Mathew 3:13-end
Intro: Today is an important day as we hold this baptism service for 4 people who have decided to follow Jesus and be baptised as he was. So I want us to think about Jesus’ baptism and our baptisms.
A. WHY WAS JESUS BAPTISED?
The reason He gave to John was: “to fulfill all righteousness”, He was doing 3 things:
1. He was obeying God. Righteousness means ‘Doing the right thing by God.
2. He was totally identifying himself with us sinful humans. He was doing the right thing for mankind.
3. He was honouring John the Baptist as a true prophet: a link person to all the OT prophets who went before him and a true prophet in recognising Jesus as the Messiah, the one who would bring in the new era of the Spirit. John prophesied, “ I baptise with water but he shall baptise you with the Holy Spirit.”
B. WHAT HAPPENED?
1. Jesus was baptised in the river Jordan by the prophet and his cousin John the Baptist and came up out of the water.
2. The heavens were torn open, a new era of open access to the Kingdom of Heaven through Jesus was started. That’s why he said to Nathaniel, ‘ you will see the angels of god ascending and descending on the Son of man” just like Jacob’s ladder which was an OT example of an open heaven experience. At the transfiguration Jesus let his 3 closest disciples preview the open heaven he established by his death on the cross for us and his mighty resurrection by the power of God. When he died for us the curtain of the temple blocking access to God’s presence was torn in two giving us all through Jesus access to God.
3. The Holy Spirit came to rest and remain upon Jesus like a dove. Just like at the beginning of creation the Spirit hovered over the waters so at the creation of this new creative relationship or covenant the Spirit came in power.
4. The Father spoke from Heaven. “You are my beloved son in whom I am well pleased.” This confirmed to Jesus who He was and to those around him who heard and to John the Baptist. So at Jesus baptism the Father, the Son and the Spirit were present as they are also at Christian Baptism. We baptise believers into the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
C. WHAT WATER BAPTISM MEANS TO ME:
When I was baptised as a believer at age 21 I had seen a friend baptised in the Rangiora River and I was so moved by her experience of immersion baptism followed by the laying on of hands with prophecies and prayers that I wanted to experience that. As I was training to be an Anglican Priest at that time and had been christened as a baby I rejected the idea as nice for some but not for me. I thought it was just a personal choice. I had been baptised with and experienced the Holy Spirit and spoke in tongues so I thought that was enough. But I was convicted by Acts 10:45 which is about people who had had the same experience as me and the Apostle Peter “commanded” them to be baptised. It was as if the finger of God was pointing straight at me and commanding me to be baptised. It was a difficult choice but I obeyed and was baptised as a believer by immersion.
But I was disappointed because there was no prayer or prophesy or laying on of hands as I came out of the water. I was just standing there wet and dripping and having a ‘pity party’ with God. Then I remembered those wonderful words, “You are my beloved son and I’m pleased with you.” Wow! That was better than all the prophesies and prayers so I held on to that. Ten years later when I was sitting in the unemployment bureau in Christchurch feeling very down and depressed and abandoned by God I cried out in my spirit, Where are you?’ and immediately I felt the Father say, “Remember you’re my son and remember I’m your father and you’re just as much my son sitting in the unemployment bureau as you are standing behind a pulpit preaching my Word.” Now, I always hold on to that word from God and it’s the basis of my personal identity with all the changes and challenges in life I may face.
D. TO THOSE WHO WILL BE BAPTISED TODAY
We don’t know what challenges you being baptised today will face in the future but we know Christians must be tested as Jesus was. Overcoming tests with God’s help and carrying on as an active Christian is the best life both in this life on earth with the Holy Spirit and in Heaven with Christ. Your Baptism today is:
1. An identification with Jesus in his death and resurrection. By this baptism you are dying to sin and burying your old life and looking to enter a new resurrection life by the power of the Holy Spirit. When Paul was baptised in Acts 9 his eyes were opened, he was filled with the Holy Spirit and commissioned for service. When Paul baptised the believers at Ephesus in Acts 19 he laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them and they spoke in tongues and prophesied.
2. A witness to your family and friends that you are a Christian and are seeking to follow Jesus in your life. Romans 10:9-10 says; ‘If you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead you will be saved. For a person believes with the heart and so is justified and confesses with the mouth and so is saved.’
3. An identification with other believers so they can welcome you to the Christian family and pray together for you as you with them follow Jesus together. 1 Corinthians 12 :13 says, ‘In the one Spirit we were all baptized into one body and were made to drink of one Spirit.’
Conclusion:
Challenge to all to turn to Jesus, believe and be baptised. In Mark 16:15 -16 Jesus commissioned his apostles, “Go into all the world and proclaim the good news to everybody. Anyone who believes in me and is baptised shall be saved; but anyone who does not believe will be condemned…’ When you hear about the fact that God loves you so much that He sent Jesus to demonstrate that love by dying a horrible death on a Roman cross for you; when you hear that He came to save you so you can come into his Kingdom and enjoy his wonderful blessings in this life and for ever; when you hear He sent the Holy Spirit so you can experience the living God who created the Universe; when you meet believers who testify that Jesus is real today and has helped them and wants to help you; when you hear these things then there are 2 responses you can make: belief or unbelief. If you are ready to believe today and turn your life over to Jesus He says “Come!” Come to me and experience the living God who will give your life a new meaning and purpose.
There may be others here who have come to faith in Jesus but you have never been baptised. My challenge to you is: What is there to prevent you being baptised today?
Come! We’ll lend you a towel to dry yourself enough before you go home! 2 years ago Anne Jay responded to a message like this from Danny and was baptised that day. I don’t believe she regrets it, and neither will you. Come and be baptised today
Like those 3000 on the day the church started nearly 2000 years ago.
