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Series B – Fifth Wednesday in Lent – Wednesday, March 18, 2015 | Pr. Chris Rosebrough

Welcome to the Teaching Ministry of Kongsvinger Lutheran Church. Kongsvinger is a beacon for the Gospel of Jesus Christ and is located on the plains of Northwestern Minnesota. We proclaim Christ and Him crucified for our sins and salvation by grace through faith alone, and now, here’s a message from Pastor Chris Rosebrough:

Time Stamp	Transcript
0:27	The holy Gospel According to Saint Matthew chapter 28 verses 16 through 20.
0:37	now the 11 disciples went into Galilee to the mountain to which Jesus had
0:42	directed them and when they saw him they worshiped him but some doubted and Jesus
0:47	came and said to them all authority in heaven on Earth has been given to me go
0:53	therefore and Make Disciples of all Nations baptizing them in the name of the father and the Son and the Holy
0:59	Spirit teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you and behold I Am
1:04	With You Always even to the end of the age you may be seated
1:10	in the name of Jesus a few years ago I was teaching
1:15	high schoolers and junior high schoolers at a church in Greenfield
1:21	Indiana and when we got to the text that we were reading tonight from Exodus
1:28	it was a great story the kids loved it you know the amazing story of how God rescues his people through water
1:38	God rescues his people through water and then you realize wait a second didn’t he
1:43	do that in the flood too yeah see there’s a theme here God likes
1:49	to Telegraph in big broad letters and so what I told the kids in my Sunday school
1:54	was come over to the baptismal font and in at that church their baptismal font
2:00	is literally at the back of the church and when you open up the doors it’s like right there and they got like some kind
2:07	of a circulating machine so you can actually like you know it kind of keeps it clean and fresh and so what I did is
2:12	I took them to the baptismal font and had them all stand around it and
2:17	what we did is I said now what I want you to do here I want you to imagine if you would
2:23	this is the Red Sea and which you can’t see is that on the
2:28	day that you were baptized all the Demonic forces of the devil were drowned and they’re all lying dead on the side
2:35	of the baptismal fund now the kids loved it they thought that was just a great way of looking at it and so that’s what
2:42	I want you to think about when you think about your baptism that God has
2:48	miraculously rescued you from the clinches of the devil and you heard it in our hymn that we just sang Satan hear
2:55	this Proclamation I am baptized into Christ remember the children of Israel they left Egypt and they left how the
3:03	text says defiantly so sing along with the with the
3:08	Israelites tonight Satan hear this Proclamation I am baptized into Christ
3:14	drop your ugly accusation I’m not so soon enticed now that to the font I’ve
3:20	traveled all your might has come unraveled and against your tyranny God
3:26	my Lord unites with me that’s
3:32	Promises of baptism it’s funny to me that lutherans are called lutherans and Baptists are called Baptist I really
3:38	think that Lutheran should be called Baptist and Baptist should be called something different because Baptists don’t believe that God’s doing anything
3:43	in baptism they don’t in fact they they call it an ordinance and what is an ordinance it’s
3:50	a law okay so you ask the majority of evangelicals out there okay what is
3:57	baptism for baptism is my declaration to the world that I’ve made a decision for
4:04	Jesus it’s me going public with my faith well there’s a couple problems with that
4:10	huge problems number one the world doesn’t come to church to see you make your public Proclamation that
4:17	you’ve made a decision for Jesus the world is at home sleeping on Sunday as
4:22	they’re prone to do or watching football hopefully not the Vikings but sorry I
4:29	just had to say that but um so that’s kind of a silly way of
4:35	putting it now the other thing is that there’s no biblical text that says that not one okay and when baptism is something you
4:42	do then it’s law but we’re going to find out tonight when
4:48	we take a closer look at the baptismal texts that baptism isn’t law it’s not an
4:54	ordinance all of the promises associated with baptism all rest on God
5:01	he’s the one doing the work you’re the one being worked on
5:06	in other words all of the promises and they’re really amazing promises all run
5:12	through the gospel not the law and so we’ll take a look at that now let me read a little bit from the catechism
5:19	because we are working our way through the catechism our midweek lent Services here’s what it says as the head of the
5:24	family should teach it in a simple way to his household first what is baptism well here’s the answer what is what
