Something Amazing

        So, the chaos of the last two years has continued to amplify divisions. We've been physically separated and small ideological differences have become huge differences. Ideas or opinions that were important - but weren't previously controversial - have become massive wedges between people. The differences were real - but in the past they didn't end friendships; they weren't a reason to cut off 'family' or break ties. But that's what we've seen all around us, and even in our Churches.

So this morning, I'm going to talk about one more thing that's become controversial - that shouldn't be - but has both the potential to divide but also the power to unite us in a way that can change everything!

There are many different 'denominations' of Churches - Catholic, Baptist, Methodist, etc. And denominations are created by men to differentiate themselves, to identify what they specifically believe. There are differences in Theology and Church teachings and practices; how often to take communion, different creeds and catechisms, even differing views on baptism.

We're an independent Christian Church. We don't call ourselves anything other than 'Christian'. Deep River came out of a movement that called Christians and Churches to drop their denominational titles and man made doctrines and just get back to what the Bible teaches.

I'm not against other denominations; they're my brothers and sisters in Christ - but some denominational leaders have suggested that the 'Christian Church/Churches of Christ' have put too much emphasis on baptism. I'm not suggesting that the act of baptism is the only thing that matters if you want to follow Jesus. But I do want to look closely at what baptism is - according to God's Word.

The Bible clearly says that Jesus is The way to the Father. But for many who want to follow Jesus, there are frequently questions such as...

I. Why baptism?

Why did God choose baptism as the method of joining His Church, the body of Christ? There's a perspective that might help us better understand baptism. I'm going to quote the author Max Lucado several times this morning simply because I couldn't say it any better myself. About gaining this 'perspective', He wrote -

"This is done by placing (baptism) where it should be: at the foot of the cross. Baptism is like a precious jewel - set apart by itself, it's nice and appealing but has nothing within it to compel. But place baptism against the backdrop of our sin and turn on the light of the cross, and the jewel explodes with significance. Baptism at once reveals the beauty of the cross and the darkness of sin. Just as the stone has no light within it, baptism has no inherent power. But just as the stone refracts the light ... so baptism reveals the many facets of God's grace."

Why do we "immerse" people? Why do we physically 'dunk' people under the water while others choose to sprinkle, or pour water over someone's head? Because baptism by immersion was the form practiced by the early Church of Jesus' day. That's the way it was demonstrated in the New Testament. In the original language - the word for 'baptism' literally means 'to dip'. The first Church practiced baptism by immersion, so that's why we do it.

And the first thing I'd like us to recognize regarding why we baptize is, simply put...

A. Baptism is a command

We are called as Christians to baptize people. We see Jesus' words in Matthew 28:18-20 (NIV)...

Then Jesus came to them and 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."

The reason we baptize isn't because we thought it would be a nice idea - Jesus Himself commanded us to. From everything we can find in scripture - every person who chose to follow Jesus was baptized. The only exception we have is 'the thief on the cross' to whom Jesus Himself said, 'today you will be with me in paradise'. And again I have to quote Max Lucado's exact wording...

"The thief on the cross... is a crucial exception. It is no accident that the first one to accept the invitation of the crucified Christ has no creed, confirmation, christening, or catechism. How disturbing to theologians to ascend the mountain of doctrine only to be greeted by an uneducated thief who cast his lot with Christ.

Here is a man who never went to church, never gave an offering, never was baptized, and said only one prayer. But that prayer was enough. The thief reminds us that though our dogma may be airtight and our doctrine dead-center, in the end it is Jesus who saves. Does his story negate the importance of obedience? No, it simply puts obedience in proper perspective. Any step taken is a response to a salvation offered, not an effort at salvation earned. In the end, God has the right to save any heart, for He and only He sees the heart."

Why do we baptize? Jesus told us to. What is it for?

B. To wash away sin

Now, we understand that there's nothing magical about the water in our baptistery, however, when we look at the scriptures we see this in Acts 22:16 (NIV)...

And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on his name.

One of the purposes of Baptism is to wash away our sins, to make us pure and acceptable in God's sight. How does it exactly work...? Peter was explaining to his readers how God saved Noah and his family through water and then says this in 1 Peter 3:21-22 (NIV)...

...and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also - not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a good conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, (22) who has gone into heaven and is at God's right hand - with angels, authorities and powers in submission to him.

Baptism is the 'instrument' God chose to use to wash away our sins, tying it to Jesus' shedding of His blood on the cross and ultimately His resurrection. Jesus gave His life to wash away our sins through the action of baptism. We also see that baptism is for the...

C. Gift of the Holy Spirit

Through baptism, our sins are forgiven AND we receive God's Holy Spirit - God's Spirit in us! And that's no small thing. Let's turn to Acts 2:36-38 (NIV)...

Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ." (37) When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, "Brothers, what shall we do?" (38) Peter replied, "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."

Peter preached a very straightforward message, he said, 'repent and be baptized'. And one of the things we don't see in this passage - people didn't seem to ask questions like - "Do you have to be baptized? Can you be saved and then at a later time be baptized? Can't your sins be forgiven without baptism? Do I have to be baptized to receive the Holy Spirit?"

