1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:03,760 Hey, if this is your first time joining us here at Hosanna Christian Fellowship, 2 00:00:03,760 --> 00:00:07,080 whether you're in our room or online, we want to say welcome. 3 00:00:07,080 --> 00:00:08,560 We're so glad you're to worship with us today. 4 00:00:08,560 --> 00:00:15,400 Well, I don't know if you noticed what was going on in the parking lot as we, 5 00:00:15,520 --> 00:00:18,720 as you pulled up today and you see our baptismal here. 6 00:00:18,720 --> 00:00:24,120 This morning we're taking a little bit of a break from Revelation to witness 7 00:00:24,120 --> 00:00:26,840 and celebrate with those getting baptized today. 8 00:00:26,840 --> 00:00:30,440 We are so excited for those that are taking this step. 9 00:00:30,440 --> 00:00:36,040 And next week we will, I promise, pick up and continue our panoramic view 10 00:00:36,040 --> 00:00:39,520 at spiritual warfare there in Revelation chapter 12. 11 00:00:39,520 --> 00:00:46,000 And when we come back, we'll get back to focusing in on a major event that happens 12 00:00:46,000 --> 00:00:48,240 in heaven around the midpoint of tribulation. 13 00:00:48,240 --> 00:00:55,560 And this event is a second war in heaven perpetrated by Satan and his demons. 14 00:00:55,560 --> 00:01:00,640 This war is waged and fought successfully against by Michael the archangel 15 00:01:00,640 --> 00:01:03,360 and his angels, the angels of God. 16 00:01:03,360 --> 00:01:06,880 And what we're going to see out of that is the resultant fury, 17 00:01:06,880 --> 00:01:10,520 fury of Satan at being defeated once again. 18 00:01:10,520 --> 00:01:14,360 And then we're also going to see his raging temper tantrum that he throws 19 00:01:14,360 --> 00:01:18,280 on the world at his being kicked out of heaven permanently. 20 00:01:18,280 --> 00:01:20,320 So we're looking forward to that. 21 00:01:20,320 --> 00:01:21,480 I'm excited to get to that. 22 00:01:21,480 --> 00:01:26,160 But today we have, gosh, I think 10 baptisms that are signed up. 23 00:01:26,160 --> 00:01:27,160 So... 24 00:01:27,160 --> 00:01:31,720 And of course, as we get to the message, if you're here this morning 25 00:01:31,720 --> 00:01:37,480 and the Lord puts it on your heart to take the step to get baptized, by all means, 26 00:01:37,480 --> 00:01:39,680 don't wait, don't think, oops, I didn't sign up. 27 00:01:39,680 --> 00:01:43,560 We have shorts, we have shirts you could change into, we have towels. 28 00:01:43,560 --> 00:01:46,600 But don't let anything get in the way of that. 29 00:01:46,600 --> 00:01:50,120 But as we move forward, I just wanted to spend today specifically 30 00:01:50,120 --> 00:01:53,560 because we have so many baptisms, I didn't want to gloss over the next part 31 00:01:53,560 --> 00:01:56,840 of Revelation, and so today we're going to be focusing on baptism 32 00:01:56,840 --> 00:02:00,440 and really an extended time of worship as we're doing those baptisms. 33 00:02:00,440 --> 00:02:05,200 So if you don't know, and maybe you should know, but if you don't, 34 00:02:05,200 --> 00:02:11,320 baptism is an incredibly important step of obedience in the life of a believer. 35 00:02:11,320 --> 00:02:16,200 You know, it's an ordinance of the church, and ordinance isn't necessarily a word 36 00:02:16,200 --> 00:02:21,120 we use so much for anything other than ammunition for military exercises, 37 00:02:21,120 --> 00:02:23,920 but as an ordinance of the church, it's something we observe, 38 00:02:23,920 --> 00:02:26,880 and I'll explain later what we mean by that. 39 00:02:26,880 --> 00:02:29,600 But it's an ordinance by which those who have repented 40 00:02:29,600 --> 00:02:35,920 and come to faith in Jesus Christ express their union with Christ. 41 00:02:35,920 --> 00:02:39,480 Baptism is that moment where they express their identification 42 00:02:39,480 --> 00:02:44,320 with his death and his resurrection by being immersed in water, 43 00:02:44,320 --> 00:02:49,120 and I say immersed in water where possible because sometimes 44 00:02:49,120 --> 00:02:53,240 immersion in water isn't possible, and I bring that up to say that 45 00:02:53,240 --> 00:02:57,520 if you are unable to get immersed in water, yes, you can get baptized. 46 00:02:57,520 --> 00:03:02,240 There are ways for us to baptize you, and there are ways for that to take place, 47 00:03:02,240 --> 00:03:07,080 but this whole thing here is this identification with what Jesus has done 48 00:03:07,080 --> 00:03:11,920 in your life, identifying with the fact that the old man is dead, 49 00:03:11,920 --> 00:03:15,720 and that's the going under, and that you identify with the resurrection 50 00:03:15,720 --> 00:03:19,480 of Christ as you come up out of the water, representing new life 51 00:03:19,480 --> 00:03:23,520 granted to you, all the thing that we do according to the teachings of Jesus 52 00:03:23,520 --> 00:03:26,560 in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. 53 00:03:26,560 --> 00:03:30,960 It's a sign. It's a sign of belonging to the family of God, 54 00:03:30,960 --> 00:03:36,520 and it's a public declaration, like I said, of one's spiritual burial, right? 55 00:03:36,520 --> 00:03:39,960 It's a death to self, a death to the old life, 56 00:03:39,960 --> 00:03:43,760 a death to the old way of living and unbelief. 57 00:03:43,760 --> 00:03:47,960 The washing of the water is representative of one's cleaning and purification 58 00:03:47,960 --> 00:03:51,680 from the pollution and the power and the stain of sin, 59 00:03:51,680 --> 00:03:57,520 all through faith in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ on the cross. 60 00:03:57,520 --> 00:04:01,280 Now, it's also a sign of one being spiritually born again, 61 00:04:01,280 --> 00:04:03,560 and that's the whole idea of coming up out of the water, 62 00:04:03,560 --> 00:04:09,120 the idea of being resurrected to life and being made new, alive again, 63 00:04:09,120 --> 00:04:11,840 if you will, your spirit being born again, 64 00:04:11,840 --> 00:04:14,240 granted new life here on earth and eternally. 