Embracing Faith: Baptism, Grace, and Transformative Stories

Devotional

Day 1: Public Faith as a Living Testimony

Baptism is more than a ritual; it is a profound public declaration of one's personal faith in Jesus Christ. This act symbolizes the transformative work of Jesus in our lives and serves as a powerful testimony to others. It is a reminder that faith is not just a private matter but a communal and contagious one. By publicly declaring our faith, we invite others to witness the change Jesus has made in us, making our faith visible and inspiring others to seek the same transformation. This public expression of faith is a way to bring heaven to earth, as it demonstrates the reality of God's work in our lives. [00:00]

Matthew 5:14-16 (ESV): "You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven."

Reflection: How can you let your faith be a visible testimony to those around you today? What specific actions can you take to demonstrate the transformative work of Jesus in your life?

Day 2: Breaking Barriers to Faith

The early church faced significant challenges in reaching out to the Gentiles, highlighting the importance of breaking stereotypes and barriers. Today, we are called to create welcoming spaces for those unfamiliar with Christian traditions, ensuring that everyone feels included and valued. The story of Cornelius, a Roman centurion with sincere faith, exemplifies this mission. Despite being a Gentile, Cornelius's faith was recognized by God, demonstrating that with Jesus, there are no second-class stories. This call to inclusivity challenges us to examine our own biases and assumptions, urging us to extend grace and love to all, regardless of their background. [29:02]

Acts 10:34-35 (ESV): "So Peter opened his mouth and said: 'Truly I understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him.'"

Reflection: What barriers or stereotypes might you need to break down in your own life to create a more inclusive and welcoming environment for others? How can you actively work towards this today?

Day 3: Embracing No Second-Class Stories

The story of Cornelius reminds us that with Jesus, there are no second-class stories. Regardless of our background or past, God loves us and desires a relationship with us. Cornelius's sincere faith, despite his Gentile status, was honored by God, showing that our stories, no matter how ordinary or flawed, can be used by God to reach others. This truth encourages us to embrace our own stories, recognizing that God can use them to impact those around us. Our past does not define us; rather, it is a testament to God's grace and transformative power in our lives. [31:33]

1 Corinthians 1:27-29 (ESV): "But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God."

Reflection: How can you embrace your own story, with all its imperfections, as a testament to God's grace? In what ways can you share your story to encourage and inspire others today?

Day 4: Grace Over Legalism

Peter's vision in Joppa challenges his legalistic views, moving him towards a faith rooted in grace. This divine revelation emphasizes that God's grace extends beyond traditional Jewish boundaries, inviting us to embrace a more inclusive and loving faith. The encounter between Peter and Cornelius highlights the gospel's power to save and transform lives, regardless of one's past or societal status. This shift from legalism to grace calls us to examine our own beliefs and practices, ensuring that they align with the inclusive and loving nature of the gospel. [37:32]

Galatians 3:28 (ESV): "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus."

Reflection: Are there areas in your life where you might be holding onto legalistic views? How can you shift towards a more grace-filled approach in your interactions with others today?

Day 5: The Gospel's Unending Power

The gospel never stops saving and transforming lives. It challenges our assumptions and biases, urging us to share the good news with all, regardless of their background. The story of Cornelius and the early church serves as a powerful reminder that God's love and acceptance are available to everyone. Our stories, no matter how ordinary or flawed, can be powerful tools for spreading hope and transformation. This truth encourages us to actively participate in God's mission, sharing the gospel's unending power with those around us. [46:57]

Romans 1:16 (ESV): "For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek."

Reflection: Who in your life needs to hear the good news of the gospel? How can you share the transformative power of the gospel with them today in a way that is authentic and loving?

Sermon Summary

In today's gathering at Menlo Church, we celebrate the profound act of baptism, a public declaration of personal faith in Jesus Christ. This weekend is particularly special as individuals from various locations, including our online community, come together to express their commitment to Christ through baptism. This act is not just a ritual but a powerful testament to the transformative work of Jesus in our lives. It serves as a reminder that while personal faith brings us to heaven, public faith brings heaven to earth, making our faith contagious and visible to others.

Reflecting on the early church's struggles, we delve into the book of Acts, where the church faced challenges in breaking stereotypes and barriers, particularly with the Gentiles. This historical context parallels our mission today: to create a welcoming space for those who are unchurched or unfamiliar with Christian traditions. The story of Cornelius, a Roman centurion, exemplifies this. Despite being a Gentile, Cornelius had sincere faith in God, demonstrating that with Jesus, there are no second-class stories. His story reminds us that God loves us regardless of our background or past.

Peter's vision in Joppa further illustrates the breaking of barriers. Through a divine revelation, Peter learns that God's grace extends beyond traditional Jewish boundaries, emphasizing that the gospel is for everyone. This revelation challenges Peter's legalistic views, moving him towards a faith rooted in grace. The encounter between Peter and Cornelius highlights the gospel's power to save and transform lives, regardless of one's past or societal status.

As we witness the Holy Spirit's work in Cornelius and his household, we are reminded that the gospel never stops saving. It challenges our assumptions and biases, urging us to share the good news with all, regardless of their background. This moment in Acts serves as a powerful reminder that God's love and acceptance are available to everyone, and our stories, no matter how ordinary or flawed, can be used by God to reach others.

In conclusion, today's message encourages us to embrace our stories, recognizing that God can use them to impact others. Whether you're considering baptism or simply seeking to deepen your faith, remember that God loves you and is not done with you. Your story matters, and through it, God can bring hope and transformation to those around you.

