2024 Panteg Ministries

What Leaders Should Do:

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Session Objective - Obedience

 

Begin with a round robin and get people to introduce themselves, try to remember their names, ask why are they interested in Baptism, if they can’t respond don’t push. Reassure by saying that they don’t have to make a decision this session and you are here to help them investigate what baptism is and help them ask questions so they get answers. – Make sure everyone has a Bible.

Read out: - Matthew 3:13-17 (NLT)
 

Baptism, Baptism, is a strange and wonderful thing, have you ever considered as you read that Bible passage, what a strange thing Jesus did, why did He get baptized, did He need to get baptized, have you ever asked yourself these questions?

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> Why was John the Baptist baptising people, do you know?
 

If we look a little further back in this part of the Bible we can see what’s going on?
 

Matthew 3:1-2 and then Matthew 3:11
 

With those thoughts in our minds do you think or feel that Jesus needed to get baptised?
 

> If He did not why not?
 

If we look back at verse 15
 

> Did Jesus need to repent?
 

> This may seem a silly question; do you know what right means?
 

Right means – Just; in accordance with truth and duty; true, correct; proper. To speak what is right which has truth.
 

> Why was it right that Jesus got baptised?
 

Jesus was baptized because He wanted to show that He is one with us, yet Jesus had not committed any sin.   Jesus wanted to identify with us and He was obedient to His Father. Jesus forges ahead and He is our example and is an illustration for us. Jesus’ was obedient to His Father and He had to act out what Christians have had to do ever since, if they are to be true followers of Christ. 

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> What do you think would have happened if Jesus had not been baptised?

 

Thank God that Jesus was baptized and following Jesus’ baptism something wonderful happened, do you know what that is:-

 

Could someone read verse 16 and 17 please?

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> What happened to Jesus following His baptism?

 

By showing that He is obedient to His Father, Jesus was then able to launch out into His Messianic ministry, following His baptism He begins to preach. This is because He was anointed by God’s Holy Spirit.

 

Can someone read: Luke 4:18-19

 

Because Jesus has been obedient (this is the important word for this session), His ministry becomes effective:

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> Matt 4.18-25 – An effective ministry

> Verse 18-22  – draws people to himself

> V 23 – teaches them about the Good News

> V 24 – heals and restores lives

> V25 – people (crowds) were attracted to Jesus

 

Describe an effective ministry – we cannot have an efficient ministry and life without being obedient – we can only have an effective ministry and life through obedience to God’s will and purpose. This is why Jesus got baptised to show His obedience to God and this universe was rewarded because His ministry could then be launched so He could be effective within the world.

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> Why do think God wants us to get baptised?

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1. To symbolise the washing away of our sins – Acts 22:16 (NLT) 

2. To allow us to be re-filled with His Holy Spirit – Titus 3:5 (NLT) 

3. To cleanse our guilty consciences – Hebrews 10:22

4. To allow us to identify with Jesus – Col. 2:12

5. To fulfil God’s word and to allow us to be a holy people so God’s church can be seen with His glory – Ephes. 5:25-27 (NLT) 

6. Most importantly that we are being obedient to God, that we are showing that we are fulfilling His commands.

 

I hope this session has started to give you a feeling or thoughts about baptism, that it is a strange and wonderful thing. I hope this evening has given you the “Why” for baptism?

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