There are two common misconceptions people have about baptism: that it is either necessary for our salvation, or that it is not important at all.

Adrian Rogers says, “This is a church, not a club; we don’t make up our rules as we go along. Jesus has all authority, and He is the one who tells us about baptism.”

In order to grow as Christians, we cannot minimize what the Bible has emphasized, which is starting right with biblical baptism.

Matthew 28:18-20 says, “And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, ‘All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the 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 have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.’ Amen.”

First, we must recognize the biblical method of baptism.
In Mark 1:9-10, Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist in the Jordan River. The word used, “baptizo,” means, “to immerse.” Therefore, the biblical method of baptism is by immersion: placing a person underwater and bringing him out.

Second, we must be sure of the meaning of baptism.
Baptism symbolizes the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus, as well as our death, burial, and resurrection with Him. It is a picture of the saving work of Jesus Christ.

Romans 6:4 says, “Therefore, we are buried with Him by baptism into death that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.”

Finally, there are three motives to be baptized:
It proclaims our commitment to Jesus.
It portrays our conversion; it is our way of testifying.
It is a command from God that we must obey.
While baptism is not necessary for our salvation, it is necessary for our obedience. It shows that we belong to Jesus Christ.

Apply it to your life
Baptism is not a suggestion; it is a command from Scripture. Have you come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ? Have you been baptized?

