40:54.54\00:40:55.78
We were gonna greet
the people in the reception
00:40:55.81\00:40:57.17
and I leaned
over and I whispered
00:40:57.20\00:40:58.41
as I kissed her on the cheek.
00:40:58.44\00:40:59.65
I said, sweetheart, I
know we've said the words,
00:40:59.68\00:41:02.85
we've said, "I do"
00:41:02.88\00:41:03.91
but I don't
feel married, do you?
00:41:03.94\00:41:06.19
I don't feel any different.
00:41:06.22\00:41:08.50
Do you think
that we waited around
00:41:08.53\00:41:09.86
in that little
Methodist Church in Frederick
00:41:09.89\00:41:11.46
until I felt married before
we went off on our honeymoon?
00:41:11.49\00:41:15.38
Are you kidding? No way.
00:41:15.41\00:41:18.81
But the feelings
finally caught up later.
00:41:18.84\00:41:21.03
It was about six months
later. Now you've seen Jeannie.
00:41:21.06\00:41:23.37
You know that
she's neat as a pin.
00:41:23.40\00:41:25.25
One morning I woke up
and I looked over to her
00:41:25.28\00:41:27.10
and her hair was
kind of this way.
00:41:27.13\00:41:29.58
I said, "Honey,
you know something?
00:41:29.61\00:41:31.53
I think I finally feel married."
00:41:31.56\00:41:35.93
Friends, it's the
same with baptism.
00:41:35.96\00:41:38.21
You can't wait until
you feel right about it.
00:41:38.24\00:41:41.00
It's the only right thing to do.
00:41:41.03\00:41:43.59
And the feelings,
they'll come, later.
00:41:43.62\00:41:47.37
Some say, well, you know,
00:41:47.40\00:41:48.46
maybe I should wait
though until I'm a little older,
00:41:48.49\00:41:50.80
maybe a little more mature.
00:41:50.83\00:41:54.32
Let me give you a little
statistic from Barna Research.
00:41:54.35\00:41:57.17
You've got all kinds of
Harris polls and Gallup polls.
00:41:57.20\00:42:00.62
Well, there's Barna Research
00:42:00.65\00:42:02.28
is a religious poll
it's scientifically studied
00:42:02.31\00:42:04.80
and they
described the statistics.
00:42:04.83\00:42:06.87
Notice the screen.
00:42:06.90\00:42:08.39
The probability of a
person accepting Jesus Christ
00:42:08.42\00:42:11.03
in relation to their age.
00:42:11.06\00:42:12.85
If you don't accept Jesus
00:42:12.88\00:42:14.59
and be baptized
before you're 14,
00:42:14.62\00:42:17.75
the likelihood is that
you have a very slim chance
00:42:17.78\00:42:20.78
you ever will
accept Jesus Christ.
00:42:20.81\00:42:23.70
The facts are that if a person
00:42:23.73\00:42:25.51
is baptized from
the years of 5-13,
00:42:25.54\00:42:28.85
the likelihood
is 32% of a chance
00:42:28.88\00:42:31.43
and probability of
accepting Jesus Christ.
00:42:31.46\00:42:33.95
That's the best age.
00:42:33.98\00:42:35.99
If you wait till you're 14-18,
in that middle teenage years,
00:42:36.02\00:42:39.87
the likelihood
plummets down to 4%
00:42:39.90\00:42:42.98
of a probability of
accepting Jesus Christ.
00:42:43.01\00:42:45.63
If you wait till
you're 19 up until death,
00:42:45.66\00:42:49.20
you only have a 6% probability
00:42:49.23\00:42:51.19
that you will ever
accept Jesus Christ.
00:42:51.22\00:42:55.03
In other words,
the teenage years
00:42:55.06\00:42:56.38
are not the best prime time
00:42:56.41\00:42:58.20
because it just
doesn't work out that way.
00:42:58.23\00:43:01.07
But prior to 12
when the majority decide,
00:43:01.10\00:43:04.71
that's the
greatest potential among
00:43:04.74\00:43:06.12
our young people
and our children.
00:43:06.15\00:43:07.28
But the point is,
regardless of your age,
00:43:07.31\00:43:09.06
if you have felt Jesus
Christ speaking to your heart,
00:43:09.09\00:43:12.74
now is the day,
today is the time,
00:43:12.77\00:43:14.79
and tonight Jesus and I want
00:43:14.82\00:43:16.30
to extend a personal invitation.
00:43:16.33\00:43:18.10
If you'd like to
make plans to follow Jesus
00:43:18.13\00:43:20.40
all the way in Bible baptism,
00:43:20.43\00:43:22.61
I want you to make
a tangible decision,
00:43:22.64\00:43:25.31
and a choice to stand up
for Jesus Christ tonight.
