Our Most Precious Faith
The Ordinances
Turn to Ephesians 2. This morning in our series “Our Most Precious Faith,” we are looking at our statement on the ordinances, Baptism and the Lord’s Supper, it says:
We believe there are two Christian ordinances, believers’ baptism and the Lord’s Supper. Baptism signifies that the believer, having died with Christ, is buried with Him and is also risen with Christ to walk in the newness of life (Matthew 28:19-20; Colossians 2:12). The Lord Himself instituted the Lord’s Supper; and in the observance of this supper, believers retell the message of the Lord’s death until His return. We celebrate the breaking of bread each Lord’s Day (Acts 20:7; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26).
BELIEVERS’ BAPTISM
The Bible teaches the importance of baptism in Scripture. I first want to give an overview of baptism and then look at it in a little more detail. Jesus said:
“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to keep all that I commanded you; and behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
Matthew 28:19-20 (LSB)
The instruction given here by Christ to His disciples is that they were to baptize those who had become disciples of Christ. Therefore, the act of baptism is to be administered to those of faith, and it would be an error to baptize those who had not yet placed their faith and trust in Christ. John Koessler, a professor at Moody Bible Institute said this:
“The first mark of a disciple is baptism. It is one of the first acts that identifies us as followers of Jesus Christ and initiates us into a life of obedience.”
John Koessler, Moody Bible Institute
And there is a great significance in baptism, as I believe that it will become an even greater act of obedience in the eyes of the world as our culture becomes less and less Christian. As we understand that those in the New Testament church clearly identified themselves in this very visual way as believers in Jesus, sometimes at the very risk of their lives. Baptism shows publicly where the transformed believer declares, “I am committed to Christ, I belong to Him!” The picture of baptism clearly shows this. For when a candidate goes down into the water, he or she is declaring that their old life has died, and then coming out of the water, that their new life has begun. Paul wrote in Romans 6.
“Or do you not know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.”
Romans 6:3-4 (LSB)
Koessler goes on to say that “Those who are in Christ are alive in a way that was not true prior to Christ.” They have been changed; they have been transformed! What an exciting time for the true believer as a person is united with Christ in His death and resurrection. Remember when Philip was proclaiming Christ to those who had not been converted, and he encounters the Ethiopian eunuch. A man who knew the Scriptures but had never been transformed by Christ. And as Philip spoke with him, the eunuch’s heart was opened, and he said this to Philip, “What prevents me from being baptized?” There was nothing, for he believed the gospel and the instruction in Acts 2:38 is that you are to repent and be baptized. And the eunuch who now believed went down into the water, as the word used means to be immersed in the water.
When I pastored up in Blind River, we did not have a baptismal tank, so, we did outside baptisms. And the best time to get baptised was in September as the water was very warm. You wouldn’t want to be baptised in June as there was till ice on the water. And what a privilege for this eunuch, to understand, to believe, to repent, and then to be baptized. What grace was given to him, for his act of obedience is forever recorded in the Bible. When you and I who have repented and have been changed by Christ are baptized, there is great joy in that! As we declare that we are God’s child and that we worship the One and true God!
So, baptism serves as a public statement of the believer’s personal commitment to Christ. Think of that for a moment, a public statement. Just picture for a moment the individual who in New Testament times had come to know Christ. He may have been listening to Paul or Peter, and his new salvation, his being born again would be known by some. Then there was also the fear of the Roman authorities, the persecution of Nero had just begun. Add to that the fear of the Jewish leaders who likely made life very difficult for believers. And then that person would publicly declare that change in front of all who were there. That would be a great decision, but also a tough decision from a human standpoint. Yet though it was tough, it was something that the believer knew that he should do despite his fear, for believers’ baptism for the Christian has significant value and meaning.
