back to index2019-03-17 Meaning & Importance of Baptism
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All right, this morning, I'm going to be taking a break in our study of the book of Hebrews 00:00:11.400 |
Clearly, we have a baptism service that's going to happen this morning. 00:00:15.880 |
And again, just to kind of give you an explanation, we intended, normally we have a separate service 00:00:20.560 |
at 2 o'clock, but this time we're doing it because of various reasons. 00:00:25.480 |
We're having our sister Susan, she's going to be baptized after the message. 00:00:30.360 |
But I wanted to give a clear understanding of what it is that we are doing. 00:00:34.640 |
There are a lot of things that we do in life that we do just because it's just done. 00:00:39.340 |
You know, if you travel, you'll notice one of the first things that you'll notice that 00:00:42.120 |
35% of the countries in the world, they all, they drive on the left side, the opposite 00:00:50.120 |
So if you've ever visited England, you'll notice that the cars are coming the opposite 00:00:54.200 |
direction, or if you go to, again, other parts of the world. 00:01:00.640 |
I tried to explain this first service and I got lost. 00:01:04.960 |
There's a lot of things that we do in life just out of habit. 00:01:08.800 |
And so we're curious, but we don't really know the answer. 00:01:13.660 |
So this question, whether we're driving on the right side or left side, I mean, we might 00:01:16.520 |
be curious, but we don't know in detail why we do it. 00:01:21.880 |
And it's not significant, even though this is something we do on a daily basis, not knowing 00:01:26.840 |
isn't going to affect your life in one way or the other, right? 00:01:30.520 |
Other than the fact you visit some countries and they drive on the other side. 00:01:34.860 |
But there are certain things that we do without really understanding that if we don't understand 00:01:45.300 |
One of the things that we absolutely need to understand, to be convicted about, is the 00:01:50.120 |
sacraments that we practice on a regular basis. 00:01:53.280 |
The reason why the churches call it sacrament is because it means it is sacred. 00:01:58.280 |
It is something that is set apart, not through church history, but the scripture. 00:02:02.880 |
Christ himself set it apart as something sacred that we ought to practice. 00:02:08.320 |
Now it's so sacred that in the early church, when they didn't practice it properly, remember 00:02:16.600 |
Many people were falling asleep, meaning that they were dying. 00:02:19.640 |
There was a direct judgment that came upon them because they weren't practicing it the 00:02:28.280 |
So what we do in baptism and what we do in communion, we may not experience, "Oh, we 00:02:33.400 |
didn't participate in a worthy manner," so you may not have death penalty coming, but 00:02:38.280 |
it does show us that in God's eyes, how important this is. 00:02:43.680 |
That this is not something that we ought to participate half-heartedly. 00:02:51.800 |
We need to know why we practice this, what is the meaning behind it, and why do we do 00:02:58.220 |
Why are we a Baptist instead of a Presbyterian? 00:03:01.360 |
I grew up most of my life as a Presbyterian because my dad was a Presbyterian pastor, 00:03:06.560 |
and at one point in my understanding of scripture, I had a radical change. 00:03:12.320 |
Before I get into it, first of all, what it is not. 00:03:19.080 |
I mean, at another time we'll be talking about communion, but today, because we're having 00:03:23.120 |
a baptism service, I wanted to emphasize, and again, it's going to be more informative. 00:03:28.120 |
So the goal of my preaching this morning is not to inspire you to go out and do anything 00:03:33.040 |
in particular, other than to engage in something that is absolutely sacred because the scripture 00:03:45.300 |
There is no supernatural power in this water. 00:03:51.600 |
She's going to go in there and then she's going to feel tingling and then come back 00:03:59.180 |
Baptism is not something that Christians do after they became a Christian and then realize 00:04:04.560 |
that, "Man, I really need to take my faith seriously," and then they decide to get baptized 00:04:13.320 |
It is symbolic, but there is power in this symbolism. 00:04:18.360 |
And I guess the best way for us to understand it is like when you have marriage ceremony. 00:04:23.440 |
We go through all the symbolism of getting dressed in white and men and the bride coming 00:04:29.160 |
