Baptism, An Unbroken Chain of Faithfulness

How wonderful and how glorious a thought, that this day, we will be continuing in a 2,000 year old practice. An ordinance that has continued, unbroken from its institution until this day. For centuries there have  been believers in Christ baptizing  in the same way, the  same kind of candidates, for the same reason, by the same divine authority.

Does that thrill your soul? Does it amaze you? That we continue on this glorious, ancient rite – given to us by God Himself? The angles have gathered this morning to see and to witness this wonderful ordinance of baptism. A couple weeks ago, Heaven rejoiced and was glad at the salvation of a soul. The world may not have cared. But heaven did, and the heavenly minded did.  And now we (and I believe they) also rejoice at the continuance of the ordinance of baptism.

"There was once a wonderful sight. Jerusalem poured forth its thousands to see it. Immense throngs from the surrounding country swelled the tide of sight-seers. They went out to the river Jordan, in which a strangely attired man was administering a  new rite,  For which he was specially commissioned of God.
This thronging to the Jordan called for the question of our Saviour“What went ye out in to the wilderness to see?” The ordinance thus inaugurated of baptism has never lost its attractive power. In every age thousands have stood by rivers, lakes, and pools to witness its symbolism.” - BH Carrol

Baptism is an unbroken chain and testimony to the faithfulness of God and His church. Christ had commissioned His church to continue on in the great commission, making disciples, baptizing, and teaching. What we have before us today, these many centuries later, is the testimony of the faithfulness of Christ. We have a church making disciples, baptizing, and teaching! Before ascending to the right hand of the Father, Jesus told the church to go, to preach the glorious gospel. To tell the world that the Christ had come, that He died as a sinless substitute and rose from the grave. Preach! Declare! Make know the great name of the great Saviour.

And when His sheep hear His voice, they will come. They will repent of their sins. They will be His disciples, as they were his disciples. They will follow Christ, as they had followed Jesus.

How will they follow Christ? They will continue on in this organization, the gathering of the called ones, the blessed Bride of Christ. And they will come and they will be baptized. When they have heard the voice of Christ by faith and are quickened by the Holy Spirit and made alive and come as my disciples, they will be baptized with this same baptism.

Not by the authority of any man, you were not called merely by any man. Not by the authority of any organization, you were not saved by any organization. You are Baptized with authority from Heaven, from the Saviour who bleed for you, that was given to the church to Baptize. You are Baptized in the name of the Father who chose you, the Son who bleed for you, and the Spirit who indwells in you.

Under the water, dying to sins, rising to walk in newness of life.  As Jesus, died and was buried, arose the third day for your justification.

Rejoice in the picture of the gospel! Rejoice, that you are participating in this ancient, unbroken chain of God’s faithfulness. From the days of John the Baptist until this very afternoon, God’s people have been submitting to this very same baptism, commissioned by the Lord of Glory, for this very same reason – a testimony to all that you have received Christ as Saviour.  You vow publicly to love and follow the Lord Jesus Christ.

You show, that there will be a resurrection of the dead. This is our hope. That as Christ died and rose, so will we. We show what Christ did for us. We show, spiritually, that we die to sin and rise in newness of life. But we also show that there is coming a day, when they will bury us in the grave. When this body will die, but praise God, as Christ rose, so will these mortal bodies.






An excerpt from the sermon prior to the baptism of my son.