 Amen. Good evening, everyone. It's good to see you. Welcome back. Hope you've had a good Lord's day. It's our joy tonight to be back together to worship the Lord for our evening service. We're very grateful for that. And tonight, as part of our essential series, it's our joy to discuss the topic of baptism, which I'm looking forward to talking with you, talking to you about tonight. And to do that, we're going to look at Matthew chapter three. Turn to Matthew chapter three with me. The title of our sermon this evening, The Basis for Baptism. The basis for baptism. Our text, Matthew chapter three, verses 13 through 17. And as you know, this is a part of our essentials series. We went through part one of the essentials dealing with those subject essential to the life, health, maturity, growth of a Christian. And now we turn to part two in our essential series on the doctrine of the church and the practice of the church. And so we come this evening to the subject of baptism. And we will look at the Lord's baptism, Matthew chapter three as a way to discuss this subject together. So here's the word of God, Matthew chapter three, beginning in verse 13. Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him. And John tried to prevent him saying, I need to be baptized by you. And are you coming to me? But Jesus answered and said to him, permit it to be so now for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness. And then he allowed him when he had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water and behold, the heavens were open to him and he saw the spirit of God descending like a dove and a lighting upon him. And suddenly a voice came from heaven saying, this is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased. This is the word of God. Amen. Amen. Let's pray together. Father in heaven, we're very grateful to you for your word, grateful to you for the gospels and how they depict the life and ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ and particularly grateful this evening Lord for this account of our Lord's baptism. Help us to understand from your word, retain, think about, meditate on what's going on here with respect to the Lord's baptism in Matthew chapter three and as it's recorded in the other gospels and pray that we might draw from that wisdom from your word with respect to our own baptism and help us Lord to see wondrous things from your law. Help us to understand this for our own edification Lord, but for our worship and praise of you and for love and gratitude in our hearts for what Jesus Christ has done for us. Thank you for our time together in Jesus' name. Amen. In the title of our sermon, The Basis for Baptism, Matthew chapter three, verses thirteen through seventeen. So, I have a question for you. What is baptism and why do we baptize? That is the question will be occupied with this evening. This group will not be surprised to find there are several disparate answers to that very important and very significant question. What is baptism and why do we baptize? Some would say that baptism is the means by which God literally washes away original sin or others might say that baptism is the means through which we are washed clean in the blood of Jesus Christ and apart from performing the act of baptism you cannot be saved. Some say that baptism is the new covenant equivalent of old covenant circumcision. Some would say that baptism is merely or simply a symbol. It's just a memorial. It's just a picture if you will nothing more just a picture with little significance for the person being baptized other than being a performer of this ritual and nothing more than that. Well, what is baptism and why do we baptize? That's the question we're asking. I've planned for us to answer those questions through a summary of baptism followed by a biblical consideration of the significance of baptism. First a summary and then its significance. All right, so let's begin with a summary. The London Baptist Confession of Faith our confession will get us started chapter 29 article 1 where it reads baptism is an ordinance of the New Testament ordained by Jesus Christ to be unto the party baptized a sign of his fellowship with him in his death and resurrection of his being engrafted into him of remission of sins and of giving up into God through Jesus Christ to live and walk in newness of life. Now notice first our confession refers to baptism as an ordinance something that the Lord has ordained for the church to obey an ordinance. Now that word ordinance often used in distinction to the Roman Catholic word sacrament or sacramentalism. Roman Catholics would mean by the use of the word sacrament that grace or favor is actually earned or merited through the performance of the sacrament and therefore the sacrament then is absolutely necessary in order to receive that grace from God. It's a sacrament we're talking of sacramentalism. So then baptism confirmation the mass if you grew up in Roman Catholicism this is all familiar to you a confession so on all sacraments of the church and quoting from the catechism of the Catholic Church the church affirms that for believers the sacraments of the new covenant are necessary for salvation that makes them sacraments okay and the question is whether or not salvation is merely symbolized in the sacraments or the ordinance of the of the church or is salvation given brought about originated or sustained or furthered by the sacrament itself is it merely symbolized in the sacrament or is it bringing about salvation or bringing about that grace now many sound Bible believing reformed Christians that are in our camp will also use the word sacrament you'll hear them use the word sacrament but in using the word sacrament what they're not conveying they're not conveying the same heretical meaning intended by groups like Roman Catholics Lutherans churches of Christ Anglicans or others but what they mean by use of the word sacrament is to convey that that baptism is a means of grace it's a means of grace to the it has benefits for the one who's being baptized that's what they mean by the use of the word