Baptism & Ordinances

How do baptism and the Lord’s Supper help a community remember Jesus and live as His disciples?

Baptism and the Lord’s Supper are visible practices at the center of Christian life together. JGM calls them ordinances commanded by Christ and practices them within the church. Christians use different language and have differing convictions about baptism, salvation, recipients, and Christ’s presence at communion. This lesson presents JGM’s teaching, reads key passages in context, and invites honest questions without pressure or caricature.

1. Jesus places baptism within making disciples

Matthew 28:16–20

Matthew closes with the risen Jesus meeting the disciples in Galilee. He grounds their commission in His authority and sends them to make disciples among all nations, baptizing and teaching them to obey His commands. Read the full passage to see baptism connected with an ongoing process of learning and obedience.

JGM practices water baptism by immersion after a person professes faith in Jesus. The church’s Statement of Faith describes baptism as commanded after faith and connected with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit and with Jesus’ name. Baptism is public and communal: the person is baptized, and the church receives and supports them.

Christians differ about infant and believer’s baptism, the mode of baptism, and how baptism relates to salvation. Explain JGM’s practice without suggesting every other tradition ignores Scripture. A learner may ask questions and seek pastoral conversation before deciding when and how to be baptized.

2. Baptism portrays union with Christ and new life

Romans 6:1–14

Paul responds to a question about whether grace makes sin acceptable. He points to baptism into Christ’s death and the image of being buried and raised with Him, so believers may walk in newness of life. Read all fourteen verses: the passage moves from baptism language to a call not to let sin reign.

In JGM’s teaching, baptism is a public act of obedience that identifies a believer with Jesus and His people. It expresses the gospel through the body: down into water, raised again. The act is meaningful, but the learner’s hope rests in Christ rather than in performing the ceremony perfectly.

Christians answer differently how baptism relates to God’s saving action. JGM teaches salvation by grace through faith and practices baptism following profession of faith. This lesson states that position while recognizing that other Christian communities understand baptism’s role differently. Ask what a tradition means before reducing its teaching to a slogan.

3. The early church responds with baptism and shared life

Acts 2:36–47; Acts 8:26–40

In Acts 2, Peter proclaims Jesus as Lord and Messiah. The hearers ask what to do; Peter calls them to repent and be baptized. Luke then describes people devoted to teaching, fellowship, meals, prayer, generosity, and worship. Baptism appears within a response to the gospel and entry into a shared community.

Acts 8 tells of an Ethiopian official reading Isaiah, hearing the good news about Jesus from Philip, and asking about baptism when they encounter water. The story highlights instruction, faith, and a willing request. It does not justify rushing a person or withholding explanation today.

If you are considering baptism, talk with a trusted pastor or leader. Ask what the church teaches, what preparation involves, who will participate, and how the event can be safe and accessible. You may take time to understand and give your consent. Questions are part of preparation, not a reason for shame.

4. The Lord’s Supper remembers and proclaims Jesus

1 Corinthians 11:17–26

Paul recounts the tradition he received about Jesus’ final meal with His disciples. The bread and cup are associated with Jesus’ body and the new covenant in His blood. As the community eats and drinks, it remembers Him and proclaims His death until He comes.

The Supper is more than a private thought. It is shared worship that points the church to Jesus’ self-giving and to hope in His return. JGM’s Statement of Faith describes communion as a unique time in God’s presence, taken in remembrance of Jesus’ sacrifice.

Christian traditions differ about how Christ is present and how the bread and cup relate to His body and blood. JGM’s language should be represented accurately, and differences should be discussed without calling another community careless or insincere. Ask a pastor what your church practices and why.

5. Communion confronts division and neglect

1 Corinthians 11:17–34; 1 Corinthians 10:14–22

The Corinthians were gathering in ways that exposed divisions and humiliated those who had less. Paul’s correction is not limited to private thoughts about Jesus; he challenges how the community treats one another at the meal. Remembering Christ must be consistent with recognizing and caring for His people.

In 1 Corinthians 10, Paul also speaks of participation and the one bread shared by many. Across both passages, communion is connected with belonging to Christ and with the church’s common life. A practice meant to proclaim unity cannot be separated from justice and care at the table.

Churches have different guidelines for who receives communion and how it is served. Follow the host church’s practice, ask sincere questions, and do not use the meal to shame guests or expose private struggles. Leaders should explain the invitation clearly and care for people who abstain.