65 00:04:14,240 --> 00:04:21,120 And so, as a public declaration that baptism is, you, their family in Christ, 66 00:04:21,120 --> 00:04:25,040 both in our room and online, you are the public that get to witness 67 00:04:25,040 --> 00:04:26,920 this declaration that they're making today, 68 00:04:26,920 --> 00:04:30,440 and that's why we do services like this here in our sanctuary, 69 00:04:30,440 --> 00:04:35,280 to give you that opportunity to celebrate and to recognize and to affirm 70 00:04:35,280 --> 00:04:40,040 and witness their public declaration of their faith in Jesus Christ. 71 00:04:40,040 --> 00:04:43,720 Now, like I said, this includes those of you that are joining us online 72 00:04:43,720 --> 00:04:45,480 as part of the family here at Hosanna, 73 00:04:45,480 --> 00:04:48,960 and so overall, today will be a little bit different. 74 00:04:48,960 --> 00:04:52,480 When we first did our first baptism service here in the room, 75 00:04:52,480 --> 00:04:54,880 it was much like today, and then over the year, 76 00:04:54,880 --> 00:04:57,880 we've done baptism services where I would do my teaching 77 00:04:57,880 --> 00:04:59,880 where we were at in the Word, and then at the tail end, 78 00:04:59,880 --> 00:05:01,680 we would do the baptism, but like I said, 79 00:05:01,680 --> 00:05:04,240 we have a lot of people getting baptized today, 80 00:05:04,240 --> 00:05:07,840 and so we're gonna spend the whole time focused on that. 81 00:05:07,840 --> 00:05:11,640 But today is a day to celebrate what God has done. 82 00:05:11,640 --> 00:05:14,000 It's a day to praise Him for what He has done 83 00:05:14,000 --> 00:05:16,000 in the life of our brothers and sisters, 84 00:05:16,000 --> 00:05:20,160 and so in that light, it's gonna be a day of worship as well, 85 00:05:20,160 --> 00:05:23,360 and so I encourage you guys to worship as we witness 86 00:05:23,360 --> 00:05:25,200 our brothers and sisters getting baptized. 87 00:05:25,200 --> 00:05:27,840 And so we're gonna open up, as we always do for our services, 88 00:05:27,840 --> 00:05:30,040 with a time of worship of the Lord, 89 00:05:30,040 --> 00:05:33,200 and after which, I'm gonna do a brief teaching about baptism 90 00:05:33,200 --> 00:05:36,480 and remind us all what baptism is, what it means, 91 00:05:36,480 --> 00:05:38,200 why we observe it the way we do, 92 00:05:38,200 --> 00:05:40,840 and I'm gonna do that prior to inviting those 93 00:05:40,840 --> 00:05:42,160 at the very tail end of service. 94 00:05:42,160 --> 00:05:45,160 I'll invite those of you that are getting baptized today 95 00:05:45,160 --> 00:05:46,880 to come forward, to get up out of your seat, 96 00:05:46,880 --> 00:05:48,560 to come forward and to go backstage 97 00:05:48,560 --> 00:05:49,960 where we have changing boots and stuff 98 00:05:49,960 --> 00:05:52,120 so you can get ready for that baptism. 99 00:05:52,120 --> 00:05:55,040 And as I already said, if you didn't sign up 100 00:05:55,040 --> 00:05:57,800 to get baptized today, but you feel God leading you 101 00:05:57,800 --> 00:06:01,600 to do so, you can, and please listen to His voice 102 00:06:01,600 --> 00:06:04,000 and get baptized today. 103 00:06:04,000 --> 00:06:05,800 So for those of you that might be asking, 104 00:06:05,800 --> 00:06:08,200 we do these baptism services once a quarter 105 00:06:08,200 --> 00:06:10,280 here at Hosanna to give opportunity 106 00:06:10,280 --> 00:06:12,640 for those getting saved to get baptized, 107 00:06:12,640 --> 00:06:15,200 and since we do this as part of our Sunday morning service 108 00:06:15,200 --> 00:06:18,840 here, it's just gonna be the entire focus today. 109 00:06:18,840 --> 00:06:21,080 We're so excited for our 10 brothers and sisters 110 00:06:21,080 --> 00:06:22,760 and whoever else that are getting baptized today. 111 00:06:22,760 --> 00:06:25,120 We're so blessed to be here with you all today 112 00:06:25,120 --> 00:06:28,120 to witness your proclamation of what God has done 113 00:06:28,120 --> 00:06:30,440 in your life, and so let's pray. 114 00:06:30,440 --> 00:06:33,200 Let's open up in worship and celebration, 115 00:06:33,200 --> 00:06:35,200 and then we will get on with the service today. 116 00:06:35,200 --> 00:06:38,480 Father God, we're so grateful to who you are 117 00:06:38,480 --> 00:06:39,600 and what you've done. 118 00:06:40,720 --> 00:06:43,000 God, so many of us in this room this morning, God, 119 00:06:43,000 --> 00:06:45,280 we know you personally as our Lord and Savior, God. 120 00:06:45,280 --> 00:06:46,800 We have come to that place in our life 121 00:06:46,800 --> 00:06:49,200 where we recognize our sin. 122 00:06:49,200 --> 00:06:53,080 We recognize that you are a holy and just and perfect God, 123 00:06:53,080 --> 00:06:55,920 and Lord, we recognize that we broke your law. 124 00:06:57,040 --> 00:06:59,720 We also recognized and believed, Lord, 125 00:06:59,720 --> 00:07:04,440 that the penalty for breaking your law was due on us. 126 00:07:05,920 --> 00:07:07,600 But God, we've heard the message 127 00:07:07,600 --> 00:07:09,800 that you sent your only begotten son into this world 128 00:07:09,800 --> 00:07:11,800 to die for the sins of all mankind, 129 00:07:11,800 --> 00:07:14,320 to die for our sins personally, 130 00:07:14,320 --> 00:07:18,680 that through faith in Jesus Christ we would be saved. 131 00:07:18,680 --> 00:07:21,240 We would be redeemed, we would be forgiven, 132 00:07:21,240 --> 00:07:24,720 and God, we are here today to celebrate the moment 133 00:07:24,720 --> 00:07:26,800 that some of our brothers and sisters are making, Lord, 134 00:07:26,800 --> 00:07:29,520 in their baptism to publicly declare 135 00:07:29,520 --> 00:07:31,240 that that has taken place in their life, 136 00:07:31,240 --> 00:07:32,880 and Lord, hallelujah. 137 00:07:33,960 --> 00:07:36,400 We're so thankful for this opportunity, God. 138 00:07:36,400 --> 00:07:38,920 Lord, we pray that your Spirit would just fill this place, 139 00:07:38,920 --> 00:07:40,960 God, that you would speak to us and fill us 140 00:07:40,960 --> 00:07:43,960 and encourage us, God, as we celebrate. 