This was the first time this message was preached after Jesus' resurrection - they simply accepted Peter's words. They couldn't say, but what about in Acts chapter ten when Cornelius received the Holy Spirit before baptism...? They couldn't ask because it hadn't happened yet! They simply took Peter's words from the Holy Spirit and believed and responded.

Baptism is tied to receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit. One of the benefits of God's Spirit living in you is what will develop in your life as a result. The Bible refers to it as 'the Fruit of the Spirit' - meaning what will 'grow in your life' as a result of this gift.

Galatians 5:22-23 (NIV)

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, (23) gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

When you're baptized, God gives you His Spirit which will produce those things in your life. You will become more peaceful, more joyful; you'll become kinder and more patient - if you allow God's Spirit to work in you. We also see the purpose of baptism is to bring us...

D. Into Christ

Baptism is actually a 'picture' of what happens to us when we give ourselves to Jesus. Let's look at Romans 6:3-5 (NIV)...

Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? (4) We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. (5) If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection.

We are literally being baptized into Christ so that we can have a brand new life, in this world AND the next! And then in Galatians 3:26-27 (NIV)...

You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, (27) for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.

When we're baptized, it's like we're covering over our messed up lives with Jesus. And not only that, as far as God is concerned, what is covered, no longer exists. It's not just that our old sins still exist somewhere buried under Christ - they are gone and we are made new. That's what the Bible says about Baptism.

Did I completely understand all of that about baptism back when I was baptized at 11 years old in 1979? No - I just knew it was something I should do to follow Jesus. Of course I understand more now than I did then - and I certainly hope that in another 40 some years I'll more fully appreciate the mystery of baptism.

Why baptism? Because it's part of God's plan for bringing His children back to Him. But, are we...

II. Saved by baptism?

Am I teaching that once you're baptized you automatically get your 'free ticket to Heaven'? Nope. We can't do anything to earn salvation. There's nothing we can do that obligates God into letting us into Heaven.

Baptism is NOT a "work" or a "good deed" that earns you salvation. Baptism is an acceptance of God's grace - baptism is something that's done to you, not by you. You submit to God in baptism. God will accept or reject us based on our acceptance or rejection of Jesus - not based upon whether we have been 'dunked' or not.

"Well then, are you teaching I don't have to be baptized to get to Heaven?" All I can teach is what the scriptures do say. If a person asks me, "What should I do to be saved?" - I'll point them to the Bible where it says 'believe, repent and be baptized', and then the choice is theirs.

'But what about those who were sprinkled, or babies, or those who died before they could be baptized, or those who never even heard the message...?' - Let God handle that. The Bible does NOT say: "Everyone who was not immersed before they died is in Hell." It does not say that. God decides who spends eternity with Him or apart from Him - not man. But God does say, Jesus is absolutely The One and only way to the Father.

God desires that everyone spend eternity with Him. SO much so, that He came down in the flesh to die on a cross for you and for me and He tells us to be baptized into Jesus to accept that sacrifice. The bigger question we might need to look at - what about those who do know God's call to baptism but simply say, "I don't want to - or not now."

So... Jesus gives up the glory of Heaven to be born as a baby in a stable - the Creator of everything submits to be beaten and nailed on a cross - He gives His life for your sin - then He offers the free gift of salvation and asks us to respond by submitting to baptism, and some people still respond... "I shouldn't 'have to' to be saved."

No, we are not saved by baptism alone, but what might an attitude like that reveal about a person's heart? If a person really wants to follow Jesus - to submit their will to His - if He asked us to be baptized in a bathtub full of Snapple, the person who trusts Jesus says, 'Okay'. If we can't take that first step of obedience, how will we ever learn to obey anything else as His disciple?

Apart from the cross, baptism has no real significance. And here's the third time I'm quoting Max Lucado today, "If your faith is in the sacrament and not the Savior, you are trusting a powerless ritual." Baptism is a first step in obedience to Jesus.

So What?

You shouldn't be baptized because a preacher says to or because a family member wants you to - baptism is a very personal decision between you and God. You should choose to be baptized because it's what Jesus has asked us to do as a part of following Him.

Here's a cup of water. I actually got this water straight from the same faucet that fills up the baptistery. It's the same water that comes out of our kitchen faucets. It's not 'holy water', there's nothing magical about it - it's just water. After we're done here I'll just pour it down the drain, no big deal. But if I poured this water back in the baptistery and used it to baptize someone - then it becomes pretty amazing water!

Its power doesn't come from itself - but its power comes from its purpose, when it is used for God's purposes. It then becomes a part of something that changes a person's eternal destiny. ....God has a way of using ordinary things for extraordinary results.

I'm not attempting to pass any judgment whatsoever on any other denomination or condemn anyone else's beliefs. I'm trying to teach why we do what we do and it boils down to the fact that we want to try to follow scripture as closely as we possibly can.

In just my hands, by my own power, baptism is just getting someone wet. By God's power it brings about complete redemption! It isn't baptism itself that saves us - it's the power of God behind baptism. And now it's your turn to decide what you believe about baptism and respond to that belief. And who do you need to talk to about it this week?