855 - Be In The Light As He Is In The Light

September 26, 2010

Sermon #855

 

Be In The Light As He Is In The Light

 

Child Humor –

A little boy once heard his Sunday school teacher say Jesus was the light of the world. He took her remark quite literally. After class, the boy said to the teacher. If Jesus was really the light of the world, I wish he would hang out in my alley. It is awful dark where I live.

 

One summer evening during a violent thunderstorm, a mother was tucking her small boy into bed. She was about to turn the light off when he asked in a tremor in his voice, 'Mommy, will you sleep with me tonight?' His mother smiled and gave him a big reassuring hug, 'I cannot dear. I have to sleep in Daddy's room.' A long silence was broken at last by his little voice – 'the big sissy.'

 

Another time, there was a summer evening violent thunderstorm after Mom had tucked her little girl in for the night. Mom was downstairs watching TV when the thunder started crackling and the lightning was flashing so bad the TV went out. She went to check on her little girl. When she looked into her room, the little girl was sitting on the windowsill. Mom was shocked and said, 'what in the world are you doing up there?' The little girl looked at her with a little smirk and said, 'God is taking my picture.'

 

Rev. D.L. Moody

He put out a book called Daily Gems. One of his gems on light is: A blind man in a great city was found sitting at a street corner with a lantern beside him. Someone went up to him and asked why he had the lantern beside him. You cannot tell the darkness from the light anyways. The blind man simply replied "So that no will stumble over me."

 

Not all of us who have Jesus, of course are blind. But like that man, we too must be providing light so that those who are lost can find their way to heaven. Without the light of Jesus shining through us, many will, in their search for truth, stumble in darkness and miss heaven.

 

Today we are looking at God's Word concerning all light coming from him being Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Our God's very being is light and love. His light is his love and his love is his light. When there is light and no love, it is not His light.

 

2 Corinthians 11:14

False followers of Jesus pretend to be a light and Satan can transform into an angel of light. But with no love the light is counterfeit -- to trap and deceive.

 

St. John 1:1

In the Beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God...

He was with God in the beginning.

 

The Lord Jesus Christ has always existed, and He has no beginning and no end. He is Eternal.

 

John 1:4

In Him was life and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness but the darkness has not understood it. When God breathed his life into Adam, the light entered into human beings for the first time.

 

Revelation 1:8

Jesus said, "I am the Alpha an Omega The Beginning and the End. Who was, who is and who is to come. "

 

He is the same yesterday, today and forever. Jesus is the past, present and future.

 

The light has always existed in heaven. The light has always existed in the spirit realm. The light is his glory that shines out of his very being. His glory, life, light, and love are the substance that God is.

 

Galactic Light VS. Miraculous Light

We see God is light in the natural realm or the dimension we live in for the first time in the book of Genesis.

 

Genesis 1: 2-3

The earth was formed first at God's command, but the earth was nothing until He said, "Let there be light."

 

Some people say, "I sure would like to have been there to see it happen." The light shot out of his mouth at 186,000 miles per second. That must have been like an explosion or a big bang.

 

If God's voice sounds like thunder to you, then the sound and the explosion must have been like a trillion atom bombs going off. You would not have wanted to have been there.

 

All of a sudden the light pierced the darkness. That was the first day God started the development of the universe. Light traveling this fast can go around the earth seven times in one second.

 

Genesis 1:14

On the fourth day, God put the sun, the moon, and the stars in the sky. All the awesome galaxies were distributed all over the universe just to show off His light in the dimension we live.

 

Isaiah 40:12

God holds the universe, which scientists measure at 13 billion light years wide but fits in the span of his hand.

 

Hubble Telescope – has a function called the ultra deep field. It will focus on an area the size of the moon; when it does it will view about 100,000 galaxies. The light given off by these stars comes from their thermo-nuclear, nuclear fusion, and electro-magnetic activity. The brightest stars are the novas and the quasars, but they are the exploding and imploding stars.

