1. Lesson 45

2. What wonderful blessings does God give us through Baptism?

3. What gifts did God offer and give us when we were baptized? Acts 2:38-39 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. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off— for all whom the Lord our God will call.” sins forgiven

4. What gifts did God offer and give us when we were baptized? 1 Peter 3:20-21 …who disobeyed long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water, and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also—not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a good conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ… deliverance from death

5. What gifts did God offer and give us when we were baptized? Zechariah 3:1-5

6. Zechariah 3:1-5 Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right side to accuse him. The LORD said to Satan, “The LORD rebuke you, Satan! The LORD, who has chosen Jerusalem, rebuke you! Is not this man a burning stick snatched from the fire?” Now Joshua was dressed in filthy clothes as he stood before the angel. The angel said to those who were standing before him, “Take off his filthy clothes.” Then he said to Joshua, “See, I have taken away your sin, and I will put rich garments on you.” Then I said, “Put a clean turban on his head.” So they put a clean turban on his head and clothed him, while the angel of the LORD stood by.

7. What gifts did God offer and give us when we were baptized? Zechariah 3:1-5 deliverance from the devil

8. What gifts did God offer and give us when we were baptized? Mark 16:16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. eternal salvation

9. Key Point #1 God offered and gave us forgiveness of sin, deliverance from death and the devil, and eternal salvation.

10. Didn’t we receive forgiveness when Jesus died on the cross? Why do we say we receive it when we are baptized?

11. Which is better to say, that God forgives our sins in Baptism or that in Baptism, God assures us that he has forgiven us? Why did you make that choice?

12. What great comfort does God give us through these wonderful blessings? Galatians 3:26-27 You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. child of God great comfort each of us has

13. What great comfort does God give us through these wonderful blessings? Titus 3:5-7 …he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life. heir of eternal life great comfort each of us has

14. Key Point #2 By Baptism, God gives us the great comfort of knowing that we are his children and heirs of eternal life.

15. Katrina thought it was wrong to say that Baptism guarantees eternal life, because she knew of some people who had been baptized but were no longer Christians. How would you respond?

16. Explain… Often when Martin Luther felt discouraged, he would say to himself, “Surely I am baptized.”

17. Explain… Martin Luther said many times that there is no greater comfort on earth than Baptism.

18. If the day of a person’s baptism is just as important as a birthday, why, in your opinion, don’t people celebrate it or get as excited about it?

19. What could a congregation do to remind people how important their baptismal days are? Try to come up with several possibilities.

20. If you are not sure when you were baptized, find out the date and memorize it.

21. Reggie explained Baptism this way: “It symbolizes the way God forgave me when I turned my life over to him.” What’s wrong with Reggie’s statement?

22. Many people use the baptizing of a baby as a time to have a family party. Give at least two suggestions that would help them celebrate Baptism as God’s means of grace rather than as a purely social event.

23. A Christian cousin of yours who is in high school gets pregnant. She is not married. How could you use her Baptism to comfort her?

24. Why will you never need to be re-baptized, even if you fall away from Christ but then are brought back to faith?

25. What’s wrong here? If we have been baptized, we have done everything we need to do to be saved.

26. Lesson 45 When I was baptized, God gave me three wonderful blessings that are a great comfort for me all my life.