WEBVTT 00:00:00.260 --> 00:00:07.680 This morning, we're having just a special day of celebration for what Jesus has done in the lives of our 00:00:07.680 --> 00:00:07.780 church. 00:00:08.400 --> 00:00:15.240 Family ceremonies, regardless of what the celebration is, are significant to life. 00:00:16.620 --> 00:00:23.620 And the symbolism of those ceremonies are especially important to us, considering just major 00:00:23.620 --> 00:00:31.220 victories that are conducted in the sports world and the trophy ceremonies in which they conduct to commemorate the celebration of a 00:00:31.220 --> 00:00:38.420 particular team accomplishing the greatest feat that team could accomplish throughout a football season by winning a championship or 00:00:38.420 --> 00:00:40.880 baseball season or whatever sport that you enjoy. 00:00:42.060 --> 00:00:49.580 We have parades oftentimes, especially at Thanksgiving, the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, of which we commemorate holidays, and 00:00:49.580 --> 00:00:55.060 we celebrate the symbolism of what it meant for us when Thanksgiving was first celebrated. 00:00:56.960 --> 00:00:59.700 Holidays, likewise are used in similar ways. 00:01:00.800 --> 00:01:07.440 We conduct special ceremonies symbolically representing to us the significance of such a day. 00:01:08.700 --> 00:01:15.700 Days such as Christmas or Easter, especially in the lives of Christians, are set apart on our calendar to mark for us on this 00:01:15.700 --> 00:01:20.680 that ceremonial day, a special celebration for what Jesus means to our lives. 00:01:22.200 --> 00:01:23.820 Ceremonies are important. 00:01:25.380 --> 00:01:30.480 I can think just in a few days we'll be having and hosting another significant ceremony as a church family. 00:01:31.100 --> 00:01:32.330 We've got a wedding coming up. 00:01:32.920 --> 00:01:35.820 If you're interested in going to that wedding, you've got to drive a couple hours to get there. 00:01:35.980 --> 00:01:37.720 But this is Greg and Richie's. 00:01:37.780 --> 00:01:44.210 I don't know what you guys are doing in that sound booth back there, but this is Greg and Richie's last day as a single people. 00:01:44.660 --> 00:01:45.940 Last Sunday, I should say, as single people. 00:01:46.880 --> 00:01:49.000 And so they'll be getting married next week. 00:01:49.860 --> 00:01:56.900 And, do you know, with all those ceremonies and holidays and the symbolisms they represent, the celebrations we bring forth in those things, 00:01:57.400 --> 00:02:00.200 we don't necessarily have to conduct those ceremonies. 00:02:01.720 --> 00:02:04.260 We know it's Christmas when December 25th comes around. 00:02:04.380 --> 00:02:08.259 We don't have to celebrate, but we choose to because of its significance. 00:02:09.520 --> 00:02:13.480 When it comes to being married, you don't have to have a wedding ceremony. 00:02:14.280 --> 00:02:15.300 I can just sign a piece of paper. 00:02:15.920 --> 00:02:18.100 In the eyes of the government, that would be a marriage. 00:02:19.440 --> 00:02:21.270 But for us as people, it is important. 00:02:23.760 --> 00:02:30.920 Ceremonies are important, and we put a lot of emphasis upon the ceremonies in which takes place because of the significance in which they 00:02:30.920 --> 00:02:31.080 represent. 00:02:32.960 --> 00:02:35.520 Symbolism is huge. 00:02:35.800 --> 00:02:37.220 We talk about baptism this morning. 00:02:37.580 --> 00:02:43.940 What we want to point out to us is that even in the area of baptism, symbolism is huge. 00:02:45.680 --> 00:02:49.560 The question we asked this morning is why should a Christian be baptized? 00:02:51.840 --> 00:02:56.540 Baptism is an important symbol declaring your union with Jesus. 00:02:57.460 --> 00:02:58.890 If I were to give a first answer. 00:03:00.380 --> 00:03:07.640 Baptism represents to us a physical expression of a spiritual union which took place with Jesus at the moment our salvation came 00:03:07.640 --> 00:03:10.600 forth, or the moment we as Christians were born again. 