sacrament okay in other words it's it's more than simply re-enacting a picture baptism isn't merely or only a symbol it's more than simply a public profession there is significance for the one who is a recipient of that ordinance a recipient of baptism Sam Waldron rightly notes that while baptism does not save baptism does formalize salvation in a covenantal ceremony or transaction between God and the party baptized he uses this illustration which i think is is helpful baptism is the body so to speak of which faith is the soul it is a visible word of assurance it's a visible word of confirmation a seal of God's covenantal commitment given to the party baptized more than just a picture it's a means of grace okay so then many reformed Christians using that word sacrament to describe baptism have also referred to baptism as a sign or a seal of the covenant of grace we refer to baptism as an ordinance but it is an ordinance that is a sign and seal of the covenant of grace and by means of grace we mean that through a a prayerful faith-filled participation in baptism that observance of that ordinance by the grace of God should have a confirming assuring establishing edifying effect in the life of a believer those of you who have been baptized and have come to the waters of baptism in faith i would probably give a hearty amen to that fact and that truth that through it the lord blessed you and established you and confirmed you in the faith it has an edifying effect in the life of a believer it is a means of grace and a very important means of grace all right though not saving in any way whatsoever God does intend benefit through baptism and so then to avoid baptism or to neglect baptism you avoid or neglect it to the harm of your own soul now our confession and speaking about baptism brings out three important facets of baptism that undergirds its significance one our confession refers to baptism as a sign of our fellowship with Jesus Christ in his death and resurrection in other words baptism pictures our union with jesus christ in his own death and resurrection and romans chapter six verse five says this if we have been united together in the likeness of his death certainly we shall be in the likeness of his resurrection our old man crucified with him at conversion that the body of sin might be done away with that we should no longer be slaves of sin and baptism then becomes a picture in the likeness of that spiritual reality right baptism is not effecting that spiritual reality baptism of picture is a sign baptism signifies that spiritual reality it is in the likeness so to speak of the lord jesus christ's own death and resurrection secondly baptism our confession states is referred to as a sign of our being engrafted into him brought into union with jesus christ it's through that union that we have the forgiveness of sins baptism as a washing with water symbolizes this forgiveness of sins that we have through our union with jesus christ it's a physical portrayal of a spiritual reality okay third baptism is referred to as a sign that in him we now live and walk in newness of life we are a new creation baptism signifies the birth so to speak coming out of the water of a new creation for in christ jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything but a new creation so baptism then is a sign that communicates that the one being baptized is in union with jesus christ is forgiven of all their sins and is a new creation in jesus christ that's the summary of our confession of faith on baptism so combine this then that truth from the confession with the new testament teaching that baptism is also a response on the part of the believer to god think with me how is it that baptism is a response of the believer on the part of the believer to god well it follows first follows repentance in faith baptism follows repentant faith peter describes it as an appeal to god for a good conscience through the resurrection of jesus christ baptism saving as peter says there not through any kind of mystical or magical cleansing power inherent in the water itself in other words not the removal of the filth of the flesh peter would say but rather attributing significance to the appeal or answer that baptism is as a response of faith on the part of the one being baptized the one being baptized is responding to the god with an appeal for a good conscience through repentant faith and baptism signifies that so baptism then if you put that together baptism signifies gospel realities imparted through our union with jesus christ and baptism also signifies and embodies the response of faith in the one being baptized therefore implications of that to baptize someone who is not in union with jesus christ to baptize someone who is not forgiven of their sin to baptize someone who has not been blessed with receiving those gospel realities to baptize someone who has given no such response to god of an appeal for a good conscience through repentance and faith is not biblical new covenant baptism it is empty meaningless heartless even sacerdotal ritual that is sin against god so the baptism then of infants would fall into that description would fall into that category the baptism of unbelievers would certainly fall into that category into that description it's not new testament new covenant baptism now that understanding to get us started that understanding is a summary that's summary of what baptism is under the new covenant is built upon a biblical foundation of baptism's significance that comes to us from the old testament right it's reiterated for us in the new testament so to begin our consideration of baptism significance then turn with me to the account of our lord's baptism in matthew chapter three the text read in your hearing right matthew chapter three now want us to put on our thinking caps and work through this where does baptism come from and why right where does baptism come from and why certainly the baptism of followers of the lord jesus christ should draw significance from the baptism of the lord jesus christ himself right there is significance to the lord's baptism that