5:32	baptism is not just plain water but it is the water included in God’s command
5:37	and combined with God’s word remember what I said on Sunday you know picture of water water is water water can’t do
5:44	nothing but water combined with God’s word now we’re talking right so Luther asked the question which is
5:52	that word well Christ Our Lord says in the last chapter of Matthew therefore go
5:57	and make disciples of all Nations how baptizing them in the name of the Father the Son and the Holy Spirit which is
6:04	kind of a big deal if you think about it because it says in the name singular of
6:09	the Father Son and Holy Spirit In other words when you were baptized God put His holy
6:16	name on you right God has caused his name to be placed on
6:23	you it’s a big deal it’s a big deal and when we look in the Old Testament remember
6:29	when Solomon finished the temple right and the presence of the Lord comes down
6:35	right and God announces that he has caused his name to dwell
6:41	there in Jerusalem well in your baptism God has caused his name to be put on you
6:48	which is why for Millennia now Christians when the Trinity is invoked
6:53	name of the father Son and the Holy Spirit some of them do this to remember their baptism because that’s
6:59	the time when God put his name on you in the name of the Father the Son and the Holy Spirit so what benefit does baptism
7:06	give okay here’s what Luther says it works forgiveness of sins rescues from death
7:13	and the devil gives Eternal salvation to all who believe this as the words and Promises
7:20	of God declare it’s a big deal you think about that really baptism Works forgiveness of sins
7:28	rescues from death and the devil gives Eternal salvation to all believe this as the words and Promises of God declare
7:34	well how can water do such great things Luther asks well certainly not just water but the word of God in with the
7:43	water does these things along with faith which trusts this word of God now there’s the important thing kind of the
7:49	important distinction here is that all of these promises are there
7:55	calls for faith Faith believes and clings and grabs onto
8:01	those promises and we learn in Ephesians that Faith itself is given as a gift
8:07	from God with the gospel demands the gospel supplies and so the very faith that is required
8:14	it’s not coming from you that faith is given to you by God and that Faith then
8:19	clings to these promises so you want to hear these promises of God regarding baptism so what we’re
8:27	going to do and this is where you get to take notes okay
8:34	I’m going to have the siren go off right now warning
8:40	nerd alert you have been warned that’s all I need to say okay we’re going to look at
8:48	several passages and I’m going to read the passages to you
8:54	and then I’m going to read to you what the earliest Christians said about these
9:00	passages and see if these people sound like good lutherans or not right okay
9:07	Acts chapter 2. verses 37-39 that’s our first text Acts
9:13	chapter 2 verse 37-39
9:21	the day of Pentecost Peter has preached this amazing holy spirit inspired sermon
9:30	people who heard it from around the world they were cut to the quick and this is
9:37	what it says when they heard this they were cut to the heart and they said to Peter and the rest of the Apostles Brothers what shall we do and Peter said
9:44	to them repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ
9:51	for the Forgiveness of your sins and you will receive the gift of the holy spirit
9:57	for the promise is for you and for your children
10:02	and all who are far off everyone whom the Lord God calls to himself I’m going to point something out here in English
10:09	it’s not as easy to spot as it is in Greek but in Greek where it says be
10:14	baptized in Greek there are verbs that are passive verbs there are verbs that
10:20	are active verbs active verbs are things that you do passive verbs are things
10:25	that happen to you okay for instance if I were to go and cut my hair you know
10:31	just grab a pair of scissors and start snipping away and somebody said pastor rosebro what happened and I said well I
10:39	gave myself a haircut now that’s the way we’d say it in English and you realize that I actively did the hacking and
10:46	chopping which explains why things turned out so poorly right okay but in Greek in in ancient koine
10:55	Greek if we were to talk about getting a haircut you would have a haircut done to you so the haircut the you know I’m
11:01	going to go get my hair cut that would be done in the passive verb which means you ain’t the one doing it somebody’s
11:07	doing it to you okay does that make sense we don’t have quite an easy equivalent here in English but this is
11:13	how this works so in Greek repent and be baptized it doesn’t say repent and go
11:21	and bat you know do the baptizing no be baptized you’re receiving and what do
11:27	you get it’s for the Forgiveness of sins
