One thing that I have learned as a pastor over the past 17 years, is that not every week should be a revival service. There are times that our mission is just to teach a truth. Now we have a responsibility to do that in a way that resonates. It can't be boring or no one will get the point you were trying to teach. This week, was really a teaching time for us at The Assembly.
In this series that we have been in at the church, we have used different movies as jumping off points each week. They have become a vehicle for us to get to where God is leading our church. This week was no different. This was a title that I knew from the beginning we would use during this series, because it was going to give us the opportunity to talk about Water Baptism.
If you've seen the movie, you know it is about a soldier who uses an Avatar as a vehicle for life. He was tasked with infiltrated an alien tribe on a far off planet. But in doing that, he discovered something about himself, about family and what his real mission would be in life. Now don't get me wrong, I don't believe that there are some deep spiritual truths in the movie as it pertains to us as Christians. In all honesty, Avatars are part of a hindu principle. It is like an indwelling. But just as the Apostle Paul used the idol to an unknown God to talk about Jesus, we can use this worldly image to talk about something very important today.
The way of water is really the concept we wanted to key on this week. For me, it really was about the principle or command that Jesus gave us as Christians to walk out. As a Christian, we must understand that we have been brought into a new existence. We are new creations! (2 Corinthians 5:17)
In your life, you were made to be a new creation...you couldn't serve the Lord in your old state. That's because from the moment of birth, you were separated from God through the curse of sin. The word "SIN" is actually an archery term that literally means to miss the mark. So when we hear this word, the image that should come to mind is the idea of shooting a bow and arrow at a target and missing what we were aiming for.
But the bible tells us that we should have been transformed in our thinking and in our spirit through the power of GRACE. You may look the same in your outward appearance, but inside, the spirit man is completely different after salvation. That's why baptism is so important in our lives, it is an outward sign of what God has done on the inside of us.
When we hear the word baptism, we have images that come to mind. For me, I see the scene from "O Brother, Where Art Thou." Delmar and Pete go down in the river to be baptized and when they come out, they declare they are forgiven for the whole world to see. The truth is, baptism does not entitle you to forgiveness, it is the sign that you have been forgiven.
To be baptized literally means to be immersed under. What are immersed under? We are taken down under the water to show that we have died to that old man, and now as we come back up, we are now raised to life in Christ.
Baptism is important! It was a part of the Great Commission that Jesus gave to His disciples and to us. (Matthew 28:18-20) To be baptized is really about learning to be obedient to the commands of Jesus. It is the first command that you are given after salvation. It's not to read your bible every day or to even learn to pray fervently. We are told to repent and to be baptized. It is spiritual moment because it denotes faith in the One that saved you and it is a witness to what He has done in your life.
But there are many that have never entered into this part of their relationship with God. And there can be a lot of reasons why, I think we boil them down to just a few reasons...
People don't understand the importance of being baptized.
People can be more committed to tradition than to the bible.
People can be embarrassed or PRIDE can get in the way.
People sometimes think they are Christians, when in reality they are not.
Jesus said, "If you love me, you will keep my commands" (John 14:15) This is one of those commands that He not only gave us, but He showed us by His example. Water baptism is a public declaration of our faith in Him. It is an illustration of the work He has done in your life.
Jesus was not saved through baptism. He did not affirm His holiness through it either. But Mathew 3:13-15 says that He did it fulfill all righteousness. Jesus fulfilled all righteousness on the Cross when He died for you and me. Baptism is the symbolism for this event. Just as the bible says we were joined with Adam in his sin, we can be joined in life through the death and resurrection of Christ.
Water Baptism does not save you...we are baptized because we are saved! Baptism goes hand in hand with salvation because we join ourselves to the death and resurrection of Christ. It is about obedience!
People will put this event off until it convenient or when it will work for their church. But it should be something that we look to the first opportunity to get it done! Because "Obedience delayed will lead to disobedience." Obedience is at the core of faith. Jesus even addressed this in Luke 6:46, "Why do you call me Lord, and not do what I tell you?"
Here are some other scripture verses to help you see the pattern of the New Testament...
Acts 2:37-38 (ESV) 37Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” 38And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Acts 8:12 (ESV) But when they believed Philip as he preached good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.
Acts 8:36 (ESV) And as they were going along the road they came to some water, and the eunuch said, “See, here is water! What prevents me from being baptized?”
Acts 22:16 (ESV) And now why do you wait? Rise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on his name.’
Acts 10:47-48 (ESV) 47“Can anyone withhold water for baptizing these people, who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?” 48And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to remain for some days.
Acts 16:14-15 (ESV) 14One who heard us was a woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple goods, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul. 15And after she was baptized, and her household as well, she urged us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay.” And she prevailed upon us.
Acts 16:30-33 (ESV) 30Then he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” 31And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.” 32And they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. 33And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their wounds; and he was baptized at once, he and all his family.
Acts 18:8 (ESV) . 8Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue, believed in the Lord, together with his entire household. And many of the Corinthians hearing Paul believed and were baptized.
Acts 19:2-5 (ESV) 2And he said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” And they said, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” 3And he said, “Into what then were you baptized?” They said, “Into John’s baptism.” 4And Paul said, “John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, Jesus.” 5On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.
I know that's a lot of information, but there is no better source to show you the importance and pattern of baptism, than the bible itself. It shows us how the early church operated. How we should operate still today!
If you are going to follow Jesus, you have to follow his commands and teachings and baptism is one of things. Through obedience to His word, you will tap into a source like you never could have imagined. When we obey, we open our lives to the blessings that God has to offer.