Baptism!

Matthew 3:13-17

I.                   What is baptism?

a.      A symbol or picture of what God has done in your heart and life Romans 6:2-4

                                                              i.      Dead to sin Romans 6:2

                                                             ii.      Buried with him Romans 6:3

                                                           iii.      Raised to walk in newness of life Romans 6:4

b.      An outward revelation of an inward reality

c.      A public profession of your faith in Christ Matthew 10:32-33

d.      A testimony of your decision to accept Jesus Christ as your Savior

e.      A testimony of your turning from your sin and that they have been forgiven by the grace of God

f.       A means of identifying ourselves with Jesus Christ, His church and what He did on the cross of Calvary—wedding ring—with him Romans 6:4

g.      A picture of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ                            I Corinthians 15:1-4

II.                 Who can be baptized?

a.      Someone who has believed and wants to be baptized Acts 8:26-39

                                                              i.      Here is water

                                                             ii.      What hinders me from being baptized

                                                           iii.      If you believe with all your heart 8:37

b.      Those that gladly receive the word Acts 2:41

c.      When they believed the preaching about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ Acts 8:12

d.      Hearing, believed and were baptized          Acts 18:8

e.      When we were commanded to baptize we were commanded to teach and preach to them first Matthew 28:19-20

f.       The above verses indicate clearly what we call believer’s baptism

g.      There is no record anywhere in the Bible that infants or babies were ever baptized

III.              How do we get baptized?

a.      In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost Matthew 28:19-20

b.      In much water

                                                              i.      In Jordan Matthew 3:6

                                                             ii.      Went up out of the water         Matthew 3:16

                                                           iii.      Much water there John 3:22-23

                                                          iv.      Down both into the water Acts 8:38-39

c.      As adult believers at our own decision          Acts 8:37

d.      As a picture of a burial Romans 6:4,   Colossians 2:12

IV.               Why do we baptize or get baptized?

a.      Because we are commanded to baptize Matthew 28:19-20

b.      To follow the example of the Lord Jesus Christ Matthew 3:13-17

                                                              i.      It fulfilled righteousness 3:15

                                                             ii.      It pleased the Father 3:17

c.      Because it pleases God

d.      We are baptized into His death to live in His power Romans 6:3, 6-7