The saints that gather at Cornerstone Evangelical Free Church observed the two ordinances our Lord Jesus Christ commanded us to observe yesterday: communion and baptism. It was a rare day. It was a glorious day. It was a ‘gospel’ day.
Both of these ordinances help us to see the gospel, to observe a spiritual reality that is only seen with the eye of faith. Both are physical. In communion, there is the bread and the cup, each representing Jesus’ body broken and blood poured out, respectively. Baptism has water…and for us, being credo-baptistic, lots of water. Both ordinances are tangible: those participating get to touch the elements. Both declare the gospel.
Communion declares the past, present and future of the gospel story. It looks to the past, our past and our sin, which needed to be dealt with powerfully. This was done so through Jesus Christ in His substitutionary death on the cross. There is, however, the present that is seen as well, for we still continue to realize the powerful working of Christ in our life today. The ongoing effects of His suffering and death strengthen us to live for Him. The grace we receive in the remembering encourages us. Someday, there will be a marriage feast with us as the Bride and Jesus as the Groom. We look forward to that great day, but until then, we will partake and remember, receive grace and strength for today and a bright hope for tomorrow.
The waters of baptism declare the gospel in a different way. They help the one who has come to faith in Jesus declare to others who are witnessing this great event what has taken place within them. Yes, we hear their profession of faith, but few things confirm that confession in as powerful and dramatic fashion as baptism. Entering the water depicts us entering into Christ and His sufferings. Going under the water portrays our dying with Him, being buried to sin and self and our fleshly desires. Coming up out of the water gloriously displays being raised to resurrection glory and newness of life. See Paul’s description in Romans 6.1–5.
Yesterday, we got to observe both of these visual displays of the gospel. It was a tremendous day of worship together, praising our God who is gracious to save, lifting up the name of Jesus who is powerful to save, and doing so joined and knit together by the Holy Spirit. If you’d like to see the baptismal portion of the service, just hop on over to Cornerstone’s web site: Baptismal Service.
