3 min read

Six 'Remembers' for an Unforgettable Baptism

Jesus' own baptism can't be beat as a pattern. It offers six reminders for pastors designing unforgettable baptisms for those God has drawn to Himself today. We should let Jesus mentor us from the Jordon River.

1. Baptisms are about God and His new follower. At Jesus' baptism, the focus was on (1) the One being baptized, (2) God the Father, and (3) the Holy Spirit (Matthew 3:16-17). The "pastor" was hardly mentioned. There was no long story about the "pastor" being Jesus' cousin and that they both began life with miracle births. Keep it about the new member and God.

2. Baptisms are one of the most solemn events in a believer's life! Jesus said to John, "In this way it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” (Matthew 3:15, NASB) A holy commitment and example are clearly referred to. Absent from the record are any jocular remarks about water temperature or the rocky river bottom. If our pastoral style makes baptisms, weddings, and ordinations laughable, when will the glory mist and angel echoes surrounding the believer and God Above (Isaiah 6: 2-4) ever be felt? Use humor as a tasty seasoning, really enjoyed when carefully included in the right recipe, like sermon illustrations, classes, and one-on-one ministry. I can't say a touch would always spoil your baptism. But, I CAN say there weren't any guffaws at the Jordon! Our Mentor wasn't wrong. Keep it solemn.

3. If the water's cold, do your talking before you get in it! Time prophecy scholars conclude that Jesus' baptism was in the Autumn (see SDA Bible Commntary, Vol. 4, p.853 on Daniel 9:25). At about the same latitude as North America, the water could have been pretty cold. John's heart gushed the need for repentance! It was intense (Matthew 3:7-11)! Decisions for Christ are made at baptisms because good pastors make appeals. But, especially with multiple baptisms outdoors, take baptismal candidates into the water one-at-a-time. And, make your remarks before entering cold water. In 1995, a couple dozen Georgia Cumberland

Conference pastors visit-ed this Essene baptistry at Qumran near the Dead Sea Scroll caves. Some say it was cracked by the same earthquake that ripped through Jerusalem on the Friday Jesus died in 31 A.D. If you have to endure extreme baptismal con-ditions, get in and out! Shaking and chat-tering like a mini-quake will not create the beauti-ful anchor point for a new member's lifetime discipleship you're aiming for.

4. Rehearse. Every version I've looked at expresses intentionality. "Jesus...came...to be baptized by John" (Matthew 3:13, GW). This wasn't spontaneous. Jesus had

thought this all through. He knew what was going to happen. Rehearsing with our baptismal candi-dates gives them confidence, too. A day or two before their service, I like to take them to the baptistry and dressing room. I Show them their robe, enter the empty pool with them, and practice the grip with hand-kerchief. That's a meaningful time to pray for their service and its potential impact on others for Jesus. Pictured here is Audrey Edwards whom I baptized at Cohutta Springs Adventist Conerence Center on September 26, 2015.

5. Talk about clothes ahead of time. A simple reminder that they willl need dry things to replace whatever they wear beneath their robe is sufficient. In Matthew 3, both John's clothes (verse 4) and Jesus' footwear (verse 11) are described before events at the river's edge (verses 13-17). Talk about clothes ahead of time.

6. Be affectionate. All three synoptic stories of Jesus' baptism ooze with God Family affection! Our culture craves what Jesus received at His baptism. Basically, after

the Spirit found a feathery way to be there in-Person, God the Father couldn't hold back and announced out of thin air, "This is M'Boy! I love Him so very very much and can't be any prouder of what He's doing!" (Matthew 3:16-17; Mark 1:11; Luke 3:22) Our heavenly Mentors are telling us to flood our baptismal services with Their love through our affection. Can you see it here where my longtime friend and colleaague Wendell Stover assists me with Audrey's imersion? Your face will be wet after watching the natural Pastor-teenager affection in this truly beautiful baptismal service when three young men recently joined the Buford Family Seventh-day Adventist Church pastored by my Son, Matthew Smith.