Basics of Baptism
Baptism Seminar 2-3 sessions • Sermon • Submitted
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Handout
Handout
A Baptism Preparation Class Outline
This seminar provides the training outline for a series of three sessions lasting one and a half hours each in the period prior to participation in the service of baptism. While designed for teens and adults, the material also is appropriate for the parents of infants and small children who are presenting them for baptism or dedication. The leader of these seminars should fit the profile and requirements as outlined in the following document, Volunteer Job Description.
At the completion of these three sessions, the participants should have made a final decision about their readiness for baptism. The sponsors should have a clear understanding of their responsibilities and promises of post-baptismal support. All participants should have a basic understanding the theology and history of baptism as an entrance point into the body of Christ.
Session One: Biblical Foundations for Baptism
Our church did not design or create the act of baptism as a way to get people to join the church. Through this act of worship, we join in a tradition and practice that dates all the way back to the beginning of the church. And this service actually has its roots in the ancient Hebrew practice of presenting oneself clean before God. In this seminar, participants will consider the theological foundations of baptism so that they may know that this step that they are taking is a profound conclusion to getting right with God.
Content
Ø In the Old Testament, the Law commanded that faithful Jews wash themselves to be cleansed of dirt and dust from their surroundings. They also understood from the Law that they could cleanse themselves from disease, and ultimately, from sin. (Ex. 30:18; 40:30; Mark 7:1–23)
Ø John the Baptist called faithful Jews into the desert to retreat from the world and to be baptized for the forgiveness of their sins as an act of repentance. (Mark 3:1–3; Luke 3:1–12)
Ø Jesus was baptized by John in the River Jordan—not to be cleansed from sin, but to fulfill the Law and to open the way for the coming of the Holy Spirit into a believer’s life. (Matt. 3:13–17)
Ø After Jesus’ death, resurrection, and ascension, the disciples baptized both Jew and Gentile to bring them into fellowship with God and with one another as the body of Christ. (Acts 2:37–42)
Questions
1. How did you learn to wash with water? What was your bath experience like when you were a child? What do you think of the habit of bathing or showering more than once a day? Less than once a day?
2. What does it mean to you to repent of sin? Does repentance happen only once in life, when you are baptized, or is it more of a Christian practice in your view?
3. Why is it important for baptism to be a public act in a principal worship service, rather than a private act when others aren’t around?
4. What do you think it will feel like once you have gone through the act of baptism? How do you want to feel?
Session Reflection 1: Baptism as an Act of Worship
I want to spend the remainder of our time in careful consideration of Baptism as an act of worship. Normally, we would dedicate an entire 3rd session to this, but since we 2 sessions, we will conclude both sessions in discussion of this topic. The goal is view this as the meaningful act that it is, not a merely religious ceremony.
The Element of Baptism: the Significance of Water
“RIP to the Old Me”: The Water as a Symbolic Grave
In the instance of baptism, water symbolizes the grave. Going into the water symbolizes the death of your old life- old habits, past mistakes, past guilt. The dead cannot be held responsible for the debts; they are free from all of their worldly cares. They have no masters, no more obligations to anyone. As you go down into the water naturally, reflect on the supernatural work the Jesus Christ has done in your life. Let the water remind you that you are no longer a slave to any sin; resign to let go of your past and be free in Christ. (1 Jn 1:7-9; Jn 8:34-36).
“Rise & Shine”: Water in Sybolic Ressurection
When you emerge from the water, just like your bath or shower, leave your “dirt” behind! Pull the plug…let it go down the drain. “Clean” does not mean “perfect”- it means that your are forgiven, and NO ONE has the right hold your past over your head- not even YOU! New life in Christ is not about feeling worthy- it is about trusting that the One who is worthy has erased your debt. This new life is not about what you are able to do to obtain it; its about what Christ has already done! (Gal 2:20; Gal 6:4-11)
Questions (For Diiscussion Next Week)
Ø Why do you think that it is important for Christians to renew their baptismal vows even after they have been baptized?
Ø Why do you think it is important to state formally and publicly accept Christ? Why can’t we assume that is what the person being baptized really wants without saying it?
Ø What are some other ordinary things in life that God makes sacred? (Hint: remember bread and wine.)
