I always love baptisms. Today we will baptize Marilyn Schneider. Here is what baptism means according to Paul in Romans 6 verses 3-4: “Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? Therefore we have been buried with him by baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.” Our salvation in Christ means that we are dying to the person we don’t want to be, and we are being given the strength to grow spiritually and emotionally. When I think about what it means to die with Christ, I think of questions we can ask ourselves about our own growth.
• Am I giving up my tendency to get defensive and my need to be right?
• Am I becoming more able to face the things I need to face rather than run?
• Am I needing other people’s approval less than I used to?
• Can I face up to my weaknesses and see where I need to change?
When I think of walking “in newness of life” I raise such questions as
• Am I aware of my strengths and more ready to use them to serve as God guides me?
• Am I becoming more aware of God’s love for me and am I allowing his perfect love to drive out my fears?
• Do I have a deep sense of being chosen to serve God’s purposes in the world?
• Is the love of God flowing through me?
Paul said about our freedom to get on with our newness of life, “Be energetic in your life of salvation, reverent and sensitive before God. That energy is God's energy, an energy deep within you, God himself willing and working at what will give him the most pleasure” (Philippians 2:13 The Message). Baptism means that God’s energy is working deep within us. What a beautiful ceremony. Let us thank God for giving us this new life in Jesus Christ.
No comments:
Post a Comment