Baptism in Water
Jesus commanded baptism in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, emphasizing the importance of repentance and discipleship.
Zac Poonen emphasizes the importance of following Jesus' command to make disciples, baptize them, and teach obedience to His commands. He contrasts the biblical practice of baptizing repentant adults with the modern tradition of baptizing infants and performing confirmations on adults, highlighting the need for true repentance and understanding of God's Word before baptism. The sermon underscores the significance of intelligent reception of God's Word and repentance before being baptized, as seen in the Acts of the Apostles.
Text
One of the last things Jesus commanded His disciples before ascending up to heaven was to: (i) Go and make disciples; (ii) baptize them in the Name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit; and (iii) teach them to obey everything that He had commanded. The order is important here. Only those who were willing to become disciples were to be baptized. No one else.
When babies were brought to Jesus, He laid His hands on their heads and blessed them (See Mark 10:13-16). However, when repentant adults came to Him, He baptized them through His disciples (See Jn. 4:1,2).
But today what do we see in many `churches'? Quite the opposite. Babies are baptized; and hands are laid on the heads of the adults (`confirmation')! This is the exact opposite of what Jesus did.
On the day of Pentecost, when many were convicted of their sin, Peter told them to "repent and be baptized." The record goes on to say that "those who received his word were baptized " (Acts 2:38,41).
It is clear that only those who were capable of intelligently receiving God's Word and of repentance were baptized. And that's how it was in every single instance recorded in the `Acts of the Apostles'.
Sermon Outline
- The Importance of Baptism
- Jesus' Practice of Baptism
- The New Testament Pattern
- Baptism on the Day of Pentecost
- The Pattern in the Acts of the Apostles
Key Quotes
“Only those who were willing to become disciples were to be baptized.” — Zac Poonen
“It is clear that only those who were capable of intelligently receiving God's Word and of repentance were baptized.” — Zac Poonen
Application Points
- Baptism should only be administered to those who are capable of repentance and intelligently receiving God's Word.
- Discipleship is a necessary condition for baptism, demonstrating a person's willingness to follow God.
- The New Testament pattern of baptism emphasizes the importance of repentance and the authority of God.