I have mentioned before that when a person is born in Cuba, they are automatically registered with the communist government. And if that person desires to be baptized in Cuba, because communism declares that there is no God, the church requires them to denounce their membership with the communist government, which they can do. I asked Joashua, who oversees the Baptist churches there as I have been in Cuba a few times on mission trips, “What are the ramifications if a person denounces his membership from the government?” And he said nothing overtly, but in a subtle way, it is a whole lot. He said if their kids apply for universities or jobs, they would likely be denied. See, there is a cost to be baptised in Cuba. And we do not want to lose sight of the great cost to the believers in the early church when they decided to publicly declare their commitment to Christ through baptism. Baptism also conveys a promise to the believer, that when we follow the Lord in baptism, we declare ourselves to be part of God’s family, we confirm that we worship the same Lord as others who name the name of Christ. Therefore, here at Elim we teach “believer’s baptism.”
- Those who have come to Christ are baptized.
A born-again disciple of Christ. And that born again reality and transformation may come for some in a dramatic experience like Paul, who was on his way to Damascus and the Lord instantly intercepted him and he was saved as an adult. Or it may—from our perspective—be a less dramatic way like young Timothy, who, the Bible tells us that he learned about Christ at home with his mother and grandmother. Yet both are transformations and both are miraculous for the believer, as Paul and Timothy were sinners before God and both had their eyes opened to the truth of the gospel. And Paul’s words of this miraculous transformation apply to both himself and to Timothy.
“Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.”
2 Timothy 5:17 (LSB)
- Baptism always follows conversion.
And I would also see from Scripture that it is soon after conversion. The Ethiopian eunuch was baptized after he understood the Scriptures, as he believed the gospel and immediately asked if he could be baptised. In Acts 2:41, those who had received the message of salvation were baptized on the same day. When the Philippian jailor was saved, he was immediately baptised along with his believing family. Yet I also want to add here that the Bible gives no specific timeframe—though the pattern in the Bible always seems that baptism is a soon-after-salvation event. However, because the Bible does not specifically say a time, we don’t ever want to dismiss the call to be obedient to Christ. For if you have been a believer for five years, ten years, thirty years, what a blessing for you and what a blessing to the church family when someone young or old responds to this call in obedience. I do believe our “Christianized” culture has contributed to our delay in baptism, as when in New Testament times it would be such a stark statement to the culture of following Christ, baptism would have been the central event to signify that change. Thirdly, we also believe:
- We are to be baptized because of the example of Christ.
The Bible says that Christ was baptized to fulfil all righteousness. Baptism was commanded by Christ. It was part of the New Testament belief and practice. I would say that yes, baptism is an act of obedience, it is also a great blessing to the church family. But first and foremost, a person needs to be baptised because of his love for Christ. Finally, we believe:
- Baptism should be by immersion.
When Jesus was baptized in Mark 1:10, it speaks of Christ coming up out of the water. As baptism gives the beautiful picture of being raised up. If you have you Bibles open Ephesians 2, look with me.
“And you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience, among whom we all also formerly conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, doing the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest. But God, being rich in mercy because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus.”
Ephesians 2:1-6 (LSB)
This is the picture of baptism that we have been raised up with Christ, as it signifies the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. That in baptism, as we go down in the water—hence immersion—we die with Christ. As we are in the water—we are buried with Christ, and as we come out of the water—we are resurrected with Christ. Therefore, the act of believers’ baptism. And the fact that it is by immersion has such spiritual implications for the Christian. I had a good friend at Peoples who was in our small group. Terry came to Christ when he was in his sixties. And what a privilege to see him get baptised. Our candidates this morning are all young, but Baptism is not only a call of obedience to the young, as baptism is a call of obedience to any who have received Christ—whether young or old. The ordinance of baptism. The other ordinance is:
THE LORD’S TABLE
Again, our statement reads:
“The Lord Himself instituted the Lord’s Supper; and in the observance of this supper, believers retell the message of the Lord’s death until His return. We celebrate the breaking of bread each Lord’s Day.”
