Notes from Baptism - Ezra Clark

 

Ezra Clark's Baptism (July 14, 2021)


Introduction to Baptism – dialogue about baptism

  • Demonstrate that we are followers of Jesus

(Ask Ezra whether he is a follower of Yeshua/Jesus and if he has asked Jesus to forgive him of his sin, to come live in his heart and be his Lord. I also ask Ezra to share what baptism means to him, why he wants to get baptized and what he learned from reading passages about baptism – Romans 6 and Colossians 2).

Salvation begins through: Repentance & Faith/Trust (turning away from evil and toward God's forgiveness and grace and the new life of Jesus)

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.” - Eph. 2:8,9


Reasons we are Baptized (as a believer)


  1. Jesus modeled it (Matthew 3:11-15) – Jesus' cousin, John the baptizer, was baptizing people in the Jordan River. He called people to repentance, to turn away from sin, and prepare the way for the “Lamb of God,” whom he said was the Messiah, Jesus (Yeshua). John said that he was baptizing with water, but that Jesus would baptize people with the Holy Spirit and fire. Jesus demonstrated baptism as a model for us, and since He was sinless, it wasn't cleansing Him of any sin. Rather it was a picture of what we needed to do to publicly declare our allegiance to Him as Messiah. It prophetically pictured what would happen to Him: His death (under the water) and resurrection (coming again out of the water). In Jesus' baptism, we also see the transition from his physical, earthly parents into a sonship and relationship with the Father in heaven: “this is my beloved son, in whom I am well-pleased.”


I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me comes one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor, gathering his wheat into the barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”

Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. But John tried to deter him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?”

Jesus replied, “Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.” Then John consented. (Matt. 3:11-15)


  1. Jesus Commanded it (Matt. 28:13-20) – Jesus not only modeled baptism, but prescribed it as a necessary step for all of his followers, along with everything that He has commanded the disciples. In other words, we are not exempt from anything that He taught and told His disciples to do (heal the sick, raise the dead, cast out demons, love one another, etc.). He explicitly told them to teach all the generations of believers to do everything that he showed them. In fact, Jesus even said that we would do greater things than He did. (John 14:12)


All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 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 have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matt.28:18-20)






  1. It pictures death & resurrection and a purification from evil and sin (Romans 6; Colossians 3) – Jesus' death and resurrection is a powerful illustration of how we live victoriously in our Christian walk. We are buried with Him in His death and we are raised with Him in His resurrection. We die to the old life – weak, full of sin, the Curse, sickness, death, and demonic strongholds; and we are born-again and resurrected to the new life that He gives to us. In fact He lives inside of us by the Holy Spirit, empowering us to overcome sin and all its effects.

Or have you forgotten that all of us who were immersed (baptized) into union with Jesus, the Anointed One, were immersed into union with his death? Sharing in his death by our baptism means that we were co-buried with him, so that when the Father’s glory raised Christ from the dead, we were also raised with him. We have been co-resurrected with him so that we could be empowered to walk in the freshness of new life. For since we are permanently grafted into him to experience a death like his, then we are permanently grafted into him to experience a resurrection like his and the new life that it imparts. Could it be any clearer that our former identity is now and forever deprived of its power? For we were co-crucified with him to dismantle the stronghold of sin within us, so that we would not continue to live one moment longer submitted to sin’s power...So let it be the same way with you! Since you are now joined with him, you must continually view yourselves as dead and unresponsive to sin’s appeal while living daily for God’s pleasure in union with Jesus, the Anointed One.” (Romans 6:3-11)


[Noah] went and proclaimed God’s salvation to earlier generations who ended up in the prison of judgment because they wouldn’t listen. You know, even though God waited patiently all the days that Noah built his ship, only a few were saved then, eight to be exact—saved from the water by the water. The waters of baptism do that for you, not by washing away dirt from your skin but by presenting you through Jesus’ resurrection before God with a clear conscience. Jesus has the last word on everything and everyone, from angels to armies. He’s standing right alongside God, and what he says goes.” - 1 Peter 3:21


  1. It parallels a baptism in the Holy Spirit (Acts 19; Acts 2) – John the baptizer indicated that his water baptism was limited, but that Jesus would immerse (baptize) us with the Holy Spirit and with fire. The first fruits of the Holy Spirit include boldness – this comes through His love that casts out all fear (1 John 4:18). He also prophesied about “the last days” - which are the days in which we live. He said that He would pour out His Spirit upon all flesh, and give us supernatural insight (revelation) so we could live with confidence, wisdom, and power in times when evil surrounds us. He wants us to have hope and live in His power, overcoming evil and its effects until He returns. He will return in the same way that He left/ascended into heaven.


Paul said, “John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to beieve in the one coming after him, that is, in Jesus.” On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied. There were about twelve men in all.” - Acts 19:4-7

"But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)


“‘In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people, Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy. I will show wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below, blood and fire and billows of smoke.

The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord. And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’ (Acts 2:17-21)

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