Sermon Cloud

Jesus told his people to: Go and baptise + eat/drink this in remembrance of me.  They were “ordained” by him and called ordinances.  In RC and High Anglican, they are called sacraments –there is something regarded as very holy about them –sacred; it is believed they convey grace - ie the action itself brings the grace of God to us; whether by the words used, or the actual act.

But the Bible says that we need to have faith to benefit from the ordinances.  The water is not magical, nor the bread / wine. Neither the action of getting wet or eating/drinking do anything by themselves.  They are symbolic, but doing it, has great benefit – not only for the participant, but for the on-looker also.

Baptism and Communion are covenant signs

This means they are signs that show our covenant relationship with God. The Bible says: God is our God, and we are his people; we are related to him. Baptism / Communion declare that we are children of God.  You might say:  Who says I am God’s child?  Baptism shows God has put his hand on me. 

It is a sign that I have taken hold of God; that his promises have come true in my life; that I am now commissioned to live for him. Baptism is my YES to God’s promises.

And if you ask:  How have I become a child of God?  The meal makes this clear.

It shows how God has made it possible for me to approach him; to be incorporated within his covenant community, and not only me but all who eat with me. It does this by looking back to the cross and forward to the marriage supper of the lamb with his bride - the church. 

Baptism and Communion are cross-centred

Although they look quite different, they both point to Jesus Christ – the Supper says:  Consider what he did on the cross – and participate.  Baptism says; you join Christ in his death, burial and resurrection.  Your life is united to Christ; his death is your death; his res. is your new life. In baptism I am a partaker in Christ’s death and res.

Baptism : united with Christ

Our immersion tank shows this joining with Christ very clearly. In Rom 6, there are 3 uniteds – united with Jesus in his death, 5, in his burial, 4, and 5 united with him in his resurrection.  The pool = a grave; we are buried. Down into death and up and out to new life. It is death to the old life, and welcome to the new.

Baptism : cleansed from sin

Baptism is also a splendid picture of washing – not the outward washing of the body, but the inner washing by the Spirit of our sin. When Paul tells his story in Acts 22, he says that Ananias told him: And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptised and was your sins away, calling on his name. 

The joy of baptism is this: the person being baptised, confessing their real heart-trust in Christ is showing us that they have passed through the waters of judgement safely; they have died and are risen with Christ, so that sins are washed away.  These are truths of momentous and eternal proportion; they are an occasion for giving great glory and praise to God. All of us who watch are greatly encouraged – and so too is the person baptised.

Baptism for those who are already believers; often people who have recently come to faith in Christ, who, through the work done on the cross, are trusting in Christ alone for their eternal well-being. 

Acts 2:41 says those who accepted his message, or received his word, were baptised.  And in Cornelius’s house, Acts 10, (the first non-Jewish convert): 44 that while Peter was still speaking the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message. And they were then baptised, 48. Baptism occurred after the Holy Spirit had done his work, and they had grasped the gospel message; in theological language – these are truly regenerate people. Baptism follows saving faith. It is the outward symbol of beginning the Christian life. Paul says to the Galatians, 3:27: as many of you as were baptised into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ – the assumption is that baptism is for those who have already embraced Christ

It is a great blessing to be baptised; it is a mark of obedience, but salvation does not depend on it. Saving faith comes to us when we first trust Christ, not when we get wet.

I am often asked, when people, especially young people, should be baptised. The answer: when they can give a believable profession of faith. When we see convincing evidence of genuine spiritual life; and an understanding of what trusting Christ and being baptised mean. I like to know that they are walking with Christ on their own – ie not relying on family or parental faith, and able to explain their faith to their friends.

Others have asked why baptism must be so public; can’t we just do it in a swimming pool?

1 Cor 12:13 says that we are baptised into the body (= church). And in Acts 2 those baptised joined the church. We are too individualistic in our understanding; the gathering-together nature of the body of Christ encourages us to do this openly, amongst our family and siblings in Christ.

Some want to know the validity of infant baptism.  There are two types of baptism; baby /paedo baptism, and confessional/credo baptism. Babies are not usually immersed today; adults confessing Christ are. We obviously take one position here, but recognise the other position can be argued from the OT in particular – and so allow non-immersed believers into ch membership.

The baby-baptism case is built around the OT Jewish family, as inheritors of God’s covenant with Abraham. Parents make their confession, and baptise the child  in faith – that he/she will come to trust Christ in due course. Then the child is encouraged to confirm their faith in “confirmation”

But isn’t the NT pattern:  believe first, then get baptised – usually by immersion. We see that with John the Baptiser then Jesus then his disciples.  It’s the practice in the Acts of the Apostles.

Now, we must be clear here – the gospel unites all believers. The way we carry out baptism varies; we all regard it as a secondary doctrine.

But I think the NT is clear; people were immersed after they came to personal faith in Christ. So I’m happy to be a baptist – but with a small “b”.  I am primarily a gospel person – baptism is important but not a major belief.  After all one dying thief was accepted into paradise, without baptism.

Lord’s Supper is a pointer backwards and forwards

Jesus made it clear that his followers should do this in remembrance of me, 1 Cor 11:25.  Eating / drinking were OT times of feasting and remembering the great acts of God – especially rescue from Egypt. They celebrated God’s great rescue, and looked forward to a future peace, in Canaan.

The Lord’s Supper says sin has been paid for, we are in the clear; perfection is still to come. Although the root of sin has been snapped; it still breaks out all around us. But we now have the power of the cross, plus the work of the spirit, to put it to death … and a future glory.

Lord’s Supper is participation in Christ’s death

The bread and the wine show us that the body of Jesus was given – actually it was never “broken” – as a sacrifice for our sin.  We participate in the benefits that Christ achieved for is. We are spiritually nourished.

And its not just a personal or solo participation – but a demonstration of togetherness – a true communion – a unity in Christ corporately. That’s why when we go to someone’s home with communion – we need to have two or three of us there.

Two questions:  Is there any change in the bread/wine? – answer NO (although RC believe there is cos the work of Christ on the cross is not a “finished” work.)  There is no transubstantiation.

Are the symbols JUST pictures for us to look at, or is there some greater benefit in participating?  Both the participant and onlooker is reaffirming our faith in Christ, taking his death and res. upon us, knowing forgiveness and cleansing.  As we obediently partake, so we meet with Christ, and “feed on him with thanksgiving” – as the old prayer book puts it.

Conclusion:  we carry out these acts, cos Christ instructed us to – we want to be obedient to him.  They are not essential to salvation, but they do point us to Christ. They give us the opportunity to reaffirm our participation in Christ, and especially his death/res.  This is the most important aspect of our faith – Christ’s death is to be my death. Christ’s life is to be my life. Is that where you are? Are you sure that you are truly “in Christ” – trusting him alone with your life?

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