There is an old joke that goes something like this: “You can call me
anything but late for dinner.”  I take what that statement to mean by those
who use it is, "It’s OK to forget my name or call me by the wrong name or
even a pejorative but one thing’s for sure—I never miss a meal."  What if
that was taken to the extreme, i.e., that indeed was the only time you saw
someone in particular—when it was time to eat?  “I’m dropping in just long
enough to satisfy my needs (at your expense, thank you very much) but then I
’m gone to better, more happening things.”  This isn’t too far from the
truth when it comes to teenagers.  It was true in my case.  When I turned
sixteen and began driving and dating, my parents rarely saw me except at the
dinner table.  I had friends, a job, a girlfriend, a basketball game,
studying.  My father would say, “What does he think this is, a motel?”
meaning, I was home just long enough to sleep and eat and leave.  I said I
didn’t have time for my family but the truth was I didn’t want to give them
the time I had.

Sometimes, we view Christian baptism the same way.  Baptism is and was
meant to be a sacrament of initiation and belonging into Jesus Christ and
his family of believers by the early church.  It was and is a rite of
passage from an old life of fleshly desires into a new, redeemed life in
Jesus Christ.  It is a public testimony declaring "I will live life
differently than I have been used to living it."  It is a “mark of
belonging” into the family called into existence by his Holy Spirit much as
other things other groups do to signify their commitment to the initiated
and the initiated’s commitment to the group.  It is a sign of community in
it fullest sense: the members of the community covenanting to each other to
worship, learn, grow, work, play, live and die, grieve and celebrate
together the life of the community over time.  But sometimes, we think about
baptism like the teenager thinks about their homelife: that it gives us the
license to say “we belong” to such and such family without actually
committing ourselves to the life of the family to which we say we belong.
In such a case, baptism is not a commitment or a sign of belonging at all
but only an empty ritual.  At birth, I’m given my family’s name, but it only
means something as I live into it and help to shape and form its story and
add my own offering to its ongoing life.  Otherwise, all I can claim is
being born to such and such parents but, as to the family name, I lead my
own life.  But don’t call me late for dinner.

How can we who died to sin go on living in it?

Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?

Therefore we have been buried with him by baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.

For Christ also suffered for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, in order to bring you to God. He was put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit,

in which also he went and made a proclamation to the spirits in prison,

who in former times did not obey, when God waited patiently in the days of Noah, during the building of the ark, in which a few, that is, eight people, were saved through water.

And baptism, which this prefigured, now saves you—not as a removal of dirt from the body, but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,

who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers made subject to him.

In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan.

And just as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit descending like a dove on him.

And a voice came from heaven, ‘You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.’

So Ananias went and entered the house. He laid his hands on Saul and said, ‘Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on your way here, has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.’

And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and his sight was restored. Then he got up and was baptized,

Saul Preaches in Damascus and after taking some food, he regained his strength.

For several days he was with the disciples in Damascus,

and immediately he began to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues, saying, ‘He is the Son of God.’

Peter said to them, ‘Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ so that your sins may be forgiven; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

For the promise is for you, for your children, and for all who are far away, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to him.’

And he testified with many other arguments and exhorted them, saying, ‘Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.’

So those who welcomed his message were baptized, and that day about three thousand persons were added.

They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.

Awe came upon everyone, because many wonders and signs were being done by the apostles.

All who believed were together and had all things in common;

they would sell their possessions and goods and distribute the proceeds to all, as any had need.

Day by day, as they spent much time together in the temple, they broke bread at home and ate their food with glad and generous hearts,

praising God and having the goodwill of all the people. And day by day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.