Immersed in Resurrection Life

Baptism is a symbol, as potent and transformative today as the resurrection of Jesus centuries ago, a declaration of life triumphing over death. In our gathering, we weave personal narratives with the profound meaning behind baptism, as Romans 6 comes alive, revealing our shared victory over sin and an invitation to walk in newness of life.


This sermon was recorded at a Sunday morning gathering at Church of the Lookout in Longmont, Colorado.

Speaker — Luke Humbrecht

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Transcript

Resurrection Day Celebration and Baptism

Speaker 1 0:00

Welcome to the Lookout weekly podcast . Church of the Lookout is in Boulder , colorado , and our vision is Jesus abiding in His presence , growing in His family and living on His mission to transform the world with awe-inspiring love . Visit us online at thelookoutchurch . Hey , good morning everybody . Happy Resurrection Day , happy Easter . He is risen . Okay , that was weak , all right , let's try it again . He is risen , all right , come on . Come on , let's get it . It's a good day . We got a little cloud cover on the outside , but sunshine from the inside right , god is shining from the inside . So if we haven't met yet , my name is Luke and if you're new to the church , like Jeanette said , we're excited to have you with us . I know that there's friends and family here for some of the baptisms we have later on in the service . It's going to be a fantastic time , so I hope that you feel a part of the family here today .

Speaker 1 1:06

Obviously , the headline is very clear today that it is 2024 and 2,000 years later , jesus is still alive . Jesus is still alive and I hope that excites your hearts . Here today . We're not talking about honoring somebody who lived once a long time ago . We're not just honoring history . It's not just a history lesson we're doing here today . Can we get that straight and just kind of set the record right up front ? It's 2024 , and 2,000 years later , the resurrection power of Jesus hasn't been diminished , it hasn't been exhausted , it hasn't been depleted , it hasn't been mellowed out , it hasn't just been steadied out or , you know , taken a back seat . It's just as relevant today , the resurrection power , as it was 2,000 years ago , as it'll be 10,000 years ago that we need the resurrection power , and it is here today , in the name of Jesus , amen .

Speaker 1 1:57

And my expectation here is this man , this is Easter , all right , I expect to be preaching to living people , all right . So you better use your voice , you better . I'm from a Pentecostal background , charismatic , but you better shout back at me . All right , we're not doing that . I'm not preaching to skeletons , I'm preaching to people who've been raised to life in Jesus , amen . There is a sub-headline today , and that is today is also Megan and I's 18th wedding anniversary . Look at these two little lovebirds . I always have to point out the glory of my hair back in 2006 .

Speaker 1 2:41

Still waiting for that resurrection to happen ? All right , I'm still believing for it . You can pray for me . I believe it'll happen . So we're thankful , though , to spend today with you , with our family , and I'm thankful for my wife . I'm thankful that's a miracle that she chose me all right , and I'm thankful for her .

Speaker 1 3:03

And so this morning , if you do have your Bibles , we're gonna open to Romans , chapter six . If you do not have your Bibles , it's okay , we're gonna have it on the screens here today so you can read along . But we're gonna jump into the scriptures , and I do wanna talk a little bit about what we're doing here today , what we're gonna do in just a few minutes . One of the beautiful things that we get to celebrate today is water baptism . There's no better time than Easter Sunday to celebrate the moving from death to life , and maybe you've never experienced that before , this idea of baptism . Maybe you come from a tradition where that's done as an infant or there's some sprinkling that happens , but I believe there's not a more powerful symbol of the resurrected life of Christ than what happens as we celebrate the sacrament of baptism together . And it was such a significant theme in scriptures that Paul here's how Paul writes about this to his letter to the Romans .

Speaker 1 4:02

The apostle Paul writes about this process and what baptism means . Here's what he says in Romans , chapter 6 . We'll read it on the screen here together . Let's start in verse 3 .

Speaker 1 4:12

Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death ? We were buried , therefore , with him by baptism into death , in order that just Next verse , be united with him in a resurrection like his . We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing , so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin . For one who has died has been set free from sin . Now , if we have died with Christ , we believe that we will also live with him . We know that Christ , being raised from the dead , will never die again . Death no longer has dominion over him . For the death he died , he died to sin once and for all . Everybody say once , but the life he lives , he lives to God . So you also must consider yourself dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus .

Speaker 1 5:30

Is anybody alive to God in Christ Jesus today ? Come on , so would you pray with me , jesus , this morning , as we show up again to your resurrected life ? I thank you that your word is implanted deep inside of us . We thank you , god , for a journey that we could not take on our own , that you did something for us that we could not do on our own . And so we thank you , god , that , even as we sing , as we worship , as we're here today , god , that we get to enter into the resurrection power that you purchased for us , that you did for us , and it's in Jesus' name we pray Amen .

