March 5, 2024

On March 27th, the Wednesday night before Easter, we will be having a baptism as a part of our Passion Week celebrations. We already have several people signed up. They are all ages, from young to old. They come from different backgrounds and very different life experiences. But the one thing they share is that they have all committed their lives to Jesus and desire to live for Him.
Baptism is such a beautiful expression. It is a symbol of some truly significant pieces of what it means to be a Christ-follower. We baptize people by literally dunking them down in the water. That part represents both the burial of Jesus Christ and the burial of the old person we used to be. We bury our old habits, our old ways of living, our old attitudes, and all that’s not of God. That old person we were is gone! Coming up out of the water represents the cleansing work God has done. His grace has forgiven us, and just as the water washes our bodies, His grace has washed our spirits. But it also represents New Life. Just as Jesus rose from the dead, we are raised to new life by His Spirit. Paul says, “If anyone is in Christ, he is a brand new creation. The old is gone and all things become new!” Just as Christ was resurrected to life, we, too, are resurrected to life. We have a clean slate upon which to write. A new path to follow. A new Guide to lead us. A new purpose for which to live.
The next time you watch a baptism, take a moment to marvel at all that it means. What John the Baptist was doing was not simply a ritual. It was an experience that was transformational. Baptism is the mystery of salvation, the miracle of grace, and the wonder of Christ’s burial and resurrection all wrapped up in one beautiful, sacred act. It is a defining moment for those who participate. It is a tear-jerking service for those who watch. And it is the Greatest Joy for the throngs of heaven. If you’ve not committed your life to Christ, I hope you will, and SOON! If you have committed your life to Christ, I hope you’ll consider being baptized as a testimony of what has happened to you. And if you’re around OKC on March 27th, come join the party. We aim to make heaven SHOUT! That’s God’s Word for you today.