SPEAKER_00: Welcome to the Life Family Church Sermon Podcast.
SPEAKER_00: If this is your first time listening, you can check us out on our website at lifefamily.church or on Facebook at LFC Bears.
SPEAKER_00: Now let's get right to the message.
SPEAKER_01: Are you ready for a good day?
SPEAKER_01: Amen.
SPEAKER_01: This is going to be fun.
SPEAKER_01: I'm so excited.
SPEAKER_01: We got some awesome people ready to make some commitments in their life and to be baptized, which is amazing.
SPEAKER_01: And I'm so thankful that God has brought us these people, and uh their lives are forever going to be changed.
SPEAKER_01: Will you say this with me?
SPEAKER_01: I was made for more.
unknown: I was made for more.
SPEAKER_01: Say it again.
SPEAKER_01: It sounded good.
SPEAKER_01: I was made for more.
unknown: I was made for more.
SPEAKER_01: Amen.
SPEAKER_01: You are made for more.
SPEAKER_01: More than just breathing oxygen, more than just showing up to work and going to lunch and getting off lunch, going back to work, going home, going to bed, doing it all over.
SPEAKER_01: You are made for more.
SPEAKER_01: God has a plan and a purpose for your life, and it is powerful.
SPEAKER_01: And he wants to reveal things to you that will change your destiny forever.
SPEAKER_01: Amen.
SPEAKER_01: Quick story when I was in construction, we'll be talking about baptism today.
SPEAKER_01: But when I was in construction, I remember I would go into a house, and the job at hand would be to possibly tear out a restroom, remodel it, or tear out a kitchen, remodel it, or tear the whole house apart and remodel the house.
SPEAKER_01: And I remember as as you go into these houses and you're trying to make the decision of which step to take first, the first thing you need to clarify is what in this house do you want to keep?
SPEAKER_01: Well, when it comes to baptism, it's a simple answer.
SPEAKER_01: There is nothing in our house that we want to keep.
SPEAKER_01: We want to get rid of all of it.
SPEAKER_01: Give our life to Jesus 100%, make a commitment to him 100%, and give him everything.
SPEAKER_01: Don't hold anything back.
SPEAKER_01: You see, faith is putting your trust in Jesus 100%, making a commitment that there is nothing more important than the Lord Jesus Christ.
SPEAKER_01: You see, in life, it's sometimes fearful to give up the uh the reins.
SPEAKER_01: You all know what I'm talking about when it comes to riding a horse.
SPEAKER_01: You just let go of the reins and just ride.
SPEAKER_01: That's exactly how we're supposed to do in a faith relationship with the Lord Jesus is let go of the reins and let him have it and just ride.
SPEAKER_01: And let him take you wherever he wants you to go.
SPEAKER_01: How fun of a life is that?
SPEAKER_01: Faith life is fun, it's enjoyable.
SPEAKER_01: You never know what to expect.
SPEAKER_01: And building off the construction story, and you never know what to expect.
SPEAKER_01: I was working on a bathroom one day.
SPEAKER_01: And I was in this restroom, and I was told to demo the whole thing, and we're gonna put a whole new bathroom in here.
SPEAKER_01: So I went in early that morning, started tearing out the restroom, took out the toilet, put it over by the side, put it on some plastic, out of the way, started tearing out the tub, started tearing wall out, start just working, doing what I do.
SPEAKER_01: I had earphones in.
SPEAKER_01: I'm just having a good time, probably listening to worship or preaching, just having a good time.
SPEAKER_01: All of a sudden, I look over my shoulder, and this gentleman came in unannounced, walked over to the toilet, pulled down his pants, unfolded the paper, and started using the restroom.
SPEAKER_01: As I'm on my hands and knees tearing out the tub, I so gently just backed out of the restroom, shut the door, and immediately called the boss and said, You're gonna have to get over here because I'm not doing this.
SPEAKER_01: I am not doing this.
SPEAKER_01: You're gonna fire me.
SPEAKER_01: I'm not doing this.
SPEAKER_01: So we had to carry that toilet out and clean it up.
SPEAKER_01: You see, there's no difference between that and a person who has given their life to the Lord, been baptized, who goes back to their old life.
SPEAKER_01: You see, that guy didn't recognize that things had been changed.
