Baptizing Disciples
Matthew 28:18-20
We have an awesome day today! We are doing baptisms as part of the message.
I just wanted to take time to dive deeper into how critically important the concept of baptism is in following Christ. It’s about the concept, not the religious motions. It’s not about the religious activity of being dunked under water. I want you to grasp the meaning behind baptism in connection with you following Christ.
Like everything else, the church has a tendency to make baptism a religious requirement.
But, if we can grasp the concept (the idea) of baptism, it will impact every area of our life with Christ, and we will want to be baptized, and we will want to always be immersed in Christ.
The Greek verb used most often for “baptized” is BAPTIZO. But, there is another Greek word that better describes what we do here.
BAPTO – which means to be dunked briefly under water
BAPTIZO – (in the greater sense) means to be immersed to bring on a permanent change
BAPTIZO is a word of permanent identification. BAPTIZO means – we are so identified with Jesus Christ that a permanent change takes place in us. There’s a new nature – we’ve been changed permanently.
Let’s look at just two examples.
Colossians 2:12 (NLT)
12 For you were buried with Christ when you were baptized (when you were identified with Jesus by faith – you died with him [by identification]). And with him (because you have been UNITED with him by faith) you were raised to new life because you trusted the mighty power of God, who raised Christ from the dead.
Do you see the idea of being so identified with Jesus there that what he has done becomes what you have done?
Romans 6:3–5 (NLT)
3 Or have you forgotten that when we were joined with (identified with, made one with) Christ Jesus in baptism, we joined him in his death? (we became ONE with Jesus, in his death)
4 For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism (meaning, our identification with Christ, by us being immersed into Christ, by faith). And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives. (because now we live – HIS Life – In US)
5 Since we have been united (joined together) with him in his death, we will also be raised to life as he was. (Because we’ve been joined to [permanently identified with] Jesus in HIS resurrected life)
The concept of being “baptized in Christ” has the deepest possible spiritual meaning. Because of our identification with him, we now have the ability to walk in new life.
So, let’s focus today on the first and last thing Jesus did in his formal earthly ministry.
The very first thing Jesus did to begin his ministry years was to demonstrate his identification with us through his own baptism. Baptism is a word of identification. It’s becoming one, being identified with, joining in union with.
In Matthew Chapter 3, John the Baptist was baptizing people “unto repentance” to prepare the way for the coming Lord. And then, suddenly, we read:
Matthew 3:13 (NLT)
13 Then Jesus went from Galilee to the Jordan River to be baptized by John.
Jesus walked seventy miles to get to where John the Baptist was baptizing in order to get baptized himself before starting his ministry. Have you ever wondered why?
It’s a good question, and John the Baptist asked the same question.
Matthew 3:14-15 (NLT)
14 But John tried to talk him out of it. “I am the one who needs to be baptized by you,” he said, “so why are you coming to me?”
15 But Jesus said, “It should be done, for we must carry out all that God requires.” So John agreed to baptize him.
Most translations say here in verse 15 “let it be done, for us to fulfill all righteousness”
But Jesus was perfectly righteous – he had no sin. So, this was definitely not for his righteousness.
Follow me here – because this is really important. The Bible does not fully explain what Jesus means when he says we must carry out all that God requires (Matthew 3:15). But baptism is a sign of identification. Our baptism is a sign of our identification with (joined with) Jesus. So, who is Jesus being “identified with” in his baptism?
Guys, Jesus, in his baptism, is being identified with us!
It seems that Jesus, at his baptism, was beginning his full identification with us so that he could pay for our sins in our place on the cross, and beat sin, and death, and the grave – for us – and in our place – through his identification with us.
And if we can grasp how heavy that is – that the sinless Son of God was willing to be identified with sinners like us in order to save us – then maybe we can better understand how heaven responded to the baptism of Jesus.
Matthew 3:16–17 (NLT)
16 After his baptism, as Jesus came up out of the water, the heavens were opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and settling on him.
17 And a voice from heaven said, “This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy.”
These are dramatic, heaven-shaking words. First, the Holy Spirit descends on Jesus to be with him, and in him, and upon him for his earthly ministry. And then, the Father speaks from heaven and he audibly communicates his love and his joy for what the Son has willingly done in order to save all those who will be identified with him.
So, that’s the first thing Jesus did. That’s how Jesus began his earthly ministry – by identifying with us, through his baptism. And then the last thing Jesus does in his earthly ministry is to commission us to help others to be identified with Jesus through their baptism.
Jesus begins and ends his earthly ministry by driving home the importance of our identification with him (through baptism).