should impact how we understand our own baptism as followers of the lord in the new covenant understanding the lord's baptism should inform our understanding of our baptism into him okay matthew chapter three john the baptist the forerunner is baptizing in the jordan river john one records that jews from jerusalem sent out priests and levites to ask about john what is he doing out there in the wilderness what is he doing at the jordan who are you and why do you baptize if you're not the christ nor elijah nor the prophet what are you doing baptizing right john answered them i baptize with water but there stands one among you whom you do not know it's going to be significant and it is he who coming after me is preferred before me whose sandal strap i'm not worthy to lose and john says and john won verse 31 i did not know him they don't know him john doesn't know him but that he should be revealed to israel therefore john says i came baptizing with water right so understand what john is saying john is saying so that jesus christ will be revealed to israel i've come baptizing with water and through me baptizing with water in the jordan jesus christ the messiah the christ will be revealed to israel okay the jews do not know him john does not know him and the reason that john gives for baptizing in the wilderness is that he should be revealed two points of significance to consider the first john gives the reason for baptizing that he should be revealed verse 13 then jesus came from gallilee to john at the jordan to be baptized by him john tried to prevent him saying i need to be baptized by you and are you coming to me in other words john the baptist is asking the same question that we're asking isn't he why are you coming to me for baptism what's the purpose of this what's the purpose remember john is in the jordan baptizing people who are repenting of their sins okay mark chapter one verse four john came baptizing in the wilderness and preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins so john says to jesus christ when jesus christ comes to him i need to be baptized by you i'm the sinner here right why would you come to me to be baptized for the remission of sins the son of god doesn't need to be to be baptized by me for the remission of sins so in john in john one john the baptist then bore witness saying this listen i saw the spirit descending from heaven like a dove and he remained upon him i did not know him but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me upon whom you see the spirit descending and remaining upon him this is he who baptizes with the holy spirit and i have seen and i have testified john says that this is the son of god so john doesn't know who he is but the one whom you see anointed is the one whom i have sent he's the one who will baptize with the holy spirit this is the son of god in other words his baptism in the jordan was the revealing of the lord jesus christ it was the messiah's revealing so jesus christ gives another reason then for why he is coming for baptism follow along first it is his revealing he's being revealed as the messiah second verse 15 but jesus answered and said to john permit it to be so now for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness and then john allowed him all right how did john understand this to fulfill all righteousness is the reason that jesus gives it's the second reason and second point of significance we're going to consider in the lord's baptism upon hearing this to fulfill all righteousness john consents and baptizes the lord right what would that statement have meant to john the baptist now i heard growing up when i was growing up in church that baptism was a command for new testament believers right the bible commands that a believer should go and be baptized so i always heard growing up that jesus needing to obey all the commandments would have to be baptized in the same way that we're baptized in order to fulfill all righteousness right it was sort of taking a a more modern or a new covenant understanding of baptism and reading it back into that circumstance with john and the lord jesus christ in the jordan that day in matthew chapter three we can't do that right what would john the baptist have understood by the lord's comments in matthew chapter three what would he understood jesus to mean by fulfilling all righteousness john had no concept yet of new covenant christian baptism we see that on the part of john right in the gospels john keeps having to ask questions is it you that we're looking for or should we look for another right he's he's confused john had no concept yet of christian new covenant baptism he simply knew that he was baptizing with water in the jordan so that the messiah the son of god might be revealed to israel now what john would have understood from the lord statement was obedience to the law when the lord jesus christ says permitted so for now that we might fulfill all righteousness john would have understood that statement to mean we need to fulfill obedience to the law the law of moses in particular right galatians chapter four verse four when the fullness of time had come god sent forth his son born of a woman born under the law to redeem those who were under the law that we might receive the adoption as sons to redeem us those who were born under the law under a covenant of works jesus must be born under the law and jesus was obligated by the covenant of works to obey at all if he's going to redeem us right he's going to redeem us jesus christ himself would have had to obey all the law so jesus christ intends to fulfill all righteousness deuteronomy chapter six in verse 25 the law says then it will be righteousness for us if we are careful to observe all these commandments before the lord our god as he has commanded us righteousness is perfect obedience to the law of god right but now jesus doesn't merely use the word for obey here he also uses the word to fulfill not simply to obey all the commands of the law but to fulfill all righteousness and we know that jesus christ fulfills the law not only by perfectly obeying the law but