INTRODUCTION
One day a young man came to the pastor and told him that he
wanted to teach Sunday school.
The pastor responded, “You can’t teach Sunday School here if
you are not baptised.”
I. WHY SEEK BAPTISM IN THE CHURCH?
Why should one who has believed in Jesus seek baptism in a
local church?
There are a few reasons.
1. It is the first step of obedience.
a. Every Christian should be baptised after he
is saved because baptism is not optional; it is commanded by
the Lord Jesus.
b. Jesus commanded, “And he said unto them,
Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every
creature.”
“He that believeth and is baptized shall be
saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned”
(Mark 16:15, 16).
c. Baptism is tied to belief also in the Matthew
account.
Matthew 28:19
“Go ye therefore, and teach all nations,
baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son,
and of the Holy Ghost.”
2. Follow the example of the early Christians
a. On the day of Pentecost, Peter preached and
3000 came to believe in Christ. Everyone who accepted Christ
was baptised on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2:42).
b. Jesus commanded that baptism should follow
salvation.
c. There is no record in the New Testament of an
unbaptised believer who, given the chance, refused to follow
Jesus’ command.
d. The repentant thief on the cross who entered
Paradise upon his death without baptism is an exceptional
case, because he was not given the chance.
3. To tell the world that you are a Christian.
a. It is a public confession that you have
accepted Christ to be your Saviour.
b. Your baptism demonstrates to the world you
are a true Christian.
c. Your baptism shows to the church that you
want to be a member.
d. Do you think baptism is important?
(1) Of course, you do because it is a
biblical command.
(2) It expresses our sincerity and
commitment to obey and to follow the Lord.
4. You should be baptised to have a good conscience
before God.
a. You cannot do anything to gain merit before
God for salvation.
(1) We are told that salvation is “not
by works of righteousness which we have done” (Tit
3:5a).
(2) Salvation is “not of works, lest
any man should boast” (Eph 2:9).
b. Baptism cannot add to our salvation, nor can
baptism secure our salvation so that we cannot lose it.
c. Baptism is simply obedience to Christ’s
command.
(1) When we have been baptised, we know
that we have fulfilled the Scripture and have done all that
God has required of us.
(2) Our conscience is clear and is at
peace.
II. WHY ATTEND THE LORD’S SUPPER?
INTRODUCTION
1. If baptism is the first step of obedience, the Lord’s
Supper is the completed step.
2. The Lord’s Supper is the most misunderstood and
abused of the church ordinance.
a. Many have distorted ideas about the Lord’s
Supper.
(1) I heard of some at the kitchen of the
church drank all the cups of grape juice.
(2) Some churches serve the Lord’s Supper
every Sunday.
(3) One church celebrated the Lord’s
Supper only once in two years.
b. There are a few misunderstandings about the
Lord’s Supper.
(1) The Roman Catholics believe the
elements actually turn into the body and blood of Christ.
(2) The Salvation Army in deep sincerity
sees these abuses, and refuses to observe the Lord’s Supper.
c. Therefore, what should be our attitude as a
child of God in regards to the Lord’s Supper?
Why should we observe the Lord’s Supper?
Let us look at the issue in more details.
(1) Obey the commands of Christ.
a. The Lord Jesus before His
death, gathered His disciples together, to observe the first
Lord’s Supper.
(1) He commanded, “Take,
eat; this is my body” (Matt 26:26).
(2) The Apostle Paul
repeated the command of Christ to the Corinthian church (1
Cor 11:24).
b. Not only did Christ command
us to remember Him, He also said, “often” (1 Cor
11:26).
(2) Fellowship with the Lord and
believers.
a. Breaking of bread is an
expression of fellowship between friends.
b. The early Christians broke
bread and fellowshipped together (Acts 2:42).
c. When God’s people gather
together at the Lord’s Supper, it gives a sense of oneness.
The early church had
fellowship.
Notice the steps leading to
oneness.
(1) They received the
Word, the Gospel of Salvation
(Acts 2:41).
(2) They were baptised,
and became members of the local church in Jerusalem (Acts
2:41).
(3) They continued in
doctrine.
That is, they
studied and accepted the teaching of the Apostles, and tried
to live in accordance to the Word of God (Acts 2:42).
(4) They fellowshipped
together (Acts 2:42).
(5) Finally, they broke
bread.
[i] That is,
they took the Lord’s Supper (Acts 2:42)
[ii] The order is
clear; the Lord’s Supper is the climax of the Christian
fellowship.
d. If you have never taken the Lord’s Supper,
notice God’s order, and follow it closely to get His
spiritual blessing.
e. When we come before the Lord’s Table, we
confess our sins.
(1) We do not want anything to hinder our
relationship with the Lord. Therefore, we confess our sins.
(2) At that moment, we realise others are
doing the same.
They too are confessing their sins.
We feel close to them because of our
fellowship with the Lord.
3. Conclusion
a. The Lord’s Table is not for children who do
not understand the full meaning of participating in the
Lord’s Supper.
b. The Lord’s Table is not for those who have
been “born-again” but have not received baptism as the Lord
commanded.
c. The Scriptures command “But let a man
examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and
drink of that cup” (1 Cor 11:28).
(1) Notice you are to examine yourself.
(2) The best time to examine ourselves is
at the beginning of the communion service. When sins come to
light, we must do three things immediately.
(a) First, confess the sin, and
ask for God’s forgiveness and cleansing by the blood of
Christ (1 Jn 1:9).
(b) The second step in confession
is restitution.
(c) Third step deals with
determination.
(3) There are two extremes which can hurt
you in preparing for the Lord’s Table.
(a) You may be too concerned with
small issues, and will not partake the Lord’s Supper. This
is wrong.
Paul says “But let a man
examine himself, and so let him eat…” (1 Cor
11:28).
(b) The second extreme is
harbouring sins at the Lord’s Table.
Paul warns “For he that
eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh
damnation to himself” (1 Cor 11:29).
d. How long must we observe the Lord’s Supper?
1 Corinthian 11:26 “For as
often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do
shew the Lord's death till he come.”
(1) This verse teaches us that the Lord’s Supper is a look
backward to the Cross which the “bread and cup”
point to.
(2) It is a reminder of communion with
Christ in the present. We are to observe it “as
often as” we can.
(3) It is also an expression of
expectation for His earthly return in future.
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