Years ago, one of our dear friends brought his family to church on Easter Sunday. On the way, their oldest child, a 7-year-old boy, moaned from his spot in the third row seat, “I don’t know why we are even going to church today.” His father was concerned, “Why do you say that, son?” The little boy, dressed in his Easter best, responded, “We already know what the preacher is going to preach about.”
Hallelujah! Christ is Risen! That is what we will preach about.
Let me encourage you to proclaim the resurrection of our Lord Jesus through believer’s baptism on this Easter Sunday. We proclaim the resurrection in song, Scripture reading and sermon. We can also proclaim the resurrection through baptism. “Therefore we were buried with Him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too may walk in newness of life” (Rom. 6:4). Could your church baptize someone this Easter?
Churches from all across the Southern Baptist Convention are working toward “#FilltheTank Sunday” this Easter Sunday, April 12. We only have about a month. Let’s all begin to pray for lost people to be saved and for new believers to be prepared to follow Jesus in believer’s baptism. Let’s fill the baptistery and call people to a personal faith in Jesus. Let’s challenge people to obedience in believer’s baptism so that we can proclaim the resurrection of our Lord in this glorious and good New Testament way.
Oklahoma Baptists are committed to baptizing 20 percent more people by 2025. Believer’s baptism holds us accountable for doing the work of evangelism and making disciples in the context of the local church. Think about it—baptism is the visible, tangible fruit of evangelism and discipleship in the local church. Baptism braids three aspects that are priority of our calling, which are evangelism, discipleship and local church connection. Baptism is a New Testament priority.
We are very busy on Easter Sunday. We are preparing lessons and sermons, songs and greetings, parking lots and nurseries. Will we also have the baptistery ready? Baptism proclaims the Lordship of Jesus and His redemptive work, His death and resurrection. What a joy the people of God find when we witness baptism on Easter!
I pray—let’s pray together—that churches all across Oklahoma will know the joy of the Lord this Easter as they celebrate and proclaim the Newness of Life that comes through Jesus, His death and resurrection.
