Matthew 28:16-20
Our mission here as a church matches exactly what Jesus Christ tells us to do in Matthew Chapter 28. I want you to see this, and I want you to understand why we are here. These are the words of Jesus Christ before he ascended into heaven to be seated on the right hand of God.
Matthew 28:18-20
And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. 19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
The Great Commission Includes Baptism
That commandment is to you, to I, and to this church. We are to do that right there. What does that say?
- Go ye therefore and teach all nations.
- Baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.
- Teach them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you.
So, what do we do? You all that are here right now, you know what we do here at this church. You’ve seen it. Many of you are here because of the commandments of Jesus that we followed. Jesus told us to go out there. We went out there. He told us to preach the Gospel, good tidings of great joy. We preached the Gospel to you.
You were very wise. You stopped. You listened. You heard the Gospel. You believed the Gospel. You were saved forever. You prayed with us. And now you’re here. Thank God.
I don’t think you realize how happy and joyful I am to have you all here. I am so happy you’re here. And I hope you’re here for a very long time. I hope with all that I have that you continue doing what God has asked you to do.
The next step after being saved by Jesus Christ is to get baptized in water. This is a commandment of Jesus. If you haven’t been baptized in water after you’ve been saved, it’s time to do that as soon as possible.
Today, right after this service, we’re going to baptize people in water. Why? Because Jesus commands us a a church to baptize people. He says to baptize them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. In the name of means by the authority of. We baptize by the authority of God. Not our own. God gave us this job to do.
Teach All Things With the Bible
And after being baptized, we are to teach you all things in this Bible. That is our job as a church. That is our main job as a church. Preach the Gospel out there, in here, everywhere. Baptize in water. And teach you the Bible.
We also do many other things here, but all of that is for that same mission that we have. Preach the Gospel, get people saved, get people baptized, and teach them the Bible. Our job is to get you working for the Lord Jesus Christ. There is no better work you can do.
Mark 16:15-16
And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. 16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.
This is the parallel passage to Matthew 28 that we just read. This is the great commission from Jesus Christ. Or the great instruction and command from Jesus Christ.
Go ye into all the world. Preach the gospel to every creature. Jesus says, “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved.” That’s a true statement. Let’s say you believe in Jesus Christ, but you haven’t been baptized yet. Let’s say the world ended right before you get baptized today, would you still go to heaven?
Yes, you are already saved the moment you put all your trust in Jesus Christ. Water baptism isn’t a requirement to get to heaven. You don’t get baptized in water to get to heaven. You don’t get baptized in water to wash all your sins away. People will only look at the first part of verse 16 there. But we must look at the last part of the verse as well.
He That Believeth and is Baptized
“He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved.” Yes, if you have believed in Christ, you are saved. That verse doesn’t say you must be baptized in water to be saved. If you have believed and have blue eyes, you’re saved. If you have believed and have brown eyes, you are saved. If you have believed and have any color eyes, you are saved. Believing in Jesus equals salvation.
Look at the second part there. “But he that believeth not shall be damned.”
It’s the not believing that damns you to hell. “But he that believeth not shall be damned.” Baptism in water doesn’t happen in your mind. It’s a great work that you do. It’s a commandment from Jesus Christ that you see and you take action on. You do this great work because you’ve already put your faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and not yourself.
It’s only believing not in Jesus that damns you. And what does that mean to believe in Jesus? It means that you know that getting baptized in water doesn’t save you. Repenting of sin doesn’t save you. Going to church doesn’t save you. Following the commandments doesn’t save you. Those are all things that you do. Works that you do. Those are good works.
We are not saved by our good works. We are saved by putting our faith “IN” Jesus Christ and not in the good works or the things that we do such as getting baptized in water.
Luke 24:46-48
And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: 47 And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48 And ye are witnesses of these things.
Jesus Christ Suffered For Us
This is yet another parallel passage of the great commission from Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ suffered our penalty for sin. Listen please as this is very important to the water baptism we’re doing today, and I want you to understand why you are getting baptized in water.
The work that Jesus Christ did saves us. Heaven is a free gift. He paid the price for you. Christ suffered. He died on the cross. His soul was not left in hell. And Jesus arose from the dead. My penalty and your penalty for the sin we’ve done in our life is death and hell. Jesus Christ came and he paid our penalty.
And he conquered that penalty of death and hell that we owe God. Jesus paid it for us. He arose from the dead victorious. Thank God. Repentance to be saved is a change of mind from not believing in Jesus Christ to believing in Jesus Christ. The moment you believed that Jesus alone could save you, you were saved. All your sins were forgiven. Your soul was saved forever!
Please understand that getting baptized in water doesn’t wash your sins away. Jesus washes your sins away at the moment you believed.
