Ewald Frank

19. 04. 1987, 10:00, Krefeld, Germany
broadcasted on 24. 11. 2021

Easter Sunday Nr. 5
Theme: Hosea 13:14: “I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death…”

Praise the Lord for the privilege that we may believe as the Scriptures say and experience what the Scriptures promised us. If we think of our Lord, we know that every Word that was written in reference to Him was fulfilled in Him. He and the Word totally agreed. He was the Word made flesh [Jn 1:14]. In the same way, we in these days must become aware of the fact that we have become a part of the Word, that we have been placed into God's plan of salvation at this time, and that we can experience this final phase of salvation personally.

We have already heard many things, are overwhelmed of that what God said to us through His Word and also of what God has done. When brother Pesahl said just now, the Bible is an old book, but becomes new to us daily. But one thing I want to tell you is that in this very old book there are things written that from today even up until eternity will be realized. This old book contains the whole counsel of God. There is no comparable book on earth. There is only one book in which God speaks, in which God has set forth His plan, and that is the Holy Scriptures.

And I would like to say specifically to all those who are newly added, who cannot yet believe and who are about to make their decision, to you I would like to say humbly: we do not represent any Christian denomination, but have a single request: to preach the Word of God in such a way as it was left to us in the Holy Scriptures.

In connection with this, I have a request: abandon your own ways and your own thoughts, submit yourselves to God, walk on the narrow way that leads to life, and accept what God has said and separate yourselves from all religious traditions. Because it is possible that one sits under the sound of the Word and at the time remains in his own thoughts. If we remain in this way we won’t get to the goal. We must be penetrated under the sound of the Word by the divine thoughts and everything else, as already said, should be put aside.

We have more than 300 different Christian directions. In which direction, shall we then go? Everyone thinks they are right. We can only go in one direction and this has to be the Divine one if we want to reach the goal and to this, may God give us grace.

I have already made this remark with regard to the water baptism, which we will also talk about later. We know how differently it is taught and practiced. We have to go back to the beginning, to what happened in early church. That is why we are here, not to say what others said, but to proclaim what our brothers proclaimed at the beginning.

Today I would like to read a number of scriptures and I hope that God's Word will accomplish in all of us what it was sent to for.

Last night brother Marko Vuori called and sends his warmest greetings to all of us. I would like to extend them here.

We are reading from Acts, the 2nd chapter of verse 22. You understand, if I speak slowly today, it's about the translation. If you speak quickly, all the translators have trouble to pass on. And we have already emphasized this as well: The authority is not in the voice or in the volume, the authority is in the Word of God itself. And every person who receives the Word in himself and it is quickened to him by the Spirit, he will feel and experience this divine authority of God. Acts 2:22:

"Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know: Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain: Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it. For David speaketh concerning him, I foresaw the Lord always before my face, for he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved: Therefore did my heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad; moreover also my flesh shall rest in hope: Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. Thou hast made known to me the ways of life; thou shalt make me full of joy with thy countenance." [Acts 2.22-28]

So far from this sermon. The Lord of life loosed the pains of death, and rose again on the third day, conquered death for all of us, that no one need to fear any more. Death is something cruel, something ruthless and the Holy Scripture says:

"Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned. For the wages of sin is death." [Rm 6:23]

But there came one on whom sin had no right, but who took upon himself the sin of us all to die our death, to go down for us. As I have often said: We should have gone down into hell, but He went down so that we can be taken up into the glory of God.

Beloved, whoever receives the entire redemption, transfigured by the Spirit of God, him the tears will roll down, he gets touched from the inside. And we say to ourselves, "Lord, what made you to redeem us and to walk such a way, to bear the crown of thorns, to endure mocking and scorn, to then be crucified in the most cruel way?" All this happened for your sake and mine. After all, we were lost, without God and without hope in this world [Eph 2:12]. We could have never come to God if God had not come to us. We could have never been transferred back into the divine state if God would not have put off His divinity and put on the shape of a man to die here in the body of flesh for us who are in the body of flesh, and to finish the work of redemption for us. To redeem us from carnal corruption and mortality and to transfer us back into immortality, to make children of God out of children of men.

