Celebration of Baptism

Last night I got to enjoy that sacred ordinance of baptism with a teenage boy. I preached from Acts 8 about Philip and the Ethiopian Eunuch on the side of a swimming pool with students standing in the pool waters. After Philip preached Jesus to the Eunuch he saw water on the side of the road and wanted to follow in baptism.

My heart sunk as this student had no family show up to support his decision. One parent said they would be there and we waited for over an hour but he never showed up. When I asked the young man if he wanted to reschedule he told me he wanted to do it. I could see the sadness in his eyes.

My heart rejoiced with him as he followed through celebrating his decision to follow Christ months ago and celebrating baptism. It was also meaningful as the church gathered around the pool to celebrate with Jacob. They clapped and cheered as we rejoiced in the celebration of new life.

I wish we celebrated those baptisms more. In recent days I have learned of three others who need to follow through on believer's baptisms. I anticipate the joy of those occasions. I wish every church saw a regular flux of baptisms. I wish more people were coming to experience the new life in Christ. How we must long for those days like in the first church when every day people were coming to salvation in Jesus Christ. If that were to happen in the typical church today we would not know how to handle it. We are not equipped for that kind of growth.

Still celebrating baptism has taken on added meaning for me starting this church and doing them in a swimming pool. In fact, I would like to plan on an outdoor baptismal pool when Faith Community ever builds permanent facilities. The simplicity of those outdoor baptisms make all the sacrifice, all the perseverance, and all the steps of faith worth it.

O Jesus, you are the one who saves. You continue to do it even as I write this. I ask you for more souls. I ask you for more celebration of baptisms. I ask you for more new life and more sinners brought to repentance and new life. May this be something the church never tires in asking you for and celebrating. More celebration of baptism is the desire of our hearts.