"Lord, remind me of my Baptism" Sermon

“Lord, remind me of my Baptism.”
Rev. Robert Bayley, Interim Pastor

The Baptism of Jesus: A Service of Baptismal Renewal

Scriptures: Leviticus 14:8-9; Romans 6:1-4; Matthew 3:1-17
Baptizo = to dip, submerge, immerse, make clean through submerging in water.

THE BAPTISM OF JESUS: WHY?
“Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. But John tried to deter him, saying, ‘I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?’ Jesus replied, ‘Let it be so now; it is proper to do this to fulfill all righteousness.’ Then John consented. As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, ‘This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.’”  
Matthew 3:13-17  

RITUAL CLEANSING IS FOUND IN THE OLD TESTAMENT – ESPECIALLY IN LEVITICUS.
“The person to be cleansed must wash his clothes, shave off all his hair and bathe with water; then he will be ceremonially clean.” Leviticus 14:8-9

COVENANT SIGNS: OLD COVENANT = CIRCUMCISION; NEW COVENANT = BAPTISM.
“In him you were also circumcised, in the putting off of the sinful nature, not with a circumcision done by the hands of men but with the circumcision done by Christ, having been buried with him in baptism and raised with him through your faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead.”  Colossians 2:11-12

JOHN THE BAPTIST: A TRANSITIONAL IMMERSION/BAPTISM POINTING GO A NEW ‘BAPTISM.’

The Baptism enacted by John: Matthew 3:5-6

“People went out to him from Jerusalem … 

Confessing their sins, they were baptized …”

The Baptism enacted by Jesus: Matthew 3:11-12

“’I baptize you with water for repentance …

He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit …’”

This Baptism happens when the Holy Spirit

places us in the Body of Christ: 1 Corinthians 12:13

“For we were all baptized by one Spirit 

into one body –… all given the one Spirit to drink.”

LIVING A NEW LIFE IN THE CONTEXT OF OUR BAPTISM

“What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning, so that grace may increase? By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.”  Romans 6:1-4

MONDAY MORNING

Every morning this week place water on your head and pray: “Lord, remind me of my Baptism.”