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Lessons and sermons from the Berclair Church of Christ in Bartlett Tennessee
Well I'd like to go ahead begin the lesson if we could from this text of Scripture at 2
Timothy chapter 2 and verse 10.
Paul said, Therefore I endure all things for the elect's sakes, that they also may obtain
the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.
Let me make an observation about this text at the beginning and I'll make a second
observation about it as I conclude the lesson here in just a few minutes.
The first observation is the Apostle Paul's wish that they
may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.
The word obtain.
It's interesting to me to see the word obtain in the original language.
It means to attain or to obtain just like we have it in English.
But the background of the word also emphasizes to hit the mark.
It is described as a person throwing a javelin.
at which time an individual would be using all of his might to throw the javelin as far as
he could possibly hurl that javelin to hit the mark in the distance that will win him the
prize.
It is also used in regard to the pointing of an arrow, which would be aimed at the bull's
eye in the target and to hit the mark.
when paul says that he is desirous that these people may obtain the salvation which is in
christ jesus with eternal glory he's wanting them to hit the mark on salvation not just
shoot around in any direction i'll tell you a comical story when i was preaching at
mountain terrace church of christ we go door knocking in the neighborhood seeing everybody
what we would do our plan was i can tell you real quick each person would go out and knock
doors till he established three bible correspondence courses you take the course
come back the next week great swap out with them like that once you had three courses
going you just maintain those courses when someone finished and got a diploma or dropped
out you know you got another so you get three active going is really planned we enjoyed it
got to meet a lot of people in the community and this one lady that i met she was so
interesting she was taking the course i was going back we were swapping lessons and she
had any questions one day she invited me into the house and she's talking so loudly
not very big and I'm wondering why is this lady talking unusually loud?
and that the more she talked to my realize all she's one someone else in the house to
benefit from the conversation because we were talking about the desire to doing god's will
and all she was bringing up a number of things i thought this sounds like a lecture to
young people she's giving me and in a minute her son walks out the back of all that
explains it all right there and ask her i said well let me ask you all about your worship
how do you work this where we go we get there about eleven in the morning and we stay some
time to a three o'clock
I said, do you do?
They said, we just do everything.
People shouting, there's some Bible reading, there's lots of singing, there's instrumental
music, there's a...
I said, well you see what you're trying to do here is you're trying to worship God and you
don't know how.
you're shooting all over the place trying to hit everything hoping that you'll hit
something that pleases God that's why you need to worship with the Church of Christ
because in the Church of Christ we know there are five avenues of adoration to the
Almighty singing, praying, preaching the Lord's Supper and the giving of our means and
once we complete those five avenues of adoration to the Almighty we're done we can
actually get out on time sometimes y'all just shooting around trying to hit everything
Well, while that might be amusing, that's the way some people do salvation.
They'll hear one thing and then another about what you need to do to be saved.
They'll listen to a radio or TV preacher.
He'll say one thing.
They'll go to a church.
A pastor will tell him something else.
They'll have a Bible study with somebody.
They'll say something else.
And they're shooting all around.
That's why when Paul writes this verse that's our text, he is praying that these people
may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.
That they might hit the mark on it that like shooting an arrow they might hit the bulls
eye on the salvation which is in Christ.
And I want to show you how we do that.
We do that by following the words of Scripture.
If we're ever going to be saved it's going to be through hearing the words of the Bible.
I'm turning my Bible here to Acts chapter 13, I'm down to verse 26.
We're finding the Apostle Paul on his first missionary journey.
He has traveled and you can see the places he's gone to up to this point and he's now
arrived at Antioch of Pisidia.
And there he's preaching the Gospel to the Jewish people.
And it's interesting to me what he says down here in verse 26 of our text.
He says,
children of the stock of abraham and whosoever among you fear of god to you is the word of
this salvation sent the word of this salvation that's why i went up there is so those
people could hear the word of this salvation and our salvation is connected with the words
of scripture we won't have any salvation outside of these words
A verse I mentioned this morning where Peter says to Christ, Lord to whom shall we go?
Thou hast the words of everlasting life.
And now just a little bit of thought about these words.
The Bible tells us, for example, in James 1 and verse 21, Wherefore lay apart all
filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word,
which is able to save your soul.
whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a
forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed." Verse
twenty-six, or twenty-five of the same chapter.
