Romans 6:3-7

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 if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. We know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be destroyed, and we might no longer be enslaved to sin. For whoever has died is freed from sin.

Whenever someone requests me to speak at a memorial service, I always ask the family whether or not the deceased had been baptized. This passage from Paul's letter to the congregation in Rome immediately comes to mind in my preparation. At baptism a promise was made on our behalf. If we are baptized into the death of Jesus, we will be baptized into his resurrection. Death may be the end of earthly life, but it is also the beginning of our eternal life. Christ bought our resurrection by his death upon the cross. Today we anticipate Easter. Easter reminds us that through baptism we receive a share in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The Apostle Paul tell us this is our inheritance. What a victory. What a gift. Let us celebrate!