Discipleship Series
Baptism/The Lord's Supper
Virtually every religious denomination in existence teaches there are two "sacraments or ordinances" instituted for the church. All teach them as part of their doctrine, and diversities in their teachings are wide.
The purpose of this lesson is intended to give the Bible's clear definite teaching on the subject of baptism of the Lord's supper.
Believer's Baptism
I. What is a Believer's Baptism?
A. It is the believer's identification with Jesus Christ - a public testimony that one has accepted Jesus Christ as his Savior.
Matthew 10:32,33; Acts 2:41
B. It symbolizes what happened when I was saved. Water baptism is a physical representation of the death, burial and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. You were alive (standing upright in the water), you die (immersed into the water) and you are resurrected unto life (raised out of the water). I died to sin (its guilt, power, and its penalty) and was raised to a new life in Christ.
C. Physical baptism is a picture of spiritual baptism, that places or immerses the believer into the "body of Christ" at the time you called upon the name of the Lord Jesus Christ to save you according to Romans 6:1-7, I Corinthians 12:13 and Ephesians 4:5.
D. When we are plunged beneath the water in baptism, this does NOT wash away our sins. - Ephesians 2:8,9; Galatians 2:16.
E. When we were saved (born again) the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ was applied to our sins. It is the blood of Christ alone that cleansed us from sin.
Hebrews 9:22; Ephesians 1:7; 1 John 1:7; Colossians 1:20
II. Why is Baptism Important?
A. Because it is God's command: Matthew 28:19,20 John 14:15 - If ye love me, keep my commandments.
B. Because Jesus Christ was baptized in obedience to God's plan. Matthew 3:13-16
C. Before anyone can be taught to follow Jesus Christ, they must be willing to submit to the first act of obedience. If a person refuses to obey the Lord in the first point, he will most likely not obey in future points.
D. Because it was the normal practice of the churches in the New Testament. Acts 2:41; See also Acts 8:38; 9:17; 10:48; 16:15, 33; 18:8; 19:4,5
E. Because it is an open public testimony of an inward salvation.
F. Because it testifies to the world that you are different now, and that you are aligning your life with what the Bible says, and not with what the world says.
III. Who should be baptized?
A. Those that want to be obedient - Acts 2:41
B. Only those that are saved can be baptized. - Acts 8:36,37
(This excludes all baby baptisms, because they cannot believe. There is not one record of the baptism of a baby in the Bible)
IV. How should A Person be Baptized?
A. Again, Acts 8:26-39 gives the clearest example. In verses 38-39, both Phillip and the Ethiopian eunuch went down into the water and came up out of the water.
B. In Matthew 3:16, Jesus was baptized in the same manner.
C. As seen previously, baptism is a picture of death, burial, and resurrection. The only way to bury someone is to put them completely underground. The biblical method of baptism is complete immersion. No one in the Bible was ever sprinkled, because no one can be buried by sprinkling dirt on them.
V. When Should A Person be Baptized?
As soon as possible after salvation
A. The Ethiopian eunuch - Acts 8:26-39 B. The apostle Paul - Acts 9:18 C. The Philippians jailer and his house -Acts 16:25-33
The Lord's Supper
VI. The Importance of the Lord's Supper
A. 1 Corinthians 11:26 says that "...ye do show the Lord's death till he come. " It is to bring to remembrance the death of the Lord Jesus Christ. Luke 22:19 states "...this do in remembrance of me. " It is intended to bring our attention back to what Christ has done for us.
B. We are told in I Corinthians 11:24 that His body was broken for us. Not only are we to remember His death, but also His suffering. This is signified in the breaking of the bread, as shown in Matthew 26:26.
C. The blood, which is able to cleans us from our sin and save our souls, is pictured in the cup from which we drink during communion (I Corinthians 10:16). This blood was shed for us according to Mark 14:24 and the importance of the shedding of blood is stated in Hebrews 9:22.
VII. The Elements of the Lord's Supper - John 6:53-63
There are some religions that teach the body and the blood of Christ are really consumed when they partake communion, but that teaching is not Scriptural.
A. When Jesus spoke of eating His flesh and drinking His blood in John 6:53-63, He was very careful to explain that He was NOT speaking literally. John 6:63 tells us that the words that Christ was speaking "are spirit." They were not to physically eat Him, but rather to partake of Him spiritually, to partake of His finished work on the cross. No one ate His body literally then, and no one is to now! Think about it: would Christ teach us to be cannibalistic?