The Word of God is quick and powerful, it's alive and active, sharper than any two-edged
sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and
marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
The Word's power.
Also we read concerning the Word that the Apostle John writes, In the beginning was the
Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
The same was in the beginning with God, the Word of God.
In Ephesians 6 and verse 17, Paul writes, Take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of
the Spirit, which is the Word of God.
jesus speaks about this word in his personal ministry in john twelve forty eight forty
nine when he said he the rejected me and receive it not my word have one that judge at the
informed the word i have spoken the same shall judge him in the last day not i want to hit
the target if i want to obtain the salvation which is in christ jesus with eternal glory
I may only do that as directed by the Word of God.
Isaiah said long ago in Isaiah 820, if they speak not according to this Word, it is
because there is no light in them.
Peter tells us in 2 Peter chapter 1, knowing this first, that no prophecy of the Scripture
is of any private interpretation.
For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man, but holy men of God spake as
they were moved.
by the Holy Spirit.
So now then when we take a look at the personal ministry of Christ and we see Him using
words to teach the people, and no man ever spake like this man, John 6 and verse 46 tells
us, after His death, burial and resurrection, He is going to place a gigantic
responsibility on men that we know in the New Testament as apostles.
We have their names in three places.
Matthew chapter 10 verse 2 to 4, Luke chapter 6 verse 12, and Acts chapter 1.
These men are named, they've been with Christ for three and a half years.
Now if you put yourself in their position for just a minute and think of the awesome,
towering responsibility that would be yours to convey what you had seen and heard and
experienced with Jesus during His personal ministry.
A man of whom it is said in John chapter 12 verse 25,
that if what he has done is put in books, the world itself should not contain the books
that should be written.
And it's your responsibility to take his message to the world.
Here you are with the Library of Congress on your back.
What am I going to tell these people?
Will I be able to remember the important lessons that Jesus taught me and share those with
the world?
during his personal ministry Jesus will make a statement to them in John chapters 14, 15
and 16.
And to me the context here is all important.
We find that he is talking to these apostles.
Judas has gone out chapter 12 verse 25.
He's talking to the apostles and he's going to make a promise to these men.
He will say for example,
how be it when he the spirit of truth is calm he will guide you into all truth for he
shall not speak of himself but he will show you things to come the holy spirit will guide
you the apostles into all true that's why i say the context is all important he's making
this promise not to everybody in the world as is often applied but to the apostles
exclusively
These men were as would be reflected upon later in Acts chapter 10 and verse 41, as
witnesses chosen before of God, not to everybody, but to witnesses chosen before of God.
Jesus hand selected these apostles after a night of prayer, Luke 612.
That's why, and it's always been interesting to me when you read John 14, 15 and 16, that
the Holy Spirit is referred to as the Comforter.
And as a boy I'd often wonder why the Comforter?
What is the significance of the Holy Spirit being the Comforter?
I mean, I can get a general sense as I read that that it would be comforting to know these
are the words of God.
But why the Comforter?
Of all the words that can be selected to describe the Holy Spirit, why the Comforter?
And then you put yourself in the position of the apostles who are charged as they are at
the close of each of the Gospels.
go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature mark sixteen fifteen go you
therefore teach all nations baptizing them in the name of the father the son and the holy
ghost of the holy spirit teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I've commanded you
and now you see where the holy spirit is called the comforter to them because he would
recall all things Jesus had taught him and them and guide them into all truth
That's John 14, 15, and 16, especially John 16 verse 7 and verse 13, the Comforter.
Now when we read about the Great Commission we see the apostles being sent into all the
world.
Jesus will tell them in Acts chapter 1 the subject here is the apostles.
They are the audience to whom He speaking.
And He tells them, �You will be witnesses unto Me, both in Jerusalem and Judea and
Samaria, unto the uttermost part of the earth.� Who is going to be the witnesses?
The apostles.
You can't find a single person outside the apostles who are going to be designated as
these witnesses chosen before God.
They are the witnesses.
They are the ones to whom Jesus said He would send the Comforter, the Holy Spirit to them.
And now then in Acts 2 the Holy Spirit came on the apostles and the apostles only, Acts
1-26, Acts 2, 1-4.
And they began to be guided into all truth.
It was the days of miracles.
And you remember the outstanding features that attracted the attention of the multitudes
gathered in Jerusalem to worship, all of them Jewish people, devout Jews out of every
nation under heaven.