Ø What are specific practices in our church that help to make real the history and purpose of Baptism (or what practices can we create)?
Session Two: The History and Practice of Baptism
Every family has its set of traditions for special events and family celebrations. And every family has a heritage and a line of descendants. Our church follows the biblical pattern of observing baptism, to the best of our ability. This seminar will explore the background of the service of baptism at our church and examine, in a brief summary, the different attitudes towards the administration of baptism throughout church history. That way, all can understand why baptism is administered the way it is today. We will review the handout provided to you as a guide to this discussion.
Baptism: Flushing Chinese Baptist Church
Introduction
You’re interested in being baptized . . . that’s great! We want to make your experience as meaningful as
possible. Here are a few items for you to know as you take your first steps toward being baptized in our church.
The Roots of Baptism
Baptism and the Lord’s Supper are ordinances of the Christian church. An ordinance refers to a religious act that we do to express our faith. Jesus gave the early church the ordinance of baptism when He
commanded the first church leaders to “make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the
Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19).
The concept of baptism goes back to the Old Testament law, which instructed ceremonial washing as a way to be cleansed from disease or sin. Washing was also part
of the ceremony when people wanted to become Jews. They would strip off their
clothing from their former life and bathe completely to symbolize leaving their old ways behind, purifying themselves, and accepting a new way of life under the Jewish law. After the washing, they were welcomed as new members of the Jewish community.
John the Baptist performed another type of baptism in the Jordan River. He preached repentance and called the Jewish people to purify their hearts and be baptized in preparation to receive the coming Messiah.
Jesus was baptized in the Jordan River by John. His baptism was unique because it was the culmination of
all of the ceremonial washings that had gone before. Jesus said that His baptism was “to fulfill all
righteousness” (Matthew 3:15). All of the previous baptisms of purification and preparation came to a
fulfillment when He was baptized. Through His baptism,
Ø Jesus linked Himself with those in the past who had purified themselves for His sake,
Ø He launched His messianic ministry, and
Ø He inaugurated a new kind of baptism that all future believers would follow—a baptism that was a symbol of your salvation.
Baptism as a Picture
Your baptism is like a mini-drama. As you are lowered into the water and drawn up again, you are acting out what happened to you spiritually when you trusted in Jesus as your Savior. Let’s take a closer look at your salvation to better understand the picture of baptism.
Salvation
The story of your salvation begins with your admission to God that you are a sinner. Your sin separates you
from God and places you under His judgment. The penalty for sin is not like a fine that you can pay off with
good behavior. Scripture states that “the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23). That’s serious!
But God loves you and doesn’t want you to perish. So He sent Jesus to take the death penalty for you. He
bore your sin on the cross and suffered the judgment that you would receive. “While we were still sinners,
Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). Jesus didn’t remain dead, though. He rose from the grave in victory over
death and as a promise that one day we will follow Him and live eternally with Him after we die. God’s only requirement is that you believe what Jesus did for you. “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved” (Acts 16:31)
When you trust Jesus as your Savior, God spiritually unites you with His Son. The best word to describe this spiritual act is identification. God identifies you with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection. When Jesus died, God considers you to have died; when He was buried, God sees you buried; and when He was raised, you are raised as well.
Spiritual Baptism
According to Scripture, your identification with Christ is a spiritual baptism.
Or 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. (Romans 6:3-4)
When God baptizes you into Christ spiritually, you don’t feel anything—you certainly don’t get wet! Even so, spiritual baptism is real. Water baptism is a way to physically experience what happens spiritually. It is an outward sign of an inward reality.
Water Baptism
When you go under the water, you can imagine yourself going into the grave with Jesus Christ. In the split second when the water washes over you, it’s as if you experience the death that your sin deserves. And then, in a flash, you are raised up—as if you are resurrected from the dead just as Christ was resurrected. Death has no hold on you just as it had no hold on Jesus! The baptism drama pictures the new life that you have in Christ and the promise of life after death with Him in heaven.
Baptism as Participation in God’s Family
Baptism not only symbolizes your union with Christ as your Savior, it also represents your union with other Christians as your spiritual family. Your spiritual baptism includes the Holy Spirit’s work of joining you with Christ’s body, the church.