also by revealing the laws true meaning or true intent by being the one that the law or the ceremony points to jesus christ fulfills that in the sense of becoming or being the one that the law or ceremony in the old testament points us to so let me ask you what old testament law could jesus have been referring to he's standing in the jordan with john baptized me so that i might fulfill all righteousness how would john have understood that what old testament law was jesus referring to it certainly was not in fulfillment of the old testament law of circumcision it wasn't that jesus was circumcised already it certainly wasn't some kind of new testament counterpart to that there's no connection between baptism and circumcision right where in the old testament law does baptism come from it comes from baptism baptism under the new covenant comes from baptism under the old covenant it comes from old testament law relating to baptism and old testament baptism points us to jesus christ baptism as a fulfillment of all those baptisms in the same way that we see types and shadows in the old testament fulfilled by jesus christ in the new so for example Passover the old testament Passover we see fulfilled in the sacrifice of jesus christ right we see many types and shadows in the old covenant fulfilled by jesus christ in the new baptism in the same way baptism in the new covenant baptism in the old testament points us forward to baptism in the new where does the old testament under the law require baptism turn with me to numbers chapter eight numbers chapter eight there's some there are some who would see numbers chapter eight as the basis for new covenant or new testament baptism if you look at numbers chapter eight beginning in verse five listen to this passage numbers chapter eight beginning in verse five then the lord spoke to moses saying take the Levites from among the children of israel and cleanse them ceremonially and notice first it's ceremonial cleansing it's not an actual spiritual cleansing taking place through this right it's ceremonial and we know this to be true thus you shall do to them to cleanse them sprinkle water of purification on them let them shave all their body let them wash their clothes and so make themselves clean now we have a few difficulties with this text right off the bat as it relates to new testament baptism right the text calls for the sprinkling of water that word is nazah in the in the Hebrew and some would say i knew it i knew we were supposed to sprinkle because numbers chapter eight the sprinkling we're supposed to sprinkle people in baptism all those presbyterians and Methodists have got it right and all of us Baptists are wrong right no no the Old Testament does frequently refer to baptism or some kind of baptism some type of baptism as requiring nazah sprinkling right there is a type of baptism that refers to here specifically sprinkling now a vast majority of the time that that word sprinkling is employed it refers to the sprinkling of blood a vast majority of time it's the sprinkling of blood and this is one kind of baptism in the Old Testament Leviticus chapter five verse nine he shall sprinkle some of the blood of the sin offering on the side of the altar and the rest of the blood shall be drained out at the base of the altar it is a sin offering when did that sprinkling of blood take place that baptism if you will it took place at the death of the sacrifice when the sacrifice was killed when the throat of the animal was cut there was a sprinkling of blood at the death of the sacrifice right we'll make that connection in a moment Isaiah chapter 52 verse 15 Isaiah speaking of the suffering servant says this behold my servant shall deal prudently he shall be exalted and extolled and be very high just as many were astonished at you so his visage was marred more than any man when did that take place that take place took place at his scourging before his death right his form marred more than the sons of men and so he shall sprinkle many nations when did that sprinkling take place took place at the crucifixion of the lord jesus christ right through the shedding of his blood it's one kind of baptism it is a sprinkling of blood if you remember the story of the soldier who pierced the side of the lord jesus christ and out of his side flowed blood and water in a couple of cases in a couple of cases that word is used of the sprinkling of water out of the numerous times that word is used sprinkling of blood a couple of times it refers to water as it is with the levites the levites here in numbers chapter 8 verse 5 but it's always dealing with those who are unclean and it always deals with purification right also deals with unclean in numbers 19 this is in numbers 19 verse 18 a clean person shall take hyssop dip it in the water sprinkle it on the tent on all the vessels on the persons who were there or on one who touched a bone or the slain or the dead or a grave the clean person shall sprinkle the unclean on the third day and on the seventh day and on the seventh day he shall purify himself wash his clothes bathe in water and at evening he shall be clean there's a necessity here numbers 19 for the unclean to be sprinkled by the clean to be made clean themselves right we'll make that connection in a moment also whether sprinkling by blood sprinkling by water both are meant to signify purification right there to be purified now next one the problem is that this calls for a sprinkling of water it's not really baptism but a sprinkling okay second the next problem associated with this text with respect to new covenant baptism is that none of these circumstances in numbers chapter eight apply to jesus christ jesus christ was not a levite that's interesting to think about isn't it jesus christ was not a levite so this baptism of levites in numbers chapter eight wouldn't have applied to jesus christ it wouldn't have been why jesus christ was being baptized in the jordan by john and jesus christ was certainly not unclean now jesus christ was sinless undefiled without spotter blemish so if numbers chapter eight doesn't fit the bill then