SPEAKER_01: Things were different.
SPEAKER_01: He just walked through life like nothing was going on.
SPEAKER_01: But let me tell you something, when you're baptized, guys, your life will be different.
SPEAKER_01: Your life will be different.
SPEAKER_01: Jesus instructed us to go into all the world and preach the gospel, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
SPEAKER_01: And this is not just an ordinary thing, this is a supernatural, spiritual, awesome act of Almighty God when we obey Him and we do what He's called us to do, and we publicly confess Jesus by being baptized, our life will forever be changed.
SPEAKER_01: And we will never go back and allow anything else to sit on the throne of our life except for Jesus.
SPEAKER_01: Except for Jesus.
SPEAKER_01: You see, in Matthew 3, verse 13, if you want to go there, Matthew 3, 13, it says this Jesus came from Galilee to uh to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him.
SPEAKER_01: And John tried to prevent him, saying, I need to be baptized by you, and you're coming to me.
SPEAKER_01: But Jesus answered and said to him, Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to be fulfill to fulfill all righteousness.
SPEAKER_01: Then he allowed him.
SPEAKER_01: And when he had been baptized, Jesus came out immediately from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him, and suddenly a voice came from heaven saying, This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased.
SPEAKER_01: You see, Jesus is our example.
SPEAKER_01: He was baptized.
SPEAKER_01: He was the example.
SPEAKER_01: The Father commanded him to be baptized.
SPEAKER_01: He said, I would do nothing unless the Father has instructed me to do it.
SPEAKER_01: So obviously, the Father had instructed Jesus, go and be baptized.
SPEAKER_01: What does that represent?
SPEAKER_01: It represents laying down the old man and being brought to new life.
SPEAKER_01: And Jesus did that.
SPEAKER_01: If Jesus needed to be baptized, guess what?
SPEAKER_01: He's a good example.
SPEAKER_01: And we need to be baptized.
SPEAKER_01: We need to make a commitment that when we go down, our old life is over, and we come up, our life is new.
SPEAKER_01: That moment marked the beginning of Jesus' ministry.
SPEAKER_01: And it very well might mark the beginning of your ministry and what God has called you to do.
SPEAKER_01: You see, there's a couple things I want to bring to your attention.
SPEAKER_01: Number one, when Jesus came up, the Spirit of God set upon him like a dove.
SPEAKER_01: And the Father spoke over him.
SPEAKER_01: This is my beloved Son in whom I'm well pleased.
SPEAKER_01: He was putting into Jesus his identity.
SPEAKER_01: And that's exactly what being baptized does is it marks you and your identity in Christ.
SPEAKER_01: It's public.
SPEAKER_01: So it professes to everyone I am now the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus.
SPEAKER_01: I'm now a child of God.
SPEAKER_01: And that is a moment that marks your life for eternity.
SPEAKER_01: That's a wonderful thing.
SPEAKER_01: Amen.
SPEAKER_01: Jesus came up, meaning he had to be down.
SPEAKER_01: So baptism is not sprinkling with water.
SPEAKER_01: It's not a little cup poured over your head.
SPEAKER_01: It's completely going under the water.
SPEAKER_01: Just like if someone was to die, what would we do with a dead body?
SPEAKER_01: We would bury them, right?
SPEAKER_01: We would put them underground.
SPEAKER_01: And what would happen when they're resurrected?
SPEAKER_01: They would come up out, right?
SPEAKER_01: So baptism represents death.
SPEAKER_01: So this is a tomb today.
SPEAKER_01: This is basically a grave site.
SPEAKER_01: That's what this is.
SPEAKER_01: It's a weird one, but it's a it's a grave site.
SPEAKER_01: One thing I want to bring out that I think was a revelation that God gave me years ago, and it changed my life.
SPEAKER_01: Is when Jesus came up, the Spirit of God came on him, but the Father said, This is my beloved Son in whom I'm well pleased.
SPEAKER_01: This was before Jesus ever did a miracle.
SPEAKER_01: This is before Jesus ever laid hands on the sick, cast out devils, or raised the dead, or walked on water.
SPEAKER_01: He had to establish his identity in Christ.
SPEAKER_01: His identity was Christ, but he had to his identity in his Father.
SPEAKER_01: He had to have that identity settled.