 

Our galaxy, the Milky Way, is 100,000 light years across, and our solar system is at one of the outer bands of the Milky Way.

 

Our planet was given a light by day called our sun. The sun takes up 98% of all the mass in our solar system and is 109 times larger than the earth.

 

I think that is why we have seen so many cultures over the centuries worship the sun as a god.

 

They have looked at the sun as the source of their very existence. They have looked at the sun as their source of all fertility and natural resources, including the light and heat that comes from the sun. Many even sacrificed their children and some their enemies. They worshipped the creation not the Creator.

 

St. Patrick of Ireland –

English merchant's son who was captured by Irish slave traders and sold to an Irish tribal king. He escaped supernaturally back to England.

 

God called him back to Ireland to be a light to that supersites dark heathen land.

 

Many of the tribes there worshipped the sun god. Patrick used their heathen customs in leading them to the true Son. The Irish cross has the symbol of the Sun built in it.

 

Quote: From the writing of St. Patrick

The sun is that which we see rising daily at His command. But it will never reign, nor will its splendor last forever, and those who worship it will be subject to grievous punishments.

 

We, however, worship the True Son, Christ, who will never perish. If you go to Ireland, today you will see the cross at the top. It looks like a victory wreath.

 

Basil the Great – A Bishop in the early Christian church around 400 AD

 

He said, "Interpreting the word of God's will revealed in Holy Scriptures, observes that the Old Testament, and especially the Law, was only a lantern, lamp, or candle because an artificial light, imperfectly illuminating the darkness, whereas the Gospel , given by the Lord Jesus Himself, is a light of the Son of Righteousness giving brightness to all things."

 

1 John 1:5-9 - Open up your Bibles

Walking In the Light - The Lord Jesus Christ is the Light of the World

 

Song: Hank Williams "I Saw the Light"

Song on an old thick '78 records my Grandfather gave my dad…

 

I remember when I was in high school taking an English class in poetry. I wrote a poem called Mirror, Mirror. I wrote the poem from my experience staring at myself and seeing darkness.

 

I have experienced utter Spiritual darkness and utter physical darkness.

 

In the summer of 1986, I was attending the meetings of Dr. Ed Cole and Marilyn Hickey. They were at the Niagara Falls Convention Center. I was in charge of the prayer room helping people receive the Baptism of the Holy Spirit and speaking in tongues. I came home that Friday night late. It was about 1:00 AM and I had just gotten ready to hop in bed when there was a knocking at my door.

 

It was a man who lived in the dorm room upstairs of the house I was renting. As I let him in, I could see demonic tattoos all over his body and dozens of needle marks in both arms. He said he noticed me going in and out of the place many times with a bible. He told me he was a Jew. He went on to tell me of his graphic evil things he did while he served his six months tour of duty in Vietnam. He then when on to tell me of his experience murdering a man who he heard was beating his ex-wife.

 

Then all of a sudden, he starting twisting like a snake and in a deep weird voice he said I am going to kill you. Man, I stepped back about five feet and pointed my finger in his possessed eyes and shouted 'I bind and rebuke you spirit of murder in the name of Jesus. I bind you spirit of murder.'

 

All of a sudden he fell back to the floor and was about to puke on my just-cleaned clothes. I told him, 'You will not manifest in my house.' He straightened right out and told me he wanted to know about Jesus. I led him to the Lord. I had a brand new Messianic Bible in my library and gave it to him.

 

The next day I saw him, he told me that there was a big person behind me, and when I pointed to him, a flash like lightning hit him and he felt like he was knocked out. He went to church the next Sunday carrying that blue Messianic Bible.

 

I just happen to have a Messianic Jewish pastor named Pastor Paul Shank. I just also happen to be attending Jewish Sabbath services on Friday nights, called Brith Hadasha, the New Testament.

 

The darkest natural experience I had was total darkness in many caves I have visited in the Shenandoah Valley in Virginia. They shut off all the lights and tell you to hold up your hand in front of you and try to see it. They say if you spend more than a couple of weeks in total darkness, you will be permanently blind.

