WEBVTT 00:00:00.160 --> 00:00:00.400 All right. 00:00:00.479 --> 00:00:05.839 I mentioned the 40th anniversary celebration that we're going to have in a few weeks, five or so weeks. 00:00:06.080 --> 00:00:08.560 Today is also a day of celebration. 00:00:08.720 --> 00:00:12.080 We're celebrating, I'm wearing a t-shirt, shorts, and sandals. 00:00:13.679 --> 00:00:14.560 Thank you. 00:00:14.800 --> 00:00:15.439 Yeah. 00:00:17.039 --> 00:00:18.320 My favorite day of the year. 00:00:18.480 --> 00:00:19.760 My favorite Sunday of the year. 00:00:19.839 --> 00:00:20.879 I get to dress like this. 00:00:21.039 --> 00:00:23.359 We're celebrating baptisms. 00:00:23.839 --> 00:00:29.359 Yes, we're celebrating the decision that four individuals have made to be baptized. 00:00:29.600 --> 00:00:33.520 We celebrate as a church family because it's important for us as well. 00:00:33.840 --> 00:00:46.560 I think baptisms are kind of analogous to like a graduation ceremony or a wedding because you're celebrating something that's kind of been accomplished or a decision, a part of a process. 00:00:46.799 --> 00:00:50.640 And we're optimistic and hopeful for the future. 00:00:51.920 --> 00:00:58.159 So those who are being baptized, if you haven't done so already, you can uh head to the restroom and change. 00:00:59.039 --> 00:00:59.920 I'll keep talking. 00:01:00.000 --> 00:01:01.119 I'll buy time. 00:01:01.280 --> 00:01:02.479 Don't worry. 00:01:03.439 --> 00:01:07.280 We're doing this as a part of our series called uh Paraclete. 00:01:07.439 --> 00:01:10.959 We've been looking at the person of the Holy Spirit. 00:01:11.359 --> 00:01:17.040 We're talking about how oftentimes for even believers, the person of the Holy Spirit can be really mysterious. 00:01:17.280 --> 00:01:19.439 And he doesn't need to be as mysterious as he is. 00:01:19.599 --> 00:01:22.159 He's all around us, he dwells within us. 00:01:22.480 --> 00:01:28.959 He's the one who uh filled and empowered and led Jesus during his earthly ministry. 00:01:29.120 --> 00:01:35.599 He dwells within us, fills us and empowers us to do ministry like Jesus did. 00:01:36.560 --> 00:01:44.799 And one of the verbs connected with the Holy Spirit is this verb of baptized. 00:01:45.599 --> 00:01:49.599 We get baptized in, with, or by the Holy Spirit. 00:01:50.079 --> 00:01:57.840 So I'm gonna read uh two passages connected to baptism, then I'm gonna pray for us, and um I've got a got a brief message. 00:01:58.000 --> 00:02:00.879 So these will be up on the screen. 00:02:01.200 --> 00:02:08.080 Matthew 28, verses 18 to 20, and then a reading from Romans six. 00:02:09.199 --> 00:02:17.680 Matthew records, and Matthew came, or sorry, and Jesus came and said to them, All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 00:02:18.000 --> 00:02:33.599 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, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you, and remember, I am with you always to the end of the age. 00:02:35.039 --> 00:02:37.360 Then Romans six. 00:02:38.560 --> 00:02:39.680 What are we to say? 00:02:39.840 --> 00:02:43.199 Should we continue in sin in order that grace may increase? 00:02:43.360 --> 00:02:44.479 By no means. 00:02:44.719 --> 00:02:47.759 How can we who died to sin go on living in it? 00:02:48.000 --> 00:02:53.840 Do you not know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 00:02:54.080 --> 00:03:05.599 Therefore we were buried with him by baptism into death, so that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we also might walk in newness of life. 00:03:05.919 --> 00:03:13.360 For if we have been united with him in death like his, we will certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. 00:03:13.840 --> 00:03:22.159 We know that our old self was crucified with him, so that the body of sin might be destroyed, so we might no longer be enslaved to sin. 00:03:22.400 --> 00:03:25.680 For whoever has died is freed from sin. 00:03:26.240 --> 00:03:30.240 But if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. 