Crypt

"We were buried with Christ by baptism into death," Romans 6:4.

So didja get baptized? Hmm. Sometimes not even sure what that means. Yeah, something to do with water. And religion. But not really sure exactly. (And some folks say it's not about water or religion at all!) Well, here the Good Book says baptism's about death. And dying. About burials. About crucifixion. (Yipes!) Yep. Baptism's about putting a rotting carcass into the crypt. Don't let some sweet religious fantasy lull us away from what's going on. Going under that water places us in a tomb with another dead body. But that body did not rot. Because God brought him back to life. Baptism isn't just pretending to die. Being buried in that water is to die to sin, because that's what Jesus died to. Once. For all time. Baptism is about joining up with Jesus. And baptism into Christ is about being raised up out of that water grave. With Jesus. To life. To new life. About resurrection. By God's power.

Today, we speak to each other, brother or sister, remembering we've died to sin and are alive to God in Christ Jesus. And, together, we speak thanks to God for raising us up out of baptism's grave to hope of forever life with Jesus.