11:32	now let me ask you a simple question okay if God has forgiven your sins
11:39	are you saved yeah where there is forgiveness of sins there
11:44	is salvation so is there salvation there yes because who’s doing the doing
11:51	God is and that’s the fun part now as a pastor I hope someday someday to be able
11:57	to baptize somebody that would be nice be kind of fun okay but when when I’m
12:02	doing it and I say in the name of the father and the Son and the Holy Spirit I baptize you right am I doing the baptizing
12:09	no I’m not I’m just kind of a fill-in God’s doing it because I can’t forgive
12:15	sins I can’t wash them away I can’t do all the things that are promised in baptism so God’s got to be doing all the work and this is what the churches
12:22	always confessed and I see in Creed one baptism for the Forgiveness of sins it’s
12:29	really kind of that simple and see this is the best part about how the lutherans understand these texts
12:34	they mean what they say and they say what they mean it’s actually kind of that simple so who’s doing the the work in baptism
12:42	God is he’s forgiving sins is that law or gospel
12:47	gospel right now let me read to you here’s the nerdy part okay
12:54	read to you a little bit from the church fathers the Epistle of Barnabas written
13:00	Circa 74 A.D okay here’s what he says about this text
13:06	regarding baptism we have the evidence of scripture that Israel would refuse to
13:13	accept the washing which confers the remission of sins notice how Barnabas is
13:18	talking and would set up a substitution of their own instead observe there how
13:23	he describes both the water and the cross in the same figure his meaning is blessed are those who go down into the
13:30	water with their hopes set on the cross here he is saying that after we have stepped down into the water burdened
13:36	with sin and defilement we come up out of it bearing fruit with reverence in
13:41	our hearts and the hope of Jesus on our souls 74 A.D
13:48	sounds like a Lutheran sorry The Shepherd of hermas here’s what it
13:54	says the written 80 80 A.D I have heard sir said I said I to the Shepherd from
14:02	some teacher that there is no other repentance except for that which took place when we went down into the water
14:09	and obtained the remission of our former sins he said to me you have heard
14:14	rightly for so it is Shepherd of Hermos irenaeus great
14:20	Christian apologies apologists in his work entitled against heresies which by
14:26	the way is a fascinating read especially if you ever want to learn the ins outs of valentinian gnosticism yeah
14:33	strange religion anyway um 8189 here’s what he wrote and when we
14:40	come to refute them the gnostics we shall show in its Fitting Place that this class of
14:45	men have been instigated by Satan to a denial of that baptism which is regeneration to God and thus to a
14:53	renunciation of the whole Christian faith for baptism instituted by the visible Jesus was for the remission of
15:01	sins sounds to me like the early Christians
15:06	understood this text pretty well I’ll pick some of the uh let’s pick a
15:12	shorter one here okay Council of Carthage to investigate
15:18	the pelagian heresy May 1st 4 18. Canon number two from the Council of
15:24	Carson Carthage against Pelagius If any man says that newborn children need not
15:30	be baptized or that they should indeed be baptized for the remission of sins but they have in them no original sin
15:37	inherited from Adam which must be washed away in the bath of regeneration so that it so that in their ease the formula of
15:45	baptism for the remission of sins must not be taken literally but figuratively let him be anathema because according to
15:52	Romans 5 12 the sin of Adam has passed upon all Cannons of the Council of Carthage made
15:58	it clear that If you deny that infants needed to be baptized because they didn’t have original sin you’re anathema
16:05	you’re out of the church why do we baptize infants because
16:10	infants die and that proves their sinful and scripture says we’re all conceived and born in sin every single one of us
16:16	right let me read another one the uh
16:23	there’s a couple in here I could do this with Gregor venezianz is 388 A.D
16:30	o you have an infant child allow sin no opportunity rather let the infant be Sanctified from childhood from his most
16:37	tender age let him be consecrated by the spirit do you fear the Seal of baptism because of the weakness of nature oh
16:44	what pulsiminium this mother and of how little faith well enough some will say those who who ask for baptism but what
16:52	do you have to say about those who are still children and are aware neither of loss nor of grace shall we baptize them
16:58	too well certainly if there is any pressing danger better that they be Sanctified unaware than they depart from
17:05	this Earth unsealed and uninitiated uh-huh
17:11	so when you read the writings of the church fathers they understood baptism is for the remission of sins and they
