This morning we are continuing our series exploring our communal life as a church community, by investigating the life of the early church as seen in Acts. As we read how the early church did things it gives a great opportunity to highlight and celebrate, as well as to look for ways in which we can continue to grow. Last week, Ellie began the series for us by encouraging us to think about worship, and particularly a whole life worship that brings all we are as an offering to God.
This week, we are going to think about baptism. We’ll look at various accounts from Acts of baptisms, how they were based on Jesus’ command to baptise and some of the accounts of God’s work in the Old Testament that lie behind some of the symbols of baptism. We’ll then think about how this works out in our life as a church community together.
So, let’s begin by seeing what’s going on in our Exodus reading. The people of God have been enslaved in Egypt for generations. They have cried out to God, who has sent Moses to lead them into freedom. Out of Egypt, through the desert, and into the land that God had promised to their ancestor Abraham. Pharaoh wasn’t keen on this plan, and refused to let God’s people go, and so plagues started to come on Egypt, increasing in severity, until the last one – the death of the first born of the land.
At that point Pharaoh relented and told Moses and the people to leave, which they did. But, as soon as they had left, Pharaoh had another change of heart, and sent his army after God’s people.
They were trapped, caught between the advancing army and the Red Sea. What were they going to do? Be trampled by the chariots, or drown in the waters. Neither. God was with them, and through Moses, opened up a way through the sea so that they could escape on dry land. As soon as the last Hebrew stepped onto the far shore the waters closed over the pursuing army, and they were swept away.
The people were free from slavery in Egypt, but they were still in wilderness. They had not yet reached home, not got to their final destination. They travelled on, into the desert. This was a journey of ups and downs, of false dawns and rebellions against Moses and against God. It was not a smooth trip. Eventually, however, they reached the banks of the river Jordan, marking the border of the land that God had promised them. How were they to cross? Once again, God opened up the way, stopping the water, and allowing the people to go through on dry land.
This is a story of people being freed from slavery, passing through water that washed away the evil pursuing them, and coming into a place of freedom and promise. This account is one that is foundational to our understanding of baptism.
Without Jesus we are captive, enslaved, by our own sin, shame, and guilt. When we come to Jesus, turn from those things and choose to live with him as our Lord, we are forgiven and freed from these things, freed to live as children of God in the promises of God. Baptism is an effective sign and symbol of this change.
When we get to the New Testament the first baptisms we read about are the baptisms that John the Baptiser is leading people in. This is a baptism for the repentance of sins, for the symbolic washing away of all that guilt and shame, of people publicly declaring that they want to turn over a new leaf. This is why John is confused when Jesus appears, and as one of the first acts of his public ministry asks John to baptise him. John is confused, because he knows that Jesus doesn’t need to be baptised – he’s never sinned, so bears no guilt and has nothing to be ashamed of. But Jesus insists, because he has come to earth so that he can be identified with those who are guilty and ashamed. He came to deal with that guilt and shame, and part of that process was joining them in baptism.
At the other end of his ministry, towards the end of his time on earth, following his death and resurrection, Jesus makes it clear that baptising should be part of his followers’ mission strategy. One of the last things he said to them before returning to heaven was this:
“”go, making disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.”
But, there’s more. He’s not just talking about water baptism, Jesus also says to them,
“John baptised with water but in a few days you will be baptised with the Holy Spirit.”
This promise of Jesus was fulfilled just a little while later. After Jesus returned to heaven, his disciples went to Jerusalem, and waited. One day, as they gathered to celebrate the Pentecost harvest festival, the Holy Spirit flooded down on them in power, equipping them to tell others about the good news of Jesus. Peter stood up to preach, and at the end of what he said, the crowd asked him what they needed to do to be saved. He replied,
“Repent and be baptised, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ, for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off – for all whom the Lord our God will call.”
About 3,000 responded and were, in the first baptisms in the young church, baptised in water and received the Holy Spirit – the first Christian baptisms.
As we go through Acts we read of baptism after baptism. As we do we see a variety of different practices, which have contributed to the different practices in the church through the years.
Most of the baptisms in Acts follow the pattern of the first one, and of the one that we heard read about in our reading earlier from Acts. Someone hears the message of the good news of Jesus, responds for themselves, and is baptised at which point they receive the Holy Spirit.
There are, however, variants on this. In Acts 8 we read of Philip’s mission to the towns of Samaria. As Philip preached and healed people, many were convinced, turned to Christ, and were baptised in the name of Jesus, but did not receive the Holy Spirit. It was only later, when Peter and John came to visit and prayed for them, did they receive the Holy Spirit. It is this account that has led over the years to the Anglican idea of confirmation, and of the Pentecostal idea of a second baptism in the Holy Spirit, separate from water baptism.
On the other hand, we also have the account in Acts 10 of Peter going to visit the household of Cornelius. In this situation, Peter told the people there about Jesus, and as they responded in their hearts, the Holy Spirit fell on them with power. Peter was left looking on in wonder and saying, “Surely no one can stand in the way of their being baptized with water. They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have.” So he ordered that they be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ.”
A little later in the story of Paul’s visit to Philippi, we read of the conversion of the Jailer who had been in charge of the prison that Paul ended up in. Towards the end of this account we read this, “He and all his household were baptised.”
It is on the basis of this verse, and of the understanding that whole families are included in the covenant promises of God, that for many centuries churches have baptised young children.
So, we’ve surveyed the Old Testament roots of baptism, heard about Jesus’ baptism, and observed a wide range of practices in the early church. So what does all this mean for us, here and now in All Saints.
It seems to me that the first thing to say is that any baptism is a cause for celebration. Celebrating is one of our core values, and what could be more worth celebrating than someone turning to Jesus, being freed from their guilt and shame, and journeying into freedom and promise. Baptism is a sign of all these things, of the promises of God, and this is why we celebrate baptisms. I’m so pleased that when the reordering of this building was done, a baptistry was installed – it is such a joy to baptise people here.
The second thing to say is that I believe that the variety of practice we see in the early church encourages us to generous in our approach to baptism. This morning we have thanked God for Anna, and dedicated her to God. In time we pray and believe that she will come to be baptised in obedience to Jesus’ call on her life. Today has been a great day of celebration, and so will that day be, just as it was when we baptised Ethan a few months ago as he made that decision for himself. On other occasions we have and will baptise young children, as parents and godparents make those baptismal declarations and promises on their behalf.
In November we will welcome the bishop as she comes to confirm those who want to own those promises for themselves, as generations of young adults have done in the past. If you haven’t been confirmed, and would like to be, come and talk to me about being part of this service.
Thirdly, and most importantly, baptism is something that we are commanded to do by our Lord. We are a baptised and baptising people, released from slavery, washed clean, journeying to freedom, filled with the Holy Spirit, and we are sent to call others to join us.
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