2025-08-17 Sermon Notes1 - Daniel Lyons' Notes

type:
  - "[[Sermon Notes|Sermon Notes]]"
speaker: "[[Archibald Allison]]"
date: 2025-08-17
location: "[[Emmaus Orthodox Presbyterian Church]]"
passage: Mark 16:15-16
sermon series:
sermon link:
subjects:
  - "[[The Great Commission]]"
title: What Your Baptism Means For You
takeaways:

Series	Location	Subjects	Takeaways	Sermon Link
-	Emmaus Orthodox Presbyterian Church	The Great Commission	-	-

💡Big Idea

Takeaways and Next Steps

📖Bible Passage

Mark 16:15-16

He said to them, "Go into all the world, and preach the Good News to the whole creation. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who disbelieves will be condemned.

Points

When Martin Luther was tempted he would say to himself baptizato sum, I am a baptized man.
- Martin Luther understood what it means to be a baptized man.
We make two mistakes of baptism
- 1. We make too much of the moment of baptism and it's work in our life
- 1. We make too little of what baptism means in our life.
the sacraments are a sign and a seal that picture God's work of salvation
- Signs teach us visually of what God has done. They not only tell us what God has done but they show us what he has done.
  - the sacraments are a picture book of the Gospel.
- When you receive a letter, the seal itself does nothing. In itself it has no power. But the power of the seal is that it proves that the letter is authentic and it bears the proper authority.

What baptism means for me personally

Baptism points to the filth of our sin and our need to be washed in the blood of Christ
- Just as water washes away filth so too baptism washes away our sins.
- Baptism itself signifies Jesus' blood, because it is Jesus' blood that washes our sins away.
  - This picture of baptism is even more visceral in middle eastern culture. In the middle east, where it is hat and dry, there is much dust. Especially during the time of Christ, people would be covered in dust, and so they would regularly wash off the dirt every time they entered a household.
Baptism is a blood balm for self-condemning sinners
- we need to be taught that we are polluted spiritually by our sin.
  - Psalm 51.5 Behold, I was born in iniquity. My mother conceived me in sin.
  - never in scripture are we ever taught that we were born good, or that by nature we are good.
  - We tend to admit that we are sinners (because the evidence is so undeniable) and yet we tend to think that we are only partial sinners.
  - But no we are totally depraved
- Baptism is a comfort for guilty filthy sinners.
  - It is God's declaration that His work of salvation is greater than all of your sins and unrighteousness.
  - Baptism is Gospel, and the Gospel is personal.

Benefits of the Gospel

❓: What does the baptism mean for us experientially?

justification:
- Justification means that we are made right with Him, because of His great work.
sanctification:
- we are washed by the blood of Christ and are now sanctified to be united with Him. We are now a new creation. Born again. Given a new nature and new desires.
  - 1 Corinthians 1.30 Because of him, you are in Christ Jesus, who was made to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption:
  - Our whole salvation is Christ.

There is such a close connection between baptism and justification and sanctification that we can incorrectly think that baptism itself is what saves us. But no, it signifies what saves us.
- Every time you see a baptism, you must remember that it is Jesus Christ's blood which cleanses you.
  - This calls me to a life of new obedience to Him.
- We are called to be baptized not only by water but by fire. That fire is the The Holy Spirit. What does it mean to be baptized by the Holy Spirit. It means sanctification.
  - It means that He has not only washed me clean, not only declared me righteous, but He has utterly changed who I am.
  - His fire purges away all impurities in us.
Sanctification and justification are two sides of the same coin. We cannot have one without the other.
- the problem with so many churches in America today is antinomianism: being against the Law of God.
  - Churches today teach justification and yet neglect teaching sanctification. They neglect teaching that we have a responsibility to follow the law of God.
  - When someone would bring a sacrifice to the temple, the priest would kill the animal (your justification), but he would also need to wash in the water (his sanctification).
    - The beauty of Jesus is that He is both sanctification and justification.

Application

Baptism rests on the solid foundation of the Gospel

Baptism testifies that God is faithful to all His covenant, Gospel promises
- Matthew 28:19-20 Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I commanded you. Behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen.
- Mark 16.16 He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who disbelieves will be condemned.
- Jesus and the promises of the Gospel are synonymous.
- Sometimes God justifies people outside of the covenant, and then He brings them and their families into His covenant.
  - Our God is a covenant keeping God. He does not and cannot break His promises.
    - This is His word and promises, sealed in Baptism and we can rest assured in them.
    - 2 Corinthians 7.1 Having therefore these promises, beloved, let's cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
      - Sanctification flows out of justification. So it is evidence of our justification.
If you reject Christ, the blood of Christ will testify against you
- It is possible to go to church all your life, and profess all the truths of the Gospel and yet not truly believe or follow it.
- This foundation of the Gospel is solid for true believers but it is also discriminatory for those who are not truly believing.
- If you reject this Gospel, then the same Gospel which could save you instead will condemn you.
  - John 3.18 He who believes in him is not judged. He who doesn't believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the one and only Son of God.

Baptism means that you are claimed by God:
- He is your God and you are His child.
- You have His protection.
- You receive all of His promises and benefits.
- The devil tries to place his claim on you. He tries to erase God's claim. The devil tries to exercise dominion over you. But God is greater.
Baptism also admonishes you not to leave God and return to sin.
- What are you doing with your baptism? What can you do? Fall down to Him. Repent.
- turn to Him and say to Him "Save me Lord, lest I die."

Further Study

💬Discussion Questions

2025-08-17 Sermon Notes1

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