17:16	understood that because it was for the remission of sins in its God’s work
17:21	that we bring our children to be baptized now let me ask you this question
17:26	at um what age were
17:32	Hebrew children male children made part of the Covenant
17:38	huh eight days they were circumcised and made part of
17:45	the Covenant when they were eight days old circumcision made them part of the
17:50	Covenant okay now cyprian of Carthage who wrote in 253 A.D
17:57	let me kind of watch this big debate as to what pertains to the case of infants
18:03	you said that they ought not to be baptized within the second or third day after their birth that the Old Law of
18:10	circumcision must be taken into consideration and that you did not think that one should be baptized and
18:16	Sanctified within the eighth day after his birth so what he’s they’re arguing here about
18:21	is whether or not you baptize an infant right away or should you wait until they’re eight days old
18:27	that’s the argument okay okay so in our Council it seemed to us
18:34	far otherwise no one agreed to the course which you thought should be taken rather we all judge that the mercy and
18:41	grace of God ought to be denied no man born if in the case of the worst Sinners and those formerly sin much against God
18:47	when afterwards they believe the remission of sins is granted and no one has held back from baptism and Grace how
18:53	much more then should an infant not be held back who having been but recently
18:59	born had done no sin except that born of the flesh according to Adam he has
19:04	contracted the contagion of the Old Death from his first being born for this very reason does he an infant approach
19:11	more easily to receive the remission of sins because the sins forgiven him are
19:16	not his own but those of another it’s amazing stuff so when you read the
19:23	writings of the church fathers they’re not debating as to whether or not to baptize infants but do you baptize them
19:28	right away or do you wait eight days because you know male Childs in the old Covenant were circumcised on the eighth
19:34	day and their conclusion get them get them wet immediately
19:39	get them wet because it’s for the remission of sins another text
19:45	Titus Chapter 3 Verses 4 through 7. watch my time here I could lecture on
19:52	this for an hour and I don’t want to do that Titus Chapter 3 Verses 4 through 7.
20:02	here’s what it says but when the goodness and loving kindness of God our savior appeared
20:09	he saved us now watch the verbs there
20:15	when the goodness and loving kindness of God our savior appeared he saved us we now ever save ourselves
20:23	okay not because of Works done by us in righteousness but according to his own
20:30	Mercy by the washing of regeneration
20:36	and renewal of the Holy Spirit whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ Our Savior so that being
20:43	justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal
20:48	life now one of the major arguments against the idea that you should baptize infants is that well somebody says well
20:55	if you’re baptizing an infant and you believe in Salvation by works because baptism is a work
21:02	but this text says the exact opposite it says he saved us not because of Works
21:08	done by by us in righteousness but by the washing of regeneration
21:15	and by the way that word regeneration only appears twice in the New Testament
21:21	two times once in relationship to the new Earth
21:26	God creating a new heavens and a new Earth he’s going to regenerate the creation
21:31	the other time is here regarding the fact that God regenerates somebody who’s dead and trespasses and
21:39	sins through the waters of baptism so when we talk about God regenerating
21:45	people regeneration is a big deal says here it’s by the washing of regeneration and
21:53	the Greek word for washing by the way it’s unmistakably it’s a ceremonial baptismal washing that it’s being
21:59	referred to there so it’s not done Works done by us in righteousness but by God by washing of
22:07	regeneration baptism is in our work it’s his it’s God’s
22:12	let me read a couple of quotes Theophilus of Antioch I know you guys read him at night you know he’s he I’m
22:19	sure you got books of him right on your nightstand here’s what he said in 181 A.D moreover those things which were
22:24	created from the waters talking about Christians we’re blessed by God so that this might also be a sign
22:31	that men would at a future time receive repentance and remission of sins through
22:36	water and the bath of regeneration all who proceed to the truth and are born
22:42	again receive a blessing from God so they always refer to it as either the bath of regeneration or the Laver
22:49	l-a-v-e-r regeneration Clement of Alexandria quoting on the quoting this text he says this and by the way he
22:56	lived in one you know late second century 191 when we are baptized we are