Not just the physical act of being dunked in water, but the true spiritual meaning of being permanently identified with Christ.
Let’s read the last words of the earthly ministry of Jesus in Matthew. It starts in Matthew 28:18 – it’s called “The Great Commission.” These are our marching orders from our Commander.
Matthew 28:18–20 (NLT)
18 Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth.
19 Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
20 Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
(If you know nothing else, if you question everything in your life about your relationship, your purpose, God’s purpose for you – this I KNOW- Jesus says “I am with you.” Period. No matter what you face, no matter what you’re going through, no matter what’s crushing down on you, Jesus is with you. Don’t ever forget that, because that is what the devil wants you to forget.)
Baptizing. This is our Great Commissioning – from Jesus – to make disciples and to baptize them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The Greek word here (in verse 19) is, again, BAPTIZO. And both ideas of baptism apply here in the Great Commission – being immersed in water – and being spiritually immersed into the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Because us being physically immersed in the water is a picture of us being spiritually immersed into the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
And notice verse 19 says make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them IN THE NAME OF the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
The phrase “in the name of” refers to the character and nature of a person, and so we are called to immerse disciples (baptize them) into the full character and nature of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and we are called to portray that by physically immersing disciples into water.
And listen, guys, that is the core idea of making disciples – immersing them in all the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are. There’s a reason God is three distinct Persons in One. Each Person of the Godhead has a distinct role. They make up One Person. (You can’t figure it out, but the Bible says this is the case.)
And just one more thing about Jesus commanding us to go and make disciples.
In the simplest terms, the word “disciple” means a follower. Here’s the full definition of a “disciple.” A disciple is a follower who walks so closely with their master that they become like him in their thinking and behavior.
A disciple begins to think like their Master.
A disciple begins to act like their Master
As they are more and more immersed (baptized) into the full character and nature of their Master.
And truly making disciples who are more and more immersed into the full character and nature of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit is one hundred percent what we are all about here.
This is who we are as a church. This is our purpose – our personality as a church, and you are about to witness people who are being baptized because they have chosen to be immersed by faith into the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
And so, what you’re about to see is an outward picture of what each of these people has chosen to be, which is identified with Jesus Christ by baptism and immersed into the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
First, this all happens spiritually – by faith. Then we put your union, your identification with Jesus Christ (and thereby the Father and the Son) on public display by baptizing you in water.
And that is what we are about to do, right now. Praise God!
I just wanted to take time to dive deeper into how critically important the concept of baptism is in following Christ. It’s about the concept, not the religious motions. It’s not about the religious activity of being dunked under water. I want you to grasp the meaning behind baptism in connection with you following Christ.
Like everything else, the church has a tendency to make baptism a religious requirement.
But, if we can grasp the concept (the idea) of baptism, it will impact every area of our life with Christ, and we will want to be baptized, and we will want to always be immersed in Christ.
The Greek verb used most often for “baptized” is BAPTIZO. But, there is another Greek word that better describes what we do here.
BAPTO – which means to be dunked briefly under water
BAPTIZO – (in the greater sense) means to be immersed to bring on a permanent change
BAPTIZO is a word of permanent identification. BAPTIZO means – we are so identified with Jesus Christ that a permanent change takes place in us. There’s a new nature – we’ve been changed permanently.
Let’s look at just two examples.
Colossians 2:12 (NLT)
12 For you were buried with Christ when you were baptized (when you were identified with Jesus by faith – you died with him [by identification]). And with him (because you have been UNITED with him by faith) you were raised to new life because you trusted the mighty power of God, who raised Christ from the dead.
Do you see the idea of being so identified with Jesus there that what he has done becomes what you have done?
Romans 6:3–5 (NLT)
3 Or have you forgotten that when we were joined with (identified with, made one with) Christ Jesus in baptism, we joined him in his death? (we became ONE with Jesus, in his death)
4 For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism (meaning, our identification with Christ, by us being immersed into Christ, by faith). And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives. (because now we live – HIS Life – In US)
5 Since we have been united (joined together) with him in his death, we will also be raised to life as he was. (Because we’ve been joined to [permanently identified with] Jesus in HIS resurrected life)
The concept of being “baptized in Christ” has the deepest possible spiritual meaning. Because of our identification with him, we now have the ability to walk in new life.
So, let’s focus today on the first and last thing Jesus did in his formal earthly ministry.
The very first thing Jesus did to begin his ministry years was to demonstrate his identification with us through his own baptism. Baptism is a word of identification. It’s becoming one, being identified with, joining in union with.