Cloven tongues like as a fire sat on each of them.
They were especially designated by God with this fire, like the fire of the burning bush
that didn't consume the bush.
And Peter will stand up, and his lesson is recorded for us in verse 22, and say, Ye men of
Israel, guess what he says?
hear these words.
They had to listen.
And oh, they listened.
He explained to them how in Joel 2, 28 that it was prophesied by the 9th century B.C.
prophet Joel that the Spirit of God would be sent.
This is the fulfillment of it, and Peter quotes that prophecy.
He will also quote prophecies regarding the resurrection in Psalms 16, 10 and others, as
you know.
but he will convince this multitude of people we don't know how many were there in
assembled alfred edersheim in his book on the temple says about twenty thousand people
could gather under the porticoes where they stood but we do know that as peter preach that
message they cried out and said men and brethren what shall we do they had become
convinced they crucified the christ they were convinced of their sin and they wanted to do
something about it
What shall we do?
Peter's response is, Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ
for the remission of sins and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
He was telling them words whereby they could be saved.
And they respond to those words.
Those who gladly received his word were baptized.
After what manner were they baptized?
Well, they had to repent prior to being baptized.
They must confess Christ, Matthew 1032.
They're commanded to be baptized.
They knew baptism is immersion.
They'd seen John and Jesus baptizing people.
Jesus baptizing more disciples than John.
John chapter 4, verse 2.
So they knew what that was, an immersion in water.
Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission,
that means the forgiveness of your sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
those who gladly received his word were baptized on the same day out of however many that
multitude was on that occasion about three thousand souls obeyed the gospel they were
praising God and having favor with all the people and the Lord added to the church daily
such as should be saved for those that were being saved notice the power of the words they
were told what to do to be saved upon their glad reception of that answer and their
submission to its demands
their sins were forgiven and Jesus Christ himself the Lord added them to the church that's
the first day of the church I'm very glad I didn't really think about it but I'm really
honored to be conducting the first gospel meeting at the Berkeley Church of Christ in this
location that's pretty nice if you'd asked me when I was 12 years old at Berkeley and Earl
saying one of the elders said well all you boys interested in preaching
to meet me in the cry room up here before services and i will give you some tips on
preaching and i was interested in preaching but if you told me that one day in the future
i would be standing before the burkholder church of christ in a new location given the
first gospel sermon i'd have probably fell out and over the years i wonder why it was
brother sane who gave us a lot of tips on outlining lessons how to dress everything told
us everything we need to know why he met with us in the crime and then i started preaching
and i figured out why i figured out why it seems appropriate sometime to be meeting in the
crime room because you have a lot later when you knew a preacher is going to the crime
room get over with you know that business but that's where i first started interested
preaching the gospel at the burkler church christ twelve years old that that the next year
so here you have the first time the gospel is preached in its fullness the lord takes
those say people and as it was too
The Holy Spirit was promised to the apostles.
The Holy Spirit came on the apostles, Acts 2, 1 through 4.
Then in verse 38, he says, repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus
Christ for the mission of sins and you will receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
Now in the midst of the miraculous manifestation, what do you think they would think the
gift of the Holy Spirit was?
Well, they had seen the Cloven tongues like as a fire.
They'd seen men speak by inspiration.
They had seen just at a time when the message needed to be given, these designated
apostles would provide the answer that would bring them into a relationship with Christ
called salvation, and they could have the remission of their sins.
They would likely think that this gift of the Holy Spirit, from what they knew of the Holy
Spirit at this point, would have some connection with the miraculous, and perhaps
miraculous gifts.
Now we know from our further reading of the New Testament in 1 Corinthians chapter 12
verses 8 through 12 that there are nine miraculous gifts of the Holy Spirit listed.
You're familiar with them.
Things like speaking in languages you never learned, healing the sick, gift of wisdom,
gift of interpretation, those nine gifts, all of them imparted by the Holy Spirit.
And Paul explains right there.
No one makes a determination which of those gifts he will receive the Holy Spirit does
that.
and i want to discuss with you what it took for them to have these miraculous gifts.
took the laying on of apostolic hands for the Holy Spirit to give them the gifts of the
Holy Spirit.
Now sometimes people say well if that's talking about miraculous gifts there in Acts
chapter 238 and we don't have miraculous gifts then we don't have the Holy Spirit.
