BAPTISM: Then and Now

Date: 5.24.09 Speaker: Kristian Martens Texts: Luke 3:21-26; John 3:29, Matt 3:13-15; 28:19-20; 1 Cor 15:3; Romans 6:3-4; 8:15-17; Acts 8:36-39; 2:37-41; Ephesians 4:4-6 Title: BAPTISM: THEN AND NOW When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. And as he was praying, heaven was opened and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased. Luke 3:21-22 niv How do you identify yourself? With whom do you identify? The concept of baptism has much to do with our identity how we see ourselves how God sees us how the world sees us. Its about our old identity and our new identity. This week we focus on the baptism of Jesus what it meant in the 1st century and its practical implication for us today. The message will do double-duty acting as both the sermon and in lieu of a separate baptism class. For those who are Christians and havent yet been baptized, this will be an exercise in asking why not. For htose who are not yet Christians, hopefully this will answer some questions about the identity and character of a Christian. Baptism defined: The Christian act of immersing a believer under water and then bringing him or her up out of the water. It is a practical representation of the Gospel of Jesus, as the person being baptized is plunged beneath the water (death) and brought forth (new life) in the same way that Jesus was buried in the earth, and resurrected on their behalf in forgiveness of their sins. 1. Baptism is about Jesus not about us. 2. Baptism is commanded by Jesus 3. Baptism symbolizes and expresses our identity with Jesus 4. HOW? Baptism is done by immersion under water 5. WHEN? Immediately or shortly thereafter and once 6. WHO should be baptized? Christians. All of them.