Today on the church calendar we remember the baptism of Jesus, and it's only fitting that we observe it with a baptism of one of our members, little Todd Martin Dirickson.  Josh and Laura, baptism is a new beginning for your son.  Today I want to share with you what may seem a lecture about Baptism, but it's a topic we don't often consider.  Baptism is the sacrament of entrance into the Church.  It's the way we are named, first by our given name, then by God's name, "...the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit." (Matthew 28:19)   Most of us here today had God's name placed upon us at that moment water was sprinkled or poured on our heads.

          Some of us may have been immersed, but the amount of water is of no consequence, just as the amount of faith of the one baptizing is of no consequence.  That's because Baptism is not our act, but God's act upon us.  We carry out His command to bless, but He's the one doing the blessing.  Baptism is not an invention of the church, but a gift from God.  It's the external sign of an internal blessing by which God connects us to Himself and to His church.  If anyone here has not been baptized, I pray this message will move you to take the step.

          To be baptized in the name of God is to be baptized by God.  Baptism is the washing away of sins, original sin, the sin we're born with.  Baptism is a good work, made good by the Giver of Life.  It is not made good by the child or the parent or the church, but by God.

          Baptism is not just water sprinkled with some magical or holy words, it is ordinary water applied by God's command and connected with God's Word.  Baptismal water is not holy water.  Adding water from the River Jordan is good, but water from a hose is just as good.  The amount or quality of the water is immaterial.  God's Word is what makes the water a holy washing.  It is not the decision to get baptized or the amount of water, but the Word of God and His promises in that Word that makes Baptism a blessing.  The method of baptizing is like the shell of the peanut;  the Word of God is the nut inside.  We aren't nourished by the shell, but by its contents.  In the same way, the act is not the power;  the power comes from the promise of God inside the act.  We honor Baptism because in it God gives us eternal life.  And we honor it best by being baptized.

          St. Mark records our Lord Jesus as saying, "He who believes and is baptized shall be saved." (Mark 16:16)   The purpose of Baptism is to save, not just to christen or to give a name or to invite friends for lunch.  Baptism, no matter how we do it, if done "...in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit," is valid and effective.  You and I were not "baptized Lutheran" or "baptized Catholic."  We're baptized "Christian", and by it we're joined with the whole Church.  So Christian baptism is valid, no matter who did it, so long as there is God's Word, faith and water present.

          Some churches insist you should be immersed, or be baptized when you're "old enough to believe".  They insist that the quantity of the water and the quality of faith are essential.  But why should a tubful be better than a handful if the water is not the essence of Baptism?  And why should the faith of a teenager be better than that of an infant?  If we believe the Holy Spirit gives faith, then who are we to say more faith is present when you're older, or that the faith of a brilliant man is better than the faith of a retarded man?  I've usually found it the opposite;  the younger we are, the better our faith.  I've known many an educated intellectual whose faith was in himself, not in His God.  God seeks people with faith, not just brains.

          But faith must be present in Baptism.  Jesus said, "He that believes and is baptized shall be saved." The Bible calls Baptism a "washing of regeneration" (Titus 3:5), and St. Peter says, "Baptism now saves us." (1 Peter 3:21)   This would seem to conflict with the notion of faith.  We believe we're saved by faith, not by anything we can do.  So if we're saved by faith, how can Baptism "save" us?  But I said before, it is God who baptizes, not church or pastor.  We baptize because God commands us, and we baptize with water and the Word, which carries God's power and promise.  Now if I believe baptism saves me, is that not the same as believing in God Himself?  Therefore we have faith because God gives it, whether parent or child, adult or infant, and we are saved by faith.

          You can't come to faith unless you hear the Word, or are baptized, which carries God's promise of salvation.  If you are baptized, the blessings of God are yours forever.  Unless, of course, you reject God.  Sadly, lots of people are doing that these days.  They have rejected much of what God said in the Bible, so it's only a small step farther to reject God Himself.  But when you stop believing in God, it's not that you then believe in NOTHING, it's that you'll start believing in ANYTHING.  If we stand for nothing, we'll fall for anything.  Millions of "enlighted" people believe in just about anything except God.  If you're unsure of this, visit our university campuses.  The true God is scorned, but most every other oddball belief is embraced with open arms.

