What does it mean to be “born again”? Or that I am “adopted into His family” and can be an “heir with Christ”? Are those just figures of speech? Or is there more to it than that?
We’re in Part 3 of our series After the Resurrection and this week’s message focuses on the sacrament of Baptism and two of the many benefits that come from it: REGENERATION and ADOPTION.
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In honor of the 6 new members of the STSA family that were baptized this past Sunday (one of the most incredible days of my life),I wanted to post this beautiful excerpt from the writings of St. John Chrysostom on what really happens during baptism:
Read MoreWe kicked off a new series yesterday at The Well titled IDENTITY CRISIS: The Search for Me. This 5 week series addresses the underlying issue that is at the root of many of life's problems: our identity. Not knowing who you are - or worse, having a false idea of who you are - will stop you from reaching your true potential in Christ.
So in this series, we're putting away our own view of ourselves and asking God to reveal to us who we really are. And the first characteristic that we saw is that in Christ, I am a NEW CREATION.
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” 2 Corinthians 5:17
Have you heard of Benjaman Kyle? It’s a true story and a very sad one at that. Benjaman Kyle is the name given to a man who was found beaten, naked and unconscious outside of a Burger King near Atlanta, Georgia back in 2004. The beating was so severe that to this day, he suffers from dissociative amnesia – a condition where he can’t remember anything about himself or his life prior to 2004.
Let me say that one again: HE CAN’T REMEMBER ANYTHING ABOUT HIMSELF OR HIS LIFE PRIOR TO 2004!!!
He doesn’t know how old he is. He doesn’t know who his parents are. He doesn’t know if he has any brothers or sisters or uncles or cousins or even any friends! He doesn’t even remember his name! “Benjaman Kyle” isn’t his real name; it’s just what the hospital began calling him because they needed to refer to him as something!
Sad isn’t it?
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