141 00:07:43,960 --> 00:07:47,400 Lord, we worship you because you are holy, 142 00:07:47,400 --> 00:07:52,400 you are just, you are love, you are almighty, 143 00:07:52,440 --> 00:07:54,880 and we thank you, God, for your great mercy, 144 00:07:54,880 --> 00:07:57,040 your great grace, your great salvation 145 00:07:57,040 --> 00:08:00,440 that you have granted to us in the name of Jesus Christ, 146 00:08:00,440 --> 00:08:03,600 and it's in his name we pray today, amen. 147 00:08:03,600 --> 00:08:05,920 We're gonna talk about baptism briefly today 148 00:08:05,920 --> 00:08:09,120 just as a reminder of what it is, why we do it, 149 00:08:09,120 --> 00:08:11,600 what the scripture says about baptism 150 00:08:11,600 --> 00:08:15,200 so that we just understand fully what this moment means 151 00:08:15,200 --> 00:08:17,000 and why it is so important to us. 152 00:08:17,000 --> 00:08:21,120 As I opened with, baptism is an ordinance of the church, 153 00:08:21,120 --> 00:08:23,200 it's an ordinance of our church, 154 00:08:23,200 --> 00:08:25,240 it's an ordinance of the Lord, 155 00:08:25,240 --> 00:08:27,880 and that concept, that word ordinance, 156 00:08:27,880 --> 00:08:30,720 simply means that it's something that Jesus commanded, 157 00:08:30,720 --> 00:08:35,720 something Jesus ordained to be observed in his church. 158 00:08:35,840 --> 00:08:40,600 And so we observe two ordinances here at Hosanna regularly. 159 00:08:40,600 --> 00:08:43,900 One of them is communion that we usually typically observe 160 00:08:43,900 --> 00:08:46,280 on the first Sunday of every single month, 161 00:08:46,280 --> 00:08:48,080 and the other one is baptism. 162 00:08:48,080 --> 00:08:51,280 And so on the first Sundays where we have our baptism, 163 00:08:51,280 --> 00:08:54,240 we don't have communion, we're observing baptism 164 00:08:54,240 --> 00:08:56,040 the next month on the first Sunday, 165 00:08:56,040 --> 00:08:58,320 we will have our communion service again, 166 00:08:58,320 --> 00:09:02,700 but baptism is something that Jesus example. 167 00:09:02,700 --> 00:09:06,300 We see Jesus getting baptized as he went to the Jordan River 168 00:09:06,300 --> 00:09:08,080 and saw John the Baptist. 169 00:09:08,080 --> 00:09:11,040 We see that it is something he established 170 00:09:11,040 --> 00:09:13,560 as an ongoing practice of the church, 171 00:09:13,560 --> 00:09:16,180 and that is really the first reason 172 00:09:16,180 --> 00:09:18,420 why we observe baptism as the church, 173 00:09:18,420 --> 00:09:22,720 because Jesus said to, and as Christians, 174 00:09:22,720 --> 00:09:24,080 we do what Jesus says. 175 00:09:24,080 --> 00:09:26,000 We were endeavoring to be obedient to him, 176 00:09:26,000 --> 00:09:29,560 and that comes from Matthew chapter 28, verses 19 and 20. 177 00:09:29,560 --> 00:09:30,600 It says this there. 178 00:09:31,680 --> 00:09:34,700 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, 179 00:09:34,700 --> 00:09:37,120 baptizing them in the name of the Father, 180 00:09:37,120 --> 00:09:40,300 and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, 181 00:09:40,300 --> 00:09:43,640 teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. 182 00:09:43,640 --> 00:09:48,140 And remember, I am with you always to the end of the age. 183 00:09:48,140 --> 00:09:51,360 This was Jesus giving final instructions to his disciples 184 00:09:51,360 --> 00:09:54,280 at the end of Matthew, and he tells his disciples there, 185 00:09:54,280 --> 00:09:57,220 go therefore, and you may have heard in Bible studies 186 00:09:57,220 --> 00:10:00,200 in the past that that word go is an active word. 187 00:10:00,200 --> 00:10:02,740 It means while you are going, 188 00:10:02,740 --> 00:10:04,800 like while you are living your life, 189 00:10:04,800 --> 00:10:06,440 while you are going to work, 190 00:10:06,440 --> 00:10:08,640 while you are going to the movies, 191 00:10:08,640 --> 00:10:11,080 while you are going to hang out with your friends and family, 192 00:10:11,080 --> 00:10:16,080 while you are going, make disciples of all nations. 193 00:10:16,720 --> 00:10:19,740 Disciple is the word that means a student, 194 00:10:19,740 --> 00:10:22,480 so make students of Jesus. 195 00:10:22,480 --> 00:10:24,160 Go out and share your faith, 196 00:10:24,160 --> 00:10:26,560 and share what Jesus is doing in your life. 197 00:10:26,560 --> 00:10:29,300 Share who God is, and share all of that, 198 00:10:29,300 --> 00:10:31,880 that you would then have the opportunity to lead others 199 00:10:31,880 --> 00:10:35,080 to come be disciples of Jesus Christ, 200 00:10:35,080 --> 00:10:36,320 to give their life to him, 201 00:10:36,320 --> 00:10:39,520 to receive that free gift of salvation that we are given, 202 00:10:39,520 --> 00:10:41,040 and then to become students of his, 203 00:10:41,040 --> 00:10:42,480 people who will study his word, 204 00:10:42,480 --> 00:10:45,220 and learn, and endeavor, and grow, and mature, 205 00:10:45,220 --> 00:10:48,440 to become followers of Christ in this world. 206 00:10:48,440 --> 00:10:51,160 And so, and then it says after you make disciples 207 00:10:51,160 --> 00:10:53,000 of all nations, the first thing he says there 208 00:10:53,000 --> 00:10:55,880 is baptize them, baptize them. 209 00:10:56,960 --> 00:11:01,440 Now, that is why we observe the ordinance of baptism. 210 00:11:01,440 --> 00:11:02,920 It's in obedience to Christ. 211 00:11:02,920 --> 00:11:04,340 It's because he said so. 212 00:11:05,400 --> 00:11:08,480 And so, by making disciples, we as a church, 213 00:11:08,480 --> 00:11:12,320 we endeavor to teach others to observe what Jesus taught. 214 00:11:12,320 --> 00:11:13,680 That's why we have Bible studies. 215 00:11:13,680 --> 00:11:15,720 That's why we gather together. 