FOLLOWING JESUS TO THE WATER
FOCUS: THE BAPTISM OF JESUS GIVES PRINCIPLES THAT CHRISTIANS CAN FOOLOW AS THEY FOLLOW JESUS INTO THE WATER.
FUNCTION: TO ENCOURAGE CHRISTIANS TO FOLLOW JESUS INTO THE WATER AS A MODEL FOR BAPTISM.
INTRODUCTION
In the religious world there have been many ways people have been baptized. Confusion circles around baptism. For instances, the United House of Prayer for All People in Charlotte, North Carolina faced a dilemma. They had a large group of people to baptize at their yearly baptismal service, but their church building and swimming pool were undergoing renovations, making them unable. Under the circumstances, immersing each person would have been time consuming and inconvenient, so they came up with a great idea: spray the whole group at once. A newspaper article reported, “When two thousand people want to be baptized, that’s a lot of dunking, and a lot of time. Clearly, baptism for fire hose is more efficient.” So the elders, assisted by local firefighters, sprayed a fine mist from a fire hose over the baptismal candidates lined up in the church parking lot.
The confusion around form of baptism remains. Some people say you can just sprinkle people with water. Other people say you can just pour water on people. Another groups say that you can spray water on people. While others contend that you must immense people in water. The form of baptism has been heatedly debated.
The confusion around the purpose of baptism has remained. Some people say that you should be baptized but it is only an outward sign of inward grace. Others baptize children and babies because they think that they are in sin. Many will only baptize adults. Some baptize for the remission of sins. Others baptize to fulfill all righteousness. Groups will baptize for the experiences of a ritual. Some feel like you have to re-baptize people. Others are against re-baptizing people. There are many reasons why people baptize today.
Like in all difficult situations we must follow Jesus to find the answers. We must follow Jesus into the Jordan River to be baptized. We find our model in Jesus’ baptism. The Gospel writer Luke gives us a belief description of Jesus’ baptism. Luke 3:21-22 says, “Now it came about when all the people were baptized, that Jesus also was baptized, and while He was praying, heaven was opened, and the Holy Spirit descended upon Him in bodily form like a dove, and a voice came out of heaven, "Thou art My beloved Son, in Thee I am well-pleased."” The Gospel writer Matthew also gives us an account of the baptism of Christ. “Matthew 3:13-17 states, “Then Jesus arrived from Galilee at the Jordan coming to John, to be baptized by him. But John tried to prevent Him, saying, "I have need to be baptized by You, and do You come to me?" But Jesus answering said to him, "Permit it at this time; for in this way it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness." Then he permitted Him. And after being baptized, Jesus went up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove, and coming upon Him, and behold, a voice out of the heavens, saying, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased."”
Many people can express different views about baptism, which can become confusing, but one cannot go wrong in following Jesus. When we follow Jesus into the water we learn of a model for the Christian baptism. In contrast to all the confusion in the world about baptism, the baptism of Christ clarifies the image of baptism.
The first image we receive from following Christ into the water is the model of immersion. The proper word for immersion is “baptizo” which means to be immersed into something; it is a complete burial. Jesus goes into the river Jordan to be submerged under the water. John carries out this baptize for Jesus after some reluctance on John’s part. John the Baptist had to be convinced that he was worth or predestined to immerse Christ. After John realized that Jesus wanted him to baptism him he fulfilled the request.
An interesting occurrence took place because they were confused over the baptism. This confusion was a frontrunner for the confusion today. Not everyone understands the necessity of baptism today. Some will even stand in the way of someone being baptized. For those who desire to follow Jesus into the water may have to assert themselves in order to be baptized after the Biblical model.
While we are following Jesus to the water, we are doing it with the same intent that Christ did. We follow Christ into the water to be baptism to fulfill all righteousness. There has been some debate on why Christ was baptized. Many could not understand why Christ was baptized because he had no sin. Since he was sinless he did not need his sins forgiven. Since baptism offers the forgiveness of sins. But on the other hand Christ had to be baptized to fulfill all righteousness. Righteousness is doing what is right. Christ followed all of God’s commands. He desired to follow the pattern and set the pattern for baptism in the future. We follow Jesus into the water to also do what is right in God’s eyes. We are baptized to please God and keep his commandments. We must attempt to do all that is right in the sight of the Lord.
