“There’s a party going on right here! It’s a celebration to last throughout the year! So bring your laughter, and your good times too, because we’re going to celebrate and party with you!“

Cool and The Gang are not the only ones who penned these words, or words similar, and are ready to party!

There’s a party right now going on that claims the word FAT! Mardi Gras by definition is FAT TUESDAY! It is literally a day of huge proportion. You can party to your hearts content and take in anything and everything that you can in vast amounts. The more, the better!

GO BIG OR GO HOME!

The French, being heavily Catholic influenced, began the tradition of this gluttonous party right before Ash Wednesday would usher them into the Lenten season. A season that would reflect on the trials and suffering of Jesus Christ. 

Even though, Mardi Gras may be a fun filled day of partying, I am afraid they got it backwards! They are celebrating before they anticipate the suffering. When actually, the greatest celebration, or PARTY if you will, comes after the suffering!

Today, on the worlds calendar, it marks the day before Jesus officially started his ministry here on earth. Tomorrow is Ash Wednesday, when we reflect, pray and often fast, through the 40 days that occur before the crucifixion, death, burial and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ! Because Jesus did go to that cross, suffer and die, and was raised again to new life on the third day, we celebrate and party during baptism!

Jesus Himself was baptized in the Jordan River by John the Baptist to show us the way. We are baptized in Christ Jesus, and raised to walk in a new life with him!

Now if that doesn’t give you some thing to “PARTY” about, nothing will!

There may be a party going on in New Orleans today or other places around the world celebrating Mardi Gras. But no party was greater than the one I was apart of this Sunday!

My oldest granddaughter and my oldest grandson chose Jesus and were baptized into him this past Sunday! We celebrated with the best kind of party, this side of heaven! It wasn’t the amount of streamers, in fact there weren’t any. It wasn’t the size of the cake, in fact there wasn’t one. It wasn’t the music, the food, or any of the decorations that made their party the best party in the world. 

It was the fact that they chose on their own to understand what Jesus modeled for us all those many years ago. We are buried to our old lives, and raised into a new life with Jesus Christ that not only encompasses this life on earth, but more gloriously, one in heaven with Him forever because of the sacrifice that He made for us on the cross!

“Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heavens were opened, and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form, like a dove, and a voice came from heaven, “You are My Beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”  John 3:21-22

There is no greater reason to rejoice, celebrate and throw a party, then when someone is baptized into Christ Jesus, committing to leave their old life behind, and walk in a new life with him!

In fact, don’t take it from me, God‘s Word tells us that it’s such a great celebration that it is when the angels actually party!

“Just so, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”  

Luke 15:10

If the angels are throwing a PARTY, then so should we!

TRUTH BOMB

BAPTISM IS THE GREATEST PARTY WE CAN THROW!

Baptism is not only knowing God, it is choosing Him and following Him! That’s why there’s a party going on in heaven for my Cami and my Cade and for all of you who have made the same decision to follow Christ Jesus as your Lord and Savior!

As we step into this very sober season of Lent, where we remember the greatest sacrifice ever made on our behalf, may we remember that at the end of it there is a huge party going on!

Speak Truth Love