00:03:11.480 --> 00:03:18.560 Baptism is a ceremony which symbolizes what Jesus has done in our lives by setting us free from Satan 00:03:18.560 --> 00:03:23.560 and from sin and from death, and giving us an eternal hope in him. 00:03:24.720 --> 00:03:30.380 Webster defines symbolism this way an authoritative summary of your faith. 00:03:31.520 --> 00:03:32.820 A visible sign of something invisible. 00:03:35.800 --> 00:03:37.880 And that's precisely what baptism is about. 00:03:37.880 --> 00:03:41.200 It is a summary and expression of our faith and everything that Jesus is. 00:03:41.520 --> 00:03:46.910 As we have placed our faith in him and trust in him for eternal destiny and hope through Christ alone. 00:03:48.580 --> 00:03:56.780 It is an outward expression, a symbol of the inward faith of which we professed in Jesus For 00:03:56.780 --> 00:03:59.330 us, it becomes a visible sign of something invisible. 00:04:01.480 --> 00:04:05.540 For us, our baptism celebrates our union with Christ. 00:04:06.840 --> 00:04:09.960 Paul wrote this in two Corinthians 11, the second half of verse two. 00:04:09.960 --> 00:04:17.540 He said, I promise to you 2 to 1 husband, that is Christ, so that I may present you as a pure virgin 00:04:17.540 --> 00:04:18.820 to him. 00:04:19.880 --> 00:04:27.260 Paul is saying to the Corinthians, out of all the beliefs that you could carry on in this world, one thing that Jesus created you for is a relationship with 00:04:27.280 --> 00:04:31.940 him and the purity of just walking with him in spirit and in truth to him. 00:04:31.940 --> 00:04:33.080 I commend you as a church. 00:04:34.860 --> 00:04:38.680 Baptism is a symbolism which reflects our union with Jesus. 00:04:40.780 --> 00:04:47.800 And just as us today, to those who may be married, there comes a time in your married lives 00:04:47.800 --> 00:04:49.600 in which you begin to reflect. 00:04:50.860 --> 00:04:57.980 Maybe it's at your anniversary of your 50th wedding Anniversary, and you pause for 00:04:57.980 --> 00:05:01.010 a moment in that time and you look back over a life together. 00:05:02.420 --> 00:05:03.820 You remember a series of anniversaries. 00:05:04.360 --> 00:05:05.590 You remember the birth of your children. 00:05:05.860 --> 00:05:08.820 Your children going to school in the first day of the graduation of your children. 00:05:09.100 --> 00:05:15.140 The birth of your grandchildren all reflected back upon one key moment in your life. 00:05:15.360 --> 00:05:21.240 And that was when you joined with your spouse to become one flesh and enjoy that marriage life together. 00:05:22.800 --> 00:05:29.840 That ceremony in which you conducted was significant because upon that ceremony, you reflected back all the events of your life together. 00:05:32.040 --> 00:05:33.160 Same is true with us in baptism. 00:05:35.060 --> 00:05:42.540 Baptism for the life of a Christian is an opportunity, even for believers here today who have been baptized in Christ to reflect back. 00:05:43.380 --> 00:05:46.660 There was a moment in your life when you trusted in Jesus and in trusting in Jesus. 00:05:47.000 --> 00:05:54.040 You came before his church and you were baptized, and you profess your faith to the body of Christ, saying, Jesus is mine and I 00:05:54.040 --> 00:05:55.380 am his. 00:05:56.320 --> 00:06:03.420 And for the rest of your spiritual life, you could reflect back upon the moment as you walk with Jesus, and you took that step of faith to be baptized as a symbol 00:06:03.420 --> 00:06:06.430 of your recognition and trust and faith in him. 00:06:07.640 --> 00:06:12.360 Baptism and the ceremony of baptism is important to us as believers. 00:06:14.140 --> 00:06:18.300 Jesus has given it to us to reflect our relationship to him. 00:06:19.220 --> 00:06:26.380 It says in Matthew chapter three, there is a difference in the Bible between the word baptism in the spirit and baptism in 00:06:26.380 --> 00:06:27.620 the physical form in water. 00:06:28.840 --> 00:06:31.560 The confusing part is that it comes from the same Greek word. 00:06:31.560 --> 00:06:32.480 It means to immerse. 00:06:33.760 --> 00:06:38.980 And so the moment you trust in Jesus as your Savior, the Bible says that you are immersed in the Holy Spirit. 00:06:39.740 --> 00:06:43.500 The Spirit of God comes and tabernacles or dwells among you. 00:06:43.520 --> 00:06:44.820 It dwells within you. 00:06:44.820 --> 00:06:46.260 You are the body of Christ. 