216 00:11:15,720 --> 00:11:18,400 But church should not be the only place you're studying 217 00:11:18,400 --> 00:11:21,520 the word, you should have your own personal relationship 218 00:11:21,520 --> 00:11:25,080 in devotion, in reading, and studying God's word. 219 00:11:25,080 --> 00:11:27,560 But here as a church, we have a goal to teach others 220 00:11:27,560 --> 00:11:29,000 to observe what Jesus taught. 221 00:11:29,000 --> 00:11:30,600 And that's a part of our mission statement, right? 222 00:11:30,600 --> 00:11:32,760 To know the truth, and to live the truth. 223 00:11:32,760 --> 00:11:34,520 And then also to share the truth, 224 00:11:34,520 --> 00:11:36,160 which is a part of evangelism, 225 00:11:36,160 --> 00:11:38,120 and sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ, 226 00:11:38,120 --> 00:11:40,960 taking that message that God died for them, 227 00:11:40,960 --> 00:11:42,880 that he loved them so much that he paid the price 228 00:11:42,880 --> 00:11:44,400 for their sin that they could be forgiven, 229 00:11:44,400 --> 00:11:48,680 and set free, and be able to then have a life lived 230 00:11:48,680 --> 00:11:50,840 in faith in Christ, in salvation. 231 00:11:50,840 --> 00:11:54,560 And so, in doing so, the idea of leading others to know him, 232 00:11:54,560 --> 00:11:57,000 Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, 233 00:11:57,000 --> 00:11:59,380 comes when we share that gospel. 234 00:11:59,380 --> 00:12:01,240 And then they come to know him, 235 00:12:01,240 --> 00:12:03,160 they come to profess their faith in Christ, 236 00:12:03,160 --> 00:12:06,400 and then we give opportunity for baptism. 237 00:12:08,120 --> 00:12:11,600 Now Jesus said, if you love me, you'll keep my commandments. 238 00:12:11,600 --> 00:12:14,820 And that really should be enough for us, shouldn't it? 239 00:12:16,040 --> 00:12:18,380 But it's not, we know that, right? 240 00:12:18,380 --> 00:12:19,380 We struggle. 241 00:12:21,120 --> 00:12:23,340 Sometimes Jesus says to do it, and we're like, 242 00:12:23,340 --> 00:12:25,500 but did you really say it that way? 243 00:12:25,500 --> 00:12:27,860 So there are some other very good reasons 244 00:12:27,860 --> 00:12:30,080 that we observe baptism. 245 00:12:30,080 --> 00:12:33,960 Baptism expresses our union, our connection with Christ. 246 00:12:33,960 --> 00:12:35,380 That's one of the biggest reasons 247 00:12:35,380 --> 00:12:37,120 that we're called to do this. 248 00:12:37,120 --> 00:12:39,600 And we find this taught in the book of Romans, 249 00:12:39,600 --> 00:12:40,540 as Paul was writing, 250 00:12:40,540 --> 00:12:44,860 because baptism, it expresses our connection with Christ 251 00:12:44,860 --> 00:12:48,060 by identifying, by us identifying with him 252 00:12:48,060 --> 00:12:49,660 in his death and resurrection. 253 00:12:49,660 --> 00:12:52,660 We're, in a sense, going through the same process 254 00:12:52,660 --> 00:12:54,880 that he went through, symbolically, 255 00:12:54,880 --> 00:12:58,580 to represent that what he did for us now applies to us, 256 00:12:58,580 --> 00:13:01,420 and that's the idea of baptism, right? 257 00:13:01,420 --> 00:13:03,580 So in Romans chapter six, verse three and four, 258 00:13:03,580 --> 00:13:04,980 this is what Paul said. 259 00:13:06,580 --> 00:13:09,400 He goes, or are you unaware that all of us 260 00:13:09,400 --> 00:13:11,380 who are baptized into Christ Jesus 261 00:13:11,380 --> 00:13:13,360 were baptized into his death? 262 00:13:14,340 --> 00:13:18,860 Therefore, we were buried with him by baptism into death 263 00:13:18,860 --> 00:13:21,880 in order that just as Christ was raised from the dead 264 00:13:21,880 --> 00:13:25,540 by the glory of the Father, so too we, 265 00:13:25,540 --> 00:13:29,920 or so too, so we too may walk in newness of life. 266 00:13:31,440 --> 00:13:32,820 Now this is an important verse 267 00:13:32,820 --> 00:13:35,260 about the whole concept of why we do this, 268 00:13:35,260 --> 00:13:37,540 and what that identification with Christ means. 269 00:13:37,540 --> 00:13:39,900 Now this verse is, incidentally, not teaching 270 00:13:39,900 --> 00:13:43,080 the concept of baptismal regeneration. 271 00:13:43,080 --> 00:13:45,020 Baptismal regeneration is the idea 272 00:13:45,020 --> 00:13:47,940 that it's not faith in Christ that saves you, 273 00:13:47,940 --> 00:13:51,200 it's the actual physical act of going under the water, 274 00:13:51,200 --> 00:13:53,080 that's what saves you, and that is something 275 00:13:53,080 --> 00:13:55,800 that is taught today, but that is not 276 00:13:55,800 --> 00:13:57,860 what the Bible teaches. 277 00:13:57,860 --> 00:13:59,940 If this was required for salvation, 278 00:13:59,940 --> 00:14:03,140 then the thief on the cross got a raw deal, didn't he? 279 00:14:03,140 --> 00:14:06,160 And so, it's faith in Jesus that leads to salvation, 280 00:14:06,160 --> 00:14:08,680 but this act here is a symbolic act 281 00:14:08,680 --> 00:14:11,720 of publicly professing our identification with him. 282 00:14:11,720 --> 00:14:15,920 And so, instead of it being something that saves us, 283 00:14:15,920 --> 00:14:20,920 it's us identifying with the death and the resurrection. 284 00:14:21,200 --> 00:14:24,120 Paul, when he was speaking of unity in the body of Christ, 285 00:14:24,120 --> 00:14:26,280 speaking that we're all individually part 286 00:14:26,280 --> 00:14:27,680 of the body of Christ, he said this 287 00:14:27,680 --> 00:14:29,500 in 1 Corinthians 12, 13. 288 00:14:30,460 --> 00:14:34,480 For we are all baptized by one spirit into one body, 289 00:14:34,480 --> 00:14:38,760 whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, 290 00:14:38,760 --> 00:14:42,020 and we were all given one spirit to drink. 291 00:14:42,980 --> 00:14:45,160 The idea of what Paul was saying here to the church, 292 00:14:45,160 --> 00:14:48,280 he's like, look, our baptism, the baptism 293 00:14:48,280 --> 00:14:50,800 that we partake of as Christians, 294 00:14:50,800 --> 00:14:54,560 it connects us, it unites, it identifies us all 295 00:14:54,560 --> 00:14:59,440 as one group, it identifies us as one community, 296 00:14:59,440 --> 00:15:04,440 it identifies us as one family, the family of Jesus Christ. 