Week 3 – Not Ashamed
Leader Guide
If you’ve been a believer for a long time, you may consider the act of baptism as unimportant. In this study, let’s look at its meaning and significance in the life of all believers. This week is an opportunity for all of us to reflect, obey, or teach someone else the meaning of Baptism as modeled by Jesus.
What you will need: A Bible or your Bible app, a notebook, pen, and highlighter. The verses highlighted below are linked so that you can easily access them during your study time.
Jump Start
Leader: This section is designed to get discussions started, examine God’s truth, and apply it to our week. Life Group leaders should not assume everyone in their group is a Christ follower. Because they are taking part in a Life Group, they must have some openness to knowing more, exploring. Pray for the Holy Spirit to work and let Him lead you as well.
1. Share your baptism story. If you’ve not been baptized, can you share reasons for your concerns or hesitation?
2. Read Matthew 28:19-20. This passage is often called “The Great Commission.” What things are we, Jesus followers, commanded to do? Does the fact that these are listed give them importance? What promise and confidence do we have on this mission?
Leader’s Note: We are to 1. Go, 2. Make disciples (evangelize), 3. Baptize (incorporate them into the Body of Christ), 4. Teach (mentor and teach the Bible to). Jesus promises to be with us as we go, share the Gospel, baptize, and teach others. He will give us the words! He will empower us!
3. Read Acts 8:34-39. What is baptism? When does it take place? How did it happen?
Leader’s Note: Baptism is a step of obedience after you believe in Jesus as Savior. It is an outward response to something God has done in us. In this case, it took place at the first opportunity after the eunuch believed. This is “believer’s” baptism, after you make your decision to follow Jesus. Notice that the eunuch did not have to get his life together first or prove his decision in any way. He and Philip went down into the water, and he was immersed [completely submerged] in the water).
4. Read Matthew 3:13-17 and Colossians 2:12-14. Why was Jesus baptized? What does baptism symbolize?
Leader’s Note: Although John rightly stated that he was unworthy to baptize Jesus and should instead be baptized by Him, Jesus was baptized as an act of obedience and as a model for us. The New Living Version says: “It should be done, for we must carry out all that God requires.” Colossians tells us that baptism symbolizes the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. It is a one-act play that shares the Gospel each time someone follows Jesus in this way.
5. Read Romans 6:4 and 2 Corinthians 5:17. What is one result of following Jesus in baptism? Did you experience this at your own baptism service? How does this have an ongoing effect on your life?
Leader’s Note: There is a feeling of freshness, new life, and transformation; sometimes, overwhelming joy. Baptism is the first step of entering this new life in Jesus. We are making Him not only Savior, but Lord. This is much different than just securing a place in heaven: it is the start of a whole new life with Him.
6. Action Step: Have you followed Jesus in believer’s baptism (meaning, since you made the decision to make Him your Lord)? If not, does this teaching on baptism and its importance help clarify it for you? Does it help you explain the Gospel to others with whom you are sharing Jesus?
Pray: Lord, thank You for rescuing me. Help me to follow You in obedience, including baptism. Help me never forget my life before You and the new life You have given me. In Your Name I pray. Amen.
Deeper
Leader: This section is designed for further use in your Life Group or for personal study. These can also be used as discussion points and ways to stay connected with your group throughout the week. Encourage your group to take time daily to walk through these questions.
7. Luke 23:39-43: What can you learn about baptism from this passage? (LN: being baptized does not save you. The criminal on the cross next to Jesus said he believed in Jesus and was saved that day. He was promised a place in paradise without baptism. He did not even have the opportunity to “clean his life up” but just accepted salvation. That is all.)
8. Acts 8:4-5, 12-13: What is significant about the Samaritans accepting Jesus and being baptized? (LN: being baptized incorporated them – a group of people considered heathens and second class, an offshoot sect of the Jews – into the New Testament Church. Some of the first baptisms outside the Jewish faith.)
9. Acts 8:35-38: What is important to you about baptism from this passage? (LN: as soon as there was opportunity, the newly believing eunuch wanted to follow through. There is no reason to delay in obeying Christ’s command that we follow Him and be baptized.)
10. Acts 16:13-15: Do you have any sense of the women’s spirituality? (LN: Philippi was a Roman city, situated in the border area between–and often claimed by-Greece and Macedonia. The women were gathering at the river. Paul SUPPOSED they might come to pray. But they might have just come for water. These ladies were gentiles.)
11. Acts 16:31-33: Feel free to read more about the conversion of the Philippian jailer and his family. In the middle of the night, after an earthquake and a potential jail break, what does this jailer take time to do? (LN: He listens to the Gospel and responds; he includes his family; he treats their wounds and is immediately—as soon as possible—baptized. In the middle of a natural disaster, it is important to notice that they prioritized baptism!)
12. Acts 21:40, 22:1-3, 14-16: Who is Paul speaking to? How does he share the Gospel? What is the action step he requests of his listeners? (LN: Throughout this passage, Paul explains that he was a righteous Hebrew, but he has found the true Way: Jesus. And he challenges them to repent and be baptized.)
As you share the Gospel over the next weeks:
Remember - Remember your sins and how Jesus has cleansed you and given you a new life. If we do not forget where we came from and share that with others, we become a safe place for them to share their challenges (2 Corinthians 12:9-10).
Listen - By listening, we are respecting others and allowing them to share the challenges they are going through. Once it’s time to respond, we can tell them about our faith and how it’s changed us (James 1:19).
Wait - Be patient with others to respond and for them to change their life. Don’t leave Jesus out of your life. If He comes up on a regular basis in your conversations, you will see the lives around you impacted (Luke 10:16).