Wow!  One of the ways we publicly Identify with Jesus is by being baptized in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit as Jesus commanded.  This evening at our Thanksgiving Eve service, shared with and held at 7:00 p.m. at Crossway Church, Davis Road, Valencia, PA, a dozen folks from the New Life community will public identify with Jesus by being baptized!  I hope you'll join us as we give thanks to God for all He is and does in our lives, and to celebrate with these folks who are publicly identifying with Jesus in baptism. 

Here's what God's word tells us about the importance of baptism:  “When we went under the water, we left the old country of sin behind; when we came up out of the water, we entered into the new country of grace – a new life in a new land!  That’s what baptism into the life of Jesus means.  When we are lowered into the water, it is like the burial of Jesus; when we are raised up out of the water, it is like the resurrection of Jesus.”   Romans 6:3 (Message)  While the Message is a paraphrase, what a vivid image of what baptism is--leaving the old life behind, and living a whole new life as Jesus' followers. The surest way of demonstrating our love for God is to obey His commands.  In fact, Dale Milligan used to say, "to love God is to trust God enough to obey Him."  When we respond to Jesus' command to be baptized we are saying we trust Him enough to obey Him--thus, that we love Him!

I do hope you'll take the time this evening to worship with us.  Take some time right now to think of one, specific way you can demonstrate your love for God by publicly identifying with Him! 

Let's pray:  Heavenly Father, Thank You for all You have done in our lives to deserve our love and praise!  Fill us with Your Holy Spirit that we may always have a bold and humble confidence in identifying ourselves with You.  This we pray in Jesus' name.  Amen.