00:43:25.34\00:43:28.85
He went to Calvary for you.
00:43:28.88\00:43:31.72
If you want to be baptized,
we want to pray for you,
00:43:31.75\00:43:34.41
we want to help you.
00:43:34.44\00:43:35.75
We're kind of like
spiritual obstetricians
00:43:35.78\00:43:38.62
in the new
birth experience here.
00:43:38.65\00:43:40.02
We're just here to assist.
00:43:40.05\00:43:42.45
And I know some people hesitate.
00:43:42.48\00:43:43.51
And they hold back.
00:43:43.54\00:43:44.57
They don't believe
that maybe they're ready.
00:43:44.60\00:43:47.41
But remember friend, baptism
doesn't mean you're perfect.
00:43:47.44\00:43:50.68
It means you are committed.
00:43:50.71\00:43:52.84
And Jesus invites
you, "Follow My footsteps
00:43:52.87\00:43:56.02
in the watery grave of baptism.
00:43:56.05\00:43:58.34
I offer
forgiveness, I offer freedom
00:43:58.37\00:44:00.85
from all guilt of your past,
00:44:00.88\00:44:02.82
I offer you power
to live a new life
00:44:02.85\00:44:05.60
through the Holy Spirit."
00:44:05.63\00:44:07.85
No one is gonna get
baptized tonight here.
00:44:07.88\00:44:11.17
You'll have time to prepare.
00:44:11.20\00:44:13.02
You'll have time to review
the A, B, Cs of the Bible.
00:44:13.05\00:44:16.40
It doesn't take long.
00:44:16.43\00:44:18.13
The important question is,
00:44:18.16\00:44:19.42
will you say yes
to Jesus right now?
00:44:19.45\00:44:23.05
If you'd like to follow Jesus
all the way in Bible baptism,
00:44:23.08\00:44:26.71
I want you to make your decision
00:44:26.74\00:44:28.01
on that response card tonight
00:44:28.04\00:44:29.50
as the row
captain sends that down.
00:44:29.53\00:44:32.01
Please take that decision card
00:44:32.04\00:44:34.30
and make your choice
tonight while Joey sings.
00:44:34.33\00:44:39.01
Deep in your heart
00:44:39.04\00:44:43.04
You heart His call
00:44:43.07\00:44:47.84
And deep in your heart
00:44:47.87\00:44:52.60
You long to give your all
00:44:52.63\00:44:58.33
But you're just like me
00:44:58.36\00:45:03.35
So very weak and small
00:45:03.38\00:45:09.73
And you fear to
be beneath the water
00:45:09.76\00:45:17.73
Beneath the
water, is the dying place
00:45:23.47\00:45:31.47
Beneath the water,
awaits amazing grace
00:45:35.24\00:45:43.24
Beneath the water,
you die to be born again
00:45:46.71\00:45:54.71
Your life just
begins beneath the water
00:45:59.07\00:46:06.84
Let us pray together.
00:46:12.20\00:46:14.88
Precious Savior,
I want to thank You
00:46:14.91\00:46:16.77
for touching our hearts tonight.
00:46:16.80\00:46:19.91
And for
whispering this is the way.
00:46:19.94\00:46:23.65
Lord, if there's any
individual who hasn't responded,
00:46:23.68\00:46:26.04
may they do so
during this prayer.
00:46:26.07\00:46:27.87
I want to thank
You though for playing
00:46:27.90\00:46:29.34
sensitively over our hearts
during this message tonight.
00:46:29.37\00:46:33.96
We feel the tug of God
to commit our lives to You
00:46:33.99\00:46:37.76
and as each one
here has responded
00:46:37.79\00:46:39.73
and is making their choice,
00:46:39.76\00:46:41.84
Lord, would you
just smile down upon them
00:46:41.87\00:46:43.85
with heaven's
choicest blessings.
00:46:43.88\00:46:46.97
May they feel Your tender hand
00:46:47.00\00:46:49.95
and accept Your
forgiveness for their sins
00:46:49.98\00:46:53.15
and determine that each tomorrow
00:46:53.18\00:46:54.71
is going to be a day of
victory and rejoicing knowing
00:46:54.74\00:46:58.47
we've made our eternal
decision to choose Jesus.
00:46:58.50\00:47:03.04
To follow and accept
His life and His burial
00:47:03.07\00:47:06.06
and His resurrection for
us, following His example.