 

People walk blind in this dark world. The god of this world, Satan, works to keep people that way. He wants us to fall over and trip over God-given opportunities of salvation, peace, forgiveness, destiny, eternal life—God's promises.

 

2 Corinthians 4:4-6 – Read

 

Ephesians 5:8-14 – Read

 

God meant us to be lighthouses that shine out in the darkness to expose the rocks that are traps and lies and deception to cause people to ship wreck their lives and sink into the dark deep Abyss.

 

The light that we allow to shine through us will burn the blinders off people's eyes as we continue to expose them to the light shining through us.

 

We have to strive to constantly be fanning the fire that glows inside us. We have to keep in communion with the Holy Spirit.

We must push in to know Him to draw close to our heavenly Father.

 

1 Thessalonians 5:4-8 - Read

 

He loves it when we have relationship with him daily. Casting all our cares on Him and declaring His Word is more important to us than anybody else's word. Jesus is the Word that became flesh.

 

When His Word is in our heart and on our lips, the light will shine out of our lighthouses.

 

Many iconic pictures of Jesus, Mary, Joseph, heroes of the faith, martyrs, and their pictures are painted to show a holy glow over their heads. Halos.

Moses, who was allowed to look only at the backside of God came down from the mountain with his face glowing.

 

Hebrews 11:1-39 records a list of the Holy people of God.

 

Brother William Branham-

He was a minister and prophet during the healing revivals of the 1940s and 1950s.

Jesus appeared as a bright light when he was a child. When he got up to preach, many times light would appear over his head just as you turned on a switch.

 

God appeared many times in the Bible as a fire. In the desert, the fire guided them by night and appeared in the burning bush to Moses. At the day of Pentecost, he appeared over the heads of those praying in the upper room.

 

Our God is an all-consuming fire. The sun to Him is like a little spark.

 

Psalm 119: 105 - Read

His Word is a lamp or light that guides our life and shines light on our path in life every day.

 

Charles Spurgeon - It is true the head needs illumination, but even more the feet need direction else head and feet may both fall into the sewer.

 

How many of us have opened the door and let His word in? After a while it seems like He is not there.

 

We become so complacent that we forget about His Word; we forget about Him. We become so absorbed by the things of this world and darkness surrounds us. We shut the door on the one we let in to light up our lives.

 

Now the door to our inner being, the door to our spirit seems closed. We start stumbling and falling into darkness once again.

 

However, there is a key to open up the door once again. This blindness turns us into desperate people.

 

This desperation and crying out to God once again is the KEY to opening up the door and letting him in to rule, reign, and shine in our lives.

 

1 John 2: 9-10 –Read

 

Matthew 5:14 - Read

 

Says you are the light in this dark world. He shines His light through you.

 

So is your light shining? Are you turning on the switch and there is no light illuminating your life and the sphere of life where you have influence and relationships? Are your fuses blown out and your breakers out?

 

Did your transformer have a blowout? Are you running on DC power, Devil –Control power? Are you ready to switch over to AC power, All – Christ power?

 

Well, let us switch currents. Let the light of His glory rule, reign, and shine from the inside out.

 

Your glow will let people know there is a God in Heaven. In addition, you will walk in the beauty of His light.

 

This big light inside, I'm gonna let Him shine.

This big light inside, I'm gonna let Him shine.

Let Him shine, Let Him shine.

Hallelujah, Praise God!

853 - The Church Ordinances #2

September 12, 2010

Sermon #853

Part 2

The Church Ordinances #2

The Lord's Supper

Introduction: We have been ministering on the Church. Last Sunday I gave you the ministry of Baptism and on September 19, we will have a baptism service. The second ordinance of the Church is the "Lord's Supper."

 

1. The Name
   

   There are several names in the New Testament for this ordinance.
   

