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men I am so glad that you guys are here
today if you can’t tell we are fired up
because today is flood Sunday that’s uh
Mike what is flood Sunday you guys are
screaming yelling wearing all the same
t-shirts what is happening here um we’ve
been in a series called
grace like a flood and and this has been
probably the most revolutionary series
we’ve ever done because it’s talking
about the grace of God and we say that
stuff and we’ve like nothing about the
grace of God but we don’t really
understand it most of us don’t have a
real revelation that what Christ did was
not something that we have to earn for
the rest of our life it’s something that
we have to receive and live out of that
knowledge see the grace of God is the
unmerited unearned undeserved favor and
kindness of God there’s nothing you did
except believe in this gift that God
gave you and we’ve had four weeks of
washing religion off of us because some
of us were born into it like we came
into families where it was just like
it’s heaven or hell you either do
everything right are you going to hell
that was basically the gospel but it
like took Jesus out of it like like if
you read the Bible it tells us all of
sinned and fallen short of the glory of
God but and we know the wages of sin is
death but it’s like we stopped at that
part of the scripture the rest of the
scripture says but the free gift of God
now how many of us like free gifts now
come on now I don’t care how rich you
are a freak
the free gift of God is eternal life
through Christ Jesus and that’s what we
call Amazing Grace and so we’ve been in
four weeks of this series and the series
is not over I still got three more
messages in this series that’s gonna
make your eyebrows peel off
no I’m serious these next three crazy
but I thought we would take a pause in
this series and give people who have
received the grace of God really not not
just I said the prayer and I’ll walk the
line and I’m saved because I just don’t
want to go to hell not bad like really
received what God has done for them give
them an opportunity to make the next
step in their salvation through water
baptism so what we did is we took a
whole Sunday this is my message right
now if you if you’re looking for
something else you ain’t getting it
today cuz cuz in about 20 minutes we’re
going outside and there’s gonna there’s
40-plus people who’ve already signed up
and said you know what I made it
official y’all can do better than that
i’ma go public and so at this church
vision is to represent what would be
better then on one of the hottest days
of the summer when it’s spring it really
is summer though in the hottest days of
spring go outside and get uncomfortable
and watch people come to life in Christ
yeah and and I know and I know I know
you came in just to get your three
points in a poem and go about your
religious duties this way but for some
people they can’t go another day without
acknowledging what Christ did for them
and identifying with that thing and so
today we are going to see people come
alive in Christ but but I would think it
would be not wise of us to give some
explanation to what we’re gonna do
because the Bible tells us in all your
getting get an understanding and there’s
too many believers just doing stuff they
don’t even know why they doing it
there’s what we’re doing you okay and
and and then there’s two problems with
that because you can never give it to
anybody else if you don’t understand it
and then you can be led astray because
you don’t know you’ve never studied to
show yourself approved you don’t know
what the truth is and so what is the
truth it’s the Word of God we anchor
back to the Word of God if you ever hear
me teaching something that’s off and
goes against the Word of God get up out
of here do you hear what I’m saying
because because if it’s not the Word of
God then it’s just made-up opinion but
this thing is going to bring us life and
so I titled today’s talk cuz it’s not
gonna be a whole message because they
only gave me like 15 minutes so I’m
gonna title today’s talk why water
baptism if we could just answer the
question why then I think a lot of
people would move past their fears their
insecurities that they hair might get
wet and would really take the step and
get baptized and my prayer today is that
every person who has received salvation
receive the free gift of God would take
the next step on your journey and get
baptized with water now Pastor Mike I
was I was three years old and I got
pictures I was baptized in water they
kept they sprinkled me and there’s so
many different ways and all this other
stuff the only problem is you didn’t
know what you were doing then you had no
under and all you’re getting get in like
like and there’s other religions that
believes like you got to get your kid
baptized immediately because then
they’ll go to heaven and all that
there’s that’s nowhere in the scriptures
what God wants you to do is have an
