It shouldn’t surprise us that through the centuries, superstitions arise and thrive even among well-meaning church people. Most of these superstitions are based on a desire for a kind of good luck charm in a life filled with uncertainty and hardship. Even the practice of baptism can be surrounded by all kinds of superstitions. If baptism doesn’t save us, what then is it for? Baptism is a way for a believer in Jesus to say, “Count me in! I want people to know that I identify with Jesus.” Maybe it’s time for all of us to engage with God in a fresh way as we identify with Jesus and the family called the Church.

What is superstition? Have you known anyone you would consider superstitious? Why do superstitions sometimes migrate into the God and church sphere?

Baptism was a regular practice in the early church. Read Acts 2:40-41. What happened after Peter preached the first sermon on the day the church began? What happened after Philip’s sermon (Acts 8:12-13)?

Read the account of the Ethiopian eunuch in Acts 8:26-38. What Old Testament passage was the Ethiopian official reading? What was the sequence of events leading to Philip’s baptizing of this man?

Baptism is an outward symbol of what’s taken place inside of us. Read the Great Commission from Matthew 28:18-20. What does Jesus command us to do?

What does the celebration of baptism do for the life of our church? Have you been baptized? Take a moment to recall your memories of that event.

To the Church Called LifePoint

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