down the aisle, the lighting of the candles, the putting on of rings, cutting of cakes, 00:04:34.880 |
like all of that to symbolize that a new life is starting between two people becoming one. 00:04:43.920 |
We don't ever attend marriage ceremonies like, "Ah, this is nothing." 00:04:47.640 |
We know the importance of that, and it was meant to be public. 00:04:51.880 |
But we take more seriously the symbolism in marriage than when we do what God commanded. 00:04:57.720 |
See, marriage ceremony was not commanded in scripture. 00:05:02.720 |
And yet in our culture, we take that very, very seriously, what we do in marriage ceremony. 00:05:08.600 |
In fact, as I officiate weddings, I mean, usually the people are so concerned that we 00:05:17.720 |
I think that people are the most teachable during wedding ceremonies. 00:05:22.140 |
They ask me questions like, "Do we stand here? 00:05:33.940 |
Because they want to make sure that they get everything right, because it's important. 00:05:45.360 |
It's important for us because of what it signifies. 00:05:52.360 |
And though it is symbolic, when we obey it according to what the scripture says, it is 00:05:59.320 |
So this morning, I want to dive into two things. 00:06:02.080 |
One is the importance of baptism and the meaning of baptism. 00:06:07.200 |
Importance of baptism and meaning of baptism. 00:06:08.720 |
So those of you who are visiting our church for the first time, it's like, "Oh, great. 00:06:13.080 |
The first service is going to be talking about theology." 00:06:18.840 |
Whether I mention theology or not, every week is theology. 00:06:21.280 |
But today in particular, it's going to be theological. 00:06:32.400 |
If you look at the Great Commission, Matthew 28, 19, "Go therefore make disciples of all 00:06:38.760 |
the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit, teaching 00:06:42.120 |
them to observe all that I have commanded you." 00:06:46.400 |
Now if you've probably heard many services, many sermons or Bible studies about going, 00:06:53.600 |
If we're serious Christians, we need to be going. 00:06:57.800 |
We need to go to the remotest part of the world. 00:07:00.000 |
You know, we've just sent out the Tongs as missionaries to China, so they were going. 00:07:05.520 |
And then if you do a little bit of digging, you find out, it's like, "No, the imperative 00:07:14.000 |
And so you probably heard a lot of sermons about making disciples, that we need to make 00:07:17.800 |
this all about making disciples and we need to go. 00:07:22.720 |
And you probably heard a lot of sermons about teaching them to observe all that I have commanded 00:07:28.800 |
We have small groups, in order for you to understand that it's not just enough to say, 00:07:33.320 |
"I believe in Jesus," but then it says to teach them to observe all that I have commanded 00:07:41.080 |
But we kind of skim over the baptism part, right? 00:07:44.720 |
It says to make disciples by going, baptizing, and teaching them to observe all that I have 00:07:50.600 |
But we know about going, we know about teaching them to observe all that I have commanded 00:07:54.680 |
you, but this baptism part seems like just a religious ceremony, just kind of added in. 00:07:59.240 |
So we quote it, we memorize it, but we don't really understand it. 00:08:08.680 |
When somebody becomes a Christian, first thing we ask is, "What church do you go to?" 00:08:14.680 |
So say, "I confess my faith and I believe, what should I do?" 00:08:22.960 |
It's like, "Well, they have a small group on Wednesday, then what else should I do?" 00:08:26.480 |
"Well, find maybe older brothers and sisters that you can fellowship with and get involved 00:08:35.160 |
You need to really commit to the discipline of prayer. 00:08:39.560 |
If your church has short-term missions, maybe you should do that. 00:08:43.160 |
If you have membership, become a member and serve in some capacity in the church. 00:08:46.720 |
And we have all these things that we tell a brand new Christian that this is what you 00:08:51.280 |
ought to do, teaching them to observe all that I've commanded you. 00:08:54.800 |
But before we even get to that, he says to baptize. 00:09:00.600 |
Where in every instance in the New Testament, the very first thing that was commanded and 00:09:12.160 |
You know, there's an issue in our culture where there's this cliche that people use 00:09:17.800 |
in saying Christianity is not a religion but a relationship. 00:09:25.480 |
Christianity, you can't be a Christian just because you attend church, because you were 00:09:29.160 |