understanding to what you’re doing so
today I’m gonna try to give you an
understanding at a very short amount of
time so we’re going to school y’all
gotta stay with me so that we can get
through this and they don’t cut my mic
off okay
but as I was thinking about this I get
cultural references like I’m I’m in the
world but I’m not of it so I recognize
things that happen and when I was
thinking how do I represent baptism I I
went back to 2014 Super Bowl and the
Seahawks were in the Super Bowl and the
Seahawks have running back at the time
name Marshawn Lynch and and Marshawn
Lynch he was beast mode on the field but
he didn’t like to talk a lot and so they
were doing an interview with hundreds of
people and he was literally on the
podium not answering anybody’s questions
and so after about six questions he
walks off the podium and everybody’s
upset and frustrated and Deion Sanders
on prime-time Dallas Cowboys
championship excuse me excuse me I don’t
know where that came from my spirit it’s
been so long since we want anything just
got to go back but uh but but he was
standing off the side of the stage and
he asked him he said it just seems like
you you don’t like to talk that much and
he had a one-sentence response he said
I’m just about that action
and for everybody who doesn’t understand
that like what he’s about is about he
he’s just about that action okay let me
break that down what that means is he
would rather act on something then talk
about it and so when I thought about
what should be the title of my water
baptism thunk cuz y’all know I couldn’t
just why why water baptism you know I
can’t just do it like that
so the subtitle of this message is I’m
about that action now like that I’ll see
you in the bag you like that your
Seahawks fan okay somebody say I’m about
that action some of you like oh my god
that’s Ebonics I wish never say that
okay but this is what this is what I
want you to understand that baptism is
about an action that identifies us with
what we believe let me say it a
different way
baptism is the deed that expresses what
we believe and so after we recognize
what God has done for us baptism is an
action of obedience point 1 baptism is
an action of obedience what you gotta
realize is that when Jesus was on this
earth
they recorded almost everything that he
said from about five different people’s
opinions a lot in the Gospels and and
then and then it goes on through the New
Testament and and one of the last things
recorded that Jesus ever said now this
is his this is his goodbye speech okay
this is the last thing he ever gets to
say on the earth to his eleven disciples
at the time and look what he says in
Matthew 28:19 he says guys this is a
huddle up last instructions I want
everybody to go everybody say go and
then he says I want you to make
disciples of all nations baptizing like
I want everybody to see out of
everything he can said he said he could
have said I want you to go make
disciples and build churches he said I
want you to go I want you to make
disciples and make sure everybody has
like a chain with my face on it like a
Jesus feet
Jesus pieces he didn’t say that
what did he say I want you to go make
disciples of all nations what did he say
baptizing them in the name of the Father
the Son and the Holy
he basically tells his disciples y’all I
know I said a lot this past three years
and if you don’t remember everything
that I say it’s okay
try to tell them everything that you
remember but but make sure once they
start believing and they want to follow
me and they want to be my disciple it’s
not enough for them to just believe it
in their head I want it to drop down to
their heart and when something drops
down to your heart there’s always
corresponding action with it so I want
to see the the inward work manifests in
an outward declaration so that’s what
baptism is if Jesus really really is
what you say he is he my lord he my
Savior he my everything he my boyfriend
my because you know everybody just if
he’s really that be about that action
like let’s stop talking about it have
you ever been in school and this is bad
so don’t don’t do this but I went to a
public school and they used to fight
sometimes and I hated the fights where
they wouldn’t do nothing bro get off me
bro get off me bro get off me bro get
off me bro get off and then somebody
will yell stop talking about it
be a bat like that and then they would
want somebody to throw a punch and then
a school teacher somebody would come
around and they would never really fight
but that’s like many believers that we
talk about following the Bible and we
talk about our example in Jesus but we
never actually get around to doing what
he said transformation church is not a
church that just uses the message of the
Bible we use the method of the Bible
and there’s too many churches out here
using the message but they do whatever
they want and this is the last
instruction of Jesus go make disciples
baptize them in the name of the Father
Son and the Holy Spirit
