Embracing Baptism and Discipleship in Faith

Devotional

Day 1: Baptism as a Gateway to New Life

Baptism is a profound declaration of faith, symbolizing a believer's union with Christ in His death and resurrection. It marks the transition from an old life to a new one, signifying a commitment to follow Jesus and live in obedience to His teachings. This act of faith is a public testimony of one's identity in Christ and entrance into the Christian community. Through baptism, believers publicly declare their allegiance to Christ, embracing a new identity and purpose. It is a powerful reminder of the transformative power of the Gospel and the new life that comes through faith in Jesus. [29:14]

Romans 6:3-4 (ESV): "Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life."

Reflection: Consider your own baptism or the concept of baptism. How does it shape your understanding of your identity in Christ and your commitment to live a new life in Him today?

Day 2: Discipleship and the Question of Desire

Discipleship begins with the question, "What do you want?" This question challenges individuals to consider their desires and who they want to be identified with. As disciples, believers are called to know Jesus, learn from Him, and allow His character to shape their lives. This journey involves a commitment to follow Him, to be transformed by His teachings, and to share His love with others. Discipleship is not just about learning but about being transformed and living out the teachings of Jesus in everyday life. [35:27]

Luke 9:23 (ESV): "And he said to all, 'If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.'"

Reflection: Reflect on your deepest desires and aspirations. How do they align with the call to follow Jesus and be transformed by His teachings?

Day 3: The Call of the Great Commission

The Great Commission is Jesus' command to make disciples of all nations, emphasizing the importance of teaching others to obey His teachings and live out their faith. This call to action urges believers to reach out to those around them, sharing the transformative power of the Gospel and inviting them into a relationship with God. It is a reminder of the mission and purpose of the Christian community to spread the love and grace of Jesus to the world. [43:10]

Matthew 28:19-20 (ESV): "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age."

Reflection: Identify one person in your life who does not know Jesus. How can you intentionally share the love and message of Christ with them this week?

Day 4: Empowered by the Holy Spirit

In the journey of faith, believers are not alone. The Holy Spirit empowers and guides them, making the truth of the Gospel come alive in their hearts. This assurance gives believers the confidence to step out in faith, disciple others, and live a life that honors God. The Holy Spirit is a constant companion, providing strength, wisdom, and guidance in the Christian walk. [54:40]

Acts 1:8 (ESV): "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth."

Reflection: Reflect on a situation where you need guidance or strength. How can you rely on the Holy Spirit to empower you in this area today?

Day 5: Living as a Disciple

Being a disciple means denying oneself, taking up one's cross, and following Jesus. It involves a willingness to surrender one's life to His will, to be transformed by His love, and to share His grace with the world. As believers grow in their relationship with Him, they are called to be open to His leading and eager to share His love with others. This journey of discipleship is a lifelong commitment to live out the teachings of Jesus in every aspect of life. [01:00:13]

Galatians 2:20 (ESV): "I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you find yourself holding back from surrendering to Jesus? What would surrendering this area to Him actually look like in terms of daily habits?

Sermon Summary

In today's gathering, we explored the profound significance of baptism and discipleship in our Christian journey. Baptism is not merely a ritual; it is a powerful symbol of our identification with Christ, representing our union with His death and resurrection. It signifies our transition from an old life to a new one, a public declaration of our faith and commitment to follow Jesus. This act of obedience is a step into the Christian community, marking our entrance into a family of believers who share a common mission and purpose.

We also delved into the essence of discipleship, which begins with the question Jesus asked His first followers: "What do you want?" This question challenges us to consider who we want to be identified with and what we truly desire in our spiritual journey. Discipleship is about coming to know Jesus, learning from Him, and allowing His character to shape our lives. It involves a commitment to follow Him, to be transformed by His teachings, and to share His love with others.

The Great Commission calls us to make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. This command emphasizes the importance of teaching others to obey Jesus' teachings and to live out their faith in a way that reflects His love and grace. It is a call to action, urging us to reach out to those around us and to share the transformative power of the Gospel.

In our journey of faith, we are not alone. God is with us, guiding and empowering us through His Holy Spirit. This assurance gives us the confidence to step out in faith, to disciple others, and to live a life that honors God. As we continue to grow in our relationship with Him, let us be open to His leading, willing to surrender our lives to His will, and eager to share His love with the world.

Key Takeaways

1. Baptism as a Symbol of New Life: Baptism is a profound declaration of our faith, symbolizing our union with Christ in His death and resurrection. It marks our transition from an old life to a new one, signifying our commitment to follow Jesus and live in obedience to His teachings. This act of faith is a public testimony of our identity in Christ and our entrance into the Christian community. [29:14]
2. The Essence of Discipleship: Discipleship begins with the question, "What do you want?" It challenges us to consider our desires and who we want to be identified with. As disciples, we are called to know Jesus, learn from Him, and allow His character to shape our lives. This journey involves a commitment to follow Him, to be transformed by His teachings, and to share His love with others. [35:27]
3. The Great Commission: Jesus' command to make disciples of all nations emphasizes the importance of teaching others to obey His teachings and to live out their faith. This call to action urges us to reach out to those around us, sharing the transformative power of the Gospel and inviting them into a relationship with God. [43:10]
4. The Role of the Holy Spirit: In our journey of faith, we are not alone. The Holy Spirit empowers and guides us, making the truth of the Gospel come alive in our hearts. This assurance gives us the confidence to step out in faith, to disciple others, and to live a life that honors God. [54:40]
5. Living as a Disciple: Being a disciple means denying ourselves, taking up our cross, and following Jesus. It involves a willingness to surrender our lives to His will, to be transformed by His love, and to share His grace with the world. As we grow in our relationship with Him, let us be open to His leading and eager to share His love with others. [01:00:13]
** [60:13]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:30] - Introduction and Baptism Announcement
[03:00] - The Significance of Surrender
[06:45] - Personal Story: Car Registration
[12:00] - Identifying with Christ
[15:30] - Discipleship 101: What Do You Want?
[20:00] - The Call to Follow Jesus
[25:00] - The Great Commission
[29:14] - Baptism: A Symbol of New Life
[35:27] - Making Disciples: Fishers of Men
[43:10] - The Importance of Baptism
[47:32] - Baptism and Christian Community
[51:19] - Spiritual Rebirth and Obedience
[54:40] - The Role of the Holy Spirit
[60:13] - Living as a Disciple
[68:22] - Closing Remarks and Prayer

