Recap...

First I will recap on the week or so leading up to the next blog, Our Father, as I believe it lays some necessary groundwork.

Baptisms on Friday, June 14th.

I shared a few points that I believe are important to name:

1)   Baptism is not merely symbolic,

2)   Baptism is death,

3)   Baptism is Life, and

4)   Baptism is not a “fix all, end all”  

There is a great mystery in the midst of all Christian traditions, like baptism.

This mystery is Christ, who he is, and what he has accomplished.  Though we are called into him and all that he freely gives us, we will never be able to fully wrap our minds around him.   He desires to reveal himself to us, though he will always remain a mystery.

The Sunday before the baptisms, Josh spoke about Jesus the Christ, being God’s great mystery.  His message, Jesus by Josh C 6-9-19, is posted on the podcasts so you can listen.  He read from Colossians 2.  I encourage to listen to the teaching and read the passage.

At the baptisms, Josh read again from Colossian 2:6-7, calling us to grow in our union with him, Jesus.   This is the heart of a pilgrim.  Though we are already united to him, we are “progressing further into (our) union with him!”

 As baptism unites us to Jesus, both in his death and in his resurrection, we become part of him.  We enter into the union that has existed before time began, between Jesus, His Father, and the Holy Spirit.  This means that His Father becomes our Father.

Aaron Craner