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Delaware City Vineyard

Do not let your hearts be troubled

·34 min·3 clips
No matter your past, addiction, or beliefs, Jesus makes room for you if you call on his name.
The episode begins with a welcome and announcement of Baptism Sunday, encouraging believers to remember their own baptisms. The speaker transitions to an offering, framing generosity as following Jesus's example. Scripture is read in Shona by Lisa and then in English from John 14:1-7. The speaker shares his childhood fascination with heaven as mansions but clarifies that Jesus is describing rooms in God's house, highlighting inclusivity. He references C.S. Lewis's three surprises in heaven and connects this to baptism as celebrating God's desire for all to be saved. The speaker lists diverse examples of people Jesus welcomes, stressing that no one is excluded. He invites listeners to trust in Jesus or recommit their faith. Context is given from the Farewell Discourse, where Jesus washes feet, predicts betrayal, and comforts troubled disciples. The speaker applies this to modern anxieties, offering Jesus as the antidote through belief. He explains 'my Father's house' as the temple and Jesus as the new temple where heaven meets earth, emphasizing being 'in Christ' for intimacy and peace. A story about Audrey Luce's encounter with Jesus illustrates this nearness. The speaker leads a prayer of commitment and discusses next steps, including baptism. Baptism is explained using three metaphors: a bathtub for cleansing, a coffin for death to old self, and a pickling jar for irreversible change. The episode ends with instructions for the baptism ceremony and a call to action for listeners.

As heard by us

A baptismal celebration becomes a pastoral reflection on belonging, anxiety, and Jesus' final teachings to his disciples.

Baptism Sunday gives this sermon its heart, as the preacher asks baptized believers to remember the Spirit of God meeting them in the water and to receive again their identity as beloved children of God.

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Why you'd press play

Press play when Baptism Sunday makes you want to remember where your own life with God began.

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