Tomorrow night at 5 PM Church I’ll be baptising Jemima, one of our youngest 5 PMers!
What exactly is it that we’ll be doing?
At the very end of Matthew’s gospel, we read the Jesus’ words “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” (Matthew 28:17 – 20) There are approximately 100 uses of the group of “baptism” words in the New Testament. What do we make of this somewhat strange little process?
Baptism is part of being a disciple of Jesus.
Don Carson says of Jesus’ words in Matthew 28, “the New Testament can scarcely conceive of a disciple who is not baptised or who does not receive instruction.” Wearing a fire-proof suit and a helmet won’t make me a racing driver, but if I’m a racing driver, I’ll wear a fire-proof suit and a helmet. That is to say, while someone isn’t made a disciple of Jesus simply by teaching them what Jesus has said and baptising them, someone who is a disciple of Jesus will be taught about Jesus and baptised.