WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.399 Welcome to Gateway Churches Podcast. 00:00:02.560 --> 00:00:06.879 Wherever you're tuning in from, we hope you're encouraged by today's message. 00:00:09.039 --> 00:00:10.240 Proceed to root. 00:00:18.399 --> 00:00:20.239 Hey, welcome to church, everybody. 00:00:20.399 --> 00:00:23.199 Come on, let's put our hands together for Jesus one more time. 00:00:23.760 --> 00:00:24.719 You can do better than that. 00:00:24.800 --> 00:00:26.399 Come on, every campus. 00:00:26.960 --> 00:00:28.399 He's worthy. 00:00:30.399 --> 00:00:32.000 So glad that you are in church. 00:00:32.079 --> 00:00:34.320 As you saw, YouthCon is coming up. 00:00:34.479 --> 00:00:37.520 And so, parents, students, you don't want to miss that. 00:00:38.000 --> 00:00:44.000 You know, you'll invest in a whole lot of different things this summer in the life of your child if you're a parent like Tammy and I. 00:00:44.240 --> 00:00:51.679 But what gives you an eternal return on your investment is when you get them in the Word of God, in the presence of God, around God's people. 00:00:51.759 --> 00:00:54.079 And so make sure you're getting registered for that. 00:00:54.240 --> 00:00:57.439 We're in week two of a brand new series called Road Trip. 00:00:57.520 --> 00:00:59.439 If you're new to church and you're like, what is a series? 00:00:59.600 --> 00:01:02.640 Simply a collection of talks around a common theme. 00:01:02.719 --> 00:01:06.000 And so we've been talking about how the journey of faith is kind of like a road trip. 00:01:06.159 --> 00:01:11.200 And there's mile markers along the way, and there's there's important stops along the way that you want to make. 00:01:11.359 --> 00:01:16.319 Last week we started out talking about how we need the Holy Spirit in our life to be our guide. 00:01:16.480 --> 00:01:20.719 He just doesn't want to give us guidance, but wants to be the guide of our life. 00:01:20.959 --> 00:01:25.359 And uh today we're talking about really the big idea is the idea of obedience. 00:01:25.439 --> 00:01:27.439 We're gonna talk about it in one specific way. 00:01:27.599 --> 00:01:31.920 But how many of you know that the journey of faith is a journey of obeying? 00:01:32.239 --> 00:01:36.959 It's a journey of a step of obedience after steps of obedience to God. 00:01:37.040 --> 00:01:41.040 And uh so the verse we're gonna work from today is Acts chapter 2. 00:01:41.200 --> 00:01:44.319 If you have a copy of the scriptures with you, if you're not, it'll be on the TV here. 00:01:44.480 --> 00:01:45.519 Acts chapter 2. 00:01:45.599 --> 00:02:00.400 Um, and so what the context of what's happening here is um Jesus has died, he's been buried, he's rose back from the grave, and he's ascended to the Father, and he said, Hey, I want you to wait in Jerusalem, and I'm gonna send the promise, the gift of the Holy Spirit to you. 00:02:00.560 --> 00:02:10.960 The Holy Spirit comes, all these people are in Jerusalem, the apostles are getting up, and the disciples are getting up, speaking the word of the Lord, and then Peter says this in Acts chapter 2. 00:02:11.039 --> 00:02:21.120 He says, Therefore, let all of Israel be assured of this, that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah. 00:02:21.280 --> 00:02:25.919 How many of you know that Jesus is still Lord, still Messiah? 00:02:26.240 --> 00:02:33.039 And when the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, brothers, what shall we do? 00:02:33.280 --> 00:02:37.199 And so then Peter replies, You need to repent. 00:02:37.439 --> 00:02:41.280 And repent simply means a turning or a change of mind. 00:02:41.680 --> 00:02:46.319 Repenting isn't a 360, because then you're just back where you started. 00:02:47.360 --> 00:02:48.560 Y'all don't know Matt? 00:02:48.879 --> 00:02:49.120 Okay. 00:02:49.520 --> 00:02:50.800 It's a 180. 00:02:50.960 --> 00:02:56.000 It means I was moving this way, I was thinking about life this way, I am turning and moving in God's way. 00:02:56.080 --> 00:03:06.000 And then he says, and and be baptized, every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ, for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 00:03:06.159 --> 00:03:12.639 And the promise is for you and your children, and for us, all those who are afar off. 00:03:12.719 --> 00:03:13.759 That's you and me. 00:03:14.000 --> 00:03:16.159 For all whom the Lord our God will call. 00:03:16.319 --> 00:03:22.479 With many other words, he warned them and he pleaded with them to save themselves from this corrupt generation. 00:03:22.639 --> 00:03:31.199 And those who accepted this message were baptized, and about 3,000 were added to their number that day. 00:03:32.000 --> 00:03:33.439 Yeah, that's worth flapping for. 00:03:33.520 --> 00:03:34.879 The word of God's always good. 00:03:36.240 --> 00:03:39.120 If you're the note-taking type, I want you to write this title down. 00:03:39.199 --> 00:03:42.000 If not, go ahead and write it down, anyways. 