Sermon Tone Analysis

Many years ago, I pastored a church in New Iberia, Lousiana, a city south of Lafayette, LA.

One day I was at the local hospital to make a visit.

As I waited for the elevator, a man I knew from another church in the city walked up.

Brother Butts was a lot older than me and he had the sweetest personality.

The elevator arrived and we both stepped in.

As the elevator began to ascend, Brother Butts said in the sweetest way: “Brother Parmely, do you ever just think about Jesus?”

In all the business of life, maybe we just need to take some time to think about Jesus.

I hope you did that as we sang about our name being written down in glory.

It’s only there because of Jesus.

As we sang about how we are a child of God.

Again, only because of Jesus.

The goodness of God?

Once again, we receive that goodness because of Jesus.

Speaking of which, some of you have heard of how an angel protected Sandra, Vanessa and I on Thursday as we drove to Murphy.

And finally, we sang about the Blood of Jesus, the Blood that washes and cleanses us from sin.

The Blood that gives us victory over the enemy.

Thank God for the Blood!

So, do you ever just think about Jesus?

I hope so!

Let’s think about Him so more as we read our text:

Text: Romans 6:3-11

This morning we will be baptizing 3 adults in water.

Jesus said in Matthew 28:19 (NASB95) “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit,

That is our Biblical mandate.

But lets take some time to think about the significance of water baptism revealed in our text.

Let’s take some time to think about Jesus.

The Confession of All Christ Has Done

Vs. 3-4 shows us that Baptism speaks of Jesus death and resurrection

First, Jesus died for us, and, as baptism clearly portrays, He was buried in a borrowed tomb.

Joseph of Arimethea might have though he was GIVING the tomb to Jesus, but Jesus only borrowed it for 3 days — then He gave it back — empty.

Secondly, the grave could not hold Jesus.

Jesus rose from the dead.

Baptism in water reminds us of these things.

Identification With Christ

And then, as verses 5-6 reminds us, we are “united with Him...”

In the likeness of His death.

In the hope of the resurrection that we will experience.

Baptism, then, identifies us with Christ’s death on the cross and His resurrection into new life.

This identification is not only with Christ but also in the name of the Father and Holy Spirit.

This is significant because it shows that our lives are to be totally encompassed by the Triune God.

Baptism is a sign that we have decided to follow Jesus and we won’t turn back.

It doesn’t save us: repentance and surrender in faith do that.

Water Baptism is an outward sign of an inward experience.

Radio personality, Paul Harvey, said that even though he had received almost every reward possible for his broadcasting ability that he still felt empty inside.

But then he decided to obey the Lord’s command to be baptized in water.

Harvey says:

The preacher had said there was nothing magic in the water.

Yet as I descended into the depths & rose again I knew something life-changing had happened — a cleansing inside out.

No longer did there seem to be two uncertain contradictory Paul Harvey’s, just one immensely happy one.

I felt the fulfilling surge of the Holy Spirit in my life.”

Paul Harvey went on, "The change this simple act made in my life is so immense as to be indescribable.

Since totally yielding to Him in baptism, my heart can’t stop singing.”

Our Hope of the Resurrection

Water baptism not only speaks of what Jesus did on the cross and at the empty tomb, but it reminds us that as verse 5 says:

Romans 6:5 (NASB95) For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall also be in the likeness of His resurrection,

Romans 6:8 (NASB95) Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him,

Baptism reminds us of the certainty that WE will experience the resurrection.

That reminder is not only for the one being baptized, but those of us who witness their baptism.

This fallen world is not our home, as surely as those being baptized will rise up out of the water, WE have the hope of resurrection.

That should be another reason that spurs us on the see many more saved and baptized.

So that we have a constant reminder of the certainty of the resurrection!

Baptism reminds us that death doesn’t have the final word!

No Longer A Slave

Neither does sin doesn’t have the final word.

Romans 6:6–7 (NASB95) knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin; 7 for he who has died is freed from sin.

I like that!

No longer slaves.

Not just no longer slaves to sin, but no longer slaves to fear.

During the pandemic I watched people all around me:

Listening to all the voices — many of those voices conflicting with one another

I watched the economy shut down

I watched as we were commanded to wear masks

Sandra and I (mainly Sandra) lived through the enforced separations at hospitals — it was a rare thing for hospitals to exercise any humanity — they decreed that loved ones be separated from each other through life-threatening times — sometimes in death loved ones died alone.

What inhumanity — forgive me, what needless stupidity!

I watched people do the weirdest things — they would go to Walmart, Home Depot and when the restaurants open back up, they would go to restaurants and eat — but they wouldn’t go to church — NO!

Why?

They were terrified

About that time I began listening to a song:

You unravel me with a melody

You surround me with a song

Of deliverance from my enemies

Till all my fears are gone

Chorus

I'm no longer a slave to fear

I am a child of God

I'm no longer a slave to fear

I am a child of God

Alive to God

Finally, water baptism reminds us of life.

Living for God.

Romans 6:10–11 (NASB95) For the death that [Jesus] died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. 11 Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus.

Just like Jesus lives to God, so we, when we rise out of that water, rise to live for Him.

We rise to listen to His voice and follow Him.

Sister Carol Abel shared this with me last week:

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Have you experienced Christ?

Are YOU listening to the voice of God?

Through the storms?

Through all the other voices?

As the worship team comes ...