For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. (1 Corinthians 12:13)
Your union with all believers gives you a place to belong. And through the Spirit’s power, you receive spiritual gifts which you can use as you fulfill your role in the body of Christ.
Baptism as Proclamation
Baptism is a public event. It gives you an opportunity to display your faith in Jesus Christ as your Savior and your commitment to Him as your Lord. Making a proclamation in public of your faith solidifies what you believe in private.
If you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him
from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it
is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. (Romans 10:9–10)
The person baptizing you often asks whether you have trusted Christ as your Savior and if you desire to follow Him as your Lord. Answer yes, boldly! Upon your proclamation of Christ as your Savior and Lord, you are then baptized.
Session Reflection 2: Baptism as an Act of Worship
In this seminar, participants will first review our discussion questions, “walk through” the service of baptism. Itt will be an opportunity to read together through the language of the service so that all may understand what it means for everyone present to experience a renewal of the baptismal covenant. In this way, participants can better understand that they are not simply presenting themselves to move through a routine, or to become a little wetter than normal, but to engage in a profound and meaningful act of worship.
Discussion Questions
Ø Why do you think that it is important for Christians to renew their baptismal vows even after they have been baptized?
Ø Why do you think it is important to state formally and publicly accept Christ? Why can’t we assume that is what the person being baptized really wants without saying it?
Ø What are some other ordinary things in life that God makes sacred? (Hint: remember bread and wine.)
Ø What are specific practices in our church that help to make real the history and purpose of Baptism (or what practices can we create)?
Baptism Order of Service
Ø To conclude, we will do a quick review of the Order of Service for your Baptism, so on that day you will be focused on the meaning as we’ve discussed- not distracted by the routine. This is WORSHIP!
1. Short intro. 1 min welcome . We will list the nnames of the candidates we are here to celebrate.
2. The Lead Pastor- he/she will ask the candidates to come up, one by one, then ask him/her basic questions as an affirmation of faith (e.g. “Do you believe in Jesus Christ, that He died on the cross ...”). Simply respond by saying, “Yes.”
3. Then the Lead Pastor with say, “I now baptize you in the Name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit...”, then bend you backwards in the baptistry.
This process will be repeated for each candidate. Total duration should be from 15-30min.
Afterwards: We will have a brief picture taking (after a change of clothes).
Congratulations & Closing Prayer
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Session Three: Baptism as an Act of Worship
Note: Session Reflections from sessions 1 & 2 are a summary of this session; when covering this in 3 sessions (as opposed to 2 sessions) the reflections should be removed.
In this seminar, participants will “walk through” the service of baptism. It will not be a “dress rehearsal.” Rather, it will be an opportunity to read together through the language of the service so that all may understand what it means for everyone present to experience a renewal of the baptismal covenant. In this way, participants can better understand that they are not simply presenting themselves to move through a routine, or to become a little wetter than normal, but to engage in a profound and meaningful act of worship.
Content
Ø Read through the Service of Baptism. Identify the specific actions of the Senior Pastor in leading this worship event.
Ø In reviewing the questions and answers asked of baptismal candidates (or those who speak on their behalf), emphasize that, in the early church, baptismal candidates would go through the rejection of Satan and all evil powers facing away from the body of Christ—and when publically committing to Christ, they turned towards the baptismal pool or font, and the Holy Table.
Ø Note the blessing over the water of baptism, and help participants to understand that God does extraordinary things with ordinary, basic elements of life.
Ø Note the importance of baptizing persons in the name of the Trinity—the fullness of God.
Ø Note that each service of baptism provided an opportunity for all Christians gathered in worship to renew their own baptismal vows. And, by being present to share in the experience, newly baptized persons are formally accepted into the body of Christ.
Questions
Ø Why do you think that it is important for Christians to renew their baptismal vows even after they have been baptized?
Ø Why do you think it is important to state formally and publicly accept Christ? Why can’t we assume that is what the person being baptized really wants without saying it?
Ø What are some other ordinary things in life that God makes sacred? (Hint: remember bread and wine.)
Ø What are specific practices in our church that help to make real the history and purpose of Baptism (or what practices can we create)?