Baptism is a treasure beyond anything we can have in this life. The act itself is deceptively humble – a little water administered to the body by God’s authority. But its benefits are immeasurable! You simply cannot appreciate enough the great gift you have been given in Baptism. And we see this most clearly in the Baptism of our Lord. Through Baptism God opens the way to heaven. What can that mean except that He has washed away the guilt of all your sin? In your Baptism the Holy Spirit is restored to you, He who is the Lord and Giver of life. And on account of Christ, God’s true Son who gladly stood in as your substitute under death, God has elected you to be His own beloved child. Your Baptism tells you all of those things. It is the promise that every one of those things is true. And because Baptism is God’s work, you have no reason to doubt it for moment. “So use it well! You are made new—In Christ a new creation!” (LSB 596, stz. 6) I look forward to seeing you this coming Lord’s Day.
Pastor Ulmer