In him you were also circumcised, in the putting off of the sinful nature, not with a circumcision done by the hands of men but with the circumcision done by Christ, having been buried with him in baptism and raised with him through your faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead. (Col. 2:11-12)
Because we do this every summer I believe it is important to remember that baptism is not just some minor ritual that has to be covered - even though most of us already know all we need to know about it.
Baptism in fact gets its meaning and its importance from the death of Jesus Christ the Son of God, in our place and for our sins, and from his triumph over death in the resurrection that guarantees our new and everlasting life.
Baptism has meaning and importance only because the death and resurrection of Jesus are infinitely important for our rescue from the wrath of God and our everlasting joy in his glorious presence.
We are not mainly talking about religious ritual here.
We are not mainly talking about church tradition here.
This Sunday is about Jesus and his magnificent work of dying for our sins and rising for our justification!
I hope I will see you Sunday morning!
