In today's gathering, we celebrated the resurrection of Jesus Christ, not just as a historical event, but as the cornerstone of our faith and the reason for our hope. We delved into the significance of Jesus as our priest, prophet, and king, and how these roles are not just titles but functions that He perfectly fulfills, bridging the gap between our broken humanity and God's holiness.

As our priest, Jesus is not akin to the image of a Roman Catholic priest but rather, He is akin to the Old Testament priests who covered our sins. He stands in the gap between us and God, offering Himself as the ultimate sacrifice for our transgressions. As our prophet, Jesus is not a fortune teller but one who calls us to repentance and restoration with God. He predicted the future, yes, but His primary role was to guide us back to a right relationship with the Father. As our king, Jesus's rule is not of this world but is a heavenly kingship that stands against God's adversaries and leads us in submission to God's will.

We also reflected on the flawed human examples of priests, prophets, and kings throughout history. Their failures and shortcomings do not diminish the divine purposes for which these roles were established. Instead, they highlight our need for a true savior, a need that is universal and unchanging. Whether we have been believers for many years or are just beginning to explore faith, we all require Jesus's saving grace.

Baptism was a central theme of today's service, symbolizing our participation in Jesus's death, burial, and resurrection. It is an outward declaration of an inward transformation, marking the beginning of a life consecrated to God. Baptism is not a rite reserved for the perfect or the fully knowledgeable; it is a step of obedience for anyone who recognizes their need for Jesus's covering.

We were reminded that the anointing we receive through Jesus Christ is not exclusive or hierarchical. It is the same for every believer, setting us apart for God's divine purpose. This anointing is symbolized in baptism, where we are washed clean of our sins and declared participants in Jesus's resurrection life.

As we concluded, we extended an invitation to those who felt moved by the Holy Spirit to come forward for baptism. It was a call to action, not to delay in responding to Jesus's stirring in our hearts. We celebrated the resurrection of souls from death to life, witnessing the beautiful symbolism of baptism as they participated in Jesus's sacrifice, burial, and resurrection.

Key Takeaways:

- Jesus as our priest, prophet, and king is not a mere religious construct but a profound truth that speaks to His unique role in our salvation. He is the ultimate mediator, the voice calling us to repentance, and the sovereign ruler over all creation. His fulfillment of these roles is essential to understanding the depth of our redemption. [05:46]

- The failures of human priests, prophets, and kings throughout history serve as a stark reminder of our collective need for a true savior. These flawed examples do not negate the divine intention behind these roles but rather emphasize the perfection of Jesus's sacrifice and leadership. [11:35]

- Baptism is a sacred act of obedience and declaration, not a milestone of spiritual perfection. It is a step taken in faith, recognizing our need for Jesus's covering and the beginning of a life consecrated to God. Through baptism, we identify with Jesus's death and resurrection, embracing a new life in Him. [18:43]

- The anointing we receive as believers is not a status symbol but a mark of our calling to live set apart for God. This anointing is the same for all who believe in Jesus, regardless of our role in the church or the length of our faith journey. It is a call to minister the gospel of grace to the world. [16:25]

- The act of baptism is a powerful testimony to the transformative work of Jesus Christ. As we witness each baptism, we are reminded of the continuity of faith that spans centuries, connecting us with the early church and every believer who has ever declared their faith through this sacred act. [23:10]

### Bible Study Discussion Guide

#### Bible Reading
1. **Leviticus 8:30** - "Then Moses took some of the anointing oil and some of the blood that was on the altar and sprinkled them on Aaron and his garments, as well as on his sons and their garments. In this way, he consecrated Aaron and his garments, as well as his sons and their garments."
2. **Romans 6:1-5** - "What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his."
3. **Romans 5:6** - "You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly."

#### Observation Questions
1. What roles does Jesus fulfill according to the sermon, and how are these roles described? ([05:46])
2. How does the sermon describe the act of baptism and its significance for believers? ([18:43])
3. What examples from the Old Testament are given to illustrate the anointing of priests, prophets, and kings? ([07:13])
4. According to Romans 6:1-5, what does baptism symbolize for believers?