00:03:30.560 --> 00:03:34.159 We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again. 00:03:34.479 --> 00:03:36.719 Death no longer has dominion over him. 00:03:37.120 --> 00:03:42.879 The death he died, he died to sin once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. 00:03:43.360 --> 00:03:49.599 So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus. 00:03:50.319 --> 00:03:54.479 Father, we thank you for the gift of baptism and what it means. 00:03:54.719 --> 00:04:00.719 Thank you for the four individuals who are making the decision to go public with their faith. 00:04:01.039 --> 00:04:03.439 Thank you for bringing us into your life. 00:04:03.680 --> 00:04:13.439 I pray that if there are any here this morning who hear this message and witness this celebration who don't know you, you would use this to draw them to yourself. 00:04:14.240 --> 00:04:18.480 Holy Spirit, please move in all of our hearts in Jesus' name. 00:04:18.800 --> 00:04:19.439 Amen. 00:04:20.639 --> 00:04:25.519 All right, I've got just a brief message this morning talking about baptism. 00:04:25.600 --> 00:04:29.839 Um, then we'll have those who are uh being baptized this morning, they'll come up. 00:04:29.920 --> 00:04:42.959 I'm gonna ask them some questions, uh, they'll share a little bit why uh they're being baptized, and we'll also um make a profession of faith corporately this morning as well, and then we'll baptize them. 00:04:43.439 --> 00:04:45.680 So, what is baptism? 00:04:46.079 --> 00:04:52.160 Well, the word that that Greek word uh baptizo means to immerse. 00:04:52.399 --> 00:05:03.120 So during that time, during uh the first century, clothing or yarn would be baptized, it would be immersed into die. 00:05:04.079 --> 00:05:08.560 We, as followers of Jesus, we get immersed into God's life. 00:05:08.720 --> 00:05:12.000 That's what we are called into and get to experience. 00:05:12.160 --> 00:05:21.199 There's times in the New Testament, as I mentioned earlier, that it says we're baptized or we're immersed in, with, or by the Holy Spirit. 00:05:22.160 --> 00:05:26.240 Water baptism is a symbol of what happened spiritually. 00:05:26.399 --> 00:05:30.079 We don't believe that this act of water baptism saves us. 00:05:30.160 --> 00:05:35.360 It's a symbolic uh gesture of what has happened internally. 00:05:35.680 --> 00:05:42.079 Baptism was not invented by John the Baptist, even though it bears his name, or he's got the name. 00:05:42.319 --> 00:05:47.120 It wasn't invented by Jesus or the early church, it was actually a Jewish practice. 00:05:47.519 --> 00:05:55.439 But with what Jesus did and the early church has applied new meaning to this action. 00:05:56.879 --> 00:06:03.279 Baptism is part of being a disciple or an apprentice or student of Jesus. 00:06:04.560 --> 00:06:13.600 Jesus himself was baptized before he started his public ministry, and he said that we are to be baptized, as I read from Matthew 28 this morning. 00:06:14.560 --> 00:06:23.120 The symbolism of this action is that we are washed clean by Jesus' death on our behalf. 00:06:23.600 --> 00:06:31.439 Jesus died the death that we should have died, and we get to live the life that's available only in Him. 00:06:32.319 --> 00:06:50.560 Later in Romans 6, Paul says that the wages, what we've earned or deserved for wandering off the path that God has laid out for us as humans, and therefore our wandering means we lack his presence in our lives, that that's ultimately death. 00:06:52.639 --> 00:07:03.279 But God the Father, God the Son, God the Spirit loves us way too much to not provide a way back for us. 00:07:03.839 --> 00:07:10.720 So that so Jesus became a man and died a horrific death in our place. 