SPEAKER_01: And that's a good illustration for all of us.
SPEAKER_01: That when you come to Christ, you need to get your identity settled.
SPEAKER_01: Your identity forevermore is I am in him and he is in me, and I am made new by the blood of Jesus Christ.
SPEAKER_01: And there's nothing that can change my identity in Christ.
SPEAKER_01: We're new creatures created in Christ Jesus.
SPEAKER_01: Our life is forever changed.
SPEAKER_01: So immediately Jesus left that part of his life and was led by the Spirit of God into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil for 40 days and 40 nights.
SPEAKER_01: And Jesus spoke the word.
SPEAKER_01: And he came down off that mountain after he had been tempted in the power of the Spirit.
SPEAKER_01: And he went immediately and started to proclaim the gospel.
SPEAKER_01: This is a call to every one of us that we immediately, when we know our identity in Christ Jesus and we've committed our life to the Lord, immediately you need to be casting out devils, raising the dead, praying for the sick.
SPEAKER_01: Be there to be a witness.
SPEAKER_01: God wants to use us for powerful things.
SPEAKER_01: And we can be used of Him.
SPEAKER_01: But you don't want to go out to try to accomplish anything first without your identity established.
SPEAKER_01: Your identities in Christ.
SPEAKER_01: You see, I know a lot of times we look at all these things that go on, the miracles, the words, the prophecies, and all these things, and they sound really cool.
SPEAKER_01: But before you go and use the gifts, you need to know who you are in Christ.
SPEAKER_01: That is probably the most important revelation you'll ever get is who he calls you.
SPEAKER_01: The Bible says you are his beloved.
SPEAKER_01: You're his beloved.
SPEAKER_01: So you don't have to go looking for love in all the wrong places.
SPEAKER_01: He calls you his beloved.
SPEAKER_01: So you might think nobody loves me.
SPEAKER_01: I don't feel love, but let me tell you something.
SPEAKER_01: My father, he loves you.
SPEAKER_01: You say, Well, I'm just not a good person.
SPEAKER_01: Doesn't matter.
SPEAKER_01: He loves you.
SPEAKER_01: He made a commitment to love you while we were yet sinners.
SPEAKER_01: Amen.
SPEAKER_01: The Bible says in Romans 5 8, but God commendeth his love towards us, and while we were sinners, Christ died.
SPEAKER_01: It wasn't while we were doing everything right, it was while we were sinners Christ died.
SPEAKER_01: So what makes you think for a moment, now that you're in Christ, we have to pick up and start working to try to earn anything from God.
SPEAKER_01: It's all by grace through faith.
SPEAKER_01: Everything, the way that you receive salvation is the way you walk in everyday life.
SPEAKER_01: I put my trust in Jesus Christ.
SPEAKER_01: Amen.
SPEAKER_01: I'm not trusting in my ability.
SPEAKER_01: I'm not trusting in my goodness.
SPEAKER_01: My goodness is based on Jesus.
SPEAKER_01: On Jesus.
SPEAKER_01: He is good.
SPEAKER_01: He is righteous.
SPEAKER_01: He's the only righteous judge.
SPEAKER_01: That's why I say I don't try to judge people.
SPEAKER_01: I mean, I'm not good at it.
SPEAKER_01: Jesus is the only righteous judge.
SPEAKER_01: He's the only righteous judge.
SPEAKER_01: He has a right to judge based on he is right.
SPEAKER_01: Amen.
SPEAKER_01: Baptism is not optional.
SPEAKER_01: Did you know that baptism was a command that God gave us?
SPEAKER_01: Go to Matthew twenty-eight.
SPEAKER_01: Matthew twenty-eight.
SPEAKER_01: Verse 17.
SPEAKER_01: I'm sorry.
SPEAKER_01: Verse 18.
SPEAKER_01: And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, All authority.
SPEAKER_01: Everybody say authority.
SPEAKER_01: Jesus had all authority.
SPEAKER_01: Amen.
SPEAKER_01: He had all authority.
SPEAKER_01: And when he first used that authority, listen to what he said.
SPEAKER_01: And Jesus came and he said to them, All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth.
SPEAKER_01: Go therefore and make disciples all over the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
SPEAKER_01: The first command Jesus made when he said, I have all authority, is go into all the world and make disciples and baptize them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
SPEAKER_01: And we want to think it's a it's a it's it's an option.
