Dip and Dye!
Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.
— Matthew 28:19
One year our Moscow pastoral staff had a debate over whether or not it was right or wrong to dye Easter eggs for the annual Easter celebration. In the Russian Orthodox Church, Easter eggs are a very big part of tradition. Therefore, I wanted to include Easter eggs in our church celebration in order to help those from an Orthodox background feel more comfortable in their new Protestant surroundings. My goal was for our children’s ministry to dip, dye, and decorate several thousand eggs — one for each member of the congregation — and then to publicly present them on stage to the church before giving one to every person in attendance.
Because the children would be presenting the eggs on stage, I knew this special presentation would attract their unsaved parents to the service, allowing the parents to hear the Gospel for the first time. Some of the pastoral staff thought this was a great idea, but others thought it was inappropriate to use a symbol that also had alleged ties to paganism from the past.
At the same time we were debating this question, I was preparing to preach a message about water baptism. To prepare for my message, I pulled out my Greek New Testament, opened it to Matthew 28:19, and began to look at the Greek word for “baptism.” I honestly thought, What new revelation could I possibly learn about the word “baptism” after studying it for so many years? But I’ll open all my books and give it a shot to see if there’s anything about this word I’ve never seen before.
Wow! Was I ever shocked at what I discovered that day! After all those years of studying, I saw something I had never seen before about baptidzo, the Greek word for “baptism.” I saw that this word baptidzo originally meant to dip and to dye. For instance, in very early cases, baptidzo described the process of dipping a cloth or garment into a vat of color to dye it; leaving it there long enough for the material to soak up the new color; and then pulling that garment out of the dye with a permanently changed outward appearance. When I saw this, I just about leaped out of my chair with excitement!
In Second Corinthians 5:17, Paul wrote, “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” A person who comes to Jesus Christ can be likened to an old garment that needs to be dipped into a vat of dye so its color can be changed. However, the person isn’t dipped into a vat of colored dye, but into the precious blood of the Lamb! This person is so totally transformed by Jesus’ blood that he becomes a new creature. His countenance is so changed that he even looks different. You could say that this new believer has been “dipped and dyed”!
What a new light this shed on baptism! Paul wrote, “Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life” (Romans 6:4). Water baptism is a symbolic proclamation of the fact that believers have been buried with Christ and raised with Him. When a believer is placed in the baptismal waters, it symbolizes being immersed in one condition and coming out looking brand new. In other words, it is a picture of what happened to that person when he got saved! This outward symbol represents the fact that he has been dipped in the blood of the Lamb, and now his entire life has been newly colored and transformed to be like Jesus!
When I saw this meaning in the word baptidzo, I told my pastoral staff, “This year we’re going to let the children dye Easter eggs. Then we’re going to use this as a teaching tool to show them what happens when a person is born again!” I instructed the teachers to tell the children that each egg represented a person who has been saved and dipped in the blood of Jesus Christ — newly colored, transformed, and changed forever.
The time came for the children to dye and decorate those eggs. As they dipped those eggs, they imagined that they were baptizing people who were newly saved. It turned out to be quite a hallelujah time! Each Easter egg became a declaration to those children that several thousand new people would soon be saved and water baptized!
Aren’t you thankful that Jesus totally transformed your life? Don’t you see things differently from the way you used to see them? Hasn’t your entire outlook on life been altered? In a certain sense, couldn’t you say that there is new light and color since Jesus came into your life? Just go ahead and rejoice in the fact that you have been dipped and dyed in the blood of Jesus and that you’ll never be the same again!
MY PRAYER FOR TODAY
Lord, I am so grateful that You accepted me when I was dead in sin and washed me with Your precious blood. When I was placed inside You, everything old passed away and everything in me became brand new. For this great gift of life and salvation, I want to serve You the rest of my days. I am so thankful to You for giving me a new view of life and a whole new reason to live. When You came to dwell in me through the Person of the Holy Spirit, the drab, dark days of sin passed away, and a new world of light and color filled my life. For this, I am forever thankful!
I pray this in Jesus’ name!
MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY
I boldly declare that I am a new creature in Jesus Christ. Old things have passed away, and all things have become new! I am not who I used to be anymore. I don’t think like that old man; I don’t see like that old man; I don’t talk like that old man; and I don’t behave like that old man anymore. Now I am in Jesus Christ, and I think like Him, see like Him, talk like Him, and behave like Him. I have come alive with vibrant life because of His resurrection power that works inside me!
I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!
QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER
.
. . . Source: Sparkling Gems From The Greek Vol. 1: 365 Greek Word Studies For Every Day Of The Year To Sharpen Your Understanding Of God's Word | Rick Renner
Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.