so baptism first point is an action of
obedience second point baptism is an
action of identification see you are
identified with Christ when you were
baptized and this started back in the
day there was a man named John and John
he he was like the first evangelist like
like John was go around and he would
just stop in places and start telling
people like public squares and would
just start telling people about what God
was doing and and it was so cool because
seven hundred years earlier there was a
prophet named Isaiah and Isaiah
prophesied that there would be one and
he said it he put this imagery he said
he would be like a voice shouting in the
wilderness prepare the way of the Lord
and that’s what who John was and so John
will go to these public squares with all
of this water and all these people would
show up and this is the crazy thing he
only had one message with three points
and it never changed and people kept
showing up just think about me having
one message 52 weeks out of the whole
year I’m preaching one message with the
same three points and people kept coming
and let me tell you his message I wish I
could do this one day good morning
church I got the same message as I had
yesterday point one repent yep
turn from whatever you’re doing that’s
not like God just turn from that because
that’s all the word means is turn we
make it so deep but if you’re going the
wrong way and you’re doing things wrong
just turn repent and then this second
point write this down on your tablets
turn to God don’t just turn to anything
because a lot of times we can turn to
other stuff
we say we repent but we turn to a
relationship we say we repent and we’re
not doing this but then we turn to money
or return he said repent first turn but
let me give you some more specific
directions turn to God point 3 get
baptized that was his whole message and
thousands of people every time he did
this were getting baptized but there was
so funny thing about this word because
in the original Greek the word is
baptism and this word was a cultural
word it wasn’t a spiritual word first it
was a cultural word so I want you to
imagine this they’re down at the
riverbank or they’re down at the ocean
and and John steps in the water about
waist-deep
he says his message but as people are
watching there are people at this
riverbank
washing their clothes there’s people
taking baths
will he be quiet I’m just trying to oh
my god I want you to think they didn’t
have any this was the public body of
water and he’s telling them to do what
they’re already doing cuz the word
baptizo let me tell you means to immerse
to cleanse by dripping or submerging to
wash to make clean with water to wash
oneself to bathe so just imagine in
their unspiritual natural minds there’s
a guy standing out there saying repent
turn to God wash yourselves baptized Oh
cleanse yourself why is yelling wash
yourself but this is what you have to
understand that there were certain
people that were getting a revelation
and revelation all it means is a
revealed truth it’s there everybody’s
hearing it but some people are getting
me and there were people getting it and
to be able to differentiate what’s
baptized oh they were talking about
whether they talking about just washing
something because that was a common term
or being washed of something how they
identified that is if they went into the
water and let John baptize them did
this is where water baptism came from so
they said either they used it as a
cultural term like girl don’t don’t
worry tonight I’m gonna be my hair is
gonna be baptism is gonna be late don’t
worry like either it was a cultural
return it was like yo I hear what he’s
saying and something in me resonates
with that I believe that that the
kingdom is at hand and something in me
is saying I want to be baptized Oh today
I want to be watched today I want to be
cleaned and they would go out to the
water just like many of you will in just
a few moments that you’re saying
something Pastor Mike is saying is
identifying my heart is beating or that
there’s something in me that’s saying
you know what today I want to be
baptized because identify with the
message it was an identifying mark of
what you were leaning towards culture or
God and I want you to see that that’s
the same thing that’s happening right
now that God we about to be off on the
side of a street anybody can walk by
even your ex-girlfriend your ex-husband
your friends from your coworker
but these people said I don’t care who
sees I identify with the gospel that is
being told to me and I want everybody to
know it and that’s where it identified
you with what you believed write this
down cuz this is so powerful baptism is
a public declaration of a new
Association and I’m telling everybody
about my new association with God and
say people how you gonna be in saved for
50 years and never told nobody out loud
now just think about it if I was married
to my wife but nobody knew how would
that make her feel how would that make