Well, as Brethren, we should know much about the Lord’s Table, as the Lord’s Table is certainly front and centre here at Elim and is for us a time of remembrance. As the wisdom of the Bible is that we are to remember. And of course, the greatest event to remember is the death of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, who gave His life for mankind. The Bible says, let us make every day, as long as it is called today to remember. As the Apostle Paul said to the young Timothy, “[Let us] Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead … according to [the] gospel.” It is funny, as a child I sort of thought of the Lord’s Table as Good Friday, as certainly the Christian holidays were more of a celebration. Christmas was a celebration, the angels heralded Christ’s coming. And the celebrations around Christmas involved worship, giving, and the carols retold the glad story. Easter as well, was a time as we went to church where everyone was happy. The pastor would often say, “He is risen!” And the congregation would respond, “He is risen, indeed!” And we would sing, Up from the Grave He Arose and Christ the Lord is Risen Today.
But Good Friday was different, and it was difficult as a kid to know whether I should smile or laugh or be afraid to laugh. It was sort of like going to a funeral home as a kid for the first time. And you imagine everything to be so somber. And you walk in, and hear someone laughing, and you are thinking, you are not supposed to laugh. Well, Good Friday presented the same problem for me, as we sort of re-enacted the three days, and you had to wait for Sunday to smile again. I even remember not being sure if I should play road hockey on the Saturday. Well, I believe it is true that Good Friday is certainly a day of remembrance. And though we may not feel the natural celebration that we would at Easter, it is still a day for the true believer for deep profound joy. So too, our weekly times during the Lord’s Table, because we too are remembering His death, as it brings us back to the remembrance and thankfulness of the cross, and all that the Saviour has done for us. And though in our culture I think it is difficult to express great thanksgiving for something, that should not hinder us as believers in Christ, as we of all people know the joy of being sinners, and yet having that sin forgiven.
The Bible speaks often of the love that we ought to have for Christ for His unspeakable gift to us, as the very doctrine that we believe reveals to us wonderful truths about our Saviour. And one of the condemnations that the Lord gave to the church of Ephesus in Revelation was that they had left their first love, they did not view Christ Himself with the same passion that they had in the past. And we may struggle with that from time to time—forgetting the joy of our salvation, the excitement of studying truth in His Word, the passion for worship, and just knowing that we are His. And the Lord’s Table is a reminder of all those things. That first and foremost, we as followers of Christ, we remember Him because we love Him.
But I believe another reason that we ought to be reminded of this love is because even our love toward Christ, has been enabled by Christ. First John 4:19 reminds us that “we love Him because [why?] because He first loved us.” One of the first verses that many of us would have learned as children is “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life.” And one of the greatest purposes of the cross was because of the love of God. And there is no greater example of the love of God than what the Father did for mankind by giving His Son. It is interesting that one of the questions which comes when unbelievers speak about God is to ask, how could a God of love do this? As they completely miss the greatest act of love ever shown. Frederick Lehman penned such a wonderful thought of the love of God.
The love of God is greater far
Than tongue or pen can ever tell
It goes beyond the highest star
And reaches to the lowest hell
To write the love of God above
Would drain the ocean dry
Nor could the scroll contain the whole
Though stretched from sky to sky
O Love of God, how rich and pure
How measureless and strong
It shall forevermore endure
The saints and angels’ song.
We understand from the Bible that our Lord Jesus in love gave His life willingly. Isaiah 53, we read, that Christ poured out Himself. John 10, Christ says that He laid down His life. The truth of the Bible is that Christ did not have to give His life but voluntarily went to the cross for you and me. So, what happened to Jesus on the cross was undeserved Isaiah 53:9 says, “And they made his grave with the wicked and with a rich man in his death, although he had done no violence, and there was no deceit in his mouth.” The Jews intended that Christ would die disgracefully, which He did, for He hung between two thieves. It was the Roman tradition that the worst criminal would be hung in the middle. And in reality, He was the worst of criminals, for He died for the sin of you and me and for all those who would come to Him. Imagine the heart of the Father, as the Jews would plan on treating Him disgracefully for not only His death, but also for His burial, even though in our culture today those who pass away, we treat with such respect and honour. And yet the Father had different plans for His Son, His only Son. For did you notice there in Isaiah it says that He was with the rich in His death. Matthew records after the death of Christ.