Speaker 1 6:12

So baptism is what we're talking about , and baptism is one of those things . Just like a lot of things , it's kind of hard to understand from the outside looking in , because what you're about to see in a little bit is a bunch of wet people in a hot tub on the side of a church building , and it's really bizarre . Why are we doing this ? And there's a lot of things , quite honestly , that we do in the church that might seem bizarre , and it's always kind of been like this .

Speaker 1 6:35

Now , kind of a funny story I heard about St Patrick . Many of you guys know St Patrick , well-revered in Protestant Catholic churches alike . We celebrated him just a couple weeks ago , but he was an evangelist in Ireland in the 5th century and he was said to have baptized about 120,000 people in Ireland in his lifetime . Now we celebrate him . He was so significant that we give a whole day . We celebrate him by wearing green , by eating corned beef and drinking Guinness all right , that's what we do and pinching each other right .

Speaker 1 7:10

But there's this kind of funny story of you know , not everybody knows exactly what goes into baptism . There was a king , king Ingus , in 450 AD . The king had asked Patrick to come and preach to him . He had heard about the miracles he was doing across the land and this message he was preaching and he asked Patrick to come preach to him . He ended up giving his life to God and his life to Jesus , this king , and so the next step was baptism and he was really excited about this . So he organized this huge kind of royal , this big ceremony , and at this ceremony Patrick was there and we see Patrick , you know , in a lot of photos .

Speaker 1 7:41

He's got that big staff it's called a crozier , I believe , and it's , you know , this big staff that he had with him really sharp tip at the bottom . And what happened was Patrick was preaching and he was at the baptism of King Angus . He was standing next to the king and he was preaching and he was so impassioned , he was so into what he was talking about that . He was holding a staff and just to make a point , he slammed his staff down on the ground and then the king yelped and it turns out that the sharp tip of this staff went straight into the king's foot . Okay , but Patrick had no idea . He was so into his message , his eyes were closed , he just kept going and he slammed into the king's foot and nobody said anything . So the king ends up getting baptized . He's limping around , he's bleeding . Finally Patrick realizes what happened and he asked the king for forgiveness . He said I'm so sorry , why didn't you say anything ? And the king said I thought this was all part of the ritual . So , needless to say , nobody else wanted to get baptized that day and he had no idea . He thought it was all a part .

Speaker 1 8:50

So I say that story as kind of a funny way of saying like , when we come to the church , there's a lot of things that we do and sometimes we forget why we do what we do . And some of you are coming in this morning you're like wow , this is kind of a wild bunch . We're singing , we're yelling , there's dancers , there's flagging , there's a lot of interesting things happening . Listen , there's going to be a lot more when you get to heaven . I'll tell you that much . Okay , but there's a lot of deeper significance and meaning , especially when it comes to baptism . So I just want to talk about that just for a few minutes , before we honor and celebrate with the ones who are being baptized today , because the reality is , some of you have already been baptized in your life . Some of you are being baptized today , some of you have yet to be baptized , and maybe even today we have extra towels .

Speaker 1 9:30

Today could be your day , all right , but what is water , baptism ? Baptism is an outward sign of an internal transformation . It's an outward sign of an internal transformation . It's something we do to represent something that has happened from the inside out . And why water ? Why is water so significant ?

Speaker 1 9:51

Because , throughout the scripture , water played a significant role in the story of God's people and a lot of different themes the Jewish people , the Israelites . That water played a significant theme of passing from one place to another in major transitions in history . Noah and his family were saved from the worldwide destruction through the waters of the flood . The Israelites , under Moses , gained their freedom from slavery through the waters of the Red Sea . John the Baptist called for repentance to be shown through baptism in water that it would be a cleansing , a washing from the inside out .

Speaker 1 10:30

And even Jesus was baptized , not because he needed his sins forgiven we know that wasn't true but to what , as the scripture says , to fulfill all righteousness . And it was a foreshadow of what he was going to be doing . He was foreshadowing this is what I've come to do to die and to be raised again . And this is what Jesus gave to us . And this was so important to Jesus that he included this in his final kind of farewell message to his disciples .