#### Interpretation Questions
1. How does understanding Jesus as our priest, prophet, and king deepen our appreciation of His role in our salvation? ([05:46])
2. In what ways do the failures of human priests, prophets, and kings highlight our need for Jesus's perfect fulfillment of these roles? ([11:35])
3. How does the act of baptism serve as both a personal declaration and a communal testimony of faith? ([18:43])
4. What does it mean to be anointed by Jesus, and how does this anointing set believers apart for God's purpose? ([16:25])

#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on the roles of Jesus as priest, prophet, and king. How can you personally relate to each of these roles in your daily walk with Christ? ([05:46])
2. Have you ever experienced a moment when you felt the need for a true savior, as highlighted by the failures of human leaders? How did that experience shape your faith? ([11:35])
3. If you have been baptized, how did that experience impact your faith journey? If you have not been baptized, what are your thoughts or hesitations about taking this step? ([18:43])
4. The sermon mentioned that the anointing we receive through Jesus is the same for every believer. How does this understanding affect your view of your role within the church community? ([16:25])
5. Think about a time when you felt the Holy Spirit stirring in your heart. How did you respond, and what was the outcome? How can you be more attentive to the Holy Spirit's leading in the future? ([26:49])
6. How can you actively participate in the communal aspect of baptism, supporting and celebrating with those who are taking this step of faith? ([23:10])
7. Identify one area in your life where you need to embrace Jesus's covering and anointing more fully. What practical steps can you take this week to live out this anointing? ([16:25])

Day 1: Christ's Roles in Our Redemption
Jesus Christ's fulfillment as our priest, prophet, and king is not merely a religious concept but a profound reality that shapes our understanding of salvation. As the ultimate priest, He offered Himself as the perfect sacrifice, reconciling us with God. In His prophetic role, He calls us to repentance, guiding us back to a right relationship with the Father. As our king, His reign is not of this world but is a heavenly rule that opposes the forces of darkness and aligns us with God's will. This threefold office is essential to grasp the fullness of our redemption and the depth of the grace extended to us. [05:46]

Hebrews 7:24-26 (ESV)
"But he holds his priesthood permanently, because he continues forever. Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them. For it was indeed fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens."

Reflection: How does understanding Jesus as your priest, prophet, and king change the way you approach Him in prayer and worship?

Day 2: Learning from Historical Failures
The shortcomings of human priests, prophets, and kings throughout history underscore our need for a true savior. These flawed individuals do not undermine the divine purposes of these roles but rather magnify the perfection of Jesus's work on our behalf. His sacrifice and leadership stand in stark contrast to human failure, offering us a clear example of what divine intervention looks like in a broken world. This perspective helps us appreciate the magnitude of Jesus's perfect priesthood, prophetic truth, and kingly authority. [11:35]

1 Samuel 8:7 (ESV)
"And the Lord said to Samuel, 'Obey the voice of the people in all that they say to you, for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me from being king over them.'"

Reflection: Can you identify a time when a human leader's failure pointed you toward a greater reliance on Jesus's perfect leadership?

Day 3: The Significance of Baptism
Baptism is not a milestone of spiritual perfection but an act of obedience and a public declaration of faith. It signifies the believer's recognition of their need for Jesus's covering and marks the beginning of a life dedicated to God. Through baptism, we are united with Jesus in His death and resurrection, symbolizing our rebirth into a new life with Him. This sacred act is a step taken in faith, embracing the transformative power of Christ's sacrifice. [18:43]

Romans 6:4 (ESV)
"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."

Reflection: What does your baptism mean to you, and how does it shape your daily walk with Christ?

Day 4: Anointing for All Believers
The anointing received through Christ is not a status symbol but a mark of our divine calling to live set apart for God's purposes. This anointing, symbolized in baptism, is the same for every believer, regardless of their role in the church or the length of their faith journey. It empowers us to minister the gospel of grace to the world, affirming our identity as chosen and cleansed by God. [16:25]

1 Peter 2:9 (ESV)
"But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light."

Reflection: How can you live out your anointing today in a way that reflects your calling and identity in Christ?

Day 5: Baptism as a Testimony of Transformation
The act of baptism is a powerful testimony to the transformative work of Jesus Christ in the believer's life. Witnessing baptism connects us with the faith's rich history and every believer who has publicly declared their faith through this sacred act. It is a celebration of spiritual resurrection, from death to life, and a reminder of the continuity of faith that spans centuries. [23:10]

Colossians 2:12 (ESV)
"Having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead."

Reflection: How can you bear witness to the transformative power of baptism in your own life and encourage others to take this step of faith?