It was a high price that was paid, and Peter writes in his epistle:

"Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot." [1Pt 1.18-19]

It was a high price, a precious price. But those for whom this price was paid are also precious in the eyes of God. You all know, if a high price is paid, then the thing for which it was paid must have value, great value. So worthy were we in the eyes of God that the greatest and most precious price was paid for us [1Cor 6:19-20, 7:23]. From then on we no longer belong to ourselves anymore, but to Him who purchased us, who made us His own possession.

And my wish to God is that today the last ones in our midst would be grabbed by this love of God, by this all-embracing love of God, and would give up their own ways and walk on the way of God that leads to life [Mt 7:14].

Now two scriptures from the Old Testament, one from Hosea 13, verse 14. Here it is written of the Lord:

"I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death…" [Hos 13.14]

What a wonderful Word: " I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death." Because all men sinned, therefore, death swallowed them all up, pulling them down. But many among them had placed their hope in the coming Messiah. In this hope, that He would come and redeem them, they all fell asleep. The hope has not put them to shame [Rm 5:5]. They did not wait in vain. When the hour came and the Lord died on Calvary, He brought redemption and descended into the lower parts and there bore witness to those who did not believe [1Pt 3:18-20].

And then He went over into Paradise, where Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob were all those who had put their hope in the Redeemer, as we heard it in Brother Branham's sermon yesterday. Job and all these men of God waited, for in them was a living hope in the living God. And yet death took them away. But now came the one who took away death. Now came He who indeed took the sting of death into Himself, but then bruised the serpent's head [Gen 3:15] and went down to bring out all those who were in prison, and took captivity captive [Eph 4:8].

Here it says:

"I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death: O death, I will be thy plagues; O grave, I will be thy destruction: repentance shall be hid from mine eyes!" [Hos 13:14]

What was it? God could not have pity with death and hell and devils. God had pity on you and on me, and therefore took away death's power, conquered hell, and won the victory over the devil to bring us redemption and deliverance.

In the prophet Isaiah, chapter 25, verse 8 states:

"He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for the LORD hath spoken it." [Isa 25:8]

Amen! He promised it, he promised it. And that is why it has come to pass. Let's read other passages in the New Testament. In the Gospel of John, the 20th chapter, the resurrection was in particular described in a very special and vivid way. But I read from verse 19, John's Gospel 20, from verse 19:

"Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. And when he had so said, he shewed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the LORD."

Hallelujah! "Then the disciples rejoiced because they saw the Lord." The women said on their way to the grave, who will roll away the stone for us? When they got there, it was rolled away. There was no one left in the grave or in the tomb, the Lord has risen. [Mk 16:1-4] "Why do you seek the living among the dead?" [Lk 24:5-6] He died, He was buried, He went down to hell, He conquered everything, He defeated everything, and on the third day He rose from the dead.

And He said to John on the Isle of Patmos … maybe I should read it so that we have the exact wording. Revelation chapter 1, it says here in verse 17:

"And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last: I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death." [Rev 1:18; Isa 44:6; 48:12]

May the same Lord today lay His right hand upon each one of us and say to us these words as insistently as He said them to John at that time: "Fear not!" You all know – fear is connected with unbelief and doubt. There is so much fear among the people of God. May God take away the fear from us and give us reverence, reverence before Him and before His holy Word!

"Fear is not in love, but perfect love casts out fear…" [1J 4.18]

On Calvary, perfect love of God was manifested. And if we were redeemed, then this love shall also be manifested in us.

Since we are already in Revelation 1, let me read here from the 1st chapter some more verses, namely from verse 5 and 6:

"And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen." [Rev 1:5-6]

"Him who loved us and redeemed us from our sins by His blood…" and not only redeemed us, but made us kings and priests.

Peter writes:

"But ye are a royal priesthood… to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ." [1Pt 2:9; 1Pt 2:5]

And this is also already written, that we should offer to God the sacrifice of praise, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name. We should thank God with all our hearts for everything He has done through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Let us read on. We continue with the scripture from Philippians, chapter 2. I want to read on purpose these precious scriptures that show us Calvary and that what happened through it so that it may be set before us. Philippians chapter 2 from verse 7:

"But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." [Phil 2:7-11]

What a wonderful Word! Also this what is written here will one day become a reality.

