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“I feel like a new person” someone will say. Maybe you’ve even expressed that same sentiment. I have often felt that way after getting a fabulous night of sleep. I wake up mentally and physically energized. Colors seem a little brighter, challenges a little smaller and limbs a little younger. It’s awesome!

I have great news! Jesus came so that you can be a new person! Listen to the victorious Jesus as he sits on the throne following his resurrection and ascension into heaven. In Revelation 21:5 he says, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Through his death on Good Friday and his resurrection on Easter Sunday Jesus came to make all things new. That includes you. Jesus says that his work of making all things new is already underway. “Behold, I am making all things new.”

The apostle Paul explains how Jesus’ death and resurrection makes us new in Romans 6:4. “We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.” In the waters of Holy Baptism the sinner in us drowns and dies with all sins and evil desires and a new person emerges and arises to a new life covered in the righteousness of Christ.

Every day we are invited to return to the promise of our baptism in repentance. So we bring all of our disappointments, failures, hurts and sins and we give them to God and rejoice that He covers them all with the blood of Christ so that we can emerge and arise to new life covered in the righteousness of Christ. The child of God lives a rich and vibrant life because we’re constantly giving Jesus our sins and failures and celebrating our new life in him!

Paul continues to explain the power of baptism in Romans 6:5-6. “For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be bought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin.” Every time we confess our sin the body of sin is brought to nothing and we rise to new life. The old sinner drowns and dies and a new person emerges and arises.

So if you want to live as the new person you are then celebrate your baptism and be united in a resurrection like Jesus’. Confess your sins and celebrate your new life where everyone who lives and believes in Christ shall never die (John 11:25). That’s resurrection living. Jesus rose from the dead so that you can be a new person right now.

Rev. Matthew Sorenson is the pastor at St. John’s Lutheran Church. He can be reached at pastor@stjohnsfarmville.org.