That's jumping to a conclusion.
and we are as insightful in Acts 2.38 as we are back in Mark chapter 16 verses 16 through
verse 18 we know it very well we always cite this inappropriately so mark 16 16 Jesus said
he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved right where we are in Acts 2.38 but he
that believeth not shall be damned and these signs shall follow them that believe in my
name shall they cast out devils they shall speak with new tongues they shall take up
servants
and if they drink any deadly thing it will not harm them.
They shall lay hands on the sick and they shall recover." There would be miraculous gifts
that followed salvation from Mark 16, 16 as well as Acts 2, 38.
But further to see that these are miraculous gifts when it says the gift of the Holy
Spirit, I would note with you that the word that is found here is found a total of six
times in our New Testament.
the next time it is found is in Acts chapter eight and verse twenty where we find Peter
and John had gone from Jerusalem to Antioch and you know what they did they lay their
hands on those people who believed and were baptized verse twelve of the chapter twelve
many of the Samaritans there they believed and were baptized and when they laid their
hands on them they received one of the nine miraculous gifts of the Holy Spirit so what
did it take?
it took apostles being there present to physically lay their hands on these people who had
been saved for the Holy Spirit to communicate one of those gifts of His choosing to that
person.
You see that in Acts chapter 8 it is talking about miraculous gifts when he says that the
gift of God may be purchased with money.
Simon fell into that trap in verse 20.
also we read about the gift of the holy spirit next in forty five because it's the first
time the gentiles are converted and the question in the minds of the jews the gospel with
the jew first now we saw that next to and that was by design roman's one sixteen the
gospel the power of god and do everyone that believe it to the jew first and also to the
greek so the gospel had gone to the jews acts one one two eight and now it's going to the
greek the samaritan
and now then it's going to a roman centurion in acts chapter ten and what you find out is
that jews are going to be saying wait just a minute is this gospel for anyone other than
jews how you gonna prove that it is now we read in the great commission going to all the
world preach the gospel to every creature the gentiles were creatures
but they didn't know that so when peter's preaching to the household cornelius the holy
ghost comes upon them and they received the gift of the holy ghost now what they did they
spoke with time as an indication that they had received a gift from the holy spirit and
later in chapter eleven when brought before those jewish brethren at jerusalem
to bear evidence that we were correct in taking the Gospel to these Gentiles.
Peter tells them they received the light gift that we received.
apostles.
Not the same gift, but the light gift.
They received a miraculous gift of the Holy Spirit.
That's the way the word gift is used.
And it's used that way in every instance where it appears.
For example, the gift of the grace of God in Ephesians 3-7 and also in Ephesians chapter 4
verses 7 to 16.
We have the measure of the gift of Christ.
and then in the interest of time i'll just submit to you that in the visions for verses
seven all the way down really through from verse four reading through verse sixteen you'll
find that there are miraculous offices that is apostles and profits and there are no
miraculous off offices there preachers elders and teachers and so you'll have miraculous
gifts present in the first century and it is referred to as a gift these miraculous office
So each place that the word gift appears outside of Acts 2.38 is referring to the
miraculous manifestation and I'm sure we would all be in agreement with that but it is in
Acts 2 and verse 38 is that a miraculous measure?
Is he talking about miraculous spiritual gifts?
Well believe the Bible is harmonious and suggests that yes it is.
Well if so what does the Bible mean about the indwelling of the Holy Spirit?
Well this is a large issue but I think I can summarize it briefly.
by looking at two verses with you.
They would be Colossians 2.9 in regard to Christ concerning Jesus in whom dwelleth the
fullness of the Godhead bodily.
The Godhead is translated from the word means deity.
It means the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
The Godhead dwelt bodily in Jesus Christ.
Sometimes you'll hear people talk about the incarnation.
What are they talking about?
they're talking about god in the flesh as john one verse fourteen describes for and the
godhead well bodily in jesus christ father son and holy spirit we see that also in the
romans chapter eight in version references made to the spirit the spirit god and the
spirit christ in one word and and one sentence and i want to show you the distinction
between these two
And I think it will help us understand about the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and just
how that works.
Romans 8 and verse 9, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit.
So he is talking to us about something that is spiritual.
If so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you, now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ
he is none of his.
So we have the Spirit, we have the Spirit of God, we have the Spirit of Christ.
What is the difference between Christ and us?