Speaker 1 10:56

And in Matthew 28 , 18 , it says this Matthew 28 , it says and Jesus came and said to them All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me . Go , therefore , and make disciples of all nations , baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and of the Holy Spirit , teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you . And behold , I am with you always , to the end of the age . Is that good news to anybody here ? It's good news that he is with you . He has not left you alone . He has sent his Holy Spirit to us to remind us of everything he did and everything he said , and so , even to Jesus , though , he said what I want you to do is people trust in my name as you make disciples , as you invite people to follow me . I want you to celebrate that through baptism , because when we follow Christ , we're saying that I'm surrendering my life . I'm surrendering what I was and all that . I am over to your way , jesus . I was the master of my life , but now I'm making you the master of my life , and as I go underwater , I'm leaving something behind and I'm entering into brand new life . Are you guys with me this morning ? So a few things .

Speaker 1 12:17

I want to point out , though , when it comes to baptism . First of all , we are immersed in Christ . When we come , when we take a step forward in our baptism , we are actually immersed in Christ . That's what the Greek word when the scriptures are written , the word baptize is this word baptizo , which means to immerse , to cleanse , to overwhelm . That's why , when we baptize and this isn't I'm not saying it's wrong to do it any other way , it's just when we baptize we go fully in . We're all in okay , in fact , we're so in that when you get baptized , we're gonna hold you under for a little bit . Make sure it's all good and make sure it takes . I'm just joking , okay , by the way , I'm just joking , but we're immersed . We're immersed into the life of Christ , and sometimes , on Easter Sunday , it's difficult to celebrate the resurrection . When we look at the world , we wonder how could things be so dark ? And what happens is the reality is , we are all immersed in something . We are all baptized in something .

Invitation to Be Immersed in Christ

Speaker 1 13:21

Okay , some of you are baptized in Fox News . Some of you are baptized in CNN . Some of you are baptized in a way of thinking that did not come from God , it came from somewhere else . Some of you are baptized in public opinion . You're baptized in the perception of your friends and your family . We can be baptized in a lot of things , and that's why Jesus says I invite you to be baptized , to be immersed , to be overwhelmed , not by the way of the world , but by my thoughts and my heart and my heartbeat for you , by the kingdom of God .

Speaker 1 13:52

And so what happens , though , is we look at what's happening in the world , and we're very aware of all that is wrong or that is broken , and sometimes we say God , it's terrible , what's happening over in this part of the world . We need you to do something about that over there . I need you to take care of that thing over there , or the economy over here , or this person or this world leader . But when we look at the problems of the world , it's too easy to point out the problem out there and forget that the problem is first in here . It's not that the world , it's not just that the world needs to be baptized in Christ , it's that we first need to be baptized in Christ .

Speaker 1 14:28

The problem starts in here . For every single one of us , god needs to immerse us , he needs to immerse you and he needed to immerse me in his perfect love . Can I just be very clear ? We are all sinners , we have all fallen short . There's a fracture that has happened deep in the core of our beings and Jesus' invitation is I want to bring you into a new way . So we don't just need God to save those out here , we need him to save us . And you say , well , that's you know , that's fine . But listen , I'm generally a good person , right , like I'm pretty nice . I'm a nice guy . I tip my servers . Well , right , I pray before meals .

Speaker 1 15:14

I show up to church you know , as often as I can , but oftentimes what happens is we look at our lives and we judge ourselves based on kind of a standard of what we consider to be passable , forgetting that , at a deep level , sin has actually affected our lives and sin has the penalty of death . And so here's how one artist depicted this in 1633 , renaissance artist Rembrandt . He painted this painting that maybe you have seen before , the Raising of the Cross , and I want you to take a look at this if you can get a picture of this . Let's go back to the first slide . It's depicting Jesus being raised on the cross and there's a whole crowd around , there's a lot of people in this scene , but besides Jesus , who's the brightest photo , kind of brightest face in this ? It's that man at the bottom . But I want you to look at something very interesting about this man . This man does not look very Jewish or very Roman . Okay , and we'll zoom in now to this face . This , my friends , is a tiny Dutch man whose name is Rembrandt .

Speaker 1 16:32

So in this painting of Rembrandt , when he's depicting the cross , he didn't depict the raising of the cross as somebody else's problem . This is what somebody else did to Christ . This is what he's saying . This is what somebody else did to Christ . This is what he's saying . This is what my own sin has done to Christ . I was the one who put Jesus on the cross and he painted himself into the picture because he got a glimpse that I can't put this out anywhere else besides myself . I'm the one who was a participant in this , and so if I put him there , then I need the saving work of Jesus for myself .

Speaker 1 17:15

But here's the good news . The good news is this While we were still sinners , dead in our sin , christ died for us . While we were still sinners , while we were at our worst and some of us are maybe at our worst right now . Maybe you feel like you're at your worst . I'm just telling you , at the lowest of your lows is when God looked at you and said I love you and there's nothing that you can do that will separate you from my love . And he invited you to know his love . And that's the thing .