The hour will come in which every tongue shall confess, by all them who are in heaven, on earth and under the earth, that Jesus Christ is the Lord. We are already confessing it today. As we heard from the sermon yesterday, every Word was given that at the appointed time finds fulfilment by force. So it will be with this, when the completion comes and everything will be submitted unto Him, then every tongue will confess and every knee will bow. What a day that will be! We can rely on it! No atheist, no communist, no one will be able to escape that day and that hour. All, all will confess that Jesus Christ is the Lord! Hallelujah! No one will escape. If it is written "every tongue," it means every tongue is meant. And if it is written "every knee", then every knee is meant. Today all walk in a lofty way, no one kneels, no one bows, but the hour is coming when all will bow and confess: "This one whom we rejected, yes, this is the Lord, and His name is above every name." And they will have to confess that, too.

Let's read from Colossians, also a very wonderful Word, Colossians chapter 2, here we read from verse 13:

"And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross." [Col 2:13-14]

Praise be to our God! You who were afar off [Eph 2:13], in transgressions and so forth, you God has quicked together with him. We spoke of the quickening power of God, and we have seen it: On Jesus, the head of the church, this power of God was manifested. But not only on Him, but on all of us whom He redeemed and purchased, whom He pardoned - we were crucified together with him, died, were buried and made alive with him! We received new life, divine life [Eph 2:5], were renewed and born again. This is a divine fact. But only then when we believe what the Scripture says here, it can be manifested in us and be a reality. If we only hear it, then it remains with hearing. But if we believe what we hear, then it becomes a reality in our lives. Hear it again:

"God hath quickened you together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses." [Col 2:13-14]

Not just some trespasses, but "all"! It is written in the prophet Isaiah:

"Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool!" [Isa 1:18]

We have come out from unbelief and have received the faith and we know: It is finished. He has forgiven, He has reconciled, He has pardoned. Let's read on, from Hebrews, the 2nd chapter verse 14. Oh, I ask you, connect every Word of God with your faith in your heart. Don't just let the Word go forth, let it penetrate you. Believe it, ponder on it, experience it! That is what it is all about. Hebrews chapter 2 of verse 14:

"Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham. Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to help them that are tempted." [Heb 2:14-18]

What a grace, what a privilege! As long as the Lord was in the spiritual body, He could not feel with us who are in the body of flesh. He could judge and say: „This is not right“ and „This is sin“, and „This is wrong.“ But He could not understand us, He could not feel with us. But then He came into human flesh, became like us. Oh, praise be to God! He did not redeem from heaven, He came on this earth, became like us, so that we, as the redeemed, can then become like Him. And therefore, John writes:

"It doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is." [1Jn 3.2]

Hallelujah! Praise, honour and glory, be to the living God! He became like us, became man, He was here on earth, He could now understand us.

Today I have good news for you. Since He Himself became man and was tempted like us in all things, He has deep compassion with each one of us. He can no longer condemn, He can no longer judge, He can only intercede and mediate for us. And the blood speaks for us until we appear perfect before the throne of God's grace, without spot or wrinkle! This is Gospel! Hallelujah! Praise God! This is good news! Can you all believe it? Can you all accept it? Can you experience all this – what God promised us? Yes, for this purpose we are gathered, to not only hear all this, but also to experience.

One more Word concerning the resurrection, and the connection we received from it. 1st Peter, chapter 1, verse 3:

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead." [1Pt 1:3]

Did we all hear this well? "… hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead…"

If the Lord would only have died, if He would have not risen, what would we be able to say today? We would have to be silent, we would have no message from God, we would not know what it is all about. The resurrection was the crowning of God's work of redemption for us. And we believe that our Lord died according to the Scriptures, was buried  according to the Scriptures and rose from the dead on the third day according to the Scriptures [1Cor 15:3-4].