Jesus had a brief ministry little more than three years, that’s all public ministry. How did jesus begin his ministry, Jesus began his ministry by being baptized by john in the river Jordan. How did jesus conclude his ministry, Jesus concluded his ministry by commanding baptism For over 50 years. Pastor, teacher and author. Adrian Rogers preached to audiences and touched lives all over the world with his unique brand of solid biblical teaching. His teaching has been described as profound truth stated so simply a five year old can understand it. And yet it still touches the heart of a 50 year old. And you’ll hear that in these messages on the basics of the Christian faith. Have your bibles ready and join us for today’s message. Before we begin. Remember, you can follow along with pastor Rogers outline and notes on today’s message at L WF dot org or the my L WF app. Now, let’s join Adrian Rogers, Would you be finding Matthew chapter 28 very familiar verses, verses 19 and 20, this has been called the great commission, but alas, and like many times it is the great omission. We need to find out what the Lord jesus christ gave to the church when he gave the church her marching orders. Her great commission. Let me tell you about the ministry of the Lord Jesus. Jesus had a brief ministry. Little more than three years. That’s all public ministry. How did jesus begin his ministry jesus began his ministry by being baptized by john in the river Jordan. How did jesus conclude his ministry, Jesus concluded his ministry by commanding baptism. Now notice the scripture right here, he says in verse 19. Well let’s begin in verse 18 and jesus came and spake unto them, saying all power in the word power literally means authority is given unto me in heaven and in earth, go ye therefore. And teach all nations that literally means disciple all nations, baptizing them in the name of the father and of the son and of the holy Ghost, teaching them to observe how many things, say it louder, how many things, teaching them to observe all things whatsoever. I have requested you. Is that what it says, requested you suggested to you, teaching them to observe how many things whatsoever I have commanded you now who said this? The one who says all authority is given unto me. Now, folks, when you come to something like this, the only thing you can reasonably say is, I’ll say Yes, Lord! Yes. Now look at it again, teaching them to observe all things whatsoever. I have commanded you. And lo I am with you always, even until the end of the world, that is literally the end of the age, he is here today, he is still speaking, he is still saying the same thing. He has not changed. There’s no stutter, no stammer, no apology, no equivocation. It is there in the word of God God were to lead people to christ were to baptize them and teach them to observe everything he has commanded us. Now, that’s what the word of God says, that is black print on white paper. I want to talk to you about baptism today, Not baptist baptism, folks, I’m not one wit interested in baptist baptism. If we have any baptist doctrine, we need to get rid of it. And presbyterians need to get rid of Presbyterian doctrine. And methods need to get rid of methodist doctrine and Episcopalians need to get rid of Episcopalian doctrine and assemblies of God need to get rid of assembly of God doctrine and Catholics need to get rid of catholic doctrine and all of us need to come back to bible doctrine. Is that not right? I mean, we need to understand what does the bible say? Not this, this is a church, not a club, and we don’t make up our rules as we go along, Jesus has all authority. He is the one who tells us about baptism. Now, what I want to do is to ask you to look therefore into the word of God. Now, if I tell you something is not in the word of God challenged me on, if I tell you something that is in the word of God, then it’s not me that you’re listening to really it is God, I hope that makes sense to you. Let’s talk about the biblical method of baptism. What is the biblical method of baptism? Put in your margin mark, chapter one verses nine and 10 and we’re gonna find out how the lord jesus christ, our example was baptized, it says here and it came to pass in those days that jesus came from Nazareth of galilee and was baptized of john in Jordan. Now, do you know how far that was? Do you know how far that was? That was 60 miles one way to be baptized, You say, well, it’s a little inconvenient for me to be baptized. If I got baptized, I’d mess up a $20 here. Do oh jesus came 60 miles from Nazareth to Jordan’s and was baptized of john in Jordan, not near Jordan, not by Jordan, but in Jordan, Jordan was a river and straight way coming up out of the water. Now, if he came up out of the water, where was he? Down in the water? He saw the heavens open and the spirit like a dove descending upon him. That’s why you see that dove back there in our baptist re when that screen is up, you’ll see that dove, because that symbolizes the holy Spirit. It is obvious that jesus was baptized by immersion. Why did jesus come all the way out to Jordan’s? Why was john baptizing in Jordan’s good question, I’m glad you asked it. Now let me, let me see if I can answer that question. Turn to john chapter three and verse 23 turn to it, john chapter three and verse 23 you’re going to find out why john was baptizing in this particular spot and the bible says and john also was baptizing in an in near to Salem because it was so beautiful there because it was so convenient that isn’t what it says folks listen and john also was baptizing and painting into Salem because there was much water there and they came and were baptized literally the word baptized as you’ve heard means eve. The reason that john went out there to the river Jordan is not for the scenery, not for the convenience folks, it just takes a lot of water to baptize if I baptize away, some people call baptism. I could baptize everybody in this auditorium with a washtub for and have plenty left over. But no baptism takes a lot of water. Jordan was a murder muddy old river and it wasn’t convenient but there was water there. I went to kenya and then in east africa went out, I mean past ostrich and zebras and wildebeest and gazelles out in a land rover out to the back side where this uh noble tribe of