"Pilgrim Baptism" "O Worship the King" No. 83 TEXT: 1 Corinthians 10:1-6 RR 791 "Whiter Than Snow" No. 318 Batesville 3-10-01 Pastor DeWitt 1 Cor 10:1-6 "Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware that all our fathers were under the cloud, all passed through the sea, {2} all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, {3} all ate the same spiritual food, {4} and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ. {5} But with most of them God was not well pleased, for their bodies were scattered in the wilderness. {6} Now these things became our examples, to the intent that we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted." Many of us, as do I, since our beginning have seen the Adventist movement as a pilgrimage to the Heavenly Promised Land. It began as insignificant when compared to the other religious bodies already in existence. But God was leading his movement past many seemingly insurmountable barriers. History was being repeated. Many centuries before God had called forth a people from the darkness of slavery and ignorance in an atheistic nation. They too had many barriers on their way to the Promised Land. God was and still is leading a people in a pilgrim journey. But first, there must be a new birth experience in the lives of His people before the journey can really get under way. This new birth experience is called baptism. I. Life Before Re-birth Today, I want us to follow that experience briefly as a way of better understanding the meaning of baptism. I also want to explore how that baptism parallels the journeys of the Children of Israel, and help us see that it is not a one time event, but the beginning of an adventure in faith. A. Egyptian Slavery 1. God's plan for the Messiah's life in Canaan must be fulfilled (Genesis 12:1 Now the LORD had said to Abram: "Get out of your country, From your family And from your father's house, To a land that I will show you. 2 I will make you a great nation; I will bless you And make your name great; And you shall be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you; And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed." In Gen 13:14-17 once Abraham is promised the land; Genesis 5:3-6 speaks of the countless descendants that Abraham would have. Hebrews 11:8-10 describes looking back how these things happened through faith. 2. However, the promise did not come quickly. Abraham's offspring were burdened and afflicted after a time in Egypt, and their slave labor built the cities of Pithom and Raamses. (Exodus 2:11) 3. Yet in all of this, God still blessed them and gave their masters fear of them. (Ex. 1:12) 4. Some knowledge of God even in their ignorance. Ex. 1:17, 20 tells us that the midwives were faithful to God. B. God was not content to let things stay this way. The Israelites, and then the Egyptians were about to be confronted by God 1. God sends Moses to call Israel to deliverance. Is interesting how slavery can be very comforting. How many people today prefer perceived security without freedom over true freedom. 2. Not only did God sent Moses to make a call to the Israelites, He also sends Moses to confront the Oppressor (Ex. 4:29- 31; 5:1,2). We could go on in some detail on that but you are aware of the events. C. We find 2 results of God's Action to Save His People. 2 reactions that we would probably find true today. 1. Israel believed Moses' message before persecution began. 2. Pharaoh resisted from the very start. D. As we go along I want us to look at the Lessons for Today. 1. God gives us the invitation to be set free. 2. Many believe and accept the message eagerly at first. 3. After God challenges Satan for our souls, persecution will inevitably begin as Satan tries to discourage the new believer. (Matthew 13:20,21) II. Baptism of the Pilgrim Believers A. Now we move on to the next phase if you will. We will call this Deliverance at Midnight. The plagues had just finished. Egypt was bankrupt, and hurting. God's people, Israelite and Egyptian, had been spared by dwelling under the blood of the Lamb on the doorpost of their homes. 1. After 10 Plagues and a Passover, God's people moved out of Egypt loaded with riches and cattle. (Ex. 12: 32,26) 2. God led them in an unexpected way. (Ex. 13:17,18) 3. Second thoughts by Israel after making their decision to follow God to Canaan. (Ex. 14:10-12) B. The Salvation of (or by) God 1. Do not be afraid. (Ex. 14:13) 2. Stand still. 3. See the salvation of the LORD. 4. He will accomplish it for you today (emphasis supplied) 5. The Lord will fight for you. (vs. 14) 6. You shall hold your peace (be quiet). (Isa. 30:15,16) 7. Go forward. (vs. 15) C. The First Baptismal Ceremony 1. Moses was God's visible instrument of salvation (Exodus 14:21,22; PP 374 - "Moses stood as their visible leader, by God's appointment, to administer the laws in His name.") 2. Just like many who give their lives to Jesus and desire to be baptized today.. Israel had unbelief and fear. "Moses was greatly troubled that His people should manifest so little faith in God. True, there was no possibility of deliverance unless God Himself should interpose for their release; but having been brought into this position in obedience to the divine direction, Moses felt no fear of the consequences." PP 284 3. Faith and hope revived and they went forward into the Red Sea baptism. PP 287 "Then hope returned to the hearts of Israel." 