March 21, 2014.

I have extraordinary news! We have a new sister in Christ. Last night, a friend of mine called and asked if we could do a baptism as she has been studying with a girl she met on campus for the past few weeks. It was wonderful. We got a group together and all went over to the church as she was buried into Christ and raised with him to walk anew in the kingdom. Before we went into the water, I had Kaleb read this passage:

“Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.”
Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.” And with many other words he bore witness and continued to exhort them, saying, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation.” So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls.”
(Acts 2:36-41)

Amen. Isn’t it great to have family all around the world? Isn’t it great to welcome a new member? Even though this week has been rough for me time wise, this is what keeps me going. I know that I can do all things through the power of our Lord. We can make it, together. Paul goes into the concept of being united with Christ through baptism in his letter to the Romans:

What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. For one who has died has been set free from sin. Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.
(Romans 6:1-11)

What a wonderful concept. Christ our Lord came to die on the cross, a holy sacrifice for our sins, and we are united with him through his death and resurrection. God truly knew what he was doing from the beginning, as the plan was conceived before the foundation of the world. The enemy had no chance. My favorite song to sing after a baptism goes as follows:

“I belong to Jesus
I belong to Him
I belong to Jesus
Free from sin
I belong to Jesus
I belong to Him
I belong to Jesus
Free from sin

He was lifted up
He paid a costly price
Bought me with the blood
Of His own life
Christ the King now reigning
Wears the victor’s crown
Satan was defeated
When the blood flowed down”

We do belong to Jesus. He as removed our sins and lifted us up through his love for his glory. Let us all rejoice as the Lord has added a new member to the family. May this be an encouragement to all to spread the good news near and far, so that we may grow and win souls for the one who came to die.

Suggested Daily Reading: Acts 2, Romans 2, Colossians 2, James 2.

May we bear one another’s burdens.

-Walter