A Baptism to Remember

Yesterday at church Dennis shared about ordinances practiced by the church. His notes on the subject can be found on our website in Bible Study Notes, titled "Ordinances of the Church." As he spoke, the most wonderful baptism I've ever been to came to mind. It was so wonderous and unforgettable that I long to share it with you.

There are many water baptisms that have blessed me over the course of my life—my own, my children, other loved ones, precious saints in various churches. But of all the many baptisms I have attended, there is one that fills me with an extraordinary sense of God's presence every time it comes to mind.

Our Mexico City church, la Manada Pequeña (The Little Flock), had many new members seeking to be baptized, but no baptistry. Solution? Set aside a Sunday solely for baptisms. So a special day was planned in which the church would travel en masse, making the hour and a half trek to Cuernavaca to their sister church. This more rural church was, happily, situated close to a pleasant brook just perfect for baptizing.

The date was made and on a gloriously sunny day some 85 congregants made their public profession of faith by being baptized just as Jesus had been. There was singing and a pervasive feeling of joy as the new believers took their turn in taking this step of obedience to the Lord. When all were "dunked," we broke up in small groups, eager to enjoy the picnic lunches we had brought.

As we ate, still enjoying the euphoria that always seems to accompany public steps taken in obedience to the Lord, the word of something very special that had occurred began to be make the rounds from group to group. I still cannot think of it without tears welling up in my eyes.

It seems that after one of the young men had been baptized, he had a divine visitation. As he was helped up out of the water from that act representing his death and burial with Christ Jesus, he was graced with a vision from God. Blinking the water out of his eyes, he could not believe what he saw. All the water in the brook had turned to blood. God gave Him an astounding visual of what was happening to him in the spirit world. By accepting Jesus as his Lord and Savior he had been bathed in the precious blood of God's own Son. If that doesn't move you ...

As I meditated on the blessing of Jesus's blood shed for us, a thought began to niggle in the back of my mind. I know many classic hymns reference it, but, not that I am familiar with all, I couldn't think of very many newer songs that do. So I looked it up. Yup. I was right. Sad to say, a comparison of old hymns versus contemporary songs shows a disparity with regards to the mentioning of the blood of Jesus.

We know that it is pleasing to God to come up with new songs. Psalms 87:7 says that singers and players on instruments all have their springs in Zion. A spring is a source of water that is continually moving, not stagnant. God doesn't expect us to sing the same song over ... and over ... and over ad nauseum. As Cookie Monster might say, "New songs good!" But embracing the new does not mean trashing the old (see Jeremiah 6:16).

Many new songs are clearly anointed, drawing the hearer into real worship. But the blood of Jesus? That seems to have been put on the back burner. Is this a happy trend? What does Scripture say? Following are just some of the passages I found that emphasize what the blood of Jesus means to us.

When the Lord saw the blood of a lamb, a type of Christ, on the lintel and side posts of their homes, the Israelites of old were delivered from death (Exodus 123:22-23).

It is the blood of Jesus that cleanses us from all sin ( 1 John 1:7).

The blood of Jesus is the unique element that seals God's new covenant with His people (Matthew 26:27-28).

Jesus bought His church with His blood (Acts 20:28).

It is through His blood shed on the cross that He has brought peace to us here on earth (Colossians 1:20).

It is the blood of Christ that cleanses our unworthy conscience from those acts that lead to death (Hebrews 9:14).

The law requires the shedding of blood for cleansing and forgiveness (Hebrews 9:22).

It is only through the blood of Jesus that we can enter the Most Holy Place (Hebrews 10:19).

We can be made holy only through the blood of Jesus (Hebrews 13:12).

Clearly Scripture treats the shed blood of our Lord as a vital element of our beliefs, the very crux. Without the shed blood of Jesus, we have nothing. No entrance into the Kingdom of God, no remission of sin, nothing.

It's safe to say that the vision God graced His children with on that baptismal day was right on. There is absolutely nothing greater than Jesus shedding His blood for us. Whatever new trends music or public platforms may take, we must remain true to holding on to that which is good. Meditating on that incomprehensible wonder, the love of God poured forth for us through the shedding of Jesus' blood, will always center us on Him and all that He has for us.

"And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they loved not their lives unto the death" (Revelation 12:11).

"And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, 'This is the way; walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand and when ye turn to the left" (Isaiah 30:21).

"Prove all things; hold fast that which is good" (1 Thessalonians 5:21).