A baby girl of our congregation was baptized today, so the sermon and sacrament flowed together nicely. The text for the sermon was Exodus 13:17-14:14, where Israel crosses the Red Sea and is saved from the Egyptian army.
Israel was led to the sea by God, who appeared to them in a theophany: the pillar of cloud and fire. Our pastor asked the children especially to think about how it would be great to have a pillar of cloud and fire from God to lead us where we are to go. But he explained that as great as that was for the Israelites, what we Christians have today is far superior. The pillars are only shadows of what God would eventually give to His people for guidance: His Spirit. (See Matthew 3:11, where John explains that he baptizes with water only, but Jesus will baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire, and Acts 2:3.)
God has led Israel into a seemingly impossible situation, a place from which it was impossible to escape. God even tells Moses that Pharoah will say that the Israelites are wandering aimlessly. With the wilderness on one side (a great place for chariot warfare) and the sea on the other, the Israelites have made a poor decision, militarily speaking. But again, it is God who has led them there, and nothing is impossible for God.
Israel would escape by faith in the promises of God. First the people complain, but eventually they obey. The promise of salvation came through the mediator, Moses, who tells the people that they should not fear, that the salvation of the Lord would be accomplished for them that day (Hebrews 11:29). How much better is it today when the church of Jesus Christ or an individual steps forward by faith in obedience to the will of God? Israel also had faith in the provision of God, who protected His people. He revealed Himself to Israel through the pillar of fire, so that they could see their way through the path in the sea; Egypt, on the other hand, was surrounded by the cloud. The sea turned out to be the waters of judgment for the Egyptians. Today, as we walk through the waters of life and death, God leads and provides what is needed (Philippians 4:19).
In 1 Corinthians 10, we see that Israel's experience at the Red Sea was a shadow of baptism. We are told that all of Israel was baptized into Moses, even those who did not have true faith. This baptism was an external sign. This shadow of baptism was fulfilled in Christ, so that now we are baptized into the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Even though this too is an external sign, it is significant. Our baptism tells us that our children are separated from the world and are baptized into Christ. The word baptism means to merge, to be made one. In our baptism, we are moved from one arena to merge into Christ. The rest of 1 Corinthians 10 then tells us how those who have been baptized into Christ should now live: We should flee from idolatry to Christ the Mediator with whom we are now one.
4 comments:
Baptism is also a mark. It says that we are God's children by that mark. He claims us for His own by that mark. And just as Israel later would cross the Jordan into
Canaan, that is what we all will do someday.
You must take very good notes, Annette. I very much appreciate these sermon excerpts you post here. Thank you for doing that!
Dave
If I take notes, Dave, I stay focused and then I remember better. Thanks! I'll have to let Rev. Freswick know that his sermons travel all the way to Chicago (almost)!
I'm that way too, Annette. In fact, my minister gives us outlines (fill-in-the-blank type). And what I do with that is post them to the yahoo groups I belong to. Not all the groups, though. I'll also go online for the printed version and insert other information from the sermon.
Dave
there is one other thing involved with baptism, Annette. It is a change of name. Our name is changed from "sinner" to "saved."
Dave
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