A Believer’s Photo ID (Mark 1:1-11)

A Believer’s Photo ID (Mark 1:1-11)

“Baptism is an outward, physical symbol of the inward, spiritual conversion of Christians.” - The ESV Study Bible

Where & When?

• Acts 2:41 “So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls.”
• Acts 8:36-38 “And as they were going along the road they came to some water, and the eunuch said, ‘See, here is water! What prevents me from being baptized?’ And he commanded the chariot to stop, and they both went down into the water, Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him.”
• Acts 16:33 “and he was baptized at once’

Who?

• Mark 1:2 “I send my messenger before your face…”
• Matthew 3:14 “John would have prevented him, saying, ‘I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?’”

SFBC’s Statement of Faith: The Baptist Faith & Message

• “Christian baptism is the immersion of a believer in water in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. It is an act of obedience symbolizing the believer's faith in a crucified, buried, and risen Saviour, the believer's death to sin, the burial of the old life, and the resurrection to walk in newness of life in Christ Jesus. It is a testimony to his faith in the final resurrection of the dead. Being a church ordinance, it is prerequisite to the privileges of church membership and to the Lord's Supper.” www.sbc.net/bfm

Matthew 3:13-17; 28:19-20; Mark 1:9-11; Luke 3:21-22; John 3:23; Acts 2:41; 8:35-39; 16:30-33; Romans 6:3-5; Colossians 2:12.

What about baptism? Why is it so important?

The Meaning

• Matthew 3:15 “Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.”
• Mark 1:10-11 “when he came up out of the water, immediately he saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”

The Message

• Mark 1:4, 5 “proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins… confessing their sins”
• Mark 1:8 “I have baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit”

The Mission

• “Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.” Romans 6:3-5
• Matthew 28:19-20 “Go therefore 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 that I have commanded you.”

“Upon your profession of faith, I baptize you in the name of the Father, the Son, & the Holy Spirit. Buried with Jesus by baptism into His death, raised to walk in newness of life”

Motherhood: From Fairytale to Reality (Luke 1:26-28)

Motherhood: From Fairytale to Reality

A Glimpse into Mary’s Life as the Mother of Jesus

Mary was not….

• A mediator between God & men
• To be worshiped, enshrined, or idolized
• A perpetual virgin
• Sinless (Immaculate Conception, 1854)
• Bodily ascended into Heaven (Assumption, 1950)

Mary was…

A Mother in Tough Circumstances: Luke 1:26-38

• “But she was greatly troubled…” v.29
• “Do not be afraid, Mary…” v.30
• “How will this be, since I am a virgin?” v.34
• "Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife” (Matthew 1:20)
• “And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother…’and a sword will pierce through your own soul also’”(Luke 2:34-35)
• “And when his parents saw him, they were astonished. And his mother said to him, ‘Son, why have you treated us so? Behold, your father and I have been searching for you in great distress.’ [49] And he said to them, ‘Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father's house?’ [50] And they did not understand the saying that he spoke to them.” (Luke 2:48-50)

Favored & Blessed

• “you have found favor with God” v.30
• “For nothing will be impossible with God.” V.37
• “that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.”(Matt.1:20)
• “For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed [49] he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name.” (Luke 1:48-49)

Trusting & Obedient

• “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” v.38
• “My soul magnifies the Lord, [47] and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior (Luke 1:46-47)

Raising Her Son to Love & Obey God

• And when the time came for their purification according to the Law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord (Luke 2:22)
• And the child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom. And the favor of God was upon him. (Luke 2:40)

A Sinner, yet Christ-focused: John 2:1-5

• “When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.” [4] And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come.” [5] His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” v.3-5

A Disciple First, A Mother Second: Matthew 12:46-50

• “And stretching out his hand toward his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! [50] For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.” V.49-50
• “his mother treasured up all these things in her heart.” (Luke 2:51)

Loved & Cared for by Her Son: John 19:25-27

• “but standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. [26] When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, ‘Woman, behold, your son!’ [27] Then he said to the disciple, ‘Behold, your mother!’ And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home.”