what other old testament baptism could jesus christ have been referring to what is another kind of baptism from the old testament that could have been referring to the baptism of the lord in the river jordan in matthew chapter three where jesus in fulfillment of the law was being baptized to fulfill all righteousness it would have been the baptism of the high priest the high priest turn with me to exodus chapter 29 exodus chapter 29 and where does the lord's baptism matthew chapter three what is the significance of his baptism in matthew chapter three we find the significance for his baptism in the baptism of the high priest in exodus chapter 29 beginning in verse one right exodus 29 we have the ordination ceremony it was the consecration or the setting apart of the high priest for his office in exodus 28 verse 41 so you shall put them on erin your brother and on his sons with him you shall anoint them consecrate them and sanctify them set them apart so that they may minister to me as priests this was the setting apart or the consecration of a son of erin so to speak to serve as high priest verse one and this is what you shall do to them to hallow them for ministering to me as priests take one young bull two rams without blemish unleavened bread unleavened cakes mixed with oil unleavened wafers anointed with oil you shall make them of wheat flour you shall put them in one basket bring them in the basket with the bulls and the two rams verse four and erin and his sons you shall bring to the door of the tabernacle of meeting and you shall wash them with water the word there for wash is the word rahats it's the same word used of Bathsheba when she bathed on the rooftop it's the same word used of Naaman the Syrian when he was told to bathe in the Jordan seven times that word rahats is referring to full immersion a submersion under the water this is not a sprinkling this is a full body bathing a full body immersion now that becomes important later as we move from the wilderness and the tabernacle into the temple constructed by Solomon later the bronze laver would be made for this very baptism and the bronze laver was large it was meant for full body immersion and water later in first kings chapter seven Solomon constructs what he calls the sea for the temple it's a very interesting name for that this sea that stands before the sanctuary of god in the holy place this sea that is meant for this purpose it's for this baptism there were ceremonies where the Levites and the priests would wash their hands and feet and they would sometimes wash their hands and feet in the bronze laver in the sea but once per year on the day of atonement and at the consecration of the high priest the bronze laver or the sea was used for a full body immersion to consecrate or to separate the high priest to his duty priestly duties in the temple on behalf of god they were to immerse themselves in this laver or in later temple in the sea and it was huge for this purpose first kings chapter seven verse 23 the sea was 10 cubits across a cubit a good rule of thumb is from your elbow to the tip of your finger that's a cubit the sea was 10 cubits across five cubits high 30 cubits in circumference it was huge i think someone said i remember reading 10 000 gallons of water why would you have needed that much water to sprinkle right you wouldn't this wasn't for sprinkling this was for immersion right it was huge it's interesting that before the throne in heaven in revelation there is a glassy sea there's a reason for this right there's a reason for this why the sea is so important and the pictures of baptism that we see in the old testament and how those pictures of baptism in the old testament relate to our baptism as believers under the new covenant all coming together full picture verse five you shall take the garments put the tunic on errand the robe of the ephod the ephod and the breastplate and gird him with the intricately woven band of the ephod you shall put the turban on his head and put the holy crown on the turban well the very next step in the process of consecrating a son of erin to serve as priest was investiture it was clothing them with the garments suitable to their sacred service in the temple of god right it was clothing or the garments the trappings if you will that were suitable to their sacred service now paul makes a very interesting statement in galatians chapter three verse 27 where paul says that as many of you as were baptized into christ have what have put on christ we're given an investiture of christ when we are glorified and at the end we are given an investiture aren't we of a building not made with hands eternal in the heavens we're invested with glory as it were as many of you as were baptized into christ have put on christ what happens at the new creation we put on christ what happens when christ returns at a consummated new creation we receive an investiture of glory a habitation made without hands eternal in the heaven something to something to think about there is the account many have made comment that when early believers in the early church when believers were baptized that they were given new clothes when they came out of the water that that those new clothes were an investiture of a new life a new creation something else to think about right what should happen before you put on new clothes so to speak before the priests would put on those sacred garments of their service in the temple before god in the sanctuary what would they do they would wash full body full immersion jesus christ tells peter john chapter 13 is he stooped to wash peter's feet right jesus tells him if you if i do not wash you you have no part with me so simon peter said to him lord not my feet only but also my hands and my head you wash all of me then lord because i want all of you and jesus said to him very interesting he who is bathed needs only to wash his feet but is completely clean when the high priest was immersed in baptism what was only necessary for that priest after that was to wash his hands and feet and once per year on the day of atonement before entering the holy