SPEAKER_01: It's not an option.
SPEAKER_01: He gave us authority to go and preach the gospel, disciple, and to baptize.
SPEAKER_01: Now I know not everybody could be baptized.
SPEAKER_01: I am not saying that baptism is how you get saved.
SPEAKER_01: When you believe in your heart and confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus Christ, the Bible says you are saved.
SPEAKER_01: Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved, right?
SPEAKER_01: Baptism does not save you.
SPEAKER_01: Your confession in the Lord Jesus Christ, that is what saved you.
SPEAKER_01: But the first thing he told you to do immediately was to get baptized.
SPEAKER_01: And I understand where people are coming from.
SPEAKER_01: They'll say, well, you don't have to be baptized.
SPEAKER_01: It's okay if you're not.
SPEAKER_01: I mean, the guy, the thief on the cross, he wasn't baptized.
SPEAKER_01: And he still went to heaven.
SPEAKER_01: And that's absolutely true.
SPEAKER_01: How many of you believe that's absolutely true?
SPEAKER_01: I don't doubt that a bit.
SPEAKER_01: But after you're born again, do you want the first thing you do is to disobey a command of God and just say, no, I'm not going to get baptized because I don't have to.
SPEAKER_01: Or do you want to commit your life to Jesus and make that confession?
SPEAKER_01: I will follow through with everything He commands me to do.
SPEAKER_01: You see, the Bible says in James 4 that if you know to do good and you don't do it, to him, it's a sin.
SPEAKER_01: I don't want to be the first thing Jesus asked me to do is a response that I give him is no.
SPEAKER_01: No, I'm okay.
SPEAKER_01: I don't have to get in the water and do all that.
SPEAKER_01: But Jesus commands us to be baptized.
SPEAKER_01: So if you're in here today and you've never been baptized, maybe you've never made that commitment.
SPEAKER_01: Maybe you just thought, I just don't feel like I need to be baptized.
SPEAKER_01: Jesus asks us all to be baptized because there's power in it.
SPEAKER_01: It's a supernatural, powerful thing.
SPEAKER_01: It's not emotional, it's not fleshly, it's a spiritual thing.
SPEAKER_01: You're following the voice of the Father and you're obeying Him to be baptized.
SPEAKER_01: That is a spiritual thing, and that will mark you forever.
SPEAKER_01: You see, how many of you remember when you were married?
SPEAKER_01: When you were, well, I mean, if you're not married, you don't remember that, but you know, you remember the the ceremony, all the stuff that went down, and when the minister or the judge or that person at Elvis in Las Vegas said, You I I now pronounce unto you, Mr.
SPEAKER_01: and Miss Talent, you may now kiss your bride.
SPEAKER_01: And you kiss them, and they say, The power given to me from the state of Nevada or wherever, I now pronounce to you Mr.
SPEAKER_01: and Mrs.
SPEAKER_01: Tim Talent.
SPEAKER_01: And during that ceremony, we put rings on each other's fingers.
SPEAKER_01: You know those rings on our fingers did not give us the authority to say we're married.
SPEAKER_01: It was when it was announced over us by those in authority that we are now in union together as a married couple.
SPEAKER_01: Those rings, that's just an outward symbol.
SPEAKER_01: This is just a symbol that says, when I walk into a room and there's some girls looking at me, I can say, ladies, I'm taken.
SPEAKER_01: And when someone's hitting on your wife, she can flash that ring.
SPEAKER_01: I'm taken.
SPEAKER_01: When you go under the water today and you come up, you'll declare, I'm taken.
SPEAKER_01: I'm taken.
SPEAKER_01: My life will forever more be complete.
SPEAKER_01: The Bible says we are complete in him.
SPEAKER_01: When you're buried with Christ and you resurrect with Christ, you are officially in commitment and communion and covenant with Christ.
SPEAKER_01: And your life's never going to be the same.
SPEAKER_01: You're going to be a new person.
SPEAKER_01: You say it's not salvation.
SPEAKER_01: Yes, you were new at salvation.
SPEAKER_01: Yes, you were born again at salvation.
SPEAKER_01: But this is a public declaration of something that happened to your life spiritually.