raised in a church, or just because you went into the water and came out. 00:09:34.640 |
So Christianity isn't simply about religion, but it is religion. 00:09:40.000 |
Because religion basically means a set of beliefs that causes you to live a certain 00:09:51.480 |
But religion in and of itself obviously doesn't save you if you don't have a relationship 00:09:56.980 |
The reason why I say that is because there is a disdain in our culture toward anything 00:10:12.440 |
Do this or don't do that, because if you do that, that's religion." 00:10:16.400 |
As long as I have this personal relationship with Jesus Christ, all this other stuff doesn't 00:10:26.560 |
As I said, there are many things that the Scripture teaches, teaching them to observe 00:10:30.280 |
all that I have commanded you, but these two particular things, and this one particular 00:10:34.800 |
thing that we're addressing today about baptism, was absolutely commanded and practiced. 00:10:42.200 |
Acts chapter 2, 38, after Peter preaches his very first sermon, very first revival, they 00:10:49.160 |
were convicted to the heart, and they said, "What should we do?" 00:10:54.640 |
He didn't just say, "Repent and go to church. 00:11:00.960 |
Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ, for the forgiveness 00:11:03.880 |
of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." 00:11:07.400 |
Acts chapter 8, 12, Evangelist Philip preaches the gospel to the Samaritans. 00:11:12.840 |
They are convicted when they believe Philip as he preached good news about the kingdom 00:11:21.000 |
Acts 8, 36, "And as they were going along the road, they came to some water, and the 00:11:31.680 |
Acts 9, 18, "And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes and regained his 00:11:38.560 |
And again, I can go all, give you other texts over and over again, and my point is that 00:11:45.760 |
as Jesus commanded, as his last will and testament, to make disciples by going, baptizing, teaching 00:11:52.440 |
them to observe all that I have commanded you, baptism was a key element of making 00:12:00.080 |
So the fact that this is important is crystal clear in the Scripture. 00:12:05.000 |
In fact, I don't know any denomination that doesn't see the importance of baptism. 00:12:10.080 |
The meaning behind it, mode of it may be different, but we all agree it is absolutely essential. 00:12:20.400 |
So if this is this important, and if that is not in question, the second question is, 00:12:31.600 |
Which is the second point, the meaning of baptism. 00:12:33.920 |
Well, I tricked you because it's two points, but this point has three points. 00:12:41.160 |
The meaning behind baptism, there's three things that I want to share with you that 00:12:45.620 |
First of all, the reason why this is important is because of what it symbolizes. 00:12:51.680 |
It says in Romans 6, 3-4, "Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into 00:13:00.160 |
We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that just as Christ was 00:13:04.600 |
raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life." 00:13:09.840 |
So first of all, baptism symbolizes our union with Christ in his death and his resurrection. 00:13:20.040 |
Just like when two people come together and they get married, they light the two candles, 00:13:25.560 |
meaning that two families are coming together, and then at the middle of the ceremony, when 00:13:30.520 |
they're done, they will light one candle, right? 00:13:33.520 |
And they blow out the other two candles, which signifies that these two people are becoming 00:13:38.920 |
The ring that they put on each other is a symbol of the eternal union, this covenant 00:13:46.080 |
So when they put that ring on, it symbolizes this eternal covenant that they are entering. 00:13:51.680 |
Every part of that ceremony signifies something very important happening in that ceremony. 00:13:56.840 |
And it is meant to be public, and that's what the baptisms first and foremost represent. 00:14:01.800 |
That's why when Susan gets baptized, when anyone gets baptized, we ask the question, 00:14:06.320 |
"Do you understand this, that you are uniting with Christ in his death, and you are uniting 00:14:17.160 |
The mode of baptism symbolizes that in and of itself. 00:14:30.320 |
The word "baptizo" means to be completely immersed. 00:14:33.580 |
When it adds the word "izo" at the end, it's to intensify the word. 00:14:37.820 |
So basically, the word in and of itself that is used to describe this sacrament means to 00:14:45.600 |
And it makes sense because of what it signifies. 00:14:52.600 |
