WHAT                     

• 77 TIMES NT
• BAPTISM COMES FROM THE WORD BAPTIZO
• DIP/DUNK-IMMERSE/DROWN-BLEACHING
• A RE-DYEING OF A FABRIC
• WE DO BAPTIZE IN OTHER WAYS
• ANCIENT DOCUMENT CALLED DIDACHE’ WHICH ALLOWED FOR VARIOUS REASONS DIFF METHODS
• PHYSICAL OUTWARD EXPRESSION-
• OF AN INWARD SPIRITUAL WORK
• SOMETHING INSIDE OH NOT SOMETHING SOMEONE MOVES IN AND YOU HAVE TO OUTWARDLY GIVE TESTIMONY TO THAT.
• ONE OF 2 SACRAMENTS THE COTN PARTICPATES IN
• COMMUNION-BAPTISM (WHY- JESUS PARTICIPATED)

 PICTURE OF GIRL CELEBRATING

• NOTICE I USED THE WORD PARTICIPATE
• SCRIPTURE ALMOST NO UNBAPTIZED CHRISTIANS

WHY 

SCRIPTURE MATTHEW 3:13-14

  “THEN JESUS CAME FROM GALILEE TO THE JORDAN TO BE BAPTIZED BY JOHN. BUT JOHN TRIES TO DETER HIM, SAYING, “I NEED TO BE BAPTIZED BY YOU, AND DO YOU COME TO ME?”

MATTHEW 3:15

  15. “JESUS REPLIED, “LET IT BE SO NOW; IT IS PROPER FOR US TO DO THIS TO FULFILL ALL RIGHTEOUSNESS.”

THEN JOHN CONSENTED.”

SCRIPTURE MATTHEW 3:16

  16. “AS SOON AS JESUS WAS BAPTIZED, HE WENT UP OUT OF THE WATER. AT THAT MOMENT HEAVEN WAS OPENED, AND HE SAW THE SPIRIT OF GOD DESCENDING LIKE A DOVE AND ALIGHTING ON HIM.”

SCRIPTURE MATTHEW 3:17

  17. “AND A VOICE FROM HEAVEN SAID, “THIS IS MY SON, WHOM I LOVE; WITH HIM I AM WELL PLEASED.”

   1. WE FOLLOW JESUS EXAMPLE

   2. WE UNITE WITH THE BODY OF CHRIST

   3. WE OBEY THE COMMAND OF JESUS

HE DOESN’T SUGGEST IT- SAY PONDER IT- MAYBE

GREAT COMMISION- GO MAKE DISCIPLES-BAPTIZE THEM

WHO– ANY WHO ARE SAVED                         

• BIBLE KNOWS ALMOST NO EXAMPLES OF UNBAPTZED BELIEVERS (THIEF ON THE CROSS?)
• ALMOST LIKE AN OXYMORON

 ELEPHANT- ROPE

• BABY ELEPHANT- ROPE
• ADULT ELEPHANT- SAME ROPE
• THEY BELIEVE THAY ARE STILL IN BONDAGE

PAUL SAYS “DIVERSE COMMUNITY OF JEWS AND GENTILES

SCRIPTURE ROMANS 6:1

1. “WELL THEN SHOULD WE KEEP ON SINNING SO THAT GOD CAN SHOW US MORE AND MORE OF HIS WONDERFUL GRACE?

IF MORE SIN RESULTS IN MORE GRACE- KEEP SINNING

SCRIPTURE ROMANS 6:2

• OF COURSE NOT! SINCE WE HAVE DIED TO SIN, HOW CAN WE CONTINUE TO LIVE IN IT?

“BY NO MEANS” LET IT NEVER COME TO PASS

GRACE IS A LIFELINE NOT A LOOPHOLE.

• SAVED GRACE THROUGH FAITH

PAUL SAYS “ITS NOT JUST A GET OUT OF JAIL FREE CARD-

 SCRIPTURE ROMANS 6:3.                              

• OR HAVE YOU FORGOTTEN THAT WHEN WE WERE JOINED WITH CHRIST JESUS IN BAPTISM, WE JOINED HIM IN HIS DEATH.  (THINK ABOUT YOUR BAPTISM)

SCRIPTURE ROMANS 6:4

• FOR WE DIED AND WERE BURIED WITH CHRIST BY BAPTISM. AND JUST AS CHRIST WAS RAISED FROM THE DEAD BY THE GLORIOUS POWER OF THE FATHER, NOW WE ALSO MAY LIVE NEW LIVES.

