More Than a Dip

It lasts less than 10 seconds and happened in 1953, yet it is without doubt, one of the most classic water scenes in Hollywood history.  In the move, “From Here to Eternity,” Burt Lancaster and Deborah Kerr, are lying on the sand locked in passionate embrace, when a wave rolls in, covering both of them.  That image of frothy moving water and two lovers swept away in the intensity of their emotional desire, became an icon of the power of romantic love to which most of us can relate.

I saw a photograph of that scene the other day, and started thinking about some of my favorite movie water scenes.  One is from “The Graduate.”  Benjamin (Dustin Hoffman) has graduated from college, and his parents and all their friends seem to know what he should do with his life.  In an effort to escape everyone’s advice, he puts on his scuba gear and dives to the bottom of the family swimming pool.  From there he can look up and see everyone’s mouth moving, but can’t hear a thing!  His water world becomes the perfect insulating bubble.

My most favorite water scenes depict the sheer force of the ocean’s might.  The fury of the storm’s huge waves capsizing the boat in “The Perfect Storm,” and the icy depths waiting to swallow the Titanic after it hits the iceberg, capture the raw need to survive when fate takes a cruel turn.

Of course the largest dip in movies, or in reality, was the parting of the Red Sea, when the Israelite nation crossed over on dry land.  They were hotly pursued by Pharaoh’s army, which took a one-way dip to the bottom of the sea when the waters closed in on top of them, displaying God’s awesome power.  In all these examples, we see how in its many fluid forms and motions, water can represent so many important dimensions of our experience.

The most important water scene of all time was so much more than a dip.  It was the baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist.  This event ushered in the public ministry of Jesus Christ.  He conducted His ministry the same way He participated in His baptism, in willing, obedient surrender to His Father.  He could have done anything, but He wanted to follow His Father’s plan and fulfill His Father’s purpose.  The waters of His baptism were a sign of His willing consecration to God, and a foreshadowing of His soon-to-be death and resurrection.

Like Jesus, our baptism as Christians is so much more than a dip.  Romans 6:3-4 explains the significance of our water baptism.  “Have you forgotten that when we joined Christ Jesus in baptism, we joined Him in His death?  For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism.  And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives.”

Through water baptism, we signify that we have chosen to consecrate ourselves to Jesus.  We have died to the life of self-will and have willingly surrendered to follow His plan and purpose through the power of the Holy Spirit who dwells within us.  We know we have been raised to live a new quality of life in Christ.  Have you had this transforming experience of water baptism that’s more than a dip?

Come and join us this Sunday at 9:00AM or 11:00 AM as we look deeper into the transforming power of the foundations of our faith.  My sermon, “Laying a Proper Foundation,” is part of our current “Born Identity 2” series.