Baptism Sunday : The Flood, The Dove, The Voice from Above

This is our Sunday teaching from Senior Pastor, Tom Thompson. Recorded live at our Baptism Service in Harris Academy Purley, Croydon on Sunday 18th May, 2025. Below you can find the full talk audio, and a summary article.

Want to lead a Connect Group session on this teaching? The notes are here

Talk Summary: Five Words and One Mission: What Baptism Teaches Us About Life with Jesus

At the end of His earthly ministry, Jesus stood on a mountain and gave His disciples a clear commission: go and make more disciples. It wasn’t a farewell—it was a handover. He said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me... now go.” In other words, the mission of God is now in the hands of His people.

This Sunday, as we celebrated baptisms, we explored what it really means to follow Jesus through five simple words / phrases: Love. Flood. Dove. Voice from above. Glove.

Love – Jesus is the ultimate demonstration of love: not just emotional warmth, but the strong, wise, self-giving love that went to the cross. When we’re baptized, we declare that Jesus is our model of power and purpose—and that we’ve found life by trusting Him.

Flood – Baptism is a kind of personal flood. Not the kind that destroys, but the kind that cleanses. It means admitting: “I’ve fallen short. I need grace.” In a culture that idolises self-sufficiency, baptism says, “I surrender.”

Dove – Just as the Spirit came upon Jesus like a dove, so we ask for the same Spirit to strengthen and empower us. Like footballer Eberechi Eze, who gave glory to God after his FA Cup-winning goal, we recognise our strength comes from beyond ourselves.

Voice from above – After the dove came a voice: “This is my Son, whom I love.” God gives us an identity not based on performance, but on grace. Through the Bible, He continues to speak purpose and direction into our lives.

Glove – Finally, baptism isn’t just personal—it’s communal. You’re not just saved from something; you’re saved into something: the church. Sometimes community can be awkward. But like a glove, it equips us, protects us, and enables us to be more than we could be alone.

Whether you’ve just been baptised or were baptised long ago, these five words are a lifelong invitation: to keep receiving His love, repenting, being filled, listening to His voice, and putting on the church like a glove.