Now, what is this water baptism? If this doesn’t save you, why are you doing it? What is it? How does it work? What does it mean? What is this doing for you? Why are you getting baptized in water?
Baptism is Immersion in Water
Baptism means to be immersed in something. Baptized in water means you go down into the water, you are fully surrounded by the water, and you come back up out of the water. Jesus set the example for us. We follow his example.
Matthew 3:16-17
And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: 17 And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
Jesus went all the way down into the water of the Jordan river. John the Baptist baptized Jesus Christ. Jesus chose John the Baptist to baptize him because he peached the truth. Here, we preach the truth. This is a great choice for your baptism because the truth is here.
Jesus goes down into the water and he comes up straightway out of the water. He was fully surrounded by that water. He was “baptized” in the water. Jesus did this right before he started his ministry of going forth and preaching the Gospel. Someone else puts you under the water just as John the Baptist did.
The person baptizing needs to make sure you have believed only in Christ. The church baptizing needs to ensure you have believed in Christ.
One Requirement to Be Baptized
The only requirement to be baptized is that you have believed in the Lord Jesus Christ. You know that Jesus is “THE” Savior. You know that he’s the only way to heaven. You know that he’s the one. You know he has the power to save you. You know he is the Son of God. You know that he’s God in the flesh. You know that Jesus can save you. You know that it takes nothing else but Jesus Christ.
You know that you don’t have to go live a good life to earn heaven. You know that you have everlasting life that can’t be lost. You believe “IN” him. I want you to hear these Scriptures today.
Acts 8:29-30
Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot. 30 And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest?
Some of you out here in the audience right now who are getting baptized today had this same thing happen to you. Some people in your life might have told you that you aren’t important. You aren’t much. You’ll never be anything. You’ll never make it. I know people say those things.
But I’m here to tell you right now that those people didn’t know what they were saying. You are important. You’re important to me. You’re important to this church. You’re important to God. How important? Well, he gave you the life you’re living right now. He knew you would be here from billions of years ago. He loves you. He died for you.
God Sent Us To You
And he loves you so much he sent us to you. By the Spirit of God, we found you that day. For example, I remember seeing Brianna standing there waiting for the bus. The Spirit said unto me, “Go over there.” I remember that I skipped over another lady. And I don’t usually do that. Brianna might remember that. I do because it’s not normal for me.
And I went as fast as I could over to Brianna. God set that up. I asked Brianna if she was sure she was going to heaven. She said, “No, but I want to know how.” I asked, “Can I show you how?” And Brianna said, “Yes, please show me.” And I went straight into the Gospel. And now Brianna knows she’s going to heaven no matter what. She’s saved forever.
Philip asked that man if he understood the Scriptures. We ask a very similar question.
Acts 8:31
And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him.
Brianna, a very wise young lady, wanted to know how to get to heaven. Very good decision.
Acts 8:32-34
The place of the scripture which he read was this, He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so opened he not his mouth: 33 In his humiliation his judgment was taken away: and who shall declare his generation? for his life is taken from the earth. 34 And the eunuch answered Philip, and said, I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this? of himself, or of some other man?
We Preach Jesus Christ for Salvation
Philip begins preaching Jesus Christ. Hey, we preach Jesus Christ here. We don’t preach ourselves and our good works to get to heaven. Jesus Christ gets you there. He’s the Savior.
Acts 8:35-37
Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus. 36 And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized? 37 And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.
The man asks, “What’s stopping me from getting baptized?” Philip says, “If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest.” Hey, I’m asking you right now. Do you believe with all your heart that Jesus Christ can save you from all your sins right now and forever? If you do, you receive everlasting life. You’re saved before you get baptized.
That man said, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.” Do you believe that?
Acts 8:38-39
And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him. 39 And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing.
The man believed in Jesus and then he got baptized in water. He went down into the water and got baptized. When Jesus got baptized, God the Father was pleased. When you get baptized, God is pleased with you. And you go on your way rejoicing.
So, getting baptized in water doesn’t save you. Hearing the Gospel and believing the Gospel is what saves you.
1 Corinthians 1:14-17
I thank God that I baptized none of you, but Crispus and Gaius; 15 Lest any should say that I had baptized in mine own name. 16 And I baptized also the household of Stephanas: besides, I know not whether I baptized any other. 17 For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect.
Your Baptism Isn’t Better Because of the Man Who Baptizes You
People were arguing over who was better because of who baptized them. Your baptism isn’t better if I do it, Nathan does it, or someone else does it. You should choose someone who preaches the truth, but the man baptizing doesn’t make it better. It’s good.
Paul says, “For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the Gospel.” Paul got people saved through the Gospel and not through baptizing people in water.
