Baptism. It's a very misunderstood ordinance.
It's not a ritual. It's not a church tradition. It's actually a command from
Christ. It's a public act of faith. Turn with me to Matthew chapter
28, verse 19. Matthew 28, verse 19. This is often described as the
Great Commission. It's the Gospel, as I hope we'll
see. I hope that when we're through
with this today, that everyone understands something about baptism,
the urgency of it, and the Gospel that's seen in it. So first thing I want you to
see is that baptism is obedience to Christ's command. Look at
verse 19, Matthew chapter 28. Go ye therefore. Now listen,
that's not a suggestion or a request for the believer
to make a decision on. Christ said, go ye therefore
and teach all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father
and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost, verse 20, teaching them
to observe all things whatsoever I have, what, commanded you. And lo, I am with you always,
even unto the end of the world. Now, the first thing we see is
that baptism is the first step of obedience. after coming to
faith in Christ. It isn't optional for believers. It's a command coming directly
from Christ. It's an act of obedience. It's
not a work to earn salvation. I can't tell you how many funerals
I've attended over the years where someone's salvation was
attributed to baptism. My grandmother God bless her
soul, she was a dear, dear woman, but she didn't know God. She
had no interest in the things of Christ. Yet, the day they
buried her, the preacher stood and said, Ethel made a public
profession of faith in Christ and baptism when she was eight
years old. And as far as I know, from that
day forth, according to my mom or anyone else, never showed
any interest in Christ or the things of the gospel. In baptism, it's submission to
the Lord who saved us. It's how believers publicly confess
Christ, identify with Him. In baptism, believers are identifying
with Christ's death, His burial, and His resurrection. And this
isn't something man invented. It was the example of the early
church. For a believer, refusal to be
baptized, now listen, I'm not gonna sugarcoat it, it's disobedience. Christ said, believe and be baptized. It does not be, it's disobedience. True faith produces obedience. Now baptism is the believer's
first step of discipleship. What did the Lord say in John
14, 15? He said, if you love me, keep my commandments. Baptism is not a burden. It's
a blessing. And it strengthens assurance. It encourages the church. And
most importantly, it glorifies the Lord Jesus Christ. Public
obedience inspires others to follow Christ. You know, when
I announced Wednesday evening that Amanda and Derek were going
to profess Christ in baptism today, I watched the handful that was
here after service. And they went up to them, and
they were just so happy for them, and they congratulated them.
But it's an encouragement to all believers. Secondly, baptism
is an identification with Christ. It symbolizes our union with
Christ. Now listen, this is the most
important thing in all the world. Our union with Christ. As I've
already said, it identifies us with Christ's death, His burial
into the water, and His resurrection out of the water. Our union with
Christ is everything. It's not just a side note in
our preaching, it's everything. Without it, there's no justification,
no being made just with God. There's no sanctification, no
being set apart and made holy. There's no adoption. being made
a child of God, and there's no glorification. One day, laying
down this body of flesh, which baptism represents, and being
raised in newness of life, and being glorified, made just like
the Lord Jesus Christ. Now that's a day I can't wait
for. I will. I have to, don't have any choice. But I'm looking forward to it.
Every blessing of salvation comes because we're joined to Christ. Paul hammers home this truth
that all things come in Christ, with Christ, through Christ. How many times do we read it
in the epistles? Justification. We're declared
righteous in the Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Corinthians 5.21. For He, Christ,
or for He, God, hath made Him Christ to be sin for us, that
we might be made the righteousness of God and healed. Is that important? Most important thing in the world.
Because without the righteousness of Christ, you will not see God. You've got to be perfectly holy
and righteous, just as Christ is. Sanctification, we're made
holy through Him, no other way. 1 Corinthians 1.30, but of Him
are you in Christ Jesus, who has made in us wisdom, righteousness,
and sanctification, and redemption. Everything that we need is found
in Christ. Adoption. We're children of God. With Him is our elder brother.
Paul wrote in Romans 8, verse 16, the Spirit itself beareth
witness with our spirit that we are the children of God. How
do you know you're a child of God? I just know that I know.
God's Spirit beareth witness with my spirit. You're not going
to talk me out of it. And if children, then heirs.