of holies he would wash fully full body immersion in the bronze labor or in the sea in the temple verse seven then next step in the anointing or the consecration of the high priest to his office verse seven you shall take the anointing oil pour it on his head and anoint him then you shall bring his sons and put tunics on them you shall gird them with sashes erin and his sons put the hats on them the priesthood shall be theirs for a perpetual statute so you shall consecrate erin and his sons to serve as priests okay now at the baptism of jesus christ and the jordan what immediately happens when jesus christ comes up out of the water what immediately happens he's clothed with he's anointed with the spirit of god right he is the christ the anointed prophet priest and king he's anointed with the holy spirit that anointing to which all the old testament anointing with oil is meant to point forward to you see all of these old testament types and shadows pointing forward to that anointing of the spirit of god first of the lord jesus christ and then indwelling all of his all of those who are his right listen to matthew chapter three verse 16 when he had been baptized jesus came up immediately from the water and behold the heavens were open to him and he saw the spirit of god descending like a dove and a lighting upon him there's so many old testament pictures here right the heavens opened uh at the time of the flood there was the dove and the olive branch right these pictures that are worth thinking about meditating on well when jesus was baptized in the jordan he came up immediately from the water behold the heavens were open to him he saw the spirit of god descending like a dove and a lighting upon him and suddenly a voice came from heaven saying this is my beloved son in whom i am well pleased when jesus christ began his ministry in luke chapter four what did the lord do he went into the synagogue on the Sabbath stood up to read and he said reading the spirit of the lord is upon me because he has anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor he has sent me to heal the brokenhearted to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind to set at liberty those who are oppressed to proclaim the acceptable year of the lord quoting isaiah chapter 61 right then he closed the book gave it back to the attendant he sat down and the eyes of all who were in the synagogue were fixed upon him and he began to say to them today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing are we starting to get the picture we starting to put it together what jesus christ is doing is he is fulfilling these old testament types and shadows in particular this baptism this consecration of the high priest to his priestly duties in the temple his priestly duties as it were in the sanctuary of god serving god as high priest jesus christ was baptized as our great high priest do you see so then in exodus chapter 29 verse four the high priest was baptized at his consecration his ordination as the high priest and we see our great high priest consecrated to service as priest of the most high god in matthew chapter three that's the significance of the lord's statement to fulfill all righteousness meant to fulfill this picture of jesus christ as high priest that's the revealing right jesus christ at the jordan with the spirit of god anointing him is revealed to israel as their great high priest as our great high priest he is the one who will perform that high priestly duty on behalf of god in service of his people christ will serve as our high priest to minister for god as high priest and that means that he must be baptized that he must be washed that he must be anointed right but what about those other requirements necessary for the consecration of a high priest there's several what about those other requirements numbers chapter four verse three a priest was to be 30 years old and above up to 50 years old all who entered the work the service to do the work in the tabernacle of meeting should be from age 30 to age 50 well how old was jesus christ when he began his ministry he's 30 years old he was 30 years old exodus chapter 28 verse one the high priest is to be called by god he couldn't assume the office for himself he had to be called to the office Hebrews chapter five verse four no man takes this honor to himself but he who is called by god just as erin was and he's speaking of the lord jesus christ being called to that office well in numbers chapter three verse 15 the high priest must be male jesus christ is obviously male aside from wacko feminists who might say otherwise in our day leviticus chapter 21 verse 16 the high priest was to have been someone without defect in other words the high priest could not have been someone who was blind or lame with a marred face or limb with a broken bone several other requirements and jesus christ was without defect he was a lamb without blemish and without spot what about exodus chapter 29 or numbers chapter 25 the high priest was to be baptized or anointed by another priest hmm well who was john the baptist luke chapter one verse five elizabeth the mother of john the baptist was a levite a descendant of erin luke chapter one verse five zekariah the father of john the baptist served as priest the division of a vizier a descendant of erin so what does that make john the baptist it makes john the baptist a levitical priest a descendant of erin an office they inherited from his father the voice of one crying in the wilderness prepare the way the lord make his path straight that's why that's why in matthew chapter three the jewish leaders in jerusalem sent levites and priests out to talk to john the baptist at the jordan right to ask john about what he was doing out there in the wilderness they weren't questioning john the baptist authority to baptize he was a levite they were wondering why he was doing it out in the wilderness and not in the temple and why he was baptizing jews who were otherwise considered to be clean already it was a baptism of repentance for the people to make their hearts ready for the coming of the one who