The Family Just Got Bigger!

A few weeks ago, Calvary Chapel Ginowan was privileged to be able to baptize 8 believers into the family of Christ! There was still one guy who could not make it that day, so we scheduled more baptisms for yesterday. Well after Ryota took the plunge, four more people joined in (two of them got baptized for the second time)!

It was such a blessed day - God brought out just the right amount of sun to keep us all warm. Daniel and Jessica and Eder led worship as Pastor Tim and Dan Pallmann performed the baptisms. As Tim explained to the guys and gals what baptism meant, they made a public confession of their love relationship with Jesus Christ.

Then people gathered around them and prayed that they would continue to grow in the Lord with each passing day. There was also another church doing baptisms next to us, but they finished up just as we got there. Some of them stuck around and worshiped with us, though, so that was a blessing.

Baptisms remind me of weddings. You see, the Lord has loved us all along. We just didn't realize it, or we did realize it but rejected His love. Finally one day we recognized that His love is the best we will ever get, and we accept Him into our hearts. Thus starts the courtship. Then, in front of many people who are beaming and excited for the "couple", we are joined in holy matrimony before everyone as we die to our old lives, and choose to commit ourselves 100% to the ways of the Lord.

So I remember the day of my own baptism, some 7 years ago. What a day. And I remembered that I made vows to my Lord, but have been guilty countless times of being unfaithful. Oh what a wretched man I am! Who can save me? I thank God through the Lord Jesus Christ. (Romans 7:24-25 - paraphrase)

キリストにあって兄弟姉妹がまた昨日、増えました。宜野湾市トロピカルビーチで、５人が洗礼を受けました。英語では "baptism" ですが、それも日本語になっている。一応、教会では「バプテスマ」は通じると思います。バプテスマは義務ではない。救われるためにやることでもない。イエス・キリストが十字架の上で私たちの罪の罰を受けたゆえに私たちは救われた。主の恵みのゆえに救われた。私たちの努力、行いでは天国に入れない。ただ主の贈り物、永遠の命を受けるだけです。主イエス・キリストが救い主であることを信じるだけです。

昨日は、良太君、一乃さん、香代さん、時斗君、そしてゴウ君が洗礼を受けました。天気が素晴らしくて主の聖霊様が私たちと共におられたことを確信しています。主に感謝ばかりです。ハレルヤ！