You never go to a funeral when somebody is only buried halfway. 00:14:59.000 |
You don't just say, "Oh, we're burying them," and just throw up some dirt. 00:15:03.360 |
And then if somebody happens to be alive, you don't come out halfway. 00:15:12.880 |
They are buried with Christ, and they are raised completely in the resurrected life. 00:15:23.040 |
In fact, in the early church, every passage that I read, when the early church practiced 00:15:28.400 |
this baptism, this immersion, it was done for that purpose. 00:15:39.000 |
It does not symbolize a covenant sprinkling from the Old Testament. 00:15:43.960 |
Again, this is where we differ with our Presbyterian brothers and sisters. 00:15:52.720 |
And then I chose to become a Baptist, again, though I was baptized as an infant because 00:16:01.400 |
And I wrestled with this for a very long time before I decided I need to do what the Scripture 00:16:07.400 |
And the reason why I did that is because it is not safe to simply go by tradition. 00:16:13.840 |
It is not safe to practice my faith, even if something that I didn't realize how significant 00:16:19.680 |
It is not safe for us to simply do something simply because that's just the way it's done. 00:16:27.000 |
And so the more I recognize how important this was, the more important it was I did 00:16:35.080 |
Baptist baptism symbolizes complete union with Christ in every way. 00:16:47.000 |
Again, if you were to use poker terms, you don't go halfway. 00:16:53.880 |
Sometimes the Christians play, and then they put a little bit here and a little bit there. 00:16:57.640 |
And then, you know, when I graduate college, I'll go in a little bit more. 00:17:00.880 |
And then when my children grow up a little bit more, I'll give a little bit more. 00:17:07.240 |
You're always just kind of playing, and the whole while you're playing around, you're 00:17:10.520 |
thinking that God is waiting just incrementally, right? 00:17:14.960 |
You buried your arms, and next year, hopefully, you'll bury your legs. 00:17:17.720 |
And then a year after that, maybe you'll bury your nose. 00:17:22.120 |
And for whatever the reason, people live their Christian life in increments. 00:17:29.400 |
This baptism ceremony from the get-go, when we are baptized, signifies death with Christ. 00:17:39.560 |
And so when somebody goes into the water, that's what it signifies. 00:17:55.320 |
And then to leave a legacy, and I hear that a lot, even in the Christian circle, leave 00:18:01.480 |
The only legacy that any human being should leave behind is the aroma of Christ in your 00:18:08.480 |
I don't want people talking about me three generations later, like, "Oh, Peter was this, 00:18:13.600 |
and Peter was that," because I already know, you know, when there's good things, there's 00:18:19.440 |
I want them to remember whatever aroma I left of Christ, because it is no longer I who live. 00:18:27.000 |
And that's what this symbolizes, death of our old self. 00:18:32.240 |
And when we are resurrected with Christ, that we commit to this new life, new resurrected 00:18:39.320 |
In every way, that's why this water of going in and coming out is the right mode of baptism 00:18:50.640 |
In Acts 2, 37, 38, it says, "Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart and 00:18:55.320 |
said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, 'Brothers, what shall we do?' 00:18:58.440 |
And Peter said, 'Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ, for 00:19:04.680 |
Again, in Acts 22, 16, "And now, why do you wait? 00:19:14.800 |
You know, part of the struggle that we have as Christians, when the Scripture says that 00:19:21.960 |
just shall live by faith, we immediately think about how that's being applied. 00:19:34.360 |
That is a part of the application of what it means to walk by faith. 00:19:38.840 |
But the first and foremost, most important part of walking by faith is believing with 00:19:46.800 |
That when you went into the water, the old self, whatever it is that you did up to that 00:19:59.800 |
And until you believe that your sins are completely forgiven, you will live your life trying to 00:20:07.460 |
You may not write down that on your doctrinal statement. 00:20:13.480 |
But in your heart, you will live the rest of your life trying to be worthy of forgiveness, 00:20:22.900 |
To be saved by grace means to receive something that you didn't deserve. 00:20:29.780 |
So the first act of obedience, even before baptism, what the baptism represents, is to 00:20:34.800 |
