Elements City Church
Baptism Sunday: The Dividing of the Waters
Baptism is an important step in the journey of every follower of Jesus. It is a moment the Believer is commissioned publicly as a disciple of Christ to go and make more followers of Jesus. Jesus set the example for us in this regard, but the baptism of Jesus holds far more weight than many Christians realize — something seen as we examine the narrative of Scripture.
Locations & Times
Elements City Church
1825 N Alvernon Way, Tucson, AZ 85712, USA
Sunday 5:00 PM
Thank you for joining us tonight!
Whether you're on-site or online, we are praying that tonight will be an encouragement to you! If you're new, we'd love to have you fill out our connection card.
https://connect-card.com/yr4Y0g8VLBSqzKXeubjbThe Bible, as narrative, has great continuity to its story.
This should give us great confidence that our faith is grounded in truth and reality!
This should give us great confidence that our faith is grounded in truth and reality!
Beginning in Genesis 1, God establishes a motif that appears multiple times throughout Scripture. (Credit to Dr. David Campbell)
The Motif:
1. The Ruach: the breath/wind/Spirit of God
2. Dividing of the Waters
Note: Water often represents chaos -- this means God brings order to chaos
3. The Placing of People in a New Land to Represent God and His Ways
The Motif:
1. The Ruach: the breath/wind/Spirit of God
2. Dividing of the Waters
Note: Water often represents chaos -- this means God brings order to chaos
3. The Placing of People in a New Land to Represent God and His Ways
Examples:
Gen 1:9-10 - Adam
Gen 8:1 - Noah
Exodus 14:21-22 - Moses
Joshua 3:14-17 - Joshua
2 Kings 2:8, 13-14 - Elijah and Elisha
Gen 1:9-10 - Adam
Gen 8:1 - Noah
Exodus 14:21-22 - Moses
Joshua 3:14-17 - Joshua
2 Kings 2:8, 13-14 - Elijah and Elisha
This is the moment the Messiah is commissioned to begin His ministry in order to fulfill His reign.
It’s the fulfillment of Adam, Noah, Moses, Joshua, Elijah, and Elisha. That’s why it’s important for Jesus to be baptized in water, and this took place in the Jordan River where Joshua and Elijah and Elisha all divided the waters and walked.
Jesus, knowing what God the Father has commission Him to do, is now ready to begin His ministry, but first there’s a detour He has to make.
He had to go through the wilderness to get to the Promised Land. And He was led there by the Ruach (Matt. 4:1)
It’s the fulfillment of Adam, Noah, Moses, Joshua, Elijah, and Elisha. That’s why it’s important for Jesus to be baptized in water, and this took place in the Jordan River where Joshua and Elijah and Elisha all divided the waters and walked.
Jesus, knowing what God the Father has commission Him to do, is now ready to begin His ministry, but first there’s a detour He has to make.
He had to go through the wilderness to get to the Promised Land. And He was led there by the Ruach (Matt. 4:1)
There in the wilderness Jesus has a specific task to accomplish. Jesus is tempted by Satan three times, and Jesus replies with three passages in Deuteronomy. Each one of these temptations is a direct correlation to the failure of the Israelites in the desert with Moses
1 - Israel looked back to the food of Egypt and sinned
- Satan tempts Jesus to turn stone into bread
- Jesus responds, “Man does not live by bread alone.”
2 - Israel put God to the test at Manasseh and Maribel to provide water
- Satan tempts Jesus to test God by throwing Himself down for the angels to catch Him
- Jesus responds, “Do not put the Lord your God to the test.”
3 - Israelites worship the golden calf
- Satan shows Jesus all the kingdoms and their glory and will give them to Jesus if Jesus would bow and worship him
- Jesus responds, “Worship and serve God only.”
1 - Israel looked back to the food of Egypt and sinned
- Satan tempts Jesus to turn stone into bread
- Jesus responds, “Man does not live by bread alone.”
2 - Israel put God to the test at Manasseh and Maribel to provide water
- Satan tempts Jesus to test God by throwing Himself down for the angels to catch Him
- Jesus responds, “Do not put the Lord your God to the test.”
3 - Israelites worship the golden calf
- Satan shows Jesus all the kingdoms and their glory and will give them to Jesus if Jesus would bow and worship him
- Jesus responds, “Worship and serve God only.”
The Israelites spent 40 years in the wilderness and failed; Jesus spends 40 days in the desert and succeeds where all others failed.
Jesus succeeds where everyone before Him failed!
Jesus succeeds where everyone before Him failed!
If you have received Christ as your Lord and Savior, you, too, have been commissioned. And notice how the motif in the narrative of Scripture continues today:
1. When we receive Christ, we receive the Ruach (Acts 1:8).
2. We then experience the dividing of the waters in baptism.
3. Finally, we are commissioned to go and represent the Kingdom of God and God’s ways as we make new disicples.
3. Finally, we are commissioned to go and represent the Kingdom of God and God’s ways as we make new disicples.
Baptism is an important moment in the commissioning of a Disciple!
Baptism is a public declaration to a crowd of witnesses that I am dying to myself in order to show everyone that I now belong to Jesus. And we who witness it are now responsible to help hold that person accountable to walk in the ways of Jesus.
Baptism is a public declaration to a crowd of witnesses that I am dying to myself in order to show everyone that I now belong to Jesus. And we who witness it are now responsible to help hold that person accountable to walk in the ways of Jesus.
Now that our life is in Christ, baptism reflects the reality that our old sinful nature is put to death, and we now walk in victory over the power of sin as a new creation in Christ.
Baptism is a Sacrament.
A sacrament is a "holy mystery."
A sacrament is a "holy mystery."
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Thank you for enabling us to be the Church in our city! Your gifts help fuel the mission of Elements City Church, as well as our capacity to function as a church on a daily basis. You can give online at the link below or through the Elements app.
http://elementscitychurch.org/giveThanks for worshipping with us tonight! For those on-site, join us in the courtyard for LeCave's donuts as we celebrate all who were baptized tonight.
Next week we begin a new series going through Romans 8, showing us the truth that God is for you. You don't want to miss it!
Next week we begin a new series going through Romans 8, showing us the truth that God is for you. You don't want to miss it!