— Matthew 28:19
One year our Moscow pastoral staff had a debate over whether or not it was right or wrong to dye Easter eggs for the annual Easter celebration. In the Russian Orthodox Church, Easter eggs are a very big part of tradition. Therefore, I wanted to include Easter eggs in our church celebration in order to help those from an Orthodox background feel more comfortable in their new Protestant surroundings. My goal was for our children’s ministry to dip, dye, and decorate several thousand eggs — one for each member of the congregation — and then to publicly present them on stage to the church before giving one to every person in attendance.
Because the children would be presenting the eggs on stage, I knew this special presentation would attract their unsaved parents to the service, allowing the parents to hear the Gospel for the first time. Some of the pastoral staff thought this was a great idea, but others thought it was inappropriate to use a symbol that also had alleged ties to paganism from the past.
At the same time we were debating this question, I was preparing to preach a message about water baptism. To prepare for my message, I pulled out my Greek New Testament, opened it to Matthew 28:19, and began to look at the Greek word for “baptism.” I honestly thought, What new revelation could I possibly learn about the word “baptism” after studying it for so many years? But I’ll open all my books and give it a shot to see if there’s anything about this word I’ve never seen before.
Wow! Was I ever shocked at what I discovered that day! After all those years of studying, I saw something I had never seen before about baptidzo, the Greek word for “baptism.” I saw that this word baptidzo originally meant to dip and to dye. For instance, in very early cases, baptidzo described the process of dipping a cloth or garment into a vat of color to dye it; leaving it there long enough for the material to soak up the new color; and then pulling that garment out of the dye with a permanently changed outward appearance. When I saw this, I just about leaped out of my chair with excitement!
In Second Corinthians 5:17, Paul wrote, “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” A person who comes to Jesus Christ can be likened to an old garment that needs to be dipped into a vat of dye so its color can be changed. However, the person isn’t dipped into a vat of colored dye, but into the precious blood of the Lamb! This person is so totally transformed by Jesus’ blood that he becomes a new creature. His countenance is so changed that he even looks different. You could say that this new believer has been “dipped and dyed”!
What a new light this shed on baptism! Paul wrote, “Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life” (Romans 6:4). Water baptism is a symbolic proclamation of the fact that believers have been buried with Christ and raised with Him. When a believer is placed in the baptismal waters, it symbolizes being immersed in one condition and coming out looking brand new. In other words, it is a picture of what happened to that person when he got saved! This outward symbol represents the fact that he has been dipped in the blood of the Lamb, and now his entire life has been newly colored and transformed to be like Jesus!
When I saw this meaning in the word baptidzo, I told my pastoral staff, “This year we’re going to let the children dye Easter eggs. Then we’re going to use this as a teaching tool to show them what happens when a person is born again!” I instructed the teachers to tell the children that each egg represented a person who has been saved and dipped in the blood of Jesus Christ — newly colored, transformed, and changed forever.
The time came for the children to dye and decorate those eggs. As they dipped those eggs, they imagined that they were baptizing people who were newly saved. It turned out to be quite a hallelujah time! Each Easter egg became a declaration to those children that several thousand new people would soon be saved and water baptized!
Aren’t you thankful that Jesus totally transformed your life? Don’t you see things differently from the way you used to see them? Hasn’t your entire outlook on life been altered? In a certain sense, couldn’t you say that there is new light and color since Jesus came into your life? Just go ahead and rejoice in the fact that you have been dipped and dyed in the blood of Jesus and that you’ll never be the same again!
MY PRAYER FOR TODAY
Lord, I am so grateful that You accepted me when I was dead in sin and washed me with Your precious blood. When I was placed inside You, everything old passed away and everything in me became brand new. For this great gift of life and salvation, I want to serve You the rest of my days. I am so thankful to You for giving me a new view of life and a whole new reason to live. When You came to dwell in me through the Person of the Holy Spirit, the drab, dark days of sin passed away, and a new world of light and color filled my life. For this, I am forever thankful!
I pray this in Jesus’ name!
MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY
I boldly declare that I am a new creature in Jesus Christ. Old things have passed away, and all things have become new! I am not who I used to be anymore. I don’t think like that old man; I don’t see like that old man; I don’t talk like that old man; and I don’t behave like that old man anymore. Now I am in Jesus Christ, and I think like Him, see like Him, talk like Him, and behave like Him. I have come alive with vibrant life because of His resurrection power that works inside me!
I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!
QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER
- Can you name the ways your life radically changed after Jesus Christ came into your heart? Make a list of ten ways your life changed after you got saved.
- When you first got saved, can you remember how the world looked different to you? What seemed to be the most different?
- Have you obeyed the Lord and been water baptized? If not, when do you plan to take this fundamental step of obedience that Jesus demands of every serious believer?
.
