WE WILL NEVER BE THE SAME

This morning, we have the privilege of participating in the baptisms of Jack Carmon-Castillo and Lynn Deitz. One of them is a toddler... the other is grown-up, but in both cases, baptism is a sacred, kairos moment... with life-changing power. In Jack's case, we are celebrating the fact that he is now "in Christ" and "Spirit-filled." He was a child of God in the first place... but today, God has surely laid His hand on him and blessed him with the Holy Ghost. Lynn comes to the water as a adult, and while we still believe that she comes in response to God's call, she nonetheless, on this day, is making an intentional decision to die to her old nature and to live for Christ from this moment on. As she is baptized, Lynn will be entirely new in Christ. She will be born-again, and she will have the God-given opportunity to live as a new creation. Being called into a new community always changes everything. The people who have been joined will never be the same, and the one(s) who is joining will never be the same... because we are interrelated- brothers and sisters- in Christ.

Friends, today we celebrate two baptisms...and the joy of welcoming Bianca, Karen, Charlene... and Lynn (again) into membership. Their joining us... will change the both of us, and even as they are picking up the responsibilities of membership, we also know that our Lord has commanded us to love them... as He has loved us. In just a few minutes, two new saints have been ushered into the kingdom, and four Christians have committed themselves to SPPC. They've confessed their faith in Christ, and they've pledged to share their time, talent, and treasure with us, even as we share ours with them. As a people, we've vowed to love, teach, welcome, and know them, and to open up doors of service and ministry unto them. The words that we've said today are meant to be taken seriously... because we need one another! In a world filled with critics, we need cheerleaders, and in a world where people are inclined to tell us what we want to hear... we need people who will tell us the truth in love.

We need to embrace our new members and to let them embrace us... because we have work to do for Christ. As Peter noted (1 Ptr. 2:1-10) we are being built into a holy priesthood, where the word "holy" means to be "set apart" and the word "priest" suggests that we ought to mediate God's grace to one another. In other words, we are called to let our light shine in at least two ways- by the way we live and by the love we show to one another. Concerning the way we live, it is important to remember that you may be the ONLY Christian another person knows. To someone, YOU ARE THE CHURCH
and they will form opinions about us (and perhaps even our Lord) based on your words and actions! Concerning the love we show in His name, it must take many forms. As "priests," we mediate Christ's love when we... pray for one another, listen to one another, involve one another, affirm one another, empower one another, teach one another, visit one another, cry with one another, laugh with one another, trust one another, and share with one another...to name a few. Priestly acts like these built up the body of Christ... and they attract people who don't yet know God's love. Friends, there are all sorts of clubs where people can meet friends and find a committee to join. There are alot of places where people can hear songs...  but no one can preach, teach, and live out the good news with greater power than a Spirit-filled church (no matter it's size). People need to love and be loved. They need to be known and accepted. They need to experience Christ's forgiving love for themselves... and for many people, SPPC will be their ONLY HOPE! 

So... let's be holy. Let's march to a different drummer and lift up different values than those around us... and let's also be priests! Let's mediate God's love in every way we can... using the talent and treasure he has given to each one of us.  We have only one job really- to proclaim Christ crucified and risen... and to live as a forgiven and saved people! This is our job. It has always been our job, but today, we will do it in ways that we could not have done it yesterday... because Bianca, Karen, Lynn, Charlene, and Jack have been added to our family. Praise God!