Jun | 03 |The Waters Of Witness

Dream Word – OBEY

1 Corinthians 1:12-17 Now I say this, that each of you says, "I am of Paul," or "I am of Apollos," or "I am of Cephas," or "I am of Christ." Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius, lest anyone should say that I had baptized in my own name. Yes, I also baptized the household of Stephanas. Besides, I do not know whether I baptized any other. For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of no effect. NKJV

The Waters of Witness

I’m a full immersion man myself, though if you want to sprinkle, if you want to wet the baby’s head in an acknowledgement of covenant relationship, then I can live with that. Though I would much prefer to see you like Yul Brynner playing Taras Bulba of old, and taking your brand spanking new baby boy and immediately immersing him headlong into any ice cold creek nearby, before then raising him above your head as an offering to God most High! Less palaver. More integrity.

For some time now, the ordinance of baptism has been carried out by the suitably ordained, by those sound in both mind and judgement, by the dog-collared or black-gowned prophet, wearing a rubber suit under his preaching gown and finding it hard to maintain his stable footing in the baptistry and almost unable to help himself from floating on his back like a smelly old dead fish, due to the positive buoyancy caused by the rather large air bubble caught in his galoshes. Yes, that happened to a friend of mine and I tell you, he looked positively drunk whilst trying to perform the baptism. Laugh! I nearly wet myself. Look, let me tell you now, if you are a Christian, then YOU can baptise your own kids anywhere you like. Without galoshes even.

Never the less, baptism is a special time for sure. A time when we obey the command of our Lord Jesus to externally exhibit that which has internally taken place, that is, our full and complete association with His death, burial and resurrection. Tonight I simply want to leave you with a handful of wet considerations.

I believe that the ‘WHEN’ of you getting baptised is prefixed by only one point in time, that is, when you believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and are saved. You should be baptised only after this and I would say, as soon as you possible can after this.

I believe the person doing the baptizing should be the person who led you to Christ. If you want. If they want. If not then it should be someone else you choose as a mentor, a good friend, a God-parent if you will. If you can’t find anyone like that, then I am sure the local 'collar' will do it. Remember though, that ministry is in the hands of the Royal priesthood of which we all are members.

I believe you don’t need an audience for this. I believe it doesn’t need to be a great evangelistic event. Though it can be. I mean, why not? But it doesn’t have to be. Just you and the person baptising you. A faithful witness, a life-long friend to remind you, to walk with you, to stand with you, to instruct you, to pray with you, and even when necessary, to slap you up the side of the head. What a bond of mutual honour, responsibility and accountability, should exist between the baptiser and the person being baptised.

I believe there is blessing attendant to such obedience. Such blessing should be expected, counted upon, looked for.

Yes, I believe you should be baptised.

Listen: - “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen. Matthew 28:18-20 NKJV

Pray:- Lord, make me a swimmer in the waters of obedience in the water of blessing, in the waters of witness. Amen!