Sermon Clips

"In thinking about how we're surrendering our life. And I know that sounds like a big ask for God to ask us to surrender our hopes and our dreams. And I love how you pray, Christine, because it's not just our sins. And we want to surrender all our horrible things that happen in our lives to you, God, so you can fix them all. But it's also like, God, I know you have in mind more than I can ever dream or imagine. That, God, you have what's needed for me. And it might not be comfortable. That's not God's promise. It will be full, and it will be good." [00:23:33] (34 seconds)

"And that's what surrendering is, that difficult part of that. And baptism has a relationship with that, in that we're dying to ourselves. And we've been talking a lot about that today. And then asking for God to be our identity. And we've been talking about that in different ways. And in our making much of series, and making much of God, and making much of all that he calls us to." [00:24:10] (20 seconds)

"First thing, and the main thing, is our salvation is found in faith. We've talked about that throughout our weeks and talked about much of God. We have faith through Jesus Christ. John 3 .16. For whoever believes in him shall have eternal life, right? It's just really simple in what God has done through his son, Jesus Christ, and what we have in that." [00:29:29] (19 seconds)

"And they started following him. Because John the Baptist, if you remember, said, here's the Lamb of God who will take away your sins. And they go, well, let's follow him. And so they are interested. And I want to just look through this verse in John 1, 35 through 42 and just remind you of that conversation because it's so important. And he says in verse 35, the next day John was there again with the two of his disciples. When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, look, the Lamb of God." [00:31:25] (26 seconds)

"And that whole idea is about making other disciples. I'll make you fishers of men. I want you to know me so much. I want your life to be changed by our relationship together. That then you'd want to then share with others this relationship we have. And that they would want to also come follow me. And that is one of the things that Jesus desires." [00:35:46] (20 seconds)

"And we're going to look at that today and what that looks like and what that means. And as our foundation set, knowing the relationship we have with God in three persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. And because he'll say to the disciples, which we also looked at last week, which we'll spend most of our time with today, in the Great Commission, that he says in verse 19, Therefore go 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've commanded you, and surely I am with you always to the very end of the age." [00:37:21] (36 seconds)

"Now, in looking at baptism, the importance of baptism, why do we get baptized? And if you wonder what full immersion baptism is, it is where you take the whole body, and you bring them down, and you bring them back up. Even the motion is symbolic. Everything there has a point, but it's someone's confession of their faith. It's someone who comes and says, I believe, and I want to walk in obedience with God, and therefore, I want to be baptized." [00:42:10] (24 seconds)

"But the first and foremost thing is to symbol of identification with Christ, and baptism represents our union with who Jesus Christ is and his death and his resurrection, and it's moving from an old life to a new life. Now, it's not that it hasn't already taken place in your heart because you're stepping in obedience. It means you already have that relationship. You've already been saved through faith, but then you then are deciding as an individual that I want to, because Jesus has asked us to, Jesus gives us." [00:43:42] (32 seconds)

"And Jesus, we join him in the resurrection, we're identifying with him that we too are dying to our own selves, and our own wants and desires. Jesus didn't die for his own selves and ours, although he said, if you could take it away from me, because the cross was painful, that'd be great. But no, he showed us obedience too. And then we rise into this new life that we have through the Holy Spirit, with him being a guide and counselor in our life." [00:45:38] (24 seconds)

"And it's something that we should shout from the rooftops that this is happening and taking place. And it's not because of anything we've done, but everything he's done for us. It's a great thing. And so we want to be identified with that. And then we, then it's not like you start walking in your life, but it's that deeper commitment. Whenever we walk in obedience, we're taking that deeper commitment to what God calls us to." [00:46:45] (20 seconds)

"And again, I've already said it, but it's obedience to Christ's command. We just read it. It's pretty obvious what it says there. It says, go and make disciples baptizing them. It didn't say, go make disciples and just make them memorize. Go and make disciples and just make sure they sit on the third pew, fourth pew, fifth. No, no, it's go and be baptized. And there's a call for that. And you go, I don't know why God, I have to do that." [00:49:27] (26 seconds)

"And we learn from him the things of this world that have brought us down, the things that we need to strive for with him that are going to be eternal in his kingdom. All those things. And so that is important. And that's why, again, baptism has that importance to it. 1 Peter 3 .21 says, And the water is a pitcher of baptism, which now saves you, not by removing dirt from your body, but as a response to God from a clean conscience." [00:54:06] (25 seconds)

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