Theme verse for this series:
1 Peter 3:15-16 [NLT] Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your hope as a believer, always be ready to explain it. 16 But do this in a gentle and respectful way.
Truth #6: THE ORDINANCES OF THE CHURCH
BAPTISM IN WATER
The ordinance of baptism by immersion is commanded in the Scriptures. All who repent and believe on Christ as Savior and Lord are to be baptized. Thus, they declare to the world that they have died with Christ and that they also have been raised with Him to walk in newness of life
Matthew 28:19 [NLT] Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
HOLY COMMUNION
The Lord’s Supper, consisting of the elements—bread and the fruit of the vine—is the symbol expressing our sharing the divine nature of our Lord Jesus Christ, a memorial of His suffering and death, and a prophecy of His second coming, and is encouraged for all believers “till He comes!”
1 Corinthians 11:26 [NLT] For every time you eat this bread and drink this cup, you are announcing the Lord’s death until he comes again.
What does ordinance mean?
The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines ordinance as a prescribed usage, practice, or ceremony.
What is the difference between a sacrament and an ordinance?
A sacrament is a religious practice that one believes imparts a special benefit or blessing upon the one who practices it.
The Assemblies of God believe that these two practices are ordinances, not sacraments.
Water Baptism
WATER BAPTISM is a ceremony or an ordinance that symbolizes the beginning of our new lives in Jesus. (Romans 6:1-4)
Why water?
Water is a symbol of cleansing.
• Leviticus 14:8-9
• Ephesians 5:25-27Water is a symbol of judgment.
• Noah and the Flood.
• 1 Peter 3:20-21
Who should be baptized in water?
The pattern in the New Testament is to confess our sins, repent of our sins, and then be baptized.
• Matthew 3:6
• Acts 8:12What about infant baptism?
• At Calvary, we do not practice infant baptism because we believe that the Bible teaches that baptism is for believers.
• We do practice child dedication.
What does water baptism symbolize?
Death
Resurrection
New Life
Cleansing from sin
Should we be immersed or sprinkled?
The biblical pattern is total immersion.
• Matthew 3:16
• Acts 8:36-38
Why is it important to be baptized in water?
Obedience to Jesus’s commands. (Matthew 28:19)
Public testimony of your faith.
The Lord’s Supper or Communion
The Lord’s Supper is a symbolic representation of our participation in Jesus’s death on the cross.
The bread or wafer is symbolic of the physical body of Jesus that was broken for us.
The juice in the cup is symbolic of Jesus’ blood, which was shed for us to cover our sins.
How did the celebration of the Lord’s Supper begin?
Jesus instituted this ordinance on the night before He was crucified.(Matthew 26:26-29)
Jesus encouraged us to routinely observe this ordinance to bring us back to the essentials of our faith in Him. (Luke 22:19)
Who can participate in the Lord’s Supper?
When Jesus instituted the Lord’s Supper, it was only for those who professed faith in Him.
Only Jesus followers should participate in the Lord’s Supper because the ordinance symbolizes our participation in the Lord’s death for our sins.
Why do we regularly celebrate the Lord’s Supper?
Paul quotes Jesus’s command to continue to celebrate the Lord’s Supper. (1 Corinthians 11:23-26)
It is commemorative. (Luke 22:19)
It is instructive.
It is inspirational.
It promotes thanksgiving.
It is an opportunity for fellowship.
It proclaims the new covenant.
It carries responsibility. (1 Corinthians 11:27-29)
APPLICATIONS FOR TODAY:
1. Your willingness to be baptized in water opens the door to more obedience to God.
2. You are never too old to be baptized.
3. Share the Lord’s Supper with your family.
4. Allow the Lord’s Supper to re-energize your relationship with God.
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