00:03:42.319 --> 00:03:44.960 This day is that day. 00:03:45.759 --> 00:03:51.439 It says that day, about 3,000 were added to the church because they were baptized. 00:03:51.599 --> 00:03:54.080 This day is that day for many of you. 00:03:54.319 --> 00:04:07.199 I believe that many of you today, as has already happened this morning at all of our campuses, you are going to take the step, the first step of obedience, water baptized, water baptism, and get baptized today. 00:04:07.280 --> 00:04:12.400 And you're thinking, I didn't come prepared, and I didn't sign up for it, and I didn't plan on it. 00:04:13.919 --> 00:04:15.759 That doesn't matter to me. 00:04:16.079 --> 00:04:17.519 Today's gonna be your day. 00:04:18.079 --> 00:04:20.160 You're gonna get baptized today. 00:04:20.319 --> 00:04:20.639 All right? 00:04:20.800 --> 00:04:21.759 Hey, let's pray together. 00:04:21.920 --> 00:04:23.600 Father, our hearts and minds are open to you. 00:04:23.680 --> 00:04:30.800 I pray that you speak to every person that has never taken this first step of obedience across our church family. 00:04:31.040 --> 00:04:33.600 And would they obey today? 00:04:34.079 --> 00:04:37.839 Simple obedience, profound result in their life. 00:04:38.160 --> 00:04:40.079 We pray this in Jesus' name. 00:04:40.319 --> 00:04:41.600 Everybody said amen. 00:04:42.079 --> 00:04:42.399 Amen. 00:04:42.560 --> 00:04:47.920 How many of you have noticed that defining moments in your life don't always seem defining in the moment? 00:04:49.839 --> 00:05:06.560 Some of the biggest defining moments in your life, I would imagine you look back in hindsight and you see they were defining, but in the moment it was just felt like maybe the right next thing to do, or just maybe even felt like a coincidence, but you look back and go, wow, that was a defining moment in my life, but I didn't know it in the moment. 00:05:06.720 --> 00:05:08.959 I was thinking about one of these in my own life. 00:05:09.040 --> 00:05:17.279 Um, I was living in East Tennessee, Upper East Tennessee, a place called Kingsport where I grew up most of my life, where we speak hillbilly. 00:05:18.079 --> 00:05:20.399 I had to go to college to get that out of me. 00:05:20.560 --> 00:05:32.000 Um but I was in between, I had to take a year off of school because I needed to pay back some student loans, and so I worked a couple of jobs for a year so that I could do that and prepare to go back and finish my bachelor's degree. 00:05:32.160 --> 00:05:40.160 Well, while I was there, a friend of mine invited me to an event at a church, and I said, sure, I don't have anything else going on tonight. 00:05:40.240 --> 00:05:41.279 I'll go to this event. 00:05:41.439 --> 00:05:44.480 Well, at this event, I met a guy named Eddie. 00:05:44.720 --> 00:05:47.439 Eddie ended up becoming the best man at my wedding. 00:05:47.680 --> 00:05:47.920 Come on. 00:05:48.240 --> 00:05:56.879 Very, very good friend of mine, and actually ended up helping him plant a church uh in uh Virginia Beach area of Virginia, which is thriving today. 00:05:57.040 --> 00:06:02.800 And so that one decision affected a friendship that I had that's become a lifelong friendship. 00:06:02.959 --> 00:06:28.399 And then because of Eddie, because he had graduated from Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia, I as his influence, and I was in between schools, I decided to go to Liberty University, and then at Liberty University, I was standing in the hangar, which was the food court at the time, and here comes walking in a beautiful girl named Tammy Lynch with her boyfriend. 00:06:30.720 --> 00:06:32.879 It's another story for another day. 00:06:33.120 --> 00:06:34.639 Look like I won. 00:06:34.879 --> 00:06:36.240 That's all I'm saying. 00:06:36.480 --> 00:06:38.240 That's all I'm saying. 00:06:41.920 --> 00:06:48.959 But how many of you know going to the event at the church, the year I was taken off of school, was a defining moment. 00:06:49.120 --> 00:06:51.040 I didn't necessarily know it in the moment. 00:06:51.199 --> 00:06:54.079 It just seemed like the next right thing to do. 00:06:54.319 --> 00:07:05.360 And I tell you, for some of you, coming to church today was the next right thing to do, and you getting water baptized is the next right thing to do, and it's gonna be a defining moment in your life. 00:07:05.519 --> 00:07:14.000 And it may just feel like a right step of obedience in the moment, but I think you'll look back and go, man, this was a defining moment in my life. 00:07:14.240 --> 00:07:29.279 And so I'm gonna explain what it is, and then I want to address some objections, and then we want to give you the opportunity today, not sign up for baptism, but today to get into the waters of baptism and take the first step. 00:07:29.439 --> 00:07:36.480 The Bible calls it, or we call it the first step of obedience, because it's the first thing Jesus tells you to do after you place your faith in Him. 00:07:36.639 --> 00:07:37.759 If you're with me, say amen. 00:07:38.160 --> 00:07:52.800 All right, I'm gonna go to one of my favorite passages on water baptism, and there are so many all through the book of Acts and uh that we read in the New Testament church, but this one I think is one of my favorites, and it's about Philip and an Ethiopian eunuch. 