Loved & Cared for by Her Husband: Matthew 1:18-25

• “And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly.” (Matthew 1:19)
• “knew her not until he had given birth to a son.” (Matt.1:24)

The Whole Armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-20)

http://www.southforkbaptistchurch.com/
The Whole Armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-20)

[10] Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. [11] Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. [12] For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. [13] Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. [14] Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, [15] and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. [16] In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; [17] and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, [18] praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, [19] and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, [20] for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.
(Ephesians 6:10-20 ESV)

BE STRONG in the Lord

• Who?
• Whose?
• “You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.”(1 John 4:4)

PUT ON the whole armor of God

• Why?
• you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil
• we do not wrestle against flesh and blood
• but against: the rulers, the authorities, the cosmic powers over this present darkness, the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places

“8Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 9Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings” (1 Peter 5:8-9)

What?
BELT: Truth
BREASTPLATE: Righteousness
SHOES: Gospel of Peace
SHIELD: Faith
HELMET: Salvation
SWORD: Word of God

How?
“7Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.” (James 4:7-8)

Journey to the Cross: The Resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:1-11)

www.southforkbaptistchurch.com

A Journey to the Cross: The Resurrection
1 Corinthians 15:1-11 (English Standard Version – ESV)
Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, [2] and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain.  [3] For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, [4] that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, [5] and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. [6] Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. [7] Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. [8] Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me. [9] For I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. [10] But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me. [11] Whether then it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed.

Remember the Gospel

• “Now I would remind you, brothers” (v.1)
• “of the gospel I preached to you, which you received”(v.1)
• “in which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain.” (v.1-2)

Center your life on the Resurrected Christ

• “I delivered to you as of first importance” (v.3)
• “that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures” (v.3-4)
• Evidence Matters - http://www.4truth.net/
• Questions Matter – http://www.gotquestions.org/
• Church Matters – http://www.southforkbaptistchurch.com/

Humble yourself before God

• “one untimely born” (v.8)
• “I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God” (v.9)
• “by the grace of God I am what I am” (v.10)
• “his grace toward me was not in vain” (v.10)

Live & Share the Gospel

• “I delivered to you…what I also received” (v. 3)
• “I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the Grace of God that is with me” (v.10)
• “so we preach and so you believed” (v.11)
• “Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain” (v.58)

Satan's Deception

"There are many ways in which Satan, ‘the god of this world,’ seeks to deceive us. Just as he did with Eve, the devil tries to convince us to rely on ourselves and to try to get our needs met through the world around us, rather than trusting in the provision of our Father in heaven."
Dr.Neil T. Anderson in The Bondage Breaker. p.21.

Discipleship & Mental Discipline

"Discipleship requires mental discipline.  People who will not assume responsibility for their thoughts cannot be disciples." Dr. Neil T. Anderson in Victory Over the Darkness, p.223.

"But he turned and said to Peter, 'Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.'” (Matthew 16:23)

Identity & Worth - Marriages & Families

“When we look to our marriages and families to find our sense of identity and worth, they become potential enemies.  When we look to God to discover who we are and why we are here, then our marriages and families become the primary instruments God uses to conform us to His image.” Dr. Neil Anderson in The Christ Centered Marriage, p.73.

Our Parents' Sins

“We are not guilty of our parents’ sins; but because they sinned, we will have to live with the consequences of their sins and will likely live the way we were taught by them unless we repent.” Dr.Neil Anderson, Discipleship Counseling, 145

“We are not guilty because of our parents’ sins. Yet because they sinned, we are vulnerable to what they have taught and modeled for us.”  Dr.Neil Anderson, Discipleship Counseling, 332

Nehemiah 9:2 "And the Israelites separated themselves from all foreigners and stood and confessed their sins and the iniquities of their fathers."

Daniel 9:16 "O Lord, according to all your righteous acts, let your anger and your wrath turn away from your city Jerusalem, your holy hill, because for our sins, and for the iniquities of our fathers, Jerusalem and your people have become a byword among all who are around us."

Ezekiel 18:19-20 "Yet you say, 'Why should not the son suffer for the iniquity of the father?' When the son has done what is just and right, and has been careful to observe all my statutes, he shall surely live. 20 The soul who sins shall die. The son shall not suffer for the iniquity of the father, nor the father suffer for the iniquity of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself."

Freedom & Truth

"We experience freedom when we choose to believe God,  then act on the basis of the truth regardless of our feelings”

“I was free to choose.  I learned that I could say yes to sin or no to sin, but I quickly discovered that I didn’t feel dead to sin.  Many times I felt very alive to it;  but the truth is based on what God says, regardless of my feelings.”
Freedom from Addiction by Neil Anderson and Mike & Julia Quarles, 142-43

"So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.

[12] Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. [13] Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. [14] For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace."  (Romans 6:11-14 ESV)