“baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit”…Matthew 28:19b
On the chosen day the sea was quite rough with 1 to 1.5 meter waves rolling in. Willy and I got into position and then a wave hit us almost knocking us off our feet. This happened a couple of times before I told Willy ready or not he was going to be baptized in the next wave.
Just as the next wave hit us I grabbed Willy and tipped him backward into the water proclaiming: "I baptize you in the name of the Father, Son and (unintelligible)." I hope Holy Spirt will forgive me for only thinking his name because there was no way to say his name while I was under the wave with Willy. Pastor and parishioner both got thoroughly baptized that day. Fortunately, we were able right ourselves and find enough footing to resist the undertow after the wave crashed on the shore.
Most baptisms are not such humorous events. But baptism is a big part of being a disciple of Jesus. Baptism symbolizes a new beginning. Jesus demonstrated this when he requested John baptize him before he formally began his earthly ministry.
Baptism is this wonderful symbolic act of burial or dying to sin by being immersed in the water. The water also symbolizes washing away the sin from our old life. Coming up out of the water symbolizes being resurrected or reborn to a new life in Christ.
On that day I had a very realistic talk with Willy. I informed him:
today is the start of a journey called discipleship.
it is not likely going to be a straight line, upward trajectory from this point forward to heaven.
most likely you will fail to meet the standards of a disciple of Jesus.
according to 1 John 1:9 forgiveness and a restart is possible.
being a disciple is a journey and when you wander off the path determine to quickly get back on the right path.
Willy usually did not hang around after the church service but one Sunday I noticed he wanted to see me so as soon as I could extricate myself from other conversations I met with Willy. He told me: "I fell off the path this week pastor, but I am back on the journey." My response was to congratulate him and encourage him to never give up but rather to keep moving closer to being the disciple Jesus intended him to be."
When a person decides to be a Jesus follower and shows the seriousness of that decision by getting baptized we need to realize this only the beginning of a life long journey of learning and growing as a disciple of Jesus. The hard work of discipleship has just begun and it won't be complete until the new disciple is mature enough and equipped to be a disciple-maker.