Certificate in Pastoral

Theology
Lecture 18 19
Baptisms, Communion,
Marriage and Funerals

Ordinances COMMUNION

Communion Regular Holy

Central Matt 26:26-30, Mk 14:2224, Lk 22:19-20, 1 Cor 11:20-34.
This was to be a regular worship
service, which was taken very
seriously, following the love feast
shared meal. Abuses had led to the
Sin Unto Death for some! MATT
5:23-24, 1 Cor 13:5, 1 Jn 1:5-10.

Baptism

1.
2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

Baptism means to identify with.

Baptism of Moses = identified with Moses in the victory
at the Reed Sea. 1 Cor 10:2.
Baptism of Fire = identification with judgment for
unbelievers, Matt 3:11, 13:24-30, 2 Thess 1:7-9.
Baptism of the Cup = victory of Jesus, Matt 26:39, 2
Cor 5:20-21
Baptism of the Holy Spirit = identified by the Spirit
with Jesus. 1 Cor 12:13, Rom 6, Eph 1:3, 6:18.
Believers water baptism = symbolic identification with
him in his death and resurrection. Acts 2:38, 41, 8:3638, 9:18, 10:47-48, 16:33.
Water baptism is commanded, Matt 28:18-20, and was
done quickly in the early church, as soon as people
understood it. It can be private or public; both were
used in the early church.

Jewish Wedding

1.
2.
3.

The father of the groom made arrangements, Heb 2:13

The groom would meet the bride
Prior to leaving the brides house the groom paid the
full dowry price.
4. The groom then builds his new house for the bride,
John 14
5. The Groom returns to uplift the bride
6. As she left home she was married, 1 Cor 15:51-58
7. The bride was preparing for the day, 1 Cor 3:12-15.
8. The wedding feast was held in the grooms fathers
house
9. Friends of the groom attend that feast
10. Friends of the bride wait outside until they are invited
in, Matt 25:1-13.

Hatched, Matched, Despatched..

Weddings were family affairs early on, and

the church got involved only after many
centuries had passed. There are no biblical
precedents of any wedding services for
there werent any! You have free reign
here! Eph 5, Col 3, 1 Cor 7, . Keep
messages short but counselling long.
Fidelity, leaving family, accepting care of
each other, responsibility for each other,
love and submission to each other, Eph
5:21 before the rest. Make the service a
God-Honouring event, not a circus.

Marriage and Divorce

2 Cor 6:14, Neh 13:23-27, Deut 24:1-4,

Matt 5:27-32, 19:3-12, 1 Cor 7:10-24.
Divorce was never Gods desire for
mankind, it is admitted because of
sinfulness and hardness of heart. I am yet
to see any example that isnt the result of
these things. Holding people back from
divorce is ministering solutions for sinful
patterns and hard hearts.

Funerals

Everyone looks for comfort from the

funeral service, but for the unbeliever
there is none at all unless the relatives are
saved/challenged. Luke 12:16-31, 16:1931, Heb 9:27, Rev 20:10-15. In the early
Church period no pagan expected
Christian burial, today many do! The truth
about our choices must be told. It is the
last word to many make it powerful, and
the graveside service a testimony to
resurrection one way or the other.