00:07:52.959 --> 00:08:04.240 And so, what is happening in the context is there's a eunuch who is in charge of a whole lot of things, and he's in a chariot, and he's reading the scroll of the prophet Isaiah, the book of Isaiah in our Old Testament. 00:08:04.399 --> 00:08:05.519 He's reading that book. 00:08:05.839 --> 00:08:10.079 God sends Philip to him, and Philip comes running up beside the chariot. 00:08:10.240 --> 00:08:13.360 He hears him reading this, and this is where we come into the story. 00:08:13.439 --> 00:08:14.720 And the scripture says this. 00:08:14.800 --> 00:08:19.199 Then Philip ran up to the chariot, and he heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. 00:08:19.920 --> 00:08:23.839 And Philip's gonna ask him this, do you understand what you're reading? 00:08:24.079 --> 00:08:29.759 And the man replies to him, How can I unless someone explains it to me? 00:08:30.000 --> 00:08:32.399 So he invited Philip to come up and set with him. 00:08:32.480 --> 00:08:37.759 So now Philip's in the chariot with him, and this is the passage of Scripture the eunuch was reading. 00:08:37.919 --> 00:08:46.320 So what we're about to read is an excerpt of the Old Testament book, and this is what the man was reading when Philip came up, and it's talking about Jesus. 00:08:46.399 --> 00:08:48.240 It's a prophecy of the Messiah. 00:08:48.480 --> 00:08:56.639 It says he was led like a sheep to the slaughter, and as a lamb before its shears is silent, so he did not open his mouth. 00:08:56.879 --> 00:09:00.720 In his humiliation, he was deprived of justice. 00:09:00.960 --> 00:09:03.039 Who can speak of his descendants? 00:09:03.279 --> 00:09:05.600 For his life was taken from the earth. 00:09:05.759 --> 00:09:10.960 And the eunuch asked Philip, please tell me who's he talking about? 00:09:11.279 --> 00:09:12.879 Himself or someone else? 00:09:13.120 --> 00:09:20.720 And then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus. 00:09:21.120 --> 00:09:28.320 And as they traveled along the road, they came to some water and said, the eunuch said, Look, here's water. 00:09:28.559 --> 00:09:32.720 What can stand in the way of me being baptized? 00:09:32.879 --> 00:09:36.720 And he, Philip said, If you believe with all your heart, you may. 00:09:36.879 --> 00:09:40.320 And the eunuch answered, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. 00:09:40.480 --> 00:09:46.320 Now that scripture is in brackets, verse 37, because some manuscripts hold it, some do not have it. 00:09:46.480 --> 00:09:49.279 Scholars debate about it, so that's debatable. 00:09:49.360 --> 00:10:02.159 But what is not debatable is that he heard the gospel and he gave orders to stop the chariot, then they went down into the water, both Philip and the eunuch, and Philip baptized him. 00:10:03.279 --> 00:10:14.159 And so this is what I'm praying for you today is that if you have believed on Jesus, but you've never taken the step of water baptism, that today would be the day that you do it. 00:10:14.639 --> 00:10:18.320 And so the first step for all of us is first to believe. 00:10:18.480 --> 00:10:19.519 Amen, everybody. 00:10:20.080 --> 00:10:22.000 And that's what Philip was explaining to him. 00:10:22.159 --> 00:10:26.879 He took the passage of the prophecy about Jesus, and then he explained the good news. 00:10:27.039 --> 00:10:28.399 Well, what is the good news? 00:10:28.559 --> 00:10:34.399 The good news is this is that you and I, all of humanity, we have a problem that none of us can solve. 00:10:34.559 --> 00:10:36.480 And you're like, well, that sounds like bad news. 00:10:36.639 --> 00:10:37.440 Well, I'm getting there. 00:10:37.519 --> 00:10:40.240 You got to know the bad news before the good news is good. 00:10:40.480 --> 00:10:44.080 And the problem that we all have is that we are born with sin. 00:10:44.240 --> 00:10:48.639 And I always say, if you don't believe you're born with sin, you've never had a toddler. 00:10:50.960 --> 00:10:56.000 You don't have to train them to roll their eyes, you don't have to teach them to have an attitude. 00:10:56.159 --> 00:10:56.399 Why? 00:10:56.559 --> 00:10:59.200 Because it's born within us, it's innate within us. 00:10:59.279 --> 00:11:01.519 Some people are like, well, no, I'm just, I just make mistakes. 