United with him in a death and resurrection like his

The son of a dear couple in our church died suddenly.  He was 34.  His funeral was on Good Friday.  What a conjunction of thoughts and emotions!

There is nothing like a traditional Lutheran funeral service for comfort:  It is all about Christ, full of His Word and His promises, a strong staff to lean on.

One of the many Scriptural passages we meditated on made the connection between what happened to Jesus on Good Friday and Easter and, through baptism, what happens to us:

Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 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. 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. (Romans 6:3-5)

So on Good Friday we can contemplate our death in Christ’s death.  And on Easter we can contemplate our resurrection in Christ’s resurrection.