 

1. The Lord's Supper
   

   1 Corinthians 11:17-22(NKJV) – ¹⁷Now in giving these instructions I do not praise you, since you come together not for the better but for the worse. 18For first of all, when you come together as a church, I hear that there are divisions among you, and in part I believe it. 19For there must also be factions among you, that those who are approved may be recognized among you. 20Therefore when you come together in one place, it is not to eat the Lord's Supper.  21For in eating, each one takes his own supper ahead of others; and one is hungry and another is drunk.  22What! Do you not have houses to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God and shame those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you in this? I do not praise you.
   

   ILL: This statement is found only in the negative statement made by Paul.
   

   
    

2. The Breaking of Bread
   

   Matthew 26:26(NKJV) – ²⁶And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, "Take, eat; this is My body."
   

   
    

   After Pentecost
   

   
   Acts 2:40-42(NKJV) – ⁴⁰And with many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, "Be saved from this perverse generation."  41Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them.  42And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. 
   

   ILL: This follows the Greek word koinonia, or the fellowship
   

   
   Acts 2:46-47(NKJV) – ⁴⁶So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart,  47praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.
   

   ILL: They met each week in the temple (Saturday) and then broke bread on Sunday in their homes.
   

   
    

   Acts 20:7(NKJV) – ⁷Now on the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul, ready to depart the next day, spoke to them and continued his message until midnight. 
   

   ILL: I can just see a modern congregation loving church so much that they stay till midnight!
   

   
    

   Acts 20:11(NKJV) – ¹¹Now when he had come up, had broken bread and eaten, and talked a long while, even till daybreak, he departed. 
   

   
    

3. The Christian Passover
   

   1 Corinthians 5:6-8(NKJV) – ⁶Your glorying is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump?  ⁷Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us.  8Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.
   

   ILL: Jesus consecrated the Lord's Supper on the Passover
   

   
    

   Luke 22:7-22(NKJV) – ⁷Then came the Day of Unleavened Bread, when the Passover must be killed.  ⁸And He sent Peter and John, saying, "Go and prepare the Passover for us, that we may eat." 9So they said to Him, "Where do You want us to prepare?" 10And He said to them, "Behold, when you have entered the city, a man will meet you carrying a pitcher of water; follow him into the house which he enters.  ¹¹Then you shall say to the master of the house, 'The Teacher says to you, "Where is the guest room where I may eat the Passover with My disciples?"'  12Then he will show you a large, furnished upper room; there make ready." 13So they went and found it just as He had said to them, and they prepared the Passover. 14When the hour had come, He sat down, and the ^£twelve apostles with Him.  15Then He said to them, "With fervent desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer;  16for I say to you, I will no longer eat of it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God." ¹⁷Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, "Take this and divide it among yourselves;  ¹⁸for I say to ^£you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes." ¹⁹And He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, "This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me." ²⁰Likewise He also took the cup after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you.  ²¹But behold, the hand of My betrayer is with Me on the table.  ²²And truly the Son of Man goes as it has been determined, but woe to that man by whom He is betrayed!"
   

   
    

4. Holy Communion
   

   1 Corinthians 10:14-17(NKJV) – ¹⁴Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry.  ¹⁵I speak as to wise men; judge for yourselves what I say.  ¹⁶The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ?  ¹⁷For we, though many, are one bread and one body; for we all partake of that one bread.
   

   
    

5. The Table of the Lord
   

   1 Corinthians 10:20-22(NKJV) – ²⁰Rather, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice they sacrifice to demons and not to God, and I do not want you to have fellowship with demons.  ²¹You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons; you cannot partake of the Lord's table and of the table of demons.  ²²Or do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than He?
   

   
    

6. The Eucharist
   

   Luke 22:17-19(NKJV) – ¹⁷Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, "Take this and divide it among yourselves;  ¹⁸for I say to ^£you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes." ¹⁹And He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, "This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me."
   ILL: The word "Eucharist" means to "give thanks"
   

   
    

1. The Meaning
   

   1. Remembrance
      

      1 Corinthians 11:23-26(NKJV) – ²³For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread;  24and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, "Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me."  25In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me." ²⁶For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death till He comes.
      