00:11:01.600 --> 00:11:06.399 No, we're not mistakers that make mistakes because some of us plan our mistakes. 00:11:07.600 --> 00:11:09.600 They're no longer mistakes. 00:11:10.720 --> 00:11:13.200 Some of us premeditated the sin. 00:11:14.000 --> 00:11:15.279 Wait till I see them again. 00:11:15.360 --> 00:11:16.879 I'm gonna give them a pizza. 00:11:17.840 --> 00:11:19.519 Are y'all tracking with me? 00:11:20.240 --> 00:11:24.159 And so we're sinners, so sin separates us from a holy God. 00:11:25.279 --> 00:11:26.559 And so what did God do? 00:11:26.720 --> 00:11:36.559 Because he never wanted that before the foundation of the earth, he put into a plan in place whereby he would send his only son, his one and only son, to come and live the life you and I could never live. 00:11:36.639 --> 00:11:41.200 Jesus lived a perfect life, not just in action, but in motive and thought in every way possible. 00:11:41.360 --> 00:11:46.480 He lived the perfect life, though he was tempted in every way that we are tempted. 00:11:46.879 --> 00:11:58.879 And so he lived this perfect life, making him the only one that could die on the cross and shed his blood, making atonement or making right the sins of all humanity. 00:11:59.120 --> 00:12:00.799 Then he was buried in the grave. 00:12:00.879 --> 00:12:08.240 Three days later, he rose from the grave, proving that he was who he claimed to be, the Son of God with the power to take away the sin of the world. 00:12:08.399 --> 00:12:16.960 And the way that we receive this forgiveness of sins is 100% by faith alone in Christ alone. 00:12:17.200 --> 00:12:19.200 If you're with me so far, say amen. 00:12:19.600 --> 00:12:25.600 The Bible says it this way that it's not of works, so that we don't get the credit. 00:12:25.840 --> 00:12:29.279 The old Testament, the King James says so that we can't boast about it. 00:12:29.519 --> 00:12:33.840 So there's nothing in us that can go, look what I did to earn my salvation. 00:12:34.080 --> 00:12:36.799 Look what I did to be in right standing with God. 00:12:36.960 --> 00:12:52.879 And so it's not about your works, meaning it's not whether or not you have church attendance, if your name's on a membership roll at 10 different churches, if you have perfect Sunday school attendance growing up, if you've been confirmed, if you've taken first communion, it's not about your works. 00:12:53.039 --> 00:12:59.200 Our salvation is simply by faith alone, grace alone, from Jesus alone. 00:12:59.440 --> 00:13:02.559 Come on, can I get a better amen in God's house today? 00:13:03.039 --> 00:13:04.000 That is it. 00:13:04.480 --> 00:13:12.159 So if you're depending on anything else to give you right standing with God, you are on shaky ground. 00:13:12.799 --> 00:13:17.120 If you're depending on your mom and dad's faith, faith is not inherited. 00:13:18.080 --> 00:13:22.960 If you're depending on what they did, well they were good people, so hopefully I can slip in. 00:13:23.679 --> 00:13:33.600 If you're hoping that there's a scale in heaven and that your good will outweigh your bad, can I just tell you you're on the losing side of that scale? 00:13:34.399 --> 00:13:39.360 The Bible says that our best days are as filthy rags in the sight of God. 00:13:39.679 --> 00:13:47.440 And so salvation, the good news is this is you can't earn it, you didn't deserve it, but he gave it to you anyways. 00:13:47.679 --> 00:13:49.360 That's the good news of the gospel. 00:13:49.600 --> 00:14:12.320 You could do nothing to cleanse your own sin, you could do nothing to give you right standing with God, you could do nothing to enter into relationship with him, you could do nothing to pay the debt of your sin, but in the courtroom of heaven, you were about to be sentenced to death, and Jesus stepped in and said, Let me take it on their behalf, and he hung on a cross and he died so that you and I could have forgiveness. 00:14:13.519 --> 00:14:18.399 That is the good news, and that's the good news that Philip shared with the eunuch. 00:14:18.799 --> 00:14:24.399 And as soon as he believed the good news, he said, Here is water, why shouldn't I be baptized? 00:14:24.559 --> 00:14:28.080 And so I ask you at every location today, we have water. 00:14:30.480 --> 00:14:32.159 Why shouldn't you be baptized? 00:14:33.759 --> 00:14:41.840 And so for all the years of preaching this and teaching and leading in the church, there's been common objections or questions. 00:14:42.240 --> 00:14:44.399 And uh so I just want to go through those. 00:14:44.480 --> 00:14:48.960 And then at the end of the service, as we dismiss, I'm gonna invite you to go to your campus. 00:14:49.039 --> 00:14:50.240 There's a check-in booth. 00:14:50.320 --> 00:14:52.960 You can go over and say, I need to get baptized today. 00:14:53.200 --> 00:14:56.399 And uh there's already been so many people get baptized this morning. 