00:47:06.09\00:47:10.48
While our heads are bowed,
00:47:10.51\00:47:11.57
I want you to just look
at your little card there
00:47:11.60\00:47:13.90
and respond with me, would you?
00:47:13.93\00:47:15.82
I hope every one here tonight,
00:47:15.85\00:47:17.91
whether you're a
church member or not,
00:47:17.94\00:47:19.93
will check that first one,
00:47:19.96\00:47:21.06
"I believe the Bible teaching
00:47:21.09\00:47:23.91
that a person must
choose to be baptized
00:47:23.94\00:47:26.47
and surrender to Jesus."
00:47:26.50\00:47:27.65
Put a check there.
00:47:27.68\00:47:29.58
Then number two, there
are several options here.
00:47:29.61\00:47:31.91
"I desire to be ready
00:47:31.94\00:47:33.72
when Jesus comes and
I look forward to..."
00:47:33.75\00:47:36.12
Some of you may
want to choose this one.
00:47:36.15\00:47:37.64
Being baptized
like Jesus real soon.
00:47:37.67\00:47:41.43
There may be individuals here
00:47:41.46\00:47:42.70
who want to take the
step of being re-baptized.
00:47:42.73\00:47:47.05
You'd want to
check the second one.
00:47:47.08\00:47:49.27
And then third,
some of you might
00:47:49.30\00:47:51.37
already be baptized Christians
00:47:51.40\00:47:53.47
but you'd like to become a part
of God's special commandment
00:47:53.50\00:47:56.03
keeping people by
profession of your faith.
00:47:56.06\00:47:59.73
You could check that
third box onto that second area.
00:47:59.76\00:48:03.35
Then notice the
third option, the big box.
00:48:03.38\00:48:05.40
"I desire special
prayer to make my decision..."
00:48:05.43\00:48:08.10
A request and
interview with the counselor.
00:48:08.13\00:48:10.46
We'd be happy to
get in touch with you,
00:48:10.49\00:48:12.05
or we can meet you over
here at our hospitality center.
00:48:12.08\00:48:15.63
Make that choice
right now and then return it
00:48:15.66\00:48:18.25
in the containers as Joey sings.
00:48:18.28\00:48:21.53
Beneath the
water, is the dying place
00:48:21.56\00:48:29.53
Beneath the water,
awaits amazing grace
00:48:33.08\00:48:41.08
Beneath the water,
you die to be born again
00:48:44.65\00:48:52.65
Your life just
begins beneath the water
00:48:56.61\00:49:04.61
There may be some of
you who have questions,
00:49:10.54\00:49:12.18
or you want
special prayer for habits
00:49:12.21\00:49:14.16
or victory in your lives.
00:49:14.19\00:49:15.81
We're gonna be
praying for each one of you.
00:49:15.84\00:49:18.45
We'd like to
specially invite you though
00:49:18.48\00:49:19.76
to meet our
counselors afterwards tonight
00:49:19.79\00:49:21.84
in the
hospitality center right here
00:49:21.87\00:49:23.51
so we can pray for you.
00:49:23.54\00:49:26.62
I want you to
remember that tomorrow night
00:49:26.65\00:49:28.92
is a subject that has
created many, many questions
00:49:28.95\00:49:32.09
in the minds of
people today with the series
00:49:32.12\00:49:37.25
that so many have been
reading about, Tim Lahaye.
00:49:37.28\00:49:41.67
What about the rapture?
What about the great escape?
00:49:41.70\00:49:45.98
Be sure to join us.
00:49:46.01\00:49:48.05
Here on our local location here,
00:49:48.08\00:49:49.65
many of you want to slip
over to the hospitality center,
00:49:49.68\00:49:52.01
some of the heritage
singers will be there,
00:49:52.04\00:49:53.40
and they also will be providing
their materials for sale.
00:49:53.43\00:49:56.85
We'd like to remind you
that we want you to bring
00:49:56.88\00:50:00.66
your friends tomorrow night.
00:50:00.69\00:50:01.79
My brother will be
here and for the first time,
00:50:01.82\00:50:03.84
and probably the
only time in this series,
00:50:03.87\00:50:05.40
I will be
singing on the platform.
00:50:05.43\00:50:07.77
We're gonna have a
little mini concert beforehand.
00:50:07.80\00:50:09.72
So you come early.
00:50:09.75\00:50:11.18
Thank you very
much for coming tonight.
00:50:11.21\00:50:13.51
Remember as we close
our broadcast every day,
00:50:13.54\00:50:15.59
friend, God
really does love you.
00:50:15.62\00:50:20.23
Amen. Good night, everyone.
00:50:20.26\00:50:21.78