Rediscovering the Church: Baptism and Communion
SERMON BIG IDEA:
Union with Christ means you have been incorporated into the body of Christ.
APPLICATION:
- Baptism is a naming ceremony that affirms your new identity and status.
- Participating in communion shapes your character--service and gratitude, as you habituate the gospel.
SERMON SUMMARY:
Pastor Jason begins by thinking about how a new pair of glasses brings clarity to our vision. It doesn’t change the objects, but brings new depth, precision, focus, and perception. So it is with the doctrine of union with Christ: it becomes our new lens to understand our salvation story. While this union begins as a private, personal experience; it doesn’t stay private! It brings us into a new community, a “new we,” where we are called to live out our faith together.
The church is not simply a building or an event, but the gathered people of God, rooted in the promises made to Israel and fulfilled in Christ. Our identity as the church is deeply connected to the Old Testament story, yet it is made new in Jesus, who gathers us as His people.
Baptism and communion are the two practices Jesus gave us to mark and shape our life together. Baptism is a naming ceremony, a public declaration commemorating that we have died to our old selves and been raised to new life in Christ. It is not just a symbol, but a powerful reenactment of our salvation story, affirming our new identity and status as members of Christ’s body. This act connects us to a story much bigger than ourselves, reminding us that our faith is both personal and communal.
Communion, on the other hand, is a regular practice that forms our character over time. Since we forget our identity and become identity amnesiacs, we need a way to habituate the gospel to remind ourselves not only who we are, but who’s we are. By repeatedly coming to the Lord’s table, we habituate the gospel—we learn, through repetition, to receive Christ’s service and generosity, and to let that shape us into people who serve and give thanks. Communion is not just about remembering what Christ has done, but about being transformed into His likeness, learning to serve others as He has served us, and growing in gratitude for all we have received.
As we habituate the gospel, we are reminded of our mission: to make disciples, to pray for those not yet in the Jesus story, and to live out our identity as the body of Christ in a world that desperately needs hope. Our journey is not just individual, but collective—a new people, living out the reality of Christ in us and among us.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Union with Christ is the lens that brings clarity to our salvation and discipleship.
It is not just about a personal relationship with Jesus, but about being incorporated into a new community—the body of Christ. This union transforms both our identity and our relationships, calling us to live as a “new we” rather than isolated individuals. [43:17]
- The church is the gathered people of God, rooted in the Old Testament promises and fulfilled in Christ.
Our identity as the church is not defined by buildings or programs, but by our connection to Christ and to one another. This continuity with God’s ancient people gives depth and meaning to our faith, reminding us that we are part of a much larger story. [48:12]
- Baptism is a naming ceremony that affirms our new identity and status in Christ.
It is a powerful reenactment of our salvation, marking the death of the old self and the birth of the new. Baptism is not just a private act, but a public declaration that we have been incorporated into the body of Christ and now belong to a new family and a new mission. [66:46]
- Communion is a practice that shapes our character by habituating the gospel.
Through regular participation, we learn to receive Christ’s service and generosity, allowing these truths to become instinctive in our lives. Communion is not just about remembering, but about being formed into people who serve others and live with deep gratitude. [75:12]
- Our commitment to the mission of Jesus is reflected in our prayers and our participation in the life of the church.
We are called to pray for new disciples, to celebrate baptisms, and to invest in one another’s growth. The journey of faith is not just about personal transformation, but about joining together as the people of God to bring hope and light to a world in need. [72:47]