Why Be Baptized?

When studying the Bible, often the question comes up, “Why must I be baptized?” God knows our hearts; He knows if we truly believe or not, so why must one go through the process of baptism?

Reasons for Baptism
Because It Is Commanded. In Matthew 28:18-19, the apostles are commanded to make disciples by baptizing people who believe. If one is to follow Christ, baptism is a commanded step to conform with. This is emphasized in Mark 16:15-16 as well. Here belief and baptism are tied together.

Acts 2 marks the beginning of Christ’s church, and the people wonder what they should do to make their lives right in verse 37. Under direction of the Holy Spirit, Peter commands repentance and baptism in verse 38.

Saul of Tarsus and Cornelius both had amazing experiences. Saul saw a vision of Jesus; he fasted and prayed for three days, but Ananias said he needed to be baptized. Cornelius was told Peter would bring him words “by which he would be saved.” Peter tells him to be baptized in Acts 10.

Because of What It Symbolizes. In Colossians 2:11-12, Paul explains that baptism symbolizes a circumcision of the heart and a burial with Christ. Romans 6 also parallels baptism with Christ’s death and resurrection. Our baptism crucifies our sin, and we are raised as a new spiritual person (John 3:3-5; Titus 3:4-5). Baptism is a connection with the central theme of Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection.

Because of What It Does. Acts 2:38 explains that baptism provides forgiveness for sins. Paul, in Acts 22:16, says it washes away sins. Galatians 3:25-27 points out that it puts us in Christ, and God adds us to His church through baptism (Acts 2:46-47). Finally, I Peter 3:20-22 provides a parallel between the waters of baptism saving us and the waters of the Flood saving Noah’s family.

Conclusion
Baptism serves a role in God’s plan, and it is a role we must appreciate. Baptism is a command of our Lord; it connects us with Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection as we are born anew, and baptism washes away our sins, allowing us to be added the Lord’s body.

sermon by Tim Smelser

The Example of Lot's Wife

Even for the apostles, Jesus’ teachings on the coming spiritual kingdom of His church and the Day of the Lord could be confusing at times. In Mark 8:31, Jesus is teaching that He must be killed and rise again, and, in verse 34, He calls the multitude and tells them they must crucify self to follow Him. He asks the people what it profits someone to gain the world yet lose his soul. Directly after these teaching, in chapter 9, Jesus tells His listeners many of them would live to see the kingdom come.

In Matthew 24:2, Jesus reveals that the temple will be destroyed soon, and His disciples ask Him for a timeline. They ask Him one question, but He gives two answers. His first answer speaks of the sacking of Jerusalem and the destruction of the temple, telling them to flee when these things come. Summing up in verse 34-36, Jesus turns His attention to the final judgment – a time of which only the Father knows. Likewise, in Luke 17:20, Jesus tells the scribes and Pharisees the Day of the Lord is not something you can predict.

Days of the Lord
The term “Day of the Lord” is not always indicative of the Second Coming. Isaiah 13:6 describes the judgment against Babylon as a Day of the Lord. Ezekiel 29:6 begins a judgment against Egypt, and chapter 30:2 describes this judgment as the Day of the Lord. Amos 5:18-19 describes the destruction of Ephraim as the Day of the Lord. Finally, Joel 1:15 turns judgment against Judah and describes this as the Day of the Lord. None of these are the end of the world.

In Matthew 24, Jesus is addressing two different days. One is a Day of the Lord against Jerusalem, and Jesus says the people will be able to see this coming due to outside circumstances. However, a second day is spoken of in verse 36. This is the end of the world, and, like the coming of the Great Flood, no one will see it coming. He goes on to describe that some will be swept away in judgment in verses 37-44 while others are saved. He also uses the example of Noah in Luke 17:26, and He goes on to use Lot as another example. He concludes this with an admonition to remember Lot’s wife.

There will be no predicting or anticipating that final Day of the Lord. It will be as unexpected as the Flood, as unexpected as the destruction of Sodom. Jesus emphasizes that we cannot anticipate this day in Matthew 24:42 and 44. We cannot behave precipitously. We can only live prepared.

Remembering Lot’s Wife
Back in Genesis 13, Abram and Lot part ways due to the size of their flocks, and, in verse 10, Lot journeys east to the plains of Sodom. The decision Lot makes at that point determines the fate of his wife to an extent. He ignores the reputation of the nearby cities when he chooses where to settle. He pitches his tent near Sodom. Soon he is sitting at the gate, and later he has a house in the midst of the city. Genesis 18:16-23 then records God’s judgment upon Sodom, Abraham’s pleas for mercy, and God’s willingness to show mercy should He find ten righteous within Sodom’s borders.

When the time comes to flee, Lot’s wife’s heart stays behind. She looks back. Jesus uses the city of Sodom as an example of certain judgment, and He tells us that Lot’s wife should have willingly left such wickedness behind and fled. In this illustration, He is talking about the destruction of Jerusalem, and He is warning His listeners to flee without burden when that time comes. To save themselves, they must not look back.