Heirs of God. and join ears with Christ, if
so be that we suffer with Him, that we may be also glorified
together." You know what glorified means? No sin. Without sin. We can't even imagine what that's
going to be like. Colossians 3 verse 4, glorification. will be raised with Him. When
Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear
with Him in glory. Outside of Christ, all we have
is sin. All we are is sin. And all we
experience will be wrath and death. But in Christ, we have
life and we have peace. And we have hope. Don't you want
hope? Oh, I want hope. I have something
to hope in now. And I'll have an inheritance
that can't be shaken. You know, when folks receive
an inheritance that's divided up, we wonder how it's going
to be divided up. Listen, God is our heir. And we've been God's
heir, joint heirs with Christ. We all get it all. It's not divided
up like a pizza pie. We all get it all. To say that our union with Christ
is everything is just the same as to say without Him we're nothing
and with Him we have it all. Pardon. Power. Identity. Hope. It's all found in our union
with Christ. Truly Christ is all. That's a big little word, isn't
it? All we need, all God requires. That's what we've got in Him.
Thirdly, baptism is a public confession of faith. Baptism
is an outward declaration of an inward reality. It shows the
world that you belong to Christ. You are telling the world, Christ
is my beloved and I'm His. He's my everything. He's my everything. You know, a wedding ring doesn't
make someone married, and baptism doesn't save. That's what most
people think. A ring is given to show that
marriage has taken place. It's proof of a vow made between
two people. Proof of a covenant made. That's
what a marriage union is. Baptism is the sinner professing
salvation has taken place. It identifies the professing
sinner with Christ and His people. Baptism is profession that has
been made. Baptism is a profession that
a covenant has been entered into. Baptism is a visible sermon of
the gospel. How so? When we see somebody
Buried, immersed in the water? That shows us something of our
death in Christ and our being buried with Him. And when they
rise up at pictures being raised in newness of life. Now that's
already occurred. But it's just an outward sign
of an inward reality. In Acts 2 verse 41, it says those
who received His Word were baptized openly. They weren't baptized
and then received His Word upon their baptism. They received
His Word and then they professed Christ and repented of their
sin and was baptized. Just as a wedding ring testifies
to marriage, baptism testifies to faith in Christ. It's not
just about private feelings. Somebody says, well, that's a
private thing between me and the Lord. Is it? It's also a public witness. It's
a confession to all that Christ is your all. Baptism brings believers
into visible fellowship with the church. It marks a line of
separation out of the world into the body of Christ. It's a public confession that
testifies not only union to Christ, but also union with God's people. That's why you're rejoicing with
me this morning. That's why I rejoice with you
when the Lord saves one of your loved ones. Because we're all
the same family. Baptism is not saving grace.
It's a sign of saving grace. It's the believer's way of saying,
I've died with Christ. I've risen with Christ. And I
will live for Christ. Now, will we live perfectly for
Christ? No. You know better. But we sure
want to. We sure enough want to. Have
you trusted Christ but never followed Him in baptism? What's
keeping you from taking that step to obedience? It's something
you need to search your heart about. Confess Him openly. He commands you to do so. And
that's what Derek and Amanda are doing today. Fourthly, baptism
is a testimony to the gospel. Baptism is not the gospel. But
it certainly testifies to it. It testifies to Christ's work,
not man's. The work of Christ is salvation. For you are saved by grace through
faith that is not of yourselves. Did you hear that? It's not of
yourselves. It's not by works. Did you hear
that? It's not by works. It's by grace. By grace through faith. God gives
you the grace. God gives you the faith to believe. It's God's work. It's Christ's
work. It's not by work. Lest any man should boast. You
know why it says that? Because we'll boast. Look what I did for Jesus. Filthy rags. Not worth talking
about. It testifies to Christ's death.
Now stay with me just for a few minutes. We're not going to go
long. Let me say this first about the
Lord's death. It was not a tragedy. We call everything tragedies
anymore. There are some tragedies. Well,
not really, because the Lord purposed everything. The Lord's
death was not a tragedy. It was a substitution. It was a sacrifice. Christ died
for a people. He bore their guilt. It wasn't
an afterthought. Christ's death was an atonement.
