The Astonishing Significance of Baptism

I baptized my son, Parker, this past Sunday at Frontline (www.frontloine.to)! It was a surreal experience. Everything happened so fast...I remember it all...but I even remember it in fast forward. So, many emotions have flooded me over the past several days - joy, peace, astonishment, wonder, gratitude - all because my oldest child has taken his first step of obedience to God's command and made a conscious choice to be baptized as a Christ-follower.
He became a believer in February of 2005. My wife and I had the privilege of leading him to Christ right before bedtime the night of February 9th. He has grown in profound ways over the past year and I thank God daily for saving my son. I find it unimaginable that my only son, who is becoming such a good friend to me as he grows, is also my brother-in-Christ!
When I got home from Frontline last Sunday night Parker was still awake. My wife, Julie, said that he didn't want to go to bed until he and I could talk. So, just a few hours after he was baptized, I walked up to his room opened the door and climbed into bed with him. He was wide awake and he was truly giddy with joy. He couldn't stop smiling and his cheeks were red. I said with a smile, "Parker, what's up?" He looked at me and gave me a big hug and said, “You baptized me! I feel clean.” “Son, you understand that baptism is a symbol…” He interrupted, “Yeah, Dad, I know it’s a symbol of what God has already done in my heart through Jesus. But, I still feel clean!” We talked for a few more minutes, prayed, and I tucked him in for the night.
I thought a lot about my son’s words and the incredibly powerful symbol baptism is for us who believe. I am convinced that it wasn’t until a few months ago when Parker and I began to talk about the meaning of baptism and exactly what it symbolizes that Parker began to truly understand the concept that “the old has gone, the new has come!” (2 Corinthians 5:17) The act of being baptized gave Parker a concrete picture of the death of his old self and his birth as a new creation in Christ.
Not only has he come to understand to a much greater degree the significance of his new life in Christ through the act of baptism, he has also become much more aware of his opportunity and his ability to share his faith with others through this same symbol of baptism. I explained to him weeks before that one of the greatest opportunities any believer has to proclaim his faith is through the very public celebration of baptism. I explained that there would likely be dozens if not hundreds of people who don’t know Jesus in the crowd watching him be baptized. I told him that God may even use his baptism to lead other people to faith in Jesus. For Parker, I believe the potential for others to know God through something he was doing was as much a catalyst for his decision to be baptized as was the opportunity to obey Jesus’ command. All of this growth, wisdom, and joy from the symbol of baptism!
After all of this, would you believe that my middle daughter, Katherine, came up to Parker and I just as we sat down after his baptism and asked, “Can I meet Jesus and be baptized?” Parker experienced right then and there the evangelistic potential of baptism in the request of his own sister. He has since then explained to Katherine (numerous times) what it means to be forgiven by Jesus and ask him to lead her life. So, Parker at the age of seven may very well have his first opportunity to lead someone to Christ – his own sister.
Filled with joy –
Todd Phillips
www.toddphillips.net

Pride Comes Before a Fall!

I’m back! You’re probably thinking… “Where’d you go, Todd?” or “I didn’t know you were gone.” Well, I was gone. I was on a two and a half week vacation in Austin, Texas and I loved every minute of it. Some of you will be happy to know that I actually got some sun while I was in Austin. So, now I’ve gone from a pasty white color to more of a slightly less than pasty white color! Exciting, I know.

My brother-in-law, Grant, and I were talking one evening while watching Jeopardy. On the final Jeopardy question the answer was, “What is the “Arctic Circle?”?” Grant laughed out loud at one of the contestants because the contestant spelled “Arctic” wrong. The contestant spelled it “Artic.” Grant, said, “Can you believe that this guy’s on Jeopardy and he can’t even spell “Arctic?” I responded, “Grant, maybe he’s nervous…maybe he just didn’t think through it.” Grant kept pushing the point, “Todd, come on. The guy’s on a show for really smart people and he left the “C-H” out of “Archtic!” How embarrassing is that?”

That particular moment had to be one of the greatest examples of irony and misplaced pride I could remember. I looked at Grant, “Grant, are you kidding?” “What?” he asked. “Grant, spell “Arctic” for me.” ““A-R-C-H-T-I-C.”” “Grant, “Arctic” is spelled “A-R-C-T-I-C.” There’s no “H” in the word.” Undaunted, Grant, refused to feel the full weight of his imminent embarrassment, headed straight for the computer and said, “We’ll see who’s right.” He proceeded to look up the word on dictionary.com. He turned around with a big smile revealing his embarrassment. “Well, nothing like a humiliating experience to put me in my place.”

I thought a while about the whole episode. Only one thing came to me after my reflection - pride certainly comes before a fall. (Proverbs 16:18). Simple enough.

Carpe Deum! (Seize God!)

Todd Phillips
www.toddphillips.net