Conclusion
II Peter 3:7-10 describes the sudden coming of the Lord and the inevitable destruction of our world. He encourages us to live right in God’s sight, knowing that this world is reserved for judgment. Like Lot’s wife and like those who would be fleeing Jerusalem, we can’t look back. Mark 8:34 records Jesus calling the people to Him, telling them to let go of the things of this life to gain the next. We have to be willing to walk away from the allures of this life to serve Jesus. The decisions we make now have long-term effects and being overly attached to the things of this world will draw us back. We must trust in our Lord and press forward unencumbered by the weights that tie us to this world.

sermon by Tim Smelser

Church Unity

In Acts 2:41, the Jerusalem congregation began with about 3,000 members. It was a daunting undertaking, but they allowed the Lord to direct them. That direction led to further growth (Acts 2:47). Furthermore, several nationalities were represented in this group (Acts 2:9-11). This, of course, meant their were several cultural and social diversities along with linguistic differences. Despite this, Acts 4:32 says they were of one heart and of one soul.

Six Contributors to Unity
If we are to be this New Testament church, we are to be unified. To gain this same unity, we should emulate these qualities to be the church God wants us to be.

• They spent time together. In Acts 2:42-46 and Acts 5:42, the disciples were gathering together. These gatherings were not exclusively religious or social. This seemed to be a combination of the two in some cases. However, spending time together can be inconvenient, and it takes effort to make that time to fellowship with other Christians. It can also be difficult to spend time with certain people because it may take more effort to overcome differences with each other, but, if we do invest that time, we can become close to one another.
• They were united in purpose. The Christians in Acts 2 were praising God, and this is the result of their purpose. Acts 3:19-21 reminds us that our end goal is looking forward to Christ’s return. Our world is not perfect, but the world to come is. These New Testament Christians were focused on Christ, and, if we can keep that same focus, many of this world’s cares and problems seem a little less important.
• They prayed together. In Acts 1:14, the disciples continued in prayer and thanksgiving. Prayer is a reoccurring theme throughout the book of Acts. In Acts 4:23-24, the disciples pray when they come under persecution, and they prayed together for the strength to endure. In Acts 12:12, when Peter had escaped from prison, he found other Christians praying together when he came to Mary’s house, even at a late hour of the night.
• They were united in the same doctrine. In Acts 2:42, the Christians continue in the “apostles’ doctrine,” and in John 14, the apostles are told that they would be told what to say by the Holy Spirit. This was not a promotion of self – the doctrine is Christ.
• They worshiped together. Again, there is encouragement in unified actions. The acts of worship and the songs of the Old Testament were factors and contributors of unity. Acts 20:7 & Acts 2:42 focus on the coming together to worship God and participate in Christ’s memorial.
• They had the same concern for one another. Still in Acts 2:43-44, it is said that they had “all things in common.” This does not mean they had all of the same qualities. It meant that what is mine is yours, and I need to be concerned for your needs and ready to help out. This is reinforced in Acts 4:34-35.

Conclusion: A Successful Congregation
All of these qualities led to the strength of the Jerusalem church, and these qualities work hand-in-hand with each other. This congregation was successful because they were enthusiastic and generous toward each other and toward the Lord. They were a disciplined church, and discipline is the result of concern for each other and for the sanctity of God’s word. Furthermore, their unity helped them develop endurance, weathering problems from outside the church and from within the church.

Our relationships with one another and with the Lord can bring about a unified congregation, but the final product takes time and effort to achieve.

sermon by Tim Smelser

Grace and Good Works

Titus 3 deals with many topics we can focus on and from which we can make application. He encourages his readers to do good works in verses 3-8 as well as stimulating one another to good works. In this passage, our good works are coupled with grace. Paul states plainly that God did not save us because of any good works we may be able to demonstrate. Instead of works, mercy and grace saves us, but he calls upon us to devote ourself to good works as a direct result of that grace. Such actions are a natural reaction to His impact on our lives.

Reacting to Grace
Ephesians 2:8-10 again reinforces the role of grace in our salvation, but again, grace and faith motivate good deeds. However, according to verse 9, such works are not for credit or boasting. Compared to what God has already done for us, anything we do pales in comparison. We do not rely on ourselves with a checklist mentality. Rather, we rely fully on God, and our reliance on God informs everything we do. God has created us for the purpose of good works, our reaction to our faith in His mercy.

In chapter 2 of James, the author associates faith with works. One example he gives is in James 2:15-16 where we can simply help someone meet a need. You or I might might be the only ones who know of the need, but we can help. Hebrews 10:24-25 talks about stimulating one another to love and good deeds. In this, we should be working together and assembling to build each other up, to encourage one another to do good works.

People have many motivations for their actions. We might follow God to have our sins washed, to be closer to God, out of fear. In Hebrews 10, Paul discusses one motivation for our good works – our encouragement of one another whenever we are together as Christians, reminding each other of the many things God has done for us. James 4:5-6 reminds us He also wants to continue to give us grace as we humble ourselves before Him.

The Ultimate Example of Grace
Christ’s sacrifice is a free gift for us to accept. Through Him, we gain access to our Father’s grace and mercy. As His children, our response should be to give of ourselves as graciously. If you haven’t yet, accept His grace, and dedicate yourself to a life of good works – not for personal glory or credit but to the glory of our Heavenly Father.

sermon by Ben Lanius