If the Spirit of God, if the Father as a Spirit and Jesus as a Spirit are dwelling in us
bodily, we would be incarnate as Jesus was.
But we not.
We have our own spirit given to us from God, Hebrews chapter 12 verse 6 through 9.
But we are talking about a spiritual relationship of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit
dwelling in us.
The question is how?
when we really think about how we read a page is three verse seventeen and you find out
that how was the difference between us in price if we are said and we are said to have god
dwelling in this first on four twelve christ dwelling in this class and one twenty seven
and three sixteen and the holy spirit dwelling in this roman's chapter eight and version
and but the question as to how does the spirit well in this is answered i think fully and
forthrightly
in Ephesians chapter 3 and verse 17 where Paul says that Christ may dwell in your hearts
by faith, that you being rooted and grounded in love.
How does faith come?
Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God.
so i wanted to mention that just for a minute about how the holy spirit dwells in us.
dwells in us the same way god does he dwells us the same way christ does but the father
son and holy spirit dwell in us spiritually by faith whereas the father son and holy
spirit represent the godhead and jesus was the godhead bodily or incarnate that's the
difference and with us the holy spirit dwells in us through the word of god
there are a few passages of scripture i think i would just mention these because of the
interest of time i've already covered it in acts eight it shows you that the only way in
the first century people receive the miraculous gifts is through the laying on of
apostolic hands that's in Acts chapter eight Peter and John had to travel from Jerusalem
to Antioch of Syria lay hands on those people for them to receive the gift of the Holy
Spirit as witnessed by Simon the sorcerer
and he wanted to purchase that you remember, dine in the bond of iniquity, the gall of
bitterness, repent therefore this thy wicked.
He could see what happened.
These apostles could lay hands on somebody and they could speak in a language they never
heard.
The cash register starts ringing up with this former sorcerer.
I could make a lot of money if I could do that.
And he offered him money that on whomsoever he lay his hands they'd receive the gift of
holy
No wonder Peter said thy money pairs with thee because thou hast thought that the gift of
God, this miraculous spiritual gift, the gift of God could be purchased with money.
Thou hast no part or lot in this matter.
Thy heart is not right in sight of God.
He said, Repent, he said, Pray for me, he said, Repent therefore, and pray God that
perhaps the thought of thy heart be forgiven thee.
Simon said, Pray ye to the Lord for me.
I think the man repented.
but he shows us how these miraculous gifts were conveyed or communicated.
You see that with Paul to Timothy in 2nd Timothy 1.6, that's the verse you might want to
jot down.
Another one is going to be Ephesians chapter 19 verses 1 to 7 where Paul meets men, 12 men
didn't even know what the Holy Spirit was.
We had not even heard whether there would be so much of the Holy Spirit.
Well, into what then were you baptized?
They were baptized and then Paul laid his hands on them and they received miraculous gifts
of the Spirit.
The reason for that is because
At first the Gospel was preached in words by inspired men.
Inspiration came on men.
They spoke inspired words and people were converted.
People were saved.
In time when they wrote the books of the New Testament these inspired men, their inspired
words come to us today through the Bible.
The miraculous spiritual gifts were designed to be temporary.
1 Corinthians 10 and verse 12.
like scaffolding around the building once the building is now erected you don't need to
scaffolding anymore you may take it down the building will stand on its own miraculous
spiritual gifts are in part that which is in part shall be done away paul problems they
were at what point at the point of which you no longer had apostles who could lay their
hands on someone to communicate these gifts
i'm taking a position that that's the only way people have miraculous spirit to get some
of the local lesson out today but give you three reasons why this is convincing proof of
that reason number one
the statement is convincing proof that the holy spirit influences guides and directs all
people today only by the word of god proof number one the bible says in the piece vision
six seventeen the bible says take the helmet of salvation and sort of the spirit which is
the word of god this is how the holy spirit operates on our hearts today is exclusively
through the word of god a second conclusive proof that i would like to offer
is we do not know anything for certain about the Holy Spirit except what we read about Him
in our Bible.
That's all.
In 2 Timothy 6, 2, Paul writes, These things teach and exhort, and if any man teach
otherwise and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and
the doctrine which is according to godliness, he is sick, he will say.
He is proud, knowing nothing but doting or sick about questions and strife of words,
whereupon cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmising, perverse disputing of men, of
corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness.
From such withdraw thyself." We don't know anything that we can say proof positive without
any fear of contradiction about the Holy Spirit except what we read in the sword of the
Spirit.
