What’s this baptism business all about? Acts 2:38 (vv32-47). WBC 23 April 2006. Baptism of Rebecca Bridges and Valerie Birch
waterbed fun.wmv - play on songpro
So- what’s this baptism business all about?
Firstly:
OBEDIENCE
In the end, to be honest- it’s mainly about obedience
- the reason we get baptised is because Jesus said so!
o there ARE all kinds of things that it symbolises and ’works’
- but in the end it’s Jesus who said
"All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."
You can have the opinion
- "I need to understand the full significance of baptism and then I can do it"
- "I need to get my life sorted out. Then I can do it."
- "I need to get HOLY! Then I can do it"
- "I need to wait a while… then I can do it"
But in a big sense this is all
- 1) unrealistic! ("understand it all!")
- 2) perhaps an excuse…. Stalling mechanism
- 3) putting the cart before the horse
Baptism is really ’first steps". First steps for those who don’t have it all sorted! First steps for those who are really serious and want to go on to 2nd and 3rd steps
- first steps of obedience. Often the blessing, maturity, power, holiness comes after that
- first steps of obedience to Jesus’ command to ’stand up and be counted…. Nail your colours to the mast… stand up and stand out for me and I’ll stand up and out for you’
Mk 8: 38 If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels."
It’s a sign that distinguishes all Christians
- they may do it differently. But all around the world Christians show their obedience to Jesus… and their public desire to follow Him… by doing this
- and in some parts of the world it will kill you
- over here- it’s far more subtle. What will kill you, kill your faith, is not standing up and out
o because it’s only in obedience/giving that you receive/get
So- here are Valerie and Rebecca. Believe it or not, they are not perfect… (nor are they suddenly going to become it)…. nailing their colours to the mast
- we’re on the journey, and we’re going to go for it for all it’s worth
- be obedient to God the Father, Son and Spirit
- we believe in Jesus- and we’re standing up for Him and intent to live for Him and follow Him.
Here’s something else baptism is about
FORGIVENESS
We’re not perfect. None of us are. The big difference is- Christians know it and have at least started tackling it, with God’s help
- "churches are full of hypocrites". "there’s room for plenty more!"
Actually- this is something pretty big, because the bible says we have ALL sinned and have missed the mark of God’s perfection. Even if it’s only in the sense of ’not loving the Lord our God with all our heart, mind and strength"
- folks, nowadays, feel that they’ll be able to stand before God on judgement day and get in because they’ve been good… or even ’get Him in retreat’ ("I’ll have a few things to say to Him!")
- truth is- none of us will get in because of our own merit, goodness- but only because of His grace and forgiveness
o and the way He provided in Jesus
So having our sins washed away is majorly important!
- and this is one thing baptism is about
- it’s there in the passage read to us. "for the forgiveness of sins"
o baptism doesn’t mean your sins are forgiven , or you’re saved
o it SHOWS these things… that happened when you accepted Jesus
So- it’s not surprising it’s in water- as water is used for washing. So it symbolises the fact that
- because you’ve ASKED, God has forgiven you and washed away all your sins!
And it signifies that God’s going to help you build a
NEW LIFE
In which you act and feel more and more like Him than how you used to
Okay? Get this? So it doesn’t happen overnight. Some things do but most happens in time.
- Salvation happens instantly but SANCTIFICATION- the process of being made holy- happens as you and God work together on your life
But the fact is- baptism signifies that the old you is dead and dying and the new you lives and grows!
- in fact-baptism is a death
- just like Jesus’
- just like Jesus died, the old person dies, goes under the water, and is raised to new life. Like Jesus was.
Joke: Reporting on baptisms at a local baptist church, the pastor said "The whole atmosphere of the day was a blessing to all"
All, that is, except one. The small granddaughter of one of the baptismal candidates said to her mother afterwards: "I do not like that man!"
"Why ever not?", asked her mother. "Well", replied the child "he tried to drown my grandma in that pond, and she had a new dress on"
So- when the old self comes tugging and saying ’you gotta do THAT’ you say- I used to. Ewen used to. But he’s dead now. Ewen is born again, a completely new person who lives in a new way. New life
- "in the same way, count yourselves dead to sin"
wanna stop? Can’t stop? Controlled and killing yourself by the way you live?
- let Jesus make you a new person
Fyodor Dostoevsky was 25-years-old when his first book captured the hearts of the Russian people. His fame quickly went to his head, and he began to drink too much and party wildly. It was in that state that he did something that altered the direction of his life. After drinking too much, he began criticizing the government. He was not only arrested but sentenced to death. Fortunately for him, those in power showed mercy and commuted his sentence to ten years of hard labour. So on Christmas Eve, 1849, Fyodor Dostoevsky was sent to Siberia, as he described it: "like a man buried alive. . . nailed down in his coffin." But Dostoevsky was about to meet God and learn that he could bring about good even in the harshness of Siberia. As he arrived in that desolate region, two women slipped a New Testament into his hand, and when the officer’s back was turned, whispered to him, "search it carefully at your leisure." As he poured over the New Testament in the Siberian labour camp, he discovered the beauty of the parable of the prodigal son - the parable that would influence all of his future writings. It revealed to him the marvellous mercy of his heavenly Father. He would later write from Siberia: "One sees the truth more clearly when one is unhappy, and yet God gives me moments of perfect peace; in such moments I love and believe that I am loved; in such moments I have formulated my creed, wherein all is clear and holy to me." That life change led him to write novels after his release that have influenced millions of lives. When Dostoevsky surrendered his mind to Christ, he found deep peace. The struggle was over and he began to experience life in a way that he had never done before. The same will be true for you.
from Where Is Peace? Ephesians 2:13-2:17 by Rodney Buchanan on www.sermoncentral.com
Though no one can go back and make a new beginning - anyone can start from now and make a brand new end. With Jesus
POWER
And here’s the thing. If Christianity is just a self-help programme…. A way of bettering YOURSELF… giving yourself hope (albeit false)- it’s a con and a waste of time
- but I’ve never seen anything like this to change lives. It really works
And it works because there is a real God and He gives real power to people who follow Him, commit to Him and obey Him
AC 5:29 Peter and the other apostles replied: "We must obey God rather than men! 30 The God of our fathers raised Jesus from the dead--whom you had killed by hanging him on a tree. 31 God exalted him to his own right hand as Prince and Savior that he might give repentance and forgiveness of sins to Israel. 32 We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him."
And Baptism symbolises the power of the Holy Spirit. Fire can symbolise Him. Water can as well. "Repent and be baptised and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit"
- He is the one who makes Christians so different. Changes them overnight, sometimes. Brings power
- Wanna receive the power of God? Be obedient. Seek, ask and take these first steps of obedience
Sometimes He fills you as a trickle, sometimes a river, sometimes a flood. He knows what’s best- and He touches people in different ways
- but this is one of the things Rebecca and Valerie are doing to play THEIR part (in obedience) so He can play HIS part in empowering
o in fact: baptism often marks a step forward in this area
o (did for Jesus, Paul… many others)
Oh- may the power of God fill you folks.
>>>>>>>
