Sermon Series: “Say What? – A look at the Words of Jesus”

What can we learn about Jesus? 

(We are not to just believe in Jesus, we are to study His life, His words, His works…He, Jesus, is the focus of our life!)

What can we from what Jesus said?

          Lets listen to what he taught as if He was talking directly to us…because He is!

Today’s sermon: “Jesus’ Baptism”

WHAT IS BAPTISM ALL ABOUT?

Read Matthew 3:1-3.

-         John the Baptist was calling people to repent from their sin

-         Right there at the side of the river people openly confessed their sins and repented of them

1. BAPTISM IS ABOUT REPENTANCE

Repentance is looking back at what you have done and making some changes so you won’t do the same thing again.

When a person repents of sin, they have looked back at the sin in their life, admitted it was wrong, and made necessary and real changes to do their best not to do it again.

Acts 19:17-20. 

People were trying to drive out evil spirits using their own “skills” but pretending to do it on behalf of Jesus when it did not work for them. 

When this became known to the Jews and Greeks living in Ephesus, they were all seized with fear, and the name of the Lord Jesus was held in high honor. Many of those who believed now came and openly confessed their evil deeds. A number who had practiced sorcery brought their scrolls together and burned them publicly. When they calculated the value of the scrolls, the total came to fifty thousand drachmas. In this way the word of the Lord spread widely and grew in power.

These guys recognized their sin, Got right with God, and did something concrete and necessary to keep themselves from committing that sin again.

What was the result of what they did?

In this way the word of the Lord spread widely and grew in power.

What way? The way of repentance

Repentance brings others to Jesus.  (people need to see that repentance is needed for everyone otherwise, why need Jesus?!)

________________________________________________________________________

John’s ministry was a ministry that called people to repent.

Matthew 3:1-2. In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the Desert of Judea and saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near."

Jesus had the same ministry.

We can find Jesus’ first “sermon”: 

Matthew 4:17.  From that time on Jesus began to preach, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near."

Before Jesus leaves (after His death and resurrection) He tells His disciples one last thing:

Matthew 28:19.  Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

-         Teach people about me

-         Teach them to live as I have lived

-         Teach them hat they must repent of their sins and do something real to turn from their sins (baptism) if they want to live right with me.

o       We cannot be in a right relationship with Jesus if we have un-confessed sin

Back to Matthew 3

Matthew 3:11 "I baptize you with water for repentance.

John the Baptist was using a public place to allow people to confess their sins, repent of them and make changes in their lives.

The religious leaders came to him to get baptized but he would not do it for them because they were doing it for the wrong reasons!

Which brings us to Jesus.

Jesus’ words show us the other reason why we get baptized.

2. BAPTISM IS ABOUT COMMITTING OUR ENTIRE LIVES TO GOD

Matthew 3:13-17. 

Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. 14But John tried to deter him, saying, "I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?" Jesus replied, "Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness." Then John consented.  As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased."

If Baptism is about repentance and turning from sin, why did Jesus get baptized?

We know He was without sin. 

Jesus tells us why:  Matthew 3:15.  Jesus replied, "Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness."

God was directing all people to be baptized as a commitment they were making to live totally for Him and in obedience to His commands.

When we choose to give our lives to God, we surrender totally to Him.

Jesus, walking the earth in the form of a man, lived his life in total submission to God the Father in Heaven.

Jesus was an example for us to live by.  Jesus lived in perfect submission to god’s commands.

What Jesus was saying was, “I choose to obey God all the time.”

What we should be saying when we get baptized is “I choose to obey God all the time.”

“I’ll do whatever you say Lord.”

Jesus did not have any sin to confess and yet He got baptized because God wants all men to be baptized as a public declaration of a life lived in surrender to His will.

Look at verse 17: "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased."

-         It pleases God when we obey Him. 

o       In reality, the only way to please God is to obey Him. 

§        Disobedience of what God wants is sin.

God wants us to surrender to Him.  It is the only way to truly live!

To sum it all up…

Baptism is about repentance, showing the world you have sin and turning from sin.

The Christian life is about repentance.  It starts with baptism and we keep confessing and turning the rest of our lives.

Baptism is about obeying God in all areas of your life.

The Christian life is about daily obeying God in all areas of your life.

So, what are we going to do with what we have just learned?

Is today the day you finally admit you have sin and need Jesus to forgive you of your sin?

Is today the day you are going to confess the sin you have in your life and do something to move away from that sin?

Is today the day you choose to be more than just a good person who believes in Jesus.  Instead you are going to surrender every aspect of your life to do whatever God wants you to do?

Ask God to show you your sin and confess it.  He already sees it so why not do your part and confess it is there.

Ask God to show you the changes that need to be made in your life.  Ask Him for the strength to make those changes.

Are you willing to Confess to the church.  (Go to someone you trust and can hold you accountable and also help you overcome that sin in your life.)  When we have sin and don’t tell anyone but God, we really don’t have to work on it, but once the world knows, we have to do something about it.

Few things are more powerful than when a person in the church comes forward in front of the church and repents before God and the church.

§        Our faith means nothing if we choose to not repent

§        If all we do is play church and never repent when we mess up, then we are not really being the church

·        Repentance is a regular part of the church family.

o       When we screw up, we need to make things right, we need to repent

o       God does not honor unrepentant hearts (or church for that matter)

§        We know we have sin but we think we are not supposed to talk about it.

§        Maybe we don’t want to deal with it…we get squirmy in our seats.