And all who have been united with Christ in baptism have put on Christ, like putting on new clothes. Galatians 3:27 NLT
If you have been baptized, who attended your baptism and celebrated with you? If you haven’t yet, who do you want to be there? You will have significant attendees; I can tell you that for sure. God will be there! When Jesus was baptized, God was there and let everyone know how pleased He was with His Son. He spoke in an audible voice, and the Holy Spirit descended. He was delighted with Jesus and wanted the world to know it. God feels the same about you. When you obey Him and identify with Him, officially announcing your loyalty, new identity, and way of life, He is proud and pleased. You are His child. And when He looks at you, He sees Jesus.
That’s what it means to say you are clothed with Christ when you are baptized. Hasn’t it been refreshing to start wearing different clothes in the summer? You’ve thrown off the heavy coat and are wearing light and airy cotton. The lined boots are gone – your feet feel free and alive in sandals. This is the first and most significant thing about baptism – you are dressed anew. You look like Jesus. What a wonderful, exhilarating way to live! God is pleased with you. It’s not that you never make mistakes, never get frustrated with yourself, never are disappointed, but you are new! God sees you as His dearly loved children. You are dressed in the life of Jesus. Never forget it. That person you saw in the mirror this morning? That’s God’s dearly loved child who makes Him smile. Don’t forget it.
Jesus had a monumental mission in the world for His Father, and He knew He needed a team. As soon as He was baptized, He started putting together a group who would be on mission with Him, following the Father with Him. He knew the people around Him would be significant. The same is true for you. You are on mission now. You are not intended to follow alone, and the people you share life with will be crucial factors in how well you succeed in the mission you have in the world. Like Jesus, prioritize finding your team for mutual support.
You are a disciple of Jesus. Disciples are disciplined learners. The disciples learned from Jesus to stay in close communication with the Father through spiritual disciplines like prayer and Scripture. They witnessed Jesus in regular communication with His Father. He found strength in God’s Word. When He had the face-to-face showdown with Satan in the wilderness, He combated the lies with Scripture. Make sure you learn and grow strong in these areas. You’ll look and act more and more like Jesus.
- Sit and savor for a few minutes the fact that God loves you and is proud of you. Talk to Him and get strength and wisdom for your day.