297 00:15:05,680 --> 00:15:08,440 The idea that we're all part of the body of Christ, 298 00:15:08,440 --> 00:15:11,000 of his church, is what baptism does, 299 00:15:11,000 --> 00:15:13,480 it identifies us into that family. 300 00:15:13,480 --> 00:15:15,840 And so, in the book of Romans, 301 00:15:15,840 --> 00:15:18,280 and in numerous other places in scripture, 302 00:15:18,280 --> 00:15:22,480 it's very clear that it's faith in the atoning work 303 00:15:22,480 --> 00:15:24,360 of Jesus Christ that saves us. 304 00:15:24,360 --> 00:15:26,760 That is how salvation comes to us, 305 00:15:26,760 --> 00:15:29,640 is when we put our faith in Jesus and what he did. 306 00:15:29,640 --> 00:15:32,880 It's our faith that unites us to Christ, 307 00:15:32,880 --> 00:15:36,680 and therefore makes us forgiven people, 308 00:15:36,680 --> 00:15:41,240 makes us not guilty, makes us children of God, 309 00:15:41,240 --> 00:15:43,240 adopts us into his family, if you will, 310 00:15:43,240 --> 00:15:48,240 but we demonstrate that we have exercised that faith. 311 00:15:48,340 --> 00:15:50,400 We demonstrate that we have taken that step 312 00:15:50,400 --> 00:15:53,400 and have thus received the free gift of salvation, 313 00:15:53,400 --> 00:15:56,000 or to put it another way, we signify, 314 00:15:56,000 --> 00:15:59,880 we identify, we symbolize that this has happened 315 00:15:59,880 --> 00:16:03,640 in our life through the ordinance of baptism. 316 00:16:03,640 --> 00:16:06,280 That's why it's so important to us. 317 00:16:06,280 --> 00:16:09,080 Faith is what unites us to Christ. 318 00:16:09,080 --> 00:16:12,000 Baptism is what portrays and declares 319 00:16:12,000 --> 00:16:13,500 that union with Christ. 320 00:16:13,500 --> 00:16:17,200 Declares to the public, I have trusted in Jesus Christ 321 00:16:17,200 --> 00:16:19,920 as my Lord and Savior, I have put my faith in him. 322 00:16:19,920 --> 00:16:22,600 And it personalizes it in a way that helps us 323 00:16:22,600 --> 00:16:26,080 in our living relationship with him. 324 00:16:26,080 --> 00:16:28,160 You see, when I say it personalizes, 325 00:16:28,160 --> 00:16:31,600 the personalization of baptism is this idea 326 00:16:31,600 --> 00:16:35,780 that you're not just affirming that Jesus died 327 00:16:35,780 --> 00:16:38,000 for sin in general. 328 00:16:38,000 --> 00:16:39,240 And that's a true statement, 329 00:16:39,240 --> 00:16:41,640 there's nothing wrong with affirming that. 330 00:16:41,640 --> 00:16:45,280 But when you get baptized, you are declaring 331 00:16:45,280 --> 00:16:48,360 that he died for my sin. 332 00:16:48,360 --> 00:16:50,400 You're declaring he died for your sin. 333 00:16:50,400 --> 00:16:52,580 You're saying to the world, I'm affirming 334 00:16:52,580 --> 00:16:54,080 that Jesus died for my sin. 335 00:16:54,080 --> 00:16:57,280 I have received that free gift of salvation. 336 00:16:57,280 --> 00:16:59,680 And I'm identifying publicly with that 337 00:16:59,680 --> 00:17:02,320 through this act of baptism. 338 00:17:02,320 --> 00:17:04,380 It's saying to the world that I'm recognizing 339 00:17:04,380 --> 00:17:07,140 that he died in my place. 340 00:17:07,140 --> 00:17:09,960 And so I am dead to my old ways. 341 00:17:09,960 --> 00:17:12,000 I am dead to my old nature. 342 00:17:12,000 --> 00:17:14,340 I am a new creation. 343 00:17:14,340 --> 00:17:17,440 That's the symbolic nature of baptism. 344 00:17:17,440 --> 00:17:19,840 And we understand symbolism. 345 00:17:19,840 --> 00:17:22,760 We understand the idea of symbolism. 346 00:17:22,760 --> 00:17:24,440 And symbolism is very powerful. 347 00:17:24,440 --> 00:17:27,400 It's a very powerful thing in our life. 348 00:17:27,400 --> 00:17:30,240 For example, we all understand what a wedding ring 349 00:17:30,240 --> 00:17:31,880 symbolizes, don't we? 350 00:17:34,040 --> 00:17:35,760 Right, it's not just a piece of jewelry 351 00:17:35,760 --> 00:17:37,120 on someone's finger. 352 00:17:37,120 --> 00:17:38,720 Some treat it that way sadly, 353 00:17:38,720 --> 00:17:41,440 but that's not what it's meant to symbolize. 354 00:17:41,440 --> 00:17:43,400 We understand that a wedding ring represents 355 00:17:43,400 --> 00:17:47,120 a commitment that you have made to another person. 356 00:17:47,120 --> 00:17:49,520 Vows that you took before God. 357 00:17:49,520 --> 00:17:51,720 And before the witnesses, those that were gathered 358 00:17:51,720 --> 00:17:52,560 at your wedding. 359 00:17:52,560 --> 00:17:55,160 It represents all those words and those vows. 360 00:17:55,160 --> 00:17:56,620 And it represents all of that. 361 00:17:56,620 --> 00:17:59,920 It represents that on a particular day in the past, 362 00:17:59,920 --> 00:18:03,040 your life changed. 363 00:18:03,040 --> 00:18:07,520 That you became a different person, a brand new person. 364 00:18:07,520 --> 00:18:09,740 That you were no longer single, 365 00:18:09,740 --> 00:18:12,360 but joined to another person, 366 00:18:12,360 --> 00:18:17,040 joined to your spouse in something called holy matrimony. 367 00:18:17,040 --> 00:18:18,480 Right, it symbolizes that. 368 00:18:18,480 --> 00:18:23,040 And so when you look at that wedding ring today, 369 00:18:23,040 --> 00:18:24,900 it's to remind you of that. 370 00:18:26,240 --> 00:18:28,760 It's to bring all of that back to your mind, 371 00:18:28,760 --> 00:18:32,360 and it can be the very thing that helps you say no 372 00:18:32,360 --> 00:18:34,380 to temptation when it comes. 373 00:18:36,000 --> 00:18:37,640 And you may have heard stories like that. 374 00:18:37,640 --> 00:18:40,920 The devil is trying to tempt a spouse, 375 00:18:42,400 --> 00:18:44,400 and their temptation is strong, 376 00:18:44,400 --> 00:18:46,280 but they look at that wedding ring and they remember, 377 00:18:46,280 --> 00:18:50,440 no, I'm not on the market. 378 00:18:50,440 --> 00:18:51,740 I belong to another. 