Even then, when the Lord walked on earth and came to the tomb of Lazarus and said: "He will rise." [Jn 11:23-24] Then Martha said, "I know he will rise again at the last day." And then it came upon our Lord, and He said, "I am the resurrection and life." He wanted to say, "If I am here as the resurrection, then Lazarus must not wait until the last day. I as the resurrection and life I am here." And He called out, "Lazarus, come out!" And he came out. How wonderful that our Lord not only had words, but words and deeds were always in agreement. He was and is the resurrection and the life. He said, "He that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live." [v. 24]

Death is still among mankind, but for believers, death is nothing cruel, but the agent to transfer us from time into eternity. We just change our place of residence. But for unbelievers, death is something very cruel.

We can cry out together with Paul, "Death, where is thy sting; hell, where is thy victory?" [1Cor 15:55] We believe that God has given us the victory through Jesus Christ our Lord. [1Cor 15:57] None of you who believe need to be afraid of death. And whoever is still afraid of death has not yet died with Christ. Whoever has died with Christ and received a new life, death no longer has any power over him. The sting of death was pulled out and we have nothing more to fear. What wonderful words!

I read even further here in 1 Peter 1, verse 4:

"To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time." [1Pt 1:4-5]

Praise God. We emphasized it: God has appointed a time for everything. Here it speaks of us being born again unto a living hope, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled, that is reserved for us in heaven, that we were determined for salvation, and how does it say here in the last passage of the last verse, "… unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time." We believe that we live in the last time, and we believe that the return of Jesus Christ is very near. And we believe that the Lord is calling out a Church from all tongues, peoples and nations. And at the end of the time of grace it will come to pass that the Lord returns - with the trumpet of God, with the voice of the archangel, and then the dead in Christ will rise first, and we who are alive and remain we shall be changed and taken up together [1Ts 4:16-17].

Also this, God will enforce because it is written in His Word! It will take place because God determined it and because it is written in His Word.

Now we must talk briefly about water baptism and read to it a number of scriptures. In Mark, chapter 16 the great commission was given. Here I read from verse 14:

"Afterward he appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen." [Mk 16:14]

Let's stop here at this verse for a moment. There are people who experienced Jesus as the Risen One and they testified to others about it. Precious soul, believe these people! There are still people on earth today who experienced God! Believe this! There are still people on earth who had an experienced God, who have seen and heard and experienced Jesus Christ as the Risen One. Do we have such people in our midst? Amen! Most certainly! I experienced Him. I heard Him and seen Him in various ways. He is risen. We are not false witnesses. We testify of the truth. Jesus Christ is alive! This is divine truth! We are true witnesses of God! Jesus said back then, "Ye are my witnesses." [Lk 24:48] A witness must have seen something, and you know very well, the disciples and believers at that time, they saw the Lord. They could testify of it. Paul writes in 1st Corinthians 15 about it, how the Lord appeared to individuals and then even to more than 500 brethren at once [1Cor 15:5-6]. There the word "brethren" is written.

"He will declare his name to his brethren." [Heb 2:12, Ps 22:23]

"Go, tell my brethren that I am risen from the dead." [Mt 28:10]

The Lord had said:

"Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me." [Jn 14:19]

After His resurrection, no unbeliever has seen Him, but His brethren have seen Him! Those pardoned by God, they had fellowship with Him. In the book of Acts, the first chapter, it says that for 40 days after His resurrection He was with His disciples, talking to them about the kingdom of God [Acts 1:3]. I believe it! Do you also? I believe that, I believe that He talked with His disciples about the kingdom of God. If we are His true disciples today, then He will talk to us today about the kingdom of God! He will be in our midst and work through His spirit! But we must grab it in faith and know that it is still happening.

The Lord rebuked their unbelief because they did not believe them who had seen and experienced Him. Beloved, I say it again: If a person has experienced the Lord, and he gives testimony of it, believe it, accept it, and you too will experience the Lord in the same way!

We all have come to the faith through the testimony of others. The true believers gave testimony of their experience with God, and thus people came at all times to the faith, and the same is happening in our days.

