If Jesus Died On the Cross, Why Do We Need to Be Baptized? – Higher Things

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If Jesus Died On the…

If Jesus Died On the Cross, Why Do We Need to Be Baptized?

✨ Ever wondered why baptism is such a big deal if Jesus already won the victory for us? 🤔

It’s like digging a hole in your backyard.

You can use a shovel, a spoon (ouch!), or even get creative with a stick of dynamite!

Each way is a “means” to get the job done.

This is why we talk about the Means of Grace – ‘grace’ being God’s gifts.

What are the means by which God chooses to share His gifts with us?

The Word
The Lord’s Supper
And then Baptism

In the gift of baptism, Jesus takes what is his and he makes it yours.

Jesus pours out his Holy Spirit upon you.

The Spirit whose task it is to…

Create faith in your heart
Lead you to repentance
Strengthen you in your faith daily

That gift is given in the waters of baptism.

Yes, it’s true, Jesus died on the cross to forgive your sins.

Baptism applies that gift to you.

It makes it yours.
It puts it into your hands
Literally into your heart
Into your body

As you are now a child of God.

It’s a wonderful gift.

Steve Andrews Jr is pastor of St. Matthew Lutheran Church in Lee’s Summit, MO.

#lcms #lutheran #higherthings #bapitsm #meansofgrace

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...Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth." (Colossians 3:1-2)

In 1998, several LCMS pastors began planning a smaller, more regionally minded, cost-effective conference for youth, designed to be uniquely Lutheran. A year later, those plans were unveiled for the Dying to Live national Lutheran youth conference, held in the summer of 2000. Over 700 youth and adults from 25 states attended what was, for all intents and purposes, the first Higher Things conference. Based on the success of that first conference, more plans developed for what would become Higher Things.

The name for the emerging group was chosen just before the first conference, as it had become obvious by then that the event would serve as the impetus for something worth continuing and expanding. The new organization’s theme verse was: “If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.” (Colossians. 3:1-2).

Twenty years ago, Higher Things was started by a handful of pastors and laypeople who cared very deeply about the young people of the church. Today over 1700 LCMS congregations have been impacted by the mission of Higher Things.

Higher Things is many things, all of which seek to keep young people focused on Christ and His gifts as they grow and mature in their faith. It is parents teaching their children the catechism. It is youth workers and volunteers reinforcing what is preached from their congregations’ pulpits and confessed in their pews. And it is pastors keeping their young sheep Lutheran as they grow up.

In two decades, we haven’t wavered in our mission to assist parents, pastors, and congregations in cultivating a distinctly Lutheran identity among their youth and young adults. We work to bring the Gospel of Christ, and Him crucified to youth via our events, app, confirmation curriculum, Reflections, videos, articles, VBS curriculum, and more! Higher Things strives to be available to youth from their cell phones and computer screens all the way to their summer plans.

Our plan for the future? We will keep putting the Gospel in the ears of youth as long as the Lord allows!