Baptisms

It was a beautiful day.  The sun was shining, the water was calm, and the beach area was nearly deserted.

We gathered along the shore with benches and blankets in anticipation of baptisms.  Jordan played his guitar.  Thierry shared with the group that baptism does not bring salvation but it is a public proclamation of one’s faith in Jesus.  He explained that, historically, there could be grave consequences for one proclaiming publicly to follow Jesus.  He encouraged Guillaume, a member of our church, impressed by his engagement and commitment to faith, and then he invited Guillaume to share his own story.

Guillume shared with the church and his friends, some Christians and some not, his search for fulfillment.  He looked for someone or something to fill him, but he was continually disappointed.  Finally, someone explained to him the Gospel.  They explained that Jesus has the power to fulfill our desires.  Christ came to suffer for our sins; He was crucified, dead and buried, and on the third day He rose again from the dead.  After studying the Bible with someone, Guillaume decided to follow Jesus, and on Sunday June 21 he proclaimed this decision publicly at Lac du Bourget and was baptized.

Victoria, a girl visiting from Boston, also shared the story of Christ’s salvation in her own life.  She doesn’t have to earn His love; He IS love.  She can come to Him as she is, broken and inadequate, and He accepts her.  He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.    It is through Christ that we are saved.  She, too, proclaimed Christ’s death and resurrection and was baptized in the lake.

It was beautiful.

Sometimes we get discouraged.  We don’t know if God’s working, let alone how He is working.  Guillaume and Victoria grew up in two very different cultures, with different families, different languages, different stories, yet the end is the same:  Christ was crucified, dead, and buried and on the third day He rose again from the dead.  It is through faith we are saved through Christ.  It is through the Holy Spirit that people can come to a saving knowledge of Jesus, we simply get to be a part of sharing the Good News with people – and celebrating the work He’s done in their lives.  Praise Him!