00:07:12.079 --> 00:07:15.360 His great love and his mercy saved us. 00:07:17.439 --> 00:07:25.680 There's a where there is hope despair in the world, we have hope because of what Jesus has done. 00:07:27.920 --> 00:07:43.040 When we realize what we've done wandering away from God and what he what God has done for us, dying on our behalf, and we trust in that, we're restored to our intended position. 00:07:43.759 --> 00:07:50.319 We've been forgiven of our sins and we receive new life in Christ. 00:07:51.839 --> 00:07:59.680 Paul's words that I read said that when we go down into the water, we identify with Jesus' death. 00:08:00.000 --> 00:08:11.120 And that we when we come up out of the water, we identify with his life, the free gift of God to everyone who puts their trust in Jesus. 00:08:12.240 --> 00:08:14.319 Nothing special that we have to do. 00:08:14.480 --> 00:08:21.120 We just recognize what Jesus did for us and that we want to follow him for the rest of our lives. 00:08:22.720 --> 00:08:24.319 So why do we do it? 00:08:25.279 --> 00:08:27.519 Well, part of it I mentioned obedience to Jesus. 00:08:27.680 --> 00:08:34.559 Jesus said, Go make disciples, make students, make apprentices, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Spirit. 00:08:36.240 --> 00:08:46.000 And what uh so it's obedience to Jesus and and what it symbolizes, it's also a public proclamation of faith. 00:08:46.320 --> 00:08:50.480 Each of these individuals are declaring to all of us, I'm following Jesus. 00:08:51.120 --> 00:08:54.799 My my life is committed fully to Jesus now. 00:08:54.960 --> 00:09:04.000 It's an important part of our faith, like worship, prayer, regular Bible study and reading, acts of service. 00:09:05.840 --> 00:09:14.000 It's a means of grace, it's a way that we experience the gift of God's special activity in our lives. 00:09:16.000 --> 00:09:18.320 As I said already, this doesn't save anybody. 00:09:18.399 --> 00:09:23.039 There's nothing about getting in the water and getting dunked that saves us. 00:09:23.360 --> 00:09:23.679 Right? 00:09:23.840 --> 00:09:30.639 It's it's rather it's a symbolic expression of what we believe has happened already. 00:09:31.039 --> 00:09:37.679 So again, uh we're gonna celebrate these individuals going public with their faith. 00:09:39.279 --> 00:09:46.879 So the way we do it is uh we believe that this is a decision a person makes his on his or her own behalf. 00:09:48.159 --> 00:09:52.639 We're we're gonna fully immerse them in in this uh troughtismal. 00:09:52.960 --> 00:09:57.440 Uh thanks to Steve Sargent for filling this up, having it fortunately it's warm. 00:09:58.159 --> 00:10:05.600 Um because that's what that word means, baptized to to immerse. 00:10:06.559 --> 00:10:18.159 And so um I'm gonna invite the individuals up who are gonna be uh baptized, and while they actually get baptized, the band will be up here playing, and we're gonna celebrate that. 00:10:18.240 --> 00:10:20.320 I'm gonna come back and remind us of that. 00:10:20.559 --> 00:10:24.240 So um, those who are being baptized, come on up. 00:10:24.399 --> 00:10:26.639 Also, as I'm talking, Randy and Jane. 00:10:26.720 --> 00:10:28.000 Yeah, come on up on stage. 00:10:28.159 --> 00:10:35.919 Uh, Randy and Jane will be back in the prayer room if you are feeling like you know, I think I want to be baptized today. 00:10:36.240 --> 00:10:47.919 Um go talk with them and uh they'll they'll listen to why you want to be baptized and see if that's um makes sense for for today. 00:10:48.159 --> 00:10:59.200 So what um I'm gonna do is ask these four gentlemen um some questions and they're gonna re respond um after the first few. 00:10:59.279 --> 00:11:04.799 I'm gonna anoint them with oil and then we'll I'll have some more questions for them. 00:11:04.960 --> 00:11:10.720 And like I said, at the end we'll all do a uh public proclamation of faith. 00:11:18.559 --> 00:11:26.639 Do you renounce the devil and all the spiritual forces of evil that rebel against God? 00:11:26.879 --> 00:11:29.279 If so, say I renounce them. 00:11:31.360 --> 00:11:37.279 Do you renounce the empty promises and lies of this world that corrupt and destroy God's people? 