Why Not Now?
“Why Not Now?” by Pastor Kent Munsey
City Church Chicago Message Recap
September 22, 2019
“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,” - Matthew 28:19, NIV.
Some of the best things in life happen when we take simple steps that are unplanned responses to unexpected opportunities that God gives us. Today we are giving everyone the opportunity to get baptized.
Baptism is sacred because it’s the very first thing that Jesus asks us to do. Through the sacrament of baptism, we express that we identify with the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus. Baptism is not about salvation; it’s about identification. It is the act of obedience after salvation.
There are three stories in Acts 16 that can help us understand more about baptism. In the first story, Paul preaches at a river, and a woman named Lydia hears him and believes. Lydia was a wealthy entrepreneur who was there to enjoy a peaceful Sabbath with her family at the river, but God had other plans.
The Bible says that Lydia opened her heart to Paul’s message. She and her family got baptized that day (Acts 16:13-15). Often times, Jesus works on the inside of us, and we open up to the Gospel, little by little.
In the second story in Acts 16, Paul and Silas are in a jail in Philippi. They had been imprisoned for the gospel, and a Philippian jailer had been charged to watch them carefully. But suddenly, an earthquake shook the prison, and the doors opened, and their chains fell off.
The jailer would have faced capital punishment if he were to lose any prisoners. When he goes to take his own life, the apostle Paul stops him, saying “we’re all still here!” The jailer is so moved that he accepts Jesus and gets baptized immediately (Acts 16:23-34).
Sometimes we need a peaceful place where we feel comfortable to open up; other times we need our world to be shaken, and we need to hear that thunderous voice of God. The same God who speaks in the still small voice is the same God who speaks in the shaking. It is still the same God and the same request to make a courageous decision to follow Jesus.
Here is what we need to know about baptism:
1. Baptism is an outward profession of faith in Jesus Christ. Baptism is the declaration that you are trusting Jesus to wash away and bury your sins, and it’s only through his resurrection power that you can live the life that he’s called you to live.
2. Baptism is an expression of hope in the death and resurrection of Jesus. We can’t get good to get God--we don’t need to get our life in order first; it’s only through his righteousness imputed to us that we can be righteous in God’s sight.
3. Baptism is not about church affiliation; it is about identification with Jesus, his death and resurrection. Baptism is like a wedding ring showing that you belong to your spouse.
4. Baptism does not need to be repeated every time we sin. We get baptized as a public declaration of faith, not as a means to salvation or to get right with God.
5. Today is as convenient an opportunity as you will ever have to be baptized. In Acts 16, there is another story of baptism: an Ethiopian man traveling in a chariot passes by a body of water and asks “Why should I not get baptized now?” If we haven’t been baptized as an adult, we should ask ourselves this same question: Why not now?
Twenty seven times in the book of Acts, people responded when given the opportunity to be baptized. You don’t need to pray about what God has already been clear about. The first thing that God asks us to do as Christians is to identify with his death, burial and resurrection because it’s a source of strength.
Baptism is a sacred tradition that strengthens our faith and reminds us that we have the power to overcome sin, death and the grave in Christ. Don’t hesitate to express your faith. Baptism is for everyone.
Discussion Questions:
Have you been baptized as an adult? Why or why not?
If you have made the decision to get baptized, how would you explain to a friend why you made that choice or why you are considering it?
Think about your faith journey. Would you describe God’s voice in your experience as tranquil or thunderous?
What did you leave behind in the water when you made the decision to get baptized? What do you hope to leave behind in the water, if you have not yet been baptized?
How has your experience with baptism strengthened your faith?