believe with all your heart that you are forgiven. 00:20:51.220 |
And the reason why we don't sprinkle is because sprinkling was just a shadow, because it only 00:21:07.060 |
Not just a hint of it, not just a part of it, not just what you did that day, but our 00:21:17.820 |
We weren't simply cleansed of something you said or something you did. 00:21:22.600 |
We were cleansed from the core of who we are. 00:21:25.240 |
Our very nature was transformed because of what Christ has done. 00:21:31.100 |
A burial of the old self and forgiveness of our sins and to be resurrected in our righteous 00:21:39.800 |
That's why it says in Psalm 103, 11 through 14, "For as high as the heavens are above 00:21:43.800 |
the earth, so great is his loving kindness toward those who fear him. 00:21:48.200 |
As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us. 00:21:53.640 |
Just as a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear 00:22:03.760 |
He didn't forgive us because we are worthy of forgiveness. 00:22:07.640 |
He forgave us because we had no other choice. 00:22:13.160 |
A complete and thorough forgiveness of our sins, past, present, and future, if you believe. 00:22:19.800 |
Third and finally, receiving the water baptism signifies gift of the Holy Spirit. 00:22:28.840 |
In Matthew 3, 11, "I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after 00:22:33.760 |
me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry." 00:22:36.680 |
He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. 00:22:40.320 |
Again, in Acts 2, 38, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ 00:22:44.840 |
for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." 00:22:50.040 |
The real baptism that this signifies is ultimately preparing a place for the Holy Spirit to enter. 00:22:58.280 |
If the Holy Spirit is not indwelling in you, you're not a Christian. 00:23:02.400 |
You know, I know that in some circles that for whatever reason, I believe it's a wrong 00:23:08.440 |
teaching that the Holy Spirit comes and goes. 00:23:11.320 |
You know, the Holy Spirit, like, "Oh, you've got to be filled with the Holy Spirit," and 00:23:14.960 |
it comes, and then when you're not walking right, the Holy Spirit leaves, and that is 00:23:21.120 |
If you are a child of God, God cleansed you of your sins and created you to be the temple 00:23:26.140 |
of God, and now the Holy Spirit makes us indwelling in you, right? 00:23:39.400 |
I know that as a pastor, that certain things you won't do when I'm in the room. 00:23:47.360 |
And I know years ago, and I don't think gangster rap is that popular today. 00:23:57.920 |
I remember years ago, like, people would listen to gangster rap, and I could hear it from 00:24:04.840 |
I could hear it from a distance because I hear the car coming. 00:24:07.120 |
They got to blast it, and then, you know, I hear it. 00:24:09.040 |
And as soon as they come to the parking lot, you can hear the volume getting lower. 00:24:13.880 |
And then they come to pick me up, and I go in there, and then Christian music is played. 00:24:20.680 |
At some point, in that 300-yard drive, the volume went off, turned off, and then another 00:24:28.080 |
And all of it because they probably think that I'm going to judge them, right? 00:24:36.640 |
And the reason why, not because I'm holier, but because I represent. 00:24:43.440 |
There are certain things that you feel comfortable doing in the privacy of your own home that 00:24:51.640 |
There are certain movies that you will watch with your friends, or maybe in a certain context 00:24:56.400 |
that you would never, if we played it here, you'd say, "Oh my God, what kind of church 00:25:01.480 |
In my house, it was okay, but here, how can you possibly allow that in the church? 00:25:10.680 |
We consider certain things more sacred than others. 00:25:14.200 |
And I'm not saying that they are all equally sacred, but the scripture says, "Do you not 00:25:19.600 |
know that your body is the temple of God now?" 00:25:30.280 |
He says when we were baptized, we were resurrected, the real baptism happened with the Holy Spirit 00:25:36.640 |
And that's what Paul uses to rebuke the Corinthians church because they were being divided. 00:25:41.440 |
He said, "Do you not know that you are the temple of God and the Spirit of God dwells 00:25:46.640 |
And he who defiles, meaning he who divides the church, God will bring judgment upon them 00:25:53.200 |
The gathering of believers is sacred because each individual has become sacred by the Holy 00:26:03.320 |
We have become sacred, sacred in the eyes of God. 00:26:08.280 |
