Embracing Baptism: A Journey from Fear to Faith

Devotional

Day 1: Preparing for God's Work

As we prepare for Easter, we are reminded of the importance of being ready for what God is going to do. Serving is a crucial part of this preparation, as it aligns us with God's mission and opens the door for His blessings. The acronym PIGS—Pray, Invite, Give, and Serve—serves as a guide to ready ourselves for the spiritual harvest God intends to bring. Serving is emphasized as it not only prepares us but also positions us to witness and participate in the unfolding of God's plans. By engaging in these acts, we open our hearts to receive and recognize the blessings that God has in store for us. [00:46]

"Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain." (1 Corinthians 15:58, ESV)

Reflection: How can you incorporate the PIGS acronym into your daily routine this week to prepare for what God is going to do in your life?

Day 2: Choosing Faith Over Fear

The story of the Israelites at the Red Sea teaches us that fear can cloud our memory of God's past faithfulness. In moments of fear, we must choose to stand firm and remember God's salvation, allowing Him to become big in our lives again. The Israelites faced a seemingly insurmountable challenge, yet God's power was revealed in their deliverance. This narrative encourages us to trust in God's ability to save and guide us, even when fear threatens to overwhelm us. By choosing faith over fear, we allow God's presence to overshadow our anxieties and lead us to victory. [10:00]

"Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." (Isaiah 41:10, ESV)

Reflection: Identify a current fear in your life. How can you actively choose to trust in God's faithfulness and power to overcome this fear today?

Day 3: Baptism as a Spiritual Milestone

Baptism is a significant spiritual milestone, symbolizing a transition from the old life to a new one in Christ. It is a public declaration of faith and a reminder of God's victory over sin and death. This act of obedience serves as a spiritual anchor, reminding us of our commitment to Christ and the new identity we have in Him. Baptism is not merely a ritual but a profound expression of faith that marks the beginning of a transformed life. It is a celebration of God's grace and a testament to the new creation we become in Christ. [19:18]

"Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life." (Romans 6:3-4, ESV)

Reflection: If you have been baptized, reflect on how this milestone has impacted your spiritual journey. If not, consider what steps you can take to explore this commitment further.

Day 4: The Symbolism of Baptism

Baptism is a powerful symbol, representing a funeral for the old self, a marriage to Christ, and a birth announcement of a new creation. It is a reminder of God's saving grace and a call to live in the newness of life. This symbolic act encapsulates the essence of the Christian faith, illustrating the death of our old nature and the birth of a new identity in Christ. It is a profound declaration of our union with Christ and a commitment to live according to His will. Baptism serves as a continual reminder of the transformative power of God's grace in our lives. [26:46]

"Having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead." (Colossians 2:12, ESV)

Reflection: How does the symbolism of baptism as a funeral, marriage, and birth resonate with your understanding of your faith journey? What new steps can you take to live out this new identity in Christ?

Day 5: The Call to Obedience

For those who have not been baptized, this is an invitation to step into this transformative experience. For those who have, it is a call to remember and let it fuel gratitude and courage in our lives. Obedience in baptism strengthens our faith and glorifies God. This call to obedience is not just about the act of baptism but about living a life that reflects our commitment to Christ. It is an ongoing journey of faith, where we continually seek to align our actions with God's will, allowing His Spirit to guide and empower us. [39:38]

"And this is love, that we walk according to his commandments; this is the commandment, just as you have heard from the beginning, so that you should walk in it." (2 John 1:6, ESV)

Reflection: In what areas of your life is God calling you to greater obedience? How can you take practical steps to align your actions with His will today?

Sermon Summary

In today's message, we explored the profound significance of baptism, drawing parallels between the Old Testament story of the Israelites crossing the Red Sea and the New Testament practice of baptism. We began by reflecting on the story of Thomas and his father, who came to Christ and were baptized, highlighting the transformative power of such a commitment. As we prepare for Easter, we are reminded of the acronym PIGS—Pray, Invite, Give, and Serve—as a way to ready ourselves for what God is going to do. Serving is particularly emphasized, as it prepares us for the harvest God intends to bring.

