The How & Why of Baptism | Senior Pastor Kenneth Carpenter

thank God thank God I hope you brought your Bibles tonight and if you didn't by chance bring your Bibles the Scriptures will be on the screen for you to to study I read a verse of scripture I read a verse of scripture and I guess I kind of I never saw it in this light until I read it but it said much study much study we Riis the flesh much study is a weariness to the flesh and I thought about that you know it's the flesh that gets us in trouble it's a flesh that needs to become weak so one way to be a weariness to the flesh is to study your Bible so we gonna study our Bibles tonight it's gonna be a weariness to the flesh because that flesh has been getting us in trouble have your Bibles and would stand with me Matthew chapter 28 verse number 19 very important that you and I are verse in the Word of God the reason the meaning of God's Word because we are called to be witnesses called to be witnesses just like was a Kroger yesterday and I was headed out to see brother Solomon's father and I was dressed maybe I'm gonna be I may be in this suit but a man that was working at Kroger said sir do you mind if I ask you for what purpose are you dressed up today I thought it was a little bit of odd question but I I said well I happened to be the pastor of the wonderful first Apostolic Church he said even fugato has been talking to me he said that's one of the most kind young men said he's been talking to me he said I am I kind of come out of a the Quaker religion and he said he said very interested he said as a matter of fact somebody come by my apartment or house and left me a track and an invitation to come at first Apostolic Church he said I don't know what the difference is and I talked to him long enough till he said I got to go I can't be talking like this I gotta go but we ought to be able to give an answer to people when they ask that question what's the difference we got to be able to tactfully give an answer matthew 28:19 jesus said go ye therefore and teach all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you and lo I am with you always even unto the end of the world amen Lord Jesus tonight give us all a heart that wants to know your word Lord we're not here tonight to argue we are not here tonight Lord to debate God we're here tonight to simply expound your word I stand upon the authority of your word and upon the experience of a calling lord I ask tonight God that you would touch us that you would touch our hearts touch every person here Jesus name we pray amen you may be seated we're talking about baptism last week we'll continue because we didn't get finished but as I was preparing for today it came to my mind that we discuss a lot about the how-to of baptism the how-to immersion the name the how-to of baptism but I believe that we need to take a little time tonight and study the why of baptism because the how to the how-to of baptism some time can be tic for tack aren't we saying the aren't we saying the same thing does it really matter is it really all that is it really all that is it really all that important does it really matter so I believe that the why of baptism must precede the how-to of baptism because if we can have a better understanding about the why of baptism then it may help us to understand why we are fanatical about the hell - of baptism so let's simply start with a question of the night what I water baptism not how but why water baptism now come up with the simple answer it's just a simple answer a simple answer is because the Word of God commands it the why why water baptism simple answer the Word of God commands it Jesus said Matthew 28:20 teaching them them them who the ones that have been baptized teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you so I have commanded you to baptize I have commanded you to preach the death burial and resurrection I have idiot it is it is a command that I have that I have given well how important is the command just exactly how important cuz this Bible study is going to be with a lot of why why well just how important is it to obey a command of God when you say you could say well you go to hell you go to hell if you don't but you know I think that John 14:15 the words of Jesus himself bear it out because in John 14:15 Jesus we said if ye love me if you love me keep my Commandments now Jesus presents it not from if you don't do this you'll be lost he presents this from the angle if you love me keep my Commandments if you love me you see we're never going to get very far in a relationship with God live in the fear factor but we will go a long way when we begin to love God and just do the commandments of God because we love we love God besides just being obedient to the command and performing the command what purpose what purpose does baptism play exactly I guess what I'm trying to say is exactly what does it accomplish I believe we understand the wife what does baptism accomplish besides when we obey God's we obey God's word he said to do it we did it but what besides that one does baptism accomplish Jesus spoke in John chapter 3 in verse number five - a religious ruler by the name of Nicodemus and jesus answered verily verily I say unto thee except a man be born of water and of the spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God now he is speaking here on two essential thing about a birth born again about a birth and he is speaking he is speaking to essential things about a birth and that