RISE Part 2 – Week 3: Water Baptism

God has established a series of steps that opens the door to the FULL Christian life. Each of these steps are critical and only when they are fulfilled, do you move forward. There are four critical steps that allow your spiritual life to flourish.

Step 1 is asking God to be the Leader of your life. 

Step 2 is being baptized by full immersion in water.

Step 3 is being baptized in the Holy Spirit.

Step 4 is deciding to put down roots and become part of a life giving church community.  

In this lesson we are going to discuss baptism in water; what it means and why it is so essential.  

On the day of Pentecost, when the Church was inaugurated and fully implemented, the apostle Peter was speaking to a crowd of thousands who had come from all over the world for this special feast. As he was speaking to them about Jesus and the Holy Spirit, he said…

“‘Repent 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.’  Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.” (Acts 2:38, 41)

Group questions:  

Q:  Did Jesus get baptized? 

Q:  Who baptized Jesus?

Q:  How old was He at His baptism and why did He wait?    

Q:  Why did He get baptized?  

Right through the New Testament, from the baptism of Jesus on, followers of Jesus got baptized in water by full immersion. The Greek word for baptism is the word baptizo. It is the same Greek word used to describe a ship that has sunken to the bottom of the ocean. It is baptizo’d.  

A man named Ananias came to see Saul. “What are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on His name.” (Acts 22:16)

Then Peter said, “‘Can anyone keep these people from being baptized with water? They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have.’ So he ordered that they be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ.” (Acts 10:47)

The Apostle Paul also told everyone wherever he went to get baptized.  

Acts 19 tell us that  “While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul took the road through the interior and arrived at Ephesus. There he found some disciples and asked them… ‘what baptism did you receive? Paul then baptized them into the name of the Lord Jesus.”

“At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his family were baptized.  The jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God—he and his whole family.” (Acts 16:33-34)

What is the purpose of baptism? 

There are 3 major reasons why we need to get baptized after inviting Jesus into our lives.    

• Baptism in water is a supernatural experience where the sin nature is buried.

Romans 6:3-8 says:

Don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? We were therefore buried with Him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.  Since we have been united with Him in His death, we will also be raised to a new life as He was. We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin. For when we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin. And since we died with Christ, we know we will also live with Him. 

Something supernatural happens while you are being baptized in water.  

When you go under the water, it is a symbol of going into a coffin and being buried. And when you come out of the water, it’s like rising from the dead. The purpose of water baptism is for you to die to your sin nature as the apostle Paul says above. This means that your new nature no longer wants to sin. You can and will sin from time to time, but it no longer feels good. Sinning feels terrible. Why? When you rose from the waters, the Bible says you rise with a new nature.  You have the nature of God inside you and this means that on the whole you are moving further and further away from a lifestyle that is destructive to your life and closer to God.  

It was the practice of the early New Testament Church to be baptized as soon as you could after inviting Jesus into your life.

A lot of people walk around forgiven, but they have no power over sin in their lives. This is why the second protocol God has given to live a victorious life on earth is water baptism.  

• Baptism is God’s entry program for you to be part of His body, the Church.

“For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body.” ( 1 Corinthians 12:13)

“There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.” (Ephesians 4:4-6)

Water baptism is the formal ceremony of you joining the body of Christ, the Church. 

• Water Baptism is an outward sign that you have decided to follow Jesus and give your life to God.

The third reason to be baptized is that it is a public show of your commitment to follow God all the days of your life. Yes, baptism is the official membership ritual that makes you a member of the Church of Jesus. Yes, it does cut away the sin nature. Likewise, baptism is also an outward sign to your family, friends, and everyone else that you are serious about your relationship with God and are making a statement to live a new life with Jesus at the center.   

When you put all of those 3 things together, water baptism is a powerful next step for those who have asked Jesus into their heart. You may have attended church for years or been a Christian for just a short time. Baptism is a key that helps you unlock the fullness of your spiritual life. 

Here is one final thought to consider. 

Q: Why didn’t the thief on the cross who asked Jesus to forgive him get baptized?  

The thief on the cross never had a chance to be baptized because he died a short time later. Here’s the point: You don’t need to be baptized to go to heaven. However, you do need to be baptized to be empowered to live for Jesus here on earth.  

Salvation is the power given by God to live in heaven. 

Baptism is the power given by God to live on earth.  

This is such a powerful truth. Baptism is not just a ritual, it is a supernatural experience that equips you to live your best life on earth.

Q:  Have you been baptized yet?

Q:  Do you find yourself still struggling with the strong pull of sin?  Is it still incredibly difficult to break those habits in your life?

Q:  Do you feel that you fully belong in the church? 

Q:  With what you have learned today and the knowledge of what being baptized fully means, do you want to get baptised?

Q:  Can you get baptized a second time?  

A:  If you were baptized as an adult and knew what you were doing, there is no need to be baptized a second time. If you didn’t know what it was all about, then talk to your leader and they will help you decide whether it’s right for you.  

Why don’t you go to the Church Center App and sign up for the next water baptism today!