      
       

      As a historical event
      

      As Divine forgiveness
      

      Communion with each other
      

      
      1 Corinthians 11:27-32(NKJV) – ²⁷Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.  28But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup.  29For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord's body.  30For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep.  31For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged.  32But when we are judged, we are chastened by the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world.
      

 

1. Those we should not share His communion with!
   

   1. Christians in known public sin
      

      1 Corinthians 5:6-13(NKJV)
      – ⁶Your glorying is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump?  ⁷Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us.  ⁸Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. ⁹I wrote to you in my epistle not to keep company with sexually immoral people.  ¹⁰Yet I certainly did not mean with the sexually immoral people of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world.  ¹¹But now I have written to you not to keep company with anyone named a brother, who is sexually immoral, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner—not even to eat with such a person. ¹²For what have I to do with judging those also who are outside? Do you not judge those who are inside?  ¹³But those who are outside God judges. Therefore "put away from yourselves the evil person." 
      

      ILL: You will never know how much agony I have to tell you what Paul said. But it is part of the Word and if I did not tell you I would be neglecting my duty.
      

      
       

   2. Christians who are divisive to a church
      

      Titus 3:9-11(NKJV) – ⁹But avoid foolish disputes, genealogies, contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and useless.  ¹⁰Reject a divisive man after the first and second admonition,  ¹¹knowing that such a person is warped and sinning, being self-condemned.
      

 

1. When and Where?
   

   Like Baptism, there is nothing in the scriptures that states that an ordained minister must administer the Lord's Supper. It does not have to be in a Church building. Both elements may be taken by any Christian. The elements may be the "fruit of the vine and bread." The elements left over may be disposed of nothing makes them "holy."
   

 

Conclusion:

The "Lord's Supper" should be followed by praise.

Hebrews 13:10-15(NKJV) – ¹⁰We have an altar from which those who serve the tabernacle have no right to eat.  ¹¹For the bodies of those animals, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned outside the camp.  ¹²Therefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people with His own blood, suffered outside the gate.  ¹³Therefore let us go forth to Him, outside the camp, bearing His reproach.  ¹⁴For here we have no continuing city, but we seek the one to come.  ¹⁵Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name. 

 

Even so, come Lord Jesus!

852 - The Ordinance of Baptism

September 5, 2010

Sermon #852

The Ordinance of Baptism

Matthew 28:18 - 20 (NKJV) ¹⁸And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 
¹⁹Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 
²⁰teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen.

1. Baptism
   

• Definition
  

  The word baptism is a transliteration of the Greek word Baptisma. A transliteration is not a translation – it doesn't tell you what the word means. Baptisma means to immerse or to "put under."
  

• Formula
  

  • In the Triune Name (Father, Son, and Holy Ghost)
    
  • In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ
    

    Acts 2:38 - 39 (NKJV) ³⁸Then Peter said to them, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.  ³⁹For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call."
    

    ILL: Here I go upsetting religious people. The name Jesus is not a magical name, a mantra, it is a concept. Christ means "Anointed One." Jesus means "Savior." He was never called by the Greek name Jesus.
    

    
     

    Matthew 1:18 - 21 (NKJV) ¹⁸Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit.  ¹⁹Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly. 
    ²⁰But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. 
    ²¹And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins."
    

    
     

    In the Hebrew, the name is Joshua or yeh-ho-shoo'-ah
    

    It is not the name but the concept behind the name!
    

    ILL: The Island people told a missionary "We knew about Him, we just did not know his name."
    

    Christ is the center reality!
    

    
     

    Galatians 3:26 - 29 (NKJV) ²⁶For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.  ²⁷For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 
    ²⁸There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 
    ²⁹And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.
    

• Relationships
  

  • The Forgiveness of sins
    

    Acts 2:38 - 39 (NKJV) ³⁸Then Peter said to them, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 
    ³⁹For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call."
    

    "for" means "with respect to."
    

