Acts 1:9-11 - 9 And after He had said these things, He was lifted up while they were looking on, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. 10 And as they were gazing intently into the sky while He was going, behold, two men in white clothing stood beside them. 11 They also said, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven." NASU

Rev 1:7 - 7 BEHOLD, HE IS COMING WITH THE CLOUDS, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the tribes of the earth will mourn over Him. NASU

2 Peter 3:10-13 - 10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up. 11 Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, 12 looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be destroyed by burning, and the elements will melt with intense heat! 13 But according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells. NASU

John 3:17-18 - 17 For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. 18 He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. NASU

Mark 16:15-16- Go and preach the good news to everyone in the world Mark 16:15-16- Go and preach the good news to everyone in the world. 16 Anyone who believes me and is baptized will be saved. But anyone who refuses to believe me will be condemned. CEV Matthew 28:18-20 – “And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." NASU

Luke 24:46-49 – “and He said to them, "Thus it is written, that the Christ would suffer and rise again from the dead the third day, 47 and that repentance for forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in His name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. 48 "You are witnesses of these things. 49 "And behold, I am sending forth the promise of My Father upon you; but you are to stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high." NASU

IT BEGAN IN JERUSALEM Acts 2:1-4 (NASB) - 1 When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. 2 And suddenly there came from heaven a noise like a violent rushing wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 And there appeared to them tongues as of fire distributing themselves, and they rested on each one of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit was giving them utterance.

Acts 2:23 (NASB) - 23 this Man, delivered over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men and put Him to death.

Acts 2:37-39 - 37 Now when they heard this, they were pierced to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, "Brethren, what shall we do?" 38 Peter said to them, "Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. NASU

Remember Jesus said in Luke 24 - repentance for forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in His name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem.

Acts 2:41 (NASB) 41 So then, those who had received his word were baptized; and that day there were added about three thousand souls. Acts 2:47 (NASB) 47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved.

“…he who believes and is baptized will be saved.” “Baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit”

PAUL’S CONVERSION Acts 8:1 - Saul was in hearty agreement with putting him to death. And on that day a great persecution began against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. NASU

Acts 8:4 - Therefore, those who had been scattered went about preaching the word. NASU

Galatians 1:13 (NASB) 13 “For you have heard of my former manner of life in Judaism, how I used to persecute the church of God beyond measure and tried to destroy it…”

Acts 9:1-9 (NASB) 1 Now Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest, 2 and asked for letters from him to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, both men and women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. 3 As he was traveling, it happened that he was approaching Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him; 4 and he fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?" 5 And he said, "Who are You, Lord?" And He said, "I am Jesus whom you are persecuting, 6 but get up and enter the city, and it will be told you what you must do." 7 The men who traveled with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one. 8 Saul got up from the ground, and though his eyes were open, he could see nothing; and leading him by the hand, they brought him into Damascus. 9 And he was three days without sight, and neither ate nor drank.

The Lord’s appearance made a believer of Paul. He spent the next three days neither eating or drinking… blind… imagine what that was like for him. He spends these three days mourning, repenting, and blind… his entire life has collapsed. I think it’s likely these were the three most miserable days of Paul’s life…

…but get up and enter the city, and it will be told you what you must do."

Acts 22:12-16 - 12 "A certain Ananias, a man who was devout by the standard of the Law, and well spoken of by all the Jews who lived there, 13 came to me, and standing near said to me, 'Brother Saul, receive your sight!' And at that very time I looked up at him. 14 And he said, 'The God of our fathers has appointed you to know His will and to see the Righteous One and to hear an utterance from His mouth. 15 For you will be a witness for Him to all men of what you have seen and heard. 16 Now why do you delay? Get up and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on His name.' NASU

Does he believe in Jesus now? Has he repented of his sins? But Ananias – the one sent by God to tell Saul what he must do – tells him to “Arise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on His name.” Mark 16:15-16 - 15 And He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. 16 He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved; but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned. NASU

Luke 24:47 – “…and that repentance for forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in His name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem.

And on the day of Pentecost, in Jerusalem, Peter proclaimed repentance and forgiveness of sins… Acts 2:38 - 38 Peter said to them, "Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. NASU

AT WHAT POINT ARE WE SAVED? James 2:19 (NASB) 19 You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder. “What are you waiting on? Arise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.”

WHAT ABOUT THE BAPTISM OF JOHN? Acts 19:1-7 - It happened that while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul passed through the upper country and came to Ephesus, and found some disciples. 2 He said to them, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?" And they said to him, "No, we have not even heard whether there is a Holy Spirit." 3 And he said, "Into what then were you baptized?" And they said, "Into John's baptism." 4 Paul said, "John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in Him who was coming after him, that is, in Jesus." 5 When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6 And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they began speaking with tongues and prophesying. 7 There were in all about twelve men. NASU

Ephesians 4:4-6 - 4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling; 5 one Lord, one faith, ONE BAPTISM, 6 one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all. NASU

ROMANS 6 AND WHAT OCCURS IN BAPTISM Romans 6:1-7 - Well then, should we keep on sinning so that God can show us more and more of his wonderful grace? 2 Of course not! Since we have died to sin, how can we continue to live in it? 3 Or have you forgotten that when we were joined with Christ Jesus in baptism, we joined him in his death? 4 For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives.5 Since we have been united with him in his death, we will also be raised to life as he was. 6 We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin. 7 For when we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin. (Holy Bible, New Living Translation.)

We died to sin… so we’re not to continue to live in it. We were joined with Jesus in his death. We died and were buried with Christ by baptism. When we rose from the watery grave we rose to live a new life… Since we have been untied with him in his death… we will also be raised to life as he was. We know the our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so sin may lose its power in our lives.

When we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin. WHEN?

“What are you waiting on “What are you waiting on? Arise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.”