me look like and that’s the thing us
being baptized today is us receiving the
grace of God but saying this is too good
to keep to myself I gotta let everybody
who don’t even want to know have you
ever seen people freshly in love and
they’re like I’m in love
I’m in love and they walk around and
they hug and they kiss in public and
they do all this because they don’t care
who see the same way that when God takes
our sin looks at all of our faults and
looks beyond it and sees our need and
sent his son to the cross and wiped away
our debt for eternity and we’re able to
stand redeemed of righteous stuff saved
[Music]
this is too good to keep to myself
that’s why they call the gospel good
it’s not you going to hell it’s God
saved me that’s the good news
so what ends up happening here is just
like this ring it’s a public declaration
of my association with my wife if I
don’t wear this ring I’m still
associated with her but you don’t know
it and because I love her so much I want
everybody to know it and it should
change our conversation
[Music]
now I know you think I’m fine but you
better not step to me after you see this
ring because that’s a change the way
that we community is to change your
expectation it should change the
understand my association when you see
it when you get don’t it should change
how people interact with you it should
shake because I’m going public with
what’s happened on the inside of you and
so when we think about baptism and these
tons of people getting baptized with
John saying hey I need you to identify
with either culture or God
tons of people did it every day and this
is where he gets the name John the
ding-ding-ding-ding and so imagine this
he’s baptizing people midday comes and
he’s like y’all I need to take a water
break you get it water cuz he was ok
never mind he takes a break and he
begins to tell these guys he’s like
y’all today is phenomenal he was like
look at all these people who trusted all
these people who believed look at all
these people who are identifying with
the truth he said but man yo y’all get
ready Matthew 3:11 it says i baptize
with water those who repent of their
sins and turn to God but someone is
coming oh he’s coming and he’s greater
than I and they like naw bro
ain’t nobody greater than you John the
Baptist and he said y’all don’t even
understand he’s so much greater that I’m
not even worthy to be his slave and
carry his sandals and y’all know I don’t
do feet but I would carry his sandals
and I wouldn’t be worthy of that he will
baptize you with the Holy Spirit and
Fire
now imagine him telling his group his
baptizing committee this story and as
he’s talking Jesus walks up like this is
what happened and he says a matter of
fact there he is right there and they’re
like oh and they’re like what does he
want what is it is it over is it do we
well I bet there was Dane sayers and
naysayers and all this other stuff and
Jesus said I came to get baptized by
John John’s like you you already know I
can’t baptize you matter of fact yes sir
I do you need to baptize me he said no
no no look at verse 15 but jesus said it
should be done now
either Jesus is our example or he’s not
and if he says would everybody agree
Jesus isn’t our is our example
okay so then jesus said when he’s
telling them no we don’t need to do this
you need to baptize me he said jesus
said it should be done somebody say it
should be done for we must carry out all
that God requires and this is the thing
that you got to realize that there steps
to this journey after you receive God
says hey this should be done this is
something that God requires if you have
the opportunity to do it I want you to
progress in your relationship I want you
to be baptized and so John agreed and
baptized him this is probably my
favorite part in the scripture because I
don’t want you to miss this and how
powerful this is that Jesus did not ask
us as sinners to identify only with him
by his act of baptism he said I’ll never
make my kids do something I won’t do
first and so he identifies with us as
sinners and he gets baptized I have to
get back he was God he was baptized him
in the name of me me and me Father Son
and Holy the understand he didn’t have
to do it but he did it as our everybody
say example and he said it should be
done or I feel the presence of God
and as we think about this he identifies
us with us remember second Corinthians
5:21 for he made him who knew no sin to
be sin for us that we might become the
righteousness of God why get baptized
baptism is an acts of definition it’s a
defining moment in your life people that
are about to make this decision they’ll
never forget it the rest of their life
they’re gonna say that was the day
what’s today’s date May 27 May 27th my
old man died and a new one came to life
for me yeah oh y’all better help me this
is a day of definite yeah touched you
out last night at 12:01 but today I use
less words do you hear what I’m saying
cuz I’m good coming on new creation and
what I’m saying is everything doesn’t
