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First Baptist Church of El Dorado - Sermons
Tune in each week as Pastor Taylor Geurin leads us into a study of God's Word.
First Baptist Church of El Dorado - Sermons
Symbols of Life: Exploring the Symbolic Journey of Baptism | Matthew 3:13-17
Baptism is more than a tradition; it represents a powerful act of obedience and a public declaration of faith for believers. In exploring its significance, we uncover how Jesus modeled, instructed, and illustrated the heart of baptism as a picture of the Gospel, encouraging the church community in their faith journey.
• The question of why we practice baptism
• Jesus modeled baptism for us
• The Great Commission teaches us to baptize
• Baptism symbolizes death and resurrection
• Every baptism encourages the church body
• The collective responsibility to support new believers
• Understanding the sacredness of baptism in our faith community
Hello and welcome to the FBC El Dorado Sermon Podcast. My name is Taylor Gehr and I have the privilege of being the pastor here at First Baptist and I want to thank you for listening in to our sermon this week. And I want to tell you this if you're in our area and you don't have a church home, we would love to see you any Sunday morning at First Baptist, el Dorado. Will you join me now in listening to our sermon? From this week we begin, would you pray with me? Lord Jesus, thank you for your word, thank you for the truth of your word, thank you for, as we've sung the gospel, that Jesus has paid it all and we owe all that we are to you and freely you have given of yourself, of your righteousness, your goodness, your love to us. Lord, we don't deserve it, but you've given it. So in these moments, would you teach us, transform us by your word, speak through your spirit. We ask in Christ's name, amen. My question is this why do we do the things we do? Have you ever asked that question of any thing in your life, of any area, arena of your life? Why do we do the things that we do? Why do we do things in the way that we do them. Maybe when you, if you married into a family, or a spouse married into your family, that first Thanksgiving Christmas, you start to see how another family does holidays and you, you know, you might look around the room and someone might, you know, you might ask why do you do things this way? This tradition you have, I haven't seen it before. Why do you do the things you do? And the family looks around and says we don't really have a clue why we do it this way. I think my father did it, grandfather did it that way. Great, great. It's just kind of what we do. I think about asking it in other areas. I mean, just this morning in a small town in Pennsylvania, a groundhog walked out of his home and, depending on what he saw when he got out, has major implications, apparently, for our weather for the next few weeks.
Speaker 1:And why do we do the things we do? I'm sure there's history behind that tradition. I'm sure there's a reason all that began, and I could Google it, I'm sure. But why do we do the things we do, even as we come to the church? We, I'm sure. But why do we do the things we do even as we come to the church, we ask the question why do we do the things the way we do them? I don't want to scare you. I'm not talking about anything specific to this church. I'm talking about the church and I'm talking specifically over these next two weeks about baptism and the Lord's Supper. Those are the two big things we do and we've been doing them for 2,000 years. Have you ever stopped to ask why? Why are those two things so important to the life of the church? Why have they been so important for again the last 2,000 years? Why do we do them? Over these next two weeks, we're stepping away from Romans very briefly to just ask ourselves what do these things mean? Baptism, the Lord's Supper why are they so critical? Why do we do them and what is their importance? And I hope we'll walk away from these two weeks with an even greater love for those times within our worship, those times we get to see baptism and like next week, where we get to celebrate the Lord's Supper.
Speaker 1:When I think of baptism, I think really this that, first and foremost, baptism was modeled by Jesus. Baptism was modeled by Jesus. I hope you have your Bible in your hand real quick. I know, usually my method here is to take one text and walk through it, though sometimes, when there's a specific doctrine to cover a specific doctrinal topic, we want to kind of zoom out and see what the Bible across the board says about a certain doctrine. And so we'll be a few places today.
Speaker 1:But beginning in Matthew, chapter three, I want us to see baptism was modeled by Jesus. Look with me. I'm going to read verses 13 through 17. It says this then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan, to John, to be baptized by him. John would have prevented him, saying I need to be baptized by you and do you come to me. But Jesus answered them let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness. Then he consented, and when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water and behold, the heavens were open to him and he saw the spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him. And behold, a voice from heaven said this is my beloved son, with whom I am well pleased. And so this passage tells us in Matthew 3 about the baptism of Jesus himself.
