Tag: immediately

Urgently Doing Something Weird

Dale Pollard

“Look! Water! What prevents me from being baptized?” He commanded his chariot to stop and was baptized immediately (Acts 8:36-39). 

“…the same hour of the night…” (Acts 16:33).

If you’re ready— don’t wait. 

You know you’re ready when you feel an urgency that’s based on your understanding of God’s expectation. Once you know what it means to follow Jesus, and you know what it means to be lost, you know you have sins that need to be addressed, and you know that we’re not promised tomorrow. It’s fear driven, it’s love driven, and it’s clarity driven. While there’s nothing sinful about scheduling your baptism, it could be an indicator that you’re not exactly sure why you’re doing it. If you know you have sin that needs washed away, why would anybody wait? 

So, Baptism Is Weird 

This is my opinion based on conversations I’ve had with Christians who struggle with either the reason they were baptized or some other hold up they face before getting into the water. It’s just a strange thing to do. 

What About Feelings? 

You might feel relief. You might feel awkward or slightly uncomfortable. You might not feel anything at all. But don’t base your own baptism off of how you feel but rather what you know to be occurring. The baptism garments can be leaky and the water might be a little cold or dirty. The act itself might seem so foreign or unnatural that the whole event is tense or fills you with anxiety. 

All of that doesn’t matter. 

Is it a little weird? It can be. I’ve baptized people and even dropped a guy and had to start all over! We laughed, he was immersed, we hugged, and we quietly got out of the baptistery. His family didn’t know whether or not they should clap or sing or— really what to do afterwards!

All of that doesn’t matter. 

It has nothing to do with the people who are around; this is strictly a you and God thing. God’s doing every bit of the cleansing and adding. You need a belief that convicts you enough to act on an unnatural faith. You need two arms and a strong back to get the job done. You’ll need a body of water deep enough to cover you. That’s it! You don’t need family and friends around or a minister to give his certificate of approval. Everything is between you and God. Don’t overthink the Truth. God’s trying to save you, and it’s really that simple. 

————————————————

Here’s all the examples of salvation through baptism in the book of Acts: 

 (Acts 2:38,41; 8:12; 8:36-39; 9:18; 22:16; 10:48; 16:15; 16:33; 18:8; 19:5).

“Immediately”

Neal Pollard

The astute reader of the book of Mark finds the word 40 times in 39 verses (the Greek word most often translated “immediately” in Mark is actually found 44 times). It is a key word found consistently throughout the gospel but especially in the first six chapters. Usually, the word is used to quantify the time between Jesus performing a miracle and it taking effect. The point seems to be to show the power and Divine nature of Jesus. It is also a thread that runs throughout the book to highlight key thoughts and main ideas in this second book of the New Testament. The word is used to highlight the Father’s affirmation of Christ following His baptism (1:10), Jesus’ journey into the wilderness to triumph over the Devil’s temptations (1:12), the disciples’ decision to leave their occupation to follow Jesus (1:18,20), Jesus’ entering the synagogue to show unparalleled authority and power (1:21), the news and fame that followed Christ’s teaching and healing (1:28), and the immediate response of the one healed by Jesus–the first of many uses of the word “immediately” to highlight such (1:29-30). The proof for Jesus’ identity was immediate. The effect of Jesus’ miracles was immediate. The impact of Jesus’ miracles and teachings on friend and foe was immediate. Mark’s use of this word seems to indicate how overwhelming and unmistakable the proof of Jesus was.

This is not to say that one should rashly decide about the Lord. The book of Mark is part of God’s way to convince man about who Jesus is. Take the time to read it and learn of Him. Like the other three gospels, Mark contains the miracles, teaching, claims, and events in Christ’s life at the end of which one must ultimately make a decision concerning who He is. Remember, though, “He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned” (Mark 16:16). Weigh the evidence, and then decide. Follow the example of so many in the book of Mark and let the power and person of Jesus have an immediate impact on your life and your soul.

15843359028_6e6cbd3894_b