NT replacements for OT rituals

God always has and will deal with his people through covenants. 
God deals with peoples and not individuals.
In the OT we see the Passover celebrated
in the NT we celebrate Easter the resurrection
in the OT we circumcision as the sign of the covenant through families/heads of households
in the NT we see baptism as the sign of the covenant expanded to all
Pentecost - the promise is to you and your children Acts 2:39, 1 Cor. 7:14

God has made a covenant with his people.  Baptism is the sign of the covenant and replaces circumcision (Col. 2:11) Our children have a portion in the covenant and therefore they have the right of baptism.

Saving souls

Evangelizing is often pictured as saving lost souls.  But none who respond were "lost."  They are His that come at his chose time - his chosen ones.  He came to destroy the works of the devil through their faith.  He plants the seed of truth in them, waters it, and allows us to harvest his crop - bringing it into his kingdom.  There are none out in the world that were lost to Him but diverted to heaven.  All who respond are our brothers and sisters who were chosen before the foundation of the world.  We are just there when he calls them so fear not to proclaim the gospel - his chosen people will hear.

He doesn't call us to serve the world (who reject him) but to build up the body of Christ.  Eph. 4:11ff.  We were given apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, teachers to equip the saints...for the building up of the body of Christ.

[the lost - is this a term the bible uses?  Are they really lost?  This term gives us the idea we have to rationalize people into the kingdom when really we are just finding brothers.]

In the acceptance of God's sovereignty in my life I must translate that into my dealings with ____ forgive and forget the damage done.  Can I do this?  No.  The Holy Spirit must empower me to do it and I must not give myself any credit.

The renewal

This world was in its infancy and God worked through Israel alone.  They became an example of the ways of people and the way they would choose to go left to make their own choices.  Then God choose to enter the world he created as Jesus and the world changed. It was filled for the first time with real life, love, hope, justice, mercy, etc.  The renewal had begun.  First his chosen children were being redeemed and renewed through each generation and, then finally creation so that the devil will have will have not conquered any area of the creation as his own.