Baptism and the Great Commission

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Sermon Follow Up

Summary

Matthew 28 teaches us that baptism is God’s way of welcoming people into His family. He places His name on us, ensuring that we belong, and then that belonging shapes us into mature disciples over time. Belonging precedes maturity. God doesn’t make us pass a doctrinal examination before giving us His name. Baptism marks the beginning of the life of a disciple of Jesus, not a graduation into a higher level of the program. This baptismal truth underscores God’s generosity and big-hearted desire to bring all people into His family, hence the presence of this teaching at the heart of the Great Commission. Baptism is a wide open front door to the Kingdom of God, not a hurdle that’s hard to clear.

Discussion/Reflection Material

-Have you tended to think of baptism as something that people need to be “ready for,” after they exhibit sufficient understanding and maturity? How does the language of the Great Commission challenge that way of thinking?

-Read Deuteronomy 6:4-9, Matthew 28:19-20, and Ephesians 6:4. How does the fact that God commands Christian parents to raise Christian children make you think about the possibility of giving them the Christian sign of baptism?

-How might God’s readiness to give His name and open His family in baptism shape our approach to evangelism?

Family-Friendly Version

Big Idea: In God’s family, we belong before we mature.

Talk about it: The Bible often describes the church like a family. Our parents don’t wait until we’ve grown up a bit to decide to love, accept, and name us. They love, accept, and name us first, which shapes how we grow up. God, the ultimate Father, also loves, accepts, and names us first, and that faithful love brings us to maturity. Baptism gives us His name and it is the sign of His love and acceptance.