23:01	enlightened being enlightened we are adopted as Sons adopted as Sons we are made perfect made perfect we become
23:08	immortal the sons of the most high that’s a pretty lofty opinion of what’s
23:13	going on in baptism right this work is variously called Grace illumination Perfection and washing it is a washing
23:21	by which we are cleansed of sins a gift of Grace by which the punishments do our
23:27	sins are remitted and illumination by which we behold that Holy Light
23:33	salvation and that is taken from his little catechism that he wrote to children
23:40	fascinating isn’t it hippolytus 215 A.D
23:45	and the bishop shall lay his hand upon them the newly baptized invoking and saying O Lord God who did count these
23:52	worthy of deserving the Forgiveness of sins by the lover or washing of regeneration make them worthy to be
23:59	filled with your Holy Spirit and send upon them thy Grace that they may serve you according to your will
24:07	215 A.T cyprian of Carthage while I was lying in darkness I thought it indeed
24:12	difficult and hard to believe that Divine Mercy was promised for my salvation so that anyone might be born
24:19	again and quickened unto New Life by the washing of the saving water he might put
24:24	off what he had done had been before and although the structure of the body remained he might change himself in Soul
24:31	and mind but afterwards when the stain of my past life had been washed away by
24:36	means of the water of rebirth a light from above poured itself upon my chastened and now pure heart afterwards
24:43	the spirit which is breathed from Heaven a second birth made of me a new man
24:50	he’s talking about the time when he was baptized
24:55	I think it’s a big deal it’s a huge deal probably one of the most important things we do around here
25:01	it’s got to be baptize some people all right let me read another Passage
25:09	now this is a controversial one ready for some controversy John 3 Verses five through six Jesus answered this is the
25:17	Nick at night Passage yeah familiar with that Nicodemus comes to Jesus at night and they said you know
25:23	your teacher we know yeah that one’s this is he says truly truly I say to you
25:28	unless one is born of water and the spirit this is what Jesus said he cannot enter the kingdom of God that which is
25:35	born of the flesh is flesh that which is born of the spirit of spirit we’ve all heard this passage right you have to be
25:41	born again yeah ano sen born from above is probably a better way of putting it and so Jesus
25:46	said unless one is born of water and the spirit he cannot enter the kingdom of God now
25:52	asking any Evangelical what that means and they’ll say well being born of water means the amniotic fluid you know the
25:58	first time you’re born and the second time is when you make a decision for Jesus then you’re born again let’s take a listen to how the early
26:04	church understood this irenaeus writes 190 A.D and Naaman talking and so
26:11	irenaeus is writing about Naaman remember Naaman the leper from the uh what which book in that is that in
26:18	Second Kings second Kings chapter five naming the leper right it says and Naaman he dipped himself seven times in
26:24	the Jordan it was not for nothing that Naaman of old when suffering from
26:30	leprosy was purified upon his being baptized but this served as an
26:35	indication to us for as we are lepers in sin we are made clean by means of the
26:42	Sacred Water in the invocation of the Lord from our old transgressions being
26:47	spiritually regenerated as newborn babes even as the Lord has declared except a
26:52	man be born again through water in the spirit he shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven
26:58	arenais thinks that Jesus is talking about baptism Justin Martyr who by the
27:04	way gave his life for the Christian faith that’s why he’s called martyr he’s he writes this as many as as are
27:11	persuaded and believe that what we Christians teach and say is true and
27:16	undertake to be able to live accordingly and instructed to pray and to entreat
27:22	god with fasting for the remission of their sins that are passed we pray and fast with them then they are brought by
27:29	us where there is water and they are regenerated in the same manner in which
27:34	we were ourselves regenerated for in the name of God the father and of Our Savior
27:40	Jesus Christ and of the Holy Spirit they then received the washing with water for
27:45	Christ also said unless you were born again you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven
27:51	fascinating isn’t it you understand what’s going on here the scriptures are clear and the Christians
27:59	have always understood these texts as God is the one regenerating God is washing away sins God is giving the Holy
28:06	Spirit through the through these Waters it’s his work not ours Colossians chapter 2 11 through 14.