WHEN – WHEN YOU ARE SAVED

MANY OF US ARE COMFORTABLE WITH FORGIVENESS

WE HESITATE TO EMBRACE TRANSFORMATION

• OUR PREVIOUS CONDITION CANNOT HOLD ME ANYMORE
• MANY OF US AREN’T LIVING AS FREE AS WE ACTUALLY ARE
• WE ATTEND CHURCH-SMALL GROUP-BIBLE STUDY- STILL LIVE WITH A ROPE AROUND OUR FOOT
• WE LIKE JESUS- JUST DON’T WANT TO BECOME LIKE HIM
• JESUS DIDN’T COME TO BRING PARTIAL HEALING
• HE CAME TO SET US COMPLETELY FREE
• LANGAUGE HERE IS EXECUTION LANGUAGE

PICTURE OF BAPTISM                                  

• COMMUNITY CELEBRATES TOGETHER

POPCORN -BAG

• LET’S CELEBRATE AS A COMMUNITY WHO ARE SAYING- IM DONE WITH THAT CAPTIVITY

• WE WERE ALL SINNERS IN NEED OF GRACE

https://www.bible.com/events/49559466

Church of the Nazarene – East Rockingham Campus 

Relationships Righted Part 1 

It’s not about you… 

Today we are starting a new teaching series called Relationships Righted. Over the next few weeks we will seek to apply biblical relationship building skills to a variety of our everyday relationships. 

In the Gospel of Matthew, a religious expert approached Jesus and wanted to know what the most important commandment was, what’s the number one thing we should do. 

Jesus Answers in Matthew 22:37 “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 

Jesus answers with two relationships 

Love God with your all, and love your neighbor. The most important things according to Jesus, are found in relationship. 

Friends, our relationship report card matters, because your relationships matter to the Lord. That’s why we are talking about Relationships Righted. 

Stephen Kendrick says “Almost every sinful action ever committed can be traced back to a selfish motive. It is a trait we hate in other people but justify in ourselves.” 

‭‭Luke‬ ‭22‬:‭19‬-‭24‬‬ 

And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you. But the hand of him who is going to betray me is with mine on the table. The Son of Man will go as it has been decreed. But woe to that man who betrays him!” They began to question among themselves which of them it might be who would do this. A dispute also arose among them as to which of them was considered to be greatest. 

Jesus has been talking about his death. He gives them communion, something so significant, we are still celebrating it today, 2000 years later. 

They find out that one of their own is a betrayer, a snake in the grass. 

And after this, the disciples get into an argument about who was top dog. At the table of the last supper, they are arguing about who was going to be the greatest. 

The reality for most of us is that selfishness, or about me thinking, can easily creep into our relationships. 

‭‭John‬ ‭13‬:‭3‬-‭5‬‬ 

Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him. 

As much as I might imagine Jesus in the facepalm position, I believe this is how he responded to the disciples argument about who was going to be the greatest. 

Jesus, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, hours before his own death, listening to his best friends argue about who was going to have the best position in his kingdom- Rather than flipping the table and yelling at them, puts on the uniform of a house servant, and washes their feet. 

Jesus shows them that relationships righted are based in humility, selflessness, and serving. 

‭‭John‬ ‭13‬:‭34‬-‭35‬‬ 

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” 

‭‭Philippians‬ ‭2‬:‭5‬-‭8‬‬ 

In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross! 

How do we do relationships right? Engage them with the same mindset as Christ. 

Jesus said: As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 

Today’s message is a conversation about Nehemiah and the story in the Bible about him rebuilding the wall and why this series was chosen to start the year.