"Baptism isn't something that we put off until we're perfect, until we've figured it all out, until we just have rock-solid faith and we know everything. It's not something you put off until you feel like you can prove that you are worthy of his love. It's something that we embrace by grace because as we follow Jesus, we should desire his covering, we should desire his anointing." [17:54](Make clip | Crop for social media | Crop + Caption)

"Jesus is our priest, not in the Roman Catholic sense, but in an Old Testament sense, the one who covers our sin. The priest who stands in the gap between broken humanity and God's holiness. He's also our Prophet... the role of the Prophet is one who calls people to repentance in order to restore them to right relationship with God. Jesus is our prophet. He is also our King, not in an earthly sense... but his rule is a heavenly kingship." [05:46](Make clip | Crop for social media | Crop + Caption)

"The failures of human priests, prophets, and kings throughout history serve as a stark reminder of our collective need for a true savior. These flawed examples do not negate the divine intention behind these roles but rather emphasize the perfection of Jesus's sacrifice and leadership." [11:35](Make clip | Crop for social media | Crop + Caption)

"We need the Messiah. The word Messiah simply means anointed one. Jesus is the anointed one. His blood shed on the cross for our sins sets him apart from all other sacrifices, the only anointed one who can stand in the gap between your sins, my sins, and the salvation that he freely gives to us." [13:58](Make clip | Crop for social media | Crop + Caption)

"My covering is no more precious than yours. If you believe in Jesus and the power of his resurrection, then you have the same covering, the same anointing. The same blood that covers me is freely given by Jesus to cover you. The same spirit that walks with me is freely given by Jesus to walk with you." [16:25](Make clip | Crop for social media | Crop + Caption)

"Baptism is our anointing in faith, setting us apart from the world for his divine purpose to be a royal priesthood, to tell others about Jesus who stands in the gap for all of our sins, who gives us hope by his love and produces faith." [17:04](Make clip | Crop for social media | Crop + Caption)

"We are not anointed in the same way as Old Testament priests, prophets, and kings. We are anointed by the Messiah, by Jesus Christ, the anointed one, first by the blood covering our sins on the cross bringing us into unity with God, second by the spirit calling us to faith, repentance, and restoration." [22:25](Make clip | Crop for social media | Crop + Caption)

"Now we have with us a handful of people today who have chosen to commit their lives to Christ. They want to declare their faith through baptism. We get to stand as witnesses to this declaration. This is a joyous moment, the anointing by water representing their full covering in Christ." [23:10](Make clip | Crop for social media | Crop + Caption)

"Happy Resurrection Sunday. We get to celebrate the resurrection of these souls from death to life, and that is a thing of beauty. It is joyous, it is glorious. We get to watch them participate with Jesus in his sacrifice, his burial, and his resurrection." [28:14](Make clip | Crop for social media | Crop + Caption)

We are glad that all of you are here with us today, whether you're a church member, a regular attender, a visitor, someone with a stronger faith, or someone who has no faith at all. Whether you're somebody with lots of Bible knowledge or absolutely no Bible knowledge, the grace and the glory of Jesus Christ is for all of us. His death and resurrection is for all of us. He doesn't ask us to be perfect; He just asks us to believe and to follow Him.

In our belief and our pursuit of Jesus, we sing songs to Him and we encourage one another in our faith through our worship of God. So if you don't know the words, that's okay. God is for you, and not because you know the words to sing or the words to say. At some point in the service, we're going to take communion. We take communion in order to remember His body on the cross and His blood that has been shed for us. If you don't know why we do it or how we do it, that's okay. There is no pressure to join us if it makes you uncomfortable. It is okay whether you join us or not. I want you to know that God is for you. Jesus died on the cross for you as well as for me.

Today, we're also going to celebrate His resurrection with baptisms. You might be able to hear the sound of the water, the babbling brook behind me. Baptism is our sacred act declaring faith and accepting His covering. If you don't understand what that means, that's okay. Hopefully, by the end of the service today, you'll have a much clearer picture about baptism. There is absolutely no pressure to be baptized. If you have not been baptized, that's not going to come from us. The desire for baptism can only come from faith, repentance, and response to God. Either way, God is for you. His resurrection, our hope, and eternal life through His love is for you. It's for all of us. That's why we gather week after week to worship God with thanksgiving in our hearts for rescuing us from sin and death, and because He's worthy of it all.

Let's pray. God, my heavenly Father, I thank You for the love that You have for us. God, today is the day You have made, and we will rejoice and be glad in it. Tomorrow is the day that You have made, and we will rejoice and be glad in it, and every tomorrow after for eternity by Your blood shed on the cross and the resurrection in the empty tomb. Thank You, God, that You have given us today an eternal life with You. God, we worship Your holy name. We praise You, Father, in the name of Jesus. Amen.