    
     

  • Regeneration
    

    Titus 3:1 - 7 (NKJV) ¹Remind them to be subject to rulers and authorities, to obey, to be ready for every good work, 
    ²to speak evil of no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing all humility to all men. 
    ³For we ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another. 
    ⁴But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, 
    ⁵not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, 
    ⁶whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 
    ⁷that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
    

    
     

  • Buried with Christ and raised with Christ
    

    Colossians 2:11 - 15 (NKJV) ¹¹In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, 
    ¹²buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. 
    ¹³And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, 
    ¹⁴having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. 
    ¹⁵Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.
    

    
     

  • Baptism is for the body not for the spirit
    

    1 Corinthians 15:29 - 45 (NKJV) ²⁹Otherwise, what will they do who are baptized for the dead, if the dead do not rise at all? Why then are they baptized for the dead?  ³⁰And why do we stand in jeopardy every hour? 
    ³¹I affirm, by the boasting in you which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily. 
    ³²If, in the manner of men, I have fought with beasts at Ephesus, what advantage is it to me? If the dead do not rise, "Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die!"
    ³³Do not be deceived: "Evil company corrupts good habits." 
    ³⁴Awake to righteousness, and do not sin; for some do not have the knowledge of God. I speak this to your shame.
    ³⁵But someone will say, "How are the dead raised up? And with what body do they come?" 
    

    
     

    ³⁶Foolish one, what you sow is not made alive unless it dies. 
    ³⁷And what you sow, you do not sow that body that shall be, but mere grain—perhaps wheat or some other grain. 
    ³⁸But God gives it a body as He pleases, and to each seed its own body.
    ³⁹All flesh is not the same flesh, but there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of animals, another of fish, and another of birds.
    ⁴⁰There are also celestial bodies and terrestrial bodies; but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another. 
    ⁴¹There is one glory of the sun, another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for one star differs from another star in glory.
    

    
     

    ⁴²So also is the resurrection of the dead. The body is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption. 
    ⁴³It is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness, it is raised in power. 
    ⁴⁴It is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body. 
    ⁴⁵And so it is written, "The first man Adam became a living being." The last Adam became a life-giving spirit.
    

    ILL: It was in the paper last week. A Mormon priest is suing the LDS church because he hurt his back baptizing 200 people for their dead relatives. Paul is not saying "baptism to get dead people into your church. He is talking about baptizing in you "dead body" because this body will be alive again!
    

  • It is a confession of faith
    

    Luke 12:8 - 9 (NKJV) ⁸"Also I say to you, whoever confesses Me before men, him the Son of Man also will confess before the angels of God. 
    ⁹But he who denies Me before men will be denied before the angels of God.
    

    
     

1. Mode of Baptism
   

• Immersion in water
  

  Mark 1:9 - 11 (NKJV) ⁹It came to pass in those days that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 
  ¹⁰And immediately, coming up from the water, He saw the heavens parting and the Spirit descending upon Him like a dove. 
  ¹¹Then a voice came from heaven, "You are My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."
  

  
   

  Acts 8:38 - 40 (NKJV) ³⁸So he commanded the chariot to stand still. And both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and he baptized him. 
  ³⁹Now when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away, so that the eunuch saw him no more; and he went on his way rejoicing. 
  ⁴⁰But Philip was found at Azotus. And passing through, he preached in all the cities till he came to Caesarea.
  

  
   

• Pouring and sprinkling
  

  ILL: Allowed in the Didache AD 300. Mostly used when water was scarce or health did not permit immersion.
  

  
   

1. Subjects
   

2. Professing Believers
   

   Acts 2:40 - 42 (NKJV) ⁴⁰And with many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, "Be saved from this perverse generation."  ⁴¹Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them. 
   ⁴²And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. 
   

   
    

   Acts 8:12 - 13 (NKJV) ¹²But when they believed Philip as he preached the things concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were baptized. 
   ¹³Then Simon himself also believed; and when he was baptized he continued with Philip, and was amazed, seeing the miracles and signs which were done.
   