Maasai warriors were. I went out there with missionary jim Hooton, he was leading those Maasai warriors to jesus christ, how is he gonna baptize them out there, they took a shovel and dug a grave line that grave with this queen and then on his land rover, he hauled in water and fill that grave with water and those Maasai warriors were laid in that muddy water in that grave symbolizing that they had died with the Lord jesus christ and were buried with the Lord jesus christ. It’s not easy to baptize. I remember the first person I ever baptized I lead Willie to christ and the first little church I pastored in fell’s mere florida. I went over to see Willie on a saturday night and witnessed to her she’s a lovely lady. But she says pastor, I want to be safe but I just don’t know how to believe. I don’t know how to trust. I said well just trust him. She said well I want to but how you do it. I said I don’t know how to tell you to do it. Just do it. Trust the Lord. She says oh I want to. But she said I just can’t trust. I didn’t know what to tell her. I said well I’m gonna pray for you, I’ll see you tomorrow. You just tell the Lord asked him to help you to trust him. The next day she came, her face was like the noonday sun she said oh pastor God saved me last night God saved me. Last night. She came forward. I was a young preacher, only 19 years of age pastoring a church. I didn’t have any business pastoring that church except that God called me and told me to do it. I mean as far as experience. I didn’t know how to baptize. I didn’t even know where to lay hold a person to baptize him. I didn’t know how to do it. You know, I paid no attention to my pastor when he was baptizing, but we didn’t have a baptist re in that church, folks, we didn’t have running water in that church. Uh, much less a baptist re and uh, we didn’t have a restroom in that church. I mean we had a floor and walls and two by eight to sit on a two by eight to lean back on, put together with iron bracket. But God was in that church. And uh little church out there on the edge of the Everglades in florida. We had a canal out there called lateral a canal where they drain those sugar cane fields. We went out to a lateral a canal. And uh, I went out there and in our little church gathered, I went down that slippery, muddy bank and Willie followed me down there. The water was about this deep and lateral a canal. And I remember it was cold for florida. It was cold. I can still hear it right now. When Willie’s feet hit that water. She said it was cold. It wasn’t like we have today folks. I mean they’re wiggle tails and everything else in that water poly wogs and maybe a moccasin or two. But we, we went out there and and I laid that gracious lady back in that water and raised her up. I’ll never forget it. Why do that? It would be so much easier to put a little water on her head. Why do that? Why? Because the same reason that jesus went all the way to, to Jordan’s because there was much water there. We had to find a where there was water one time in my church, in florida had announced a baptismal service and when I got there the baptist tree was empty. We had a pipe about as big as my thumb that filled that baptist. Re folks, it took forever and then a day to fill that baptist tree. And I looked in and the janitor forgot to turn it on? I said, oh what are we gonna do? We have people who come from out of town to see folks baptized, I had an idea, I believe, divine inspiration. I called the fire department. I said I’ve got an emergency center, send a pumper truck over and you know, they did it and people thought the church was on fire, They saw that big fire engine out there and that hose running in there. We, we filled that baptist re up lickety split uh with that big pumper truck. And I baptized those people. Now, why go to all that trouble. Why when we built this building? What did we build this beautiful baptist re back here because jesus said teach them to observe all things whatsoever. I have commanded you because it’s not easy, but it is glorious. It is wonderful. We’re not looking for convenient religion. Uh listen folks, it’s not a matter of convenience, let’s just find out what the bible says bible, baptism is by immersion. Now, some people want to make it easy. You know, churches are getting so lax today, I expect to see some churches start taking members in on the telephone and baptizing the photographs. Uh, baptism, baptism is by immersion. The very word baptism is basically an untranslated greek word baptist, so means to dip to submerge to immerse ranted, so means to Sprinkle lua, means to pour, but God’s word that he uses, he says take them and baptize them. If you were to take the word baptize, it is a word that is transliterated, taking out the greek language put into the english language, but the word literally, it is translated means to dip to immerse, that’s what the word means. And did you know in the early years, all christians baptized the way we baptized by as a matter of fact, if you go to europe and you look in some of the great cathedrals that were built before the 13th century, you’ll find out they had baptist trees like we have in our baptist churches. I have gone and stood in some of those baptist res uh in these old cathedrals because in the early years, everybody baptized just like the bible teaches us uh to baptize. And so that is the biblical method of baptism. It is by immersion, that’s the method. Now the method and the meaning of baptism are inextricably interwoven. The reason that the method is so important is the method is necessary to the meaning and the meaning dictates the method. Now we’ve talked about the method and we’ve seen that the Lord jesus was baptized by immersion by john in the river Jordan. And and uh but now what is the meaning? Well the meaning is baptism pictures, the saving work of the Lord jesus christ now take your bibles and turn to romans chapter six with me, if you will please romans, chapter six verse four. Therefore we are what buried with him by baptism into death. Now folks, baptism is a burial that like as christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of God the father. Even so we also should walk in newness of life for if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall, we also in the likeness of his resurrection. Uh