this birth takes place by water and by spirit he said except a man be born again of water be born again of water be born of water to be exact and of the spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God I want you to know that when Jesus shed his blood at Calvary that the shedding of his blood brought the justification justification to you and I justification by the blood is what we refer to it justified by the blood were justification are justified has a real simple definition although it's a long word it has a real simple definition it simply means just as if I had never sinned just as if I had never sinned so he shed his blood to give us justification just as if I had never sinned but not only that there's another doctrine called sanctification sanctification we do good to know these words we do good to know these words we are justified by the blood and we are sanctified by the Spirit of God now the word sanctify means to be separated we are sanctified we are separated we are not a part of the world we're not a part of the world we don't think like the world we don't process our information like the world we are not on this world if we love this world the love of our Father is not inside of us for the world for the world hated him so we have received we receive sanctification by the Spirit we receive justification by the shed blood as a matter of fact look with me in Hebrews chapter 9 verse number 22 Hebrews 9 in 22 and almost all things were by the law purged with blood and without shedding of blood is no remission without the shedding of blood there's no removal of sin without the shedding of blood there is no justification no justification it took the shedding of blood to wash away our sins took the shedding of the blood to wash away our past I mean are glad your past thank God thank God a new man praise God the shedding of blood washed away our sins but the sanctification of the Spirit came by this came by the Spirit of God sanctification came by the Spirit of God 2nd Thessalonians chapter number 2 verse number 13 2nd Thessalonians 2:13 but we are bound to give thanks always God for you brethren beloved to the Lord because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief in the truth how did God bring the salvation how did salvation come through sanctification of the Spirit it's the spirits work that is separate separated us it is a spirit of God's work that enables you and I to do what we cannot do in our flesh the Spirit of God is the Spirit of God greater is He that is within you than he that is in the world you we don't have it in in and of ourselves we don't have it in and of ourselves to do this but I thank God for the birth through the water and I thank God for the birth of the Spirit because it was the birth of the water that washed my sins away and it was the birth of the Spirit that created me to be a new man new desires a new man with new ones can you say men Titus chapter 3 verse number five we get these beautiful scriptures Titus 3 and verse number 5 not by works of righteousness which we have done look at this look at it closely not by works of righteousness which we have done but according to His mercy he saved us he saved us by His mercy by the washing of regeneration and the renewing of the Holy Ghost now he saved us by His mercy and it's his mercy that has allowed us the washing of regeneration and the renewing of the holy gets you say renewing that's right because the first man Adam had the Holy Ghost that's right the first man Adam had the Holy Ghost God breathed into him and the Bible said he became a living soul he had God likeness that's what the Spirit of God will do to us it is not our own works that have caused us to come out of sin and begin living right and doing right it's the Spirit of God that's within us that first man had the Holy Ghost he had the Spirit of God but when he partook of that act of disobedience he lost his God likeness that's the very reason oh I don't have it I don't have it my notes I wish I'd put it in there but Jesus died was buried and rose again and in between his resurrection and his ascension into heaven he came upon his disciples and the Bible said he breathed on them and said receive he the Holy Ghost now now they did not receive the Holy Ghost there because he later told them to go back to Jerusalem and wait for the promise of the Father and that was the Holy Ghost but you know what he was doing he was giving them a little pre mood he was giving them a little a little hint to what it was because God first breathed upon the first man Adam and Adam became a living soul he steps up close to them breathed upon them and he said receive ye the Holy Ghost can I tell you his mercy has allowed us I'm talking about the why of baptism now because if we only discuss the howl of baptism we can see it for tic for tack well we can see it for this or that but when we begin to understand why that we are baptized I believe that we will see the need to do it exactly as the Bible directs us that word regeneration there by the washing of regeneration that word regeneration there means a renovation it means the production of a new life consecrated to God it means a radical change of mind for the better the word often used to denote the restoration of a thing to its pristine state its renovation as a renewal or restoration of life after death that's exactly what happens at baptism the why he's because there's been a death at the repentance there is the drawing of God of the