REVIEW Series – One – Ephesians 4
● Annual series talking about WHO we are as a church and what we believe and what we’re about
● Consistently coming back to the Bible, God’s Word, to make sure we’re in alignment with Him
● Invitation to join us and become ONE with us (John 17:20-23; 1 Cor 1:10; Eph 4:3)
Philippians 1:27 Above all, you must live as citizens of heaven, conducting yourselves in a manner worthy of the Good News
about Christ. Then, whether I come and see you again or only hear about you, I will know that you are standing together
with one spirit and one purpose, fighting together for the faith, which is the Good News. NLT

PREVIEW – Today – One Baptism
● What is this “one baptism” we see in Ephesians and 4 and what does it mean for us today?
● Looking at Jesus’s command to be baptized (Matt 28:19) and how the early church walked this out in the book of
Acts and letters to churches
● Unified around what we believe as a church as we seek to live out what we see in God’s Word

One Baptism
Ephesians 4:1-6 Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you
have been called by God. 2Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each
other’s faults because of your love. 3Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves
together with peace. 4 For there is one body and one Spirit, just as you have been called to one glorious hope for
the future. 5 There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all, in all, and living
through all. NLT

What is this “one baptism”?
1. The Meaning of the word baptism
Matthew 28:19 Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations,
[b] baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son
and the Holy Spirit. NLT
● Eph 4:6 – Greek: baptisma – noun – immersion, submersion – baptism
● Matt 28:19 – Greek: baptizo – verb – to immerse, to submerge – to baptize
● Uses in ancient Greek literature – to immerse, to overwhelm (enemies, challenges, etc) , to dip into dye
o To become identified with by immersion (ie – pickles)

2. The Method of Baptism
Matt 3:16After his baptism, as Jesus came up out of the water, the heavens were opened … NLT
o Came up out of the water
Acts 8:38-39 …they went down into the water, and Philip baptized him. When they came up out of the water…NLT
o Down into the water…came up out of the water

3. The Motive of Baptism
Acts 2:36-41 36 “So let everyone in Israel know for certain that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, to be
both Lord and Messiah!” 37 Peter’s words pierced their hearts, and they said to him and to the other apostles,
“Brothers, what should we do?”
38 Peter replied, “Each of you must repent of your sins and turn to God, and be
baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy
Spirit. 39 This promise is to you, to your children, and to those far away[h]—all who have been called by the Lord our
God.”
40 Then Peter continued preaching for a long time, strongly urging all his listeners, “Save yourselves from this
crooked generation!” 41 Those who believed what Peter said were baptized and added to the church that
day—about 3,000 in all. NLT

o Hearing the Gospel, Believing/Conviction, repentance and baptism
● Acts 8 – Philip and Ethiopian Eunuch (vs 34-39)
● Acts 9 – Saul to Paul (vs 15-19)
● Acts 16 – Philippian Jailer (vs 29-34)
● Acts 18 – Corinthian believers (vs 4-8; 1 Cor 1:13-17)
● Acts 19 – Paul – Ephesian believers (vs 1-5)
o See also Acts 8:12, 13; 10:47-48

4. The Message of Baptism
Romans 6:3-4 Or have you forgotten that when we were joined with Christ Jesus in baptism, we joined him in his death?
4 For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the
Father, now we also may live new lives. NLT

● This is the Good News – The Gospel – The Proclamation
● We get to, by God’s grace, have the opportunity to choose to be identified with Jesus’s

o Dead – to our old ways of thinking, living, identity, purpose, etc
o Buried – it’s over, payment received, judgment carried out – no debt owed
o New Life – new purpose, hope, values, attitudes
Matthew 7:24 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who
built his house on the rock. NASB

Next Steps
Where are you at today?
● Have you accepted this Good News about Jesus and surrendered your life to God?
● Have you been obedient in baptism, by being immersed, as a believer?
● What areas of your life have you not surrendered/identified with Jesus’s Lordship?
● Who is someone you know that needs to hear this message?