379 00:18:51,740 --> 00:18:53,560 I made commitments, I made vows. 380 00:18:53,560 --> 00:18:56,900 And so that's how symbolism could be powerful, 381 00:18:56,900 --> 00:18:59,440 and baptism is very similar to that. 382 00:18:59,440 --> 00:19:03,400 It points to a day that your life was changed. 383 00:19:03,400 --> 00:19:07,360 It points to a day where your eternal destiny was changed. 384 00:19:07,360 --> 00:19:10,840 It's an act of obedience that is performed publicly 385 00:19:10,840 --> 00:19:13,200 in front of the church, in front of witnesses, 386 00:19:13,200 --> 00:19:15,680 and just like that wedding ring, 387 00:19:15,680 --> 00:19:18,120 that couples have, it reminds you 388 00:19:18,120 --> 00:19:20,140 and it proclaims to the world, 389 00:19:21,200 --> 00:19:24,520 I now belong to someone else. 390 00:19:25,400 --> 00:19:28,040 I belong to someone specific. 391 00:19:28,040 --> 00:19:30,920 I am off the market to sin. 392 00:19:30,920 --> 00:19:32,560 Sin is no longer my master. 393 00:19:32,560 --> 00:19:34,120 Satan is no longer my master. 394 00:19:34,120 --> 00:19:35,560 I belong to God. 395 00:19:35,560 --> 00:19:37,840 That's what baptism symbolizes. 396 00:19:39,920 --> 00:19:42,240 Baptism is also an expression 397 00:19:42,240 --> 00:19:44,040 and a demonstration of your faith. 398 00:19:44,040 --> 00:19:45,760 So it's not just a symbolic picture, 399 00:19:45,760 --> 00:19:49,600 but it is actual expression and demonstration of your faith. 400 00:19:49,600 --> 00:19:52,120 It's said that baptism is an outward sign 401 00:19:52,120 --> 00:19:54,280 of an inward commitment. 402 00:19:54,280 --> 00:19:56,940 And as such, baptism is really only for those 403 00:19:56,940 --> 00:19:59,840 who have put their faith in Jesus Christ. 404 00:19:59,840 --> 00:20:01,640 Now can baptism be the moment 405 00:20:01,640 --> 00:20:03,640 you put your faith in Jesus Christ? 406 00:20:03,640 --> 00:20:04,480 Yeah. 407 00:20:05,480 --> 00:20:07,240 And that could happen for some of you today. 408 00:20:07,240 --> 00:20:08,640 If you're in this room and you don't know 409 00:20:08,640 --> 00:20:10,240 Jesus Christ is your Lord and Savior 410 00:20:10,240 --> 00:20:12,080 and God is speaking to you and saying, 411 00:20:12,080 --> 00:20:14,240 you need to know me, you need forgiveness, 412 00:20:14,240 --> 00:20:17,400 you need salvation, and you need to get baptized 413 00:20:17,400 --> 00:20:20,200 to proclaim to everybody that you've put your faith in me. 414 00:20:20,200 --> 00:20:23,160 That can all happen in this one moment. 415 00:20:23,160 --> 00:20:25,680 It's not the water that saves you, it's your faith. 416 00:20:25,680 --> 00:20:28,280 But it can all be a part of this moment of baptism. 417 00:20:30,960 --> 00:20:33,140 But if you have no faith in Christ 418 00:20:33,140 --> 00:20:34,560 and you go get in the water, 419 00:20:34,560 --> 00:20:37,000 all you're doing is getting dunked. 420 00:20:37,000 --> 00:20:38,520 That's it. 421 00:20:38,520 --> 00:20:39,640 Just getting wet. 422 00:20:39,640 --> 00:20:42,280 There's nothing being symbolized there 423 00:20:42,280 --> 00:20:44,560 because you're not proclaiming anything. 424 00:20:44,560 --> 00:20:46,300 It's not symbolic of anything. 425 00:20:47,460 --> 00:20:50,120 But with that said, if you do want to give your life 426 00:20:50,120 --> 00:20:53,800 to Christ today and be baptized, do that. 427 00:20:53,800 --> 00:20:54,620 Do that. 428 00:20:54,620 --> 00:20:57,320 Listen to the Holy Spirit's tug on your heart. 429 00:20:58,640 --> 00:21:00,560 See, the Bible tells us that we have all fallen short 430 00:21:00,560 --> 00:21:01,880 of the glory of God. 431 00:21:01,880 --> 00:21:05,040 We have all sinned and fallen short of his glory. 432 00:21:05,040 --> 00:21:07,240 We're all guilty of breaking God's law. 433 00:21:07,240 --> 00:21:09,840 Every single human being. 434 00:21:09,840 --> 00:21:12,120 None of us are perfect. 435 00:21:12,120 --> 00:21:13,840 Sometimes you go, yes I am. 436 00:21:15,780 --> 00:21:18,480 But that's when you compare yourself to other humans, right? 437 00:21:18,480 --> 00:21:20,000 I'm not as bad as Hitler. 438 00:21:21,080 --> 00:21:22,280 I think few are. 439 00:21:23,360 --> 00:21:25,900 But God didn't say the standard is other people. 440 00:21:25,900 --> 00:21:27,600 God said it's my standard. 441 00:21:28,600 --> 00:21:30,200 Right, and he gave us the 10 Commandments. 442 00:21:30,200 --> 00:21:31,400 He's like, oh, you want the rules? 443 00:21:31,400 --> 00:21:32,240 Here you go. 444 00:21:34,560 --> 00:21:35,960 And you walk through God's rules and you go, 445 00:21:35,960 --> 00:21:37,680 well, you know, I've done that one, 446 00:21:37,680 --> 00:21:38,940 I've done that one, I've done that one. 447 00:21:38,940 --> 00:21:40,600 Okay, sure, maybe, whatever. 448 00:21:40,600 --> 00:21:42,920 But then you get to, have you ever told a lie? 449 00:21:45,240 --> 00:21:46,880 Every single one of us have lied. 450 00:21:47,900 --> 00:21:49,900 Well, I've only lied about little things. 451 00:21:51,680 --> 00:21:52,720 You lied. 452 00:21:52,720 --> 00:21:54,760 What does that make you? 453 00:21:54,760 --> 00:21:55,720 A liar. 454 00:21:55,720 --> 00:21:57,320 Are good people liars? 455 00:21:58,560 --> 00:22:02,200 No, well, there goes the good person thing, right? 456 00:22:02,200 --> 00:22:04,440 The idea is we've broken God's law. 457 00:22:04,440 --> 00:22:06,320 And you might say, well, I've only broken one, 458 00:22:06,320 --> 00:22:07,560 I've only broken two. 459 00:22:07,560 --> 00:22:09,200 Well, God knew you were gonna say that. 460 00:22:09,200 --> 00:22:11,720 And so he said, look, the person who has erred 461 00:22:11,720 --> 00:22:14,520 or broken one of the laws is just as guilty 462 00:22:14,520 --> 00:22:15,920 as if he broke all of them. 463 00:22:17,040 --> 00:22:18,160 We need a savior. 464 00:22:19,960 --> 00:22:21,680 We're sinners, we're broken people, 465 00:22:21,680 --> 00:22:23,920 we hurt ourselves, we hurt others. 