00:06:46.440 --> 00:06:53.540 The Bible says in reflection of what the Spirit of God does on the inside of our lives, giving us a new heart and 00:06:53.540 --> 00:06:56.080 a new life represented in a relationship with Christ. 00:06:56.120 --> 00:07:03.260 We then step forth into baptism, professing our faith out loud before other believers, and John, in the moments next to the Jordan 00:07:03.260 --> 00:07:10.320 River, reflect on the significance of that spiritual baptism that takes place, he says in Matthew three, as for me, 00:07:10.340 --> 00:07:15.920 I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I. 00:07:16.200 --> 00:07:20.280 Speaking about Jesus, he says, and I am not fit to remove his sandals. 00:07:20.400 --> 00:07:23.260 He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit. 00:07:24.980 --> 00:07:31.310 It's important for us to remark that the act of baptism, the physical act of baptism, isn't what saves us. 00:07:32.320 --> 00:07:37.250 Much like the ceremonial act of handing a trophy to a championship team isn't what won the game for them. 00:07:38.300 --> 00:07:43.420 Much like a married couple conducting a marriage ceremony, that's not really what united them in the marriage. 00:07:43.520 --> 00:07:44.800 It was the signing of the legal document. 00:07:45.100 --> 00:07:51.940 Though we conduct these ceremonies of symbolism because they are significant, they represent something of importance. 00:07:53.640 --> 00:07:55.770 Matthew chapter three. 00:07:55.960 --> 00:07:58.780 John reflects that yes, indeed, he is baptizing people. 00:07:58.780 --> 00:08:02.540 But more importantly, the question is have we been baptized in the Holy Spirit? 00:08:02.540 --> 00:08:05.400 Have we trusted in Christ alone for salvation? 00:08:06.840 --> 00:08:14.540 Paul said it this way to the Corinthians, for Christ did not send me to baptize you physically, but to preach the gospel, noting 00:08:14.540 --> 00:08:17.880 the importance of understanding the gospel and salvation in Jesus. 00:08:17.880 --> 00:08:20.380 Apart from physical baptism, though, baptism is important. 00:08:22.800 --> 00:08:24.820 The book of acts later reflected. 00:08:24.820 --> 00:08:29.940 He said, surely no one can refuse the water for those to be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit. 00:08:32.320 --> 00:08:39.380 God is saying this simply, If Jesus has dwelt in you, and if you have trusted in him, let no one stand 00:08:39.380 --> 00:08:43.650 before you and take the opportunity of professing that before other other people. 00:08:44.860 --> 00:08:50.420 The Bible gives us a description of what that's like in Galatians chapter three and verse 24. 00:08:50.620 --> 00:08:51.700 Therefore the law has come. 00:08:51.920 --> 00:08:55.520 Become our tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith. 00:08:55.900 --> 00:09:02.140 But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor, for you are all sons of God through faith in Jesus Christ. 00:09:02.340 --> 00:09:05.660 We become children of God by placing our faith in Jesus. 00:09:06.400 --> 00:09:10.780 For all of you who were baptized into Christ have been clothed that was cut off. 00:09:11.040 --> 00:09:13.510 Clothe yourself in Christ as the way it goes. 00:09:15.440 --> 00:09:21.940 It's as if the Bible is saying to us, when you trust in Jesus, God clothes you in the beauty of who Jesus is. 00:09:23.200 --> 00:09:26.820 And so when God looks upon you, it's as if he's looking at Jesus himself. 00:09:28.020 --> 00:09:30.050 You are clothed in Jesus. 00:09:31.660 --> 00:09:39.200 And as a Christian, denying the opportunity to be baptized in the ceremony, to profess your faith before Jesus is similar to a bride 00:09:39.200 --> 00:09:42.240 purchasing a gown for her wedding day, but never walking down an aisle. 00:09:44.380 --> 00:09:47.200 Jesus has clothed you in his beauty. 00:09:48.940 --> 00:09:51.210 Jesus has clothed you to represent himself. 00:09:53.140 --> 00:09:56.140 Jesus has brought you into union with him. 00:09:57.440 --> 00:10:02.560 It says in Galatians, to those who have put their faith in Christ, they are God's children. 