When Alexander Campbell discovered a fuller truth of baptism, he desired to be baptized. He did this to fulfill all righteousness. He wanted to do that which is right in the sight of God. So Alexander Campbell went to the river and was baptized to follow the example of Christ.
Another image we see in the baptism of Jesus is how God declared Him to be well pleasing to him. At this point in time God declares his acceptance of Christ. Jesus pleased him by his obedience to His perfect will. God in his proclamation from heaven pronounced his favor of Christ to the world. God declared that Jesus was His son.
When we follow Jesus into the water we figuratively secure the same result that Christ did. When we arise out of the baptismal waters God declares to us as well as the world that he is well pleased by our actions. We are pleasing God by being baptized. We also secure son ship for ourselves when we follow Jesus into the water. We are no longer enemies of God but now sons of God. God has adopted us into His family.
Just like in real present day adoptions, the parents who are adopting an orphan does all the paper work. They have developed the plan, they have secured the right, they have put together the money, and they have accomplished the work. The child just chooses to go with the family. God has created baptism has the final step into son ship. And like the humanly parents of the new child, who are well pleased to have a new son, God is well pleased to also have a new son enter into the family.
One of the most beautiful images that appear at Jesus’ baptism is the picture of the Holy Spirit descending upon Christ like a dove. Through the Spirit, Christ receives strength for the final few years of his life. The spirit confirms his pleasing role with God as well as helps him for the coming journey. The word for spirit can also mean “a comforter, exhortation, and encourager. The spirit came into Christ’s life to encourage him in the coming years. The Spirit is God’s divine helper. Also, the Spirit is a guarantee of salvation. You could see the spirit as a down payment on the promise of heaven. The Spirit was given to prove that God was with Christ during His earthly ministry.
Just as Christ received the spirit when He was baptized, when we follow Jesus into the water we will also receive the spirit. One of the most important aspects of baptism is gaining the spirit to help us on our spiritual journey. The Spirit encouragers us, exhort us, and comfort us in our walk with Jesus. Gaining the Holy Spirit is an important part in the spiritual journey of a Christian. We in baptism gain a part of God to reside in us. We begin the transformation after we receive the Holy Spirit.
Those followers of God had to be re-baptized in Acts 19 because they did not receive the Holy Spirit with their baptism. They only knew of John’s baptism and not Christ’s baptism. One of the major differences between John’s baptism and Jesus’ baptism is the gift of the Holy Spirit. John’s baptism offered the forgiveness of sins but not the gift of the Holy Spirit while Christ’s baptism provided both.
The most transformational image we see in the baptism of Christ is the transition to the beginning of his ministry. This was the beginning point to the ministry of Christ. Jesus was thirty years old and in the Jewish mindset that was concerned an adult. The Gospel accounts of Matthew and Luke begin the ministry of Jesus after he was baptized. Through baptism Christ was proclaiming to the world that he was the Son of God who is about to start his earthly ministry.
After we are baptized we declare to the world that we are on God’s side in the spiritual battle for earth. We testify to the world that we are servants of God through the public confession of Baptism. You declare to all the church and all your friends and family members that you have joined up with Christ. You have entered into a new whole world full of new changes. As you follow Jesus into the water you also follow Jesus out of the water and into the water to do ministry for Christ.
James did this. At church camp, James approached me to study the Bible with him so he would learn about baptism. He already wanted to be baptized because it was the right thing to do. We studied together for two days. On Wednesday night after the devotional lesson James came forward to response to the Gospel call. He went into the water and was immersed just like Jesus was. That summer little James who had to stand on a milk crate started him preaching ministry. He developed and preached the invitation every Wednesday evening. James was on fires for the Lord after his baptism because he was empowered by God for the ministry. James followed Jesus into the water and followed him in the ministry.
We today, can follow Jesus into the water to be baptized and receive the same blessings that Christ received so long ago.
By,
Matthew Morine