His death satisfied God's justice. The wrath that you and I were
due was poured out on Him. That's pretty simple. Baptism points to the cleansing
power of God. Christ's death was reconciliation. Our sin has separated us from
God as we saw in the first hour. Our sin has caused God to hide
His face from us that He will not hear us. How are we going to be reconciled
to this God? Only one way. in, by, and through
the God-man, Jesus Christ. By His death, the barrier, the
partition, the wall of partition, whatever you want to call it,
between God and man is tore down, just like that veil in the temple
was ripped from top to bottom, showing us that we can now come
boldly into the throne of God's grace to receive mercy and help
in time of need. Tore down. God is no longer angry
with the wicked. The wicked that have been made
righteous. They're no longer enemies. They're
no longer considered wicked. They're righteous in the eyes
of God. God has made them so. Ephesians
2.13, but now in Christ Jesus, ye who were sometimes were afar
off, wicked, separated, were made nigh by the blood of Christ,
for He is our peace. Did you hear that? who hath made
both one and hath broken down the middle wall of partition
between us, having abolished in His flesh by His death the
enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances, for
to make in Himself of twain, of two, one new man." There's
that union again. You hear people say things like,
well, when God looks at me, He sees Christ. That's right. That's
exactly right. No separation. God looks at me, the rich that
I am, He sees His beloved perfect Son. two made one, so make him peace,
and that he might reconcile both unto God in one body. How? By the cross, having slain the
enmity thereby. Listen, when the Lord hung on
the cross, we always talk about His physical suffering, what
was done to Him, the crown of thorns on His head, the nails
through His hands and feet, the spear in His side, but that doesn't
even compare to the soul suffering that he suffered. And it was
all because our sin, the sin of God's people, were put upon
him. And he paid the debt in full. He drank the cup of wrath dry. That's suffering. Christ's death
was a victory. His death was the death of death. Did you catch that? His death
was the death of death. No more death. By dying, He destroyed
the power of Satan. He took away the sting of death.
And now we ask, death, where's your sting? Grave, where's your
victory? They've been removed with our
sin. Oh, I hope you can rejoice in
this. Hebrews 2, 14 and 15, for as much then as the children
are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took
part of the same, he became a man, and through death, that through
death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that
is the devil, and deliver them who through fear of death were
all their lifetime subject to bondage. Oh, when sin is on you,
you are in bondage. You're a slave to it. Christ
has taken it away. He's made you free from the law
of sin and death. Oh, death, where is thy sting?
Oh, grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin. The stinger's been removed because
sin's been removed. The strength of sin is the law.
The law's been fulfilled. It can no longer hold me accountable
because Christ fulfilled it for me and God is satisfied. But thanks be to God, which giveth
us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. And this is the
very heart of the gospel. I remember when Steve first started
coming here, I don't know that he realized it or not, but he
paid me one of the greatest compliments that you could pay a preacher,
and he didn't even know it. You know what he said to me?
He said, you act like you believe what you're preaching. I do. I do. I'm wagering my soul on it. I believe, Lord help thou my
unbelief, but I believe, I sure do. Christ died for sinners,
and not only that, Christ died for me. Me. And because he died for me, my
sin is forgiven, and God's wrath is satisfied, and eternal life
is secured. Baptism testifies to Christ's
burial. His burial was proof of His death. It was an undeniable confirmation
that God in the flesh truly died. He did not just appear to die.
He didn't just faint. He died. He was wrapped in grave
clothes. He was laid in a sealed tomb.
The tomb was guarded. His burial shows that His death
was actual. His burial was a fulfillment
of prophecy. Christ made His grave with the
wicked, Isaiah 53, 9. And with the rich in His death,
Christ was crucified between two criminals. He made His grave
with the wicked. He was buried in the tomb of
a wealthy man with the rich in his death. All this was fulfilled
right down to the jot and tittle. Christ's burial was identification
with humanity. Burial is the destiny of all
men. None of us are going to get out
alive. Not unless the Lord returns.