Key Takeaways

1. Class Stories:** The story of Cornelius reminds us that with Jesus, there are no second-class stories. Regardless of our background or past, God loves us and desires a relationship with us. Our stories, no matter how ordinary or flawed, can be used by God to reach others. [31:33]
4. Grace Over Legalism: Peter's vision challenges his legalistic views, moving him towards a faith rooted in grace. This shift emphasizes that God's grace extends beyond traditional boundaries, inviting us to embrace a more inclusive and loving faith.

5. The Gospel's Unending Power: The gospel never stops saving and transforming lives. It challenges our assumptions and biases, urging us to share the good news with all, regardless of their background. Our stories can be powerful tools for spreading hope and transformation.

** [31:33]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[01:30] - The Significance of Baptism
[04:15] - Removing Barriers to Faith
[07:00] - Personal Faith and Public Declaration
[10:45] - Reflecting on the Early Church
[14:20] - Breaking Stereotypes and Barriers
[18:05] - Cornelius: A Story of Sincere Faith
[22:30] - Peter's Vision and Revelation
[26:13] - From Legalism to Grace
[29:02] - The Gospel's Inclusive Power
[31:33] - No Second-Class Stories
[34:03] - The Holy Spirit's Work in Cornelius
[37:32] - Embracing Our Stories
[42:34] - The Gospel's Unending Power
[46:57] - Invitation to Follow Jesus

Sermon Clips

It's one of the reasons why I'm so passionate about making sure that every service and experience we create at Menlo is built with unchurched people in mind, with people who are not followers of Jesus yet, that whatever you've experienced about church or faith or people who are of faith, that you go, hey, you know what? I can come to this place, and stuff's going to get broken down for me in a way that I can digest. [00:27:56] (23 seconds)

Now, we're going to venture back into the book of Acts, where we've been for the last several weeks, and we're going to discover the same challenges back then that we're describing today. And the good news is that with Jesus, there are no second-class stories. There weren't 2,000 years ago, and there aren't today. Maybe you think that your story is too boring for God to use it. Or maybe you think that your story is too far gone. You're like, Phil, you don't know what I've been through, what I've done, or what's been done to me. And you're right. I don't. But God does, and he loves you regardless. [00:28:26] (36 seconds)

One of the people that we are going to be introduced to is a Roman soldier named Cornelius. And we'll see the good news. That God brings true hope to sincere faith. He hasn't ever stopped doing that. It doesn't matter what your last name is, what school you go to or went to, what your job is, whether you're in big tech or little tech or no tech. God loves you, and he desires a relationship with you. God can meet you in the middle of the messiest parts of your story right now. [00:29:02] (30 seconds)

Cornelius, he had the wrong pedigree. He had the wrong ethnicity to be the obvious choice for the early church to go out and reach to. But remember, with Jesus, there are no second class stories. Cornelius is just as loved by God as who we're going to meet next. [00:34:26] (19 seconds)

His leadership in the early church was profound, but nearly exclusively focused on helping Jewish people become followers of Jesus. Well, God was sending this angel to Cornelius in, well, God, yeah, well, God was talking to Cornelius through this angel in Caesarea. Peter, who is 35 minutes away in Joppa, is getting a vision of his own. Luke, the author of Acts, he records the vision this way. It says, he fell into a trance and saw the heavens opened and something like a great sheet descending, being let down by its four corners upon the earth. [00:36:52] (39 seconds)

The voice from heaven had called him to kill and eat animals that weren't kosher, that would not have fit within these dietary codes. And so he refuses, only to be told that God had made them clean, that he was free from legalism to grace, that he was allowed to do this. But the problem was he was still living out of the old software of Judaism. He was trying to make it compatible with the grace of Jesus. And it took three times for this to stick. And we don't totally know why, right? [00:38:46] (34 seconds)

The first work of the gospel that we see in this passage is actually in Peter. He grows from faith that is still rooted in legalism to one that is rooted in grace, the undeserved favor of God extended to him by Jesus and through him for everyone. The dots have finally come together. The dots have finally come together. gotten connected for Peter. For some of us, that's a software update that God still wants to bring to us today. [00:41:11] (30 seconds)

But don't think they need it or they're too far gone. Some of you, you think you've been a Christian since you were born. Like I hear people describe it that way. No one has been a Christian since they were born. That's actually not true. Everyone at some point has to make a decision to be a follower of Jesus. And so no matter what category you have excluded yourself from, what category you've excluded someone else from, remember with Jesus, there are no second-class stories. There's nobody who's... There's no one whose story is more loved by God. [00:42:00] (34 seconds)

Here we have Peter who enters the home of Cornelius with lots of assumptions being tested, suggested, and he begins sharing the gospel, the good news of Jesus. And Peter, he contextualizes the gospel for Cornelius, but he covers these basics, that God shows no partiality, which is obviously very unique, that he's just realizing. That Jesus came to preach the good news to everybody by the power of the Holy Spirit as he performed miracles and as he was put to death, but God raised him from the dead. And we've been called to share the hope that he offers with all people. [00:43:54] (41 seconds)

The moment is recorded this way. While Peter was still saying these things, the Holy Spirit fell on all who heard the word. And the believers from among the circumcised who had come with Peter were amazed because the gift of the Holy Spirit was poured out even on the Gentiles. For they were hearing them speaking in tongues and extolling God. Then Peter declared, can anyone withhold water for baptizing these people who received the Holy Spirit just as we have? And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to remain for some days. [00:45:36] (47 seconds)

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