Now we come to the 15th and 16th verses in Mark 16:

"And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned." [Mk 16:15-16]

A very serious Word. The baptism is just necessary for salvation. A person who became a believer may not resist to obey the Word of God. He must, being urged by the Spirit of God, fulfill all the Scripture – and all righteousness, as our Lord said it at that time [Mt 3:15]. So, "he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved." He who does not believe and does not let himself be baptized and therefore, cannot be saved. Of sprinkling of an infant with three drops of holy water, most certainly is not spoken here. Nor is there any mention here of infant baptism. Here it is clearly said, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel." First the gospel must be preached and all who hear it and believe in Jesus Christ they experience their salvation. And after they experience their salvation, they make the step of faith and obedience to then be baptized. Of course, since forced christianisation, grandpas and grandmas and infants have were sprinkled with water, but that is not biblical Christianity. Believe me. Search the Holy Scriptures. You don't have to take what we say here. Search the Holy Scriptures and there you will get the answer! If you go to the Methodists, you will get their answer. If you go to the Baptists…, everybody can have a certain answer. I need the answer from God! And that's why I don't go to any church or to any scholar! I go to the teaching of God that we find in the Holy Scriptures.

Sometimes there are people who say, "Yes, somehow I will be saved." Precious heart, let me tell you urgently today, and this in the name of the Lord: Please do not try to get saved in your own way, because there is no such salvation. The disappointment at the end will be too terrible, and eternity is too long to go into it being deceived. 

We return to the biblical pattern, and for that I turn to Acts chapter 2. This is where Peter preached his first sermon. I sometimes wonder how the popes can consider themselves to be the successors of Peter and not baptize at all as Peter baptized. That is already a questionable thing. If I am going to refer to Peter, then I want to believe as he believed and baptize as he baptized, don't I? Of course! God grant us grace to do so. Here in Acts, the 2nd chapter, is indeed the long sermon on that day of Pentecost, and from verse 37 we read of the impact of that sermon as follows:

"Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the LORD our God shall call. And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this perverse generation. Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls." [Acts 2:37-41]

We see how it started. First the sermon, then the reception of that what was said. Faith came by hearing of the sermon and the sermon came from the Word of God [Rm 10:17]. And then came the decision. The people under the preaching did not reason intellectually. They were seized by God and made their decision. They did not ask what the high council, what the churches or congregations would say, or what relatives would say. No, they made their decision and it says here: "Then they that gladly received his Word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls."

Especially for those who did not make yet this biblical step, today you have the opportunity to do so. But he who has a firm decision in his heart to remain what he is, him we cannot help. God cannot help him either. God does not force anyone, God seeks, God calls – you have to answer yourself. You yourself have to come.

If people do not consider themselves worthy of eternal life and put their trust into a religious institution and think: „If it was good for great-grandpa and grandma, then it should be good for us, too.“ – No! Here we are dealing with God and God's Word, and we proclaim the truth and he who is of the truth, he heareth God's Word. We cannot compromise, for then we spoil the matter of God and it is no longer genuine, and we ourselves are pulled into perdition.

Thanks be to God who has given us such clarity in His Word. Sometimes it is hard to understand why people do not find the way of God. But I can also tell you this: The Lord rebuked the scribes very much at that time and said:

"For ye have taken away the key of knowledge: ye entered not in yourselves, and them that were entering in ye hindered." [Lk 11:52]

But now the way is free, the door is open, the veil was torn. Everyone can come, everyone can experience God! Make your decision today for Jesus Christ, our Lord! And then it is the most wonderful day for you and in your life. As one songwriter sings, "This was the most wonderful day that God ever gave me."

For such who have not quite made their decision, this morning hour is a very, very critical gathering. Before that, you had an excuse, now you don't have it anymore. Before you didn't know it now you know it. And with that comes a great responsibility comes upon you. I have said it often enough: For many it would have been better if they had never come under the proclamation of the Word. But we believe that God has led you here. I cannot believe that people come in such meetings unless God has something in mind for them.

Dear heart, this won’t hurt you. What do you have to lose? You only have something to gain. Stand on the side of God and say: "Lord, here is my life. Today I receive and accept you as my personal Saviour. Today, I want by the baptism, make the covenant of a good conscience with God."

Water baptism, after all, does not mean putting off the filth of the flesh, as Peter writes [1Pt 3:21], but it is the covenant of a good conscience with God. Today you can receive a good conscience. Today all the torments and agony of soul can be taken out from you. All uncertainty, every doubt, and unbelief, everything can be taken out from you today. Today you can become a true believing child of God. Receive it, accept it. Believe it that it is here for you, and it will be granted to you.