so the bible says, knowing this verse six that our old man watch it, our old man, the old Adrian that rascal is crucified with him, that is with jesus, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that’s the old man, I used to be, that henceforth we should not serve sin for he that is dead is freed from sin. You see, what does baptism picture baptism pictures, the Gospel. What is the gospel first Corinthians 15 tells us the gospel is this, that christ died for our sins. He was buried. He was raised again the third day folks, that’s the gospel, the death, burial and resurrection of jesus. Do you understand that? Do you understand that? That is the gospel. What does baptism picture it pictures the Gospel, we are buried with him by baptism into death. That like as christ was raised from the dead. Even so we also should walk in newness of life. Can you understand why the devil would like to destroy that symbolism? If there’s one message, if you were the devil, what one message would you want to take out of the church? The gospel. What one message would you want to obliterate the Gospel. What one message would you want to make sure was not seen over and over again. It is the gospel, the death, burial and resurrection of jesus christ. Now some people say, well the method is not important. It only pictures Salvation. Any picture will do. I suppose you’ve never seen my wife Joyce and you say Adrian have a picture of Joyce. I said, I sure do. And I pulled out a picture and there’s a race car or there’s a waterfall or there’s a coffee table and you say that’s Joyce? I said, well your picture will make any difference. Well, you know, I didn’t know your wife looked like a race car? I didn’t know she looked like a waterfall. I didn’t know she looked like a coffee table. Well, any picture will do. Hey folks, baptism is a picture of a death, a burial and a resurrection. I mean, God wants it to be clear. God wants it to be plain. And that’s the reason that we picture uh what Jesus did to save us? The devil would love to remove that from our church, but we want to keep it there living. He loved me dying. He saved me buried. He carried my sins far away rising. He justified freely forever. One day he’s coming. Oh, glorious day. That’s in baptism. My folks. It shows, first of all that we believe that and we identify ourselves with it. Look in verse five in romans, chapter six look in verse five for if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death when I go under the water. When I’m baptized, that says I am in the likeness of death, I died, the old Adrian died because when jesus died, he died for me when I trust him, his death has my name on it. He died my death. He took my place upon that cross. So so my death with the Lord jesus christ is pictured in baptism. That’s the reason if you were baptized before you got saved. Hey folks, you weren’t really baptized to be baptized before you’re saved is like having your funeral before you die, baptism is a picture of your death. Always in the bible. Always, baptism follows salvation, dying to the old way, just put these scriptures down. I’m gonna hurry through because we’ve got to hurry then they that received his word were baptized. You see, you’ve got to receive the word before you baptized. That’s why we don’t baptize little infants. Act 10 verses 46 47 for they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God. Then answered Peter, can any man forbid water that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we uh in this transitional period, the mark that these gentile believers had received the Holy Ghost was the ability to speak in foreign languages. It was a supernatural gift of God to confirm that the gospel was going to the gentiles. When Peter saw that, he said, why, why these can be baptized also because they have received the Holy Ghost necessary that you be saved and receive the Holy Spirit before you baptized Acts Chapter 16 verses 31 through 33 paul and Silas were in prison. There was an earthquake. The jailer came to them and want to know what he had to do to be saved and Acts 16 verse 31 they said, believe on the Lord jesus christ and thou shalt be saved and thy house, that doesn’t mean they’d be saved because he believed it means if they believe they’ll be saved just like you’re saved. Believe on the Lord, jesus christ and thou shalt be saved in the house and they spake unto him the word of the Lord and to all that were in his house and he took them the same hour of the night and washed their stripes and was baptized he and all his straight way now and all of these scriptures, I’m showing you is that baptism follows belief. The bible never says be baptized and believe but vice versa believe and be baptized because real baptism follows real salvation. It pictures what our death verse five, but it also pictures are resurrection with jesus. Look in verse four, this is roman six verse four. Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death. That like as christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the father even. We also should walk in newness of life. So when I went down beneath that water that was a liquid tomb, the old Adrian died with jesus. The old Adrian is buried. It was a funeral. The only mourner, there was the devil he hated to see me die. I am buried with jesus. His death had my name on it. He died for me, I died with him, baptism says I believe that I the old man is dead and this world is crucified to me and I’m dead to this old world and then the bible says that like as christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the father even? So we also should walk in newness of life. Goodbye old world. Goodbye old man. Hello new world. Hello jesus. Hello resurrection life. You see, what does baptism picture friend? It pictures calvary because we died with him. It pictures easter because we rose with him. It pictures the second coming because one of these days we’re gonna be raised up out of that grave to live with the Lord jesus christ in a resurrected body. Don’t you think the devil would like take that picture of the church? Now folks, that’s the biblical meaning of baptism, the death, burial and resurrection of the Lord jesus christ. Now here’s the last thing and listen quickly. Not only the method and not only the meaning but the