Order of Baptismal Service

At 1:30 p.m. of April 21, 2013 LA UBF is scheduled to offer a Baptismal Service at the William Larsen's house by the swimming pool side. The mode will be in full immersion (a few seconds into the pool, so proper attire is required). It will be done in the following order:

- Hymn: At the cross (Sing to the Lord 229)

- Bible reading

- A message “Life from above”

John 8:23 

But he continued, "You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world."

The time of Baptism represents God's blessed occasion in which one is empowered to live a new life - the life that identifies oneself with Jesus Christ. It is for the one who has been born of Him, so that he should belong to Him, and to his family bearing His name.

This is a new day celebrating the new life. And I call this new life, "Life from above". It is life 'from above' for it is a brand new life which is way different than the old life you used to live.

In John 8:23 Jesus shows how this new life is different from old life, for there he says to a bunch of people who refused to come and believe in Him, "You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world."

For those who participate in the baptism today, then, this ceremony signifies and celebrates receiving this new life, and having been admitted to His family, starting to live this new life - the life that is from above. This life is not of this world; it is from above, that is, God the Father who sent Jesus whom you chose to accept.

Character-wise this life is the life that is in Jesus. As you repented, believed in Him, and accepted Him as the Lord and Savior, through the coming of the Holy Spirit you have received this new life and now have come to live it.

This life features a brand new self which God created from before the creation of the universe and has now given you. This new self is capable of being made fully righteous and holy. The old self however is not like that. It was corrupted and has been corrupted more, so no matter how you try to improve, it will never attain to God's standards; it will always fall short of His glory. As you used to live according to this old self, you, being subjected to and constantly dragged away by its deceitful desires, you end up living a life deserving nothing but God's wrath and anger. But the new self is created and given you that you would live a life as a child of God, a member of the Royal Family.

Thus the life that is from above is made suitable for the life in God's eternal kingdom. [Remember: Life in heaven does not begin at the time when you breathe your last breath; it begins here and how.]

Again in his great love God has prepared for you this new life ready in Jesus Christ, the lamb of God. And to give this life to you all the while he has been searching for you. Now that he has found you, and now that you having heard the good news of Jesus, repented and turn to Him, He now has blessed you to make a brand new beginning that you would live a blessed life in the blessed Lord with his brand new life  made in Heaven.

Therefore I must mention that your citizenship is no longer here in this world. It is in His Kingdom. This is one of the meanings of "I am from above" or "I am not of this world". Figuratively speaking you are like a businessman who goes out of town on a business trip. Every once in a while my son Daniel go out of town. Since he is a lawyer, he leaves home in Downey and goes to Sacramento for deposition. Often times he goes to Fresno. If it is Fresno he takes his car. Then he stays there a couple of days. And as soon as the work is done, he comes back home.

Our new life in the Lord works like that, that is, God the Father has saved you out of this world into His kingdom and then he has sent you back to this world, to do the good work he has prepared in advance for you to do. So you live your life here on earth for a short period of time, doing God's work, serving His will, only to go back home. Therefore your interest is in getting God's work done. Speaking of this truth, on our behalf and in the hearing of his followers, Jesus said, "As long as it is day, we must do the work of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work." John 9:4

(For further study on this subject, that is, doing the work of God He prepared for you, read John 6:29, Romans 12:1-2)].

Now having received the new life to live, having been sent to this world to do the blessed work, it behooves you to do two things for sure: constantly listen to His word and constantly communicate with Him in prayer. I would reduce the two blessed duties into one word: WP (W stands for the word of God, P stands for Prayer). So daily devote yourself to the Word of God and Prayer, so you would be in the fellowship with  God the Father, Jesus Christ the Son. As you remain in the fellowship the Lord will be with you and bless you so you would be a source of blessing no matter where you go.

Let us bow our heads and pray:

Our heavenly Father! When our Lord Jesus came he said on one occasion to those who refused to believe him, "You are from below; I am from above, You are of this world, but I am not of this world." Then Jesus solemnly declared to them, "Since you do not believe in me, you will indeed die in your sins." Heavenly Father! I thank and praise you for knowing these children who are gathered here and saving them into you. They have now taken the step of faith and participate in this baptism in obedience to your command. Unlike unbelievers they now repented and believe in Jesus Christ. I pray that you would honor their decision of faith. I pray that all the days of their life you would bless them and keep them, so they would carry out the work you prepared for them. In Jesus' name I pray."

- Hymn; O Happy Day (Sing to the Lord 370)

- Prayer: (Isaac H. Kim) "Our Heavenly Father. In your loving grace you have called us to know you, led us to trust you, and bound our life with yours. I pray that you receive these children  into your family and surround each of them with your love, and protect each of them from evil. May you bless them so they would grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. In Jesus' name"

- Immersion (one by one): as you step into the pool the administrator will place his hand and pray, "I, Isaac H. Kim, a servant of the Lord, hereby baptize you in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit."; immerse in the water; rise back. This will continue for all.

- Words of blessing:

"Today you've taken this step of faith in obedience to the Lord, to be baptized in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. And you are to heed our Lord Jesus' call, to live by faith in Him, to walk in step with the Holy Spirit, live as His witness. May God pour out His blessings on you today. May the Lord bless you and keep you." 

- Hymn: Stepping in the light (Sing to the Lord 620)

The end

[Note: each person who receives baptism is required to submit in advance a form duly filled out and signed by him or her.]

Form:

University Bible Fellowship

11625 Paramount Blvd.

Downey, CA 90241

Tel: 562-861-7749

Web: http://laubf.com

Date: ______________

Time: ______________

To: Pastor Isaac H. Kim

I __________________, the undersigned hereby testify as true that the University Bible Fellowship (LA Chaper) has provided for me teaching materials and accordingly I have been instructed in regard to the meanings and conditions for the receiving of the baptismal service. Having understood and met the standards specified in the said teaching materials, I now pledge to be baptized into the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

In service of Jesus Christ, the Son,

_________________________

Print your name: