Salvation through the Waters

Mini Message

The Sacrament of Baptism

Baptism is one of the two foundational sacraments (which means sacred mystery) that we as a church take part in.

Sacraments are ritual actions undertaken by the church that are understood as visible signs of an invisible grace.

Baptism signifies us passing from death to life through the power of Christ’s death and resurrection.

While baptism as we know it was introduced by Jesus, the meaning behind baptism stems from a long Jewish History.

Creation out of the Waters

Genesis 1:1-2

Genesis 1:1–2 (NIV)

1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.

Genesis says that the earth was formless and empty, meaning it was an inordered, watery, mess. Admits this there was the Holy Spirit hovering over the waters.

But then God pulled up land through the waters, bringing order through the watery chaos.

The rest of the creation narrative highlights how God creates a perfect ecosystem that was to be inhabited by humans.

However, the first humans decided to reject their creator God by choosing to define good and evil on their own terms and this separated them from God.

Who will be the one who will restore the world that God created from the waters?

Noah and the Flood

When humanity was in complete rebellion God called Noah who was to be like a new Adam that would restore humanity to its purity.

God flooded the earth with water reducing the earth back to its watery chaos that we see in Genesis 1 so that the earth might be cleansed from its wickedness.

Salvation would happen to anyone who would choose to enter the ark, and these people would be part of the recreation of humanity.

1 Peter 3:20–21 (NIV)

20 to those who were disobedient long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water, 21 and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also—not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a clear conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ,

However, while hopes were pinned on Noah; he became drunk and the generations that succeeded him were no better.

Moses and the Red Sea

Then God set aside the people of Israel who were descendants of Abraham, making a covenant with them and calling them to be set apart from the other nations.

Israel was called to help make the world more like Eden such as in Genesis 12:3.

God did this by calling Israel out of their slavery in Egypt and taking them in and out of the waters of the Red Sea into their new found freedom.

For Israel, this represented a change in identity from a past in slavery to a destiny with their God.

1 Corinthians 10:1–2 NIV

1 For I do not want you to be ignorant of the fact, brothers and sisters, that our ancestors were all under the cloud and that they all passed through the sea. 2 They were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea.

However, despite Israels redemption from Egypt they were still very much slaves to sin and ended up being just as bad as the nations around them.

The New Adam

All the Biblical writers are developing the question of: “Who is going to be this new Adam that brings about a new Eden from the waters?”

It seems like all hope is lost. But God was not done, he sent his son Jesus.

Romans 5:14–17 (NIV)

14 Nevertheless, death reigned from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, even over those who did not sin by breaking a command, as did Adam, who is a pattern of the one to come. 15 But the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God’s grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many! 16 Nor can the gift of God be compared with the result of one man’s sin: The judgment followed one sin and brought condemnation, but the gift followed many trespasses and brought justification. 17 For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ!

Jesus introduced a new salvation from the waters that neither Noah nor Moses could offer.

Jesus entered into the waters of death, but then rose from those waters to give salvation to all who would believe in him.

Adam was the man who brought sin into the world but Jesus is the new Adam who brings sin out of the world.

Baptism is a reversal of Adam’s Fall

Baptism is taking part in Jesus’ reversal of fallen humanity that came through Adam.

Jesus brings a new meaning to salvation through the waters and he introduces baptism as a means of bring about this new humanity.

Romans 6:4–7 (NIV)

4 We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. 5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his. 6 For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin—7 because anyone who has died has been set free from sin.

Baptism means that what is true of Jesus is now true of us.

Adam as a representative of humanity was walking in the light but then he fell into the hands of death. But Jesus went into the hands of death and resurrected so that humanity could walk in the light. (Symbol of Baptism)

Being baptised means leaving our old Adam-like humanity and stepping into the new Jesus like humanity.

In the Font

One thing that I’ve noticed from getting to know Hannah is that she’s willing to give almost anything a shot. This is the kind of mindset that you should have with your faith, where you say to Jesus here I am, whatever you want me to do, my life is yours. So in getting baptised today you are surrendering your life to Jesus and trusting your entire life into his hands. (PRAYER) So Hannah, because you love Jesus and want to give your life completely to him, we now baptise you in the name of the father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.

Appeal

Today we’ve witnessed Hannah publicly giving her life to Jesus. As you’ve heard Hannah’s story and discovered or rediscovered the meaning of baptism, perhaps your heart has been stirred. If you have already made a decision publicly to follow Jesus then today is the day for you to reaffirm your committment to Him. However, perhaps you have not made your decision to accept Jesus into your life publicly. Perhaps you’ve been a bit like Hannah who was waiting for the right time...