In Matthew Chapter 3, John the Baptist was baptizing people “unto repentance” to prepare the way for the coming Lord. And then, suddenly, we read:
Matthew 3:13 (NLT)
13 Then Jesus went from Galilee to the Jordan River to be baptized by John.
Jesus walked seventy miles to get to where John the Baptist was baptizing in order to get baptized himself before starting his ministry. Have you ever wondered why?
It’s a good question, and John the Baptist asked the same question.
Matthew 3:14-15 (NLT)
14 But John tried to talk him out of it. “I am the one who needs to be baptized by you,” he said, “so why are you coming to me?”
15 But Jesus said, “It should be done, for we must carry out all that God requires.” So John agreed to baptize him.
Most translations say here in verse 15 “let it be done, for us to fulfill all righteousness”
But Jesus was perfectly righteous – he had no sin. So, this was definitely not for his righteousness.
Follow me here – because this is really important. The Bible does not fully explain what Jesus means when he says we must carry out all that God requires (Matthew 3:15). But baptism is a sign of identification. Our baptism is a sign of our identification with (joined with) Jesus. So, who is Jesus being “identified with” in his baptism?
Guys, Jesus, in his baptism, is being identified with us!
It seems that Jesus, at his baptism, was beginning his full identification with us so that he could pay for our sins in our place on the cross, and beat sin, and death, and the grave – for us – and in our place – through his identification with us.
And if we can grasp how heavy that is – that the sinless Son of God was willing to be identified with sinners like us in order to save us – then maybe we can better understand how heaven responded to the baptism of Jesus.
Matthew 3:16–17 (NLT)
16 After his baptism, as Jesus came up out of the water, the heavens were opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and settling on him.
17 And a voice from heaven said, “This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy.”
These are dramatic, heaven-shaking words. First, the Holy Spirit descends on Jesus to be with him, and in him, and upon him for his earthly ministry. And then, the Father speaks from heaven and he audibly communicates his love and his joy for what the Son has willingly done in order to save all those who will be identified with him.
So, that’s the first thing Jesus did. That’s how Jesus began his earthly ministry – by identifying with us, through his baptism. And then the last thing Jesus does in his earthly ministry is to commission us to help others to be identified with Jesus through their baptism.
Jesus begins and ends his earthly ministry by driving home the importance of our identification with him (through baptism).
Not just the physical act of being dunked in water, but the true spiritual meaning of being permanently identified with Christ.
Let’s read the last words of the earthly ministry of Jesus in Matthew. It starts in Matthew 28:18 – it’s called “The Great Commission.” These are our marching orders from our Commander.
Matthew 28:18–20 (NLT)
18 Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth.
19 Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
20 Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
(If you know nothing else, if you question everything in your life about your relationship, your purpose, God’s purpose for you – this I KNOW- Jesus says “I am with you.” Period. No matter what you face, no matter what you’re going through, no matter what’s crushing down on you, Jesus is with you. Don’t ever forget that, because that is what the devil wants you to forget.)
Baptizing. This is our Great Commissioning – from Jesus – to make disciples and to baptize them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The Greek word here (in verse 19) is, again, BAPTIZO. And both ideas of baptism apply here in the Great Commission – being immersed in water – and being spiritually immersed into the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Because us being physically immersed in the water is a picture of us being spiritually immersed into the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
And notice verse 19 says make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them IN THE NAME OF the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
The phrase “in the name of” refers to the character and nature of a person, and so we are called to immerse disciples (baptize them) into the full character and nature of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and we are called to portray that by physically immersing disciples into water.
And listen, guys, that is the core idea of making disciples – immersing them in all the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are. There’s a reason God is three distinct Persons in One. Each Person of the Godhead has a distinct role. They make up One Person. (You can’t figure it out, but the Bible says this is the case.)
And just one more thing about Jesus commanding us to go and make disciples.
In the simplest terms, the word “disciple” means a follower. Here’s the full definition of a “disciple.” A disciple is a follower who walks so closely with their master that they become like him in their thinking and behavior.
A disciple begins to think like their Master.
A disciple begins to act like their Master
As they are more and more immersed (baptized) into the full character and nature of their Master.
And truly making disciples who are more and more immersed into the full character and nature of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit is one hundred percent what we are all about here.
This is who we are as a church. This is our purpose – our personality as a church, and you are about to witness people who are being baptized because they have chosen to be immersed by faith into the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
And so, what you’re about to see is an outward picture of what each of these people has chosen to be, which is identified with Jesus Christ by baptism and immersed into the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
First, this all happens spiritually – by faith. Then we put your union, your identification with Jesus Christ (and thereby the Father and the Son) on public display by baptizing you in water.
And that is what we are about to do, right now. Praise God!