Baptism

May 22, 2024

Notes from Scott Sutton's sermon on Sunday, May 19, 2024.

Sermon text: Romans 6:1-7


Last week Pastor Lance shared a new phrase with us about God's grace. In 5:20 Paul says, "Where sin increased, grace abounded all the more." OR Grace "Super-Abounded". Which begs the question for us this morning... If grace can super-abound when sin increases; if as sin goes higher, grace goes even higher; then why not sin? What keeps us from saying, "I want to glorify God as much as possible, so if when sin increases, grace superabounds... and God's grace brings him more and more glory, shouldn't we just sin more and more for the glory of God? Many of us sitting here might say, “No of course you can’t do that.” But the important point for us this morning is “why”? 


It is a deep question that Paul is anticipating, but he is dealing with this concern: Is Christianity the kind of religion that rewards sin, and thus promotes sinning? Ex. Rewarding dysfunction… budget season… 


6:1 What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? 


In Paul’s time, it was apparent that some had a concern with this religion of Jesus Christ, because it seemed possible to them that you could say you have died to sin, and somehow still live in it. Do you believe that? Do you believe that you can continue to live in sin because of grace? Do you believe that the little lies and deceptions and vices are still ok because grace super-abounds? 

Some may see that as a loophole to keep sinning. Scripture calls that presuming upon the kindness of God that was meant to lead you to repentance. Some may see that as a flaw in Christianity. Scripture, through Paul, says “There is no flaw. The system is not broken.” And the way he explains this is Baptism!


I’m encouraged to get to talk very specifically about baptism today, because I know that many of you are considering baptism, and many of you have been baptized. [Try to emphasize the significance of baptism…] Baptism is this expression of what we have laid hold of and what has laid hold of us, by faith! 


3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 

  1. We are baptized into Christ’s death.

What does it mean to die with Christ, to be buried with Christ? 

  • Our old self is crucified.

The old self isn’t just the parts of you that still struggle… or the parts that you think need work. It is your entire self that is buried with Christ in Baptism. The old self had Adam as a representative head. Conceived in iniquity and brought forth in sin, the old self still tries to pay his own penalties, to justify himself, to feel better by living better. The old self still wants to be in charge, because he thinks he knows best when it comes to his provision, his protection, and his plans. The old self doesn’t want to need God. He craves a life free from dependence. The old self struggles with God-given limitations and weaknesses. With a distaste for submission, he wants to lord over others. To him praise is sweet. Recognition and power are treasures. He looks only to his own interests, because how could anyone else know better what he needs? The old self is attracted to the independent spirit of the serpent. He may use other people, but never love them. Relationships are a means to another end. Money is for more consumption. Time is for what the flesh desires. To him, the first shall never be last. To him, a meek and teachable spirit is a sign of weakness. The old self suppresses truth by making up his own version of it. He willingly trades the truth about God for a lie because truth and God get in the way of his ultimate objective, control. He wants to order his life in a way that he doesn’t have to depend on anyone, especially God. The old self does not fear God, because he thinks he is God. 

  • Christ died for the old self, so that the old self would die. 
  • The body of sin must be brought to nothing.
  • We are no longer enslaved to sin, for we have been set free.

If the old self has died, then the old self is dead. What does a dead person do when they are presented with an opportunity to give way to the solicitations of the flesh? They’re dead! Which gives us an idea of what this freedom looks like! 


4 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. 

5 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.

This really has two parts… a “now” part, and a “then/forever” part… 

  1. We are raised to walk in newness of life
  • We don’t have to submit to sin.

To say that we are dead to sin means that we are no longer under its reign and rule. Scripture tells us that the wages of sin is death. The worst part of the old self is not what he does, but what he earns. Death… eternal separation from God. Under the law, we are doomed. Eternal anguish and punishment. But, when you hear me say, “we don’t have to submit to sin”, you might say, “then why do we still sin?” And the answer is because we choose to. Rather than walking in the newness of life, we choose to walk in the deadness of the old self. There is a direct correlation between how much we treasure Christ and how much we walk in the newness of life. 

  • There is always a way of escape.

1 Corinthians 10:13 “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.”

One of the beautiful realities of the newness of life is that God is in control. The old self was not faithful, but God is faithful. And Paul explains God’s faithfulness in terms of how He actively helps us to fight against sin and temptation. First, notice that temptation is common. Second, notice that for those raised to walk in the newness of life, giving way to temptation is not common. Why, because God provides a way of escape! So, in every moment of temptation, in Christ, you can cry out, “What is the way of escape?!” And often you will find that escape is found in accountability, in community, and in confession. Kids, God has given you parents to help with this. When you are tempted to sin, go to your parents, and tell them, for it is their joy to raise you in the fear and discipline of the Lord! 3 John 4 literally says, “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.” So in those moments of doubt, fear, anxiety, selfishness, anger, and fleshliness, the home is meant to be a place of honesty, where sins are confessed, God’s truth is proclaimed, and joy is celebrated as we walk in that truth! 