00:11:37.440 --> 00:11:39.759 If so, say I renounce them. 00:11:41.679 --> 00:11:47.200 Do you renounce the sinful desires of the flesh that draw you from the love of God? 00:11:47.519 --> 00:11:49.679 If so, say I renounce them. 00:12:36.639 --> 00:12:40.960 Do you turn to Jesus and confess him as your Lord and Savior? 00:12:41.200 --> 00:12:43.039 If so, say, I do. 00:12:44.799 --> 00:12:49.679 Do you joyfully receive the Christian faith as revealed in the Bible? 00:12:49.840 --> 00:12:52.320 If so, say, I receive it by faith. 00:12:57.919 --> 00:13:05.120 Will you live to obey God's commandments and in the power of the Holy Spirit walk in them all the days of your life? 00:13:05.360 --> 00:13:08.720 If so, say, I will with God as my help. 00:13:09.279 --> 00:13:11.120 I will with God as my help. 00:13:24.159 --> 00:13:25.840 If so, say we will. 00:13:29.840 --> 00:13:32.320 So let us affirm our faith together. 00:13:32.480 --> 00:13:35.519 If you guys want to turn, you can see the screen. 00:13:36.480 --> 00:13:39.759 Do you believe and trust in God the Father? 00:13:40.720 --> 00:13:41.360 I do. 00:13:41.679 --> 00:13:47.039 I believe in God the Father the Almighty, creator of heaven and earth. 00:13:47.360 --> 00:13:50.639 Do you believe and trust in Jesus Christ? 00:13:50.960 --> 00:13:51.600 I do. 00:13:52.000 --> 00:13:56.159 I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. 00:13:56.480 --> 00:14:01.039 He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. 00:14:01.360 --> 00:14:06.720 He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. 00:14:07.039 --> 00:14:08.879 He descended to the dead. 00:14:09.120 --> 00:14:11.519 On the third day, he rose again. 00:14:11.759 --> 00:14:16.399 He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. 00:14:16.639 --> 00:14:20.320 He will come again to judge the living and the dead. 00:14:21.519 --> 00:14:24.879 Do you believe and trust in the Holy Spirit? 00:14:25.360 --> 00:14:26.000 I do. 00:14:27.200 --> 00:14:38.159 The Holy Spirit, the Holy Catholic Church, the Communion of Saints, the Girls of Saint, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting. 00:14:40.240 --> 00:14:40.720 All right. 00:14:40.960 --> 00:14:50.240 So now we're going to give each of these individuals an opportunity to share how come they are being baptized today. 00:14:52.799 --> 00:14:53.759 Yeah, I'm glad we okay. 00:14:54.080 --> 00:14:55.360 So this is Michael. 00:14:56.320 --> 00:14:56.639 Hi. 00:15:08.320 --> 00:15:13.279 I grew up in a Pentecostal church, and my parents were both youth pastors together. 00:15:13.600 --> 00:15:20.000 My dad was also the adult Sunday school teacher, and my mom taught young children Sunday school. 00:15:20.240 --> 00:15:24.720 I knew Jesus from a very young age and believed in him wholeheartedly. 00:15:24.960 --> 00:15:28.480 During my teens, I went through a lot of identity issues. 00:15:28.720 --> 00:15:34.879 I believed the lies the enemy told me through the worldly influences and people around me. 00:15:35.120 --> 00:15:41.200 By the time I was a young adult, I had turned my back on God, the church, and even my family at times. 00:15:41.519 --> 00:15:44.399 God had become an emergency call only. 00:15:44.960 --> 00:15:55.600 I found myself in an environment of drugs, alcohol, vanity, and love of material possessions and unholy relationships that had me on the road to self-destruction. 00:15:56.000 --> 00:16:02.720 On the outside, I may have looked fine, but on the inside, I was unhappy, deeply lonely, and empty. 00:16:02.960 --> 00:16:08.720 For 25 years, I lived for the world and for my flesh with a stony heart. 00:16:08.960 --> 00:16:10.799 My loneliness grew over time. 00:16:10.960 --> 00:16:15.519 I found myself withdrawing from people and struggling with constant negative thoughts. 