Speaker 1 17:42

All of us in this room need that to become pretty clear , because here's the truth . God did not come to make bad people good . He came to make dead people alive . Okay , he did not come to just make some unkind people a little nicer to the world . I'm sorry , that's not the revolutionary work of Jesus . He came to take people that have been affected and fractured in death and to make us alive in Christ . We were immersed in sin and death . So Jesus became human , he took our place . He immersed himself in death , overwhelmed by death , as an innocent and sinless man that his dying would break the grip of sin and death for once and for all .

Speaker 1 18:22

So that's why we don't just dip our toes in the waters of baptism . We get all in and say God , you went all in for me and I'm going in all in for you , come on . So we are immersed in Christ , but we're also buried with Christ . This is important . I know this isn't Good Friday , this is Resurrection Sunday . Bear with me for a second . We are buried with Christ , and here's why this is important . We remind ourselves , because many think that following Jesus is just by adding Christianity to their existing life .

Speaker 1 18:55

I'm going to add a little Jesus to my existing life . There's a lot in our culture that it's kind of popular to be spiritual . I want to be . I want enough spirituality in my life to kind of you know , yeah , I want to be a spiritual person , right , and so I'm going to do . You know my day's going to start . I'm going to do a little yoga in the morning , I'm going to take a break for lunch , I'm going to do my kale salad and kombucha , and then I'm going to do my meditations , and then I'm going to pray to Jesus , and then I will officially be an enlightened spiritual person . This is like . This is the way a lot of people think about Jesus . Is I like Jesus , so I'm going to take a little bit of you , jesus . I'm going to add you to my current life . Here's the one problem with that , though , is that's not at all what Jesus even offered . He didn't offer to come into your life . He didn't offer to be added to your life . He said if anybody would follow me , he must take up his cross and follow me into death so that you can follow him into life .

Speaker 1 19:44

Here's what happens when we try to add Jesus to our life without also seeing that there's things that he takes away from us . We miss out on part of the good news . Let me tell you what that looks like . Some of us spend so much of our time , even if you believe in Jesus . Some of us spend so much of our time trying to make up for past mistakes , faults , sins and shortcomings , and even in the room , you know what I'm talking about . You're aware of your own past . You're aware of where you've fallen short . I know I am . I'm aware of where I've fallen short and often still do . I'm aware of where I mess up .

Speaker 1 20:27

Some of us believe that what we're supposed to be doing is just trying to get rid of the bad things and try to do more good things . And so what happens is we try to follow Jesus , but in doing so we're trying to prove to God that we're worth it , for just by behaving better , we're trying to prove to ourselves and those around us that we can do it better this time . And so we're trying to add good things to our life to outweigh all the bad things . But the problem with that is that it's never enough . It's never enough . You cannot just add , you cannot give enough money away , you cannot serve the poor enough , you cannot do enough good things to outweigh the feeling of guilt and shame and just that feeling of not being enough , which is why Jesus offers something completely better . He offers something much better .

Speaker 1 21:19

God isn't trying to manage your past . He wants to forgive your past , and that's what he's done in the cross . He's not just trying to make you better . He's trying to eliminate and give you a clean slate that he no longer sees you based on how you used to be . He sees you based on who he made you to be and what he purchased in his own death and his own resurrection for your sake . You are no longer who you used to be , so you don't have to waste any more time and exhaust your energy trying to manage a perception before God . When you come into Christ , he sees you exactly like he sees his son , christ . This is the gospel . This is the good news .

Speaker 1 21:57

I talked to somebody yesterday that they said man , I don't know if I've done enough to be baptized . I feel like I'm a new Christian . It all feels new to me and I don't feel like I've done enough . I don't feel like I've earned it . Yet I said you haven't , isn't that awesome ? You haven't done enough , you're not worth it , but God has made you worth it . God has said that you are worth it . None of us can do enough to earn it . That's the scandal of the gospel , is that it's not about how much you can measure up . It's about how much he has already measured up on your behalf , because it'll never be enough . But that's why Jesus is worth following , because he is enough .

Speaker 1 22:38

The Israelites passed through the Red Sea , and when they passed through the Red Sea , out of the slavery of Egypt , they passed into their new life . But what was buried in that Red Sea was their old master , their old oppressor . And that's what happens to us when we come into the waters of baptism . We're not just taking everything with us , we're leaving behind all that does not belong . So when we go into the water , what we leave behind is our fear and our guilt and our shame and our worry . Why ? Because he purchased those things that they don't even belong to you anymore . They're not yours to carry . You leave them behind in the water because you are now a child of God . You are not defined by your mistakes . You're not defined by your failures . You're not defined by your addictions . You are defined by Jesus . Now , that's good news . Right there , all right . So we're immersed into Christ , we are buried with Christ . But third point we're raised to life in Christ . That's why you're here this morning . We're raised to life in Christ .