All right, thank you, worship team. Mark, thank you for leading us in communion as well, and to everybody who is just helping make today happen. We have today about six, at least six, baptisms that we're going to do, which I'm excited about.

Now, if you've been around me for long and you've heard some of my other messages, you know by now, just like last week, I tend to buck against feeling like I have to preach the holiday message. The nice thing about Resurrection Sunday is that honestly, it's the gospel message, and the gospel message is a message that should go forth every single Sunday. It is an element of every single message that is preached here.

So we will talk about the resurrection, but if you're expecting to hear the scripture about Jesus rising from the tomb, those are not going to be part of today's message because we are going to finish the series that we're on, and I want to tie it to baptism and why we are doing what we are doing today because Jesus is risen from the tomb.

In the past weeks, we've discussed how Jesus is our priest, He's our prophet, and He's our king. He is our priest. Now, when I say priest, I know a lot of you in your mind are conjuring up these images of the men wearing black and the white collar, and they take your confessions and all that kind of stuff. That's not what I'm talking about. Jesus is not a priest in the Roman Catholic sense, but in an Old Testament sense, the one who covers our sin, the priest who stands in the gap between broken humanity and God's holiness.

He's also our prophet. Now, I know a lot of you, when you might hear the term prophet, you think about an oracle or a fortune teller. That's not what He is. Can He tell the future? Yes, and He predicted it many times on Earth, but that's not the role of the prophet. The role of the prophet is one who calls people to repentance in order to restore them to a right relationship with God. Jesus is our prophet. He is also our king, not in an earthly sense as a dictator who takes and takes and takes. Honestly, those kinds of leaders are a dime a dozen, but He is our king. He is the one who guides us, who guards us, and establishes us in His kingdom.

In the Old Testament, priests were anointed by prophets. They were anointed with oil, and that oil represented their covering and their calling to stand in the gap for Israel. Moses anointed Aaron, his brother, and also his first high priest, along with Aaron's sons, to be priests. In Leviticus chapter 8:30, we read, "Then Moses took some of the anointing oil and some of the blood that was on the altar and sprinkled them on Aaron and his garments, as well as on his sons and their garments. In this way, he consecrated Aaron and his garments, as well as his sons and their garments."

Consecrated is a word that often does not just get thrown around in normal conversation. Consecrated means to be made set apart for a specific divine purpose, marked as holy, taken from being unrighteous and covered by God's righteousness. Priests were anointed; they were consecrated by the prophets. It set the priest apart for a specific divine purpose, which again was to stand in the gap between sin and salvation through sacrifice.

Prophets themselves were also anointed, sometimes with oil, but always by God. He called them and He covered them with His Spirit. In one example, God told the prophet Elijah to anoint both Jehu as king and Elisha as the coming prophet. First Kings chapter 19:16 reads, "You are to anoint Jehu son of Nimshi as king over Israel and Elisha son of Shaphat from Abel Meholah as prophet in your place." The prophet's anointing consecrated them; it set them apart for a specific divine purpose to call the rebellious to repentance and restore them to a right relationship with God.

Like Jehu, mentioned before, kings were also anointed by the prophets. The prophet Samuel, for example, anointed both Saul and David, the first two kings of Israel. The king's anointing set them apart for a specific divine purpose, which is to stand against God's adversaries, submitting their authority back to God and leading their kingdom to do the same. That is what a leader, a king, should do.

Now, we all can read the text. We can read the Old Testament. We can even think through modern history, the time in the years post-Christ, and we can think of priests who failed to fulfill their divine purpose. However, their lack and their faithlessness does not minimize what God instituted in order to bridge the gap between us and Him. The institution of sacrifice points to Jesus Christ.

We can think of prophets. We can read about them in the Old Testament. We can read of those in the New Testament who used prophecy in order to mislead people. We can think of people today who use prophecy in order to mislead people. Not all prophets fulfilled their divine purpose. However, their lust for power and recognition does not minimize the true prophetic call to repent and be restored, which is only made possible by the blood, by the love, by the grace, by the mercy of Jesus Christ.

We can think of kings. We can think of leaders. We can think of presidents. We can think of governors. We can think of anybody in any kind of leadership position, whether it's governmental or occupational. We can think of them and know that they did not all stand against God's adversaries, nor do they always submit their earthly rule to God's heavenly rule. Their abuse and idolatry does not minimize the image of the rightful kingship that God called them to.

