Blog Archives
Notes from WKND
Click link for image of my new version of sermon notes. I’m almost note free at this point. I am preaching verse by verse, so I have little clues for each passage.
Baptism Thoughts
We are baptizing at the San Marcos River, July 5th. If you haven’t been baptized or know someone that hasn’t, please read this post. It covers the concepts of baptism very well.
This was written by a new friend of mine: Dr. Jeff Garner:
“Baptism- The watery replica of Jesus’ tomb serves as an invitation to be in Jesus. Paul terms it “in Christ,” “In Him,” and “In Whom” and speaks of baptism as though it were a washy lost and found. It’s a call to lose your sin-identity in Christ’s righteous identity. When you look at Jesus, from your baptism forward, you will see yourself in him. Baptism is the event by which you are placed in Jesus Christ. Your baptismal is a re-enactment in the redemption story of Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection. You choose to separate from your old life and old self and going under the water is a type of burial and rising up out of the water is a type of resurrection. Our final exhale as we are placed under the water is a type of final breath and our held breath is a type of burial and our first inhale is a type resurrection life.
Tree of Life Thoughts
Last night we joined with Tree of Life in New Braunfels for a time of worship. I believe it is time to agree and accept brothers and sisters, friends, and family. If you did not hear the message last night, you will not understand thoroughly where I am coming from. Looking for ways of agreement and focusing on Jesus Christ creates a powerful place for God to move. It is a new venue for God in our lives that simply does not exist until we join together in unity. We should not focus on our individual skills as much as fostering ways to unite, be in harmony and accord. All of our excuses or reasons (valid or not) will be resolved when we surrender our pride. Will we agree on every issue before there is unity? Will we understand all doctrine and know the intricacies of each others past? What are the prerequisites? There are obviously some things that we will never compromise or associate with. However, I feel like we error on the wrong side of agreement way too often and lack the faith it takes to allow God to move. Our fear of ‘what if..’ What if we are contaminated? What if people think we support their sin? What if we compromise? What if we fail God?
Robin Steele 