You belong to Jesus - 21 June 2011 |
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Last Sunday a young man was baptized at Emmanuel. Here’s how that portion of the service was introduced:
The Bible teaches that all who follow Christ must repent of their sins, trust in him and be baptized in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Jesus himself commanded, ‘Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you’ (Matthew 28:18–20). The apostle Peter said, ‘Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins’ (Acts 2:38).
God promises great blessings to everyone who follows Jesus. Our sins are forgiven, our consciences are cleansed and we are counted righteous in God’s sight. We die to sin and are raised to new life, and we are seated with Christ in the heavenly places where we share in his rule over all creation. We are adopted into God’s family, the church, and by faith we feed on Christ’s precious body and blood. We are indwelled by the Holy Spirit, by whom we are united to Christ and equipped to live in a way that pleases him as we look forward to the glorious inheritance we shall enjoy with him when he returns.
In baptism God welcomes us formally into his people, among whom we enjoy all these blessings. Baptism is a sign and seal of God’s covenant—his solemn commitment to save his people. Accordingly, the Bible associates baptism with such covenant blessings as being united with Christ in his death and resurrection, receiving the forgiveness of sins and the life-giving Holy Spirit, and moving from death to life (e.g. Acts 2:38; Romans 6:1–6; Colossians 2:12). Baptism says that ___ belongs to Jesus and is blessed by him.
These blessings are not received without faith. So today we pray that ___’s faith would become stronger and his repentance deeper as he grows towards maturity in Christ, and that God would equip him day by day to remain faithful as a servant of Christ.
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Posted by Steve Jeffery · Topics: Minister's Blog