We delved into the story from Exodus 14, where the Israelites faced fear as the Egyptian army pursued them. This fear often mirrors our own lives, where we forget God's power and purpose in the face of daunting challenges. The Israelites' journey through the Red Sea is likened to a baptism, a marked moment of stepping into God's promise and leaving behind the oppression of the past. Baptism is not just a New Testament concept but a continuation of an Old Testament idea, symbolizing a transition from slavery to freedom, from fear to faith.

Baptism is a public declaration of faith, akin to a wedding ring, symbolizing a new life in Christ. It is a funeral for the old self, a marriage to Christ, and a birth announcement of a new creation. This act of obedience is a powerful reminder of God's victory over sin and death, and it serves as a spiritual anchor in our lives. For those who have not yet been baptized, this is an invitation to step into this transformative experience. For those who have, it is a call to remember and let it fuel gratitude and courage in our lives.

As we approach Easter, we are encouraged to participate in baptism, either for the first time or as a reminder of our commitment to Christ. This act not only glorifies God but also strengthens our faith, helping us to overcome fear and live boldly in the freedom Christ has won for us.

Key Takeaways

1. The Power of Preparation: As we prepare for Easter, we are reminded of the importance of being ready for what God is going to do. Serving is a crucial part of this preparation, as it aligns us with God's mission and opens the door for His blessings. [00:46]
2. **Fear vs. Faith:** The story of the Israelites at the Red Sea teaches us that fear can cloud our memory of God's past faithfulness. In moments of fear, we must choose to stand firm and remember God's salvation, allowing Him to become big in our lives again. [10:00]
3. Baptism as a Marked Moment: Baptism is a significant spiritual milestone, symbolizing a transition from the old life to a new one in Christ. It is a public declaration of faith and a reminder of God's victory over sin and death. [19:18]
4. The Symbolism of Baptism: Baptism is a powerful symbol, representing a funeral for the old self, a marriage to Christ, and a birth announcement of a new creation. It is a reminder of God's saving grace and a call to live in the newness of life. [26:46]
5. The Call to Obedience: For those who have not been baptized, this is an invitation to step into this transformative experience. For those who have, it is a call to remember and let it fuel gratitude and courage in our lives. Obedience in baptism strengthens our faith and glorifies God. [39:38]
** [39:38]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:09] - Story of Transformation
[00:21] - Preparing for Easter
[00:46] - The Importance of Serving
[01:29] - Preparing the Jars
[02:07] - Our Mission
[03:23] - Anticipating Easter Attendance
[04:37] - Connecting Old and New Testament
[05:45] - Baptism Brings Glory to God
[08:45] - Fear, Baptism, and Glory
[10:00] - The Power of Fear
[16:43] - God's Salvation
[19:18] - The Symbolism of Baptism
[26:46] - Baptism as a Marked Moment
[39:38] - The Call to Obedience

Sermon Clips

Baptism brings glory to God baptism is about God it is about what he has done in our life it is about our our story being all wrapped up in him it is a marked moment in our life where we step fully into uh we you know the the call that God has on our life we start taking massive steps towards maturity this is what baptism is all wrapped up in. [00:05:49]

Baptism is a marked moment where we remember our God has fought for us and saved us from what is our absolute greatest enemy you know what baptis baptism y'all it's one of the greatest pictures I can imagine we try to preachers try to liken things to it i'll do it you know wedding ring or you know you're not it doesn't mean that you you're uh you know it doesn't mean that you're it doesn't it doesn't mean that you're not married if you if you don't have it or have it but it's a good symbol that shows a spiritual reality. [00:18:46]

Baptism listen is simultaneously a funeral a marriage and a birth announcement in one shot i'm dead to that old life i am joined and united with the one who has gone down in this water the true water the waters of God's fire for me and pulled me out and now I am brand new that's what that's what our baptism is and here's what I want to call you to do today if you have if you have not been baptized one of the great crushers of fear one of the things that can steal your spine is to be obedient in this area of your life and have a rock a symbol to look back on that God has defeated your greatest enemy. [00:19:25]

The opposite of faith is not doubt the opposite of faith is fear many of us right now it's like man we we sometimes we can this can happen but in a Christian's life a lot of times we don't come to like a cognitive conclusion that we don't believe in God anymore like we lose our faith in that way now that has has happened I understand but a lot of times what it looks like more is just that we end up feeling the result of a wobbly faith and that result is fear. [00:14:32]