The rebellion doesn't replace righteousness, but it does prove our need for a true priest, a true prophet, and a true king. It proves our need for a savior. And hard as we might try to judge the false priests, the false prophets, the false kings, the fallen people, we are all in the same boat with them in need of a savior. If you have not come to Jesus Christ, you are in need of a savior. If you don't believe in Jesus Christ, your belief in Jesus doesn't negate your need for a savior. You are dead in your trespasses and sin, but we have Jesus Christ who, by His mercy and His grace and His love, has bridged that gap to call our spirits into life and to lead us into eternity—not eternal death, but eternal life.

Those of you who have believed for many, many years, your belief recognizes your need for a savior, but it doesn't wipe out the need for the savior or the importance of you reminding people and letting people know about Jesus Christ. Because without Him, we are all dead in our sin, but He's risen to give us life.

In short, we need the Messiah. The word Messiah simply means "anointed one." Jesus is the anointed one. His blood shed on the cross for our sins sets Him apart from all other sacrifices—the only anointed one who can stand in the gap between your sins, my sins, and the salvation that He freely gives to us. His words and His life call us to repent, so let Him take your sins to the cross. Recognize that your sins put Him on the cross, and He willingly went there for you, for me, for all of us. He guides us to restoration; He produces hope in the resurrection of our dead selves into life, and all authority is His on heaven and earth—not just the authority of a king on earth; all authority on heaven and earth is His. He stands for us; He stands with us and against the adversary.

Now, the New Testament, when we talk about the Messiah, uses the word Christ. It means the same. It's the same word. Our savior, the anointed one, Jesus Christ, is so much more than a name that we sometimes shout out as an expletive. He is our priest; He is our prophet; He is our king; our savior; the one and only anointed one; our Messiah. His name is above all names.

I need His anointing. I need my priest Jesus to cover me, to call me. I need His covering that sets me apart from the world and calls me out of the darkness and washes away my sins. I can't stand here and talk to you about your need for repentance if I don't first come to repentance myself. You also need His anointing. You need the covering that sets you apart from the world, calls you out of the darkness, and washes away your sin. My covering is no more precious than yours.

Can we do away with that whole concept that because I stand on stage, I'm a little bit closer to God than everybody else? Please. Because we are all called to be ministers of the gospel of grace. We all have the same Spirit; we all have the same Jesus; we all have God. We are all called—all called. My covering is no more precious than yours, and if you believe in Jesus and the power of His resurrection, then you have the same covering. You have the same anointing. The same blood that covers me is freely given by Jesus to cover you. The same Spirit that walks with me is freely given by Jesus to walk with you. The same water that washed away my sins when I was baptized at 10 years old, that anointed my declaration of faith, is freely available to wash away your sins and anoint your faith in Jesus Christ. Amen.

And that's what baptism is. It is our anointing in faith, setting us apart from the world for His divine purpose—to be a royal priesthood to tell others about Jesus, who stands in the gap for all of our sins, who gives us hope by His love and produces faith. Baptism isn't something that we put off until we're perfect, until we've figured it all out, until we just have rock-solid faith and we know everything. It's not something you put off until you feel like you can prove that you are worthy of His love. It's something that we embrace grace because as we follow Jesus, we should desire His covering. We should desire His anointing.

After all, Romans 5:6 says this: "For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly." And that's all of us. We are the ungodly. We were helpless, but now, thanks to Christ, we have received help from death into life. The baptism, our anointing, it reminds us of our need for Jesus's death and resurrection. It symbolizes our participation with Him in His death and resurrection.

We participate in His crucifixion because our sin put Him on the cross. We participate in His burial because we mourn the reality that our sin requires His sacrifice. We participate in His resurrection by embracing life, no longer walking in death.

See, when we stand in that water, we stand there at first, and we are here, we're standing, and as we stand there, we are dead in our sin. If you look in the bulletins, I use a scripture in Ephesians that talks about how we are dead in our trespasses. Trespasses is the way that we go. Most people who have died are not able to go physically anywhere. This is not about physical death; we are spiritually dead in our trespasses and our sin. When we stand there, we are spiritually dead in our trespasses and our sin, and then we let Jesus take our sins to the cross. He takes the physical death and the spiritual death—all of it—to the cross.

