The Book of Acts
Chapter 16
Baptism – Confidence in Belonging
13 On the Sabbath we went outside the city gate to the river, where we expected to find a place of prayer. We sat down and began to speak to the women who had gathered there. 14 One of those listening was a woman from the city of Thyatira named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth. She was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul’s message. 15 When she and the members of her household were baptized, she invited us to her home. “If you consider me a believer in the Lord,” she said, “come and stay at my house.” And she persuaded us.
Paul and Silas Go to Prison
16 Once when we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a female slave who had a spirit by which she predicted the future. She earned a great deal of money for her owners by fortune-telling. 17 She followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved.” 18 She kept this up for many days. Finally Paul became so annoyed that he turned around and said to the spirit, “In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her!” At that moment the spirit [The Unholy spirit] left her.
Q: Why don’t Paul & Silas continue allowing her to endorse their ministry and message about Jesus?
A: They don’t want or need the Gospel of Jesus to be promoted by Satan.
Remember that Satan may speak the truth one minute and the next speak a lie.
Q: How would unsaved people know the difference between the truth and a lie of Satan?
A: They wouldn’t.
19 When her owners realized that their hope of making money was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace to face the authorities. 20 They brought them before the magistrates and said, “These men are Jews, and are throwing our city into an uproar 21 by advocating customs unlawful for us Romans to accept or practice.” 22 The crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas, and the magistrates ordered them to be stripped and beaten with rods. 23 After they had been severely flogged, they were thrown into prison, and the jailer was commanded to guard them carefully. 24 When he received these orders, he put them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks. 25 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. 26 Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everyone’s chains came loose. 27 The jailer woke up, and when he saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself because he thought the prisoners had escaped. 28 But Paul shouted, “Don’t harm yourself! We are all here!” 29 The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. 30 He then brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” 31 They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.” 32 Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house. 33 At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his household were baptized. 34 The jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God—he and his whole household. 35 When it was daylight, the magistrates sent their officers to the jailer with the order: “Release those men.” 36 The jailer told Paul, “The magistrates have ordered that you and Silas be released. Now you can leave. Go in peace.” 37 BUT Paul said to the officers: “They beat us publicly without a trial, even though we are Roman citizens, and threw us into prison. And now do they want to get rid of us quietly? No! Let them come themselves and escort us out.” 38 The officers reported this to the magistrates, and when they heard that Paul and Silas were Roman citizens, they were alarmed. 39 They came to appease them and escorted them from the prison, requesting them to leave the city. 40 After Paul and Silas came out of the prison, they went to Lydia’s house, where they met with the brothers and sisters and encouraged them. Then they left.
God wants to encourage us.
Baptism
Covenant of
Comfort or Confusion?
Comfort
Law? or Gospel?
Gospel
The confusion comes when people view it as Law
(Something that people are to do)
The comfort comes when people view it as Gospel
(Something that God does) Gospel command
God makes “Covenants” in the Bible.
Adam, Noah, Abraham, David, Jesus
(New Covenant in his blood)
“I will establish my covenant as an everlasting covenant between me and you and your descendants after you for the generations to come, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you. 8 The whole land of Canaan, where you are now an alien, I will give as an everlasting possession to you and your descendants after you; and I will be their God." 9 Then God said to Abraham, "As for you, you must keep my covenant, you and your descendants after you for the generations to come. 10 This is my covenant with you and your descendants after you, the covenant you are to keep: Every male among you shall be circumcised. 11 You are to undergo circumcision, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and you. 12 For the generations to come every male among you who is eight days old must be circumcised, including those born in your household or bought with money from a foreigner—those who are not your offspring… 13 My covenant in your flesh is to be an everlasting covenant. 14 Any uncircumcised male, who has not been circumcised in the flesh, will be cut off from his people; he has broken my covenant.”
-Genesis 17:7-14
Two Sacraments (Sacred Acts)
Baptism
Communion
Sacraments are a “Means of Grace” or the “Ways” that God uses to give forgiveness and strength.
We define a “Sacrament” by four things:
1. Jesus must have told us to do it.
2. There must be certain words.
3. There must be certain action.
4. There must be the promise of forgiveness of sins.
“Jesus said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19Therefore GO [command]and make disciples of all nations, BAPTIZING [action]them in the name of [words] the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matt. 28)
“Get up, be baptized and WASH your SINS [Forgiveness] away, calling on his name.”
-Acts 22:16
One of the greatest benefits of Baptism is the fact that You “belong”.
“In him [Jesus] you were also circumcised, in the putting off of the sinful nature,[FLESH] not with a circumcision done by the hands of men but with the circumcision done by Christ, 12having been buried with him in baptism and raised with him through your faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead. 13When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature,[FLESH] God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, 14 having canceled the written code… he took it away, nailing it to the cross.”
-Colossians 2:11-14
Baptism (A sign of the New Covenant)
Where God signs your Adoption papers, officially making you his own.
A Look at how legal adoptions are done in the USA
If a child is old enough to reject a family, the judge (who has the authority to sign the adoption papers) will not sign unless the child wants to be adopted. (The same as an “Adult” Baptism)
If a child is not old enough to reject a family that wants to adopt him or her, then the judge (who has the authority to sign the adoption papers) will sign the papers based upon the promise of the adoption parent(s) to raise the child in a safe, loving home, etc. (The same as we handle “Infant” Baptism as well.)
Baptism Provides
(“Fawns” = Baby deer)
Forgiveness (Acts 2:38+)
Adoption (Ephesians 1:4+)
Washing (Acts 22:16)
New Life (Romans 6:3-5)
Salvation (1 Peter 3:20-22)
When a child gets old enough to understand the Gospel, if they believe in Jesus, they “Confirm” for themselves the Covenant relationship that God made with them at their infant baptism.
“Confirmation”
“If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.
-Romans 10:9,10
You are on God’s Team
He picked you.
He will never trade, bench, or cut you.
He will always coach you to the degree you are willing.
Even if you walk away, strike, boycott, etc., He will always take you back on the team.
“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. 2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you…through the rivers…through the fire… For I am the Lord your God…”
-Isaiah 43:1-3
“Even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.”
-Matthew 10:30,31
“God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble…7 The Lord Almighty is with us…10 He says, “Be still, and know that I am God…”
-Psalm 46:6-10
“Surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
-Matthew 28:20
“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”
-Joshua 1:9
“Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.”
-Psalm 23:4
“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”
-Romans 15:13
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
-Matthew 11:28-30
“We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”
-Romans 8:28
“Here we do not have an enduring city, but we are looking for the city that is to come.”
-Hebrews 13:14
[This world is not our permanent home, we are looking forward to a home yet to come.]
(NLT translation)
“We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.”
-Hebrews 6:19