method and the meaning now are tied to the motive why be baptized. Three reasons. First of all, there is a master to confess the Lord jesus, we are baptized in the name of the father, the son and the holy ghost, we take the name of jesus, he is now our master. The bible teaches, look if you will uh In verse six, knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. You see we we have a new master uh a new life, I’m a new man with a new master? I’m identifying myself with christ. Do you know what baptism is baptism is your way of saying, I am not ashamed of jesus christ, I thank God for what he did for me on that cross. Look up here, I don’t know where you can see that, you see that thing on my finger, you know what that is, that’s a wedding ring, you know who gave me that sweet Joyce, you know why I wear that because I love her and I’m not ashamed of her, I want everybody to know that I belong to one woman, her name is Joyce. Now this ring doesn’t make me married, I could be married and not have a wedding ring or I could go down to dime store and buy one and not be married, she didn’t buy this in the dime store, I don’t think I’ll ask her, but now listen folks listen, what does that mean? That means I belong to Joyce, what does that mean? It means I belong to jesus, I belong to jesus that that that it doesn’t, it doesn’t make me a christian, it shows I’m a christian friend, there is a master to confess secondly there is a message, there is a message to convey did you know that every time when you get baptized you’re preaching the gospel, Every time when you get baptized anybody who gets baptized, he’s preaching the gospel, the death burial and resurrection of jesus christ, a master to confess a message to convey. It shows what happened when you got saved. It shows what jesus did many times. I’ve seen people get under conviction of sin and get say because of the baptismal service. The very things that baptism pictures is what brings conviction in the hearts of people and they say I need a savior, I need somebody to have died for me, I need a new life, I need what that pictures, but last of all friend, it is a mandate to complete. Now listen, go back again. It is a master to confess. It is a message to convey, but it is a mandate to complete jesus said, go therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the father and of the son of the Holy Ghost. Now watch this teaching them to obey all things whatsoever. I have commanded you whatsoever. I have commanded you. What is your response to that? I’ll say Yes, Lord, Yes, Now some of you, if you’ve never yet received the Lord, jesus christ as your personal savior. What you need to do today is when we sing an invitational hymn, you need to be down one of these aisles. You need to say, listen, I’m trusting jesus as my personal savior and Lord and we’ll make an appointment for your baptism and get you baptized others of you. You may be church members, but if you would be judgment day honest, you would say pastor, I was baptized before I really understood the gospel, I had my funeral before I die? And I want to get the order right? I won’t believer’s baptism. The bible says believe and be baptized. And so you want to come and say I I know I’m saved. I’m not coming to be saved, but I want to come and get this this thing, right? You say, well pastor, what difference does it make? It’s not it’s not necessary for salvation. It’s necessary for obedience, and obedience is necessary for joy and fruitfulness in the christian life. Have you ever been reading past the description? You say Lord, I just don’t understand that. Lord, show me what that means. Please Lord, I won’t understand what that means. God says, why should I show you what that means? Why should I show you what this means When I’ve already showed you something else and you won’t do that. So why should I show you what? Why should I show you this? If I’ve already shown you that and you won’t obey that friend. Listen, way to understand the part of the scripture you don’t understand is to obey the part you do understand to him that hath shall be given. Just begin to obey. There’s no other way to be happy in jesus, but to trust and obey. Mhm May I ask you a personal question, Do you know, jesus christ as your personal Lord and savior, is he real to you. Are you absolutely certain if you died today, you would go to heaven? Now, friend, there’s no one so good. They need not be saved. No one so bad, they cannot be saved. And salvation is not a reward for the righteous. It is a gift to the guilty. If you know your sinner, tell God that you are cry out for mercy and trust him to save you. And if you do, would you write to us and let us know? We will rejoice with you and we’ll send you some literature to help you get started in your christian life. We hope that today’s message has been an encouragement to you as we explore these fundamentals of the christian faith with Adrian Rogers, you can stream this message again and download Pastor Rogers outlines and notes on this message all at L WF dot org or the my L WF app While you’re there, be sure to check out our new bible studies on these same topics as well as Pastor Rogers audio series. Back to the basics also available at L WF dot org. Thanks for joining us for our program. Today, we’ll see you next time. The bible says in john speaking of jesus and the word was made flesh and dwelt among us. But that word literally is the word was made flesh and it Tabernacle among us. So jesus was a Tabernacle in which the chicana Glory of God? Well, all scripture is a picture of jesus christ, even the old testament Tabernacle and all of its vivid glory. Adrian Rogers shares the meaning of the intricate details of the Tabernacle and how they reflect Jesus, our Lord and Savior in this new book, from Love Worth finding. Seeing jesus in unexpected places. Based on a series of 13 messages from Adrian Rogers. Seeing jesus in unexpected places, allows you to read along as the bible reveals the BUE beauty and symbolism of the Tabernacle and its significance to our faith. In Jesus christ, included in the book are links to the original audio messages from Adrian Rogers for your gift. This month, we’d love to send you seeing jesus in unexpected places, call with your gift at 1 806 47 94 100. Or you can give online at L WF dot org