00:10:03.740 --> 00:10:05.200 Baptism symbolizes. 00:10:05.580 --> 00:10:07.600 Baptism symbolizes your unity with Jesus. 00:10:07.600 --> 00:10:13.770 Baptism also symbolizes your unity with his church, his bride, in which he gave his life for. 00:10:15.280 --> 00:10:22.300 Paul said in Colossians one, now rejoice in what I am suffering for you, and I will fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in 00:10:22.300 --> 00:10:26.050 regard to Christ's afflictions for the sake of his body, which is the church. 00:10:29.080 --> 00:10:32.800 Paul is saying to the body of believers, listen, the church is Jesus's bride. 00:10:32.800 --> 00:10:40.500 And by professing my faith in Jesus and taking a stand and being baptized to follow after the Lord, I'm uniting myself with 00:10:40.500 --> 00:10:42.440 his bride. 00:10:42.920 --> 00:10:44.670 My interest is her well-being. 00:10:46.160 --> 00:10:50.020 And so Paul, at whatever cost, is fighting for the beauty of the church. 00:10:51.540 --> 00:10:54.780 Baptism symbolizes ceremonially your union with Jesus. 00:10:54.920 --> 00:10:57.300 It symbolizes your union with his church. 00:10:57.320 --> 00:11:00.780 Baptism is also symbolic of the life in which we've left behind. 00:11:03.040 --> 00:11:09.720 There's a lot of symbolism in the water of the baptism, representing the cleansing of the internal spirit working in our lives. 00:11:10.820 --> 00:11:17.020 We go into the water representing the old self, the dirty filth of sin and what it's brought upon our lives. 00:11:17.200 --> 00:11:21.020 And we are immersed into the water, representing the cleansing that comes forth in Jesus. 00:11:21.180 --> 00:11:28.260 And it says in Romans chapter six and verse three, all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into his 00:11:28.260 --> 00:11:28.600 death. 00:11:29.800 --> 00:11:32.320 Therefore, we have been buried with him through baptism. 00:11:34.080 --> 00:11:37.520 And just as Jesus went to the grave to conquer sin, Satan, and death. 00:11:37.800 --> 00:11:41.140 And so we who have trusted in him have conquered sin, Satan, and death. 00:11:41.460 --> 00:11:48.860 And so as we are baptized and reflection of everything that Jesus is, it's a washing away of all that we've left behind the 00:11:48.900 --> 00:11:51.380 passage of Scripture goes a little bit further if we were to read on. 00:11:52.000 --> 00:11:58.000 It says so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the father, so we too might walk in newness of life. 00:11:58.260 --> 00:12:05.320 For if we have become united with him in the likeness of his death, we are united with Jesus 00:12:05.320 --> 00:12:08.410 in what he's done with us as we've placed our faith in him. 00:12:09.260 --> 00:12:16.480 And just as we've died to our old self, and as Jesus has been resurrected to a new life, so we ourselves live in the promise and hope that Jesus will 00:12:16.480 --> 00:12:18.310 resurrect ourselves as well. 00:12:19.720 --> 00:12:22.740 Jesus has created all things new for us. 00:12:23.860 --> 00:12:25.640 The Bible calls us a new creation. 00:12:25.840 --> 00:12:33.080 At the moment, we trust in Christ, and baptism symbolizes the life that we've left behind and the life that we've now become 00:12:33.080 --> 00:12:34.100 a part of. 00:12:34.660 --> 00:12:39.090 And water is a very significant piece to all of this. 00:12:40.440 --> 00:12:44.930 I suppose baptism really could have been conducted in any form that God would desire, if we wanted to be literal. 00:12:45.040 --> 00:12:51.380 Jesus was laid in a tomb We could have walked into a tomb and walked back out of a tomb to symbolize our new life in Christ. 00:12:52.700 --> 00:12:57.540 But God selected baptism over the representation of what water has meant throughout Scripture. 00:12:58.600 --> 00:13:01.700 It says in Second Peter chapter three and verse five, they deliberately forgot. 00:13:01.920 --> 00:13:04.920 Forget that God made the heavens by the word of his command. 00:13:05.260 --> 00:13:08.620 And he brought the earth out from the water and surrounded it with water. 00:13:10.240 --> 00:13:11.820 It's saying this to us as people. 