Post Pandemic Preaching - Believed & Baptized

"And he reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, and persuaded both Jews and Greeks.

When Silas and Timothy had come from Macedonia, Paul was compelled by the Spirit, and testified to the Jews that Jesus is the Christ. But when they opposed him and blasphemed, he shook his garments and said to them, “Your blood be upon your own heads; I am clean. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.” And he departed from there and entered the house of a certain man named Justus, one who worshiped God, whose house was next door to the synagogue. Then Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue, believed on the Lord with all his household. And many of the Corinthians, hearing, believed and were baptized.

Now the Lord spoke to Paul in the night by a vision, “Do not be afraid, but speak, and do not keep silent; for I am with you, and no one will attack you to hurt you; for I have many people in this city.” And he continued there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them."

Acts 18:4-11 in the New King James Version

[This is the 14th lesson of this series]

The backstory to the excerpt above is that Paul in one of his missionary journeys went through Syria and Cilicia, all the way to Derbe and travelled to Lystra and nearby towns throughout the region of Phrygia and Galatia, to Troas, and then to Philippi, teaching in synagogues and public places about Christ. While some believed, the people were mostly hostile to Paul and his travelling companions and they had to be on the move to escape persecution, incarceration and even death.

From Philippi, they went to Berea, to Athens and then to Corinth were this happened. Interestingly he stayed in Corinth for one and a half years, teaching there.

[While we have named this series Post Pandemic, we really are, even after two years, still in a pandemic season, but teaching and learning about Christ do take some time, years, even with Paul and Jesus Himself teaching.]

In this lesson, we will continue from the previous message, where we ended with saying we need to repent.

The idea is Christians originally believed in Christ as they heard Him speak, and then hearing others speak about Christ (like Paul was doing in his trips).

Now as John the Baptizer before Him, Christ preached about the Kingdom of God and the need to repent and turn back to God.

The people believed, and were baptized. Paul also baptized believers in the places he visited.

We discussed about baptism in the New Believers Series of lessons.

So the first Christians (although not originally known or called Christians), were taught about Christ, they repented, believed, were forgiven and they were baptized.

Ethiopian Eunuch

There is an interesting incident described in the Book of Acts where Philip came upon an Ethiopian reading the Book of Isaiah regarding the Messiah. Philip asked the reader if he can understand what he was reading. The Ethiopian responded, he needed someone to explain it to him. Philip did. And he believed.

When they came upon a body of water, the Ethiopian told Philip here is water, so what is preventing him from being baptized right there. Nothing really. So the Ethiopian went into the water and was baptized. Acts 8:26-40

Water Baptism

The New Testament example of water baptism is that a person or a baptizer, lowers the person wanting to be baptized under water, to be baptized.

A new believer, after being aware of baptism and the biblical call for believers to be baptized, also wants to have that desire to be baptized. If that is you then you can take the steps needed to be baptized in your area. Find a body of believers who believe in Christ and inquire about how and when you can be baptized.

But really no where does it state in Scriptures that a group of believers cannot go to a body of water and baptized themselves, or even for someone to do it alone, on their own.

After reading in the bible about baptism, you can definitely do it on your own, especially if there is really no other way around it. (Think about it, if you are isolated in one place or the last person on the planet and wanted to be baptized, does the Lord not want you to be baptized? Surely not, if that is your will.)

You can go to a lake, a river, the beach, a swimming pool. Go in into the water, maybe chest deep, and not going too far or too deep.

Confirm in your heart that you have believed and have decided to follow Christ. When you are sure and you believe Christ died for you, to set you free from sin and death. You want to know Him more, and follow Him. You don't want to be ignorant of God and you want to turn away from your life of sin and disobedience of Him.

Say something like, I baptize you in the name of the Father, The Son, and the Holy Spirit, in the Name of Jesus of Nazareth and immerse yourself fully under the water for a few seconds, and go back out. You have been baptized.

Death To Life

Baptism is the symbolic act of burying your human body beneath the water, dying in the flesh and then coming back out, like resurrecting from the dead -- being born again, a rebirth, coming back to life -- the old becoming new, a fresh start.

By doing so, you are identifying with Christ's finish work of redemption and reconciliation. Christ died for you. You die in the flesh, and your spirit comes alive.

What do you say? If you haven't been baptized like how the bible describes it, what's keeping you from looking for a church or a group of believers so you can be baptized? Or if there is no other way, why not do it yourself?