6. Ordinances, sacraments, signs, and shared convictions

Comparing Christian language with care

JGM calls baptism and the Lord’s Supper ordinances: practices commanded by Christ. Some Christian traditions call them sacraments and describe them as means through which God gives grace. Other traditions emphasize signs, remembrance, covenant, or public confession. The vocabulary reflects differing theological histories and convictions.

This Academy teaches JGM’s understanding and should not hide it. At the same time, an honest description of another tradition should come from its own teaching, not an opponent’s caricature. When a difference matters, name it precisely: for example, how a tradition understands baptismal recipients or Christ’s presence at communion.

Learners do not need to settle every historical debate to participate faithfully in a local church. Read the passages, ask leaders what the community teaches, and speak about differences with humility. Shared confession of Christ can coexist with real disagreement about the ordinances.

7. Participate with understanding, care, and consent

Bringing the passages together

Baptism and communion involve bodies, communities, and public practices. Preparation should include clear explanation, consent, and attention to safety and accessibility. Churches can adapt logistics for disability, health, language, age, and other needs while preserving the meaning of the practice.

If you have not been baptized and want to explore it, ask a trusted church leader about next steps. If you have been baptized in another Christian setting, discuss your questions before assuming repetition is required. Churches differ on recognition and practice, so seek a clear explanation rather than pressure.

Before communion, remember Jesus’ death and consider the shared life of the church. If you are unsure whether or how to participate, ask the host church’s leader privately. No one should use baptism or communion to threaten, humiliate, or coerce you.

Study the passage

• Observe: read Matthew 28:16–20 and Romans 6:1–14. List what the passages say about baptism, discipleship, and new life.
• Interpret: read 1 Corinthians 11:17–34 in one sitting. Note what Paul remembers about Jesus and what he corrects in the church’s shared meal.
• Apply: write one question for a trusted church leader about baptism or communion. Ask it respectfully and seek an answer that explains your church’s practice.

Practice this week

• Day 1 — Read Matthew 28:16–20. Write how baptism fits within making disciples.
• Day 2 — Read Romans 6:1–14. Summarize the connection between Christ’s death, resurrection, and a new way of life.
• Day 3 — Read Acts 2:36–47. Notice how baptism is situated within the early community’s shared practices.
• Day 4 — Read Acts 8:26–40. Record what Philip explains and what the official asks.
• Day 5 — Read 1 Corinthians 11:17–26. Write what the bread and cup remember and proclaim.
• Day 6 — Read 1 Corinthians 11:27–34. Reflect on Paul’s concern for the gathered community and those who are neglected.
• Day 7 — Bring one sincere question about baptism or communion to a trusted church leader, or write what you still want to understand.

Teaching points

• JGM practices water baptism by immersion after a person’s profession of faith. Jesus commands baptism as part of making disciples; Christians differ on some questions about baptism’s relation to salvation and who should receive it.
• In Romans 6, Paul connects baptism with Christ’s death and resurrection and with a new way of life. Baptism is a public, embodied sign of belonging to Christ and His people.
• The Lord’s Supper remembers and proclaims Jesus’ death. In 1 Corinthians 11, Paul also addresses divisions and calls the church to examine its shared life and care for one another.
• JGM’s Statement of Faith names water baptism and the Lord’s Supper as ordinances commanded by Christ. Christians use different language and understandings of sacrament, sign, and Christ’s presence; represent JGM’s teaching clearly and discuss differences respectfully.
• These practices are communal, not performances for status. Prepare with your church, respect a person’s consent and circumstances, and ask pastoral leaders about safe and accessible participation.

Read in Scripture

• Matthew 28:16–20
• Acts 2:36–47
• Acts 8:26–40
• Romans 6:1–14
• 1 Corinthians 10:14–22
• 1 Corinthians 11:17–34

Reflect

• What have I been taught about baptism, and which parts do I want to understand from Scripture?
• How does Romans 6 connect baptism with Christ’s death, resurrection, and a changed life?
• What does 1 Corinthians 11 reveal about the Lord’s Supper and divisions in the church?
• How can I honor another Christian’s sincere convictions when their practice differs from mine?
• What question or support would help me participate with understanding and without pressure?

Put it into practice

• Read Matthew 28:16–20 and Romans 6:1–14. Write what each passage says about baptism and discipleship.
• If you are considering baptism, ask a trusted church leader about its meaning, preparation, consent, timing, and accessible arrangements. Take time to ask questions.
• Before the next Lord’s Supper, read 1 Corinthians 11:17–34 and consider how remembrance connects to care for the whole community.
• If Christians around you practice these ordinances differently, ask them to explain their understanding before making comparisons.