sinner and the sinner has to submit or reject the Spirit of God and if he submits to it he cements in a total surrender I want to submit to you today and I heard a man preach this the other thing I thought that's good he said the problem with the 21st century church is we used to refer to surrendering to God and now we refer to being committed to God you see it is possible to be committed to something you're not surrendered to but anytime you are surrendered to something you are committed to it I believe today that when repentance truly comes that a man truly dies out he dies out to that life that he lived before he don't want to live that life he's not playing around he don't want to live that life anymore he wants he wants a brand new life that's why he's dying out he dies out what I want to read something I want to read we talked about the why of baptism I want to go to Acts chapter 22 and verse number 4 it is Paul standing before a religious court and Paul is rehearsing his conversion and I want to kind of make some some notes some points as I go through because it doesn't matter what man says when you're born again it only matters when you can look at the scripture scripture gives you great comfort man will put many it was a man one time he told my pastor he said well the Bible says you can get salvation from the saddle to the ground bigger pardon that's nowhere in the Bible but that man was some were led to believe and he was saying meaning you didn't have to be baptized why the Bible says you can get salvation from the saddle to the ground I think he's referring to a horse being on a horse what makes sense wouldn't it quickly getting salvation from the saddle to the ground you can quickly get salvation a problem with that is that might have good humanistic wisdom we don't need humanistic we need divine lead the word so let's let's kind of start reading putting up now again Paul is standing before this religious court he's been arrested and he begins to plead his case acts 22 for and I persecuted this way and to the death binding and delivering into prison prisons both men and women as also the high priest death bear me witness and all the estate of the elders from whom also I receive letters unto the Brethren and went to Damascus bring them which were they're bound unto Jerusalem for to be punished and it came to pass that as I made my journey and was come nigh unto Damascus about noon suddenly there shone from heaven a great light round about me let's stop there for a minute how many believe Paul was mourning in here we saw a light after all you can get salvation from a saddle to the ground no there's no salvation here there's no born again here I don't care if he did see a light there's no warning it he's and he's nothing he's enough he's not born again to the water spirit and I filled unto the ground and I heard a voice saying unto me Saul Saul why persecutest thou me now you notice how I'm eating your Bible that's in red that means those are the words of Jesus that he's still not born again great light words of Jesus he's still not born again and I answered who art thou Lord and he said unto me I am Jesus of Nazareth whom thou persecute and they that were with me so indeed the light and were afraid but they heard not the voice of him that speak to me and I said what shall I do Lord the Lord said arise and go into Damascus and there it shall be told thee of all things which are appointed for thee to do now let me he called him Lord he called him Lord he called him Lord what shall I do Lord all right that's salvation that's salvation because after all could you give me Romans I don't live I put this in my nose but you could you give me Romans 10:13 I believe it is that my memory serves me correctly what'd he call him call him Lord didn't he what will you have me to do Romans 10:13 for whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved now if you believe he's saved there you've got some great questions you have to answer in a few minutes if you stop there to say right there he's saved back there he said because the Bible says whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord please notice the wording there is not is saved it is shall be so let's and verse 11 and when I could not see for the glory of that light being led by the hand of them that were with me I came to Damascus and one Ananias a devout man according to the law having a good report of all the Jews which dwelt there came unto me and stood and said unto me brother saw received thy sight same hour I looked upon him and now he's healed and he said the God of our fathers have chosen thee that thou should us know his will and see that just one and should hear the voice of his mouth and he said now this is why God has done this to you and a nonce is still talking to him now first 15 but thou shall be his witness unto all men of what thou has seen and heard and now why tarriest thou arise and be baptized and wash away thy sin calling upon the name of the Lord this man is not born again he has seen the light but he is not mourning in he has heard the voice of Jesus but he is not born again he is called Jesus Lord but he is not born again he hasn't been healed but he is not born again he has been told what God had planned for him to do but he is not born again and Ananias evidently felt that there was too much of a delay and he said why tarriest thou what are you waiting on you need to get something out of your way so that you can go on with the plan that God has for your life what would be in my way you need to arise and be baptized washing away your sins so we need to understand the why the why of baptism and that's chapter 2 and verse number 36 the Apostle Peter had preached to the crowd gathered there at Pentecost he had preached to them the only saving message there is not another upon which we have a foundation other than the death burial and resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ he comes to the end and verse number 36 and he says therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God hath made that same Jesus whom ye have crucified both Lord and Christ now when they heard this they were pricked in their heart and said unto Peter and to the rest of the Apostles men and brethren what shall we do you ride in your Bible I wish you'd write right under verse number 37 they were believers they were believers oh yes they were believers I tell you how I know they're believers you don't ask what shall we do if you don't believe you need to do something you don't ask what shall we do if you don't believe you need to do something they were believers they had been they had been pricked in their heart by the preaching of the death burial and resurrection and that their long-awaited anointed Christ that they were waiting on to come he had come and they had missed him they had allowed religion they had allowed formalized religion to blind them they had put a they had put a blinder on their eyes of how their Messiah should come he should be a Pharisee when he comes we're so godly they should be a sad you see when he comes we're much more godly we more have more of God than the Pharisees have the amazing thing Jesus came and was neither Assad you see an order Pharisee he came unlike any other group and because he didn't come with man's approval they missed it because he didn't come with salvation from the subtle to the ground and Mistie and they're not only misting but they crucified him and then Peters preaching preaching pricked her heart he said men and brethren what shall we do verse 38 then Peter said unto them repent that's right repent die out to sin hey friends all humanities got a sin problem come on now I said all humanities got a sin problem let's let's stop labeling everybody outside of the church is sinful and us inside of the church has got it all together everybody has a sin and the first step to getting help in sin is to learn how to repent you'll never walk away from something until you view it as evil you'll never give up something until you view it as standing between you and a God that you love you'll never walk away break habits until you begin to literally see it as the enemy of everything God is you've got to learn how to you've got to learn how to hate sin as much as you love God you've got to learn how to hate an evil way as much as you love the holy way if you can learn how to hate evil if you can learn how to see it for what it is then if you can get your mind trained to see it for what it is repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sin you see repentance and baptism go hand in hand because it's all there for the remission of sins jesus said you must be born again of the water and the spirit because there's an act that goes on in the water when I'm baptized my sins are remitted or they're removed by the shed blood of Jesus Christ for I reg of the scripture earlier that without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sins so because you see the religious leaders said one day in the book of Acts they said this they said you preach Jesus name with the purpose of bringing his blood upon us said you preached that name now they were saying it in a derogatory manner and that was said you preached Jesus to try to prove us guilty of crucifixion but in a lot of ways they were right when you preach that name you bring his blood because his name is connected to his blood and the blood that Jesus shed at Calvary cannot be exhausted by the sins of humanity there is a vein of a Manuel's blood that flows deep and will never be exhausted oh praise God for the blood I hear the old Psalm tonight what can wash away my sins nothing but the blood of Jesus oh I'm so thankful tonight for the why of baptism because he said you've got to be born again and when you're born again it's to part the water takes away the death the water takes away the sin the water takes away the old man and how the old man used to be and how the old man used to act because at true Bible salvation you will have a before and after it's not going to be a casual brush with deity that makes little if any change in your life but when you have a truly born again experience you refer that was before Christ that was before I got born again but once you're born again of the water you go down the why of baptism you go down in that water in the name that's connected to the blood it washes away that old oh I love you Jesus born-again of the water and the spirit it's the water that brings justification it's the spirit oh that brings sanctification sanctification separation well turn with me just for a few moments book of Acts chapter as a matter of fact I plan to visit every if not tonight and Wednesday nights to follow I plan to visit every baptismal site in the Bible because like an like an archaeologists like an archaeologist you can gather bits and pieces of information from each baptismal site from each baptismal site it's kind of like to prove Bible doctrine to prove