Speaker 1:Now, as we've looked at this, and maybe as you've read it in the past. There's a lot we can observe. There are many sermons that could be preached over, many elements of this particular passage, these few verses. We could go a hundred places, but what I notice in this is one just the magnificence of this moment, the magnitude of this moment, I would imagine. In our long history as a church we have had many unbelievably memorable baptisms here in this room. You probably remember moments where maybe you or your children or your grandchildren were baptized right back here, memorable moments. But I doubt there's been a moment in this room where a baptism occurred and the Holy Spirit descended like a dove and this rooftop opened and the clouds opened and the audible voice of God started speaking. You know I love the heritage room downstairs and I haven't seen that plaque on the wall of that Sunday morning. I hope to. I'll go back and watch the video. But this is a memorable moment, a miraculous moment where big things are happening here in the Jordan River.
Speaker 1:This is a moment we notice where the Trinitarian God is at work. You see every member of the Trinity here in these few verses. The Son himself is going under the water and coming back up. The Holy Spirit again is descending and God, the Father is speaking audibly. We know that our God is in Trinity three persons but one God, and we see it all here.
Speaker 1:We also notice the humility of John. I'm blown away by John in this moment. Jesus comes to him. John knows who he is. We see in John's gospel that John the Baptist proclaims here he is. This is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. And as Jesus comes and asks John to baptize him, john does what's probably a good response that Jesus, you've got the wrong guy. If anything, we should switch spots I should be the one being baptized by you, and Jesus won't have any of that, and he gets baptized by John. It's beautiful to think of the humility of John.
Speaker 1:The reality is, there's so much we can see within this text, but I think before we get to any of those and those aren't for today, those are for other sermons but if we're honest with ourselves, before we get to those ideas that we notice, I think I've got a question that comes before all of that. And if you're honest with ourselves, before we get to those ideas that we notice, I think I've got a question that comes before all of that. And if you're honest with yourself. You have a question that you're asking in your head before any of that, and it's simply, if we can be honest, the question of this why in the world is Jesus getting baptized? Is that a fair question? Is that a fair question? Why in the world is God himself, in flesh, getting baptized by anybody? Why does he need baptism? For what we're going to learn in this sermon?
Speaker 1:If baptism is an expression of the gospel, I think Jesus can and will make an even better expression of the gospel, will he not? And will make an even better expression of the gospel, will he not? I think, if baptism is showing the world that we are followers of Jesus, jesus is Jesus. He's already the main event. Thirdly, and probably most importantly, if baptism is the way we show the world that we have found forgiveness in Christ Jesus and we have repented of sin, well, we all know Jesus doesn't need to be baptized for those reasons. There's no forgiveness that is needed for Jesus. There's no sin there. He doesn't need to repent of any actions, of any wrongdoing. There's no wrongdoing to be found. So why is Jesus being baptized? I think he gives us a small hint in verse 15 that let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness. This is the very beginning of Jesus's public ministry, the very beginning of a three-year stretch where Jesus will take 12 men and will teach and will heal and will do such amazing work, culminating and leading to the cross and the resurrection.
Speaker 1:This baptism is the very beginning, it launches his ministry and from the beginning he wants us all to know that his desire is to fulfill the will of the Father. His desire, as Jesus, god himself in flesh, is to do the will of God right here on earth, right here among mankind. His desire is to fulfill all righteousness. Everything you and I could not fulfill, he will fulfill. And his desire, like Hebrews chapter four tells us is to be able to identify with us humanity, in every single respect. I love Hebrews four, verse 15. It says that we have a great high priest who is not unable to sympathize with us in our weaknesses but in every way is like us. One difference yet without sin, jesus can identify with you and I in every way, outside of sinning he did not do that, but outside of sin he identifies with us and here at his baptism he wants the world to know. Written in scripture for generations. He wants the world to know that he identifies with humanity, that he is one just like us. And though he didn't need baptism, he wanted to partake in baptism because he's one of us. And I love the idea that, as Jesus was going under the water and coming back up, he knew in his mind that one day, as baptism we'll see, represents he would go into the grave and come back out again. In fact, he would do the work for which every baptism, since that work now looks back to. That was a confusing sentence. It made sense in my head. But he's doing this work and now for generations, as we watch baptisms, we see that's what Jesus did. And in his own baptism the going under the water and coming back up, he looked towards the future, his own future. So one baptism was modeled by Jesus. There's one reason we do it. But also, this baptism was instructed by Jesus. Baptism was instructed by Jesus.
Speaker 1:Flip a few pages to Matthew 28. We see, at the Great Commission, jesus is speaking now to the 11 disciples who remain and he has risen from the dead. As he said he would. He's about to ascend into heaven and he's really giving his disciples marching orders. He's going to send them out to do the work of the church, the work of sharing the good news of Jesus, that Christ has indeed risen. He's putting the church in the hands of these 11 individuals and they are to go out and make much of Jesus and expand the kingdom of God.