“Eliashib the high priest and his fellow priests went to work and rebuilt the Sheep Gate. They dedicated it and set its doors in place, building as far as the Tower of the Hundred, which they dedicated, and as far as the Tower of Hananel. The men of Jericho built the adjoining section, and Zakkur son of Imri built next to them. The Fish Gate was rebuilt by the sons of Hassenaah. They laid its beams and put its doors and bolts and bars in place. Meremoth son of Uriah, the son of Hakkoz, repaired the next section. Next to him Meshullam son of Berekiah, the son of Meshezabel, made repairs, and next to him Zadok son of Baana also made repairs. The next section was repaired by the men of Tekoa, but their nobles would not put their shoulders to the work under their supervisors. The Jeshanah Gate was repaired by Joiada son of Paseah and Meshullam son of Besodeiah. They laid its beams and put its doors with their bolts and bars in place. Next to them, repairs were made by men from Gibeon and Mizpah—Melatiah of Gibeon and Jadon of Meronoth—places under the authority of the governor of Trans-Euphrates. Uzziel son of Harhaiah, one of the goldsmiths, repaired the next section; and Hananiah, one of the perfume-makers, made repairs next to that. They restored Jerusalem as far as the Broad Wall. Rephaiah son of Hur, ruler of a half-district of Jerusalem, repaired the next section. Adjoining this, Jedaiah son of Harumaph made repairs opposite his house, and Hattush son of Hashabneiah made repairs next to him. Malkijah son of Harim and Hasshub son of Pahath-Moab repaired another section and the Tower of the Ovens. Shallum son of Hallohesh, ruler of a half-district of Jerusalem, repaired the next section with the help of his daughters. The Valley Gate was repaired by Hanun and the residents of Zanoah. They rebuilt it and put its doors with their bolts and bars in place. They also repaired a thousand cubits of the wall as far as the Dung Gate. The Dung Gate was repaired by Malkijah son of Rekab, ruler of the district of Beth Hakkerem. He rebuilt it and put its doors with their bolts and bars in place. The Fountain Gate was repaired by Shallun son of Kol-Hozeh, ruler of the district of Mizpah. He rebuilt it, roofing it over and putting its doors and bolts and bars in place. He also repaired the wall of the Pool of Siloam, by the King’s Garden, as far as the steps going down from the City of David. Beyond him, Nehemiah son of Azbuk, ruler of a half-district of Beth Zur, made repairs up to a point opposite the tombs of David, as far as the artificial pool and the House of the Heroes. Next to him, the repairs were made by the Levites under Rehum son of Bani. Beside him, Hashabiah, ruler of half the district of Keilah, carried out repairs for his district. Next to him, the repairs were made by their fellow Levites under Binnui son of Henadad, ruler of the other half-district of Keilah. Next to him, Ezer son of Jeshua, ruler of Mizpah, repaired another section, from a point facing the ascent to the armory as far as the angle of the wall. Next to him, Baruch son of Zabbai zealously repaired another section, from the angle to the entrance of the house of Eliashib the high priest. Next to him, Meremoth son of Uriah, the son of Hakkoz, repaired another section, from the entrance of Eliashib’s house to the end of it. The repairs next to him were made by the priests from the surrounding region. Beyond them, Benjamin and Hasshub made repairs in front of their house; and next to them, Azariah son of Maaseiah, the son of Ananiah, made repairs beside his house. Next to him, Binnui son of Henadad repaired another section, from Azariah’s house to the angle and the corner, and Palal son of Uzai worked opposite the angle and the tower projecting from the upper palace near the court of the guard. Next to him, Pedaiah son of Parosh and the temple servants living on the hill of Ophel made repairs up to a point opposite the Water Gate toward the east and the projecting tower. Next to them, the men of Tekoa repaired another section, from the great projecting tower to the wall of Ophel. Above the Horse Gate, the priests made repairs, each in front of his own house. Next to them, Zadok son of Immer made repairs opposite his house. Next to him, Shemaiah son of Shekaniah, the guard at the East Gate, made repairs. Next to him, Hananiah son of Shelemiah, and Hanun, the sixth son of Zalaph, repaired another section. Next to them, Meshullam son of Berekiah made repairs opposite his living quarters. Next to him, Malkijah, one of the goldsmiths, made repairs as far as the house of the temple servants and the merchants, opposite the Inspection Gate, and as far as the room above the corner; and between the room above the corner and the Sheep Gate the goldsmiths and merchants made repairs.”

‭‭Nehemiah‬ ‭3‬:‭1‬-‭32‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Winter Retreat: Locals 

“He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” 

‭‭Micah‬ ‭6‬:‭8‬ ‭ 

“He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. He stood up to read, and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written: “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him. He began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.” All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his lips. “Isn’t this Joseph’s son?” they asked. Jesus said to them, “Surely you will quote this proverb to me: ‘Physician, heal yourself!’ And you will tell me, ‘Do here in your hometown what we have heard that you did in Capernaum.’ ” “Truly I tell you,” he continued, “no prophet is accepted in his hometown. I assure you that there were many widows in Israel in Elijah’s time, when the sky was shut for three and a half years and there was a severe famine throughout the land. Yet Elijah was not sent to any of them, but to a widow in Zarephath in the region of Sidon. And there were many in Israel with leprosy in the time of Elisha the prophet, yet not one of them was cleansed—only Naaman the Syrian.” All the people in the synagogue were furious when they heard this. They got up, drove him out of the town, and took him to the brow of the hill on which the town was built, in order to throw him off the cliff. But he walked right through the crowd and went on his way.” 

