What a beautiful night it is
tonight is not too hot and our small group...
we did not have small group tonight due to brothers and sisters are busy
but we still have agenda for all our friends
Why Baptism?
Word: John 3:22-4:3
Donald Whitney in his book Spiritual
Disciplines Within the Church tells the following story. “Eighty-seven year old Giles Pellerin
recently attended his 750th consecutive USC football game. He has not missed a
Trojan game—home or away—in 69
years! One year he had an appendectomy just five days before a game.
Still hospitalized on Saturday, he told the nurses he was going for a walk and
instead went to the stadium. Why make such sacrifices to identify with an
athletic team? 'That's just all part of being a fan!' Pellerin replied.”
Fan is short for fanatic. For millions of people their actions
prove that to be a fan is to openly demonstrate your dedication.
But if you ask many Christians to publicly identify themselves with the Son of
God in an unusual way they will think it strange, cult-like, even fanatical.
Others might feel self-conscious about such public displays of devotion. Many
Christians respond to baptism this way. Even some who truly love Jesus consider
baptism insignificant or something to think about doing later. How important is
it? Why should anyone seek baptism in a local church?
On the other hand, why would anyone who has come to know Jesus Christ and
received his eternal life refuse to identify with Him in the manner he prescribed?
If others will proudly wear clothing announcing their loyalty to a sports team,
if Giles Pellerin will travel the country for sixty-nine years to express his
devotion to the USC football team, can believers in Jesus Christ remain
unwilling to identify themselves with their Savior and God through baptism?
Today we answer the question: “Why be baptized?”
tonight is not too hot and our small group...
we did not have small group tonight due to brothers and sisters are busy
but we still have agenda for all our friends
Why Baptism?
Word: John 3:22-4:3
Donald Whitney in his book Spiritual
Disciplines Within the Church tells the following story. “Eighty-seven year old Giles Pellerin
recently attended his 750th consecutive USC football game. He has not missed a
Trojan game—home or away—in 69
years! One year he had an appendectomy just five days before a game.
Still hospitalized on Saturday, he told the nurses he was going for a walk and
instead went to the stadium. Why make such sacrifices to identify with an
athletic team? 'That's just all part of being a fan!' Pellerin replied.”
Fan is short for fanatic. For millions of people their actions
prove that to be a fan is to openly demonstrate your dedication.
But if you ask many Christians to publicly identify themselves with the Son of
God in an unusual way they will think it strange, cult-like, even fanatical.
Others might feel self-conscious about such public displays of devotion. Many
Christians respond to baptism this way. Even some who truly love Jesus consider
baptism insignificant or something to think about doing later. How important is
it? Why should anyone seek baptism in a local church?
On the other hand, why would anyone who has come to know Jesus Christ and
received his eternal life refuse to identify with Him in the manner he prescribed?
If others will proudly wear clothing announcing their loyalty to a sports team,
if Giles Pellerin will travel the country for sixty-nine years to express his
devotion to the USC football team, can believers in Jesus Christ remain
unwilling to identify themselves with their Savior and God through baptism?
Today we answer the question: “Why be baptized?”