something Bible doctrine is a lot like witnesses in a trial you know many times a courtroom will have many witnesses and maybe there's one witness that they'll call and this witness can only place maybe the person around the scene of the crime I should say and so they'll get this witness up and they'll say who are you and they'll tell them then you'll say can you tell us what you know about this and they will say yes I saw him there at this street corner near the crime at about the time of the crime okay thank you that's what you get okay you you maybe dismiss and then maybe another says well he had confided in me that he was going to commit this crime and so maybe witness after witness after witness comes not just one witness at all and then the jurors go in and they take the combination they take all the the the witnesses and they come out and give a verdict with same same is Bible doctrines we're going to go to every baptismal site in the Bible and we're going to to mine nuggets from there so let's look at the the next baptismal site in Acts chapter 8 verse number 5 then Philip went down to the city of Samaria and preached Christ into them and the people with one Accord gave heed and to those things which Philip spake hearing and seeing the miracles which he did for unclean spirits crying with loud boys came out of many that will possess with them and many taken with palsies and that were lame were healed and there was great joy in that city but there was a certain man called Simon which before time in the same city whose sorcery bewitched the people of Samaria given out that himself with some great one to whom they all gave heed from the least to the greatest saying this man is the great power of God to him they had lot that regard because that of a long time he had bewitched them with sorceries and I could talk to you there where that word sorceries is a word we keep getting the pharmaceutical drugs he believed that he knew how to take certain concoctions and make drugs but when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ they were baptized both men and women then Simon himself believed also and when he was baptized he continued with Philip and wonder he wondered beholding the miracles and signs which were done now when the Apostles now please notice this it only says they were baptized some could stop right there they could say it says that we're baptizing and say how they were baptized ok here we go on the mining of each baptismal site do you know there are places it says that were baptized that doesn't say in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of their sins okay but when it's established at the beginning acts 2 was the birthplace of the church and acts 2 says that were baptized commanded to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins that sets the precedent all right just like I don't say would you go over to bring my car up here the one that has doors on it you don't have to say that because you know that if it's a car it has doors right so all through the Bible but it says and they were baptized unless it would say they were baptized a different way we have to go back to what he's referred to as the law of first mention you always go back to the law of first mention where baptism was first mentioned acts 2:38 so when it simply says here verse 13 then Simon himself believed also and when he was baptized you have a question there well did they baptize in the name of Jesus did they baptize repeating the titles you go back to the law of first mention but we'll find it now when the Apostles that's verse 14 now when the Apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the Word of God they sent unto them Peter and John who when they were come down prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Ghost for as yet he was fallen upon none of them now let's let's talk about it this will be later weeks we'll get into this had they believed upon Jesus Christ had they believed upon him had they received the Holy Ghost so believing upon Jesus Christ and receiving the Holy Ghost is two separate experiences who when they were come down verse 15 pray for them that they might receive the Holy Ghost for as yet he was falling upon none of them only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus so they were baptized in the name of the Lord well we could talk about their going to receive the Holy Ghost but we might talk about that later because we're on the subject of why baptism let's go down to verse number 26 and the angel of the Lord spake in to Phillip saying arise and go toward the south and to the way that go up down from Jerusalem and to Gaza which is desert and he arose and went and behold a man of Ethiopia a eunuch of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians who had the charge of all of her treasure and had come to Jerusalem for to worship was returning and sitting in his chariot read Isaiah the prophet then the men the spirit said unto Philip go near and join thyself to this chariot Philip ran thither to him and heard him read the prophet Isaiah and said understand us what thou readest see Philip spirit-led he comes upon this Ethiopian eunuch who's sitting in a chariot reading the scripture and he walks up beside him and he says do you understand what you're reading the man answered how can i except some man should guide me and he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him the place of the scripture which he read was this he was led as a sheep