When we examine baptism, we normally think that one professes Christ, and then that person is baptized. This would make the sign a sign of faith. We can assume that when Peter calls Israel to repent and he says, “For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.” (Acts. 2:39). We can claim that those who are far off are those who eventually come to faith as the Gospel spreads out. The ones who are far off are those who will hear the gospel, receive Christ, and then be baptized.

It is true that we can take this view of Baptism if we only look at Acts 2:39. We could say just from Acts that this is a problem for those who receive the Gospel. However, what happens when we start expanding the sign to be a sign of the covenant community? What if we see the sign as more than just a sign of my new life? What if we consider some of the pregnant promises that Peter calls to our attention from the Old Testament?

When we ask these questions, we see that the sign is not a sign of my faith, but a sign that is given to the community. It is given to the house of Israel or the house of the wrestling ones. God gives this sign to his people to testify to the truthfulness of his promise. He promised to overcome death, Christ entered history to overcome death, Christ is seated on the right hand of the Father, and therefore we see that this sign given to the household of faith, the church, is the sign that testifies that God’s people overcome in Christ.

We can see this because Peter cites the Old Testament throughout his Pentecost sermon, communicating that Christ is the confirmation/fulfillment of the Old Testament promises. The very promise of the gospel given to Abraham, signified in circumcision, is the sign of Christ’s work. He is the one who is cut off. Baptism is the sign that looks back to Christ’s victory as circumcision looks ahead to the coming seed of the woman. Baptism is a sign that testifies that Christ has been consumed in the death waters, but death could not hold him. Baptism testifies that Christ and His covenant people have moved from death to life in Christ’s historic work.

This is why children are exhorted to obey their parents. This is why Paul even appeals to the fifth commandment in his household codes. The intention of the covenant community continues. God works in the context of the church and the Christian household, even if only one parent professes faith; otherwise, your children would be unclean. (1 Corinthians 7:14).

So, we baptize infants because our God is a consistent God who works in the context of a community. It is a sign that testifies that the Spirit is at work in the pilgrim people on this earth. it testifies to a new family comprised of Jew and Gentile. It is a sign that testifies that God’s people have moved from death to life in Christ Jesus. It is a sign that ultimately calls us to look to our savior and his victorious work of securing our victory over death.

Mary Magdalene goes out early in the morning to show her love for Christ. We know from Luke’s gospel that she heads out with the other women to prepare Christ for burial. John records for us that she went out alone or at least he does not tell us that she is with the other women. John wants us to hear Mary’s testimony alone.

She runs to the disciples and reports to them that Jesus is not in the tomb. The assumption is that grave robbers have stolen him, which is not a far-fetched assumption considering her day. Peter and John race each other, and John reminds us that he is a better athlete because he arrives at the tomb first, but Peter is either foolish or highly confident because Peter runs right into the tomb without any regard for his safety. If grave robbers were in the tomb, that could have ended really badly for Peter. They notice something that Grave Robbers would never do, in fact, anyone who has teenagers knows this would be out of character, the grave clothes are folded and sorted. Why would a grave robber take time to do that? Why would a grave robber even bother to take off the linen wrapping, let alone fold it up? They realize that something magnificent has happened. They realize that Christ has been raised.

Mary has encountered the resurrected Christ. She thought he was the thieving gardener. However, when she realizes it is Christ, she knows that he is her rabbi, her teacher, and her Lord. She clings to him, but she must realize that while we are called to cling to Christ, our ultimate assurance is that Christ clings to us. Christ must ascend to the Father, where he goes to prepare our eternal dwelling. Ultimately, as Christ ascends to heaven, to know that his kingdom, prophetic promises, and ultimate victory is secured. Death has been definitively defeated in Christ.

The disciples might realize that Christ is risen, but it is not too long after this that we find them locked in a room. The first time Christ encounters them is on the first day of the week. He proves to him that it is Christ as they touch his hands and his side. It is 8 days later they are in the locked room once again. Thomas is there and he exclaims, “My Lord and My God!” When he realizes that Christ is raised, securing the eternal passage to glory, confirming the Lord’s promises, and is definitively our shield and defender. How often do we trust the security of the locked door and fail to recall the Lord’s protection of his people in Egypt, the Wilderness, in Exile, and even in the midst of the turmoil in Acts.

The Lord’s people never fall out of his hand, no matter what they face, even in the turmoil of martyrdom. We are one-dimensional in our view, and fail to comprehend living a life in this age while seated with Christ in the heavenly places. Praise be to God that we live in his Shalom kingdom, he is our shield and defender, and he leads us through the valley through the shadow of death. Ultimately, the turmoil we desired for ourselves in the fall, God overcame in his resurrection victory.

Truly, Peace be with you! Our Lord is risen! He has overcome! His kingdom is established.

This is the last reading for our Good Friday and Easter series. We are going to be looking at John 20. This is the record of Christ being raised from the dead where the heavenly courts confirm Pilate’s words, “Behold Your King!” If Christ remains in the grave then we have no Easter message. If Christ is never raised it means that God as not overcome death. One could argue that Easter is far more important than Good Friday. Yes, we need the lamb of God and Son of Man to take away our sins. However, if he is never raised from the dead it means we are still in our sins because Christ was not the perfect sacrifice.