Baptism… immersion under water.

What is baptism?  The word itself means to immerse, to dip under water.  So, baptism as described in the Bible is the act of dipping a person under the water.

Baptism can be confusing,

weird even.

The Bible doesn’t speak much of why

or where

or how we should,

but mostly that we should.

We don’t know everything about the significance of baptism.  While we don’t understand everything about it, we do know this… it is important to God.

We believe the truth of baptism can be described, but not totally defined, by three distinct pictures.

Baptism as a symbol…  Baptism as a badge…  Baptism as identification…

ONE

Baptism as a symbol.

There is a part in every wedding message that includes wedding rings.  “With this ring…” Is the phrase often used.  Do we catch the significance of the rings denote?  Wedding rings are much more than fashion, they mark a significant moment.  As many ministers convey, they are a symbol of commitment.  It is a symbol to the world, that the person wearing the ring is no longer alone, no longer one, but they are spoken for.

Baptism is our symbol to others of our commitment to follow Jesus.  We wear it to show we are no longer living life our way, on our own.  We are spoken for.

We take part in baptism because…

…we want to show others we are committed to something bigger and greater than us.

…we want to show that we are committed to someone who has committed to us, someone who has sacrificed for us, and has loved us despite us.

I think about my marriage.  How would I feel if I asked my wife to wear the wedding ring I bought her, yet, she told me she wanted to be married to me but she wasn’t sure she wanted to wear my ring… she wasn’t sure she wanted to put that on and wear it in front of people… she wanted to just keep it between me and her, private… she wanted to get married but just wasn’t sure about taking the step of wearing a wedding ring in front of anyone?  Wow… if that is true… is she ready to be married?   Wow… how would that make me feel?  Wow… that makes me think.

Romans 6:4 says, “By our baptism then, we were buried with Him and shared His death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead…so also we may live a new life!”

Baptism doesn’t make you a believer; rather, it shows you already believe.  Baptism does not “save” you, only your faith in Christ does that.  It’s the outward symbol of the commitment you made in your heart.

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith…it is the gift of God – not b works, so that no one can boast.”  Ephesians 2:8-9

The Bible refers to the church as the bride of Christ.

We should wear His ring… the ring of commitment… the ring of baptism.

Meditate today about the commitments in your life.

How do your commitments shape your life?

What do I have to show for my commitment to Christ?  Have I put on the “wedding ring” of baptism yet?

TWO

Baptism as a badge.

The purple heart of change

Whoever said change is easy?

Change is not easy.

Change is not painless.

Change is not tearless.

Read Romans 6:4 again.

2 Corinthians 5:17 (NLT)

17 This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!

When we cross over from Christ-acknowledg-er to Christ-follower, change will start.

It is natural.

It can be painful.

It is necessary.

A recovering alcoholic can attest to pain in change.  When you choose to move from one way of living to another there will be hurt and withdrawal.  Habits, lifestyles, routines, and behavior will be changed and altered and tweaked.

The same can be said of the change that comes with following Christ.  The old has passed and the new has come.

We wear baptism as our badge of change, our purple heart.  We are telling the world we have been hurt, we have experienced pain and tears, we have been wounded in this war called life and we are now living from a new perspective… because Christ love us.

Meditate on these questions today:

What changes need to be made in my life?

Is changing worth the pain?

Am I ready to wear the badge of baptism?

THREE

Baptism as identification

The question of existence isn’t merely a question of who you are.

But rather it includes the question of whose are you?

Sometimes lineage is everything.  Look at race horse breeding.  Look at politics (Kennedy family, Bush family). Look at the business world (Trump).  Where we come from matters.

It is important who you belong to.  It becomes who you are.

Baptism is our identification.  We are saying that we belong to God.

God is no telling us that we should lose our individuality.  In fact, by belonging to God we become the purest and best sense of who we are and who we were created to become.

Read John 10:10

God came to give us life… abundant life… the life we were meant to live.

God wants us to want to be identified as His.

Romans 6:3-4 (NLT)

3 Or have you forgotten that when we were joined with Christ Jesus in baptism, we joined him in his death?

4 For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives.

Baptism is us identifying with Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection.  Baptism is our start to a new life.

Are you ready to be counted as God’s?

Are you ready to be baptized?

This element is summarized by using the word Acceptance: beginning where you are and growing one step at a time.  At Stuttgart Harvest church we throw lifelines, not rocks.

By making a covenant with us, you are agreeing to accept others by loving them because God has accepted you by loving you.

 

OK, your part…

Here are some questions for you.  If you choose, email me your responses  harley@stuttgartharvestchurch.com

Have you become a Christ-follower?                If so, when?

Have you been baptized since you have become a Christ-follower?

If you are a Christ-follower and have not been baptized yet, when is the best time to schedule your baptism?

If you have not chosen to become a baptized Christ-follower yet, keep journeying with us.  We are excited about walking with you as you continue your journey with Christ.

Is there anything we can do to help you on your journey?

Our element of acceptance is a core value and we state it like this… Acceptance: Beginning right where you are and growing one step at a time.  At Stuttgart Harvest Church, because of acceptance, we throw lifelines, not rocks.

After you read through these pages… follow this link and listen to a teaching we presented regarding baptism.  Click here for a teaching on Baptism.