04/10/2018 — Many congregations have minimized the importance of Christian baptism, with some ignoring the sacrament entirely or changing it until it no longer represents the biblical model. But baptism is a biblical command – both for new believers to do for themselves and for church leaders to do to those they lead to the Lord. If you need the Blood, you also need the water!

If you’ve been baptized, remember your baptism. If you have yet to be baptized, take advantage of the next opportunity to do so.

EDUCATION

Deuteronomy 10:12–22

“Now, Israel, what does the LORD your God require of you, but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all His ways, and to love Him, and to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, to keep the commandments of the LORD and His statutes which I am commanding you today for your good?

“Indeed, heaven and the highest heavens belong to the LORD your God, also the earth with all that is in it. The LORD delighted only in your fathers, to love them; and He chose their descendants after them, even you above all people, as it is today. Therefore, circumcise your heart, and do not be stubborn anymore. For the LORD your God is the God of gods and Lord of lords, the great, the mighty, and the fearsome God who is unbiased and takes no bribe. He executes the judgment of the orphan and the widow and loves the foreigner, giving him food and clothing. Therefore, love the foreigner, for you were foreigners in the land of Egypt. You must fear the LORD your God. You must serve Him and cling to Him, and swear by His name. He is your praise, and He is your God, who has done for you these great and fearsome things which your eyes have seen. Your fathers went down into Egypt with seventy people, and now the LORD your God has made you as numerous as the stars of heaven” (MEV).

Luke 5:17–26

“On a certain day, as He was teaching, Pharisees and teachers of the law were sitting nearby, who had come from every town of Galilee and Judea and from Jerusalem. And the power of the Lord was present to heal the sick. Now some men brought in a bed a man who was paralyzed. They searched for ways to bring him in and lay him before Him. When they could not find a way to bring him in, because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and let him down through the tiles with his bed into their midst before Jesus.

“When He saw their faith, He said to him, ’Man, your sins are forgiven you.’

“The scribes and the Pharisees began to question, ’Who is He who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?’

“When Jesus perceived their thoughts, He answered them, ’Why question in your hearts? Which is easier, to say, “Your sins are forgiven you,“ or to say, “Rise up and walk?“ But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins,’ He said to the paralyzed man, ’I say to you, rise, take up your bed, and go to your house.’ Immediately he rose before them, and took up that on which he lay, and departed to his own house, glorifying God. They were all amazed, and they glorified God and were filled with fear, saying, ’We have seen wonderful things today’ (MEV).

APPLICATION

• Baptism was introduced by God Himself. If Jesus needed to be baptized, how much more do we need it?
• Nothing magic happens during the baptism – it is the outward expression of an inward transformation that has already happened in the believer’s life.
• One of the most important aspects of baptism is that it is a public proclamation of a man or woman’s repentance and turning toward God. Through baptism, the new believer publicly associates himself or herself with the corporate Church and with a local congregation.
• Once you are baptized you are anointed to preach the Gospel. And while you may not have a public platform inside a church building or on traditional media, you do have one or more circles of influence and possibly a network of friends and followers on social media. Use whatever platform you have to preach about what Jesus has done for you!
• Baptism is also an induction of sorts into the family of God. That’s why it most properly takes place in front of our new brothers and sisters, and why it should happen shortly after repentance. The Bible commands us to repent and be baptized.

IMPARTATION

Heavenly Father,

Thank You for baptism! I confess that I have not always made it as important in my life as You have made it. Order my steps that I may follow the example You set through Your Son, my Lord Jesus Christ, to be baptized after repenting of my sins and turning my life over to You.

Wash my sins away as I am immersed in the water, and bring me back to the surface a new creature inspired to preach Your word wherever and however You give me the opportunity. May I always remember my baptism and encourage others to repent and be baptized into Your Church and a local congregation. May Your Kingdom come in this way, now and forever.

In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ – Jehovah Joshua Messiah – I pray. Amen!






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