would baptize with the holy spirit and with fire but as john the baptist himself said john chapter one verse 31 he came baptizing that he the promised messiah might be revealed to israel john the baptist was there at the jordan to baptize jesus christ into his high priestly ministry and this was the beginning of the lord's high priestly ministry on behalf of god's people in a similar fashion fascinating confrontation with the jewish leaders jesus christ takes up a whip of cords and cleanses the temple remember that story that account from matthew chapter 21 and he drives out the money changers right the chief priests when the lord jesus christ did that he cleansed the temple the chief priests come to him asking by what authority are you doing these things cleansing the temple was a priestly duty cleansing the temple was a priestly duty so they come to jesus christ asking by what authority are you doing these things and where does jesus go with his answer the baptism of john right where was it from from heaven or from men right answer me this if you answer me this i'll tell you by what authority i do these things the baptism of john right in other words the baptism of john of jesus christ in the jordan is a high priestly baptism jesus christ was ordained consecrated to the position of high priest baptized baptized by john john in the jordan was it from heaven or from men we know the answer to that question it was the lord's ordination into the priesthood now wait a minute we might ask exodus chapter 21 28 verse 1 the high priest was also to be a descendant of erin and jesus christ wasn't a descendant of erin jesus christ wasn't a levi jesus christ was from the tribe of juda and that that's the only qualification that appears to be altered for jesus christ in his role as high priest and it only appears to be altered because that's why the author of hebrus goes to such careful length to explain how the lineage and priesthood of jesus christ overrides and fulfills the priesthood of erin according to the order of melchizedek hebrus chapter seven jesus christ is high priest according to the order of melchizedek long in existence before erin and to whom erin paid tithes in the loins of abraham a greater than levi a greater than erin is here so much more that could be said many other facets to this the baptism of the lord jesus christ in the jordan was his ordination and his consecration as our great high priest so then what was the significance of that baptism for the priests in the old testament why was there a bronze laver outside the tabernacle why was there a great sea outside the holy place in the temple even a glassy sea that lies before the sanctuary of god in heaven what was it that the the priest was about to do when he was baptized there he was about to enter the sanctuary of god the most holy place he was about to draw near to the living god he was consecrated separated to god for god's service and if he wasn't clean he was dead right so he was about to go into the holy the holiest of holies uh he would have baptized baptized in the bronze laver in the sea so our baptism baptism then what significance is that half for our own baptism christian baptism at least in part signifies through our union with jesus christ that in him we are now made fit vessels to serve before god as priests we are a holy nation a royal priesthood right we are it's the priesthood of the believer we are consecrated as he was to serve fit vessels consecrated to serve before god as priests that's part of the significance of our own baptism when we come to the lord in faith baptism is our ordination ceremony if you will into the priesthood of all believers baptism pictures our consecration to serve god as holy sanctified priests who have access before his sanctuary by the blood of his son and we worship and obey before him as priests but is that picture of cleansing the only picture represented by the waters of baptism is that the only picture now water isn't only a cleansing agent in the old testament water is also a picture of god's judgment there are multiple pictures that are simultaneously communicated in our baptism under the new covenant our baptism passing through the water is a picture of passing through the judgment of god against sin you go into the water it's picturing death coming out of the water to walk in newness of life it's a picture of god's judgment going under the water is often a picture of drowning or perishing in the bible passing through the water often seen as an escape from god's judgment peter says that baptism corresponds to or is a tupas a type of the flood peter relates new covenant baptism to the flood the flood is a type baptism is the antitupas or the antotype in first peter chapter three one commentator said this peter uses a type to illustrate the way in which baptism separates the church from the world think about that at that time only eight people from the whole human race were saved so now only a few from this blind generation which is sunk in worldliness will permit themselves to be saved our passage however relates the flood directly to baptism passing through the water of baptism is symbolic of passing through a water of judgment that's true we see that picture all over the old testament noah passed through the waters of god's judgment safe in the ark the same flood that swept away the wicked was noah delivered from in the ark paul pictures the same reality in first quinthians chapter 10 he refers to israel delivered from bondage and passing through the red sea as a baptism and think about that israel passing through the red sea as a baptism israel rescued from the same waters that killed pharaoh and his army right the egyptians went into the water and the egyptians never came out israel passed through on dry land the israelites delivered through the waters of judgment so then going into the water becomes a symbol signifying death and judgment coming out of the water signifying a resurrection signifying deliverance so baptism in a sense then typifies a judgment on the old man judgment on the old man who has died in christ and the