Preacher: Rev. Dr. Lou Saldiveri

— Pastor Lou’s Notes —
Intro: When anything “religious” becomes a ritual, we can begin to forget why we do something. Also, If we do something infrequently, we may not realize the importance of what we do. Baptism can be one of those “religious” things that can be taken for granted or fall through the cracks. To complicate matters even further, there are many thoughts about what is baptism, what mode of baptism is necessary, is baptism necessary for forgiveness and salvation? In order to explore these questions, we need to explore what baptism really means from a biblical perspective.

1.
Identify: The Meaning of Baptism: Romans 6:1-8

1.
A special time for a Christ follower and the church
2.
To immerse, the identify with the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ

1.
Illus. Putting a white cloth into dye
3.
Identify with Christ upon repentance and faith

1.
Faith and regeneration and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit
2.
There needs to be a credible testimony by a candidate
4.
Identify with the Body of Christ
2.
Declare the Grace of God in Christ: Our Salvation Publicly: Acts 2:38; Matthew 28:19-20

1.
A public declaration of our faith in Christ
2.
A public declaration of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit
3.
Testify Jesus Is Alive: The Importance of Baptism: Col. 2:12; Romans 10:9-10

1.
Jesus is alive
2.
Jesus died in my place for my sin
3.
Jesus declares us justified e.g. out sins are forgiven
4.
Jesus gives us new life and new purpose

Closing: So what does this mean for us?
1.
Baptism is important in the life of a church

1.
It affirms the gospel of Jesus Christ
2.
It declares the grace of God in Christ
3.
It encourages other Christ followers
4.
It is a testimony to the world
5.
It is a special time in the life of a Christ follower