Baptism And The Communion23 [Acts 1:11] / Ephphatha Discipleship Training (Basic Course)

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Baptism And

The Communion23

[Acts 1:5] 

 

/ Ephphatha Discipleship

Training (Basic Course)

 

 

/ By Pastor Priscilla

 

Baptism and the Communion 

For John baptized with water,

but in a few days you will be

baptized with the Holy Spirit. 

 

 

There are many ceremonies

held in church, two of which,

are baptism and the

Communion.

 

 

In that all the believers in Jesus

as their personal saviour should

take part in them, we are going to

study those two ceremonies. 

 

 

1. What is baptism? 

 

 

Baptism, being a ceremony

of entering the Christian community,

means ‘to wash’, or ‘to cleanse’,

 

 

and its feature is ‘to be sunk in’,

or ‘to die and to be born again’. 

 

 

1) Division of baptism 

 

 

The Bible shows that there

are two kinds of baptism.

 

 

"For John baptized with water,

but in a few days you will be baptized

with the Holy Spirit."

(Acts 1:5) 

 

 

It is not a man but the Lord who

gives the baptism of the Spirit.

 

 

“I baptize you with

water for repentance.

 

But after me will come one who

is more powerful than I, whose

sandals I am not fit to carry.

 

He will baptize you with

the Holy Spirit and with fire.” 

(Matt 3:11) 

 

 

The baptism of water is given

by the Lord’s servants, that is,

the ministers. (Acts 10:47) 

 

 

"Can anyone keep these people

from being baptized with water?

They have received the Holy

Spirit just as we have." 

 

 

What happens as we are

baptised by the Spirit?

 

 

In reply Jesus declared,

"I tell you the truth, no one can

see the kingdom of God unless

he is born again."  

(John 3:3 )

 

 

"And that is what some of you were.

But you were washed, you were

sanctified, you were justified in 

the name of the Lord Jesus Christ

and by the Spirit of our God.

(1 Corin 6:11)

 

 

While the baptism of the Sprit

is given to the heart, the baptism

of water is external and symbolic,

 

 

and it is a kind of ritual for entering

the Christian community. 

 

 

2) The order of baptism 

 

 

Which baptism should we receive first?

We can see that both the baptism

of water and that of the Holy Spirit

are very important from the Bible.

 

 

Three cases about the

order are shown in the Bible. 

 

[1] To receive both of the two

at the same time.

 

 

"As soon as Jesus was baptized,

he went up out of the water.

 

 

At that moment heaven

was opened, and he saw 

the Spirit of God descending

like a dove and lighting on him."

(Matt 3:16) 

 

 

[2] The baptism of water

followed by that of the Spirit 

 

 

"On hearing this, they were

baptized into the name

of the Lord Jesus. 

 

 

When Paul placed his hands

on them, the Holy Spirit came

on them, and they spoke in

tongues and prophesied."

(Acts 19:5-6) 

 

 

[3] The baptism of the

Spirit followed by that of water

 

 

" While Peter was still speaking

these words, the Holy Spirit came

on all who heard the message. " 

(Acts 10:44)

 

 "Can anyone keep these people

from being baptized with water?

They have received the Holy

Spirit just as we have."

(Acts 10:47 )

 

 

But, more important is the baptism

of the Spirit because it is not by water

but by the Spirit that we are washed

of sin and born again and renewed. 

 

 

And, those who have been renewed

after receiving the Spirit and believing

in Jesus and have been born again

should naturally proclaim they are 

Christians, being baptized by water,

 

 

and also should serve the Lord,

being a member of the

Christians community. 

 

 

3) Time for baptism 

 

 

There is no time assigned

specially for baptism.

 

 

It is possible at any time with

receiving Jesus as the 

personal saviour.

 

 

But, in general, we have the

ceremony of ‘having studied’

some time after the start of

attending church

(3-6 months or so).

 

 

The ceremony is intended

to make the persons assured

of their church life, and to help them

settled and prepare for the baptism. 

