Buried and Raised With Him

 

This week I have the great privilege of baptizing a student in our youth ministry.  It is always a joy to participate in a baptism, and this one is especially memorable because I have known this student since she was born.  To watch someone grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord is like watching a slow-motion miracle.  A great privilege indeed!  I had this student read through Romans 6 as they prepare for baptism.  So, I thought it might be a good idea to remind us all what is being celebrated during a baptism ceremony.  There are plenty of verses to look at and this is certainly not an exhaustive discussion on baptism, but here is one passage and a few thoughts regarding the topic.

Romans 6:1-14

What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? ² By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? ³ Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? ⁴ We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.

⁵ For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. ⁶ 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. ⁷ For one who has died has been set free from sin. ⁸ Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. ⁹ We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. ¹⁰ For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. ¹¹ So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.

¹² Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. ¹³ Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. ¹⁴ For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.

Things to think about:

·         This passage starts and ends with the discussion of sin.  Should we continue to sin once we belong to Christ?  Notice it doesn’t say “will we sin” because the answer to that question is of course we will – see chapter 7 of Romans.  The question is “should we continue to sin?”  Should we think sinning is okay?  Should we not care about sin?  Should we be proud of our sin?  Great questions and ones the Apostle Paul wants to answer by using baptism as the answer.

·         He proclaims, “no we should not sin anymore because we are dead to sin.”  How are we dead to sin?  Well, he says, you were united to Christ when he died to sin so you are dead to sin.  When you place your faith in Jesus Paul wants you to imagine yourself glued to Jesus, united to him in some way.  So, when Jesus died on the cross, you died.  When he was buried, you were buried.  When he rose from the dead, you rose from the dead!  This is amazing! 

·         Read those few verses again.  What questions do you have about being united to Christ by faith?

·         How can we walk in newness of life like we are commanded to do in verse 4?

·         How does our physical baptism represent this unity with Jesus?  Being dunked under water (dying and being buried), then coming up out of the water (raising from the dead). 

·         Because sin died with Jesus, I am no longer a slave to it.  Instead, I am a slave to righteousness and joy in the Lord in his grace.  How can you walk in this freedom today?

·         Rejoice with others that have proclaimed this truth through baptism.  If you have any questions about baptism or how to be united to Christ by faith feel free to reach out. 

When Evil Seems To Win

 

Why does evil seem to win?  At times do you feel like the wicked get away with everything?  The world appears to be sprinting toward destruction and you feel left behind looking in at a helpless situation.  You start to ask questions like, “where is God? Why is the Lord allowing such evil?  How can this be?”  Whether you look world politics like the situation in Ukraine, or watch one night of your local news, it seems like evil and sin are standing triumphant over peace, love, and righteousness.  Where should we turn when the world seems so broken?  Glad you asked.  This feeling is not new to our time.  Throughout human history people have been asking, “where is God?”   Since the garden of Eden it has appeared that sin would win, that Satan would have his trophy of a world in disobedience to the Lord.  But, it only appears that way!  God is still in control.  Jesus still reigns as King!  There is still a plan.  The game is not over yet, the final chapter has not been written, and the end has not come.  Let’s look at a Psalm that was written when King David was asking some of the same questions.  He was running for his life, he was betrayed, and it felt as if unrighteousness would win the day.  Let’s see how he responded to his own questions.

Psalm 52

Why do you boast of evil, O mighty man?
    The steadfast love of God endures all the day.
² Your tongue plots destruction,
    like a sharp razor, you worker of deceit.
³ You love evil more than good,
    and lying more than speaking what is right. Selah
⁴ You love all words that devour,
    O deceitful tongue.

⁵ But God will break you down forever;
    he will snatch and tear you from your tent;
    he will uproot you from the land of the living. Selah
⁶ The righteous shall see and fear,
    and shall laugh at him, saying,
⁷ “See the man who would not make
    God his refuge,
but trusted in the abundance of his riches
    and sought refuge in his own destruction!”

⁸ But I am like a green olive tree
    in the house of God.
I trust in the steadfast love of God
    forever and ever.
⁹ I will thank you forever,
    because you have done it.
I will wait for your name, for it is good,
    in the presence of the godly.

Things to think about:

·       Have you ever noticed how much evil tends to boast?  When the bad guy gets away with something they have to brag about it don’t they?  I wonder if that is because even the evil know their victory will be short lived so they have to make the most of it when it happens?  They know they will not stand victorious forever and one day they will face eternal judgment, so better make this moment count.  Just a thought…

·       Even when evil seems to win, what does David say?  What does he hold onto?  “The steadfast love of God endures all the day.”  May that be your rallying cry when evil seems to win in your life.  Lean into the steadfast love of God.  Trust in it when you don’t see it.  Hold onto the love of God when all else seems to fail.  God’s love is steadfast and sure.  It will not disappoint you!

·       I don’t know if we need to laugh at the destruction of people like David says in verse 6…but what we will be laughing at is the destruction of evil itself.  One day, all that is wrong with this world will be destroyed.  One day all that is destructive, harmful, shameful, corrupt, and broken will be done away with.  We will be laughing, not at the plight of the wicked, but at the joy that will come from all things wicked being removed.  Oh what joy shall we have when there is no sin to weigh us down, when relationships are restored, forgiveness is embraced, and love is bursting forth from every person for all of eternity!  That will cause us to laugh. 

·       I love how this Psalm ends.  “I will wait for your name…”  Whatever you are doing today you can wait for the Lord.  Waiting for the Lord can be difficult at times.  But, it is always worth it!  As we watch the world spiral out of control, wait for the Lord.  When your mind is full of questions, wait for the Lord.  When you don’t know what else to do, wait for the Lord.  God is good.  God is faithful.  His steadfast love will carry your through and lead you home.  In the midst of our trials his love wins the day.  May we never forget!