teaching, fellowship, breaking bread and prayer

When I look around our worship service on Fridays, I see a gathering that has come full circle since the day of Pentecost 2000 years ago. For many of the worshippers, the nations represented in Acts 2:9-11 are their home countries today. Like the followers of The Way, we are from “every nation under heaven” and like them; our identification with Christ transcends culture, family, nationality and politics. The Spirit of God has sovereignly linked us in a very unique manner. The Apostles and the 3,000 souls added to their numbers in Acts 2:41 became part of a worldwide revolution. Amazing isn’t it? In a way, we are the spiritual descendants of those first believers, as their

ripples from the revolution continue

revolutionary acts continue to ripple throughout the world until Christ’s return. Do you think of yourself as being part of a revolution? Historically, members of a revolution unite under a symbol that identifies them with their movement. French Revolutionaries were known by the distinct, brimless “Liberty Cap”, originally worn by freed Roman slaves.The struggle for freedom in the American Revolution was symbolized by the colors red, white and blue. Our revolution is also about freedom…freedom from sin and death and freedom in Christ. It also has a special symbol, believer’s baptism – an outward expression of the inward change Christ has wrought on our hearts.

“Peter said to them, “Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” (Acts 2:38)…“So then, those who had received his word were baptized; and that day there were added about three thousand souls.” (Acts 2:41)

A very special baptism in the Arabian Sea
Fellowship of the Emirates

That must have been an incredible scene, thousands of people receiving believer’s baptism, publicly identifying themselves as followers of The Way. It was a natural and regular occurrence in the early church. There didn’t seem to be much debate about how or when, just a desire to be identified with a new revolution. Have you been baptized since becoming a believer in Christ? If not I encourage you to do so. I can tell you from my own personal experience it is awesome. I’ve seen baptisms in rivers (including the Jordan River), pools, lakes and the church baptistry. In Dubai, baptisms often take place in the Arabian Sea. It is always a joyous experience. It is a great reminder that the ripples of the revolution continue. View: A very special baptism at Houston’s First Baptist Church

A very special baptism in the Jordan River

“buried with Christ in baptism, raised to walk in newness of life.”(Romans 6:4)