SUBJ:
Christian Baptism and its unmistakable connection to repentance as set
for in the example of John the Baptist and the example given in our
text.
AIM: That the
testimony of salvation might be received by all and be means to provoke
unto repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.
INTR: Baptism
is a familiar topic and lightly considered by many. The example of men
has been followed and something lacking has taken the place of true
repentance and the obedience that follows. 1. It is the ordained way
of testifying to a work of grace in the heart of an individual brought
to confess the Lord Jesus believing that God has raised Him from the
dead. 2. It is to be given
the most serious consideration in that our Lord submitted to it and we
would see the same meaning as did He. 3. We will try to show the
picture here of both the work of Christ in salvation the effect of that
work in the heart of those coming to Him, acknowledging Him as Lord and
seeking in all ways to follow Him in the way.
THESIS: It is enough that Jesus
submitted to it and commanded it that we should obey and follow Him in
the picture He had left us which says it all – death to the old and to
new life in Him!
I. The Baptism of Jesus (Matthew 3:13-17) 1. Considering what John had preached we are left
wondering as to why Jesus would be baptized. 2. Jesus was compelled
to submit and thus pressed the necessity upon a reluctant John. 3.
Many has tried to separate what Jesus did from what we do in obeying Him
1) We are testifying to what Jesus has done; He to what He would do.
2) He was in all ways obedient to the will of the Father in our stead.
II. The Commandment to the Apostles and to us (Matthew 28:19-20)
1. The authority to such a command was His to exercise 2. They were
not sent out on a mission of obtaining superficial professions without
understanding. 3. Their commission was threefold: 1) They were to
make disciples – Peter’s message and its effect (v. 37) 2) They were
to baptize them – The commandment to repent and be baptized 3) They
were to teach them all things (an ongoing process) – See vv. 41-42
III. What they are taught and what they understand (Romans 6:3-6)
1. The passage from Romans uses the outward act of obedience to picture
what has transpired in the believer’s life. 2. Four things are
pictured: 1) Obedience – To the submitted believer is an imperative
and he must be obeyed in all things. 2) A picture of forgiveness
obtained – In picturing the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ,
the same thing is pictured as having occurred in the believer – Christ
went into death with our sins and emerged from death without them – we
are cleansed. 1 John 1:7 3) A picture of new life in Christ – If ye
be risen with Him… -- A new creature in Christ! 4) There is the
declaration made of full identity with Christ – He in us and we in Him –
In that we are buried with Him and risen with Him. 3. In this simple
act of submission, the Gospel is declared.
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