When you get baptized, you’ve already been saved. You are there in the water. This is a picture of you being dead in your sins. You’ve sinned. Jesus died on the cross for you. For the wages of sin is death.
You go under the water and that’s a picture of the burial of Jesus Christ. You are being buried with him in baptism. You come up out of the water and that’s a picture of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Romans 6:4-6
Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: 6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.
Water baptism is simply a picture of Jesus dying, Jesus being buried, and Jesus arising from the dead. We aren’t actually dead. We aren’t actually being buried. And we aren’t actually arising from the dead. Jesus did that.
When you get baptized, you are in agreement that Jesus did all of that to pay for your sins. But some people will think that water baptism is saving them. No, what Jesus did saves you. You aren’t actually dying for your sins, being buried for your sins, and rising from the dead victorious over sin. That’s not what water baptism happens to be.
Baptism is a Like Figure of What Jesus Did
It’s a picture or a like figure of what Jesus did. It’s a picture showing that what Jesus did washes away your sins. The water doesn’t wash away your sins. Water may clean your flesh, but water doesn’t cleanse your soul from all sin. Jesus does.
Getting baptized in water is the first big step of obedience to Jesus Christ after you’re saved. The first verse there says, “We also should walk in newness of life.” When you come up out of that water, it’s the picture of Jesus raising from the dead in a new and glorified body. Now, let’s walk in that newness of life! Walk in the Spirit you now have since you believed.
Our old man is crucified with Jesus. We should not serve sin. Getting baptized in water gets you on the right track to following the commandments of God. God sees you doing this, and he helps you even more in your life. You are obeying God by getting baptized.
When we follow God’s commandments, we love God, and God rewards us. He blesses us. He helps us. He loves us even more.
When you get baptized, you are showing God that you love Him. You are showing love for me. You are showing love for your family. You are showing love for your friends. You have love for others by doing what God commands you to do. You are setting the example for others in your life to take the same path.
All of us will die one day. If you die before me, I can go to your funeral and preach that I know where you went. I can preach that I know you went to heaven. I know they believed in Jesus Christ. I know they received eternal life. I saw them profess their faith in Jesus Christ by getting baptized. They showed me their faith. They told me of their faith.
I Know Where You’ll Be
Hey, I know where you’re going. And I’ll see you there one day. And I can’t wait. I’ll tell everyone in here that 100 years from now, it’s most likely we’ll all be gone. And if you’ve believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, you’ll be in heaven. Let’s now get baptized because you’ve believed.
Again, I’m so excited to be here. I know God sent us here. I know God sent my good friends that are in here right now to get us out West and bring us back to where we belong here in Louisville preaching the Gospel daily, baptizing people, and teaching the Bible with a the great love and passion that we have for Jesus Christ.
A Quick Gospel Presentation
I love you all here. I want the absolute best for all of you. Before we get these baptisms done, I want to give you a short Gospel presenation. This is what you must believe before you get baptized in water. If you are getting baptized today, please listen closely and ensure you believe this.
- We’re all sinners. “Romans 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Do you believe that we’re all sinners?”
- The penalty for sin is death and hell. “Romans 6:23a For the wages of sin is death.” If we died and had to pay our own penalty, we would die and end up in hell.
- But God loves us so he made an easy way for us to get to heaven. Romans 5:8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
- Jesus Christ, the Son of God, and God in the flesh, came and paid our penalty for us. “1 Peter 2:24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.”
- Jesus took all of our sins that we’ll ever do and paid for them already. He died on the cross, his body was buried, his soul was not left in hell, and he arose from the dead. He paid the penalty of death and hell for us. His sacrifice and his blood saves us. It’s not us. It’s not our good works that save us. It’s Jesus Christ.
- What must I do to be saved? Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved. Do you believe that Jesus can save you right now and forever? You must trust that it’s only Jesus. It’s not your water baptism. It’s the faith, belief, or trust that you put in Jesus only.
- He gives you everlasting life in the moment you believe and it can’t be lost. “John 10:28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.” You must believe that it’s everlasting. Jesus paid for all your sins. You can’t lose everlasting life because you commit sin in the future. He already paid for it, and he already gave you everlasting life. It’s a free gift by the grace of God.
It’s Time To Get Baptized
Now, if you believe that today, it’s time to get baptized. In the Bible, once someone believed they got baptized in water. They were already saved by believing. And then they got baptized.
I got baptized when I was almost 13 years old. But then I thought I had to be perfect. I thought the water washed my sins away. I was wrong. I wasn’t yet believing in the Lord Jesus Christ. I did that later in my life when I heard the Gospel. I got baptized again after I believed.
If you’ve trusted in Christ, now it’s time to get baptized. Let’s get you baptized here in a few minutes.
Let’s pray. Gospel call for anyone who isn’t sure. Send them to a soul winner.
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