Each week we are exploring different trailheads as a part of Basecamp that can lead you to deepen your faith.  This week we're exploring the next steps everyone needs to take in their faith. IT'S EASY TO GIVE at Harmony, text any amount to (859) 459-0316  to get started (or give online @ my.harmonychurch.cc/give ).

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Trail Head 2 - Grab Your Gear

Understanding how to enter into a relationship with Jesus

Trail 3: Are there any next steps I need to take?

OPENING ILLUSTRATION:

One of my favorite little pieces of trivia for people when going on a road trip is that the lines in the middle of the highway and on the interstate are upwards of 8 feet long.  Did you know this?  I’ve been known to literally pull over, get out and lay down in the middle of the highway to prove it - this of course was done in Kansas because there are only 5 people in Kansas and most days they are not out on the highway :).  It’s really true, the easiest way to see it is when you are driving your car, try and compare the length of your car to the lines, and you’ll be blown away. 

Do you know why we don’t realize how long the lines are?

It’s because

When you move fast, it’s easy to miss how big things can really be.

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Today, we’re going to look at some big ideas that TONS of people have moved past too quickly oftentimes in their faith.  

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These three things are foundational pieces in your formation and growth as a Christian.  

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One of the questions you are going to want to ask yourself today as we study is: 

“Have I slowed down enough to really consider how these foundational pieces have fit into my life?”

Let’s jump in.

To look forward, we need to look backward.  Let’s read 

Acts 2:36-39

36 “Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.”

37 When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”

38 Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.”

Peter has just preached the first sermon of the first church ever.  When he does, thousands of people are listening and they are cut to the heart.  When the people ask him what to do, Peter gives them two responses they need to do.

Repent and be baptized

Depending on how you grew up, you may have different ideas about what repentance and baptism mean.

Biblically, they are very simple ideas

Biblically, to repent means to change sides.

ILLUSTRATION:

It’s like if you had grown up rooting for Louisville and as an adult you realized the error of your ways and started to cheer for UK, you would have repented to UK’s side and away from Louisville.

Peter’s original audience would have understood that when He called them to repent, he was calling them to turn from a life that did not acknowledge Jesus at all to a life that recognized Him as the primaryauthority of their life.

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The word "baptize" is from the Greek word "baptizō" (βαπτίζω). It is a transliteration of the Greek verb, meaning to immerse, dip, or submerge. The English word "baptize" is directly borrowed from the Greek term.

Paul, in Romans 6 says this about how baptism works:

Romans 6:3-7

3 Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.

5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his. 6 For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with,[a] that we should no longer be slaves to sin— 7 because anyone who has died has been set free from sin.

Christian Baptism is the way a person is united with Jesus in His death.  

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Jesus commanded us to baptize people as we make disciples:

Matthew 28:18-20

18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Maybe you’re asking yourself, 

“So, is a person saved if they are not baptized?”

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The scripture is clear that we are saved BY grace (God’s undeserved mercy) THROUGH faith (trusting in Jesus) and NOT by works (things we can do for ourselves)

Ephesians 2:8-10

8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast.

Peter is also clear in Acts 2:38 that through repentance & baptism, a person receives forgiveness of sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Confused yet?  Which is it?  Let me give you an illustration, that while not perfect, is helpful for me in understanding it.

ILLUSTRATION: I wear a wedding ring because I’m married.  The wedding ring is not my marriage.  I would be married without the wedding ring, but I’m not sure for how long, because my spouse expects me to live my married life out in a way that the wedding ring is my marriage as much as it is not.  

In the same way, you can have faith in Jesus and not have taken the steps to have repented and been baptized, but I’m not sure what that actually says to Jesus if you are not willing to follow Him into those things.  

Some of you need to ask yourself a few questions, not just "Did you accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior," but, "Did you repent of your old life?"  

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Did you switch teams - from a self-oriented life to a God-oriented life?

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This is why baptism matters - because it’s the burial of that old life and embracing of the new God-life.

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Have you taken the step to be baptized into the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit? 

if not, why not?

Those are the first two foundational pieces of following Jesus

Repentance - a continual recalibration of your life to a God-oriented life

Baptism - a one-time event - a burial of your old life into the new God life.

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The third foundational piece is the gift of the Holy Spirit.

In the New Testament, the Holy Spirit is referred to as several things, Counselor, Seal of our Salvation, Deposit Guaranteeing our Salvation, and more.

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Here are a few functions of the Holy Spirit in the life of a Follower of Jesus:

1. Comforter and Helper: 

Jesus refers to the Holy Spirit as the Comforter or Helper who will come to assist and guide believers. In John 14:16-17, Jesus says, "And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you."

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2. Teacher and Remembrance: 

Jesus states that the Holy Spirit will teach and bring to remembrance His words. John 14:26 says, "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you."

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3. Conviction of Sin and Righteousness: 

The Holy Spirit convicts the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment. Jesus explains in John 16:8-11, "And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment: concerning sin because they do not believe in me; concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will see me no longer; concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged."

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4. Empowerment for Witnessing: 

The Holy Spirit empowers believers to be witnesses of Jesus. Acts 1:8 states, "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth."

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5. Fruit and Gifts: 

The Holy Spirit produces fruit in the lives of believers and bestows spiritual gifts for the edification of the church. Galatians 5:22-23 speaks of the fruit of the Spirit: "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control." Additionally, various passages in the New Testament, such as 1 Corinthians 12 and Romans 12:6-8, mention spiritual gifts that are distributed by the Holy Spirit to empower believers for ministry.

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6. Indwelling and Seal: 

The Holy Spirit dwells within believers and seals them as children of God. Romans 8:9 states, "You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him." Ephesians 1:13-14 also mentions believers being sealed with the Holy Spirit as a guarantee of their inheritance.

The New Testament has a peculiar way of talking about the church.  It calls us “The Body of Christ”.  

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Why does it call us that?

It’s because we are where His Spirit has taken up residence. 

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We are the body Jesus indwells.

God’s choice is to live in you - the question is will we choose to live in Him?

CLOSING ILLUSTRATION:

On January 28, 1986, the world was shocked with the Challenger space shuttle exploded.  A teacher (Christa McAuliffe) was aboard the shuttle along with 6 other crew members.  73 seconds after liftoff the space shuttle disintegrated with millions of school children watching (if you remember this event, describe your own experience).  Do you know why the Challenger exploded and those 7 people died that day?  They died because of an o-ring that failed.  A little piece of rubber that let hot gases to escape.  But the real reason they died, was because when officials at Nasa were told about the potential for the 0-ring to fail, they didn’t address it.  They knew there was the potential for catastrophic failure and they ignored it.

Some of you need to take the next step in your relationship with God, you need to actually physically repent - move with your body towards saying I want to turn from my old life to the new life with Jesus.

Some of you need to realize that a relationship with Jesus is not just about not going to hell (an important part of salvation) but it’s for you to become God’s partner in His work in the world.

Ephesians 2:10

For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.