Speaker 1:And what are his instructions? He says this Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you and, behold, I am with you, always, to the end of the age. So, within these marching orders he gives to his disciples, there is an imperative, there is a command, and it's this make disciples. Go, therefore, and imperative command make disciples. Now, how does Jesus say you're to do that? Make disciples. Number one. He says this go so as you are going in the ins and outs of life, whether you are going to the other side of the world or you're going to your co-worker or your school next door, you do it as you're going. You're making disciples Number three. I'll skip to three. He says you know, as you are teaching all that I've commanded, and so as we make disciples.
Speaker 1:So much of that process is teaching them the truth of what God's word says and the truth of the gospel. But right in the middle he also says this how else do we do it? Point number two he says baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. That's why when I and basically any other minister are up there and we bapt, baptize, we say in the name of the father, the son and the holy spirit. And so jesus instructs his disciples that, as you're making disciples, the normative part of that, a normative practice as disciples are being made, is what Is baptism? So that, as disciples come to know Jesus Christ personally and are heading towards a life of sanctification, that a normative part of obedience early on in that process is baptism.
Speaker 1:Now notice I use the word normative because the reality is there are many enjoying the heavenly realms as we speak, at the side of Jesus right now, and will be there for eternity, that in this life were never baptized. We talked about one two weeks ago the thief on the cross that he looks to Jesus and says remember me when you come into your kingdom. Jesus looks back at him and says today you will be with me where In paradise. He had no time on the cross to come down and get baptized, no time to talk through a church membership or anything like that. But that day, that very day, jesus says with his words you will be with me in paradise. I have no doubt that heaven will be filled with many who, because of reasons inside their control or outside of their control, were not baptized. Because it's important to realize baptism is not what saves us. I hope and pray you know that, that you realize that that it's not going underwater and getting up again that saves you. It's Christ Jesus going in a grave and rising back up again that saves you. It's Christ Jesus going in a grave and rising back up again that saves you.
Speaker 1:When I'm talking to a young person, a child and this happens often when I'm talking to children and their parents, whether we're in my office or anywhere, I often explain baptism like this Often they'll know my wife, katie, and I'll talk to them and talk to the child and just say, hey, you know Miss Katie and you know we're married and Miss Katie and I are married and she's fantastic, you know her well. And I'll point to my wedding ring and with them I'll take this ring off and I'll just ask them and we're kind of laughing and being silly I'll just ask this question hey, are me and Miss Katie any less married right now, now that I took this ring off? And I always think that's kind of silly, it's like no, of course you're still married. I said you're exactly right. I said what makes us married is the fact that on August 1st of 2014,. She walked down an aisle, I was standing there, we said vows to one another and we were announced husband and wife. That makes us married. This ring being on or off makes me no more or less married.
Speaker 1:But here's the beauty of this ring I have this symbol that I get to wear every day, this symbol that I get to show the world that I've got the most incredible wife in the universe. I get to walk around every day and if anybody asks about this you know, taylor, why are you wearing that gold ring right there? Well, let me tell you, I got the most incredible wife in the universe. I get to say that this is a symbol of what has already taken place. That's how I explain baptism that getting under the water and coming up again doesn't save us again. Christ Jesus does that. But the baptism is a symbol, is a picture of what has already taken place, and so Jesus instructs baptism to be that normative way that believers who have now been saved and that's an important element too we believe in believer's baptism. So being baptized on what we call the right side of your salvation, that you are saved and then you are baptized, you get to show the world that you are a follower of Jesus. That is what Jesus instructs for his followers. So we see that baptism was modeled by Jesus. It was instructed by Jesus. But I also want to see this.
Speaker 1:Baptism shows a picture of Jesus. Turn with me now to Romans, chapter 6. I told you we'd be all over today. Romans chapter 6 will begin in verse 3. Obviously, walking through Romans this year we'll get to chapter 6 more in depth, but a sneak peek this morning. Baptism shows a picture of Jesus as Paul is explaining the gospel, really, but explaining the beauty of baptism to these believers. See in verse 3 of romans 6.
Speaker 1:Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into christ jesus were baptized into his death. We were buried, therefore, with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. Did you know that baptism shows a picture of Jesus, a picture of the gospel? It's exactly what Paul is proclaiming here, that within baptism you are first showing the world that you have died with Christ. You have died to your sin, you have died to the old person and you are giving a physical example of that. Do you know? That's why you go under the water, that we put someone under the water in baptism, and that is symbolizing to the world that you have gone into the grave just like Christ Jesus has gone into the grave, that you have died to yourself just like Christ. You go under the water and are baptized into Christ's death. But then the verse continues you are now raised to walk in newness of life. We are thankful that Christ Jesus got out of the grave. Everyone getting baptized is thankful. I then pulled them out of the water. They have now been raised up to newness of life. And now the coming out of the water represents, symbolizes, what Christ has done in coming out of the grave.
