Why Should You and I Be Baptized

Sunday January 8, 2006

The long awaited rains
Have fallen hard upon the thirsty ground
And carved their way to where
The wild and rushing river can be found
And like the rains
I have been carried here to where the river flows yeah

Anticipation: That’s why so many people came out to the river Jordan to be immersed by John the Baptist. Like the song by Steven Curtis Chapman says, their souls—and ours—were thirsty for something more, waiting for the promise of something wild and refreshing that would carry them away… Holy Baptism?

My heart is racing and my knees are weak
As I walk to the edge
I know there is no turning back
Once my feet have left the ledge
And in the rush I hear a voice
That’s telling me it’s time to take the leap of faith
So here I go

A leap of faith: Whether you are an adult making your first profession of trust in Jesus Christ alone, and the power of his grace and love, to define your identity and future—or whether you are making these promises on behalf of your child and committing yourself to so immerse them in the river of his love daily, that when they are of an age to embrace Christ they will…it’s a walking to the edge, no turning back leap into his arms, through those waters… can you hear his voice?

There is a supernatural power
In this mighty river’s flow
It can bring the dead to life
And it can fill an empty soul
And give a heart the only thing
Worth living and worth dying for yeah

A mighty river of power and transforming love! Isn’t that what you are immersing yourself in at Baptism! There’s no provision for a real river at Little River Elementary—but how I wish we could have one! So until then, we use a small font, and a pitcher of water—age old symbols of that supernatural flow that can bring the dead to life and fill an empty soul, through Jesus!

But we will never know the awesome power
Of the grace of god
Until we let ourselves get swept away
Into this holy flood
So if you’ll take my hand
We’ll close our eyes and count to three
And take the leap of faith
Come on let’s go

Baptism is a decision:.. By adults who speak for themselves, or by prarents and godparents who speak on behalf of a child, to be swept away in the awesome love and power of Jesus Christ. And that’s not a “one time” event…Baptism is simply the outward sign of a whole new way of life—of deliberately choosing to be swept away into the holy flood of his life, his purposes, his identity, and his love for you

I’m diving in I’m going deep in over my head I want to be
Caught in the rush lost in the flow in over my head I want to go
The river’s deep the river’s wide the river’s water is alive
So sink or swim I’m diving in

So take His hand—and dive in!

---Pastor Phil