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Ordinances: Baptism & The Lord’s Supper (3 of 4)
Baptism: The New Testament Pattern
Acts 8:36-39, 9:17-19, 16:13-15, 29-34, Romans 6:3-4
Baptism is an experiential and tangible illustration of what happened the moment we trusted in Christ alone for salvation. The New Testament Church obeyed Jesus’ command to baptize. Once someone came to believe in Jesus Christ for salvation, they were promptly baptized.
1. Baptism and The Lord’s Supper experientially and tangibly proclaim the life-saving, life-giving, life-transforming message of the Gospel.
In describing Baptism and The Lord’s Supper as ordnances we’re reminding ourselves that they have been specifically ordained by Jesus.
Luke 22:19-20 (ESV, emphasis mine) –
“...he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, ‘This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.’”
Matthew 28:19 (ESV, emphasis mine) –
“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit...”
Statement of Faith (emphasis mine) –
The Lord Jesus mandated two ordinances, baptism and the Lord’s Supper, which visibly and tangibly express the gospel. Though they are not the means of salvation, when celebrated by the church in genuine faith, these ordinances confirm and nourish the believer.
Observing the Lord’s Supper spiritually strengthens us through compelling us to ponder Christ’s sacrifice for us on the cross! As we eat the bread and drink the cup, we proclaim that His body was broken and His blood was shed for our salvation. Along with all believers we’re proclaiming that we’ve been blood bought.
Baptism powerfully and symbolically proclaims our union with Christ in His death, burial and resurrection. Why should believers be baptized? To follow Jesus’ example, to obey Jesus’ command and to publicly profess faith in Jesus Christ alone for salvation.
2. New believers were regularly baptized in the New Testament Church.
Acts 2:37-38 (ESV, emphasis mine) –
“Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, ‘Brothers, what shall we do?’ And Peter said to them, ‘Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.’”
Acts 2:41 (ESV, emphasis mine) –
“So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls.”
Matthew 28:19 (ESV, emphasis mine) –
“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit...”
The pattern of belief in the Lord Jesus promptly followed by baptism repeats itself over and over.
Phillip baptized an Ethiopian who he shared the Good News with along the road. The background is a scattering of the believers that occurred as a result of persecution which ironically spread the Gospel because those who were scattered proclaimed the Gospel wherever they went.
Acts 1:8 (ESV) –
“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
Acts 8:1 (ESV) –
“And there arose on that day a great persecution against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles.”
Acts 8:35-39 (ESV, emphasis mine) –
“Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning with this Scripture he told him the good news about Jesus. And as they were going along the road they came to some water, and the eunuch said, “See, here is water! What prevents me from being baptized?” And he commanded the chariot to stop, and they both went down into the water, Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him. And when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord carried Philip away, and the eunuch saw him no more, and went on his way rejoicing.”
Acts 8:38 (ESV) –
“… and they both went down into the water…”
The Greek word we translate baptize means to immerse or dip. For this new Christian from Ethiopia, baptism was immediate. And here see how the Gospel spread into Africa.
God used Paul mightily as a missionary but he didn’t start out as a missionary, he was violent enemy of Christians.
Before meeting Jesus, his program of persecution ravaged and scattered the Church in Jerusalem and he decided to persecute followers of Jesus in Damascus also.
On the way to Damascus, Saul met the risen Jesus and a bright light from heaven blinded him.
Acts 9:5 (ESV) –
“Who are you, Lord?”
Acts 9:5 (ESV) –
“I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting…”
Acts 9:17-19 (ESV, emphasis mine) –
“So Ananias departed and entered the house. And laying his hands on him he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road by which you came has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he rose and was baptized; and taking food, he was strengthened.”
God used Ananias to heal Saul’s blindness and his physical blindness is a picture of his deep spiritual blindness. What happens next is Saul got up and was baptized.
Baptisms occurred during Paul’s missionary efforts in Philippi. The Gospel spread into Europe.
Acts 16:13-15 (ESV, emphasis mine) –
“And on the Sabbath day we went outside the gate to the riverside, where we supposed there was a place of prayer, and we sat down and spoke to the women who had come together. One who heard us was a woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple goods, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul. And after she was baptized, and her household as well, she urged us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay.” And she prevailed upon us.”
Acts 16:14 (ESV) –
“The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul.”
God opened Lydia’s heart, she and her household believed in Jesus and they were baptized.
Paul and Silas found themselves in prison. In the middle of the night, they were singing praises to God and there was an earthquake.
Acts 16:25-26 (ESV) –
“About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them, and suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken.”
Acts 16:29-34 (ESV, emphasis mine) –
“ And the jailer called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he fell down before Paul and Silas. Then he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.” And they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their wounds; and he was baptized at once, he and all his family. Then he brought them up into his house and set food before them. And he rejoiced along with his entire household that he had believed in God.”
Acts 16:30 (ESV) –
“Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”
Acts 16:31 (ESV) –
“Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.”
Upon believing in Jesus the jailer and his household were baptized that night! Are you sensing a theme? Belief in Jesus, followed by baptism!
Acts 18:8 (ESV) –
“Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue, believed in the Lord, together with his entire household. And many of the Corinthians hearing Paul believed and were baptized.”
The pattern is clear: When people became disciples of Jesus, they were baptized promptly.
In baptism we profess our faith which is good for us and helps us persevere. Baptism pictures what happened the moment we trusted Christ as Savior. Baptism is important for the local church, as a church family we are reminded that God is saving people and we celebrate this.
3. Baptism is a powerful, experiential and tangible illustration of what happened the moment we trusted Christ for salvation.
Baptism symbolizes a believer’s union with Christ in is His death, burial and resurrection. Going down into the water is a picture of our death and burial to the old way of life and coming up out of the water is a picture of rising to newness of life in Christ.
Colossians 2:12 (ESV, emphasis mine) –
“...having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead.”
2 Corinthians 5:17 (ESV) –
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”
Romans 6:3-4 (ESV, emphasis mine) –
“Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 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.”
The symbolism we discussed makes sense for believers who have personally received Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. This is why we practice Believer’s Baptism.
Romans 10:13 (ESV) –
“...everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
Baptism is the Bible’s public profession of faith. Some of us are genuine followers of Jesus who haven’t gotten around to being baptized. Allow me to encourage you, you should be baptized.