Speaker 1 23:49

Here's how Paul says it in 2 Corinthians 5 . He says For the love of Christ controlled us , because we have concluded this that one has died for all . Therefore , all have died , and he died for all , that those who live might no longer live for themselves , but for him who , for their sake , died and was raised . From now on , therefore , we regard no one according to the flesh . Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh , we regard him thus no longer . Therefore , if anyone is in Christ , he is a new creation . The old has passed away . Behold , the new has come . The old has passed away . The new has come . It's not just that you were immersed head to toe in Christ . The old has passed away , the new has come . It's not just that you were immersed head to toe in Christ , it's not just that you were buried , but you have .

Speaker 1 24:44

As you come out of the water , as we come out of the water , as we come up in Christ , we're coming up into the fullness of life in Christ , which means that God sets his name on you , says you're baptized into the name of the Father , into the name of the Father , into the name of the Son , into the name of the Holy Spirit . He has done such a work that he's willing to put his name on it . Some of you at work you know what it means to put your name on something . You only put your name on something that you're proud of , something that cuts through , the one that actually raises to a standard worthy of putting your

Transformation Through Baptism and Belonging

Speaker 1 25:20

name .

Speaker 1 25:20

God has put his name on those who call on his name , and he baptizes us into the name of the Father and the Son and the Spirit , and he gives us his spirit and the power of God , and what happens is he begins to change our desires . He changes our motivations , he changes our identity from the inside out , so that sin is no longer our home , but Christ is now our home . Christ overwhelms us from every side , and now , though , sometimes we mess up , though sometimes we sin and we do sin is no longer my nature . Jesus is my nature , and his righteousness is now my nature . So when I stray , I need not have to go crucify myself , because he's been crucified for me . All I have to do is return home to what he's already done . So we are no longer in sin , we are now in Christ .

Speaker 1 26:13

This is the good news . This means that following Jesus is not just an upgrade to your life . It's not just you 2.0 . It's not just a better version of you living your best life all right . This is about entering into the life of Christ , and so there's a transformation that happens .

Speaker 1 26:30

No longer are you a slave , but now you are a son and a daughter . No longer are you guilty , but you are free . Your record is free . No longer are you in debt , but your bill has been paid . No longer are you stained , but you are clean . No longer are you alone , but you're a part of the family of God . You're part of the work of God , you're part of his story . No longer are you just tolerated for who you are , but you are loved . You are beloved from the inside out .

Speaker 1 27:02

That's why , when we look at each other , we look at each other according to how Christ sees us . When we look at each other in the eyes and I hope you do this today we see each other based not just on how we look . I hope you don't look at me based on just how I look . You wouldn't look at me very well based on just how I look , but if you look at me according to how Christ sees me , then you can see love . You can see love in my eyes . You can see , I can see love in your eyes . It transforms everything about us .

Speaker 1 27:28

And what does all that mean ? That means , when we're raised to life with God , we don't have to live in fear . Death is no longer the worst thing that will happen to you , because , while our outer bodies waste away , our inner life is being renewed day by day and we have a life with God that is eternal . Some of you came in today and you feel the grip of fear in your life . You're afraid of what's happening in the world . You're afraid of , maybe , what's happening in your body or a diagnosis or report . You're afraid of losing your spouse or your kids . You're afraid of what could be lost , and I just want to remind you today that fear is a terrible master . Fear will consume you , fear will enslave you , fear will take you down to the grave , but you have not been given a spirit of fear . You have been given the spirit of Christ , which means that you can entrust your whole life to him , every detail of your life , and knowing that , even when you don't know what's happening , he is with you and he is still good , and his resurrection power is still good today .

Speaker 1 28:48

So this morning I wanna invite our friends who are being baptized to come up and just kind of get in a lineup here . And the way we're gonna do it this morning is each one are gonna come up and just kind of get in a line up here , and the way we're going to do it this morning is each one are going to come up and we're going to ask them just a couple questions and then they're going to go down in the waters of baptism and we're going to have a camera so you'll be able to see them from your seat on the screens . But , guys , part of what we're doing is when you come into the waters of baptism and you come out , what it symbolizes is you're no longer alone in your journey . You come into the family of God . And these guys

Baptism and Declaration of Faith

Speaker 1 29:26

are .