Speaker 1:Baptism is a picture of the gospel. It is a picture before us of exactly what Christ has done and that's the beauty of it. And I would argue this that every morning in this room when we have a baptism and usually we begin a service with a baptism that every morning in this room when we have a baptism, and usually we begin a service with a baptism, that every morning in this room when we have a baptism, and someone stands up there and goes under the water and comes back up again, they are giving us a picture of the gospel. And I would argue this in one sense that on those mornings, when I step up into the pulpit that I'm really about to preach the second sermon of the day, that one sermon has already been beautifully preached by whoever is getting baptized, one gospel proclamation has already been given, one picture of what Christ has done has already been given, and so now it's time for the second sermon. That's the beauty of baptism. It gives the world a picture of Jesus, a picture of the gospel.
Speaker 1:And these verses are exactly why, when we baptize, I say these words you were buried with Christ in baptism and raised to walk in newness of life. I'll tell you why I say those exact words is because that's what I grew up hearing under my pastor, friend of this church, dr Rex Horn. Those are exactly the words he used. I'll tell you why he says those exact words. It's a much more spiritual reason than I. It's because that's what he heard. Paul the apostle use His reasons better than mine, but the words are beautiful. You're buried with Christ in baptism, raised to walk in newness of life. You're giving a picture of the gospel to the church. So baptism was modeled by Jesus. It was instructed by Jesus. It shows a picture of Jesus. Instructed by Jesus. It shows a picture of Jesus. But I want to see this. Baptism encourages the body of Jesus. Baptism encourages the body of Jesus. That is the church. I'll just ask you a question Are you encouraged by baptism? You probably don't have to think long about that one.
Speaker 1:I imagine there's mornings when we come into this room and when this service begins with a baptism, no matter what's gone on before, no matter if you're tired from the night before because you were up too late, because eight o'clock starts for basketball games are a little wild. But you were up the night before. Because you were up too late, because eight o'clock starts for basketball games are a little wild, but you were up the night before, or it was a hard morning. It's a beautiful morning today, but maybe it's a rainy morning one day it's storming. You're trying to get to church Maybe you've got kids and you're trying to get out the door and get them ready and then they spilled, you know, breakfast on this outfit, so you got to work through this outfit to get them there. Spilled breakfast on this outfit, so you got to work through this outfit to get in there. However, you got here, you finally got into the room, whether it's a great day or a tough day, and then you see that baptism.
Speaker 1:There's just something inside you that you can't help but be excited. You can't help but be encouraged by what is happening right in front of us. When that happens, baptism encourages the body of Christ. It was meant to do that. How could it not do that? We're seeing a picture of the gospel before us and we're seeing a man or woman, a boy or girl, who wants to show the world that they know Jesus. Of course it is encouraging, real quickly.
Speaker 1:Acts 2, verse 41. I referenced this verse briefly last week. It's the day of Pentecost and the Spirit has descended upon the people of God and a large crowd has gathered around to see what in the world is going on. And Peter steps up into the pulpit. He begins preaching a beautiful gospel-centered sermon about who Christ is, that he's died, that he's risen again, and verse 41, we saw it last week, we see it again. So those who received his word were baptized. And there were added that day about 3 000 souls. Peter finished his sermon and 3 000 walked the aisle. 3 000 come to get saved. And then, following that, because it was the normative practice instructed by jesus to the disciples, including Peter, these individuals were baptized. What an encouraging morning that must have been. I think there were probably a few that were late to lunch that day, if they made it at all, but 3,000 baptized.
Speaker 1:But here's what's neat about that Not only were they just baptized, but they were welcomed into the life of the church. You know, when we are baptized, we're obviously baptized into Christ, but we're also baptized into the body of Christ. You know that as you're baptized, if you're baptized in this room, you then become a member of this church and you are in the life of this church and you are part of this church family. I look at verse 42. These new believers. What did they do? They devoted themselves to the apostles, teaching the fellowship, the breaking of bread. They're coming into the life of the church. 43, all came upon every soul. Signs and wonders are being done. 44, they had all things in common. 45, they're selling possessions and giving to those in need. 46, they're going to the temple. They're breaking bread together. 47, they're praising God, having favor. The Lord's adding to their number daily those who are being saved. As these new Christians are baptized into the family of God, they are encouraging the church through their participation in the church and as people are baptized even here and they enter into the life of our church.
