The Revolution of Baptism
Notes
Transcript
America’s Revolutionary War was filled with symbols.
One of the most famous symbols is the Liberty Bell that actually came at the end of the war and summonsed everyone together to hear the first reading of the Declaration of Independence. It was later used by abolitionists to call for an end of slavery.
The Sons of Liberty flag was a white flag that had 9 vertical lines that represented the Loyal Nine who founded the sons of Liberty. Later the stripes were turned horizontal, 4 stripes were added and it became the origin of the American flag as we have it now with stars and stripes.
Benjamin Franklin put out a cartoon of a snake cut into several pieces that was used to beckon the call of the colonies to join together as one united state. It referred to a wives tale that said if a snake was cut into pieces, but put back together that it would heal itself and the pieces rejoin.
We’ve all seen symbols associated with revolutions in various places for various reasons.
Did you know that baptism is a symbol of revolution and rebellion?
What we are doing today is rooted in a story in Matthew 3. There was a wild radical man named John who was baptizing at the Jordan River.
But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father,’ for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham. Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. “I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.” Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him. John would have prevented him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” But Jesus answered him, “Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he consented. And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him; and behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”
So what does Baptism mean?
Not a revolution of religion. John rejected the religious. If you think you are doing this for religious purposes, all you are doing is swimming just like every other person did this afternoon. In and of itself it will not change your life. Go through the meaning of baptism - why this ewater is unlike any other water - the profession and confession.
Is a revolution of repentance. Realize that the wrath of God is upon our sin. Ready to turn away from it and turn to Christ. Don’t want to live the way the world tells you to live. You want to live and please the Lord.
It is a revolution of hope. Revolution of the brokenhearted - that our revolutionary leader will return and make the world right.
And so what’s the symbol?