00:14:56.480 --> 00:15:01.759 We have over 200 that have signed up, but it's looking like from reports that every campus is about doubling that. 00:15:06.559 --> 00:15:19.679 And here, I was uh at South Lake, I was meeting some of the people getting baptized, and I met a family, a mom and two children, and they said, we were watching online at nine o'clock, and God spoke to us, so we got in our car, we drove over. 00:15:19.759 --> 00:15:20.879 So maybe you're online. 00:15:21.120 --> 00:15:25.600 You need to find a campus near you and just start driving there now. 00:15:26.080 --> 00:15:27.039 We'll take care of you. 00:15:27.200 --> 00:15:30.399 Number one, I've heard people say this, it doesn't make sense. 00:15:30.720 --> 00:15:31.919 And I understand that. 00:15:32.080 --> 00:15:40.399 If you're new to faith, it's like, all right, I've I've said yes to Jesus, but why do I got to go change clothes and get in water and get under the water? 00:15:40.480 --> 00:15:42.080 And so let's let's talk about that. 00:15:42.159 --> 00:15:43.279 It's it's a good question. 00:15:43.440 --> 00:15:45.759 Acts chapter 16, the Bible says this. 00:15:45.919 --> 00:15:50.480 It says, He then brought them out and asked them, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? 00:15:50.639 --> 00:15:53.120 This is the jailer in the book of Acts. 00:15:53.279 --> 00:15:54.639 What do I got to do to be saved? 00:15:54.720 --> 00:15:58.159 And they replied, believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved. 00:15:58.480 --> 00:16:00.639 So that's what you do for salvation. 00:16:00.799 --> 00:16:02.799 You believe in the Lord Jesus. 00:16:03.039 --> 00:16:04.320 You and your household. 00:16:04.480 --> 00:16:09.519 And then they spoke the word of the Lord to them and to all the others in the household. 00:16:09.600 --> 00:16:17.360 And at that hour of the night, the jailer took them, Peter, and they washed, I'm sorry, Paul and Silas, they took them and they bandaged their wounds. 00:16:17.519 --> 00:16:25.039 And it said immediately he and his whole household were, everybody say it together, were baptized. 00:16:25.519 --> 00:16:32.799 And so anytime you see the word baptized in the scriptures, you're seeing this Greek word baptizo. 00:16:33.840 --> 00:16:34.559 Baptizo. 00:16:34.799 --> 00:16:39.919 And here's what it means: it means to immerse or to submerge. 00:16:41.200 --> 00:16:47.440 So why do we believe in baptism, what people would call baptism by immersion? 00:16:48.320 --> 00:16:50.720 Because it's what the word means, everybody. 00:16:51.360 --> 00:16:53.759 You can't make it mean something else. 00:16:54.080 --> 00:16:56.399 It means to be baptized. 00:16:56.720 --> 00:17:01.840 But it also has a deeper meaning than that, to be immersed, but it has a deeper meaning than that. 00:17:02.000 --> 00:17:08.240 It also is a picture of what happens to you the moment you accept Christ. 00:17:08.480 --> 00:17:16.240 It's a picture of you dying with Christ and being raised to new life in Christ. 00:17:16.480 --> 00:17:24.000 In other words, the moment that you accept Jesus, there is a dying to your old self, but there is being raised to a new life. 00:17:24.160 --> 00:17:25.119 The Bible says it this way. 00:17:25.279 --> 00:17:33.279 Paul wrote to the Corinthians, if anybody be in Christ, they're a new creation, everything passes away, and everything becomes new in their life. 00:17:33.440 --> 00:17:34.720 And so this is the picture. 00:17:34.880 --> 00:17:40.079 Your old life is being buried, and your new life is coming as you are raised. 00:17:40.240 --> 00:17:47.200 It's a symbol, it's let me say it this way: it is a public declaration of an inward transformation. 00:17:47.680 --> 00:17:55.200 If you have been transformed by Jesus on the inside, it is the public way that you declare that to everyone around you. 00:17:55.279 --> 00:17:58.400 And you may be thinking, well, I thought it was when you walked an aisle. 00:17:58.640 --> 00:18:01.920 Walking an aisle has not always been a part of our church history. 00:18:02.160 --> 00:18:04.880 I'm not talking about Gateway Church, I'm talking about the Big Sea church. 00:18:04.960 --> 00:18:05.599 Are you following me? 00:18:05.680 --> 00:18:08.160 It's only about 150 or 200 years old. 00:18:08.400 --> 00:18:19.920 No, the public declaration from the very early church was if I've said yes to Jesus, I get in the waters of baptism and I publicly declare my faith to everybody else around me. 00:18:20.160 --> 00:18:24.400 I'm not ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ. 00:18:25.200 --> 00:18:31.359 I like to, I like to relate it like this: that baptism is the wedding band of salvation. 00:18:32.640 --> 00:18:42.960 This Friday, 22 years ago, Tammy and I stood before family friends and her grandfather, who was officiating our wedding, and we gave vows to each other. 