Speaker 1 29:26

All of them have different stories . Some of them , maybe , were baptized as children and they feel like they're in a new season of life in Jesus . They want to be baptized again . Others are children and they're putting their faith in Jesus for the first time . Others are new believers and they've been a part of the church just for a little bit , and this is their step . They're taking a step of obedience . And so , as they get baptized , our part is to celebrate with them , is to welcome them in . So we're going to do some baptisms and I'm going to do one more invitation , we're going to sing together at the end and then we'll be done . So just hang on just for a little bit longer . This is going to be a lot of fun . So , that being said , jeanette , do we have Jeanette around here ? Here we go .

Speaker 4 30:13

Yes , sorry , I forgot to grab the mic , oh , okay .

Speaker 1 30:16

Had to get the mic .

Speaker 4 30:16

Okay , okay , had to get the mic . Okay , first up is going to be Everest , hargadai Come on .

Speaker 1 30:25

Everest Woo-hoo .

Speaker 4 30:33

Okay , so Everest is Jesus Christ , your Lord and Savior . Yes , and are you ready to be baptized in front of all of these people to declare what Jesus has done for you ? Yeah , alright , all right .

Speaker 1 30:48

Awesome , awesome , yay , yay .

Speaker 4 31:20

Okay , next up we have McKinley Hargadine .

Speaker 1 31:24

McKinley , come on .

Speaker 4 31:25

McKinley , do you love Jesus ? Yes , and do you know that he died for you on the cross ? Yeah , and are you wanting to be baptized today to show everyone here what God has done for you ? Yes , okay , okay , come on , come on , great , okay . This is Matthew .

Speaker 1 32:09

Matthew .

Speaker 4 32:11

Matthew , tell us why you want to be baptized today .

Speaker 7 32:15

I'm just ready to live my life in the name of Jesus . I'm celebrating new life in so many ways . We just welcomed our daughter this week . Our daughter , liv , was born on Tuesday this last week . Awesome , we're celebrating the new life of her and , you know , my new life with Jesus .

Speaker 4 32:35

That's awesome . That's awesome . All right , let's celebrate .

Speaker 8 32:38

There you go , thank you .

Speaker 4 33:22

Okay , next up we have Nancy Yay .

Speaker 5 33:28

Nancy , why do you want to be baptized ?

Speaker 4 33:35

I had a dream one night , and my dream that Jesus , it's an emotional thing , right , it's okay , you can show emotion .

Speaker 5 33:47

I dreamed that Jesus walked into my room , my bedroom . My husband was out of town and I sat up abruptly and reached out and I said his name because I knew who he was . And he said don't be afraid and I it as don't be afraid of taking this step . And it was so real and so momentous . I couldn't forget it and I want to get baptized again .

Speaker 4 34:36

That's awesome . Jesus Christ is your Savior and you're wanting to declare that in front of all of these people today ? Yes , I do , let's do it Woo .

Speaker 2 35:22

Thank you .

Speaker 4 35:34

Okay , we have David here that wants to be baptized today . David , tell us why you want to be baptized .

Speaker 8 35:42

Well , first of all , I want to recognize that I had a really good friend that introduced me to God and to Christ , and that day was one of the best days of my life when I made Jesus Christ my Lord and Savior , and I'm so excited today to put the old man down and rise up in the Spirit of Christ .

Speaker 4 36:12

Amen , I have nothing to add to that one . Okay , let's do this .

Speaker 2 36:54

I'm sorry .

Speaker 4 37:02

All right , this is Gunnar . Let's celebrate . Gunnar , gunnar , why do you want to be baptized today ?

Speaker 1 37:09

I want to live for Christ .

Speaker 4 37:11

That's a very good reason . All right , and he's your Savior and you want to confess in front of everyone and declare to the heavens that what he's done for you .

Speaker 8 37:21

Yes ma'am .

Speaker 4 37:21

All right , let's do it . I'm gonna be up .

Speaker 2 37:53

I like it . It's so good . Yeah , I love it .

Speaker 9 37:56

Yeah , yeah .

Speaker 4 38:02

Okay , this is Haley . Let's give it up for Haley . Haley , why do you want to be baptized today ?

Speaker 6 38:11

To take a step further into my faith and just become closer with the people around me .

Speaker 4 38:16

Okay , that's awesome . And Jesus Christ is your Lord ? Yeah , and you want to be baptized to declare what he's done for you ? Yeah , all right , let's go .

Speaker 2 38:52

Yeah .