28:18	here’s what it says Paul wrote in him also you were circumcised with
28:27	the circumcision made without hands by putting off the body of the flesh by the
28:33	circumcision of Christ having been buried with him in baptism
28:40	Colossians chapter 2 11-14 literally is teaching that circumcision of the Old
28:46	Testament is the type and Shadow the reality is baptism itself and so
28:51	listen to what he says in him you and that’s including you ladies you were circumcised with a circumcision made
28:58	without hands by putting off of the body of Flesh by the circumcision of Christ having been buried with him in baptism
29:06	in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God who raised him from the dead and you
29:14	who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh God has
29:21	made alive together with him having forgiven all of our debt all of our trespasses by canceling the record of
29:28	debt that stood against us with its legal demands this he set aside
29:34	when did he set it aside and make you alive together with Christ when was your heart circumcised not with
29:40	human hands when when you were baptized
29:46	what amazing promises God’s word attaches to baptism
29:52	now you see why people in the past have when they heard the name of the father son the Holy Spirit they do this to
29:59	remember their what baptism right because it’s that important and
30:07	you sit there and go okay now wait a second so Pastor Roseboro you’re saying God did all this to me
30:15	and I would say let me correct it God’s word says God did all this to you
30:23	all of it’s outside of you all of it while you were at your worst while you were still a sinner dead in
30:29	trespasses and sins before you had even done one good thing
30:35	God washes away your sins buries you with Christ raises you with Christ
30:42	circumcises your heart washes away your sins regenerates you
30:47	this is a big deal baptism is not some tiny little thing
30:54	and by the way the water does signify something but the water signifies that’s something
31:01	we can tangibly remember and hang on to the sign is for us not for the world the
31:07	sign is for us so that we can remember this is why there are places and there
31:13	are churches that have baptismal fonts where you can dip your hands in the water as you’re going into the church so
31:18	that you can tangibly touch and remember I’m baptized and baptized God did all
31:23	these things to me for me for my salvation it’s a powerful thing
31:30	God has given us something tactile if you would and so this is you know and this is when you have your grandchildren
31:37	over and they’re being you know and it’s time for bath time and they’ve already been baptized you can say this is to
31:42	remind you that you’ve been baptized right all of these things are there for us let me give you a couple more texts and
31:49	of course waxing eloquent today I knew I would um one more
31:54	first Peter 3. first Peter 3. the verse I want is in verse 21 but
32:01	we’re going to take a look at the context first Peter 3 I’ll start at verse 18.
32:08	for Christ also suffered once for sins the righteous for the unrighteous
32:16	it’s a sermon right there what a great sermon I like that sermon so that he might bring us to God
32:24	who’s doing all the work Jesus is being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit in which he
32:31	went and he proclaimed to the spirits in prison because they formally did not obey God when God’s patient waited in
32:38	the days of Noah while the ark was being prepared in which a few that is eight persons were brought safely through
32:44	water baptism which corresponds to this now
32:50	saves you so the text says
32:55	and then in the Greek it’s so clear baptism is in the nominative which means it has to be the subject of the sentence
33:02	there’s no way around it baptism is in the nominative that’s the subject baptism and the verb says saves
33:10	direct object you baptism now saves you not as a removal of dirt from
33:17	the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience through the resurrection of Jesus Christ who has gone into heaven
33:24	and is at the right hand of God with angels and authorities and Powers having been subjected to him
33:31	so who’s doing the saving God is so it’s he’s using the means he’s
33:37	attached remember over the over the weekend bronze serpent right bronze serpents
33:45	don’t heal people who’ve been bitten by snakes they just don’t have that ability but a
33:52	bronze serpent that has the word of God attached to it that says if you look at it you’ll be
33:58	healed and you’ll live now that’s a different bronze serpent altogether
34:03	because it’s a bronze serpent with God’s word and that’s what baptism is water and God’s word
34:10	and it has the same miraculous abilities even better
34:15	than the bronze serpent because God’s word is sure and certain and he never lies his word says baptism saves you his
34:24	word says it’s for the Forgiveness of sins his word says you receive the Holy Spirit his word says when you’re
34:30	baptized you’re buried with Christ you’re raised with Christ you’re regenerated your heart is circumcised by
34:36	Christ and God doesn’t lie
34:41	what an amazing thing and so if you remember back to Judy stengren’s funeral
34:47	think back with me I made a big deal about the fact that she was baptized
34:53	because she was and although his promises are sure you’re going to see her again because
34:59	all of you are baptized too and you’re in Christ and you have faith and now your faith has even greater promises to
35:06	hang on to if you’ve never heard this before or it’s never been laid out like this
35:11	just believe what God’s word says that’s what faith does grab onto those promises and they’re for
35:18	you and Paul my final text uses baptism as a weapon
35:23	against the devil and Temptation and sin itself in Romans chapter 6
35:30	Romans chapter 6 we’ll start at verse 1.