Speaker 1:I say it every week. You're probably tired of hearing it. We become a better church because they're a part of it. We now are encouraged and get to benefit. The kingdom gets to benefit from the God-given gifts that that individual brings into the life of the church. We can minister better because they're with us. We can serve better because they're with us. The gospel can be proclaimed wider because they're with us. We are encouraged by baptism. Because they're with us, we are encouraged by baptism.
Speaker 1:I hope every week that we see a baptism in this room, that your heart is encouraged, that you know what it means for that individual, but also what it means for the kingdom of God. Here's what I also hope. I also hope that the person in the baptistry would take a moment to look out at each one of you, because I hope we're encouraged by them, but I hope they're encouraged by us, because I hope they see a room of people that they now look at and say in such a true sense, this is my family, this is the body of Christ that I get to live life alongside, and church when we see a baptism on a Sunday morning. I hope you're ready for this, because we now have a responsibility, because we are encouraged in this moment, but it also calls us to something. We are encouraged in this moment, but it also calls us to something that, as this person comes into the life of the church, you and I bear the weight of the responsibility of walking with them. Well, we bear the weight of walking towards Jesus with them, helping them in their sanctification journey, holding them accountable, raising them up in the faith. That's what a family does, and so baptism I truly believe this encourages the church. Baptism shows a picture of Jesus. Baptism was instructed by Jesus. It was modeled by Jesus.
Speaker 1:Why do we do what we do by Jesus. Why do we do what we do? That's the question we started with. Why is it? For 2,000 years the church has done this. I think sometimes about if you walked in a room like this or any church in the world with zero context for Christianity, zero context for church You've never walked in one, you don't know what they're up to, you don't know anything about the Christian faith, zero context. And you'll walk in the room and the first thing you see is just two folks standing in water and one of them puts one under for about a second and a half and raises them back up and a lot of people clap. You might ask the question why do you do what you do? You might ask the question what is going on in this place? But you and I know what's going on in this place. We are celebrating a life that's been changed, whether it was a week ago, 10 years ago, 30 years ago, as they follow it up with baptism. We are celebrating a life that has been turned upside down by Jesus. We are celebrating a life that knows and believes that Jesus Christ died for them and rose from the grave. We are celebrating as that person gives a picture of the gospel that now you and I are now a part of, as even that person comes into this family of believers. We are celebrating what God has done. That's why we do what we do. That's why, for 2,000 years, we have been a people of baptism, we have been a people of the lord's supper. That's why we do what we do.
Speaker 1:I wonder this morning, as in a minute we're going to continue in worship I I wonder if there's one, even in this room, that even this morning, would like to have a conversation with me, with another pastor, about baptism, that maybe that's something you'd like to do, as you were saved recently and you'd like to follow that up with baptism. Or maybe it's something you'd like to do Because of a reason inside or outside of your control X number of you You've known Jesus for years but haven't followed that up. I'd love to talk to you this morning. Maybe you know Christ have been baptized, but you want to be a part of this up. I'd love to talk to you this morning. Maybe you know Christ have been baptized, but you want to be a part of this church the way we talk about family here. You want to be a part of that.
Speaker 1:Let me tell you, everybody in this room wants you to be a part of it. So please come talk to me. I'd love to help you be a part of it. Maybe you want to come to know Jesus Christ for the first time. Maybe you want to come let me or another pastor pray over you. However you'd like to respond, I hope you will.
Speaker 1:And for all of us, when the next person enters into that baptistry, I pray that it would be the most special baptism yet here at First Baptist El Dorado, because that you and I know and understand and see the weight of just how beautiful every single baptism is, because Jesus modeled it, he instructed it, he shows the gospel through it and we are encouraged by it. Let me pray, lord Jesus, thank you for the church, thank you for what you allow us to do, what we get to be a part of. Thank you for baptism, which is a picture of the gospel, which is a symbol, an outward symbol of what has already happened inside. Thank you for the beauty of that. I pray this morning that if there is one that needs to respond, that they would.
Speaker 1:If there is one that wants to talk about membership or baptism or salvation, or a prayer need or any number of things. God would today be the day, lord, thanks that we get to be the church. Help us to be the kind of church that I know this church is, that I know your word calls us to, but to be the kind of church that celebrates in all that you're doing, celebrates lives being changed, celebrates your story being told and proclaimed, celebrates all that you're up to, even now. Lord, let us worship you, for you are worthy of it. We pray this in Christ's name, amen. Would you stand now as we worship?