Sermons
After Baptism
Series: FundamentalsAfter Baptism
I. Introduction
We have come a long ways in our overview of basic Bible principles, the foundations of our faith. Last week, we finally got our first real glimpse at how this whole story intersects with your life and mine today. How did Jesus dying on the cross 2000 years ago on the other side of the world and then rising from the dead have anything to do with you and me? Because we join him in death, burial, and resurrection through baptism when we decide to stop living for ourselves and start living for him.
And becoming a Christian is just that simple. If you believe that Jesus is the Son of God and want to turn away from sin and follow him, you just need to be baptized to have your sins washed away, and then off you go!
Let’s look at the familiar example of Acts 2. Peter preaches the first Gospel sermon, telling people that Jesus is the Christ, but they had killed him. He drives it home in verse 36:
Acts 2:36 Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.”
Some of them believed. They responded:
Acts 2:37 Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”
It is very frightening to ponder what answer they would have been given by many preachers today. But Peter tells them exactly what Jesus had told him to say:
Acts 2:38 And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
And for those who listened, believed, and understood these simple instructions, the next step was obvious:
Acts 2:41 So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls.
Awesome! The multiplying had begun. 3000 new followers of Jesus. 3000 souls saved from sin.
But here’s the question for today’s lesson. Now what? After someone is baptized, what happens next? You’ve been born again, now what do you do with your new life?
And to answer that, we’ll begin right here in this same context.
II. Community
First, let me tell you a little about our experience with our pet Greyhound. Late last year we started discussing getting a dog. We hadn’t had one since our Golden Retriever, Tex, quite a few years ago. So we started looking at all kinds of breeds online, looking at pro’s and con’s. And finally we settled on a Greyhound as being ideal for us.
So next we looked for an organization somewhere around here that we could adopt one through, to find out how that process works. There’s a big group in Nashville, but we went with one in Smyrna, which is probably the closest one to us. We found out right away these people are CRAZY about these dogs. Sarah had a phone interview that lasted a couple of hours, and then they came for a home visit. It was like getting a kid.
But all this time, we thought we would go through the process and get a dog, and that would be it. But actually, we got more than we were expecting. We became part of this Greyhound group. We’re on their e-mail list, and get stuff all day long from various folks. We’ve started e-mailing pics and updates of Juno as well. And they have get-togethers. We drove all the way to a PetSmart in Smyrna for a meet-and-greet, where there were probably 10 other Greyhounds. Which may sound crazy, but there’s a cool benefit to being in the group. Not only do they help out with answers to questions, but they also help each other by babysitting dogs.
So where am I going with all this? Well, we had set out to find a dog and ended up being part of a Greyhound community.
And that’s exactly what happens after someone becomes a disciple. They become part of a community of believers. The Bible word for this community is “church.” Look at how it is described in the next few verses.
Acts 2:42-47 And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. 43 And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. 44 And all who believed were together and had all things in common. 45 And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. 46 And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, 47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.
This is community. This is church. This is what they found themselves a part of after being baptized. And it’s exciting, and it’s wonderful, and it’s a great blessing of God that we might take for granted.
Let’s take a closer look at three things that defined this community.
III. Devoted to worship
First is worship. It is described in verse 42 in four concepts: the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.
Fellowship is related to community. It means sharing together. In this instance, they were sharing together in spiritual things.
First is the apostles’ teaching. This goes back to what Jesus said at the end of Matthew:
Matt. 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, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Baptism is really just the beginning of making a disciple. That’s like the day you enlist in the military. You’ve committed yourself, but you have everything to learn about being a soldier.
How long does it take to learn all that Jesus has commanded? We can spend a lifetime studying it. You know, James Green was an elder here years ago. And it amazed me how he continued to learn and ask questions and try to figure things out. I’m sure he’s still doing it now in West TN.
And note that this is not referring to simply the things in the gospels or the words in red, as we say.
John 16:12-15 “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. 13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. 14 He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. 15 All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.