7 For one who has died has been set free from sin. 

  • We walk in who we are, not who we were. 


5 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.

  1. We will be united with Christ in resurrection.

This is the best part. When Christ died, and was buried in a tomb, the unprecedented happened on the 3rd day. There was a moment where Jesus is lying there dead. And when I walk adults and kiddos through the details of their baptism, I ask them, “What do you think was the first thing that Jesus did when he came back to life?” Many say, “He prayed” or “He worshipped God”, and I say no… the FIRST THING. You see, there was a moment in that tomb where all was silent, and then Jesus did this… [deep breath]. And then I ask them what will be the first thing that they do when they come out of the water after they have been baptized? And the answer is the same… [deep breath]. In that moment you are as alive in your newness of life as Christ was alive after he conquered death. It is meant to be exhilarating! He conquered his death, and in doing so, conquered your death. In the same way that, at Christ’s baptism, when He came up out of the water, the clouds parted and the Spirit descended like a dove and the voice of God said, “This is my Son in who I am well pleased”, so your faith in Christ means that God looks at you in the same way… “This is my son [insert names], my daughter [insert names] in who I am well pleased.” And that goes on FOREVER. That is also why baptism is described as an appeal to God for a good conscience. What more is there to clear your guilty conscience than knowing that the God of the universe is well pleased with you?! 

  • This urges us to have an eternal perspective.

While there is a newness of life in the here and now, we can stop asking for this life to provide us with the joy and comfort that only eternity with God can provide. We can hold more loosely to our belongings. We can stop freaking out when things don’t go our way, or when we receive bad news. We can trust God for our provision, protection, and plans. We can stop trying to control others. We can prioritize the things in our life now, that will still be important eternally. Or as Ecclesiastes taught us, we can live with the end in mind.


We are baptized into Christ’s death, we are raised to walk in the newness of life, and we will be united to Christ in resurrection. How can we who have died to sin still live in it? 


Discipleship Questions:

 1.) Why is it a problem if more grace leads to more sinning?

 2.) How did you relate to the old self described in the sermon? How would you describe your old self? Make it personal...

 3.) As you think about your old self, why is it encouraging to know that you are buried with Christ in baptism?

 4.) What are the differences between walking in the newness of life and walking in the deadness of the old self?

 5.) Why is it sometimes hard to trust that God is in control?

 6.) How does the resurrection shape our expectations of this life?

 7.) Is your household a place of honesty where sins are confessed, truth is proclaimed, and joy is celebrated? If not, what is one step you can take this week to move in that direction?

 8.) How does an eternal perspective keep us more in touch with reality, not less? 

Everything We Need

July 29, 2025
Notes from Ky Martin's sermon on Sunday, July 27, 2025. Sermon text: 2 Peter 1:3-4 We have everything we need for a godly life. Sentence has: 68 words 9 prepositional phrases 5 dependent clauses God called us. “By His divine power” The word here is summon Like Lazarus, come forth. English readers are apt to understand calling in terms of an invitation that can be accepted or rejected. Peter has something deeper in mind. Christ’s call is effective, awakening and creating faith. -Thomas R. Schreiner 1 Peter 2:9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. By revealing Christ to us. “Through the knowledge of Him” Side note, ambiguity: The ambiguity in the text indicates that Peter does not clearly distinguish between God and Christ, which indicates that God and Christ were venerated equally. - Thomas R. Schreiner Excuses are Eliminated We need to note that this comes to us by grace, but also that we have a part to play here. Effort is not a 4 letter word. You have no excuse for: Pornography- You have everything you need. Substance Abuse- You have everything you need. Pride- You have everything you need Laziness- You have everything you need Anger- You have everything you need. Prayer and Scripture Reading- You have everything you need. Evangelism- You have everything you need. He’ll go on to mention supplementing He has given us what we need for godliness now, and He promises us even greater things to come. We will share in Christ’s Divine Nature 2 Pe 1:4 by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature Unusual word… The “divine nature” (Theos) appears only here and in Acts where Paul addresses the Areopagus an odd work choice and would have appealed to his pagan readers. Acts 17:29 Being then God’s offspring, we ought not to think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and imagination of man. Redefining what it means to become like God. Christ shared in our nature that we might share in His. 1 John 3:2 Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. In 1:3, it’s through the knowledge of Christ that we are called to Him. Here, we see that a fuller revelation of Christ will conform us even more fully into His likeness. How so? Purity Immortality Restoration to Eden Christians also share in God’s immortality. They are not trapped in this world. Though ‘perishable’ now, Christians will be raised ‘imperishable’ -Paul Gardner Glory John 17:22 The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, We have everything we need for a godly life. English readers are apt to understand calling in terms of an invitation that can be accepted or rejected. Peter has something deeper in mind. Christ’s call is effective, awakening and creating faith. -Thomas R. Schreiner 1 Peter 2:9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. The ambiguity in the text indicates that Peter does not clearly distinguish between God and Christ, which indicates that God and Christ were venerated equally. - Thomas R. Schreiner Excuses are Eliminated We will share in Christ’s Divine Nature Acts 17:29 Being then God’s offspring, we ought not to think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and imagination of man. 1 John 3:2 Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. Purity Immortality Christians also share in God’s immortality. They are not trapped in this world. Though ‘perishable’ now, Christians will be raised ‘imperishable.’ -Paul Gardner Glory John 17:22 The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one. Discipleship Questions: 2 Peter 1:3 says we’ve been given everything we need for life and godliness… Do you find that verse encouraging, challenging or both? Are there any areas of your walk where you struggle to believe that you already have everything you need for success? Do you ever make excuses to yourself or others for a lack of godliness? If yes, explain. How much work does it take to live as a Christian? What does it mean that we will be “partakers in the divine nature”?

