Reckon yourselves to be .... (2)

Does it make sense to say “shut the windows

(to any moonlight out there in the night)

so that my little candle which here glows

will shine to help us read with brighter light!”?

No! If we're done with reading in the dark,

then let's contrive to let more light in quick!

Forget our ownership - “Whose is this mark?”

And make some skylights. Stop playing at tricks.

If we are those who’ve died to sin; how can

we live in it a moment longer? For,

well, don’t you know that ev’ry living man

or woman, who in following Christ more

participated in that drama he

said would be good for his people to do:

to have a wash (a bath, or shower, be

ok) - it came from Jesus, who's a Jew,

and all their washings, in their pools, from pots,

must be in running water, so it's poured,

(that's “living water” - puns he loved a lot)

or flowing in and out, like that ol’ Jord-

an river where John did his washing too,

to wash away the “sins” of all the land,

when people came and shouted to the blue

sky overhead, then he'd wash, they would stand

& as one walked up, out of “walking” wat-

er (“ran up out of running water” too),

then God poured out of heaven what he ought-

a (Jesus said he'd give “good gifts” to you).

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By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptised into Christ Jesus were baptised into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.  Romans 6:2‭-‬4 NIVUK

And so John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem went out to him. Confessing their sins, they were baptised by him in the River Jordan. And this was his message: ‘After me comes the one more powerful than I, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. I baptise you with water, but he will baptise you with the Holy Spirit.’  At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptised by John in the Jordan. Just as Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: ‘You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.’ At once the Spirit sent him out into the wilderness … Mark 1:4‭-‬5‭, ‬7‭-‬12 NIVUK

If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!’  Luke 11:13 NIVUK

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