Baptism: The cleanser!

John 13 vs 8 "Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet, Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me."

I hear that heavy sigh, yes I know your thinking 'Not again I already know about baptism' and some of you have been baptized but it is good to remember and think on the things you have done, know or have yet to do.

In John chapter 13 Jesus tells the disciples they would not understand immediately why he washed their feet but they would eventually. We know why he said the following "If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me" don't we?

Jesus refers not to the washing of feet but to baptism. Many of you reading this have been washed and have put on Jesus and now have hope of inheriting the Kingdom of God, but do you remember the price with which we were given this hope?

For sinners like you and me, we have had the sacrifice and the blood of our Saviour to cleanse us, which we accept and acknowledge through baptism in a symbol of his death, but also the resurrection. When I think on this my emotions are a mix, as I am sure they are when you also think about Jesus' sacrifice in order to cleanse us. On the one hand I feel sorrow, sorrow that my sins were placed upon my Lord a completely sinless man, and yet amazing joy and gladness that because of the Lord's love ("Jesus having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end." John 13 vs 1) for us which has now brought us the hope of eternal life.

So, what have you learnt about baptism from reading this? Nothing? Good, I am glad you already know what baptism is, my aim was not to teach but to revise and comfort. I hope you have remembered that we all (though we know what baptism is) sometimes forget to think behind the surface and remember how we are able to be baptized and be clean from our sins. Comfort one another, remember how the Lord loved us and commanded "A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye also love one to another." (John 13 vs 34-35) Remember baptism is the cleanser because the Lord loved and still love's us, whenever you sing Hymn 338 in the new Hymn Book. Go on look it up and smile for the joy you receive in the Lord.