The Genuine Gospel

July 21, 2025
Notes from Lance Shumake's sermon on Sunday, July 20, 2025. Sermon text: 2 Peter 1:1-2  Peter is warning us about counterfeit teaching and false teachers The genuine gospel came from Jesus through His apostles —servant (humility and honor) —apostle (called, unique, sent) The genuine gospel is just as precious to us today —received and believed “How does someone become a Christian? One person might say, ‘Because I believe,’ and another, ‘Because God chose me.’ According to Peter, both ways of stating it are correct. On the one hand, we believe. It is a fundamental definition of a Christian that he or she is a ‘believe-er’; that he or she ‘has faith’ But Peter also knows that it is not our feeble faith that holds us close to God. It is God who does all the holding, and that is the reality behind the word received.” —R. C. Lucas and Christopher Green, The Message of 2 Peter & Jude The genuine gospel is centered on the person and work of Jesus —God —Savior —Christ —Lord “This fourfold description of Jesus is important because it puts him at the focal point of human history. As God, he guarantees that his words and his works cannot be replaced or revoked; as Christ, he fulfills all the Old Testament promises; as Savior, he died on the cross for our salvation in the past, present and future; and as Lord he claims the right to our individual love and obedience—notice how Peter calls him our Lord.” —R. C. Lucas and Christopher Green, The Message of 2 Peter & Jude The genuine gospel transforms us as we grow in knowledge of Jesus —grace and peace multiplied Discipleship Questions: Why is false teaching so dangerous? How does remembering and focusing on the true gospel help us stand against false teaching? In what ways is the gospel just as precious to us as it was to the apostles? How do you relate to Jesus as God, Savior, Christ, and Lord? What is the difference between knowing about Jesus and knowing Him?

The God of All Grace

July 16, 2025
Notes from Zach Snow's sermon on Sunday, July 13, 2025. Sermon text: 1 Peter 5:8-14 Why is the lion roaring? Wouldn’t it be a better strategy to be quiet…subtle…sneaky, in an attempt to “devour” Christians? I think that Peter, led by the Holy Spirit, was very intentional with his description here of the devil being a roaring lion. Went into a rabbit hole on a lion's roar…there are some spiritual applications to these: Can reach up to 114 decibels…almost as loud as a jet engine taking off They roar for social reasons (territory, create bonds, locate other members of their pride) as well as for purposes of intimidation. One of the primary purposes of the lion's roar is to strike fear in the heart of their prey. The lion will always start with a psychological advantage Fear, anxiety, depression, anger, hatred - these things can absolutely paralyse you spiritually The lion is not necessarily trying to kill you, but to destroy your faith Prayer: Be sober-minded - Have a clear and self disciplined mind - Titus 2 Exercise self control in thoughts, words, and action this is the 3rd time Peter has said this to us in 1 Peter - 1:13, 4:7 - it’s a call to remain alert and focused Being sober-minded means waging war against the things that are detrimental to the mind: fear, hatred, anxiety, depression, anger I believe these are specific things the enemy uses to derail our mental health and cause us to take our guard down Be watchful - this is the same word that Jesus used in the garden before he was arrested and crucified - this is a call to pray Prayers for others - Eph. 6:18 - Ephesians 6:18 - [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, Prayers for yourself - James 1:5 - 5 j If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. 6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. So here’s the question… Do you believe in prayer? How much do you trust that God can do the things that you are not able to do? Do you trust God with the big stuff AND the small stuff? Discipleship Questions: 1.) In your personal life, what does being sober minded and watchful look like to you? 2.) Who are the people who help you stand firm in your faith the most? 3.) As a CG look at each of the points of the Theology of Suffering and find Scripture to support each one of those statements: God is ALWAYS good God is ALWAYS enough God will ALWAYS love you 4.) Discuss ways that the God of all grace has restored, confirmed, strengthened, and established you.
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