Sometimes I wonder why the God of the universe chose to make being fully immersed in a pool of water His command for the new follower of Jesus to take part in. Then I sit in the crowd and watch as our Pastor stands in a hot tub and dunks people and I realize the answer is simple: We need pictures. And somehow, in the mystery of God, getting all wet in front of your friends and family is a picture of being born again.
I don’t know the last time you were in the crowd when 23 college students and one 8 year old were baptized, but it’s pretty powerful. It’s hard to keep from weeping as you watch person after person get into the Baptismal water as their testimony video shoots on the screen above their head. The picture of transformation and the story of transformation combine to make an overwhelming experience. When the video ends you feel like you know the person in the tub, and as they are brought up out of the water you find yourself celebrating for them and with them. Because it’s not only their story you’re clapping for but it’s the bigger story. The story that God still saves.
A month ago I sat across the table from a young man named Chris who was giving his life to Jesus. Chris grew up Mormon and after 4 weeks in our church and small group decided he wanted to follow Christ. He texted me 10 minutes into one of Keith’s sermons on the exclusivity of Jesus and said, “Can we meet tomorrow, I feel like I want to follow Jesus, but I have a lot of questions.”
As he told me about his shift in understanding and his heart being captivated by grace, I thought to myself, “It still happens. God still rescues and redeems. He still calls people out of death into life.”
If you had ears to hear, on Baptism Sunday, you only heard one story. Though 24 people stepped into the water and followed in obedience to Christ, they all sang the same song. There were a lot of narratives being said, but for those who were listening there was certainly a meta-narrative being whispered. The Rescue above the rescues. God was saying, listen, they are all speaking to the truth that I make all things new.
I think Baptisms are a lot like weddings. I told someone recently that when I officiate a wedding my hope is to make much of Jesus, and to make much of the covenant of marriage. I want married couples in the crowd to reach for each other and hold hands and in some small way renew their vows right there in their seats. I think Baptism Sunday serves the same cause. It makes much of Jesus and if done well everyone in the crowd is inspired to follow Jesus more deeply, to re-commit to their covenant with Him right there in their seats.
Baptism Sunday was beautiful because people walked in obedience. And as the church we gathered, we laughed, we cried, and we changed. And God knows God loves when His people do that.