to the slaughter and like a lamb done before his Shearer so open he not his mouth in his humiliation his judgment was taken away and who shall declare his generation for his life is taken from the earth and the eunuch answered Philip and said I pray thee of whom speaking the Prophet this of himself what if some other man he said is he talking about himself going through this or some of the man then Philip opened his mouth and began at the same Scripture I wish you would read the rest with me and what did he preach is that what he preached whenever you see this generation of getting salvation from the saddle to the ground they come and they say oh let's just preach Jesus let's just preach Jesus oh that's what we need to do we need we need to be non de nom we need to we just need to come and preach Jesus well he preached Jesus we all know he didn't just say Jesus Jesus Jesus I don't know exactly what he said but I can connect the dots he began what did he preach help me down he began to preach Jesus and as they went on their way they came unto a certain water and the eunuch said see here is water what another hinder me to be baptized enough come folks don't fall prey to this salvation from the saddle to the ground because that Philip began to preach Jesus and the next thing we hear is from the eunuch they come around a bend and there's a body of water over there and the eunuch said see here is water what enough hinder me to be baptized and the folks come on common sense tells you if the man didn't know who the Prophet was talking about but Philip starts preaching Jesus and they come around a corner and there's a body of water and the man says what would hinder me from being baptized that's somewhere in that preaching of Jesus he began to talk about water baptism come on don't fall prey to the salvation to the saddle no don't don't fall prey you can get salvation from the saddle to the ground fall prey to somebody that preaches Jesus that preaches Jesus and when you begin to preach Jesus you tell people you must be born again of the water and of the spirit it's sin that's our problem it's sin that must be and the only thing that can conquer sin is the message of the death burial and resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ would you stand with me right now and begin to give God praise would you stand with me right now begin to give God honor I'm so glad that been buried in the name of Jesus Christ I'm glad that I've been buried in the name of Jesus Christ oh come on love him right now with me love him right now I'm so glad that I've been buried I'm gonna pull no one out tonight of the Lord in the name of the Lord in the name of the Lord I'm so glad that I've been buried in the name of the Lord since the name of the Lord has been revealed I know I'm not brother erikson I'm so glad that I've been buried in the name of the Lord in the name of the Lord in the name of the Lord oh I'm so glad that I've been buried in the name of the Lord since the name of the Lord has been revealed lord I love you Lord I'm so glad that I've been buried in the name of the Lord I know y'all like to hear that pretty boy sir brother here except what would hinder me from being baptized well the only thing that would hinder you I just 30 X 837 and Philip said talk about Henry if thou believest with all thine heart thou mayest and he answered and said I believe that Jesus Christ is the son of God and he commanded the chariot to stand still and they went down both into the water both Philip and the eunuch and he baptized him and when they were come up out of the water the Spirit of the Lord caught a wave Philip that the eunuch saw him no more please we've missed this and he went on his way he went on his way he said listen when I found him he was a confused Ethiopian eunuch set in the chariot matter of fact you'll find out you read it real good Bible said he had come to Jerusalem for to worship that's right he wanted to get into the temple and worship but when he got up there to the door they said eunuchs are not allowed in the temple you know no you're an Ethiopian you you can't get in here you can't even come in here and worst him he just got in his chariot bought him a scroll with Scripture in the Bible he drove down the road open it up said I got a I got a have God he got a scroll out but you know God will always send you man if you're hungry if you're hungry God will send you somebody now whether you listen to him or not you it's up to you but God will send you somebody but all friend he will said I don't even know who this is but all thanks me to God I don't even know who this is the thank be to God God sent him Philip Philip got through preaching to him Jesus got him baptized Philip with another direction of started a Bible and the oh if you know being eunuch he went on his way praising God in the name of Jesus Christ I praise him tonight I love him father father I thank you tonight for such a wonderful crowd of people that have come out on Wednesday evening to study your word Lord help us God for our eyes to be open on the wonderful subject of baptism God we want to do it the way the Bible says we want to do it Lord the way your word and for the reason Lord keep us safe tonight as we all go home Lord give us good rest tonight Lord God let your hand be upon this Apostolic Church we give you praise and honor in Jesus wonderful name we pray amen amen you're dismissed in the lovely name of Jesus tonight shake hands hug next and come out friendly