00:16:15.840 --> 00:16:23.360 I had reached the bottom of sorts, a place where the isolation and darkness I felt became too heavy to carry on my own. 00:16:23.600 --> 00:16:33.440 It was in this place, almost two years ago now, that I felt the tug of the Holy Spirit on my heart, drawing me back to what I once knew. 00:16:33.600 --> 00:16:39.279 I reached a point where I simply wanted to surrender my life to God fully and completely. 00:16:39.759 --> 00:16:44.320 That surrender didn't happen all at once, but certain things changed immediately. 00:16:44.480 --> 00:16:47.600 I stopped watching the things I used to watch on television. 00:16:47.840 --> 00:16:50.879 I traded secular music for Christian music. 00:16:51.039 --> 00:16:55.679 And for the first time in my life, I began reading my Bible and praying daily. 00:16:55.840 --> 00:16:59.840 Um, disciplines I had never truly practiced before. 00:17:01.360 --> 00:17:08.400 Um, since that day, my relationship with God has grown through prayer, through scripture, and through community. 00:17:08.640 --> 00:17:13.039 I'm a part of a small group with three other men, Steve, Dell, and Doug. 00:17:13.279 --> 00:17:17.200 We share honestly about our week and the struggles we're facing. 00:17:17.519 --> 00:17:24.000 God has used them to pour biblical and spiritual wisdom into my life to lay hands on me and pray for me. 00:17:24.240 --> 00:17:30.319 Listening to their testimonies has encouraged me, held me accountable, and blessed my life. 00:17:30.480 --> 00:17:34.799 The fellowship of brothers has been essential for my growth. 00:17:35.920 --> 00:17:36.799 Sorry. 00:17:37.519 --> 00:17:44.319 Um I also can't talk about my growth without mentioning my mother. 00:17:44.480 --> 00:17:50.559 From the time I was young, she had spoken scripture over me and prayed for me more times than I can count. 00:17:50.799 --> 00:17:56.559 Even now, since I've rededicated my life to God, she remains faithful in prayer for me. 00:17:56.799 --> 00:18:03.440 Her influence has been a constant thread through every season of my life, even the years I walked away. 00:18:03.680 --> 00:18:09.599 Even though my dad wasn't on earth to see this transformation, I know I will get to see him soon enough. 00:18:09.920 --> 00:18:16.079 Today, I'm choosing to be baptized as a public proclamation of change God has made in my life. 00:18:16.319 --> 00:18:21.680 I want everyone to see I am now serving Jesus, a disciple for Jesus. 00:18:26.480 --> 00:18:34.240 If you are on the fence right now, if you're feeling that same loneliness or emptiness I once felt, I want you to know there is hope. 00:18:34.480 --> 00:18:44.240 John 3.16 tells us that God loves the world so much that he gave his only son that whoever believes in him would not perish but have eternal life. 00:18:44.559 --> 00:18:52.000 Jesus didn't promise a perfect life, but he offers peace within the storm and the wisdom for the journey. 00:18:52.240 --> 00:18:55.759 Your life can be completely transformed from what it is now. 00:18:55.920 --> 00:19:01.680 And when you make the choice to serve Jesus and let go of the things of this world, you gain something far greater. 00:19:01.839 --> 00:19:04.720 Eternity with Jesus and all the saints. 00:19:11.599 --> 00:19:13.039 And this is Levi. 00:19:23.680 --> 00:19:28.079 I'm getting baptized to show that I trust in God and that I want to follow Jesus. 00:19:35.759 --> 00:19:37.039 Hey, my name is Cole. 00:19:37.200 --> 00:19:39.279 I've been wanting to get baptized for a long time. 00:19:39.440 --> 00:19:40.079 And why? 00:19:40.319 --> 00:19:51.039 Because I want to commit myself to Jesus and show my faith to other people, telling that I am a strong believer, and through though I make mistakes, I can count on my father to forgive and help me work through things. 00:19:51.359 --> 00:19:54.240 And that he is always there listening and loving me. 00:19:54.400 --> 00:19:57.440 And again, I'm Cole and ready to get baptized. 