Dear Baptized Ones,

    This Sunday we will have the privilege of witnessing the baptism of Luke Baird. Luke’s parents, Bryan and Kathryn, recognize that Luke’s only hope for eternal life depends upon the washing of regeneration accomplished by Jesus our Savior. This washing of regeneration is signified in baptism and received by faith alone through grace alone in Christ alone. Baptism neither causes nor guarantees this regeneration, but for Luke it confirms God’s commitment, as well as the commitment of his parents and our church, to present him with the truth of the Gospel. By this commitment we are encouraged to pray for and eagerly anticipate the day when Luke will confess Jesus as his Savior, testifying to the reality of regeneration in his life.

    Witnessing a baptism is a good occasion to reflect upon the reality of resurrection unto life for God’s people—as we have been regenerated unto new life in Christ so we will share in eternal life with Him in the age to come. We will also be reminded of this as we look to 2 Corinthians 1:8-11 this Sunday. By his example, Paul encourages us to rely upon our God who raises the dead. He exhorts us to pray for the mission of God as the Gospel of life is preached those who are dead in their sins. In these things God teaches us to put all our hope for life in Him, and none in ourselves.

John Calvin captures this idea well in his commentary on 2 Corinthians:
Let us begin, therefore, with despairing of ourselves, but with the view of placing our hope in God. Let us be brought low in ourselves, but in order that we may be raised up by His power.

    As we seek to improve upon our baptisms as we witness Luke’s, let us turn to God in humility, and cast aside all pretense of self-confident strength. Let us be ready to observe in baptism the reality of God’s complete care for us, and having received its mark let us be emboldened to live completely for Him.

In Christ,
Robby