“Now when it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who himself had also become a disciple of Jesus. This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate ordered it to be given to him. And Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock; and he rolled a large stone against the entrance of the tomb and went away.”
Matthew 27:57-60 (LSB)
One of the ironies of the cross is that Christ was buried as a rich man, treated with honour and respect. See, the Father’s demands were already satisfied, the wrath of the Father was already appeased. As the sacrifice of His Son was sufficient to provide forgiveness for the sinner. There was no further need of anything else including any kind of brutality or shame. And therefore, the Father provided a rich man’s tomb to place His Son—to place the spotless Lamb—who was obedient to the cross and who was willing to be a curse for us. Yes, the staggering message of the cross is the great love of God. And if God did not love us, there is no message, there is no forgiveness, there is no hope; and we could go home because there would be nothing to celebrate. Not unlike the fallen angels we mentioned last week, who live without any hope of redemption or joy of salvation.
And therefore, we will forever praise Him for His wonderful gift to us, as you and I have received some great gifts throughout our lives. Things that at the time meant so much to us. But as time passed, the memory of that gift began to wane, its value lost its appeal. We too might try to remember great feats in the past, whether that was from a great sports team or a courageous army. But as time goes on fewer and fewer actually remember. Or someone in our past that meant so much to us, someone that inspired us. mother or father, preacher, teacher, or diplomat. But with time, their memory is at some point somewhat forgotten, not completely remembered. But not the cross, not what our Saviour did for us, it will never be forgotten. For with the angels in heaven we will forever sing:
“‘Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing.’ And every created thing which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all things in them, I heard saying, ‘To Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, be the blessing and the honor and the glory and the might forever and ever.’”
See, even in eternity our Saviour will be praised for His power, riches, wisdom, strength, honour, glory, blessing, forever. As we will always remember. As the endless theme in heaven will be His sacrifice on our behalf. As we fully realize what He spared us from. And you may be sitting here this morning thinking, Mark, this part of the sermon is supposed to be teaching us about the Lord’s Supper. Yet the practise or what we call an ordinance to celebrate the Lord’s Table each Sunday is quite clear, it is really very simple. Acts 20:7, it simply says, “on the first day of the week we came together to break bread.” Also (1 Cor 16:2) they came together on the first day of the week, as historically, Sunday was the normal meeting day for Christians in the church, and its practice dates to the first century. In fact, for the Christian every day is to be a holy day, as we are to truly worship the Lord every day. Yet, the instruction to break bread on the first day of the week is given by the practise of the early church, and so, what is most important is that we know why we come together to celebrate. And that is because of the great depth of truth that surrounds the death of Christ, as ultimately it was His great love for which He has loved us.
And the practise of both ordinances—baptism and the Lord’s Table—is quite simple. The commands are very straight forward. You know Christ as your Saviour and Lord—then be baptised. You know Christ as your Saviour and Lord—then when you come together each Sunday, remember the Lord’s death until He comes. And the greatest message that comes from Christ’s death on the cross is His tremendous love. And so, the bottom-line question for us is have you received such love? Have you surrendered your life to the One who loves you?
Let’s pray. Lord, may we never forget the wonderful love You showed to us at Calvary, and that we would always remember the great cost of our salvation. That one day we will be part of the myriads of myriads of angels, who will praise You for all of eternity—the Christ of Calvary. May we be a church that remembers its first love. And Lord, we praise for those who are being obedient in baptism this morning. May this be a stake placed in their Christian walk, where they remember that they desire to serve You alone. Bless them and help them with this commitment, as we too, with them, strive to persevere for Christ. And all God’s people said, amen.