00:18:43.200 --> 00:18:49.759 And then as a sign of that vow, we exchanged wedding rings, right? 00:18:50.640 --> 00:18:54.240 And we said, you know, I know it ended this way. 00:18:54.480 --> 00:18:58.400 All that I have and all that I am, I give to you for Christ's sake. 00:18:58.880 --> 00:19:00.160 This is my symbol. 00:19:00.400 --> 00:19:03.119 It lets everybody know I'm off the market. 00:19:08.400 --> 00:19:11.200 But it does not make me married. 00:19:11.839 --> 00:19:17.519 The covenant I made with her makes me married before God and each other, but it does let everybody else know. 00:19:17.599 --> 00:19:28.640 Now, how would you, or what would you think of me if when I traveled out of town and it was just me, that I was like, I'll leave the wedding band in the car. 00:19:30.880 --> 00:19:36.079 Or certain places I went to, went to the gym, I was like, I don't know wear the wedding band. 00:19:37.200 --> 00:19:40.799 I don't necessarily want everybody to know in those environments. 00:19:41.200 --> 00:19:44.000 You wouldn't think a whole lot of me or my integrity, would you? 00:19:44.480 --> 00:19:45.759 Let me ask you this. 00:19:46.400 --> 00:19:57.200 Do you just want the benefits of Jesus and the relationship of Jesus on your own terms, but you don't want everybody to really know you're all in with Jesus? 00:19:58.720 --> 00:20:00.480 Because it's kind of the same thing. 00:20:02.480 --> 00:20:06.079 Baptism is the public decoration. 00:20:06.559 --> 00:20:08.319 Hey, I'm all in with Jesus. 00:20:08.559 --> 00:20:10.000 I've given my life to him. 00:20:10.319 --> 00:20:11.759 I've surrendered to him. 00:20:12.079 --> 00:20:14.559 And I want everybody else to know about it. 00:20:17.599 --> 00:20:20.559 Another one I've heard is this is I don't I don't need it. 00:20:22.960 --> 00:20:28.400 I've had people tell me, well, me and Jesus, we got our own thing worked out. 00:20:29.680 --> 00:20:31.200 I don't really need to go do that. 00:20:31.279 --> 00:20:33.440 I only really need to do it in front of everybody. 00:20:33.680 --> 00:20:36.960 Like me and Jesus, we we got our own thing figured out. 00:20:37.039 --> 00:20:42.400 And I would just say if these two prominent characters in the scriptures needed baptism, maybe we need it. 00:20:42.559 --> 00:20:46.480 Then Ananias went to the house and entered it, placing his hands on Saul. 00:20:46.640 --> 00:20:56.799 He said, Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here, has sent me so that you may see again, be filled with the Holy Spirit. 00:20:56.960 --> 00:20:59.599 Immediately something like scales came off of Saul's eyes. 00:20:59.680 --> 00:21:01.039 This is the Apostle Paul. 00:21:01.200 --> 00:21:03.759 He got up, and the Apostle Paul was what? 00:21:03.839 --> 00:21:05.519 Everybody say it together, he was. 00:21:06.000 --> 00:21:06.960 He was baptized. 00:21:07.119 --> 00:21:08.880 If Paul needs it, maybe you need it. 00:21:09.119 --> 00:21:13.680 At that time, Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was. 00:21:14.559 --> 00:21:20.480 If Jesus needs it, maybe you need it. 00:21:22.640 --> 00:21:28.960 Usually what stands in the way in this roadblock, honestly, isn't it just pride? 00:21:30.799 --> 00:21:34.319 Isn't it wanting to come to Jesus on your own terms? 00:21:36.960 --> 00:21:38.000 Can I tell you something? 00:21:38.240 --> 00:21:41.759 When you come to Jesus, it is a total surrender. 00:21:46.960 --> 00:21:53.039 They don't take the direction who they are leading. 00:22:00.640 --> 00:22:02.319 Is king of your life. 00:22:02.559 --> 00:22:07.519 And he has said, after you believe, you need to get baptized. 00:22:08.000 --> 00:22:11.599 Then our only response is obedience. 00:22:12.400 --> 00:22:14.079 That's our only response. 00:22:15.440 --> 00:22:16.400 So I don't need it. 00:22:16.640 --> 00:22:19.519 Let me give you a few more. 00:22:20.240 --> 00:22:22.720 Some people said this, I've done this. 00:22:23.759 --> 00:22:25.119 I've been baptized. 00:22:25.279 --> 00:22:30.400 And I want to address a couple of things in this rebuttal. 00:22:30.480 --> 00:22:32.480 Is this for some of you? 00:22:32.640 --> 00:22:38.799 You were baptized as an infant, and that was an incredibly meaningful moment for your parents. 00:22:40.400 --> 00:22:52.000 And what was happening in that moment was a sense of dedicating you to the Lord that as you were older, that that commitment they had would come full circle in your life personally. 00:22:52.640 --> 00:23:01.279 And so being baptized as an adult is not disgrading or discounting what your parents did. 00:23:01.440 --> 00:23:06.079 It is actually a fulfillment of what their desire and prayer was for you. 00:23:07.759 --> 00:23:19.839 And the other thing is you cannot find any time in the New Testament when someone was baptized before they could personally make a decision to follow Jesus. 