This Sunday morning we are going to baptize a young man. Tanner Worthington recently prayed and accepted Christ and is now wanting to partake in baptism. So this Sunday we are going to do just that. Baptism is one of two ordinances that God has left us with. The first is the Lord's Supper, the second is baptism. It is my thought that baptism should be a celebration. It is so signifigant in the life of both the baptizee and those in the congregation. It is the celebration of a changed life.
You see it symbolizes our death, burial and resurrection. It symbolizes us dying to ourselves and our old life and rising to a new life of service and commitment to Christ. It is professing to God and the world a life that has been changed. It should be the centerpiece of a worship service, not an add on.
Baptism is signifigant in the life of a church in that it shows fulfillment of the great commission.
Matthew 28:19 Threfore go and make disciples of all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
Colossians 2:12 having been buried with him in baptism and raised with him through your faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead.
According to Paul we are buried with Him and raised with Him. It is also a symbol of our faith in the power of God. The very same person who made everything that is, and who raised Christ from the grave. This is all such powerful symbolism.
I used to do a childrens sermon at my former church. During that time I would try my best to find an object lesson that would fit with the pastor's sermon that day. I would used an object lesson to illustrate biblical truths. Well, in baptism God has left us with the ultimate object lesson.
Puritan writer John Owen put it this way " Baptism is the death of death, in the death of Christ"
Thanks for reading and have a wonderful day!
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