Thanks to the apostles and Paul, we now know the meaning of Jesus’ death and resurrection...the redemption for all people, all sinful people. The baptism we now have is not only the kind of baptism by water performed by John the Baptist at River Jordan. Jesus’ death and resurrection add a new dimension to baptism. It is the burial of our sins and the rise to live for a new life in Christ.
“...We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? Or don’t you know that all of us
who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were
therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ
was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.
If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be
united with him in his resurrection. For we know that our old self was crucified
with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer
be slaves to sin - because anyone who has died has been freed from sin. Now if we
died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. For we know that since
Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery
over him. The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives
to God. In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ
Jesus.” (Romans 6:2-8)
“Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above,
where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not
on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.
When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature...you have taken off
your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed
in knowledge in the image of its Creator.” (Colossians 3:1-10)
Our Lord Father, this is the Day, the Anniversary Day of our Baptism when the separation between You and man was bridged by Jesus himself. May we always remind ourselves of this day when we were saved and made totally new, in the image of the Creator. This is the day when we have to rejoice for it gives us the chance to be freed from sins through death and resurrection with Your own son Jesus. May You bless the sisters and brothers in our fellowship who are going to be baptized in this special morning at MCCC. Jesus is the way, the truth and the life. It is only through Jesus that we can come to You, Father. We know that the world will hate us because we believe in You. But Jesus gave us the assurance - the Holy Spirit. Father, may the Holy Spirit be with us always, particularly the newly baptized sisters and brothers, to lead us onto the right track of holiness. Amen.
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