00:13:12.240 --> 00:13:19.640 God created the earth, and water was chaotic all over the earth, and from the chaos of this water, God brought land for which animals 00:13:19.640 --> 00:13:22.200 and mankind would walk upon. 00:13:23.560 --> 00:13:27.710 It goes on and says, then he used the water to destroy the ancient world with the mighty flood. 00:13:29.200 --> 00:13:35.640 In the time of Noah, people had turned from God, and God used the flood to cover the earth and destroy all of mankind. 00:13:35.920 --> 00:13:38.100 That was represented on the earth except for Noah. 00:13:40.380 --> 00:13:48.220 The water symbolically brought forth new life and a new start for this earth Israel has ceremonially 00:13:48.220 --> 00:13:49.620 represented in their temple. 00:13:49.620 --> 00:13:56.760 When they would go to worship God, they would place a basin before the altar and the temple in which they would go in to represent 00:13:56.760 --> 00:13:59.600 or to drop the blood on the Holy of Holies, on the mercy seat. 00:14:00.360 --> 00:14:07.440 And in between that was the basin in which they would cleanse themselves by washing their hands to show the purity through the forgiveness of sin that came 00:14:07.440 --> 00:14:08.340 through God alone. 00:14:10.400 --> 00:14:17.480 We, when we are baptized or fully immersed into the water, to represent that what Jesus has done to us is completely cleansed our lives 00:14:17.480 --> 00:14:18.910 from all sin through him. 00:14:20.360 --> 00:14:27.760 When a Gentile in the Old Testament times would come to place their faith in the Jewish beliefs, the Jews would have them self baptize themselves to 00:14:28.120 --> 00:14:29.940 become a part of the Jewish family or community. 00:14:30.940 --> 00:14:36.560 They would have to go into the water alone and immerse themselves, representing their acceptance of all that Judaism taught Paul. 00:14:38.300 --> 00:14:38.980 Excuse me not Paul. 00:14:39.540 --> 00:14:43.820 John himself talked about baptism when he said, baptism needs much Water. 00:14:45.180 --> 00:14:52.010 He goes, he says that we go down into the water and we come out of the water, illustrating the burial and resurrection of Jesus. 00:14:54.080 --> 00:14:58.020 Probably more significant than all of those representations of water as the Jordan River. 00:14:59.960 --> 00:15:02.200 I love the fact that we live next to the Jordan River. 00:15:03.340 --> 00:15:06.980 It's not the real Jordan River, but it's still cool, right? 00:15:07.940 --> 00:15:13.340 It's the only other body of water, I believe, that flows northward from a fresh body of water to a salt body of water. 00:15:13.580 --> 00:15:18.660 The only other place that exists is in Israel, where the Jordan River is correctly named. 00:15:20.580 --> 00:15:23.580 The Jordan River was very symbolic to the nation of Israel. 00:15:25.240 --> 00:15:29.800 God made a promise to those people that he would bring them out of slavery in Egypt and into the Promised Land. 00:15:31.720 --> 00:15:34.780 And could you imagine the nation of Israel as they heard of all of God's promise? 00:15:34.800 --> 00:15:41.460 And God rescues them out of slavery in Egypt, and they journey up to the Promised Land and what God gave them, and he tells them, now you've got to cross this river. 00:15:41.500 --> 00:15:48.560 In the moment that you cross this river you're leaving this old life of sin and slavery behind, and you're entering into a new life of promise 00:15:48.560 --> 00:15:49.720 and hope through me. 00:15:51.920 --> 00:15:54.640 I believe that's why John baptized on the Jordan River. 00:15:56.880 --> 00:16:04.900 The representation of the Jordan River to the nation of Israel meant something ceremonially to them and 00:16:05.000 --> 00:16:05.280 to us. 00:16:05.500 --> 00:16:08.860 Today, we can't afford to all journey to Israel to be baptized in the Jordan River. 00:16:08.920 --> 00:16:09.510 That would be cool. 00:16:09.820 --> 00:16:11.220 So we've done the next best thing. 