35:39	how did I not get there hang on Romans 6 1. yeah
35:45	here’s what he writes so what shall we say then are we to continue in sin so that Grace May abound
35:53	what a dumb question no by no means how can we who died to
35:59	sins still live in now ask the question when did you die to sin do you not know that all of us who have been baptized
36:06	into Christ we were baptized into his death
36:12	we were buried therefore with him by baptism to death in order that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the
36:19	glory of the father we too might walk in newness of life if we have been United with him in a death like his we shall
36:25	certainly be United with him in a resurrection like his we know that our old self was crucified with him in order
36:31	that the body of sin might be brought to nothing so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin for one who has died has
36:39	been free from sin now if we have died with Christ we believe that we will also live with him we know that Christ being
36:45	raised from the dead will never die again death no longer has dominion over him for the death he died he died to sin
36:52	once for all with the life he lives he lives to God so you must also consider
36:58	yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ
37:06	think of it this way you all familiar with quantum physics it’s a scary word right okay you know
37:14	equals m c squared you know anyway you’ve all seen Star Trek and you’ve
37:20	seen wormholes and stuff like that like if they’re they’re in they’re going through you know warp factor eight and
37:25	all of a sudden a wormhole appears you can actually transport from one end of the universe to the other pretty quickly Through the Wormhole right okay that’s
37:32	all based on quantum Theory that’s how that’s supposed to work well think of it this way
37:39	when you were brought to the baptismal font and the Pastor said I baptize you in the
37:45	name of the father and the Son and the Holy Spirit of time and space quantum wormhole
37:53	opened up and you were put into Christ while he was being
37:59	crucified you died with him and because he rose from the grave you
38:05	also raised with him I can’t explain to you how the mathematics works but think of it this
38:12	way baptism is a Quantum thing God’s doing something amazing in it because this text says we should not continue in
38:20	sin because we’ve died to it because we’ve been baptized we were buried with
38:26	Christ we were raised with Christ you’re already dead
38:31	we’re just waiting for your body to catch up to your baptismal death certificate
38:36	right I know it seems kind of crazy but the fun part about it is is that God
38:44	he’s capable of doing stuff that will Boggle our minds and when we the more we
38:50	meditate on the promises that God has given us in our baptism the more we
38:55	realize just how much he loves us and how he is literally no joke
39:01	hell-bent on saving every one of us so much so that he descended into hell
39:07	right but he came back up he rose again from the grave on the third day we’re getting close we’re
39:13	getting close to being able to celebrate that not yet not yet right so
39:19	that’s our little bit of an education and what I’m going to do the I was reading from a document that I
39:25	actually published a couple years back I’m going to put a copy of that on the Kong Zinger website with this and that
39:32	should be up by Sunday so if you want to read the whole document and download it it has a lot more quotes I don’t have
39:39	time to read all of them but the idea was is just walk you through what did the text say how has the Earth have the
39:45	early Christians understood these texts and when you see that you’ll realize there’s a whole lot of lutherans running around back in the ancient Church a
39:51	whole lot of them so foreign leave off on that in the name of Jesus
39:58	Amen

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