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We probably wouldn’t be fans of stories that start well and end with the phrase, “and they all lived horribly ever after.” Many stories that we like begin with trouble, continue with tension and then end with resolution. The characters live “happily ever after.” These kinds of stories resonate with us for a couple of reasons. First, we are hard-wired for a good ending to this earthly drama. Because of the gospel, there actually is a happy ending for those who want it.

It is rather odd that we dunk people in a tank of water, unless there is more to it than dunking people in water. We believe Jesus Christ is the Lord. He told us to make disciples and to baptize them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. And, He said that we are to teach His followers to observe all the things that He commanded. So, we baptize because Jesus told us to, and because of what it means.

Some of you will know those words from Frank Sinatra’s famous song, but they really aren’t original with him. Humans have been wanting to do things their own way for a long time. Perhaps you have struggled with wanting things your own way even today. We do have a lot of freedom over our own “kingdom,” but living in community means having to surrender once in a while. We are created beings, and we are dependent on numerous entities, especially God, our gracious Creator and Sustainer.

We sure hear a lot about how people choose to identify these days. I think it is getting out of control. Men are men. Women are women. Humans are humans. Some things are simply not a choice. I was born a male so I identify as a male. I am a human so I identify as a human. It seems pretty basic.

In the late 1800’s, Princeton professor B.B. Warfield wrote, “Christianity is a historical religion, and a Christianity wholly unrelated to historical occurrences is just no Christianity at all.” History matters. Even people that ignore Christianity remind us that if we ignore history, we are bound to repeat it.