33. Acts 16:14-15

It is a joy for me to baptize [child] this morning. And since I like to use a different text for each baptismal talk I give, I want to give a few brief words from Acts 16. This chapter records the baptism of two separate households. But I just want you to look at verses 14-15.

Now a certain woman named Lydia heard us. She was a seller of purple from the city of Thyatira, who worshiped God. The LORD opened her heart to heed the things spoken by Paul. And when she and her household were baptized, she begged us saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay.” And she constrained us. (Acts 16:14-15)

This follows the Old Testament model of applying the sign of the covenant to the whole household when the adult parent puts his or her faith in the Lord. That baptism doesn’t save the children. But it does claim God’s covenant promises on their behalf. And you see this principle in hundreds of places.

You all know the famous line in Joshua, “But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD” (Josh. 24:15). It’s a beautiful statement of faith. And interestingly, he didn’t take a vote of his household to see if they wanted to serve the Lord. He had faith that they would serve God because of God’s promise. It wasn’t wishful thinking. Over and over again in the covenants God had promised, “I will be a God to you and to your children after you” (cf. Gen. 17:7). And based on the Word of a God who cannot lie, believing Jews put the sign of the covenant on their children. In doing so they were acting covenantally. From the time of Adam God’s covenant has always included the children. The harlot Rahab by faith committed her whole household to Jehovah. The patriarch Abraham by faith committed his whole household to Jehovah. All these Jews were saying in effect, “But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”

And this morning [parents] are making that statement of faith on behalf of [child]. No longer is the sign of the covenant circumcision as it was applied to households in Joshua’s day. Today it is baptism. And just as baptism was applied to the households of Cornelius, Lydia, the Philippians jailer, Crispus, Gaius, and Stephanus, so too another member of the [family] household is being included in the covenant this morning.

Baptism by itself establishes only an outward relationship because by itself it doesn’t save. But it’s still a very important relationship because it testifies to our faith in God’s covenant promises. And there are hundreds of promises that are made to our children. We do not need to know the time that the grace will come. That’s in God’s hands. All we need to know is that God’s promises must be claimed by faith. Here’s one promise: Acts 16:31 says “Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved, you and your household.” And I praise God for that little phrase, “and your household.” As the [name of family] covenant with God by faith, I would encourage each of you parents to renew your faith in God’s covenant promises by making the declaration: “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”

And as I pour water on [baby’s name], consider the following two Old Testament Scriptures which prophesy of what would happen in the New Covenant. “I will pour water on him who is thirsty… I will pour My Spirit on your descendants, and My blessing on your offspring.” In Ezekiel 36 God says, “I will sprinkle clean water on you, and I … will put My Spirit within you and cause You to walk in My statutes.” Just as water is poured upon [child], we can pray that in God’s perfect timing, He will fulfill His covenant by pouring His Spirit upon this young life as well.