Spontaneous Baptisms

I know this seems like kind of a recent thing from Oregon to Florida to Texas and beyond—but spontaneous baptisms have been going on for, well, 2,000 years. As I read about all the accounts in Acts it seems to me that spontaneity is something they all have in common.

People who placed their trust in Jesus Christ for salvation couldn’t wait to publicly profess Him through baptism.

When the church was born on the day of Pentecost—3,000 were saved and all 3,000 were baptized!

Not 1500 or about half,

not 2,998,

all 3,000!

And that’s the way it should be!

Today at Southbrook, the place was packed—even the bleachers were mostly full and I preached the second installment from our, “Vintage Jesus” series—with the sermon titled, ”Jesus, Son of Man.” This is the title most often used of Jesus in all His humanity. Though fully God, He’s also fully human.

Try wrapping your brain around that one!

But this next fact is even greater. Though God, He didn’t come to earth expecting to be treated as God (or even as royalty). He didn’t even come expecting to be waited on. Rather, He came to serve others.

Philippians 2:6–8 says,

6 Though he was God,^[a]
he did not think of equality with God
as something to cling to.
7 Instead, he gave up his divine privileges^[b];
he took the humble position of a slave^[c]
and was born as a human being.
When he appeared in human form,^[d]
8 he humbled himself in obedience to God
and died a criminal’s death on a cross.

Now that’s love! Jesus lived His life and finally ‘gave’ His life so that you and I might live!

And once we embrace that unimaginable gift, what should be our response?

Jesus asked us to be ready to profess Him before others.

Not to be ashamed.

To go public with our faith.

To obey Him and be baptized as an outward symbol of our inward commitment ot Him.

This weekend nearly 100 people did just that!

And God descended upon Southbrook Church! It was awesome!

Go God!

Here are some more pictures from the day!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MORE PICTURES…click “continue reading” below