00:20:02.480 --> 00:20:03.920 And this is Eli. 00:20:04.559 --> 00:20:20.720 Um, I want to be baptized because I've been dealing with some mental struggles with depression, and I really won want to give my life to Christ so I can feel his love and stop feeling that way and just be happier, be a better person every single day. 00:20:21.519 --> 00:20:22.559 Thanks, Eli. 00:20:27.519 --> 00:20:28.000 All right. 00:20:28.079 --> 00:20:30.960 So we'll uh just start with Michael. 00:20:31.119 --> 00:20:42.160 Um when they are in the water, what I will say over them is upon your profession of faith in Jesus Christ, I baptize you in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. 00:20:42.799 --> 00:20:48.079 I'll submerge them under the water momentarily and let them back up. 00:20:49.119 --> 00:20:53.039 As they come up, the band throughout the whole time, the band is going to be playing. 00:20:53.119 --> 00:20:55.680 What we're gonna do is we're gonna celebrate. 00:20:55.839 --> 00:21:00.240 So I want to hear loud cheers as each person comes up out of the water. 00:21:00.480 --> 00:21:01.039 All right? 00:26:45.359 --> 00:26:46.000 All right. 00:26:47.359 --> 00:26:50.319 Today is a great day of celebration. 00:26:51.920 --> 00:26:58.319 And we want to uh support and encourage those who have made this profession of faith today. 00:26:58.480 --> 00:27:06.640 And so as they get changed and come back in, we definitely want to encourage family and friends to gather around them and pray for them. 00:27:07.200 --> 00:27:09.279 So we'll we'll do that in a little bit. 00:27:09.680 --> 00:27:14.000 We also um want to pray for for you. 00:27:14.079 --> 00:27:15.359 So we've got ministry teams. 00:27:15.440 --> 00:27:18.000 If you want ministry teams, you can come forward. 00:27:18.559 --> 00:27:36.400 Maybe there was something about this morning hearing stories of people, uh their Jesus stories, how they how to put their trust in Jesus, and just how do you in some way and stirring up something and you want uh one of these prayer ministry teams to pray for you. 00:27:36.960 --> 00:27:41.839 Uh we also things are going great. 00:27:42.400 --> 00:27:44.319 We we want to pray for you, just bless us. 00:27:44.799 --> 00:27:51.119 Sometimes it's great just to come forward and get celebrated, celebrate what God is doing and just say more of it, Lord. 00:27:51.599 --> 00:28:03.279 Or if you want these teams just to listen to God on your behalf and share what they feel like uh the Lord might be saying to you, um our teams can do that as well. 00:28:03.759 --> 00:28:18.240 So um the band will play and feel free to come forward and as uh for those who are baptized of your backhand, come on up, and we will we will pray for you, we'll anoint you with oil again and just pray for a fresh filling of the Holy Spirit. 00:28:19.440 --> 00:28:21.119 Why don't you stand with me? 00:28:27.839 --> 00:28:47.599 Lord, we again thank you for this day of celebrating the work that you've done in Michael's, Levi's, Cole's, and Eli's lives, that they um have gone public, making this public proclamation of their faith in you. 00:28:47.759 --> 00:28:50.480 We just ask for your blessing on them. 00:28:51.599 --> 00:29:04.000 Lord, anyone else who is being stirred by your spirit, we just pray for the courage to come forward to get prayer, um, anything that is touching them this morning. 00:29:12.960 --> 00:29:13.599 Amen. 00:29:13.920 --> 00:29:17.039 Well, as I said, um the band will play. 00:29:17.200 --> 00:29:20.400 Our prayer ministry teams are available to pray for you. 00:29:20.559 --> 00:29:28.079 Um if you especially know somebody who was baptized today, I really encourage you to come come forward and just bless them, pray for them. 00:29:33.599 --> 00:29:42.480 I think all the kids are, or most of the kids are back in with us, but parents, you can go pick up your your kids if you need to head out, have a great week. 00:29:42.640 --> 00:29:50.319 The Lord bless you and keep you, the Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you, the Lord lift up his countenance and give you peace.