What was the first priority of Jesus' ministry?
My dear friends, there is something you must do. And why not let today be the day you do it? It's not enough that you would know about it. It's imperative that you do it. None of us are exempt from this thing. Nor was the early Church, or the apostles, or the ancients. Not even the Son of God was exempt from it.
This thing was the very first priority of Jesus' public ministry. It was his first public act. It was something so significant that upon its completion, heaven was torn open. The the Holy Spirit descended upon Jesus, and the Father's voice boomed, "This is my son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased." See Mark 1:10-11 (NIV).
Commanding this thing was also the final priority of Jesus' ministry. This thing would be for all ages, for all cultures, and for all people to the ends of the earth. No disciple would be exempt. This thing would become foundational to all of the Christian life.
Baptism is the essence of the Christian life.
This thing wasn't just the first and last priority of Jesus' ministry. It was the essence of Christ's life. It is the essence of the Christian life.
Incidentally, no one else can do this thing for you. In some traditions, it's taught that the priest or even a parent can do this on behalf of an infant. But Jesus didn't do this thing as an infant. Nor did the priests in the temple do this thing on Jesus' behalf. Nor did Jesus' parents do this thing for him. No, Jesus did this thing at a full 30 years of age. His disciples also did it as grown men. There is no overt evidence in all of scripture that anyone other than a believing adult, could or actually did this thing. It is something we can only do for ourselves, unto God.
Being baptized is an urgent matter.
If you think I am talking about baptism, it isn't baptism in and of itself of which I speak. But I am speaking of the submission of baptism. When John the Baptist tried to deter Jesus from being baptized, Jesus said in Matthew 3:15 (NIV), "Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness." First, there was urgency. Let it be so now!
Being baptized is proper and fitting.
Second, it was proper. This word "proper" indicates that which is instituted by God's perfect will. The same word is found in Hebrews 2:10 (NIV). "In bringing many sons to glory, it was fitting (proper) that God, for whom and through whom everything exists, should make the author of their salvation perfect through suffering." Submission in baptism was never man's idea; from the beginning it has always been God's idea. It's part of his redemptive plan for you and me.
Baptism was done to fulfill all righteousness.
The submission of baptism was done to, "fulfill all righteousness." Christ saw his submission in baptism as a necessary act fulfilling the righteous requirements God had placed upon him. Later when people would refuse the submission of baptism it was because, "...they had rejected God's purpose for their lives." See Luke 7:30 (NIV).
Baptism is embracing God's purpose for your life.
Let it be said that submission unto baptism is nothing less than embracing of God's purpose for your life. It's a statement of declaration, a statement of intent, and it's a pledge of allegiance to do the will of God. When Peter talks about the submission of baptism in 1 Peter 3:21-22 (NIV) he says, "and this water symbolizes the baptism that now saves you also-- not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a good conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ who has gone before you into heaven and is at God's right hand-- with angels, authorities, and powers in submission to him."
In the act of baptism, we place ourselves under a new authority, a new rule, a new kingdom, a new power. Look at 1 Peter 3:22 again! In baptism, we are joining with all the angels, authorities, and powers kneeling in submission before Christ's throne. Baptism by immersion is submission to a new Lord, a new King, a new authority, a new sheriff.
This is why in Matthew 28:18 (NIV) Jesus first says, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me." Before any redemption can occur in our lives, we have to acknowledge Christ's authority. He is Lord! But more than acknowledging Christ's authority, we have to submit to that authority. This is why Matthew 28:19 (NIV) says, "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."
A life of discipleship begins with submission, signified by our baptism.
Where does a life of discipleship begin? It begins with actual submission, signified by our baptism, to the name that is above every name. Without the submission of baptism, there is no point going on teaching people to obey. How can we obey one to whom we've not submitted? How can we submit to one we've not acknowledged the authority of? This is why in Matthew 28:20 (NIV) the, "teaching them to obey everything I have commanded" part follows after the submission of baptism! Obedience flows out of submission.
Submission is what makes redemption work. But a lack of submission is why we need redemption in the first place! To be baptized into the name of Christ is to renounce your rebellious self and your rebellious ways and submit to Christ's authority.