We're not getting out alive. It doesn't matter if we live
to be a hundred. We're not getting out alive. Ecclesiastes 3.20, all go into
one place. All are of the dust and all turn
to dust again. The Lord Jesus went all the way
into death's humiliation and the grave itself. He fully entered
the human condition, if I can say it that way. He was made
to be sin, though He knew no sin. I'm not saying Christ was
a sinner, He knew no sin. He was made sin, that you and
I may be given, imputed the word of Scripture is, charged, His
righteousness charged us. This is not a hard message to
understand. Impossible to believe unless
God gives you life. Christ's burial is the assurance
that sin was put away. Burial symbolizes the finality
of death. I can go right now to Henderson
at a particular Gravesite and my mom and dad, both, have been
there nearly 30 years. Final. It's final. Not for the
believer. Not for the believer. Romans
6, 4, Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death,
that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory
of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. And Christ's burial is preparation
for the resurrection glory. The grave becomes the doorway
to victory. It's not the end. Paul said my
time, departure is at hand. I'm not dying, Paul said, I'm
departing. I'm going to a better place.
I'm getting a promotion. Everybody likes promotions, right? Oh, you'll like this one. The
grave was turned from a place of terror into a passage into
life for those who are united with Christ. My dear brother told me just
a couple weeks ago when he could still talk, he said, I'm ready
to go home. He said, and I mean home, home. I knew what he meant. Ready to go home. Are you ready
to go home? Christ's resurrection validates
His claims of conquering death. It confirms that He is God the
Son. It confirms that He has authority
over life and death. Without the resurrection, His
claims would be just empty claims. Christ's resurrection is the
vindication of His sacrifice. Our Lord's death would have been
meaningless if He had remained in that tomb. But He didn't. Therefore, it's full of meaning. The resurrection proves that
His sacrifice paid for sin and paid for it in full, and God
accepted that payment. If God doesn't accept the payment,
the payment doesn't matter. If I go down to the bank and
try to pay in some kind of crazy monopoly money, pay my bill,
you think they're going to accept it? I was teasing a lady the other
day. I stopped and I was paying with a card. I said, you take
Sears card. She said, do they still have
those? I said, no, I'm just kidding. The fact that death could not
hold the Lord proves that His sacrifice has not only paid for
sin, Chris, but that God accepted His payment. Sin's penalty has
been defeated. His resurrection is the guarantee
of our justification. According to Romans chapter four,
verse 25, Christ was delivered for our trespasses and raised
for our justification. His resurrection assures us believers
that our sins are forgiven and that we're made right with God. Listen, baptism is much more
than just getting wet. Just much more than getting our
hair wet. Because Christ rose, believers
have a promise of eternal life. And that's what we're doing when
we get baptized. We're identifying with Him and
what He did for us. That's what Paul said in 1 Corinthians
15. But now has Christ risen from the dead and become the
firstfruits of them that slept. For since by man came death,
by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all
die, even so in Christ shall all his people be made alive. If Christ hadn't been raised,
our preaching is useless. We might as well just drain this
right now, close up shop, and go home. Our preaching is in vain. Christ
died in vain. But if Christ did not rise, our
faith is vain. Useless. And we're yet in our
sins. But that's not the case. That's
not the case. My, my. His resurrection proves that
He's who He said He was. His resurrection validates His
finished work. It defeats death. It guarantees
our salvation. And it empowers our lives. The resurrection faith is meaningless,
but with it, our hope is unstoppable. So in closing, let me ask you
this question. Who is it that is baptized? I can answer it in one word,
believers. That's who it's for, believers.
Baptism always follows faith, always follows believing. It
never precedes it. There's only one baptism, and
that's believer's baptism. It's reserved for those that
have already believed in the gospel, for those who have already
repented of their sins, for those that are already trusting in
Christ for salvation. Some believe in infant baptism,
which is administered before personal faith. I don't. Believer's
baptism is a conscious act. It's a conscious act of obedience,
a testimony by someone who's experienced a new birth, a new
creation in the Lord Jesus Christ. Baptism doesn't give you new
life. It proves that God has given
it to you. You follow me? I still make it
harder than it is. Men have made baptism all wrong. Listen to this, Acts chapter
2 verse 41. Then they that gladly received
his word were baptized. They weren't baptized and then
received his word. Receiving the word came first.