00:16:12.250 --> 00:16:19.280 We're going down to the Jordan, and as we walk into the water, it's a time for those who have been baptized to reflect 00:16:19.280 --> 00:16:26.380 back on the moment in which they've trusted in Jesus and followed in him in baptism to say to themselves, it was a day that 00:16:26.380 --> 00:16:33.000 I walked in remembering everything that I was apart from Christ, and I walked out remembering everything that I became because of Christ. 00:16:34.320 --> 00:16:35.060 It's a day of hope. 00:16:36.700 --> 00:16:38.780 It's a day of celebration for us. 00:16:41.040 --> 00:16:46.880 Baptism is symbolic, a ceremony in which every Christian I believe should partake of. 00:16:46.960 --> 00:16:51.320 And one of the other reasons we consider not only is baptism declare our union with Jesus. 00:16:51.400 --> 00:16:54.330 Baptism declares your allegiance to Jesus. 00:16:54.780 --> 00:16:57.040 It's a symbol of your dedication to him. 00:16:57.880 --> 00:17:04.319 Do you know if you read the New Testament, you will find no, not a single example of an unbaptized believer. 00:17:05.839 --> 00:17:12.920 When someone placed their faith in Jesus in the in the New Testament, as soon as they place their faith in Jesus, the next question they begin to ask was, when can 00:17:12.920 --> 00:17:13.440 I get baptized? 00:17:14.240 --> 00:17:17.940 When can I go out in front of people and profess my faith to follow after him? 00:17:18.619 --> 00:17:25.880 In fact, in the last moments before Jesus ascended into heaven when he was on the earth and he gathered his disciples and he gave his final command, he says, go therefore 00:17:25.880 --> 00:17:27.300 and make disciples of all nations. 00:17:27.560 --> 00:17:28.520 That's followers of me. 00:17:28.840 --> 00:17:29.800 Make followers of me. 00:17:29.820 --> 00:17:32.340 And look what Jesus says the first thing he tells them to do. 00:17:32.340 --> 00:17:39.330 As followers of Jesus, he says, baptize them in the name of the father and the son and the Holy Spirit. 00:17:41.020 --> 00:17:44.010 First act of obedience as a believer is baptism. 00:17:45.240 --> 00:17:50.030 It's the opportunity you take before other Christians to say, yeah, I'm following Jesus. 00:17:51.680 --> 00:17:56.060 It's obedience to the mode in which God has given us to follow after him. 00:17:57.340 --> 00:17:59.880 Baptism symbolizes our union with him. 00:17:59.920 --> 00:18:01.700 Baptism symbolizes our union with him. 00:18:01.840 --> 00:18:02.660 But this is the most important. 00:18:03.440 --> 00:18:06.040 And this is really for those who are being baptized today. 00:18:07.000 --> 00:18:07.860 More so, it's for everybody. 00:18:08.320 --> 00:18:15.560 But today is a day of worship, and sometimes we get so caught up in the act of the ceremony, and we're afraid 00:18:15.560 --> 00:18:18.000 of messing up or doing something goofy that we forget. 00:18:18.380 --> 00:18:21.400 The most significant thing that takes place today is worship. 00:18:23.420 --> 00:18:26.010 We're doing this because we love Jesus. 00:18:27.580 --> 00:18:31.050 We're doing this to represent our life to Jesus. 00:18:32.560 --> 00:18:33.340 Malachi. 00:18:33.340 --> 00:18:34.560 This isn't talking about baptism. 00:18:34.560 --> 00:18:35.840 This is talking about marriage. 00:18:36.160 --> 00:18:43.500 But what's important that this verse that I want to point out is any ceremony that we conduct as people and worship to God. 00:18:43.580 --> 00:18:47.180 God is there when we sing to him. 00:18:47.200 --> 00:18:50.680 The Bible says, when 2 or 3 are gathered, there he is in our midst. 00:18:52.560 --> 00:18:53.780 Malachi chapter two. 00:18:53.800 --> 00:18:55.260 An important covenant of just marriage. 00:18:55.340 --> 00:19:02.680 It says, because the Lord has been a witness between you and the wife of your youth against whom you have dealt treacherously, though she is your companion and your wife by 00:19:02.680 --> 00:19:03.580 covenant. 00:19:04.880 --> 00:19:08.340 Notice in the first part of the verse, the covenant which is made before the Lord, it says, God is present. 00:19:10.680 --> 00:19:18.100 Anytime we ever conduct a ceremony of significant symbolism towards God and our faith in him, God is 00:19:18.100 --> 00:19:18.480 present. 