John the Baptist introduced the concept of water baptism when nothing like it previously existed in the Old Testament. He spent time in the wilderness around the Dead Sea and it is possible that God used the Essenes to introduce the ritual to him. The act of being immersed in water was synonymous with repentance to them and it became the same for him as well.

It is interesting that when Jesus came to John the Baptist at the Jordan River and requested to be baptized, John was surprised and stated that it was he actually needed baptism from Jesus. The God-man was insistent and John complied with Jesus’ request. God the Father and God the Holy Spirit declared their approval as God the Son submitted to the ritual.

The disciples did not know it then, but water baptism would become one of the ordinances set forth by Jesus for the fledging church. There is a string of people in the book of Acts who were baptized in water as soon as they had been saved:

• When the early church was born on the Day of Pentecost, the sermon preached by the apostle Peter convicted 3,000 Jewish men to repent, accept Jesus as the Messiah, and be baptized.

• When Philip preached Christ in Samaria, people repented and were baptized.

• The Ethiopian eunuch asked to be baptized in water after accepting Jesus as the Messiah.

• Saul of Tarsus was baptized in water after his conversion to Christ.

• Cornelius and his family were baptized in water after their conversion.

Water baptism does not save a person. It is an act of obedience to the command of Jesus that all Christians be baptized in water by immersion. Let’s follow Jesus and do it right.

Print out the sermon outline and let's examine the Scriptures together Sunday morning at 9:00 AM PST.

Yours in Christ,

Pastor John S. Torell