God Rescues Us in Baptism

Dear Fellow Children of God,

 

If you ever watched the movie “Jaws” you heard a little about the sinking of the USS Indianapolis.  On July 26, 1945, this US naval ship secretly delivered the atomic bomb that would be dropped on Hiroshima.  After the delivery the ship was traveling toward the Philippines when it was struck by torpedoes.  The history I’ve read says 900 men who lived through the attack went into the water.  Four days later, after the survivors were seen by a plane, 317 of those men were rescued by ships in the area.  Those ships rescued these last 317 men from certain death.

 

This week we get to see God’s work to rescue His children in our very midst.  Five people from 4 different families will be baptized this Sunday.  Peter Walters, infant son of our DCE and youth worker, Jamie, and her husband, Philip, will be baptized in early worship.  In late service Bim Hoylman will join our family of faith as he is baptized, along with Elizabeth Turner, the granddaughter of Richard and Donna Firmstone.  After late worship Kaiyu and Naila Saecheo, two grandchildren of Peter and Eileen Probasco, are being baptized.  Did you know that when someone is baptized, God is working to rescue His children?

 

Sunday we will read the assigned gospel from John 3 about Nicodemus and Jesus.  In verse 5, Jesus tells Nicodemus, "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit.”  People sometimes miss the connection between this statement from our Lord and verse 6 of Revelation 20.  “Blessed and holy are those who have part in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them,”  In other words, when God works the “the first resurrection” of the new life of faith through the water and through His Spirit in baptism, He rescues His children from “the second death” of eternal death and judgment.

 

This new life which God gives does not happen magically when water is poured over our heads.  God sent His Son Jesus to save us from sin and death and the cost was high.  Jesus died on the cross to forgive our sins and Jesus rose victoriously from the dead to give us eternal life.  God works in our hearts through the water and His Spirit in baptism to create faith in Jesus and to strengthen His people in that faith. 

 

This life of faith is a new life, different from life apart from Jesus!   Without this new life of faith we face death and judgment.  But, when God works in our life by His Word and by His Spirit, through teaching and baptizing, He rescues us so that we live today as members of God’s kingdom in the strength and peace and love of Jesus’ victory.  He rescues us so that we live eternally with Him in heaven.

 

What I am trying to say, but taking the long road to say it, is that I am excited.  God is working mightily right here in our midst to give new life and to give eternal life to His children this Sunday.  What a reason to rejoice and celebrate!

 

By the way, are you baptized?  If so, there is reason to rejoice in God’s grace in your life and to live out the blessings of grace God gives.  If you are not baptized,  . . . well, I’d be glad to visit with you about the possibility of God working His power and love and rescue in YOUR life.

 

A Child of God, Rejoicing in God’s Rescue!

Pastor Jonathan

 

P.S.  Here are some pictures from last Monday’s fishing trip at Finger Lake with grandchildren, Emma and Henry.  We were testing out the fishing for the Shane Woods’ Memorial Ice Fishing Outing this Sunday afternoon!   https://picasaweb.google.com/114993745799525883148/IceFishing3102014?noredirect=1#

 

 

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ABOUT ‘THOUGHTS FROM THE PASTOR’ -   I am sending these e-mail messages, hopefully weekly, to all St. John members and friends whose e-mails I have.  (I am always adding new names of friends and members – in case you are just receiving this e-mail for the first time.)  However, if you don’t want to receive this e-mail, please let me know, and I’ll gladly leave your name off my list for this message. . . Or, if you know someone who would like to receive one of these e-mails, please send me their e-mail address.

 

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