And then a third reason I would offer to you is that there are no conversions to Christ
anywhere in the world.
where the Bible is not gone.
I enjoyed talking to my brother and sister Green about their work in Ukraine, foreign
mission work.
What a wonderful heritage he has.
What a wonderful legacy.
There is nobody converted to Christ without the Word of God.
Jesus said in John chapter 14 and verse 20, Neither pray I for these alone, speaking of
His apostles, but to those who shall believe on me through their
that's how people are converted.
There's no influence of the Holy Spirit separate and apart from His Word.
And He dwells in our hearts by faith.
Now the second point of our text that we may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus
with eternal glory.
I want you to notice the location.
God gave us the location of salvation.
It is a spiritual location.
And if we want to derive the benefit of salvation
we want to get in that location where it is you know these sunday afternoons you know
sometimes people know the location where they're going to eat lunch and they'll make plans
we're going to this cafeteria that dinner going back to the house they know the location
where the food is and they're happy to get there salvation is located in a certain place i
will say that in order for the devil to be successful he just blurs this line unlike what
i was talking about earlier where you obtain the salvation which is in jesus christ by
drawing an arrow
turning the bowl loose and the arrow hitting the bulls eye you're where salvation is the
devil don't want you thinking that way he wants people to think it is mystical that it is
uncertain that there's lack of surety about it but the bible wants it where is the
salvation in Christ I put it this way what's outside of Christ person's lost you must be
in
Christ.
That's why a person, and I think I may have average intelligence, maybe a little bit low
average intelligence, but a person such as myself can stand flat footed before a crowd
like this and tell you where salvation is.
Because I'm reading it right out of the Bible.
It is in Christ.
And he wants this message duplicated here in this community throughout this city, this
state, and around the world.
Take this message and tell people where they can find salvation.
In Christ.
and emphasizing that because so many blur that line by failing to tell people how to get
there.
If we were going to a restaurant, may say, well you go down this road, you take a left at
the light and go, you tell them how to get there because they want to eat and get to
restaurant.
If people want to be in Christ where salvation is, here's how you get there.
You look at verses in the New Testament that tell you how to get there.
We know that faith comes by hearing, hearing by the Word of God and that's essential, John
8, 24.
in John 316.
know that we must repent of all sin or perish, Luke 13.3.
We cannot be ashamed of Christ in this evil and adulterous generation or He'll be ashamed
of us there, Mark 8 and verse 38.
Therefore we are to confess Christ before men, Matthew 10.32.
And then the Bible says in the book of Romans chapter 6 verse 3, know ye not that so many
of us as were, get this now, baptized into Christ?
for baptized into his death therefore they are buried with him by baptism in the death
like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of Father they also should walk in
newness of life is it essential?
If we've been planted together with him in the likeness of his death we shall be also in
the likeness of his resurrection what about the opposite?
What if I'm not planted with him in the likeness of his death?
I will not be with him in the likeness of his resurrection what's the significance of
this?
I'm baptized into Christ
first griffins twelve thirteen in galatians three twenty seven site that's how you get
into christ for salvation is baptism in the crowd when you look at the spiritual battles
that we fight the arguments we engage in the debate that we struggle with you'll find that
a subject that is a perennial subject is the sentient about it because the devil's got
most religious people you don't have to be there
That's like saying you don't have to be in Christ to be saved because we're baptized into
Christ.
And if baptism isn't essential, being in Christ is not essential.
Who can believe that?
So we are taught that salvation is in Christ, of that we are confident, and we know
exactly how to get into Christ.
The thought in our mind is, if I'm not in Christ, I need to get into Christ.
Behold, now is the acceptable time.
Behold, now is the day of salvation.
2 Corinthians 6.2, now is your opportunity to get into Christ, to be baptized into Christ
for remission of sins.
When you do that, you become a child of God.
You're in the family of God, Ephesians 3.5.
And God declares, will dwell in them and walk in them.
I will be their God and they shall be my people.
2 Corinthians 6, verses 16 to 18, Jesus says that I will be with you always.
Matthew 28 and verse 20.
What a wonderful privilege to know that we are children of God.
God is with us, dwelling in us spiritually by faith, and that we walk in Heaven's way.
Friends, today if you in need of the Gospel invitation, all things are ready.
Won't you come to the feast while together we stand and while we sing.