Parting the Water for ministry

Parting the water for ministry.

 

In Genesis 1:1-7

Here, in the beginning of time, we see the Spirit of God moving over the face of the dark and void waters of the earth, getting ready to bring about a change. We see the Godhead at work here over the still, unseparated, unbroken water.

Like the earth, we were once darkness and void. We were once alienated and enemies from God.

But God speaks into our lives and the Word brings the Light (John 1:1-18)

The Word, the Light, the Son of God, Jesus Christ breaks the darkness and chases it away.

The Spirit moves over us and then the still waters of our hearts are moved. They are separated. The water is then parted.

Parted like the waters when we are baptized.

So what is this thing called baptism?

Some say that it is the sign of salvation and they will proclaim that only when you are physically baptized will you be saved.

Others say that it is merely for show and that we do it to join the Church.

But baptism is not salvation and it is more than just confirmation. It is more than a show for others to see but it is not a salvation through works.

This thing called baptism is a symbol, a covenant with our Lord as well as a means for ministry.

What can we learn from baptism?

In the waters of preparation

 

1) We die in submission to God in baptism.

Matthew 3:13-17

 

We know from verse 15 that John did not think that it was proper for him to be baptizing Jesus for the remission of sins. Why? Because he grew up around Jesus. He saw how sinless Jesus was and is. He knew that there was no sin to repent of in Jesus. So he said “No, You should be washing me!” Yet Jesus told him to permit it because He said it was “To fulfill all righteousness.”

He was acting out something. He was doing something, not for sin, but for the Father and for us.

 

Some reasons for His baptism

1)      To affirm the ministry of John

2)      To identify with the rest of Israel and with us

3)      To illustrate the Godhead

4)      To dedicate His submission to God

5)      To show expectation of the Father’s provision

 

Baptism is a picture of our death, burial, and resurrection and we submit to God through this for ministry making a new covenant with the Father.

In orthodox Jewish homes, they still practice the birthright and blessing ordination as we see in Genesis 27:25-29 with Isaac and Jacob. We can see this in the baptism of Jesus

Matthew 3:17 where God says, “ This is My Beloved Son” The birthright

“In whom I am well pleased” The blessing –

And through this we can understand that God was giving Jesus His ministry here on earth. God was telling His Firstborn Son Who He was and what He would be. We can also see that this is for us because later in chapter 17:5, during the transfiguration of Jesus God says the same but at the end He tells the disciples to listen to Jesus

Jesus meets us in baptism and like Christ, we become pleasing to the Father.

When we are saved and indwelled with the Spirit, we then are named into the family of God

Romans 8:10-17

Ephesians 3:14-15

 

1) We become joint-heirs with Jesus and in baptism we become pleasing to the Father as well as equipped for ministry through the Spirit

2) We then become consecrated as temples of God

John 2:19

1 Corinthians 3:16

1 Corinthians 6:19

2 Corinthians 6:16

 

3) We are equipped for ministry through the empowering of the Spirit

2 Corinthians 3:3-6

Aaron and his sons were washed for priestly service (Leviticus 8:6, 16:23-24)

 

4) We become a washed living sacrifice

Leviticus 8:21, 16:3-5

 

The Holy Spirit came down from heaven like a dove

Mark 1:9-11

Luke 3:21-22

 

John 1:29-34

The Spirit remained on Jesus to prepare Him for ministry, not salvation

Not because He was just a man

Not because He was a Spirit man

He is the God-Man.

Fully God

Fully man

The Spirit covered Him, like a blanket. A comforter

 

2) We die to sin in baptism

1 Peter 3:21-22

 

Noah’s name means rest and is similar to the verb meaning comfort.

This is a picture of our dying to sin through the waters of the Spirit (John 4:14)

When we are indwelled with the Spirit of God at salvation, we receive a new nature, a nature that is not from birth, but from God. A nature that is like the new one that Noah saw after the flood. Genesis 6:17, an uncorrupted nature.

Everything in the earth had to die and everything earthly has to die within us.

Will we still stumble and fall? Yes, just like Noah, but as we live in Christ, we die to sin daily (Romans 12:1-2) and we live in Christ through His resurrection

 

3) We die to self in baptism

Jonah

 

Jonah’s name means dove. Jonah spent three days in the whale and he is a picture of our dying to self through the resurrection of Jesus

Matthew 12:38-40

John 12:23-26

 

These verses take on a whole new meaning when we seek to live like Christ

Matthew 10:39, 16:25

 

In the waters of separation

 

Going through the waters of the covenant

Numbers 31:23

 

 

Genesis 8:21-22

Noah was in Christ (Figuratively) in the ark for 40 days and 40 nights through the water.

The water took away what was unclean and God made a covenant with the new nature

The sign of this covenant was the rainbow

 

Exodus 34:28

Moses and the children of Israel had gone through the Red Sea.

Moses spent 40 days and nights with God on the mountain. He came back with the Ten Commandments or a covenant with Israel

Exodus 20-24:8

The sign was circumcision

 

Jesus went through the water of baptism. He spent 40 days and nights in the wilderness before being tempted. He came back with the Kingdom manifesto (The Sermon on the Mount) the guide for new Kingdom living or a covenant for Christians

The sign for us is the Holy Spirit

Ephesians 1:13

Because we are washed by the Word of God (Ephesians 5:26)

John 4:10-15, 7:37-39