All the inspired books of the New Testament are the teachings of Jesus. And in order to understand them, you need to understand the inspired books of the Old Testament. So we’ve got our work cut out for us. But don’t worry. You don’t have to learn it all at once. The Lord understands that it takes time. But we need to be working on it. We need to be devoted to it like these first converts.
They were also devoted to the breaking of bread. Most agree that this is a reference to the Lord’s Supper. It wouldn’t really make sense to say they were devoted to eating. But now that they understood what had been done for them, they were devoted to honoring Jesus’ death in the way he had instructed.
Shouldn’t we do the same? Sometimes the question comes up, “do we HAVE to assemble every week, and partake of the Lord’s Supper every week?” Do you get the feeling that anyone in this group was asking that? After they realized they had killed the Messiah, but he had died willingly for them so they could be forgiven of their sins, do you think any of them were asking the Apostles, “okay, about that remembering Jesus’ death thing… is that something I have to do?” No way. I’m sure they saw it as the very least they could do for their Lord.
They were also devoted to the prayers. We know they got together regularly to pray. This had already begun before that day:
Acts 1:13-14 And when they had entered, they went up to the upper room, where they were staying, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot and Judas the son of James. 14 All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.
They were devoted to praying together. And throughout Acts, when trouble arose, the disciples came together to pray. We should be devoted to this as well.
So this is the first description of this new community of Christians. They were devoted to worship. The same is expected of new converts today. Jump right in and join us.
III. Sharing and helping
The next thing we see about them is how they shared together.
2:44-45 And all who believed were together and had all things in common. 45 And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need.
The had concern for each other and their needs. It has often been pointed out that there was a special circumstance in this first group of Christians. Many, perhaps most of them, were from out of town. Notice:
Acts 2:5 Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven.
The various places they were from are mentioned in verses 9-11. They had traveled to Jerusalem for the feast of Pentecost. But those who became Christians apparently stayed. But how would they afford to do so? What would they eat? Where would they stay long-term?
Apparently this is why so many were sharing their food and houses and property, and distributing among themselves. Now we don’t have that situation today, but we can still help each other. Just like the folks in the Greyhound group try to help each other.
And I think we do a good job of this. Just Friday, our heat went out. Sarah was talking to Monica and told her about it, and before I knew it there were three extra heaters in the house. I was upstairs and didn’t even know that Robby had come by. But that’s what we do. It’s part of being in the church, the community, the family.
Also, we see from the writings of Paul that our community is bigger than just the local group of Christians. We have brothers and sisters all over the world, and we can and should share with each other when someone is in need. We have a great example of that in Paul’s journeys, as he took up a collection for Christians in Judea who were in need.
Paul explained the rationale:
2 Cor. 8:13-15 For I do not mean that others should be eased and you burdened, but that as a matter of fairness 14 your abundance at the present time should supply their need, so that their abundance may supply your need, that there may be fairness. 15 As it is written, “Whoever gathered much had nothing left over, and whoever gathered little had no lack.”
We’re all on the same team, and we work together, sharing the load.
IV. Hanging out
Lastly, the new Christians enjoyed each other’s company.
Acts 2:46-47 And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, 47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.
Again to mention the Greyhound group one last time. These guys have get-togethers, and even a big Greyhound getaway in Gulf Breeze, Florida. Can you believe it? But they just enjoy getting together because they have something in common—a pet dog of all things!
And there’s all kinds of conventions like that. Barbershop singers love to get together. People who root for the same team.
And don’t we have something much more important in common!
We serve the same Lord. We share a common faith. We’re on the road to the same destination. We’re part of a spiritual family. We should naturally enjoy spending time together.
V. Conclusion
What a wonderful brotherhood that we become part of through Christ. And how does this help us?
We have a lot of growing to do, and we are surrounded by many teachers.
We face challenges in life, and we have many helpers.
We are tempted to fall away, and we have brothers and leaders to pull us back in line.
We tend to grow cold and drift away, but we have a family to stir us up to keep on going.
But all of this only works if you are active and engaged in the community. It doesn’t just happen here in the building. Being a Christian means being part of the body of Christ, 24/7.
Aren’t you thankful that God provided such a support group for us!
INVITATION