00:23:20.960 --> 00:23:27.119 Now, I'm confident that you as an infant had an unbelievable intellect. 00:23:30.160 --> 00:23:32.559 That you were wise beyond your years. 00:23:32.960 --> 00:23:44.000 And your capacity to embrace deep theological doctrinal issues as an infant were probably vast and superior to most of your peers in the nursery. 00:23:46.400 --> 00:23:56.319 But I doubt you'd had a revelation of your sinfulness and your need for the atonement and the redeeming work of Jesus in your own life personally. 00:23:56.480 --> 00:23:57.519 You get what I'm saying? 00:23:59.839 --> 00:24:06.799 And so baptism always follows a personal decision to follow Jesus. 00:24:08.079 --> 00:24:18.559 And so if you've placed your faith in Jesus, or if you've never had and you're going to today, then your next step is to get water baptized today at every location. 00:24:20.960 --> 00:24:22.240 Here's water. 00:24:23.119 --> 00:24:24.400 Why shouldn't I get baptized? 00:24:24.559 --> 00:24:25.759 Is what the eunuch says. 00:24:26.400 --> 00:24:28.799 And so I ask you again, we have water. 00:24:29.359 --> 00:24:32.000 Why shouldn't you get baptized? 00:24:32.319 --> 00:24:35.200 Let me give you a few more that I've heard over the years. 00:24:35.440 --> 00:24:37.119 I need to pray about it. 00:24:42.880 --> 00:24:46.880 Sounds spiritual, but something seems fishy. 00:24:48.960 --> 00:24:50.319 I need to pray about it. 00:24:50.559 --> 00:24:51.920 Let me tell you this. 00:24:52.319 --> 00:24:56.000 The right time to obey God, it's always right now. 00:24:56.880 --> 00:25:00.000 And you don't ever have to pray about obeying God. 00:25:00.319 --> 00:25:02.720 If God said it, you obey it. 00:25:02.799 --> 00:25:04.400 You don't have to pray about it. 00:25:06.000 --> 00:25:07.519 It would be like this in my house. 00:25:07.599 --> 00:25:10.720 When we lived in Virginia, we had a driveway that was about 150 foot long. 00:25:10.799 --> 00:25:11.759 It was a long driveway. 00:25:11.839 --> 00:25:18.079 And so Owen and Faith, their job was to always take the trash to the end of the driveways, whenever trash pickup was. 00:25:18.319 --> 00:25:22.319 And every Sunday night, be like, hey guys, get the trash out. 00:25:22.559 --> 00:25:27.279 Never once did they look at me and go, Dad, we're going to pray about that. 00:25:30.400 --> 00:25:33.200 That'd have been a different conversation in the Floyd household that evening. 00:25:33.359 --> 00:25:36.160 Can I get a better amen from the parents in the house, right? 00:25:36.640 --> 00:25:37.039 Why? 00:25:37.279 --> 00:25:42.640 Because you don't pray about obeying what God says, right? 00:25:43.119 --> 00:25:44.480 You don't need to pray about it. 00:25:44.640 --> 00:25:48.880 Some of you may be thinking, I didn't come prepared, and I'm glad you're thinking that. 00:25:50.000 --> 00:25:52.000 Because we did, everybody. 00:25:52.880 --> 00:25:54.960 So we have everything that you need. 00:25:55.519 --> 00:26:01.839 We have shirts, we have shorts, we have things that go under those things. 00:26:02.480 --> 00:26:03.440 Want to be appropriate? 00:26:04.559 --> 00:26:06.079 We've thought of it all. 00:26:06.720 --> 00:26:09.039 And we have everything that you need. 00:26:09.200 --> 00:26:13.119 Some of you may be thinking, well, I really would like my family here. 00:26:14.640 --> 00:26:19.440 I'm just saying I understand the sentiment, but I can't find a time in Scripture. 00:26:20.240 --> 00:26:23.759 I didn't see the eunuch go, hey, I need to get some of my friends over. 00:26:24.000 --> 00:26:26.240 We're going to plan a lunch afterwards. 00:26:26.480 --> 00:26:28.160 We really want to set this up right. 00:26:28.319 --> 00:26:30.559 We're going to have some balloons at the house. 00:26:31.680 --> 00:26:35.759 All that is wonderful, but it's not a requirement. 00:26:36.400 --> 00:26:37.680 Obedience is. 00:26:38.000 --> 00:26:44.880 And how many of you know, like my dad used to tell me, Daniel, delayed obedience is disobedience. 00:26:47.359 --> 00:26:51.680 And so today is the day for you to take the step and get baptized. 00:26:51.759 --> 00:26:52.480 One more. 00:26:53.039 --> 00:26:54.160 And I understand this. 00:26:54.240 --> 00:26:56.400 Some of you may be thinking, well, I'm afraid. 00:26:57.119 --> 00:26:59.119 I'm afraid what people will think. 00:26:59.920 --> 00:27:01.599 I'm afraid of getting into the water. 00:27:01.680 --> 00:27:04.000 I'm afraid, how long are they going to hold me down? 00:27:07.039 --> 00:27:09.519 Well, it depends on how sinful your past is. 00:27:10.640 --> 00:27:11.519 I'm kidding. 00:27:11.599 --> 00:27:12.720 I'm joking. 00:27:13.039 --> 00:27:14.640 It's just a joke. 00:27:15.200 --> 00:27:17.680 Some of you just gotta watch you a little longer. 00:27:20.640 --> 00:27:21.359 Kidding with you. 00:27:21.440 --> 00:27:23.440 Some of you are like, I don't know if I want to join this church. 