On Sunday I posed the question for you to ponder this week:
“What would you give up in order to help your church effectively host dozens of new guests on Easter morning?  What are you willing to sacrifice to help ensure that our communication of Christ’s resurrection is fruitful? 

And what are you not willing to part with?  Think about those things about which you say—“Don’t go there.”

This Sunday, March 18, you’ll hear some of the simple things you can sacrifice that will go a long way towards shaping the vibe on Easter Sunday into one that reflects the character of our Risen King.

Sunday we have the joy of baptizing two people into church membership.  One is a college student who has recently been converted to faith in Jesus Christ.  The other is the child of believers in Jesus Christ.  This provides not only an opportunity to celebrate the faithfulness and grace of God, but to dwell upon this sacrament He’s given us—baptism.

From the Westminster Larger Catechism:
Q. 165. What is baptism?
A. Baptism is a sacrament of the New Testament, wherein Christ hath ordained the washing with water in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, to be a sign and seal of ingrafting into himself, of remission of sins by his blood, and regeneration by his Spirit; of adoption, and resurrection unto everlasting life; and whereby the parties baptized are solemnly admitted into the visible church, and enter into an open and professed engagement to be wholly and only the Lord’s.

Q. 166. Unto whom is baptism to be administered?
A. Baptism is not to be administered to any that are out of the visible church, and so strangers from the covenant of promise, till they profess their faith in Christ, and obedience to him, but infants descending from parents, either both, or but one of them, professing faith in Christ, and obedience to him, are in that respect within the covenant, and to be baptized.

Q. 167. How is baptism to be improved by us?
A. The needful but much neglected duty of improving our baptism, is to be performed by us all our life long, especially in the time of temptation, and when we are present at the administration of it to others; by serious and thankful consideration of the nature of it, and of the ends for which Christ instituted it, the privileges and benefits conferred and sealed thereby, and our solemn vow made therein; by being humbled for our sinful defilement, our falling short of, and walking contrary to, the grace of baptism, and our engagements; by growing up to assurance of pardon of sin, and of all other blessings sealed to us in that sacrament; by drawing strength from the death and resurrection of Christ, into whom we are baptized, for the mortifying of sin, and quickening of grace; and by endeavoring to live by faith, to have our conversation in holiness and righteousness, as those that have therein given up their names to Christ; and to walk in brotherly love, as being baptized by the same Spirit into one body.

Sunday we will welcome several new folks into the family. This is a big deal. In a world of isolation—we come together. In a world of autonomy—we have authority and submission. All purchased, governed, and powered by Jesus Christ.

The vows:

1. Do you acknowledge yourselves to be sinners in the sight of God, justly deserving His displeasure, and without hope save in [i.e., except for] His sovereign mercy?

2. Do you believe in the Lord Jesus Christ as the Son of God, and Savior of sinners, and do you receive and rest upon Him alone for salvation as He is offered in the gospel?

3. Do you now resolve and promise, in humble reliance upon the grace of the Holy Spirit, that you will endeavor to live as becomes the followers of Christ?

4. Do you promise to support the Church in its worship and work to the best of your ability?

5. Do you submit yourselves to the government and discipline of the Church, and promise to study its purity and peace?