ABC Barrels to Christ

Get Ready! Mount up! Run the most important race of your life! Take off full speed toward the first barrel! We’ll call it Admit. In order to get around this barrel, you need to look up Romans 3:23…for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Read it out loud. What does this mean to you? Could it be that nobody is good enough? Without Christ we are pretty messed up, aren’t we? So…the first Barrel to Christ is to Admit you are a sinner. Go ahead; get rid of your pride and go around Barrel #1!

Now head for Barrel #2. The straighter and faster you ride; the better. Getting distracted between barrels wastes time and energy. We’ll call Barrel #2 Believe. Romans 5:8 says….But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners; Christ died for us. Go ahead and believe that Jesus died for you and me. Do you think that if you were the only rider in the race of life He would have given His life for you? I believe he would have? You are that important to Jesus Christ! He died so we could have a full and meaningful life. John 10:10…I (Jesus) have come that they may have life and have it to the full. Full means enough. Could it mean enough Joy, Peace, Confidence & Love? What could a full life mean to you? If you believe Romans 5:8 (Jesus died for your sin) then you are ready to go around Barrel #2.

Now ride fast and straight for Barrel#3. This Barrel stands for Confess. Romans 10:9…That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord” and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. You have come so far. You admitted that you are a sinner and deserve a life without God’s peace, love, and plan for your life. We all deserve eternity without God. We can never work our way to God. You believe Christ gave His life in your place so that you can know God in this life and forever. All you need to do now is tell someone that you have accepted God’s free gift of grace, your sin is forgiven, you are beginning a loving relationship with Him, even though you don’t deserve it. Now, you are ready to go around Barrel #3 and head for the finish line!

Retrace you race around the Barrels and across the Finish Line. What do you see? (A Cross) When you see a cross, (most of us have one to wear) think about the barrel Race of Life. The Barrels: Admit, Believe & Confess. You can run a winning race because of the love, suffering, and sacrifice of Jesus Christ; the Son of God who cares for you and me!

Enjoy the Ride!

What is Baptism?

Baptism is an outward expression of an inward experience. Another way to say it is: Baptism is the way God chose for us to show others that we have accepted the free gift of God’s forgiveness of our sins and that we have decided to follow Jesus.

Does the water wash away our sins? No, only Jesus can wash our sins clean away, because He paid for our sins on the cross. God is happy when we accept Jesus as our Savior. God is pleased when we decide we want to be baptized to show others we have accepted Jesus as our Savior and want to live for Him.

Remember: Admit (that you are a sinner) Believe (Jesus died on the cross to pay for our sin and rose again after three days) & Confess (tell someone that you have decided to accept Jesus’ free gift of salvation and live for Him) Baptism is one way to Confess that you have accepted Jesus. It is a good start on your Ride through life with Jesus.