Baptism Service 2021 REAL OPEN

Today we will all be either observing or directly participating in the two ordinances that our Savior gave to His followers to symbolically proclaim His death, burial, resurrection and ascension. Today we will witness the baptisms of 10 individuals and later on in the service all of us who are followers of Jesus and have crossed over from death to life will be asked to participate in a sacred mea that helps us remember what it took to make our crossing over possible…we will celebrate the most sacred of meals…the meal of the new covenant that was made possible through the slaughter of our Saviors body and the shedding of His blood.

This services will be rich. This service will be weighty. This service ought to have moments of thunderous applause and moments of tears streaming down faces.

And you get to be here! What a joy. If you are here…let me tell you the reason why you are here. You are here today because you are dearly loved by those who invited you. They have asked for your presence here so that you can watch them testify to the most important aspect of their lives. The ones who have invited you here today want to admit that they were sinners that were doomed for God’s judgement, but they have been turned into saints because that judgment was poured out on the sinless Savior of their souls.

These people here are united with Christ in his death and passed through the judgment he a taken for their cosmic crimes. And just as Christ was raised from the tomb and was vindicated by His Father, these people will symbolically show today what has already happened to them when they put their faith in Christ. As they ascend out of the waters of baptism they will triumphantly boast in the justice of our God because their sins haven’t been ignored…they have been paid for.

This is weighty. What you will be witnessing today is of great importance and very serious and should be joyfully celebrated. and you get to be here because you are loved by those who have invited you.

But not only that…as privileged and honored you might feel to have been invited by someone here today who specifically loves you enough to ask you to come witness them publically connect and identify with the Good News of Jesus Christ…as great as that love is, their is a greater love that has been made available to you and is extended out toward you today. That is the love of God in the form of Jesus Christ.

John 3:16 ESV

16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

Those getting baptized today have known that love. They identify with that love. They boast in that love. They are able to love you because they have been filled first with that love. That love is also being extended to you today. It would do you well to receive it.

Ok…this is what will be happening today.

In a few moments we will sing about God’s amazing grace that has been made available to us in Jesus Christ.

Titus 2:11 ESV

11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people,

The salvation of God has appeared in the bodily form of Jesus Christ and the merits of his death, burial, resurrection and ascension can be applied to anyone who has ears to hear its life giving message. Grab it. Believe it. Accept it. Receive it…as a gift by grace through faith, and not a result of your works. And then sing about it! We are going to sing,

“Worthy is the lamb who was slain. worthy is the king who conquered the grave.” This is amazing grace. This is unfailing love. That you would take my place. That you would bear my cross. You laid down your life, that I might be set free. Jesus I sing of all that you have done for me.”

So we will sing and then we will listen to the stories of 6 young ladies who have become new creations in Christ Jesus. We will listen to their stories and then lift our voices to sing about the mighty saving power of Jesus.

After singing the verses and the chorus of song, you will be directed to sit down and observe the actual baptisms. Just a word of warning. This will be highly emotional and some of you will want to cry and some of out will want to whoo and hollar! Some of you will try to hoot and holler while crying. All of it is appropriate!

After we baptize the 6 ladies the congregation will be instructed to stand and sing the bridge of the song where we will ask God to let His light shine for the whole world to see the glory of the Risen King.

After the song, we will watch another set of stories. These are the stories of 4 young men who are identify with the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. They too have been made into new creations.

We will then sing about how Jesus is our Messiah and then you will be seated to observe the these 4 young men. Then you will be instructed to declare that all of our hope is in Jesus our Messiah.

It is going to be powerful.

You will sing a bit more while I frantically dry off back stage and get ready for a brief time of instruction from God’s Word. That will be followed up with a time of communion, then singing then a final prayer!

You ready for this? Here we go!