00:27:23.519 --> 00:27:25.440 I don't know if I want you to join this church. 00:27:27.119 --> 00:27:29.039 But I do want you to obey God. 00:27:30.160 --> 00:27:32.079 I do want you to take the next step. 00:27:33.279 --> 00:27:34.640 And there's nothing to be afraid of. 00:27:34.720 --> 00:27:35.519 What are people gonna think? 00:27:35.680 --> 00:27:37.039 They're gonna celebrate you. 00:27:37.279 --> 00:27:40.640 They're gonna think you're making the greatest decision you can make. 00:27:40.799 --> 00:27:42.240 It's a defining moment. 00:27:46.640 --> 00:27:48.400 And no one's gonna hold you down. 00:27:50.559 --> 00:27:54.559 And today it's gonna be one of those moments where it's like, I know it's the right thing to do. 00:27:54.799 --> 00:27:57.200 And you're gonna look back and go, it was a defining moment. 00:27:58.079 --> 00:28:01.359 It was a moment that really changed things in my life. 00:28:01.440 --> 00:28:03.440 It was a stake in the ground. 00:28:04.799 --> 00:28:08.240 It was a moment of clarity in my relationship with Jesus. 00:28:09.359 --> 00:28:11.200 And here's what I want you to be encouraged by. 00:28:11.359 --> 00:28:18.160 First Timothy says this for the spirit God gave us does not make us timid. 00:28:18.400 --> 00:28:22.640 Some translations say it this way: for God has not given us a spirit of fear. 00:28:23.200 --> 00:28:29.759 But here's what he has given us but of power and of love and of self-discipline. 00:28:30.880 --> 00:28:35.440 So there's nothing for you to fear because perfect love drives out fear. 00:28:37.359 --> 00:28:42.480 And so if you're feeling afraid, that's not from the Lord. 00:28:43.039 --> 00:28:46.240 If you're feeling anxious, that is not from the Lord. 00:28:46.640 --> 00:28:58.559 And here's what I have found is that some of the greatest blessings in my life from the Lord were just on the other side of some of the greatest moments of fear. 00:29:00.240 --> 00:29:03.039 Some of the greatest moments of I don't know if I can do this. 00:29:03.200 --> 00:29:04.640 Can I be real honest? 00:29:05.839 --> 00:29:08.559 You're one of the greatest blessings in our life. 00:29:09.279 --> 00:29:11.759 But it was on the other side of a whole lot of fear. 00:29:12.480 --> 00:29:14.079 A whole lot of God, are you in this? 00:29:14.240 --> 00:29:15.440 God, do you want this? 00:29:17.119 --> 00:29:20.240 And if we'd have let fear stopped us, we'd have missed out on you. 00:29:22.559 --> 00:29:26.160 And so I don't want you to miss what God wants to do in your life. 00:29:27.839 --> 00:29:30.160 Because maybe you let fear get in the way. 00:29:32.480 --> 00:29:33.759 Let faith win today. 00:29:36.000 --> 00:29:38.160 It'll be a defining moment in your life. 00:29:39.839 --> 00:29:42.480 Baptism is the first step of the believer. 00:29:42.880 --> 00:29:47.359 If you've never placed your faith in Jesus, in just a moment, I'm gonna give you the opportunity to do that. 00:29:47.599 --> 00:29:50.559 And today is the day for you to get water baptized. 00:29:51.279 --> 00:29:56.160 You may have been walking with Jesus for a long time and think, man, everybody thinks I'm baptized. 00:29:56.319 --> 00:29:58.160 Who cares what everybody thinks? 00:29:58.799 --> 00:30:00.480 But I lead in here. 00:30:00.799 --> 00:30:02.000 Who cares? 00:30:02.720 --> 00:30:03.759 Obey God. 00:30:04.079 --> 00:30:08.480 There's nothing more important today than you obeying God. 00:30:09.279 --> 00:30:11.039 That's the most important thing today. 00:30:11.279 --> 00:30:12.880 You know what your church family is gonna do? 00:30:13.039 --> 00:30:13.839 We're gonna celebrate. 00:30:13.920 --> 00:30:15.680 You know what heaven is gonna do? 00:30:16.480 --> 00:30:20.640 They're gonna be celebrating because of the step that you take. 00:30:21.119 --> 00:30:33.359 And so, in just a little bit, whenever we ask you at every location to stand and the prayer team comes down front, and we usually say if you want to pray with someone, you've made a decision for Jesus today, come find a prayer team member. 00:30:33.440 --> 00:30:34.799 We're gonna say the opposite. 00:30:35.039 --> 00:30:36.960 Don't come down, go out. 00:30:37.519 --> 00:30:39.599 Head out of the room that you're in. 00:30:40.160 --> 00:30:43.440 Go meet a member of our team and say, I want to get baptized today. 00:30:43.599 --> 00:30:46.880 And we have everything taken care of from there. 00:30:47.359 --> 00:30:49.519 All we're waiting on is your obedience. 00:30:49.680 --> 00:30:51.200 Will you pray with me? 00:30:51.759 --> 00:30:54.160 Want every head bowed, every eye closed at every location. 00:30:54.319 --> 00:30:59.039 Maybe you're joining online and you need to jump in the car right now and get to a campus near you. 00:30:59.200 --> 00:31:00.559 God's speaking to you. 00:31:00.880 --> 00:31:03.759