Week 11 - Day 2
THE STORY
You?
MAKE IT PUBLIC
The question is How do we make The Story our own and become a follower of Jesus? In Day 1 we focused on Making It Personal. Today we will look at Making It Public. This passage ties the two together.
Romans 10:9-10 (Author’s Translation)
If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are made right with God, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.
Why must heart (inward faith) and mouth (outward expression) go together?
BE BAPTIZED
Acts 2:38 (NIV)
Repent AND BE BAPTIZED, EVERY ONE OF YOU, IN THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
After making it personal through repentance, Peter calls us to make it public through baptism. In effect Peter is saying, don’t keep it to yourself, let others know that you are now a disciple of Jesus.
There are two major symbols communicated through baptism.
WASHING AWAY OF SIN
Acts 22:16 (NIV)
And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on his name.
How does baptism symbolize the washing away of our sins?
IDENTIFICATION WITH JESUS
Just as Jesus identified with us and our sin by being baptized (see Matthew 3:13-17), so now we identify with Jesus and His righteousness by being baptized in Jesus’ name.
Colossians 2:12 (NLT)
For you were buried with Christ when you were baptized. And with him you were raised to new life because you trusted the mighty power of God, who raised Christ from the dead.
How does baptism symbolize our identification with Jesus’ Death and Resurrection?
How is baptism a call to continually die to self and intentionally live for Jesus?
Here are some typical questions asked at a baptism.
Do you believe that Jesus Christ is your Savior, the one who forgives your sins?
Do you renounce the work of Satan, the ways of the world and the desires of your flesh and will you follow Jesus as your Lord?
Will you join God’s family in seeking Jesus passionately, loving each other sacrificially, living life Biblically and sharing the Good News of Jesus boldly?
Do you want to be baptized to publicly declare that you are a follower of Jesus?
How would you respond to each of these 4 questions?
Are you ready to be baptized?
If you’re part of a church where you were baptized as an infant, your next step in going public may be a public profession of faith or a public confirmation of your faith. Talk to your coach about what the next step is for making your faith public in your church’s tradition.
JOIN A CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY
Part of baptism is also joining God’s family, the church. Faith in Christ isn’t a solo adventure; it’s a group journey—a team sport. That’s why you don’t baptize yourself. You’re baptized by another follower in community with other followers.
After Peter called the people to be baptized we read …
Acts 2:41-47 (NIV)
Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day. They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.
What aspect of the Early Church would you most like to experience with other followers of Jesus?
How could you personally help make that aspect of Christian community happen again today?
Making it public, then, includes two things:
Being baptized
Joining the church
Once again, are you ready to make it public?
How can we help make that happen for you?
In light of what you have discovered through the Bible readings and your personal reflections, how will you respond? Finish this sentence: I will …