Baptism Night 2025

Story of John Newton

Church, we talk often about the grace of God,

but we cannot forget that grace meets us at the crossroads of repentance.

To repent is not just to feel sorry. To repent means to turn around. To do a 180 - It is a conscious decision that we recognize the direction we are going is not the right one and as Jesus by grace makes the invitation to follow him we do so.

Main Body of the Illustration John Newton was born in 1725 in England, raised by a Christian mother who died when he was a child.

As he grew, he wandered far from her faith. By his teenage years, he was working on ships, living a life of rebellion, and hatred. Eventually, he became a captain of a slave ship—making money from one of the darkest industries in human history. He treated people as cargo, breaking down families apart and producing suffering and pain..

But God had other plans.

In 1748, while crossing the Atlantic, Newton’s ship was caught in a terrible storm. The waves crashed, and the crew was certain everybody was going to die. And in that moment—in a time of desperation, this sinful man cried out a prayer, “Lord, have mercy!”

It was the beginning of repentance. Not all at once, but day by day, month by month, year by year. Newton left the slave trade. He began studying Scripture. He became a pastor. And eventually—this man who once enslaved others became a voice for abolition, working alongside William Wilberforce to end the evil industry of slavery.

And through it all, he wrote a hymn—one you’ve sung countless times:

“Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound, That saved a wretch like me. I once was lost, but now am found, Was blind but now I see.”

Even if you have not lived a morally evil life to your own standars - Like John Newton had- You can sing that song- Amazing Grace - Because we have all being wretched by Sin- And when I talk about sin, I am not talking about the bad things you do when nobody is watching- Although that is part of sin. I am talking about our human nature- The viruse that infected humanity called Sin - That virus separate us from God - And because God is life- Without God we are dead.

But Gospel is Good news. and that Same good News is the one Peter preached at the launch of the church - People were moved and asked - Weshal we do? and Peter said:

Acts 2:38 NIV

Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, 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.

Baptism is an outward display of an inward transformation, that starts at the moment of repentance. When you realized you cannot save yourself. But you need Jesus.

In Baptism you are telling the World, the Devil and the evil forces of this world, that you are not following their path anymore- You turned around and now Follow Jesus.

In baptism you are telling the World, The Devil and the evils forces of this world, that you are not alone. First You have God in Spirit with you, and then you have the CHurch, The family of Believers that are ready to help you fight the battle and to answer the call of God for your life and and to Share God’s light with the world.