 

 

And, as the belief goes on faithful

for about 6 months to one year,

they are baptized; the education

for that period is to make them

first equipped with faith.

 

 

Both the baptism of water

and that of the Spirit are

together precious to us.

 

 

Therefore, once we have

received Jesus, we should

become sound Christians

through both of the two,

 

 

and also, as member

of the Christian community,

we should be glad to serve the Lord. 

 

"Peter replied,

"Repent and be baptized,

every one of you, in the name

of Jesus Christ for  forgiveness

of your sins.

 

 

And you will receive the gift

of the Holy Spirit.”

(Acts 2:38)

 

 

If the baptism

of water only was given,

then there should be the

baptism of the Spirit,

 

 

so that we may have the

assurance of faith, and

if he baptism of the Spirit 

only was given, we should 

be baptized by water soon,

 

 

so that we, being a member of the

 church, can serve and minister

to the church. 

 

 

2. What is the Communion? 

 

 

In memory of the

Lord’s suffering on the cross,

this is the holy ceremony which

the Christians who follow

the Lord should join. 

 

 

1) Who made this ceremony,

and when was done for the first time? 

 

 

"While they were eating,

Jesus took bread, gave thanks

and broke it, and gave it to

his disciples, saying,

 

 

"Take and eat; this is my body.”

Then he took the cup, gave thanks

and offered it to them, saying,

"Drink from it, all of you.

 

 

 This is my blood of the covenant,

which is poured out for many

for the forgiveness of sins.

(Matt 26:26-28) 

 

"For I received from the Lord

what I also passed on to you:

The Lord Jesus, on the night

he was betrayed, took bread,

 

 

and when

he had given thanks,

he broke it and said,

 

 

"This is my body, which is for you;

do this in remembrance of me."

 In the same way, after supper

he took the cup, saying,

 

 

"This cup is the new

covenant in my blood; do this, 

whenever you drink it, in

 remembrance of me.

 

 

" For whenever you eat this bread

and drink this cup, you proclaim

the Lord's death until he comes."

(1 Corin 11:23-26 )

 

2) Who can take part in this ceremony? 

 

Anyone can take part in the

ceremony who believes

Jesus as the saviour.

 

 

But, since it is impossible to prove

one’s faith, the church makes it a

rule to have only the baptized join it. 

 

 

3) When is communion held,

and what is its meaning? 

 

 

There is no day assigned

specially to be held.

 

 

Depending on each church, i

t may be held once a year

or even once a week.

 

 

Important is its meaning. 

 

 

"In the same way, after supper

he took the cup, saying,

 

 

"This cup is the new covenant

in my blood; do this, whenever you

drink it, in remembrance of me." 

(1 Corin 11:25) 

 

 

"I have set you an example that

you should do as I have

done for you. "

(John 13:15) 

 

 

As we join the ceremony,

we should take it as a precious time

of grace in which to be reassured

of the grace of salvation

 

 

and to be thankful for the grace

of the cross, and to be

reconvened of belief.

 

 

And, also we may have to be glad

to follow the Lord by tearing off

ourselves for the brethren. 

 

 

4) What attitude do we need

to join the ceremony? 

 

 

"Therefore, whoever eats

the bread or drinks the cup of 

the Lord in an unworthy manner 

will be guilty of sinning against

 the body and blood

of the Lord.

 

 

A man ought to examine himself

before he eats of the bread

and drinks of the cup. "

(1 Corin 11:27-28) 

 

 

3. Conclusion 

 

 

The people who received Jesus

should receive the baptism of the Spirit,

to be convinced of the faith and salvation,

and should receive the baptism of water

through faithful education to become

a member of the church,

 

 

and also should proclaim their 

being a person of God in public 

to members of the church.

 

 

And, those who became Christians

through baptism of water and 

the Spirit should participate

in the holy Communion in 

memory of the Lord’s blood

 

 

and flesh, that is, 

the love of the cross, only 

 after becoming well prepared. 

 

 

 

- The end -

 

 

2021/08/26

 

 

/ By Priscilla