We are here, dead in our sin, and then we are buried in the water, immersed, completely covered in the anointing. We're buried as He was buried. We are marked for God's kingdom, and we're brought out of the water as Jesus rose from the grave. Our spirits are made new; we are alive; we are resurrected here so that we can have eternal life. He makes us new. This is not the end of His perfecting work in us; it is the beginning of His perfecting work in us through baptism.

We embrace consecration, having been made right with God and His calling to life. Romans chapter 6, verses 1-5, Paul writes, "What should we say then? Should we continue in sin so that grace may multiply? Absolutely not! We don't continue sinning. We're not going to be perfect, but we walk in the freedom and the grace of Jesus Christ. How can we who died to sin still live in it? Or are you unaware that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore, we were buried with Him by baptism into death in order that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too may walk in newness of life. For if we have been united with Him in the likeness of His death, we will certainly also be in the likeness of His resurrection."

Now, we are not anointed in the same way as Old Testament priests, prophets, and kings. Excuse me. We are anointed by the Messiah, by Jesus Christ, the anointed one. First, by the blood covering our sins on the cross, bringing us into unity with God. Second, by the Spirit calling us to faith, repentance, and restoration. And then third, we are anointed by the water in our declaration of hope—our hope in heaven through an obedient act to Jesus, our Lord, our King, priest, prophet, king, Messiah, anointed one, the Savior, the risen Lord Jesus.

Now, we have with us a handful of people today who have chosen to commit their lives to Christ. They want to declare their faith through baptism. We get to stand as witnesses to this declaration. This is a joyous moment, the anointing by water representing their full covering in Christ.

So at this time, those of you who are going to be baptized, if you don't mind, go ahead and make your way through this door and up these steps. I know some of you need to do that. As we prepare for their baptisms, we're going to sing another song now. I know practically giving us the space to change, giving me the space to take off the suit. There are practical reasons for singing the song; I'm not going to lie to you about that. But we don't do it for that purpose. We do it because the presence of God is in this room. Jesus Christ and His angels are standing witness to the baptisms, to the declaration of faith. Whether it's a child, a teen, or an adult, it does not matter. They are all covered by the blood and by the water, and they will receive the covering of the Holy Spirit.

We sing the song not just simply practically to give us space to change; we sing the song because we recognize that God is here, and we are worshiping Him in the midst of their declaration. We are worshiping our holy, our risen King, Jesus Christ.

Now, I know the gospel of Christ can stir questions, and if you have questions about anything that I've preached today, I want you to know I'd love to chat. I won't chat with you in a way that condemns you or anything else. Let me tell you why that's the case: because I don't believe it's my job to convict you of faith; that's the Holy Spirit's job. My job is to stand on the conviction of faith and simply respond in love—not condemnation—as the Holy Spirit moves and gives you questions. Be bold enough to ask the questions. Be bold enough to challenge what you think you've known or what you believe or what you don't believe.

You know what? I've had to do that myself. I had to do that, and I walked through fire, and I challenged it. I had the questions, and I've come out on the other side understanding and believing fully in the love of Jesus Christ that I cannot make it through this life without Him. Without Jesus Christ, life is meaningless. He gives life meaning; He gives us hope.

I know it can stir questions; it can cause us to feel things or question things or to wonder things. You don't have to respond to it today, but at least respond to it. Be willing to have the conversations. I fully believe in this: that we don't grow as people unless we are willing to be wrong. And I've had those conversations where I was willing to be wrong, and it only strengthened my faith.

My job here is to help point you to Jesus, who is the way, the truth, and the life. If your heart and your faith have been stirred to baptism, I want to encourage you: look, here's water. Here's water! Why put it off? So what if your clothes get wet? I know that they're back there changed. I'm about to go back there and change, but we came prepared for it. If the Holy Spirit has moved on your heart today to embrace baptism, don't let the clothes stop you. We've got towels; we have towels. God is for you. Jesus's death on the cross was for you. His resurrection from death to life is freely given to you. The Holy Spirit is with you, so why put off what He asks you to do—not what I'm asking you, but what Jesus might be stirring on you to do?

The water is here; the invitation is ready. If that's the case, I want to encourage you to simply come forward. We will have a few of our elders up around here ready to receive you, help you move up there. Just simply come forward while we're singing, visit with one of the elders, and then be baptized. The choice is yours. Either way, genuinely, truly, happy Resurrection Sunday! We get to celebrate the resurrection of these souls from death into life, and that is a thing of beauty. It is joyous.