Throughout Acts the apostles baptized people into the name of Jesus Christ. Why? Acts 4:12 (NIV) says, "Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved."
In Acts 2 Peter is preaching to those who had just crucified the Christ. As he explains how God handed over the Christ by his own set purpose, to be crucified at the hands of wicked men, the people came under great conviction. When Peter announces that God raised Christ from the dead, and freed him from the agony of death, and exalted Christ to the right hand of the Father, and made him both Lord and Christ with all angels, authorities and powers in submission to him, the people were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the apostles in Acts 2:37 (NIV), "Brothers, what shall we do?"
Submission is about what we do, not just about what we know!
Submission isn't just about what we know. It's about what we do! And there is only one thing stubborn, hard-hearted, rebellious, wicked, murderous, adulterous sinners convicted by the Holy Spirit can do! Acts 2:38-39 (NIV) tells us, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. (Submit in baptism to this new authority!) And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. This promise is for you, and your children, and for all who are far off-- for all whom the Lord our God will call."
And don't ignore this next part in Acts 2:40-41 (NIV). "With many other words he warned them: 'Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.' Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand people were added to their number that day."
What did those who rejected God's purpose not do? They refused to submit their lives unto the name of Christ in baptism! There are many who though being taught on baptism, have refused to be baptized. It's not your rejection of baptism that's problematic. It's your unwillingness to submit to Christ's authority that's problematic. It's that even after Christ commanded you to be baptized, you still won't! You're not rejecting man by refusing baptism. You are rejecting God.
People make many excuses not to be baptized.
It's interesting the excuses people make when called to follow Christ. In the gospels people would boast, "Jesus, I'll follow you anywhere." But when Christ said, "Come follow me..." they poured out their excuses. For one man it was his business. "I just bought a field. I just bought some new oxen." For another it was social obligations, "I have a funeral to attend." For another it was family, "I've got to go say goodbye to my wife and my kids."
When it comes to the submission of baptism we have the same excuses. "I'm busy with soccer, and basketball, and school work. Maybe later." "Not now, I'm so busy at work, I don't have time to think about it." Or, "Can I do it on my birthday? Can I wait until I get my family all together?"
Throughout the book of Acts the submission of baptism was an urgent matter! Acts 2:41 (NIV), "Those who accepted his (Peter's) message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day."
In Acts 8:12-14 (NIV) Philip is preaching. "But when they believed Philip as he preached the good news of the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women."
In Acts 8:35-38 (NIV) as Philip shares Christ with the Ethiopian eunuch Acts 8:36 (NIV) says, "As they traveled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, 'Look, here is water. Why shouldn't I be baptized?"
Why not today?
What a great question! Why not today? Why not right now? Why not settle the matter of your submission to the name of Christ today? Acts 8:38 (NIV) says, "And he gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized him." Down they went, and up out of the water they came. Immersion.
In Acts 10:47-48 (NIV) the first Gentile converts respond to the gospel. "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." Ordered? Sounds kind of authoritative doesn't it? Is our problem baptism, or is it our unwillingness to submit unto the Lord? Very rarely is the issue baptism itself.
In Acts 16:14-18 there is the account of Lydia. In Acts 16:30-33 (NIV) there is the jailer and his family. "Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house. At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his family were baptized."
In Acts 22:15-16 (NIV) Ananias says to the apostle Paul, "You will be his witness to all men of what you have seen and heard. And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on his name."
A new creation springs up out of the waters of baptism.
Before us this morning is this matter of our submission to Christ. When we are baptized into the name of Christ, we die to the rule of sin in our life. We die to our old self, that part of us that rebels against God, that part that corrupts us. In baptism our old self is crucified and buried in the waters of baptism. We're washed and forgiven. We're given a new spirit, new heart, and a new mind and a new life
And then out of the waters of baptism springs a new life, a new creation. If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old is gone and the new has come! As Paul said, "It's no longer I who lives, but Christ lives in me!" This new life is both submitted to, and governed by Christ who is the head of His body, the Church.
By now you are probably wrestling with the question, "Why not today?" Why not be baptized this morning? Why not settle this matter of your submission to Christ?