Baptism Weekend
OPEN
COLD OPEN:
·
This holiday season, one of the things that we
all look forward to is our presents on Christmas morning. I mean we all love to
get something “NEW”
don’t we. We love to celebrate that new thing(s) in our life.
·
A FAVORIE is a new car
o
New car smell…
o
We want to drive it all the time…
o
Errands to run, “sure, let’s take my new car.”
o
Someone needs a ride, “sure, let’s take my new
car.”
o
It’s exciting.
o
It still gets good gas mileage and there’s no
“clunky” noises.
o
We like to show it off.
The Christmas story is the story of God making EVERYTHING
new…
·
Luke 1:5-25 à story of John the Baptist – Elizabeth barren,
Zach is old – angel visits in the holy of holies – John will be special –JOY at
his birth – He will be filled before birth and will be powerful (all this after
400 years of silence)
·
READ Luke 1:26-38
·
Jesus is going to make the impossible possible – everything old will become new
·
The angles couldn’t keep silent
o
Luke 2: 9 And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the
glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. 10
And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of
great joy that will be for all the people.
o
Luke 2:14 “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among
those with whom he is pleased!”
·
Shepherds couldn’t stay put
·
Wise men couldn’t sit still
o
Matthew 2: 11 And going into the house, they saw the child with Mary
his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their
treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh.
·
The Christmas story is the story of the inbreaking
Kingdom of God
o
This is the beginning of heaven on earth.
o
This is the beginning of EMMANUEL – God with His
people.
o
This is the beginning of new hearts & new
spirits (Ezekiel).
o
This is the beginning of God’s healing power.
o
This is the beginning of God’s presence among all people not just a few.
o
This is the beginning of the end of death,
disease and destruction.
o
This is the beginning of JESUS coming front and
center into our stories.
Dilemma
What does it mean for the “NEW” story of Jesus to begin
to affect our “old life/story”?
Ø For
Christians (followers of Jesus), the Christmas story is the beginning of
Easter.
Ø The
story of the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus.
Ø The
story of God coming to live among us.
Ø The
story of the Father pursuing relationship with us.
Ø The
story of Him redeeming us back into our original design & purposes.
It is NOT…
Ø The
story of a new religion – it IS about the beginning of a new relationship.
Ø The
story of what heaven will be someday – it IS about heaven invading earth.
Ø The
story of a future hope of no more darkness – it IS about light now always
having power over darkness and death.
Ø The
story of judgment deferred – it IS about God’s wrath being satisfied at the
cross so now we live no longer under condemnation.
Ø The
story of shackling us to some unexpected burden – it IS about complete and
total freedom to be who God designed for each of us to be.
Faith in the story of Jesus… what
He has done for us… what He has called us to… how His grace not only saved us
but empowers us to life every day… this is the most amazing thing EVER!
Have you ever heard/seen an idea
and thought: “That isn’t for
me.” ?
- Kale
- Hair styles
- Fashion trends
I want to spend the remainder of our time answering 2
questions.
1. Is
faith for me?
2. Is
baptism for me?
GOD
Faith?
v TESTIMONY…
o
for the first 17 years of my life (ran from God) …
o
first 18 of Corrie’s (my parent’s thing but not for me) …
o
for nearly 30 years Hap/Di until they need healing…
o
for 2,000 years people have had the chance
o
for 2k, people have said over and over “Faith in Jesus isn’t
for me.”
o
Then, they encounter a crisis, they see something happen that
can only be attributed to God, they hear the story of Jesus…
o
And it changes the way that they think about FAITH
v All
who call on the name of the Lord.
v “Good
will” toward all men.
v Acts
2 – many people from all over
v All
walks of life
o
busy professional (Ethiopian Acts 8)
o
wife and mother (Lydia Acts 16)
o
hard
working family man (Jailer acts 16)
o
hated/persecuted Christians (Paul Acts 9)
v Faith
is for all who are willing to repent (Repentance = change the way you think)
and believe (put their trust in the story of Jesus)… actually the most
inclusive idea ever!
Baptism?
Ok, I get that someone might
believe this stuff, but what’s with the ceremony.
- Acts
2 – “What should we do?”
- When
something great happens, we want/need something to do!
- When
your spouse says “yes,” you usually want to go through with the wedding.
- It
puts into physical action the excitement in our hearts.
- It
creates an expression of our decision…
Romans 6 à 3 Do you not know that all of us
who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We
were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as
Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk
in newness of life. 5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his,
we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.
11 So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and
alive to God in Christ Jesus.
- So
baptism puts a picture to our FAITH.
- Baptism
tells the world that we have become part of God’s family.
- Baptism
demonstrates our new life through faith in Jesus.
Galatians 3 à 26 for in Christ Jesus you are
all sons of God, through faith. 27 For as many of you as were baptized into
Christ have put on Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither
slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ
Jesus.
Colossians 2 à 12 having been buried with Christ
in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the
powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead. 13 And you, who were
dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive
together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses,
- Baptism
is us powerfully declaring that we are FREE.
- FREE
from all of our past… free from the sin & shame that condemned us.
No More Excuses
One final question?
Acts 22:16 (NLT) à What are you waiting for? Get up
and be baptized. Have your sins washed away by calling on the name of the
Lord.’
Popular excuses/questions for not
getting baptized TODAY:
1)
I
still have lots of questions… I don’t “know” enough – In Acts 2, the
people didn’t wait to take a class or learn more about the process, they just
wanted to know what to do!
2)
I
was baptized/christened as a baby – think of this as you confirming the
faith of your family, but now you are doing it for you!
3)
I
was baptized a long while ago, but nothing changed – Acts 19 – Paul met
a group that was baptized for repentance but not in the name of Jesus and not
for the empowering presence of the Holy Spirit
4)
What
if the water is cold – we’ve been heating it all morning
5)
I
want my family to see this – we promise to put it on Facebook live &
lots of pics
6)
What
about my stuff? Plastic bags for cell phones
7)
I
don’t have a towel – been stealing them from the hotel for months
8)
I
don’t have dry clothes – we have an ALIVE IN JESUS t-shirt for you to
put on either during or after your baptism – you can wrap in your towel and
even keep your car dry
9)
Where
do I get ready? – we have a group to show you where to go and that will
help you organize your things.
10) How do I get started? – after
I pray, we will invite those who are interested in baptism today to come down
to the right side of the auditorium and talk with our team today… then during
the first worship song you will go and get ready… finally we bring you out and
introduce you to the church …and start the baptisms.
ACTS 22:16 – “What are you waiting for?”
