In our church we are ending a series called, Upgrade. The series has emphasized moving from here to there—from wherever we are (“here”) in Christ (or that first step to know Him through salvation) to becoming more and more like Him (“there”). After all, that is what a walk with Jesus boils down to: a series of steps of obedience taken one after another. Any discussion of “upgrading” would not be complete without addressing baptism; even the Great Commission includes baptism as an integral part of being a disciple of Jesus.
The Great Commission is found in Matthew 28:18-20,
“18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in[a] the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.
Baptism is an outward act that represents an inward change in our hearts. Through his death, burial, and resurrection, Jesus trumped death and the curse of sin. No longer do we have to remain separated from God. No longer is eternal death inevitable. Jesus overcame those things and provided the atonement for the debt we could not pay. Baptism is our statement that we have accepted that payment through our repentance and God’s forgiveness
Mark 1:4 says just that, “ 4 John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.”
Whether it is fear or pride—tradition or misunderstanding that holds them back, many people find it difficult to surrender to God and take the step of being baptized. Even Jesus Himself was baptized as a public declaration of faith before He began His public ministry
Mark 1:9-11 says, “9 In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 10 And when he came up out of the water, immediately he saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. 11 And a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son;[a] with you I am well pleased.”
I’ve met far too many Christians who never took this seriously and find themselves—sometimes years later, living a defeated spiritual life and not having the faintest idea why. For at least some, could it be that they received their salvation with glad hearts but failed to obey the very first command from Jesus to all new believers?
The bottom-line is that baptism means a lot to God. Shouldn’t it mean a lot to us?
This Sunday, at Southbrook Weddington and Southbrook Monroe, we will be wrapping up our series, Upgrade with a short message followed by a baptism celebration. You can find out more here, or you can just show up and everything you need will be provided for you.
If your next step is to publicly declare your faith in Jesus Christ, then baptism is the way!