When we witness a baptism or participate in communion, we're experiencing far more than church traditions. These sacred acts are visible sermons that Jesus Christ himself commanded us to observe. They proclaim the Gospel, strengthen our faith, and remind us to anticipate Christ's return.

What Are the Church Ordinances?

Baptism and the Lord's Supper are not merely practices we've developed over time. They are divine commands given directly by Jesus Christ to visually communicate His saving and transforming work. Every time someone is baptized and every time we serve communion, we are preaching the Gospel without words.

Why Did Jesus Give Us These Commands?

The Great Commission and Baptism

Jesus made baptism a central part of the church's mission. In Matthew 28, He declared: "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit" - Matthew 28:18-19 (ESV).

This isn't optional or a matter of preference. The risen Lord, who possesses all authority, commands us to baptize believers. The word "baptizo" means to immerse in water, representing a public declaration of what has already happened in someone's heart.

The Last Supper and Communion

On the night before His crucifixion, Jesus established the Lord's Supper. He took bread and wine, giving His disciples a visual reminder of the Gospel that would continue until His return. From Luke 22: "And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, 'This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.' And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, 'This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood'" - Luke 22:19-20 (ESV).

Jesus didn't suggest this practice - He commanded it. "Do this in remembrance of me" carries the weight of divine authority.

Do the Ordinances Save Us?

Understanding What They Don't Do

The water in the baptistery has no mystical power. Baptism doesn't regenerate a sinner - it testifies about God's saving work that has already been received by faith. Similarly, the bread and cup don't literally become Christ's body and blood. They are symbols representing His sacrifice.

We are saved by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. The ordinances don't accomplish our salvation; they proclaim it.

The Wedding Ring Analogy

Think of these ordinances like a wedding ring. A wedding ring doesn't make someone married - it's a visible sign of a covenant already made. Similarly, baptism and communion are signs of what has already happened spiritually in a believer's life.

How Does Baptism Proclaim the Gospel?

More Than a Rite of Passage

Baptism is a God-given picture of the Gospel. When someone is baptized, they're visually preaching that they have been crucified with Christ and raised to new life. As Paul explains in Romans 6:3-4: "Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life" - Romans 6:3-4 (ESV).

The Visual Message

When a believer enters the water, they're picturing death to their old self. Being lowered into the water represents burial with Christ. Rising from the water symbolizes resurrection to new life and the promise of future bodily resurrection.

This is why immersion is the biblical mode of baptism - it best communicates the Gospel message of death, burial, and resurrection.

A Declaration of No Turning Back

Baptism communicates that the old life is behind us and there's no turning back. Like the ancient baptismal pool in Ephesus, where converts would enter with pagan temples behind them and emerge facing the church, baptism declares we're moving toward Jesus with the world behind us.

What Does the Lord's Supper Communicate?

A Continuous Reminder

While baptism is a one-time public declaration, communion is an ongoing reminder of our dependence on Christ. Paul writes: "For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes" - 1 Corinthians 11:26 (ESV).

Looking Back to Calvary

The bread reminds us of Christ's sinless body broken for us. The cup represents His blood, establishing the new covenant. Together, they declare that Jesus willingly laid down His life as our substitute, becoming the Lamb of God who takes away our sins.

Looking Inward for Examination

Communion calls us to examine our hearts. We never outgrow our need for the Gospel. The same grace that saved us continues to sustain us. Taking communion declares that our hope remains in Jesus alone, not in ourselves.

Looking Around at Community

Communion reminds us that we belong not only to Christ but to one another. We are one body partaking of one bread. Despite our different backgrounds and experiences, we share one Savior and have been made one body by the Spirit.

Looking Forward to Heaven

Jesus promised He wouldn't drink wine again until He drinks it new with us in His Father's kingdom (Matthew 26:29). Communion points us toward the marriage supper of the Lamb, when the redeemed will eternally dwell with God.

Living Between Christ's Two Advents

Both ordinances remind us that we live between Christ's first coming and His second coming. They call us to follow Him wholeheartedly while we await His return. We proclaim the Gospel through these visual sermons and in our daily conversations, living for His glory with growing expectation of His return.

Life Application

This week, examine your relationship with these two ordinances. If you're a believer who hasn't been baptized by immersion, consider why you're holding back from this act of obedience. If you regularly skip communion due to unconfessed sin, make time for honest confession and restoration with God.



Both ordinances declare that grace is greater than all our sin. They proclaim that Christ has redeemed us, is dwelling in us, and will return for us. Let them strengthen your faith and fuel your anticipation of His coming.

Ask yourself: Am I fully participating in the visual sermons God has given His church? How can these ordinances deepen my understanding of the Gospel this week? What is holding me back from complete obedience to Christ's commands regarding baptism and communion?