Growing in Grace: Baptism

1. Hearing and Doing: The sermon emphasized that a believer’s life involves both hearing God’s Word and acting on it (James 1:22-25, Matt. 5). Where in your life do you find it easy to hear but harder to do? What’s one step you could take to bridge that gap?

 

2. The Ethiopian Eunuch asked, “What prevents me from being baptized?” (Acts 8:36). If you haven’t been baptized, what’s holding you back? If you have, what prompted you to take that step? Share your story. 

 

3. We explored baptism as both a sacred act (sacrament) and a commanded step (ordinance). Which view resonates more with you, and how does it affect how you see baptism’s role in your faith?

 

4. Read Romans 6:3-4 and Colossians 2:11-12. Baptism is tied to faith in Christ’s work in those passages. How do you see baptism as an act of faith rather than just a ritual? 

 

5. Baptism was compared to a race bib—identifying/registering you as a runner in Christ’s race. Baptism connects us to a local church running a race, not just a crowd. How does this image change or deepen your understanding of what baptism signifies? 

Extra Credit: What is Baptism and the Lord’s Supper? How are they similar and how are they different? What are the major disagreements in how they are practiced in the church today, and how can we stay unified as Hope Fellowship Church despite differing on finer points?