‭‭Luke‬ ‭4‬:‭16‬-‭30‬ ‭ 

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” 

‭‭John‬ ‭3‬:‭16‬-‭17‬ ‭ 

““You do not want to leave too, do you?” Jesus asked the Twelve. Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.” 

‭‭John‬ ‭6‬:‭67‬-‭68‬ 

https://www.bible.com/events/49551892

Church of the Nazarene – East Rockingham Campus 

Rebuilding: The Legacy of Nehemiah Part 3 

Responding to resistance. 

Today are continuing our first teaching series for the new year called “Rebuilding: The Legacy of Nehemiah.” 

To rebuild can mean to make extensive repairs, or to restore something back to a previous state. To simply build again. 

As we continue in Nehemiah, we are looking at the middle of the rebuilding story to see the importance of a prayerful and practical response to resistance. 

‭‭Nehemiah‬ ‭4‬:‭1‬-‭3‬‬ 

When Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, he became angry and was greatly incensed. He ridiculed the Jews, and in the presence of his associates and the army of Samaria, he said, “What are those feeble Jews doing? Will they restore their wall? Will they offer sacrifices? Will they finish in a day? Can they bring the stones back to life from those heaps of rubble—burned as they are?” Tobiah the Ammonite, who was at his side, said, “What they are building—even a fox climbing up on it would break down their wall of stones!” 

Whenever you are following the Lord’s plan of rebuilding for your life, you will face resistance. 

The first resistance we see here in the middle of Nehemiah’s rebuilding story comes from two enemies, Sanballat and Tobiah. They show up and are harassing the people of God, calling his plans and their abilities into question. 

‭‭Nehemiah‬ ‭4‬:‭4‬-‭6‬‬ 

Hear us, our God, for we are despised. Turn their insults back on their own heads. Give them over as plunder in a land of captivity. Do not cover up their guilt or blot out their sins from your sight, for they have thrown insults in the face of the builders. So we rebuilt the wall till all of it reached half its height, for the people worked with all their heart. 

Nehemiah made the resistance a matter of prayer and he kept on working. He did not allow resistance from enemies to distract him from the work God had called them to do. 

In verses 7-8 Sanballat and Tobiah round up some friends to come and stir up trouble, they were planning an attack against Jerusalem. Sandballat and Tobiah from the north, the Arabs from the South, The Ammonites from the east, and Ashdod from the West. Literally resistance was coming from all sides. 

‭‭Nehemiah‬ ‭4‬:‭9‬-‭12‬‬ 

But we prayed to our God and posted a guard day and night to meet this threat. Meanwhile, the people in Judah said, “The strength of the laborers is giving out, and there is so much rubble that we cannot rebuild the wall.” Also our enemies said, “Before they know it or see us, we will be right there among them and will kill them and put an end to the work.” Then the Jews who lived near them came and told us ten times over, “Wherever you turn, they will attack us.” 

Here in verse 10 we see that resistance to God’s rebuilding can come from things in the past. 

The people working on the wall are having to work through the rubble from the old walls that had been torn down years ago. 

It also comes from friends and neighbors as they repeat the threats they heard about from the enemy. Rather than being encouragers, they join voices with the enemy, adding their worry to the work. 

‭‭Nehemiah‬ ‭4‬:‭13‬-‭14‬‬ 

Therefore I stationed some of the people behind the lowest points of the wall at the exposed places, posting them by families, with their swords, spears and bows. After I looked things over, I stood up and said to the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people, “Don’t be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your families, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your homes.” 

Nehemiah specifically sends people to work on the weak places, calling them to serve together with their families. 

He reminds them that the Lord is great and awesome- he will fight for them. And he calls on the people to remember who they are fighting for. 

Whenever you are in a rebuilding season with the Lord, it’s never only about you. You are working for your family and your friends too. Future generations will be impacted by your rebuilding. 

‭‭Nehemiah‬ ‭6‬:‭15‬-‭16‬‬ 

So the wall was completed on the twenty-fifth of Elul, in fifty-two days. When all our enemies heard about this, all the surrounding nations were afraid and lost their self-confidence, because they realized that this work had been done with the help of our God. 

A wall 8’ wide, telephone pole tall, just over 2 miles long, rebuilt in just 52 days. This was nothing short of a miracle. 

From the middle to the end, with opposition from all sides, the people of God made it, and you can too. 

The big question for us today is simply this: How are you going to respond to the resistance? 

The rebuilding legacy of Nehemiah offers us a few practical tools and weapons to face our resistance. Remember the word BRICK. 

B- Balance. Rebuilding takes faith AND action. 

R- Remember The Lord. 

I- Intense Focus. 

C- Community Defense. 

K- Keep Going!