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A Picture of New Life

No video of the Sermon was made due to having service at the River Pavilion. We had 5 people baptized at the river following service.

Here is a rough Transcript (not exactly how I preached it, as I went off the cough a lot)

A Picture of New Life

Introduction

In a little while, we’re going to leave this pavilion, walk together down to the beach, and watch several people be baptized. And most of us probably know what baptism looks like.

  • Someone walks into the water.
  • We lower them underneath it.
  • And then we bring them back up.

But here’s the question:

Why?

  • Why has the Church been doing this for nearly 2,000 years?
  • Why did Jesus command His followers to do this?

Because Jesus gave His Church a picture of the Gospel that we don't just hear. We can see it.

A person goes down. - They are buried beneath the water. - And then they come back up.

  • Death
    • Burial
      • Resurrection
        • New life

Baptism is a declaration:

The person I was has died with Christ. - Jesus has given me new life. - And now I belong to Him.

  1. BAPTISM IS A PICTURE OF NEW LIFE

Romans 6:3–4

“Or are you unaware that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? Therefore we were buried with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too may walk in newness of life.”

  • Paul gives us this incredible picture.
  • He says baptism pictures someone who has placed their faith in Jesus Christ.
  1. Jesus died.
  2. Jesus was buried.
  3. Jesus rose again.

When we are baptized, we publicly identify with His death, His burial, and His resurrection.

Greek Word Study – The Greek word translated “baptize” is: baptismo

It carries the idea of:

  • immersing  -  submerging

Now the picture in Romans 6 makes perfect sense.

  1. When we lower someone beneath the water today, we're picturing:
  • Buried with Christ.
  1. And when we bring them back out:
  • Raised to new life.

But I want to make something very clear today:

  • Water isn't what makes somebody new. Jesus does.
  • We aren't taking people down to the river today so that water can wash their sins away.
  • They are baptized because they placed their faith in Jesus and He already changed their lives.

Baptism is the outward declaration of an inward transformation.

2 Corinthians 5:17

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, and see, the new has come!”

Paul doesn't say:

  • “If anyone is in Christ, he's going to try a little harder.”
  • “He has to clean himself up first.”

He says:

  • NEW CREATION.

Christianity isn't Jesus taking the old version of us and making some improvements.

Jesus gives us new life.

  • The old has passed away.
  • The new has come.

And baptism is our opportunity to stand before our family, our church, our friends—and publicly say:

  • “Jesus has made me new.”
  1. WATER HAS ALWAYS BEEN A PICTURE OF CLEANSING

In the OT there is something interesting when you look back through Scripture.

Long before Jesus commanded His disciples to baptize…

  • washing with water was already an important biblical picture.
  • Under the Old Covenant, God gave Israel ceremonial washings associated with purification and cleansing.
  • Even the priests were required to wash before serving.

Exodus 30:20

“Whenever they enter the tent of meeting they must wash with water so that they will not die. Also, when they approach the altar to minister by burning an offering to the LORD,”

Water became associated with cleansing.

  • But those outward washings were pointing toward something greater.
  • Because Israel's greatest problem wasn't dirt on the outside.
  • It was sin on the inside.

In Ezekiel, God promised that a day was coming when He would do something much deeper.

Ezekiel 36:25–26

“I will also sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean. I will cleanse you from all your impurities and all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will remove your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.”

Listen to what God promises:

“I will cleanse you.”

“I will give you a new heart.”

“I will put a new spirit within you.”

God was pointing toward something greater than outward cleansing.

He wanted to change the heart.

Then we come into the New Testament, and suddenly a man named John the Baptist appears.

Mark 1:4

“John came baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.”

People were publicly acknowledging their sin and turning to God in preparation for the coming Messiah.

And then...Jesus…The Gospel --- so we can flow like this…

Old Testament — Cleansing.

John — Repentance.

Jesus — Death, Burial, and Resurrection.

The Church — Public identification with Christ.

So when we baptize someone today, we're not performing some empty religious ritual.

We're watching someone publicly declare:

“My old life is gone.
I have trusted Jesus.
And I am following Him.”

  1. BAPTISM IS AN ACT OF OBEDIENCE

And finally, baptism isn't merely a nice tradition Christians developed.

Jesus commanded it.

Before Jesus ascended into heaven, He gave His followers what we call the Great Commission.

Matthew 28:19–20

“Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Notice the progression:

Make disciples.

Baptize them.

Teach them to follow Jesus.

And when the Church begins in Acts, that's exactly what happens.

Acts 2:38

Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, each of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”

Acts 2:41

“So those who accepted his message were baptized, and that day about three thousand people were added to them.”

See the Simplicity:

  • They didn't wait until they understood everything in the Bible.
  • They didn't wait until they had been Christians for ten years.
  • They didn't wait until they had their lives completely figured out.

They trusted and then they obeyed Jesus.

CONCLUSION – LET'S GO SEE THE GOSPEL

In just a few minutes, we're going to get up from here and walk together down to the water.

And when we get there, I want you to remember what we've talked about.

  • Don't just watch somebody get wet.
  • Watch the Gospel being pictured.

When they go beneath the water:

  • Christ died—and my old life died with Him.

When they come back up:

  • Christ lives—and I have been given new life in Him.

And when they stand before all of us:

  • I belong to Jesus, and I'm not ashamed for you to know it.

Remember what Paul said:

Romans 6:4

“…just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too may walk in newness of life.”

 

Baptism is simply their public declaration:

The old has passed away.
The new has come.
I belong to Jesus.

 

And if you've placed your faith in Jesus Christ and not been believer baptized…

I would encourage you:

  • Don't treat something Jesus commanded as something insignificant.
  • You don't need to wait until you're perfect.
  • You don't need to have everything figured out.

If you've trusted Jesus, take that next step of obedience.

 

But for those being baptized today, this is a celebration.

Today they are publicly saying:

  • “Jesus Christ has given me new life.”

So church...

  • Let's go down to the water and celebrate some new life.