466 00:22:25,360 --> 00:22:27,440 We need forgiveness for the sins we've committed, 467 00:22:27,440 --> 00:22:29,680 and God offered that to us. 468 00:22:29,680 --> 00:22:32,680 He came to this earth, he clothed himself in flesh, 469 00:22:32,680 --> 00:22:34,600 he lived a perfect life. 470 00:22:34,600 --> 00:22:37,520 He taught us how to be good people, godly people. 471 00:22:37,520 --> 00:22:39,760 He said, I'm the example, follow me. 472 00:22:41,120 --> 00:22:42,920 Then at the end of his life, he went and died 473 00:22:42,920 --> 00:22:46,480 the most brutal, horrific death anybody has ever experienced. 474 00:22:47,400 --> 00:22:49,920 Not because he deserved it, but because you and I did. 475 00:22:51,000 --> 00:22:53,520 But he died that death because the Bible says 476 00:22:53,520 --> 00:22:55,120 the wages of sin is death. 477 00:22:56,280 --> 00:22:57,600 And without the shedding of blood, 478 00:22:57,600 --> 00:22:59,080 there is no remission of sin. 479 00:22:59,080 --> 00:23:01,920 And so he shed his blood on God's altar 480 00:23:01,920 --> 00:23:04,000 to be the sacrifice, to pay the price 481 00:23:04,000 --> 00:23:05,440 for your sin and my sin. 482 00:23:06,760 --> 00:23:07,600 We all need him. 483 00:23:08,600 --> 00:23:10,360 And if you don't know him this morning, 484 00:23:10,360 --> 00:23:11,920 I believe God is speaking to you, 485 00:23:11,920 --> 00:23:14,520 and he is speaking directly to your heart right now saying, 486 00:23:14,520 --> 00:23:17,360 you have sinned against me, you need to be saved. 487 00:23:19,120 --> 00:23:20,760 And salvation is pretty simple, 488 00:23:20,760 --> 00:23:23,040 it's just saying, God, I believe in you. 489 00:23:23,040 --> 00:23:25,040 I believe in who you are. 490 00:23:25,040 --> 00:23:26,360 I believe in what you do. 491 00:23:26,360 --> 00:23:28,800 I believe in the Lord, I believe in the Lord. 492 00:23:28,800 --> 00:23:31,840 I believe in what you say about sin, about who I am. 493 00:23:31,840 --> 00:23:32,760 I believe all of it. 494 00:23:32,760 --> 00:23:34,440 I have sinned against you, God. 495 00:23:36,120 --> 00:23:37,840 Please forgive me of that sin. 496 00:23:37,840 --> 00:23:40,000 I know there's nothing I can do to pay the price, 497 00:23:40,000 --> 00:23:42,840 and so I trust by faith in Jesus Christ. 498 00:23:42,840 --> 00:23:43,680 And guess what? 499 00:23:43,680 --> 00:23:46,080 The Bible says you pray that prayer, you say those words, 500 00:23:46,080 --> 00:23:47,720 you're saved. 501 00:23:47,720 --> 00:23:48,920 God has saved you. 502 00:23:50,480 --> 00:23:53,560 Then you have the opportunity to make a public profession 503 00:23:53,560 --> 00:23:55,960 that God has done that work in your life, amen? 504 00:23:55,960 --> 00:23:56,800 Amen. 505 00:23:57,880 --> 00:24:01,000 So don't worry about not signing up for the baptism today. 506 00:24:02,400 --> 00:24:04,400 If you wanna receive Christ today, 507 00:24:04,400 --> 00:24:06,600 come forward, get baptized. 508 00:24:06,600 --> 00:24:07,920 We will pray with you in the moment, 509 00:24:07,920 --> 00:24:10,240 and we will baptize you in the name of the Father 510 00:24:10,240 --> 00:24:11,840 and the Son and the Holy Spirit. 511 00:24:13,400 --> 00:24:15,880 So those of you that are getting baptized today, 512 00:24:15,880 --> 00:24:19,680 this moment is your public declaration 513 00:24:19,680 --> 00:24:22,280 that you have made the decision to follow Jesus Christ, 514 00:24:22,280 --> 00:24:25,120 to trust in him as your Lord and Savior. 515 00:24:25,120 --> 00:24:28,560 It is your public declaration that he is Lord of your life 516 00:24:28,560 --> 00:24:30,880 and that your intent, your desire, your goal 517 00:24:30,880 --> 00:24:34,120 is to live your life for him, to glorify him. 518 00:24:35,760 --> 00:24:38,640 And that's in a sense what Paul said there in Romans, 519 00:24:38,640 --> 00:24:40,640 in Romans chapter six, verse four. 520 00:24:40,640 --> 00:24:42,200 Back there, if you remember, he said, 521 00:24:42,200 --> 00:24:44,120 "'Just as Christ was raised from the dead 522 00:24:44,120 --> 00:24:45,440 "'by the glory of the Father, 523 00:24:45,440 --> 00:24:49,000 "'so we too may walk in newness of life.'" 524 00:24:49,000 --> 00:24:51,640 The idea there, the effect of baptism, 525 00:24:51,640 --> 00:24:54,520 the effect of this symbolic thing that we step into 526 00:24:54,520 --> 00:24:58,120 is that we may too walk in newness of life. 527 00:25:00,440 --> 00:25:03,040 Just like Christ did after his resurrection. 528 00:25:04,640 --> 00:25:07,980 He died, he died, he was dead dead. 529 00:25:09,060 --> 00:25:13,640 But he rose again to live forevermore, 530 00:25:13,640 --> 00:25:16,120 and that's what we get to do through our faith in him, 531 00:25:16,120 --> 00:25:18,160 and that's what baptism symbolizes. 532 00:25:18,160 --> 00:25:20,880 And so the effect of taking this step in baptism, 533 00:25:20,880 --> 00:25:24,760 in obedience to Christ, just like that example 534 00:25:24,760 --> 00:25:26,760 of the wedding ring, it means that the next time 535 00:25:26,760 --> 00:25:29,040 Satan comes knocking at your door, 536 00:25:29,040 --> 00:25:33,760 hey, man, we used to go to the bar all the time, 537 00:25:33,760 --> 00:25:34,600 I miss you. 538 00:25:35,760 --> 00:25:37,000 We used to go party all the time, 539 00:25:37,000 --> 00:25:38,080 we used to steal all the time, 540 00:25:38,080 --> 00:25:41,120 we used to hurt people, we used to, 541 00:25:41,120 --> 00:25:43,120 we used to do all these horrible things all the time, 542 00:25:43,120 --> 00:25:44,200 where have you been? 543 00:25:45,240 --> 00:25:47,080 And he comes knocking at your door and he says, 544 00:25:47,080 --> 00:25:51,280 come on, you gotta do what I'm telling you to do. 545 00:25:53,280 --> 00:25:55,260 You have to obey me. 546 00:25:55,260 --> 00:25:58,000 You know you want to, and he brings this temptation 547 00:25:58,000 --> 00:25:59,880 into our lives, he tempts you into sin 548 00:25:59,880 --> 00:26:01,520 and disobedience to the Lord. 549 00:26:01,520 --> 00:26:04,640 He tempts you to live the old way. 550 00:26:07,220 --> 00:26:09,320 He tempts you to think and act and behave 551 00:26:09,320 --> 00:26:11,240 according to the old nature. 