A community church devoted to teaching, fellowship, and prayer

Archives for July 2017

Baptism

Baptism at Drift Inn

Baptism is both a proclamation of what God has done and a commitment to Him. It is a time of celebration as we reflect on the new life that God has given us by the death and resurrection of His Son, Jesus. The one who confesses faith in Jesus makes a commitment, with God’s help, to love and obey Jesus, and the church comes alongside, formally welcoming the believer into the family of God and committing to helping their brother or sister to persevere in the faith, living faithfully to our Lord and Savior.

On July 23rd we at the Port Clyde Christian Church had the privilege of celebrating the baptism of Kevin and Lily.

Baptism in water is a visible act that pictures an invisible spiritual reality. I don’t like the language of an outer act to symbolize an inward reality, for that seems to make one more subjective than the other, or even private. And the spiritual reality that is visibly portrayed in water baptism is not private for it involves the family of God, nor is it subjective as if there is no evidence for it other than our ritual. Similarly, I don’t want to say that one is physical and the other spiritual, as if spiritual realities are disconnected from physical realities. Rather our union with Christ through faith is not directly apprehended by our sense of sight, but as a means of grace, as an aid to faith, water baptism represents to our sight our very real invisible union with Jesus.

Paul talks about the reality of our union with Christ in Romans 6. Through faith we have become united to Christ, and so we share in the reality of His death and resurrection. By virtue of His death we die to sin, being freed from its domination. By virtue of His resurrection we are raised to newness of life. When we believe in Jesus we receive new life, we are transformed. To put into practice this new life we have through union with Christ takes time. The process by which we become who we are in Christ is called sanctification. So it doesn’t happen overnight, it is a life-long pursuit. But those who believe in Jesus, though we struggle, will make progress in becoming like Jesus. More and more we will love like Him, forgive like Him, and serve like Him.

Jesus Christ is both Savior and Lord. He saves us from sin and death by His death and resurrection. And as Lord he commands us in the way to live, how to think and how to act. When we live as Jesus commands we are blessed, we are a blessing to others, and God is glorified.

Baptism does not make anyone a Christian. Peter makes this clear in 1 Peter 3. It is not our getting in the water that washes away our sin, it is Jesus’ death and resurrection that through our faith results in our salvation. So turn away from sin and believe in Jesus and you will have eternal life! Then follow your Lord and Savior Jesus, obeying His commands. Begin by following the Lord in baptism, like Kevin and Lily. Praise the Lord!

~Pastor Randall

1 Peter, Sermons

1 Peter: Elect Exiles Living in Hope

Join us as we dig into the book of 1 Peter, our current sermon series:

Back in the first century the apostle Peter wrote to encourage Christians living throughout Asia Minor (in what is modern day Turkey). These believers in Jesus found themselves exiles in this world because of their heavenly citizenship. As the Holy Spirit set apart God’s elect, they found they were often viewed with suspicion and hostility by their unbelieving neighbors. Christians could lose friends, jobs, and more because of their faith. Without the encouragement of fellow saints, believers may become discouraged and even doubting their faith when it results in such hardship.

The same is true today. As biblical Christianity becomes less palatable to our culture, the more we need to hear the encouragement and instruction that the Apostle Peter gave his original audience. If we are maligned for believing in a creator, for trusting in Jesus as the only way to the Father, for holding to and advocating for biblical morals and ethics, we need to remember that being exiles in this world is the lot of those belonging to a kingdom not of this world. Rather than giving rise to discouragement or doubts, our exile experience should remind us that, while rejected by this world, we are chosen by God. Even though we are despised by the people of this world, we are loved by our Heavenly Father.

Finding our identity in our relationship with God through His Son Jesus not only strengthens us to face the trials of this life, but it calls us to live a life that honors the one who saved us. We want to please Him. As God’s chosen people we are called to prove the truth of the gospel to others. Even as some will despise us, others will see our holy lives and become convinced of the truth of the gospel. We are exiles in this world, but we live in the hope of our future salvation. It gives us strength to endure the trials, and the courage to live holy lives.