“I was saved on June 26, 1975 at at the Colonial Apartments on Laguna Beach Panama City , Florida July 6, 1975 with Mark Smith, Brandon Smith and Mike Tiller by Rev. Tommy Reaves at the creek behind Donald Lloyd’s house.” These are the words I wrote as a fifteen year old in the front of my KJV Scofield Reference Bible, Red Letter Edition.
After making my commitment to Christ and being baptized, my grandmother encouraged me to write the date of those significant events in the front of my Bible so I would never forget them.
I don’t believe that everyone has to remember the time, date, and location of their conversion and baptism to be considered a genuine Christian, but for me, remembering my baptism has helped me to confirm and reaffirm my faith during some pretty tough times. There’s an old gospel song that says, “I can tell you the time, I can tell you the place, where the Lord saved me by his wonderful grace.”
Do you remember your baptism? As followers of Jesus who learn and live out Christ’s teaching in a Baptist community of faith, being baptized is pretty important…not to “seal the deal” but to confirm and launch us into a life of grace and growth.
This Sunday, as we conclude our series of sermons Living by the Book, we are asking, “Do You Remember Your Baptism?” as we examine scriptural teachings and general Baptist beliefs about “believer’s baptism by immersion.” To prepare for Sunday, I encourage you to read Matthew 3:13-17 and I Corinthians 11:23-28.
We plan to celebrate baptism in the Midmorning Service and to share the Lord’s Supper in both of our worship services. Teams will be going out on Sunday afternoon to share the Lord’s Supper with those who are homebound and those who live in retirement communities.