Baptism followed. Acts 8 verse 12. But when they
believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom
of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both
men and women. Not before. Believing, then baptism. Believing, then baptism. Personal faith always precedes
baptism. Now back in our text in Matthew
28, I want you to look at it one more time. It says, Go ye
therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of
the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost. Now did you notice
the order there of that verse? The order is disciple, baptize,
then teach. To teach is to make disciples
of nations. It's then that you baptize them. This morning I said, hey, this
is filled up. I want everybody to come on up
here and be baptized and I'm going to preach the gospel to
you and maybe the Lord will save you. Well, you'd think I was
nuts. A disciple is a believer, not
someone who hasn't exercised faith. One of my favorite stories
of baptism is found in Acts chapter 8. I'm going to turn you there
and then I'm done, I promise. Look at Acts chapter 8 verse
34. It's the story of the Ethiopian
eunuch. You remember the story. There's this Ethiopian eunuch.
He's been to Jerusalem. He's seeking God. He didn't find
Him there. God didn't find him. God found
him on the way home in his chariot reading the Scriptures. And in
Acts 8, verse 34, Philip began to preach to him from the Scripture
in the same place that he was found reading. And look at verse
34. And the eunuch answered Philip
and said, I pray thee, of whom speakest the prophet this? Who's this talking about here
in this verse I'm reading? Is he talking about himself or
some other man? And then Philip opened his mouth
and began at the same scripture and preached unto him, what?
Jesus. And as they went on their way,
they came into a certain water and the eunuch said, see, here
is water. And look at his question. What
doth hinder me to be baptized? Philip wasn't there saying, you
really need to be baptized, you need to get your life straightened,
you need to straighten up and fly right, and you need to get
baptized, because that's the only way you're going to be saved.
No, sir. He said, what hinders me to be baptized? Now I want
you to pay close attention to how Philip answers him. This
is so, so important. Verse 37, and Philip said, If
thou believest with all thine heart, Thou mayest." And he,
the eunuch, answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is
the Son of God. He didn't say you may be baptized
if you give your heart to Jesus. He didn't say you can be baptized
if you say this prayer with me. Now, repeat this prayer with
me. Sorry, Mr. Franklin Graham, you're wrong
on that one. He didn't say you may be baptized if you make Jesus
the Lord of your life. He didn't say you may be baptized
if you come to the front of the chariot. Come to the front of
the chariot and bow and give your heart to Jesus, say this
prayer, join the church, and then we'll get you baptized.
No, sir. He said, if thou believest with
all your heart, thou mayest. And Enoch didn't give a long
dissertation, did he? He didn't give a 30-minute testimony.
He didn't list all the things that he'd done with, Lord, Lord,
haven't we done this in Your name? We've done that. We've
done many mighty works. We've cast out devils. We've
healed the sick. We've done this. We've done that.
No, he didn't do that. He didn't brag on all his wonderful
work. He said, I believe that Jesus
Christ is the Son of God. That's all you've got to believe.
It's not hard, impossible, apart from
grace. He knew Jesus Christ and Him
crucified. He knew who Jesus Christ was. He's the Son of God and He's
God the Son. And this man knew it. He knew
what Christ had done. He knew that he died, not just
any death, but the death of the cross. The death of the cross
was the lowest death of shame and suffering, and yet at the
same time, the highest display of God's love and justice. God
Himself, in the person of His Son, bore the curse that you
and I deserve, satisfying the righteous wrath of God against
sin, and at the same time opened the fountain of grace for all
who That's who baptism is for. Are you one of those? If you
are, God's commanded you to be baptized. And Derek and Amanda
this day are laying aside any fear. This is not easy to do.
Getting up in front of people and there's some humiliation
involved. Not easy to do. They're laying
aside fear, pride, any hesitation. That's not what this is about.
This is about honoring Christ. Right? Those of you that have
been baptized, isn't that why? You want to honor Christ. Baptism is not making someone
a Christian. Baptism is their privilege and
calling as Christians, as believers. And this is the desire God has
given to those whom He's given life.