552 00:26:11,240 --> 00:26:15,280 This day will serve as a reminder 553 00:26:15,280 --> 00:26:18,400 that although Satan may come knocking at your door, 554 00:26:18,400 --> 00:26:20,280 he is not your landlord anymore. 555 00:26:21,360 --> 00:26:23,080 He has no authority in your life, 556 00:26:23,080 --> 00:26:24,840 he has no power in your life, 557 00:26:24,840 --> 00:26:26,820 he can't tell you to do anything. 558 00:26:28,600 --> 00:26:32,840 He could try, but he has no authority. 559 00:26:32,840 --> 00:26:33,940 He has no authority. 560 00:26:33,940 --> 00:26:36,240 That old person, those old ways, 561 00:26:36,240 --> 00:26:37,920 that is not who you are anymore. 562 00:26:37,920 --> 00:26:40,320 That's what this declares to the world 563 00:26:40,320 --> 00:26:43,140 and declares in your own heart, 564 00:26:43,140 --> 00:26:45,760 that Jesus has changed me. 565 00:26:45,760 --> 00:26:48,400 And more so that you, through faith in Jesus Christ, 566 00:26:48,400 --> 00:26:51,760 have been empowered and enabled by the Holy Spirit 567 00:26:51,760 --> 00:26:54,280 who lives in you today to say no to sin 568 00:26:54,280 --> 00:26:56,240 and to say yes to Jesus. 569 00:26:58,320 --> 00:27:00,160 That's why baptism is so important. 570 00:27:02,580 --> 00:27:06,200 I myself will confess that I was saved 571 00:27:06,200 --> 00:27:09,280 for quite a few years before I got baptized. 572 00:27:10,200 --> 00:27:12,260 Part of the early years of my Christianity 573 00:27:12,260 --> 00:27:17,000 were fruit of my rebellious life prior to getting saved. 574 00:27:17,920 --> 00:27:19,480 I was always that person that I'm like, 575 00:27:19,480 --> 00:27:21,280 don't tell me what to do. 576 00:27:21,280 --> 00:27:22,680 I don't care who you are. 577 00:27:23,600 --> 00:27:25,160 So people say, you need to get baptized, 578 00:27:25,160 --> 00:27:26,420 don't tell me what to do. 579 00:27:28,060 --> 00:27:30,200 I'm saved, I believe in Jesus, right? 580 00:27:31,080 --> 00:27:33,940 And then one day I was working, 581 00:27:33,940 --> 00:27:35,720 I'm at staff on the church at this point, 582 00:27:35,720 --> 00:27:37,980 I was the junior high leader at that time. 583 00:27:37,980 --> 00:27:39,880 We're remodeling the junior high room 584 00:27:39,880 --> 00:27:43,820 and I'm listening to Pastor Gary's study on water baptism. 585 00:27:45,400 --> 00:27:49,720 And as I'm listening to it, I just felt the Lord go, 586 00:27:49,720 --> 00:27:50,640 what are you doing? 587 00:27:51,520 --> 00:27:53,080 You haven't been baptized yet. 588 00:27:54,400 --> 00:27:56,480 I was like, Lord, it doesn't save me. 589 00:27:56,480 --> 00:27:59,520 And he goes, you're right, it doesn't save you. 590 00:27:59,520 --> 00:28:02,300 But why won't you make that public profession? 591 00:28:03,280 --> 00:28:05,400 And I was like, uh, 592 00:28:05,400 --> 00:28:07,440 because I don't like people telling me what to do. 593 00:28:07,440 --> 00:28:10,040 He's like, come on. 594 00:28:11,560 --> 00:28:15,160 And then so, like me and my impulsive ADD-ness, 595 00:28:15,160 --> 00:28:18,040 I literally stopped work, 596 00:28:18,040 --> 00:28:19,480 drove over to Pastor Gary's house 597 00:28:19,480 --> 00:28:20,560 because he had a pool at that time, 598 00:28:20,560 --> 00:28:21,440 knocked on his front door, 599 00:28:21,440 --> 00:28:23,640 I'm like, I need you to baptize me right now. 600 00:28:25,680 --> 00:28:28,800 When God tells you to get baptized, get baptized. 601 00:28:28,800 --> 00:28:30,080 We have the pool ready. 602 00:28:31,400 --> 00:28:32,960 We're ready for you. 603 00:28:32,960 --> 00:28:35,800 And if God is speaking to your heart, do it. 604 00:28:35,800 --> 00:28:38,000 So let's pray and then we will start worship 605 00:28:38,000 --> 00:28:39,960 and we will get started with our baptism. 606 00:28:39,960 --> 00:28:42,320 Father God, we're so blessed. 607 00:28:42,320 --> 00:28:44,560 We're so blessed, Lord, to be here today. 608 00:28:44,560 --> 00:28:47,280 We're so blessed for this moment and what this represents. 609 00:28:47,280 --> 00:28:49,560 We're blessed for our brothers and sisters, God, 610 00:28:49,560 --> 00:28:52,320 both young and old, Lord, and everybody in between, God, 611 00:28:52,320 --> 00:28:55,480 that are making this profession, Lord. 612 00:28:55,480 --> 00:28:57,680 We're blessed to be able to be here as the public 613 00:28:57,680 --> 00:29:00,640 and their family in Christ here at Hosanna to witness this. 614 00:29:01,640 --> 00:29:04,040 Lord, this represents a mighty work 615 00:29:04,040 --> 00:29:06,080 that you have done in their lives. 616 00:29:06,080 --> 00:29:07,840 Lord, those of us that have been baptized, 617 00:29:07,840 --> 00:29:11,200 we remember, God, our baptism and all that it meant to us, 618 00:29:11,200 --> 00:29:12,880 God, is we professed the work 619 00:29:12,880 --> 00:29:14,560 that you had done in our lives. 620 00:29:15,600 --> 00:29:18,320 God, you are so great, you are so mighty. 621 00:29:18,320 --> 00:29:21,640 You are so loving and merciful and we're so thankful, God. 622 00:29:21,640 --> 00:29:24,880 So thankful for the salvation you offered to us. 623 00:29:25,920 --> 00:29:27,560 Lord, we thank you for the opportunity 624 00:29:27,560 --> 00:29:31,600 to be here in support of those getting baptized today. 625 00:29:31,600 --> 00:29:34,200 I pray, God, Lord, during this whole rest of this service, 626 00:29:34,200 --> 00:29:36,240 God, that you would be glorified, 627 00:29:36,240 --> 00:29:38,720 that your name would be lifted high as we praise you. 628 00:29:38,720 --> 00:29:40,480 We love you so much. 629 00:29:40,480 --> 00:29:42,400 It is in Jesus' name we pray. 630 00:29:43,240 --> 00:29:44,120 Amen. 631 00:29:44,120 --> 00:30:05,160 All right, let's worship.