It's All About Jesus: The Baptism of Jesus1/20/19

We celebrate baptism for a very specific reason. It's because the Bible tells us to do so. In a little while we are going to go outside and gather around as new brothers and sisters in Christ make a public proclamation of faith in Jesus. There is definitely a reason that we are celebrating baptism at our church today at the very same time that we come to the place in the Scripture where Jesus himself was baptized.

In our church statement of faith, which you can read on out website, we refer to Baptism in these words: Christian baptism is the immersion of a believer in water in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. It is an act of obedience symbolizing the believer's faith in a crucified, buried, and risen Savior, the believer's death to sin, the burial of the old life, and the resurrection to walk in newness of life in Christ Jesus. It is a testimony to his faith in the final resurrection of the dead.

 

John says that the reason that he started baptizing was to reveal Jesus to Israel. It was to make Christ known. In our New Testament context, that is exactly what baptism is for.

Point number 1 in your notes this morning:

Baptism identifies believers with God’s Kingdom

Point number 2 in your notes this morning:

Baptism joins our worldly self to Christ in death.

 

Point number 3 in your notes this morning:

Baptism joins our spiritual self to Christ in life.

 

Point number 4 in your notes this morning:

The new life of a believer shines holiness for all to see.