Speaker: Ben Sigman
Theme: Baptism & Communion
Weekend Music links on iTunes: God is With Us by Michael Olson; Yesterday, Today and Forever by Vicky Beeching; Your Name by Paul Baloche; Lead Me to the Cross by Hillsong United.
READ: John 1:12-13; Mark 16:16; 2 Cor. 5:17; Romans 6:1-14
THINK: Ever strike up a conversation with someone and the topic of conversation casually moves to a discussion of faith? Then the person you are talking to mentions that they are a Christian. When I was younger, my first response was typically, “That is awesome, good for you!!!” But over the years and seeing Gallup Polls that state nearly 8 out 10 Americans “identify” with some form of Christian religion, I start thinking to myself, “Can I get to Heaven by identifying that I believe in Christianity?”
Today, when someone tells me they are a Christian I often ask them, “How did you become a Christian?” The reason I do this is because my friend Matt did that to me about 10 years ago. He explained to me that so many people believe they are Christian because they have baptized as a baby, or because they have no other religion. Sometimes people even think that because I believe in A God, I must be Christian.
In listening to Pastor Ben’s message over the weekend, it made me reflect on the act of baptism as a public profession of your faith. However, baptism doesn’t make you a Christian it comes after believing in Christ. The only way you can be called a Christian is to take that first step of asking Jesus Christ into your heart. Knowing that you were sprinkled as a baby or even being baptized as an adult is not enough. It’s the acceptance of Jesus Christ into your heart that makes you a Christian. Baptism is a public confession of something that has already occurred in your life. It’s showing the world you have made a decision to follow Christ and symbolic of your past life being buried and being raised in a new life in Christ.
DO: Quick question: If someone asks you why you are a Christian- how would you respond? Take a minute to reread the scripture passages for today. Prepare yourself so that should someone ask you if you’re a Christian you’ll be able to say that you are a Christian because you’ve accepted into your heart as your personal Savior. Then, if you haven’t already done so, sign up for the next water baptism September 12th so that you can also say that because you received Christ you also took the next right step in your faith of water baptism.
PRAY: Heavenly Father, clarify in my heart where I stand with you today. Allow your grace to work on my heart and soften it to a point where I am totally committed to you and willing to take the next right step in my walk of faith.
The eDevotional is written each week by a team of volunteers from Timberlake Church.
|