Secondly, because we have become sacred, we have become set apart for his use. 00:26:15.160 |
The Holy Spirit just indwells in us so that we can feel good when we sing and then say, 00:26:22.600 |
The work of the Holy Spirit inspires us, moves us, brings us to tears. 00:26:28.120 |
But the Holy Spirit is indwelling in us because it is groaning on our behalf because his presence 00:26:38.260 |
He sent this Holy Spirit to make sure that we come. 00:26:42.500 |
And so one, we have become sacred, but we have become sacred for the purpose of his 00:26:55.320 |
The Holy Spirit now groans on our behalf to be reunited to our Lord. 00:27:06.080 |
As I mentioned to you, the reason why we don't practice infant baptism is because infant 00:27:13.780 |
There is no place in the Scripture where an infant is baptized saying that it's a replacement 00:27:18.560 |
of the circumcision, so therefore you have special blessing upon you that you do not 00:27:22.960 |
know of just because you happen to be in this church. 00:27:29.240 |
In fact, this is so sacred that we want to make sure that when somebody is baptized, 00:27:34.920 |
that they are able to make a credible confession of faith, that they understand. 00:27:38.760 |
So when Susan goes in, we're going to be asking her, "Do you understand that you're going 00:27:42.200 |
within the water to be united with Christ in his death? 00:27:45.840 |
And you come out, you're going to be united with Christ in his resurrected life?" 00:27:49.720 |
And she will answer yes, because if she doesn't, we have to pray in service. 00:27:57.960 |
I remember years ago, as a youth pastor, I went up to a retreat and one of my friends 00:28:05.760 |
in the middle of the retreat said, "We're going to have baptism service." 00:28:08.480 |
So initially I got excited, I said, "Oh yeah, we're going to participate in a baptism service." 00:28:13.040 |
And again, this was years ago in a youth group retreat camp, and then he just had everybody 00:28:17.680 |
get in swimming trunks and everybody jumped into the pool. 00:28:23.480 |
We jumped into the pool and he looked at me and said, "Hey Peter, can you lead us?" 00:28:31.360 |
And then he gave instruction, everybody paired up. 00:28:45.720 |
And then he asked me to kind of oversee and pray for them. 00:28:49.120 |
I said, "I was a young pastor then, but I don't think this is how you're supposed to 00:28:57.480 |
Looking back at it now, it grieves my heart that something that was so sacred, that was 00:29:03.080 |
meant as a means of grace to nourish and strengthen the church, when we don't do it without thinking 00:29:08.380 |
properly of its significance, it loses its value. 00:29:12.600 |
And it becomes just a religious thing that we do, which has no purpose and no meaning. 00:29:19.360 |
Now I talked about baptism, but it is not isolated to just baptism. 00:29:23.360 |
We can do the same thing with our Sunday worship. 00:29:39.520 |
And if we're not asking these questions and we're not digging and we're not practicing 00:29:43.100 |
it purposefully, it will be no different than just jumping in that water and coming out 00:29:51.040 |
Like I said, for me to become a Baptist meant that I had to go against what my father did 00:30:00.480 |
But it is, I cannot, I cannot follow tradition, neither can you. 00:30:06.360 |
You may disagree with the mode, you may disagree with the means, but you cannot disagree because 00:30:16.240 |
You must, if you, again, I know some of you, many of you are like me, grew up in a Presbyterian 00:30:20.600 |
church, maybe you consider yourself Presbyterian even now. 00:30:25.320 |
And the purpose of this message, again, to convince some of you or to instruct for you 00:30:35.080 |
And then there's some of you may require more attention. 00:30:38.240 |
If you have questions and you have more that you want answered, I'm more than willing to 00:30:42.520 |
sit with you and answer some of the questions that you have and do my best to try to inform 00:30:50.760 |
This is just not some religious thing that we're doing because it's a church, right? 00:30:56.360 |
We're Baptists and we're Baptists deliberately because we believe what we see in Scripture 00:31:02.840 |
And this is not just about baptism, it's about everything that we do in church. 00:31:06.880 |
We want to make sure that we're practicing what he told us to do. 00:31:10.760 |
Well, at this time, I'm going to invite our sister Susan. 00:31:15.040 |
She's going to come up here and give her testimony and then we'll have our baptism ceremony.