   
    

   Acts 10:44 - 48 (NKJV) ⁴⁴While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word. 
   ⁴⁵And those of the circumcision who believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also. 
   ⁴⁶For they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God.
   Then Peter answered, 
   ⁴⁷"Can anyone forbid water, that these should not be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?" 
   ⁴⁸And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then they asked him to stay a few days.
   

   
    

3. Infant blessing is not infant baptism
   

   Mark 10:13 - 16 (NKJV) ¹³Then they brought little children to Him, that He might touch them; but the disciples rebuked those who brought them. 
   ¹⁴But when Jesus saw it, He was greatly displeased and said to them, "Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God. 
   ¹⁵Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it." 
   ¹⁶And He took them up in His arms, laid His hands on them, and blessed them.
   

• No water here
  
• No baptism (pouring) here
  
• No redemption from Adam's sin here – little children do not need it!
  

  ILL: Infant baptism did not start until 200 AD.
  

  
   

1. Administrator
   

   Acts 2:40 - 42 (NKJV) ⁴⁰And with many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, "Be saved from this perverse generation." 
   ⁴¹Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them. 
   ⁴²And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. 
   

   ILL: Do you really believe that Peter baptized 3,000. in one day?
   

   
    

   Acts 8:34 - 40 (NKJV) ³⁴So the eunuch answered Philip and said, "I ask you, of whom does the prophet say this, of himself or of some other man?" 
   ³⁵Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning at this Scripture, preached Jesus to him. 
   ³⁶Now as they went down the road, they came to some water. And the eunuch said, "See, here is water. What hinders me from being baptized?"
   ³⁷Then Philip said, "If you believe with all your heart, you may."
   And he answered and said, "I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God."
   ³⁸So he commanded the chariot to stand still. And both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and he baptized him. 
   ³⁹Now when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away, so that the eunuch saw him no more; and he went on his way rejoicing. 
   ⁴⁰But Philip was found at Azotus. And passing through, he preached in all the cities till he came to Caesarea.
   

   ILL: Philip was a deacon!
   

• What church did the eunuch join?
  

  ILL: While I was baptizing in a lake, a water skier stopped and asked if he could be baptized. I heard his confession of Christ, baptized him, and then he skied away.
  

  
   

1. How many times?
   

   Hebrews 10:8 - 14 (NKJV) ⁸Previously saying, "Sacrifice and offering, burnt offerings, and offerings for sin You did not desire, nor had pleasure in them" (which are offered according to the law), 
   ⁹then He said, "Behold, I have come to do Your will, O God." He takes away the first that He may establish the second. 
   ¹⁰By that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
   ¹¹And every priest stands ministering daily and offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. 
   ¹²But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God, 
   ¹³from that time waiting till His enemies are made His footstool. 
   ¹⁴For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified.
   

• One time is enough if you knew what you were doing. I was baptized at age 8 but did not understand. I received baptism at age 28 because I had received Christ!
  

 

Conclusion:

• Romans 10:5 - 15 (NKJV) ⁵For Moses writes about the righteousness which is of the law, "The man who does those things shall live by them." 
  ⁶But the righteousness of faith speaks in this way, "Do not say in your heart, 'Who will ascend into heaven?'" (that is, to bring Christ down from above) 
  ⁷or, "'Who will descend into the abyss?'" (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). 
  ⁸But what does it say? "The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart" (that is, the word of faith which we preach): 
  ⁹that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 
  ¹⁰For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 
  ¹¹For the Scripture says, "Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame." 
  ¹²For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. 
  

  
   

  ¹³For "whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved."
  ¹⁴How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? 
  ¹⁵And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: "How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace,
  Who bring glad tidings of good things!"
  

  
   

• Sunday morning, September 19^th, we will have a baptism service – here – if you have received Jesus and have not been baptized you are invited to participate. If you are not satisfied with an earlier baptism, you are invited to participate. Do I have to be a member of the Cathedral or to join the Cathedral – no, but we would like for you to consider it!