Fear listen fear is a response okay I understand like I said it's you know you blood pressure goes up all that i'm not talking about that i'm talking about man we decide to lean into it and we decide to grab hold of it and and what I'm calling you to do today and and I hope we're going to see this in Moses is like man that fear needs to be crushed it needs to be killed it needs to be eradicated we don't need to make friends with it we don't need to wave a white flag and make a truce with it what we need to do is crush it. [00:15:02]

God's got to get really big again in our life in order for these circumstances to get small again you guys remember the the movie The Ballad of Ricky Bobby okay very theological all right i know um but you know his that scene in the movie where his dad has caught a cougar and put it in there and and he says "You can't drive race cars anymore because you've seen the fear." And his answer is you need to get in that race car with the cougar and drive and make friends with the fear okay bad bad idea all right for us with fear we're not trying to learn to make friends with it we're not trying to learn to be calm in the face of it what the scripture tells us is fear not. [00:15:36]

Moses said to the people "Fear not and stand firm you don't make peace with it there is no parlay we're not making a truce there's not a white flag we're not going to try to be friends fear not stop crush get out that's the idea stand firm and see the salvation of the Lord now we get a chance to look back on something they were looking forward to but this is the idea how does God get big again in our life you need to see the salvation of the Lord which he will work for you today for the Egyptians whom you see today you shall never see again the Lord will fight for you and all you will have to do is be silent. [00:16:16]

Baptism is a symbol a marked moment of funeral marriage birth announcement you are a new person and now we have a chance if you're not baptized you get a chance to do it if you are baptized we get a chance to have that symbol for the rest of our life that we get to look back on and we get to say "God you did that for me spiritually." And I marked it in that moment and now man I'm not going to be afraid because this child has a fever i'm I'm not going to choose fear because our business is in the red what I'm going to do is understand in my baptism you saved us from the greatest oppressor sin and death and hell and I never have to worry about those things oppressing and grabbing me anymore and because of that man now I have the opportunity to walk in some freedom in these other areas of my life. [00:21:56]

The wedding ceremony the ring the these things are really great markers of the moment of a newly formed relationship and guys this is the moment in a lot of ways that will mark the children of Israel how many times in the in the Bible and in the New Testament do we think about the children of Israel and associate them with this very moment christians how can we not see the importance of our baptism man that is a moment that we should be associating with maturity and stepping into God's calling and destiny and purpose in our life and and a great marker of obedience in our life and it's something that we should look back on it marks the moment man in the gospel we listen we deserved death in the bottom of the Red Sea and God let us walk through on dry land. [00:28:37]

Obedience in baptism changes you it gives you that moment to look back on in your life if you haven't taken this step if if you're like man this is what this is what kills me okay maybe you're thinking today man I don't feel like I'm really growing i'm not really maturing i don't really have a passion i don't this i don't that i don't that and it's like but all the while you know I've never been baptized you know what that would be like that'd be like somebody saying "Well I'm trying to get in shape." And it's like well do you go for a walk no you drink any water no you sleep eight hours at night no well what are we talking about right like how serious is this that'd be my question is like hey you want to grow mercy Hill attracts growers okay that is just that I've known that for 10 years okay 12 years as long as we've been here it just does people want to grow in their fitness they want to grow in their finances they want their families to grow they want to grow in their leadership they want to grow as Christians if you want to grow as a believer and you're not baptized there is a major roadblock in your life. [00:39:38]

Baptism is a public declaration of faith, akin to a wedding ring, symbolizing a new life in Christ. It is a funeral for the old self, a marriage to Christ, and a birth announcement of a new creation. This act of obedience is a powerful reminder of God's victory over sin and death, and it serves as a spiritual anchor in our lives. For those who have not yet been baptized, this is an invitation to step into this transformative experience. For those who have, it is a call to remember and let it fuel gratitude and courage in our lives. [00:26:46]

The story of the Israelites at the Red Sea teaches us that fear can cloud our memory of God's past faithfulness. In moments of fear, we must choose to stand firm and remember God's salvation, allowing Him to become big in our lives again. [00:10:00]

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