Get Dunked (Building Block 2)

Sept. 8

Read: Matt. 28:18-20, Acts 19:4-7, Romans 6:3,4, Heb. 6:1-2

Get Dunked (Building Block 2)

“I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.” - John The Baptist. (Matt 3:11)

“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit…” - Jesus (Matt 28:18-)

Followers of Christ should be baptized… they need to be baptized. It is not an inconsequential thing. Thew number of examples and admonitions to do so are too many to type all of them our here! It is important… crucial… and deeply significant in the life of God’s people. J.T.B. foreshadowed it in the wilderness. (see above) Jesus partook in it. Jesus commanded it. All of the followers of Christ immediately following him received it. This is a building block of Christian faith for sure.

When Hebrews 6:1-2 speaks about growing up into maturity, it mentions the way that baptism is a given… Repentance is the first then mentioned in the list, then comes baptism! Peter says this same thing when he is sharing the good news:

“Now 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?” And 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 2:37-38)

The example we have in the earliest followers of Christ is clear. For example, Peter and Paul are openly and obviously living out Jesus’ commandments in Acts 2 (just referenced) and Acts 19 (et all, in our reading above). Baptism is a starting point… an early and initial building block FOR BELIEVERS not something that is withheld / kept until a person is “advanced enough” or mature enough. The only biblical hurdle we see in front of Christian Baptism is that of repenting, believing, and trusting in Christ!

Baptism unites us with Christ in his death, burial, and resurrection. (Rom. 6) The end result is we “are raised to walk in newness of life”. (Rom. 6:3-4) Do you see that? “Newness of life”. How awesome. How powerful. How exciting. Being made new! Forgiven and then made a new creation. This is what Jesus is doing.

Baptism and the connection to the powerful, transformative, indwelling presence of the Spirit of God cannot be separated. They travel together. We see it in the scriptures. Look at what John the Baptist says: “I (John) baptize you with water…He (Jesus) will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.” Look at what happens in Acts 19 with Paul: “On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them…” Look at what Peters promises after Baptism: ““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.” (I bet you can guess the next building block that comes from our list in Hebrews.) If you have not been baptized… you should get baptized. Go to your community of faith and ask to be baptized. If you have been baptized, re-read Romans 6:3-4 and know that in Christ you have been made new and are being led into a newness of life. Are you ready for the “with the Holy Spirit and with fire” that is coming with Jesus!? Baptism is a crucial building block / link in the chain of the Christian life. Love you guys. - JDP