SPEAKER_01: A public declaration.
SPEAKER_01: It's a bold statement.
SPEAKER_01: So today, as we go into baptism, I'm going to bring them up.
SPEAKER_01: They're going to step in the water.
SPEAKER_01: They're going to have to get on their knees.
SPEAKER_01: And they're going to have to hold their nose and hold their arm like this.
SPEAKER_01: Y'all listen to me, right?
SPEAKER_01: Like this.
SPEAKER_01: And I'm going to ask them a question.
SPEAKER_01: They can let go of their nose for a second.
SPEAKER_01: And I'm going to say, Are you a born-again Christian?
SPEAKER_01: Do you believe Jesus is the Lord of your life?
SPEAKER_01: And they'll say, Yes.
SPEAKER_01: And I'll say, Because of your profession of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, I now baptize you in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
SPEAKER_01: And I will put them under the water.
SPEAKER_01: And guys, help me out.
SPEAKER_01: Use your abs and help me get you back out of the water.
SPEAKER_01: Because I don't want to be in that water today.
SPEAKER_01: This water is warm.
SPEAKER_01: It's it's uh 98 degrees.
SPEAKER_01: That's like perfect temperature, right?
SPEAKER_01: This is gonna mark your life forever.
SPEAKER_01: And as soon as you go under and you come up, you're gonna step out.
SPEAKER_01: They're gonna have towels and a mat here for you to step out.
SPEAKER_01: Be very careful.
SPEAKER_01: But as we go about this, we're gonna begin to worship God with you and to declare with you that your life is changed forevermore.
SPEAKER_01: And we're gonna see miracles and we're gonna see signs and wonders done through these folks because their life is hidden in Christ.
SPEAKER_01: Amen.
SPEAKER_01: Father in Jesus.
SPEAKER_01: Now, you know, here's the thing I want to ask.
SPEAKER_01: Okay, hold on.
SPEAKER_01: Here's what I want to ask before I do that.
SPEAKER_01: If you're in here today and you don't know Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, that is the most important decision you will ever make in your life.
SPEAKER_01: This is the moment that will completely transform your spirit and your spirit becomes a new creature in Christ Jesus.
SPEAKER_01: So if you've never received Jesus as your Lord and Savior, this is the moment where I would ask you all to make that commitment.
SPEAKER_01: To make that commitment.
SPEAKER_01: So if you're in here today and you don't know Jesus as your Lord and Savior, before you leave today, I'm going to give an altering call immediately after the baptism.
SPEAKER_01: I want you to think about it.
SPEAKER_01: Are you ready to give up your life and take on Christ?
SPEAKER_01: Are you ready to just stop trusting in your abilities, stop trusting in your way of trying to escape problems, and just give up and give your life to Christ?
SPEAKER_01: Because that is going to change you forever.
SPEAKER_01: Amen.
SPEAKER_01: So, just a little bit of uh instruction.
SPEAKER_01: We're going to have the worship team come back up and we're going to be led into worship.
SPEAKER_01: If you guys want to come on up and get set up, we're going to go into worship.
SPEAKER_01: We're going to sing one worship song and then the second worship song we're going to sing.
SPEAKER_01: And then after that song is over, we're going to start bringing them up one by one.
SPEAKER_01: And as we as we baptize them, we're going to continue in worship.
SPEAKER_01: So you're going to have a part to play in this.
SPEAKER_01: You're going to be worshiping, celebrating, shouting, just having a good time in worship, celebrating what God has done in their life.
SPEAKER_01: Amen.
SPEAKER_01: So as the worship team's setting up, I want these guys who are being baptized to be ready.
SPEAKER_01: Spend some time in worship.
SPEAKER_01: But when it's time, we're going to get you up here.
SPEAKER_01: Be very safe.
SPEAKER_01: Step in.
SPEAKER_01: Don't fall in.
SPEAKER_01: And help me out as I help you.
SPEAKER_01: And we'll have a great time.
SPEAKER_01: Amen.
SPEAKER_01: Let's all stand up.
SPEAKER_01: Amen.
SPEAKER_01: Let's stand in worship.
SPEAKER_00: Thanks for listening.
SPEAKER_00: We hope that this message helps you draw closer to God as you walk out your faith.
SPEAKER_00: We'll see you next week.