resurrection of a new creation raised to walk in newness of life so baptism then isn't merely or only representing a cleansing for priestly service but also a cleansing from sin and a deliverance from death and wrath the wrath of god so baptism the baptism of jesus christ and the jordan by john the baptist is his consecration to serve as our high priest but jesus christ also speaks of the baptism of his death doesn't he the baptism of his death james and john come to jesus in mark chapter 10 and said grant us that we may sit one on your right hand the other on your left in your glory but jesus christ said to them you do not know what you ask are you able to drink the cup that i drink and be baptized with the baptism that i am baptized with right jesus said in luke chapter 12 verse verse 50 referring to his death i have a baptism to be baptized with and how distressed i am until it is accomplished so death judgment wrath are also themes present in our new testament theology of baptism resurrection after judgment now this is where this is where jesus christ then fulfills that old testament right of purification through sprinkling the sprinkling of blood and water listen to this from hebrus chapter nine in verse 11 jesus christ came as high priest of the good things to come he was consecrated as high priest baptized by john and the river jordan right christ came as high priest of the good things to come with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands that is not of this creation not with the blood of goats and calves but with his own blood he entered the most holy place once for all having obtained eternal redemption for the blood if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling the unclean is a reference to numbers chapter eight numbers chapter 19 if the sprinkling of the unclean sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh how much more shall the blood of christ that's at calvary at the cross how how much more shall the blood of christ who through the eternal spirit offered himself without spot to god cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living god and for this reason he is the mediator of the new covenant by means of death for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant that those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance that sprinkling he fulfilled in his death at the cross and bearing the judgment of god for us and that sprinkling pictured when the soldier pierced the side of the lord jesus christ in blood and water flow out and we are sprinkled by the blood and but we go through the waters as it were the only image that effectively that appropriately portrays the spiritual reality of this is full immersion right full immersion in death so to speak raised to walk in unison life so much more that could be said you know it's um particularly interesting about all this talk related to baptism absolutely no reference whatsoever to circumcision do you notice that as long as we've been sitting here talking about baptism and the pictures of baptism from the old testament and the lord jesus christ and the significance of baptism in the new testament absolutely no reference whatsoever no connection whatsoever to circumcision from the old testament new testament baptism is not related to old testament circumcision baptism was a ceremony if you will that was used alongside circumcision in the old testament they were alongside one another baptism would not replace circumcision as the sign of the new covenant the circumcision of the flesh under the old covenant is directly related to spirit spiritual circumcision of the heart under the new covenant moses doesn't he say that he will circumcise your heart the foreskin of your heart three generation baptism under the new covenant however is related to baptism under the old covenant and we can easily see why jesus christ didn't need that rescue that redemption that deliverance or that cleansing for himself it's pictured in baptism and so matthew chapter three verse 14 john tried to prevent him saying i need to be baptized by you and are you coming to me jesus answered and said to him permit permit it to be so for now for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness then john allowed him why because jesus christ went through the flood of god's judgment for us jesus christ went through the veil of death for us jesus christ was consecrated as a faithful high priest for us why so that we might have access to enter the holy of holies through him in him in union with him dead to our old man dead to sin raised a new creation in him consecrated as high priests as priests to serve in the sanctuary of god a chosen generation a royal priesthood a holy nation his own special people so that we may proclaim the praises of him who called us out of darkness and into his marvelous light understanding the baptism of jesus christ and the jordan is the way to understand christian baptism amen let's pray father in heaven lord we thank you for your word and thank you that our lord jesus christ was consecrated our high priest and he is our great high priest our anointed prophet priest and king in his mediatorial office so grateful lord that he even in the sprinkling of his own blood has cleansed us from our sin and we thank you lord for in your infinite and amazing wisdom how all of these pictures come together in the new covenant ordinance of baptism baptism signifying all of these absolutely amazing blessings and spiritual realities the physical pointing to the spiritual the physical picturing the spiritual and the spiritual being the substance all those physical picture being the type or the shadow so grateful to you for the reality that that picture signifies and lord i pray you would increase our understanding as we consider these things over time that would understand from your word how this is significant to our own baptism and i pray lord that we would honor you in it thank you lord for this ordinance of the church and how it causes us to meditate on the person and work of our great high priest and may you be glorified in it in jesus name amen