Reference

Matthew 3:13-17; Acts 10:34-43
Is Baptism Relevant Today?

Overview: 

  • Baptism is presented as both a personal milestone and a communal sign of new life.
  • Jesus' baptism marks the beginning of his public ministry and models identification with humanity.
  • Biblical examples (John, Peter/Cornelius, the Samaritan woman) show baptism and the Spirit breaking social, ethnic, and religious barriers.
  • Key facts cited: human bodies ~60% water, planet ~71% water, humans can survive ~3 days without water, ~8090% of self-identified Christians report being baptized, and ~1/3 of world (2 billion) have received Christian baptism.
  • The pastor offers a personal testimony of being baptized in 2017 and invites conversation about baptism— emphasizing it is communal, lifelong, and still relevant.