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The Undiscovered Country The act of water baptism (being immersed in water in response to receiving salvation) is a very important first step in the Christian life.

In Matthew 3:13-17, we see the Lord Jesus Himself coming to His cousin John to be baptized, in order to "fulfill all righteousness." He then went on to establish baptism as an eternal ordinance for His church, calling believers to follow in His footsteps

Chuck Colson points out:

"Most Westerners take baptism for granted, but for many in the world the act requires immense courage. In countries like Nepal it once meant imprisonment. For Soviet or Chinese or Eastern bloc believers, it was like signing their own death warrant."¹

A wedding ring is an outward sign that a person is married. A military uniform is an outward sign that a person is involved in that particular branch of service. Similarly, water baptism is a symbol designed by God to identify a person as a disciple of Jesus Christ.

When we are saved, we are spiritually baptized into Christ (Galatians 3:27,) and into His Body, the church (1 Corinthians 12:13.) Baptism in water is an outward representation of these inward realities.

In Biblical symbolism, water represents inner cleansing (Ephesians 5:26, Hebrews 10:22,) and spiritual rebirth (John 3:5,) both of which are central themes of baptism.

Let’s read the scripture text for today’s sermon.

Romans 6:2-5

“If we’ve left the country where sin is sovereign, how can we still live in our old house there? Or didn’t you realize we packed up and left there for good? That is what happened in baptism. When we went under the water, we left the old country of sin behind; when we came up out of the water, we entered into the new country of grace—a new life in a new land!

That’s what baptism into the life of Jesus means. When we are lowered into the water, it is like the burial of Jesus; when we are raised up out of the water, it is like the resurrection of Jesus. Each of us is raised into a light-filled world by our Father so that we can see where we’re going in our new grace sovereign country.” (The Message)

I want to describe for you today exactly what it means to be a Christ follower. In a few moments a group of people will publicly declare their faith by the symbolic act of baptism. Let’s try to understand what this means and what has happened in their lives.

1. There is a trip to be taken.

This is a beautiful metaphor of what the Christ following life is all about. When a person accepts Christ they are truly setting off on a journey.

Becoming a Christian is like taking a trip.Becoming a Christian is definitely heading off in a specific direction.

The scripture I read to you this morning describes the Christ following life as a leaving.

Leaving: “. . . we left the old country of sin behind.”

When you come to Christ and start living the Christian life you leave many of the habits and much of the lifestyle behind.

The things that you once engaged in should no longer be an attraction to you. I’m not saying there won’t be temptation. Old habits and ways die hard sometimes.

When you start following Christ you are demonstrating a desire to leave the old things that have torn apart your life behind.

Do you remember when you were little, that sometimes you felt that if you could just run away everything would be right that was wrong in your little world?

I tried running away a time a two when I was very young. My Father was a pastor and we almost always lived in a parsonage which was right beside the church. Running away for me meant that I went to the opposite side of the church. In other words down the street a half block and around the corner.

How much more we are doing when we leave the old world of sin and enter the new world of living for Christ.

When we become a Christian we are in essence saying that we are running away from our old life and beginning a new life where Jesus Christ is the center of our world.

He created us and He wants us to live the way He designed us to live.

Behold old things have passed away and all things have become new.

Billy Graham tells the story of a time when Albert Einstein was going on a train to an out-of-town engagement. The conductor stopped by to punch his ticket. The great scientist, preoccupied with his work, with great embarrassment rummaged through his coat pockets and briefcase to no avail. He could not find his ticket. The conductor said, "We all know who you are, Dr. Einstein. I'm sure you bought a ticket. Don't worry about it. Everything is okay." The conductor walked on down the aisle punching other tickets. Before he moved to the next car, he looked back and saw Dr. Einstein down on his hands and knees looking under his seat trying to find his ticket. He came back and gently said, "Dr. Einstein, please don't worry about it. I know who you are." Einstein looked up and said, "I too know who I am. What I don't know is where I'm going!"Citation: Greg Asimakoupoulos, author and speaker, Naperville, Illinois; source: John A. Huffman Jr., pastor of St. Andrews Presbyterian Church, Newport Beach, California, from sermon "Resurrection Life" (June 23, 2000)

There is a trip to be taken and we can know where we are going.

2. There is a life to be lived.

If you leave one world and enter another you will live according to the customs of the new one.

This is basic Christianity.Christ following is more than just taking a trip it is living a lifestyle that is pleasing to God.

