The Baptism of the Lord

Baptism is more than a ritual where some water is poured and some prayers are said, and then everyone has lunch.  

It is a dying and a rising. 

A dying to oneself and a living for Another. 

A dying to sin and living a life of grace. 

In Baptism, one goes down into the water and drowns one's sins and one's old life and as one comes out of the water one rises to a new and holy life. 

Or to use Easter terminology, in Baptism one dies and enters the tomb, but when one comes out of the water one comes forth to a new and risen life. 

Baptism and the renewal of Baptismal promises is a strengthening and a deepening of that new life we have in Christ and a reaffirming to leave the old self and the old ways behind. 

But why did Jesus have to be baptized?

Christ was baptized into us so that we might be baptized into Him!

When Jesus was baptized, He became immersed in our sins, our sufferings, and our pain. 

He immersed Himself into our life so that through Baptism 

we might be immersed into His Life, into His Holiness. 

So just as Jesus through His Baptism in the Jordan immersed Himself into our life, so through our Baptism we immerse ourselves into His. 

We begin to live a new life in Christ. 

It is no longer I who lives, but Christ who lives in me!  Gal. 2:20

Do we live our Baptism?

Do we immerse ourselves into the Life of Christ?

Or have we immersed ourselves into other things?

into materialism, selfishness, drugs, alcohol, pornography, food, shopping, gambling and other addictions.  

If so is it any wondering we feel as if we are drowning.  

These things do not give life, they only take it. 

With these things we find ourselves in over our head

And only Jesus offers us a lifeline. 

Called Amazing Grace. 

Grace is truly amazing. 

It opens hearts and doors. 

It opens eyes and ears. 

It saves and gives new life. 

Through Baptism and the renewal of our Baptismal promises we immerse ourselves into the Amazing Grace of Christ. 

If you feel as if you are drowning and in over your head. 

Reach out to Jesus who jumped into the water with you. 

Who immersed Himself into your life so that you could grab hold of Him and be pulled out and up into a new life and leave the old one behind!