B. The Jews were commanded in Lev. 17:11,12 never to eat blood, for blood is the life of the flesh. That is why the Jews in John 6:52 and verse 60 were confused. They were trying to apply what Christ said literally and physically, which was contrary to Scripture.
C. As at the cross lays a GIFT for the sinner (Romans 6:23). The gift is not the flesh and blood of Jesus Christ. It is eternal life itself?
D. The two elements are unleavened bread and unleavened fruit of the vine. Unleavened because leaven is a picture of sin (I Cor. 5:8), and Christ has no sin. The bread pictures His body, and the fruit of the vine (grape juice, or new wine) pictures His blood. Grape juice is used because normal fermented wine is leavened, while new wine (grape juice) has not fermented but only has the flavor of the grapes (as in pure blood, see Deut. 32:14).
VIII. Who can Participate?
The passage of Scripture that teaches the Lord's supper was written to a church. 1 Corinthians 11:20-34 describes how the Lord's Supper should be conducted. The people Paul was writing to were believers. Lost people are not included at the Lord's table because they have never experienced the free gift of salvation that the Lord's table is picturing. The death and sufferings of Christ would have no real significance to them.
IX. How is the Lord's Supper to be Performed?
There are no explicit instructions on how to perform the Lord's supper other than presented in I Corinthians 11:2-34. No fancy ritual, or mystical sayings. Simply, unleavened bread and unleavened fruit of the vine (grape juice) are to be eaten and drank in the worship time of your local church (Acts 2:42, 46; 20:6,7).
X. As a Christian, How Should I Approach the Lord's Supper?
A. With fear and trembling. Paul rebukes the Corinthians for taking this event lightly in I Corinthians 11:17-34. They had turned it into some kind of feast for satisfying one's hunger rather than making it a time of remembering the Lord's death. This is a very sacred time, and should be approached with a sacred attitude.
B. With desire. Jesus Christ desired to eat the Passover with His disciples in Luke 22:15. Although the Lord's table should be approached with reverence, a believer should look forward to the Lord's supper as a way of bringing his attention back to what Christ had done for him.
C. With a clean heart. The Bible in I Corinthians 11:28,31 tells us to examine and judge ourselves when we partake of the Lord's supper. This self examination is to make sure that our relationship with God is right. God chastises those that partake who do not forsake their sin. The Lord's supper is a reminder that our sin was the reason for Christ giving His life for our salvation from sin, and God wants us to be clean when we partake of the Lord's supper.
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Questions & Answers
(Please answer on a separate sheet)
Lesson 3- Baptism/Lord's Supper
1. Baptism is the believer's with Jesus Christ.
2. Is Baptism essential for salvation?
Give a scripture reference that explains this.
3. Give the key reason why God commands the Christian to be baptized?
4. Who should be baptized?
5. How do we know that the Ethiopian eunuch and Jesus were not baptized by sprinkling of water?
6. Baptism by complete immersion in water is a picture of what?
7. List three men who were baptized after salvation in the New Testament.
8. Why is the Lord's Supper important?
9. When we partake of the Lord's Supper, we are actually eating Jesus' body and drinking His blood? True or False Explain.
10. Should everyone partake of the Lord's Supper? What would biblically hinder a man from doing so?
11. How often should the Lord's Supper be partaken, and what verses would you give to prove your answer?
12. Are there any specific instructions for conducting the Lord's Supper?
13. How should we approach the Lord's Supper and list the scripture references which support your answers.
Key Memory Verses:
Baptism - Matthew 3:13-17; Acts 8:36-29; Romans 6:1-7
Lord's Supper - John 6:63; I Corinthians 11:26,28
NOTE: There is much false teachings among religious groups concerning baptism and the Lord's Supper. The Christian should be aware of some of them.
1. Man must be baptized in order to be saved.
2. Baptism by being sprinkled is just as meaningful as immersion.
3. Babies should be baptized into God's family, or into "the church."
4. The Lord's Supper, or communion, has some mystical power to save.
5. The Lord's Supper must be taken every week or every service.
6. The elements of the Lord's Supper are transformed into the literal body and blood of Christ.
From the Bible principles taught in this lesson, you should understand that these teachings are false, and why.
Write any questions you may have concerning the subjects in this lesson.
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