I’ve heard some people say and teach that you can never live a life that is pleasing to God. What kind of a cruel God would fill a book with powerful language describing clearly the way we are to live and then not give us the ability to live the life?

Look again at a portion of the scripture I read. It describes a life to be lived.

Life: “. . . we entered into the new country of grace—a new life in a new land!”

Thank God for His grace and mercy that extends to all humanity.

There is no one that is not eligible for His grace.

You can life this life.
You can enter into the Kingdom of God and walk in the newness of life.

This church is full of testimonies of God’s grace and people who have traded the sorrows of their old life for the joy of a life lived in Christ.

When the early settlers came to America they were searching for a new life.
They were searching for a place to start over. They wanted something new.

Was it hard? Absolutely!
Did people die in the process? Yes.
Do you think they were ever scared because of the unknown? I think they were.

Living the Christian life is not always easy but I wouldn’t trade it for a life that is centered on this world and what it has to offer.

Could you die for your faith? People die every day around the world because they are living a Christian life.

Do Christ followers ever get scared on this journey? Without a doubt there will be moments in every human life that produce fear but the Bible clearly teaches that we do not need to be afraid. We know about our ultimate future. We know where we are headed.

I love the eleventh chapter of the book of Hebrews. After remembering some of the hero’s of the Bible the author of this book describes how they lived their lives:

“All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance. And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth. People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. Instead they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them."

There is a life to be lived and those who are being baptized today are declaring before the church that they have entered that life and have no plans of turning back to the old life.

There is one more description of the Christ following life.

3. There is a world to be won.

We live in a very dark world. It wasn’t created that way but humans left to their own ways minus God have managed to make it a dark and dangerous world.

That’s why we lock our doors.We take measures to protect ourselves.
We don’t live in perpetual fear but we know that the world is filled with evil people who would rather abuse, steal from you, hurt you or even kill you than to love.

Jesus teachings as recorded in the Bible are full of references to this world and our responsibility in it.

In Matthew twenty-four we read a description about a time on earth that very much mirrors the world as it is today. It is a description of a dark and foreboding world where people desperately need the message of Jesus Christ.

Beginning in Romans 1:18 you can read a description of life as many people know it on the face of the earth today. It is a desperate description of life without God.

The mandate for every Christ follower is to make disciples of others. In other words to live a life that reached out to others and invites them to move from darkness to light.

Look again at the scripture.

Light: “. . . Each of us is raised into a light-filled world by our Father so that we can see where we’re going in our new grace sovereign country.”

We have been given a light and it is for sharing.

In Matthew five, Jesus is teaching and He clearly addressed this issue. “You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on a stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.”

By the act of baptism today and by the life which they are now living the people who are being baptized are sharing the light that God has given.

God still changes lives.
God still moves in mysterious ways.
He delights in using the available to share His light in a dark world.

We have been given the most life-changing message that the world has ever heard.
We have also been given the order to share it with others.

Jesus said, “Go therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.”

C.S. Lewis this message in a story about a little girl named Jill Pole who goes to a stream to drink but at the side of the stream is a very large lion. The lion tells her, “If you are thirsty you may drink.” Jill hesitates.

“Are you not thirty?” said the Lion.
“I’m dying of thirst,” said Jill.
“Then drink,” said the Lion.
“May I – could – I would you mind going away while I do?” said Jill.
The Lion answered this only by a look and a very low growl. . . .
“Will you promise not to – do anything to me if I do come?” said Jill.
“I make no promise,” said the Lion.
“Do you eat girls?” she said.
“I have swallowed up girls and boys, women and men, kings and emperors, cities and realms,” said the Lion. It didn’t say this as if it were boasting, nor as if it were sorry, nor as if it were angry. It just said it.
“I don’t dare come and drink,” said Jill
“Then you will die of thirst,” said the Lion.
“Oh dear!” said Jill, coming another step nearer. “I must go and look for another stream, then.”
“There is no other stream,” said the Lion.

Jill represents us and the Lion represents Jesus. Like Jill, we are drawn by the fresh water of the stream, but we fear the Lion. We don’t want to lose control of our lives yet we want to drink. We don’t want to appear foolish, becoming some kind of “religious nut” yet our lives don’t work.

The people that are going to be baptized today are declaring that they have started a journey and they know where they are going. They taken a drink from the stream.

Let this act and these testimonies that you will hear be evidence of the grace of God in their lives.

2003/04/27