change that’s why we have to be
transformed by the renewing that’s a
continual process that’s why you got to
get here and be a part of small groups
and get in a life-giving church because
you’re gonna continue to be renewed but
something happened and this what
happened to tons of people in the Bible
it happened to the the eunuch who the
Ethiopian eunuch in act 16 he got saved
and he the next thing he did he said um
I’m not supposed to get baptized and he
said yeah but we want to make sure that
it’s all good for you he said ain’t that
some water over there stop the buggy I
gotta go get what must I do there seemed
to be an urgency to make sure that I
obeyed and I identified with the one who
saved me
and he did that the same thing happen
for a jailer who Paul and Silas was in
prison and they were sharing the gospel
and the man who was supposed to keep
them chained not free and he got saved
and he believed went home and told this
family and the whole family Jerome
Kiki John see everybody come on we all
go and get baptized right now all I’m
saying is it was it was not a long
process between believing and
identifying what what happened this is a
defining moment the last thing you need
to do why baptism why should you would
be about that action cuz this is a
action of renewal it makes everything
come to life Romans 6:1 in 4 tells us
that when we go down we identify with
Christ in his death and when we come up
we identify with his resurrection and
then we have the power to live you want
to know how you’re gonna be everything
God called you to be you have to be
renewed Galatians 3:27 and it says and
all everybody say all and all who have
been UNIF united with Christ in Baptism
have put on Christ like putting on new
clothes now I don’t know about you but I
like popping tags I like new clothes and
God says that there is not a cleaner
outfit on you then when you go down and
you come up you put on those you put on
the robe of Christ
and then you you may know this scripture
and now hopefully it makes complete
sense second Corinthians 5:17 therefore
if any man any more men be in what you
put it on when you go down to baptisms
you get a new not just wet you get a new
jacket
it’s called Christ this is black label
it’s a new brand you can’t even just buy
it out of store you put on any man who
be in Christ you ever seen an award show
and they’re like yes that is
such-and-such and they are now wearing
Dior and they’re wearing Tommy Hilfiger
and they are they should see you and say
look at them they’re wearing Christ
any man that be in Christ he is a new
creature the old things have passed away
behold all things become when you get
baptized this is an act of renewable so
my only question why baptism cuz I’m
about that action it’s an action of
obedience
it’s an action of identifying it is an
action that every person in this room
needs to take to say you know what I’m
not just gonna stay at this place I’m
gonna do what God’s Word says and I’m
going to have a defining moment and it’s
an action of renewal today if you’re in
this room I want you to get baptized if
you’ve never been baptized if now on if
you have believed and received the grace
of God
well tell some like am I going to hell
if I don’t get baptized no because we
saw a man on the cross with Jesus he was
a thief and he believed at that moment
and she they didn’t have time to go
through some water he was hung up
my jokes are just all bad today but but
ups okay but what was God’s words to him
today you’ll be with me in paradise
but you got the time and you have no
excuse because we didn’t cancel the rest
of the service for this to happen
figured I’d be teaching another 30
minutes right now and now you can go get
baptized what I’m saying is the first
step to this progression I want you to
get saved everybody just bow your head
and close your eyes if you’re in this
woman you’ve never accepted Jesus Christ
as your personal Lord and Savior today
it’s the greatest day for you to believe
and I just want you to pray this prayer
I know you messed up and I I know that
you you’ve done some things wrong but
God says I don’t care about that I care
that you believe right now I took into
consideration all your mess ups if you
believe in my son and so today with
everybody’s head bowed and eyes closed
if that’s you and you want to make a
commitment to Christ or you want to
rededicate your life
put it back in him again I just want you
to slip your hand in the air nobody’s
looking I just want I want to see it I
see you I see you there’s hands all over
this place I see you glory to God you
could put your hands down and we’re a
family so we don’t pray alone so I want
everybody to pray this prayer together
everybody just say God I need you to
come into my life and renew me
I believe you lived and you died for me
to come alive transform you renew me I’m
yours
and I am saved
in Jesus name Amen can we give God a
shot all those people all over them oh
come on that’s the land hallelujah