Acts 1:4 – After the resurrection, Jesus tells His disciples to “wait for the promise”. This promise is more than just words; more that just a message (Luke 24:49; 1John 1:5). As powerful as that message is, its more; its an officially sanctioned provision from God. What was “the” promise? We will see it is key to their ministry, key to their lives, key to the future. It was…
▪︎ Promise of the Kingdom – Matt 24:14… but wait, it is more than that… but they still didn’t fully understand (John 21:3). A pretty casual time at that point, life as usual, same-o, same-o. The Promise is more…
▪︎ A Promise of Life – 2Tim 1:1… Yes, but much more than just life…
▪︎ Promise of God speaking to us and thru us – Matt 10:20;
▪︎ Promise of sustenance – John 7:38-39 (rivers of living water); John 6:51 (the Bread of life)
▪︎ Promised advocate/comforter – the Helper, John 16:7 (from close beside); the Counselor, John 16:8-9, 10-11 (convicting of sin); the Teacher, John 16:12, 13, 14-15 (revealing all truth). What were they waiting for?
His message, His words, His plan, His power, His motivation, His timing.
Baptism ( ► ) is a term pulled from the dyeing trade. Material, cloth, clothing is put into a vat of dye to color the material and make it like new. When a person becomes a Christian, God enters into that life and regenerates that person by sending His Holy Spirit to come and live within them. This is a once and forever event that produces significant, lasting results (2Cor 5:17). Baptism is a “type” (a picture) of that process, meant to reaffirm the commitment of the original action and state to the community around that this person is new inside.
In the dyeing trade, results depend on several factors, one of which is the “soak” time, that in part determines how much of the dye is absorbed by the material being colored. God entering a person’s life, actually begins the “soak” process when God unites the person with His person, His character. We are immersed into Christ when we are born of the Spirit (John 3:4-5). We must be born again (John 3:6-7). This begins His process where He starts to permeate our lives and we take on His character, His mark, His seal (the imprint of God on the clay), His authorization, His companionship, His presence… Acts 1:5 – “baptized” = to dip, immerse, make totally wet, submerge. As mentioned, it is a Greek term used in the dyeing trade. What is the dyeing process?
1. The material needs to be clean. Dirt and scum penetrate the cloth and keep fluid from penetrating the material or may cause an uneven absorption into the cloth. On the cross, Jesus paid for all our sins. As life moves on, we need to continually confess sin that we do, 1John 1:9; and work to prevent it in the future, 1Peter 2:11. It is a good idea to confess all known sin before you commit to baptism.
2. The material needs to be submerged into the dyeing fluid. To get the color to transfer, the material needs to be in intimate contact with the fluid, fully wetted. This requires real commitment; don’t take baptism lightly, Heb 10:24-25.
3. The dyeing process takes time, soak time. You cannot just dip it and walk away with it. Time is required to transfer color from the fluid to the garment. The “soak” is a life long process of getting to know Chirst, Phil 3:8;
4. The process makes the cloth a part of the fluid and the fluid becomes part of the cloth. The two become one in the vat. We are with Him and become in Him. He is with us, and is now in us. At Jesus’ birth he was called Immanuel, which means “God with us”, Matt 1:23.
The prefix “sun” in the Greek… “with”… Crucified with Him (Gal 2:20; Rom 6:6), buried with Him (Rom 6:4), died to sin with Him (Rom 6:8), raised with Him (Rom 6:4), live with Him (Rom 6:8). Similarly, the prefix “en” shows we are “in” Christ (Eph 2:10), in the heavenlies, in our personal lives here on earth (Col 1:28-29; Col 1:24)… in the Church, in the Body, in His Kingdom… He in us and we in Him!
Baptism is really a heart attitude – 1Peter 3:21. It is not the outward physical act of being submersed in water, but it is what you are thinking inside, in your heart that matters.
It all starts at the moment we accept Christ as our personal Savior. But baptism is also pictured where the material is plunged into the vat of dye. Then it is raised up out of the water to a new and different existence. It now has the color of the dye permeating its life. Similarly, baptism is a picture of the resurection when Jesus died and was raised up after three (3) days. He raises us to a new life in Him.
see also … Immanuel, God With Us