Its Who We Are Baptism Message

In Romans 6, Paul reminds us that through baptism, we are united with Christ in both his death and resurrection. This union is not just symbolic; it marks a real transformation. As children of God, we are given a new identity—one that comes with both rights and expectations. Just as children in a family have the right to love, care, and provision from their parents, so too do we have the right to expect God’s promises to be true for us. At the same time, God calls us to live in a way that reflects our new family identity, striving for righteousness even as we recognize our ongoing struggle with sin.

Baptism is God’s declaration that we belong to him. It is as if God signs our adoption papers, making us his own and granting us every promise he has made to his children. This includes the promise of new life—a life that looks different because it is shaped by God’s love and grace. Yet, even as we are called to live as God’s children, we often fall short. Paul’s words in Romans 7 echo our own experience: we do not do what we know we should, and we do what we wish we wouldn’t. But the story does not end with our failure. Romans 8 assures us that nothing can separate us from God’s love in Christ Jesus. Even when we fail, God’s love remains steadfast.

The promise of baptism also addresses our deepest fears—especially the fear of death. In baptism, we are joined to Christ’s death, but more importantly, to his resurrection. Jesus’ death was not the end; he rose again, and so will all who are united to him. This frees us from the fear that death is the final word. While the world hides from death and despairs at its power, we can face it with hope, knowing that Christ has conquered it. On days like All Saints Day, we mourn those who have died, but we do so with hope, confident in the promise of resurrection and reunion.

As God’s children, we live in the tension of our brokenness and God’s unbreakable love. Baptism assures us that we are his, that our failures do not define us, and that death itself cannot separate us from his promises. We are called to live in this newness of life, shaped by hope, mercy, and the certainty of resurrection.

Key Takeaways

• 1. Baptism as Adoption and Identity: In baptism, God adopts us as his children, granting us all the rights and privileges of belonging to his family. This is not a distant or abstract relationship; it is as real as any earthly family, and we are invited to approach God with the confidence of beloved children, holding him to his promises. [08:00]
• 2. The Tension of Expectation and Grace: God sets high expectations for his children, calling us to righteousness and a new way of living. Yet, he knows our weakness and failure, and his grace abounds even when we fall short. Our identity is not based on our performance, but on God’s unwavering love and mercy. [09:26]
• 3. The Newness of Life in Christ: Baptism marks the beginning of a new life, one that is fundamentally different because it is rooted in Christ’s death and resurrection. This newness is not just a future hope but a present reality, shaping how we live, love, and relate to others as God’s people. [07:27]
• 4. Freedom from the Fear of Death: The world fears death because it sees it as the end, but in Christ, death is defeated. Baptism unites us to Jesus’ resurrection, freeing us from the power and fear of death, and giving us hope that extends beyond the grave. [13:15]
• 5. Hope in Mourning and the Promise of Resurrection: As we remember those who have died in the faith, we mourn, but not as those without hope. The promise of resurrection assures us that death is not the end, and that God will reunite his children in eternal life, fulfilling every promise made in baptism. [15:50]
  ** [15:50]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [01:01] - Reading from Romans 6
• [02:18] - Children of God: Our Identity
• [03:26] - What Does It Mean to Be a Child?
• [03:57] - Rights and Expectations in a Family
• [05:09] - God’s Rights and Expectations for Us
• [05:43] - The Gift of Baptism
• [06:14] - Promises in Baptism: Romans 6
• [07:27] - The Promise of Newness of Life
• [08:00] - Baptism as Adoption
• [08:52] - God’s Expectations After Baptism
• [09:26] - Our Failure and God’s Grace
• [10:48] - Nothing Can Separate Us from God’s Love
• [12:03] - Baptism and the End of Death
• [13:15] - Freedom from the Fear of Death
• [15:02] - All Saints Day: Mourning with Hope
• [16:26] - The Promise of Resurrection and Reunion
• [17:05] - Closing Blessing

Bible Reading

Romans 6:1-11 (ESV) — > What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 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. 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. 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. For one who has died has been set free from sin. Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.

Observation Questions

1. According to Romans 6, what does Paul say happens to us when we are baptized into Christ Jesus? ([01:18])
2. What two promises does Paul highlight in Romans 6 about our union with Christ? ([06:14])
3. In the sermon, what family rights and expectations are compared to our relationship with God as his children? ([03:57])
4. How does the sermon describe the difference between Jesus’ death and every other death? ([12:39])

Interpretation Questions

1. What does it mean that baptism is not just a symbol, but a real transformation and adoption into God’s family? How might this change the way someone views their identity? ([08:00])
2. The sermon talks about the “tension” between God’s high expectations and his grace when we fail. Why is it important to hold both of these truths together? ([09:26])
3. How does being “dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus” affect the way a person might approach daily struggles with sin? ([11:26])
4. The sermon says that baptism frees us from the fear of death. In what ways might this hope change how someone faces loss or grief? ([13:15])

Application Questions

1. The sermon says that in baptism, God “signs your adoption papers” and gives you every right as his child. Are there any promises of God that you struggle to believe are really for you? What would it look like to “hold God to his promises” this week? ([08:19])
2. Think about the expectations God has for his children. Is there an area of your life where you feel you’re not living up to those expectations? How do you usually respond when you fall short—do you hide, make excuses, or turn to God’s grace? ([09:26])
3. The sermon mentions that even Paul struggled with doing what he knew he should and failing to do what he wanted. Can you share a recent example from your own life where you felt this same struggle? How did you experience God’s grace in that moment? ([09:55])
4. When you think about death—your own or someone you love—do you feel fear, hope, or something else? How does the promise of resurrection in Christ shape your feelings about death? ([13:15])
5. On All Saints Day, we mourn those who have died but do so with hope. Is there someone you are remembering or grieving right now? How can the promise of reunion and resurrection bring comfort to you in your mourning? ([15:50])
6. The sermon says our new life in Christ should look different. Is there a specific relationship or situation where you want to live more like a child of God this week? What is one step you can take? ([07:27])
7. The world often hides from death and tries to avoid thinking about it. How can you, as a follower of Jesus, be a person who brings hope and comfort to others who are afraid of death or grieving? ([13:49])