4. The flock was led by God's ministers into a deeper experience with God and into baptism. (Psalm 77:19,20) D. Now our reality check and Lessons for Today. 1. Before true baptism takes place, there is an application of the blood of Christ the Lamb of God on the doorposts of our hearts. Without that there is no salvation possible. 2. Many of you have experienced this. The riches of Christ are yours now. You are in heavenly places in Christ. The promised land is yours. All you have to do is go and get it. And then the Pharaoh of this world gathers all of the forces that he knows you are susceptible to and opens grand warfare. You see, the fact is, that accepting the Christian walk brings peace in the heart and peace with God, but warfare with the Pharaoh of this world. 1. "The great lesson here is for all time. Often the Christian life is beset by dangers and duty seems hard to perform... yet. the voice of God speaks clearly, "Go forward". We should obey this command." PP 290 2. If we knew that the people we baptized today would have an experience like Israel's after baptism. would we accept them? III. Red Sea to Corinth As we move from Red Sea to Corinth, what is Paul saying to the Corinthians believers. A. First is that history repeats itself. The experience of God's people backsliding after the most spectacular baptism ever, was given so that the Corinthians could look to that as a warning of what happens when you take your eyes off of the blood on the doorposts. 1. Corinth Church was ignorant (unaware) of an important truth - backsliding after baptism often happens. (1 Corinthians 10:5) Paul warns them that a whole generation of Israelites, except for 2, were bleached bones in the desert before they reached what God had intended for them. 2. They were ignorant (unaware) that the Red Sea crossing was a type of New Testament baptism. a. Paul stresses the spiritual beginnings of a journey. Baptism is not a destination, it is a gate. It is not a an end in itself, but a declaration of the intent to go through to the end. b. Any journey can be interrupted. Israel could have been in the promised land in a matter of weeks. As it happened Israel wandered 40 years after baptism. c. Paul was not only concerned about the Corinthians, he was concerned lest he be castaway. (1 Corinthians 9:26,27) 3. Paul stresses that evil desires will rear up their ugly heads even after baptism. (1 Cor. 10:6--) 5 But with most of them God was not well pleased, for their bodies were scattered in the wilderness. 6 Now these things became our examples, to the intent that we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted. 7 And do not become idolaters as were some of them. As it is written, "The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play." 8 Nor let us commit sexual immorality, as some of them did, and in one day twenty-three thousand fell; 9 nor let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed by serpents; 10 nor complain, as some of them also complained, and were destroyed by the destroyer. 4. How is it that we can all accept the same Jesus, eat the same spiritual food (God's Word) and drink the same water (God's Holy Spirit - John 8:37-39) and yet still be in this wilderness, not yet in the Promised Land? 5. Again, back to what this means for us today. These examples are for our warning today. (1 Cor. 10:11) Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come. 12 Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. a. These examples apply to the end time. That, I believe is the time that we are living in. And now more than ever, Satan is at work to attempt to keep God's plan for working. And that battle is going on in your life. Even, or might I say. particularly if you have been baptized. The good news is that Jesus has gained all the victory necessary for us to be saved. As long as we dwell under the blood of the lamb on the doorposts of our lives, we are safe. b. Anyone of us could repeat their sad history and be lost, even having passed through baptism. Can you feel the sadness heaven must have felt over that firstborn that was saved by the blood in Egypt, only to be lost in the wilderness because of rebellion? Then why Baptism? Baptism does not save people, Jesus does. Baptism is an outward ceremony of an inward experience with Christ. It is the public painting of the blood of the lamb over the doorposts of our hearts. That is why it is essential to every believer possible to follow Jesus' example in baptism. His example and substitutionary life are complete in faith and sanctified living which Israel failed to do. Let each one examine himself and take heed to himself. Brother and sister, are you still under the blood or are you looking longingly back to the slavery of Egypt? I would invite you today as we listen to the baptismal vows again, that each of us renew them in our hearts. Basic sermon outline by Elder Brain Savage. Expanded by Pastor Laurie DeWitt