Speaker 4 38:58

Yay , yay , all right , this is Jesse . Everyone Woo , jesse , why do you want to be baptized today ?

Speaker 3 39:11

Oh , you can hold it . Thank you , I'm a little shaky . Well , I was brought up in a tradition that teaches our baptism is spiritual and fully in Christ , so much so that the external act is not needed . So , standing on my belief that baptism was fully and totally accomplished in Christ , spiritually , I have never been water baptized myself . Over time , though , I've sensed a spirit of pride and isolation in this position , and I've become increasingly convicted about it , and today I want to proclaim my loyalty to Christ , not to some system of belief . I desire to show solidarity with Christ and this community in this public way . At this point , I honestly probably have more questions than answers . But it's not a knowledge thing For me , it's a heart thing . It's not a knowledge thing for me , it's a heart thing . And the word from the lord for me at this time is that it's not meant to be an act of theology , this is meant to be an act of faith . So jesus is lord and I want to be baptized into his name .

Speaker 4 40:29

Yeah , come on that'll preach let's go , let's go you .

Speaker 1 41:07

Amen , amen , amen , amen , amen . Let's give it up for everybody who's been baptized so far . We're proud of you , guys . We're proud of you for taking that step . And I just want to . We're going to leave an open invitation here . Maybe you're here today . You've never been baptized before . Maybe you're in a new season of life with Jesus and you're like gosh , maybe today's my day . Listen , we have extra towels , I think . I think we have extra towels . So if you want to be baptized today , just come out . You can just come over to the stairs . You can be baptized anytime in the next several minutes . But listen , everybody across the room , hang with me just for a second Across the room .

Speaker 1 41:52

What these guys are doing is they're making a confession of faith . They've already decided in their heart that they're following Jesus . But I wanna give an opportunity for all of us here to do the same thing , and I wanna invite you this morning with me to just close your eyes across the room . And I just wanna put an invitation out here today . Maybe you're here and you're walking with Jesus , and that's been the room . And I just want to put an invitation out here today . Maybe you're here and and you're walking with Jesus , and that's been the case . Maybe you're here and you're like gosh I don't really know where I'm at with God . I don't know that I would say God is at the center of my life . I think I've maybe added him to my life , but I haven't given , haven't surrendered my life to Jesus yet . Maybe you're in a place and everything is pretty comfortable in your life , you have enough money in the bank , you have food on the table , but you just know that inside that there's something missing , and maybe it's missing because you haven't just , with your words , confessed with your mouth that Jesus is Lord of your life and you haven't invited him in . So I just want to do something together . I want to invite everybody here to pray a prayer . If you're willing and you don't have to pray this , it's totally fine . You don't have to say anything I'm saying . But if you're willing and able , I want to invite you , even if you're a believer , in this place , to pray this prayer again and we can pray it together . And so , wherever you're at , wherever you're sitting , wherever you're standing across the room , close your eyes and would you repeat after me this morning . If you would like to pray this prayer , repeat after me .

Speaker 1 43:25

Jesus , I believe you are the son of God , that you died on the cross to rescue me from sin and death and to restore me to new life . I choose now to turn from my sins , my self-centeredness , and surrender my life to you . I choose you , I give life to you , I choose you , I give myself to you and I receive your love and forgiveness , and ask you to take your rightful place as my Savior and my Lord . Come , reign in my heart , fill me with your love and resurrection life , give me a new identity , restore me , jesus , live in me , love through me . Thank you , god . In Jesus' name I pray Amen , amen . Come on , let's give it up to Jesus in this place , here today . I want to invite you to stand with me here this morning Luke .

Speaker 4 44:45

sorry , we have one more this is Tammy , everyone Tammy . Tammy , why do you want to be baptized this morning to accept Jesus as my Savior ?

Speaker 1 45:02

alright , let's do it then thank you God , thank you Jesus , come on . Amen , amen , amen . Hey , let's stand together across the room , wherever you're sitting , let's stand up . We're going to sing and listen . If that was the first time you prayed that prayer , if you've never prayed that prayer before and it's the first time you prayed it , or you prayed it and you really meant it in a new way , I want you to come and talk to me . Talk with one of us up front , maybe even if you want to get baptized there's still time but come talk to us . We want to know you , but we're going to sing and we're going to receive communion together , so let's do this how high the ?

Speaker 6 46:29

mountain I could not climb . In desperation I turned to heaven and spoke your name into the night . Then , through the darkness , your loving kindness tore through the shadows of my soul . The work is finished . The end is written . Jesus Christ , my living hope .

