Going Public – Baptism

Welcome to CROLCC, we are so glad you are here worshiping with us. Last week we had the privilege of having pastor Don Proctor with us. I want to encourage you go online to listen to his message if you weren’t with us last Sunday. Pastor Don mentioned that Sacramento is a place of all nations, and he encouraged us to play our part in reaching the nations. You have been strategically placed by God in this city. Thank you for partnering with this church to reach many that are coming to Sacramento.

Easter is about a month away and our church tradition is that we hold baptisms on Easter Sundays.  Originally, “baptism” was not a religious concept. Yet over time, baptism has become an exclusively religious idea – one that even rouses deep emotion and controversy. So today we want to unpack baptism, from its birth with John the Baptist to its modern equivalent. If you are a follower of Christ and baptism is still on your “to-do” list, this message may be the nudge you need to finally go public.

Moving Forward

Baptism isn’t a condition of salvation; it’s evidence of salvation. If you’re a Christian and you’ve never been baptized, you need to be baptized. It’s a point of obedience. What’s stopping you?

Changing Your Mind

Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit

Matthew 28:19

Discussion Questions

1. If you grew up going to church, talk about your perceptions of baptism and whether they were influenced by a particular tradition. If you didn’t grow up going to church, what did you think of baptism?

2. If you’ve been baptized since accepting Christ, talk about your experience. Were you nervous? How did it benefit you?

3. Read Matthew 28:16–20. Why would Jesus place such an emphasis on a public profession of faith through baptism?

4. If you haven’t been baptized, how do you think your story of coming to faith in Jesus might benefit others?