"Baptism Is More Than Fire Insurance”

In Jesus Holy Name January 12, 2025

Luke 3:21-22

“Baptism is More Than Fire Insurance”

100 mile an hour winds …Burning homes. Burning business. Thousands of people fleeing Pacific Palisades, Altadena, Pasadena, parts of Malibu… we are told that thousands of homes and buildings have been destroyed by Wildfires ripping through neighborhoods. Every few hours another 30 thousand people are told to evacuate. Some neighborhoods only had one road in and out, hundreds of cars were abandoned as people fled with only their clothes on their backs. Many water hydrants ran out of water, people have lost everything, many without insurance. The heat they say is like the fires of Hell. How can one grasp the loss of thousands of acres, thousands homeless, overwhelming.

One owner posted a video from his home kitchen through the glass windows ou could see fire on all sides, no where to run as the flames licked up every living thing. Some how, he and his dog made it out. The fires are hot, ceaseless. No containment. Fear, loss, some will never recover.

The burning fires can only help you imagine the eternal fires of Hell if you are not connected to Jesus.

In our Sunday worship today it is exciting to experience the baptism of Tong Xiong into the eternal family of Jesus. Like many in who ran from their homes to the waters of the ocean to save their lives, Tong has left the depression of false gods and fled to the waters of baptism in Jesus. God has been working in his heart and we are privileged to see God at work in our congregation. Haven’t I always said that if a visitor comes it is because God is sending them to be under our spiritual care. Next month Tong will be returning to Thailand to work in a Lutheran orphanage with Christ in Mission.

Ever so often we receive a call from an individual or family that wants to have their children baptized. People are concerned about their child’s eternal destiny or they are responding to a request from Christian grandparents.

When the opportunity arrives we talk about the “why”…. in order to seek a greater understanding of the benefits and power that comes with a “baptism” event, but I often remind then that this is not “fire insurance”, but a moment when they bury the past and embrace a life committed to following Jesus. In the action of baptism God promises to work with the baptized, saving them from the eternal consequences of sin, death and the devil, and filling them with His Holy Spirit.

This past fall the movement “Unite Us” held numerous events on various college

campuses: Auburn, Southern Mississippi, Arkansas, Florida & South Carolina. Over 70,000 students attended these events at more than 400 Universities. This evangelistic movement was marked by worship, preaching the Word followed by commitments to Jesus and over 2000 baptisms.

One student, Kaden said: “I was in the biggest fraternity on campus and fully in the world.” “I loved it. I was about to be our pledge marshal and I was going to run for president. I was selling drugs. I was doing a lot of drugs. I was living in the world, doing what the world tells you to do.”

Kaden then shared with Jennie Allen, United US speaker, “You preached your message and it was on what it means to truly be a Christian. “I remember like wow. Sins have held me down for so long. I feel miserable. I have everything the world has to offer. Yet, I still feel awful. I still feel depressed and I’m anxious and I’m sad.” It was the Holy Spirit that changed his life and the lives of other students who were baptized. (Decision Magazine November 2024)

Baptism means burial. It means the burial of the old life and be beginning of the new. This is exactly why Kaden was baptized. This is exactly why Tong Xiong was baptized today, here at Redeemer. The old life he lived was dead the moment he was baptized. And His new life is refreshed when he committed to follow Jesus. Listen to the words of Paul in Romans 6:3-4 (read)

The 1st century writer Luke tells us that John was standing in the middle of the Jordan River baptizing people, calling them to repent of their broken commandments. Suddenly John sees his cousin standing in line waiting for His turn to be baptized. He was surprised. Luke tells us that Jesus was around thirty years old. This was the age when the priests of Israel could begin to be ordained.

John is asking people to step into the Jordan and be buried under the water. Why the Jordan River? The Jordan stands for the death of the old world and the new promises of God. Every one knew that it was at the Jordan that the ancient Israelites passed from the “death” in the wilderness to a new beginning in the promised land. (Joshua 3)