. . . Source: Sparkling Gems From The Greek Vol. 1: 365 Greek Word Studies For Every Day Of The Year To Sharpen Your Understanding Of God's Word | Rick Renner
Recent
Archive
2023
January
Do Not Grieve the Holy Spirit!Dealing With Wrong Attitudes The Right WayHow To Remedy Spiritual Boredom in Your Life!It’s Time for You To Act Fast!Have You Said ‘Thank You’ Today?Learning To ‘Follow the Leader’When Your Attitude Stinks So Badly That It Affects Everyone Around You!A Unique Receptacle Specially Made for the Power of God!Where Should You Go When You Get Discouraged?Preparing the Troops For Battle!It’s Time To Get Creative In ‘Doing the Word’Have You Paid Attention To Yourself Lately?What Should You Do When Your Plans Seem Hindered?The Dead-End Places Of LifeComrades In the Lord Jesus ChristNever Forget That You Are More Than a Conqueror!A Spirit of Wisdom And Revelation for YouA Time To Forcefully Speak the Truth in LoveHow To Be A Spiritual BillionaireYou Are Never Alone!Staying Untangled From the WorldA Fight Always Follows IlluminationIs It Time To Make a Change In Your Environment?You’re Not a Spiritual Orphan!Royal Ambassadors For ChristIs It Ever Right To Hate Something?Unshackled From The Tyranny and Cruelty of Sin!
February
Does God’s Word Feel at Home in Your Life?The Greatest Price Ever Paid To Set a Slave Free!Do Whatever Is Necessary To Keep Envy and Strife Out of Your Life!Don’t Ignore the Last Words!A Divine Stream Of Supernatural RevelationWhat Does It Mean To Have a ‘Sound Mind’?It’s Time for You To Start Acting Like God!It’s Time for You To Stop Acting Like You’re a Victim!The Holy Spirit Wants To Place A Razor-Sharp Sword in Your HandsIf You’re Feeling Unwanted, Abandoned, Or Rejected, It’s Time To Rejoice!God Will Make Sure You Get Rewarded For Your Work of FaithSet the Spiritual Hostages Free!He’s Still the Lord Of the Wind and the Waves!‘X’ Marks the Spot!The Holy Spirit Earnestly Yearns for You!Be a ‘Holy Terror’ To the Kingdom of Darkness!Don’t Put Out The Spirit’s Fire!A Great Cloud of WitnessesGod Uses the Weak To Baffle Those Who Think They Are So High and MightyDiligence Is Required For Success in GodHow Do You Make A Dead Man See?Effective Spiritual Weapons Require Effective Spiritual StrategiesYou Have a Two-Edged Sword!The Holy Spirit — A Partner Who Wants To Take Responsibility For You in This Life!It’s Time for You To Lay Aside Every Unnecessary WeightYou Are a Shrine For the Holy SpiritTake Advantage Of All Kinds of PrayerA Picture of Who You Used To Be!Your Redemption Is a Done Deal!
March
God’s Power Is Yours For the Taking!Stopping Satan At His Own Game‘Filthy Stinking Rich!’Laziness and Slothfulness— Don’t Allow Either in Your Life!Does Jesus Find You To Be Therapeutic, Refreshing, or Disgusting?It’s Time for You To Start Acting Like God!A Guaranteed Way To Infuriate the Holy Spirit!Relax From the Stresses of Life!‘Perilous Times’ In the Last DaysHang In There And Don’t Give Up!Why Not Bring Others Into the Project?You Are One Of God’s Pillars!Who Said You Had To Deserve What God Gives You?Payday Is on the Way!Are You Wearing Your Killer Shoes?Whose Faith Are You Following?Stick Your Neck Out — Commit Yourself to Someone!Don’t Be A ‘Bone out of Joint’!The Necessary Attitude for SuccessRefuse To Ever Let Go Of Your Dream!Doing Things Decently and in OrderHow Is Your Memory Working?Do You Have the Right To Demand Anything From God?The Most Essential Weapon In Your Spiritual ArsenalKeep the Devil Where He Belongs — Under Your Feet!The Lord Will Reckon With You When He Comes!Run Like You Are In the Race of Your Life!Are You an ‘Amateur’ Or a ‘Professional’?The Supernatural Intercessory Ministry Of the Holy SpiritDon’t Get in a Hurry!Jesus’ Last Lesson For the Disciples
April
How the Devil Turned A Friend Into a Betrayer!Have You Ever Felt ‘Agony’ Over Situations You Have Faced in Life?Supernatural Assistance When You Don’t Know Where To Turn for Help!The Right Way To Die!How Many Soldiers Does It Take To Arrest One Man?A Full Moon, Lanterns, Torches, and Weapons!The Judas KissHave Disagreements Revealed Your Level of Submission to Authority?When Roman Soldiers Were Knocked Flat by the Power of God!Peter Swings for the Head — But Gets an Ear!Jesus Cleans Up Peter’s Mess!Twelve Legions of AngelsWho Was the Naked Boy In the Garden of Gethsemane?
Categories
Tags
no tags
No Comments