Speaker 9 47:18

Who could imagine so great a mercy ? What heart could fathom Such boundless grace ? The God of ages stepped down from glory to wear my sin and bear my shame . I am forgiven . The King of kings calls me his own Beautiful Savior . I'm yours forever , jesus Christ , my living hope . Hallelujah , praise the one who set me free . Hallelujah , praise the one who set me free . Hallelujah , death has lost its grip on me . You have broken every chain . There's salvation in your name , jesus Christ , my living hope .

Speaker 6 48:39

Then came the morning that sealed the promise . Your buried body began to breathe , began to breathe out of the silence , the roaring that sealed the promise .

Speaker 9 49:21

Your very body began to breathe Out of the silence . The roaring lion Declared the grave has no blame on me . Jesus , yours is the victory . Hallelujah , praise the one who set me free . Hallelujah , death has lost its grip on me . You have broken every chain . There's salvation in your name , Jesus Christ , my living hope . Hallelujah , hallelujah , praise the one who set me free . Hallelujah , death has lost its grip on me . You have broken every chain . There's salvation in your name , jesus Christ , my living hope , my living hope . Jesus Christ , my living hope . Oh God , you are my living hope . Yes , jesus , thank you Jesus . Yes , jesus , thank you Jesus . So we honor you . So we honor you . Oh , hallelujah , hallelujah , hallelujah , hallelujah . There was a moment when the lines were not , when death had claimed its victory . The King of love had given up his life , the darkest day in history . There , on a cross , they made their sinners when every curse is blood atone , where every curse is blood atone , a final breath . And it was finished , but not the end we could have known , for the earth began to shake .

Speaker 2 52:14

And the veil was torn .

Speaker 9 52:18

But sacrifice was made as the heavens rose . Sing it out . Sing it out All hail King Jesus . All hail the Lord of heaven and earth . All hail King Jesus , jesus , all hail the Savior of the world . There was a moment when the sky lit up , a flash of light breaking through , and all was lost across eternity . The King of life was on the moon . But when a dark , cold , tomb , tomb when the Lord was laid , one miraculous breath Will forever change . Oh hail King Jesus , oh , oh , oh , oh , oh , oh , oh , oh , oh , oh , oh , oh , oh , oh , oh , oh , oh , oh , oh , oh , jesus .

Worship and Communion Service

Speaker 9 54:48

All hail king jesus . We sing your praise , we praise you , jesus , we honor you , king Jesus .

Speaker 9 55:08

Let every knee come bow before the King of Kings . Let every tongue confess that he is Lord . Lift up your shout . Let us join with all our heads and sing . Let every need , let every need Come bow before the King of kings . Let every tongue bless the King of lords . And now , to your shout , let us join with all our heavenly host . Lord , the Father can't be holy . Oh , you are holy . You are holy . Yes , you are holy . Yes , you are holy . All hail King Jesus . All hail the Lord of heaven and earth . All hail King Jesus . Oh hail the Savior of the world .

Speaker 2 56:46

Thank you God , thank you Jesus , thank you Jesus .

Speaker 1 56:58

Thank you , God . Would you join me this morning ? We're going to receive the elements together . We're going to receive the body and the blood of Jesus , and if you're a believer in Jesus Christ , I invite you to participate together as a church family . It says this in the scriptures , for I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you , that the Lord Jesus , on the night he was betrayed , took the bread and when he had given thanks , he broke it and said this is my body , which is for you . Do this in remembrance of me . In the same way also , he took the cup after supper , saying this cup is the new covenant in my blood . Do this as often as you drink it in remembrance of me , For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup , you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes . So this morning , I invite you to receive the bread and the cup . This is , by the way , gluten-free , so you're not gonna die , You're gonna be okay . But we do this together to remind ourselves of what happened on that cross that he fully died so he could fully defeat death and fully rise again .

Speaker 1 58:15

So , Jesus , as we receive your body and your blood , we announce your kingship in our lives . We surrender to you . We say that you're good and we thank you , God . We thank you for doing for us what we could not do on our own . We receive your body and your blood with grateful hearts , Jesus , Amen . Let's receive the bread and we'll receive the cup together . We thank you , God , for what you've done here today . We thank you for our baptisms . We thank you for everybody who has given their heart to you today and as we leave this place , God , we go in the resurrection power of Jesus . We go knowing that you are still alive and you are inside of us . In Jesus' name , we pray amen , amen . Hey , listen , if you're new with us , you're gonna see a connect with the sign in the back . We wanna meet you in the back . If you need prayer for anything , we're gonna have some ministry team members prayer team members up front with purple badges . You can receive prayer . If you have kids , you can go . Get them Go in the life of Jesus .