Many would have been happy to hear the Word of the Lord so clear. But now the time is here in which all these biblical truths were put brand new upon the lampstand and are proclaimed in a way as it was done in the time of the apostles.

May now the Spirit of God work in every heart the clarity and the decision. May all who were not yet baptized biblically take the opportunity today and be biblically baptized. We only call out: Be ye reconciled with God [2Cor 5:20], be saved from this perverse generation, come from the broad way upon the narrow way, be ready to take upon you reproach and contempt, knowing that we will then be crowned there in glory and be with the Lord at all time. God bless us all. Amen.

We're going to stand up now and we're also going to baptize in a moment. But first we sing the chorus: Just as I am.

Just as I am, without one plea
But that Thy blood was shed for me
And that Thou bidst me come to Thee
Oh, Lamb of God, I come, I come.

We bow our heads, close our eyes, open our hearts. Beloved, we are here in the presence of God. We are not standing before men, but before the living God, before whom all men must one day appear for judgment. Today we have heard the Gospel. Today, if we heard His voice, let us not harden our hearts, but come to Him [Heb 3:15]. Today! Not tomorrow! Today, today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts. His voice is His Word. He called, He spoke, and you know it. You know it in your heart that it is true. You know it is biblical. You know it‘s true. Accept it today and God will be with you and from today on the torment will stop, joy and peace will enter your heart. From today on you can be happy and saved. Give up the inner resistance and inner battle, may it be brought unto victory, by the grace of our God. 

Now, while all heads are bowed, all eyes closed, all hearts opened, I would like to ask: How many are here who want to consecrate their lives to God and want to be baptized? Raise your hand briefly. God bless you, God bless you. God bless you. God bless you. God bless you. Is there anyone else? Maybe you'll just come right up front. All those who would like to be baptized today, please come forward. We'll sing again as I am, so it must be.

Just as I am, though tossed about
With many a conflict, many a doubt
Fighting and fears within without
Oh, Lamb of God, I come, I come

Just as I am, Thou wilt receive
Wilt welcome, pardon, cleanse, relieve
Because Thy promise I believe
Oh, Lamb of God, I come, I come.

Beloved, stand still, stand still a little. You dear ones who have come forward, you know what it's all about. Young man, how old are you? 13. God bless you. Dear sister, you believe that the Lord is your Saviour, that He has forgiven your guilt, and that you have become a child of God, with all your heart? God bless you. Young man, you also believe that the Lord is your Saviour, has forgiven your guilt and accepted you? Amen. Brother, you also believe from your heart, with all your heart? God bless you. Dear brother, you too? Amen. Dear sister, you too believe with all your heart? God bless you. Dear brother, you too believe it with all your heart? Amen. Amen. Dear brother, do you also believe with all your heart? Amen. Dear brother, do you also believe from your heart? Amen. Dear sister, do you also believe that the Lord is your Redeemer? Amen. Dear sister, you too believe that the Lord is your Redeemer and that He has forgiven your sin, that you are His own? Amen. You all believe it. Yes, you too believe with all your heart? Yes, that the Lord has accepted you and that you are His possession? Amen. Amen.

Now we pray together. I ask you all, beloved brothers and sisters to join in prayer for these who are to be baptized now. They are starting a new way of life. This day is of great significance in their lives.

Almighty God, as the church, as your people, we come before your throne of grace. We rejoice with our brothers and with our sisters who have consecrated their lives to you. O Lord, crown them even now with grace and with loving kindness. Let them feel that you have loved, redeemed and pardoned them. May this day be a wonderful day in their life, Lord, give them now perfect faith and perfect trust in you, O Lord, the certainty that you will be with them until they pass from faith to sight. Lord, we also believe that you have redeemed them, pardoned them, drawn them to yourself, O Lord! We believe that you have forgiven their sins, paid their debt, that you have accepted them. They are your possession for time and eternity. We thank you from the bottom of our heart for them all, in Jesus' Holy name, Amen.