00:19:20.680 --> 00:19:22.380 And so we celebrate this day. 00:19:23.540 --> 00:19:25.680 We remember to worship on this day. 00:19:27.400 --> 00:19:34.570 To you as a believer, today is important for you to reflect back if you've been baptized, 00:19:35.200 --> 00:19:42.220 to take the opportunity to remember the moment in which you as a believer Joined in your union with Jesus and profess that by going to the altar 00:19:42.220 --> 00:19:44.960 of ceremony and saying, Jesus, I do. 00:19:47.080 --> 00:19:50.800 You professed it before his church, his bride. 00:19:52.740 --> 00:19:59.920 Reflect back on the moment in which your relationship with God took a step of faith by professing out loud before other believers your love for 00:19:59.920 --> 00:20:00.260 Christ. 00:20:01.000 --> 00:20:08.080 And remember those moments in which you've walked with Jesus as you've successfully enjoyed your relationship with him. 00:20:09.340 --> 00:20:14.940 To those who have never been baptized, here's the encouragement to you today. 00:20:15.460 --> 00:20:16.060 Well, no, not encouragement. 00:20:16.560 --> 00:20:17.060 Yes it is. 00:20:17.100 --> 00:20:17.840 It's encouragement. 00:20:17.840 --> 00:20:18.780 Get baptized. 00:20:20.530 --> 00:20:24.460 I don't want to pressure you into doing something you don't want to, but it's important. 00:20:26.120 --> 00:20:29.940 This ceremony represents something beautiful in which God has done in your life. 00:20:30.060 --> 00:20:33.980 And so today, if you're listening to this and you're saying to yourself, I've never been baptized. 00:20:34.140 --> 00:20:34.600 That's okay. 00:20:34.600 --> 00:20:37.950 We dunk everybody, take the Holy plunge. 00:20:40.540 --> 00:20:42.450 That's God's desire for you. 00:20:43.680 --> 00:20:46.620 The Bible says that Jesus has brought us into union. 00:20:46.800 --> 00:20:48.800 The Bible says that we do this out of worship. 00:20:48.800 --> 00:20:51.150 In the Bible says that we do this out of obedience. 00:20:52.800 --> 00:20:55.560 God didn't save you to keep your faith as a secret faith. 00:20:55.760 --> 00:20:58.830 God saved you that you may profess his love to the ends of the earth. 00:21:00.980 --> 00:21:04.120 I'm going to ask everyone to go ahead and bow their heads for just a moment. 00:21:08.260 --> 00:21:15.320 I want to take some time for us as Christians here today, as we get ready to dismiss, just to think about and reflect upon the day you 00:21:15.320 --> 00:21:22.460 made your decision for Christ to follow after him and 00:21:22.460 --> 00:21:26.200 to pause and ask the question, are you still? 00:21:28.940 --> 00:21:36.000 I mean, have you gone to that altar and stood before believers and said, God, I'm giving my life to you, and I'm representing that by 00:21:36.000 --> 00:21:37.900 Baptism in front of your church. 00:21:39.020 --> 00:21:40.430 Are you still following him? 00:21:43.020 --> 00:21:50.160 To you today who haven't trusted in Jesus, let me just tell you, Jesus has done everything that he can for you, and 00:21:50.160 --> 00:21:52.420 all he asks is to place your faith in what he's done. 00:21:52.480 --> 00:21:55.840 He's died for your sins that you may experience hope with him. 00:21:56.620 --> 00:21:57.000 Very simple. 00:21:57.540 --> 00:21:57.960 In my life. 00:21:57.980 --> 00:22:00.020 I just stopped and said, Lord, I know I need a Savior. 00:22:00.100 --> 00:22:01.380 I know you came to save me. 00:22:01.380 --> 00:22:04.530 God, save me from my sins and take me to be with you. 00:22:04.920 --> 00:22:06.260 I'm trusting in you. 00:22:07.020 --> 00:22:07.860 It's that easy. 00:22:09.020 --> 00:22:10.080 God has already paid it all. 00:22:10.180 --> 00:22:12.590 And so he just simply asks that we place our faith in him. 00:22:14.380 --> 00:22:21.480 And for you who are being baptized today or thinking about baptism, let me just continue to encourage you to look at today as an opportunity of worship. 00:22:23.020 --> 00:22:27.110 If you're here today and now you're interested in being baptized, come speak with me after the service. 00:22:27.420 --> 00:22:29.650 But consider what God has done. 00:22:31.380 --> 00:22:36.130 And as we close the service today, let me end it with a word of prayer and we'll dismiss.