          So God must continually work faith in our hearts, because the devil seeks to remove it just as fast as we get it.  If you and I come to church one hour a week, and take an hour to get there and back, and perhaps pray another hour during the week, that's 3 hours that God gets out of 168.  How many hours does the devil get from the other 165?  We surely don't hear the Gospel on TV, but we do see the devil there.  With all the sin around us, tempting us, luring us to join in, it's a miracle we remain in the faith from week to week.  Maybe old catholic grandmas have it right when they go to mass each morning.  At least one hour of 24 is given to staying close to God.

          We need to take a breather.  Trying to understand Baptism is heavy stuff, but now and then there is a lighter side to it.  A young pastor met an old man who asked him after a worship service if Lutherans required re-baptism.  The pastor told him no, that if he'd been baptized in a Christian church, in the name of the Triune God, that was good enough.  He was pleased and said, "Son, that's great news because I've been told to get baptized more times than I can count.  See these wrinkles?  They're not from age - they're from erosion!"

          Then there was the father who took his three young children to church faithfully every week.  At his wishes they all sat in the very front row so that the children could properly witness and participate in everything.  One Sunday the minister was baptizing a tiny infant.  The little five year old girl was taken by this, observing the pastor saying something and pouring water over the infant's head.  With a quizzical look on her face, the little girl turned to her father and asked, "Daddy, why is he brainwashing that baby?"

          Some people feel the church brainwashes its people.  But if we're going to embrace a belief, let's know what it is we believe.  Some people still feel baptism is optional.  Some parents think it's best if the child decides for himself.  That sounds so noble, but it's risky.  We all make sure our kids go to school, get their shots or get to bed at night.  Can baptism be less important?

          Some will say that since faith saves, why get baptized?  It's true, faith is enough, and works do not save.  But faith which ignores a command of Christ is barely faith at all.  When you trust in Christ, you trust all He says, and you try to follow it.  Understanding God is not necessary, but obeying Him is.  He that disobeys God just to be an individualist or an independent, risks becoming nothing.  Christ commanded baptism which makes getting baptized necessary, if at all possible.  That's why we commend the unbaptized infant to God.  If babies don't have the chance to get baptized, the Lord must deal with that.  Refusing to be baptized is another matter.  If we can, but don't, we must accept responsibility for that.  Yet why would anyone want to refuse God's gifts?

          Baptism is a new beginning.  Today we remember Jesus was baptized.  John baptized Him, not because He needed it, but because He wanted to set the standard.  Christ's Baptism leads the way for us.  He shows us what to do, and gives us the blessings.  Just as He was put to death for our sins, so our sins are "put to death" in the waters of our Baptism.  Just as He came out of the grave alive and new, so we come out of the water, reborn and forgiven.  Just as the Holy Spirit came upon Him, so the Holy Spirit comes to us.  And we are given faith, and the ability to do good works, and most importantly, we're given eternal life.  And finally, as the voice of God said, "You are my Son whom I love...," so in our Baptism, we become His beloved children.

          A true story is told of an old man found one afternoon on the streets of New York.  He was starving and delirious, and would have died had he not been taken to a charity hospital.  The staff there bathed him, cleaned his wounds and gave him nourishment, but he steadily declined.  It wasn't that he was so ill, but that he had given up.  A Nurse's Aid was assigned to watch him that night and report any change to the Charge Nurse.  He slept restlessly till early morning, when he became very quiet.  At about 7 AM, the old man sat up in bed and said quite clearly, "I am baptized!"  And he lay down and breathed his last.  "He gave up and now he's finished!" the girl said with tears.  The wise Charge Nurse, a Christian, smiled and said, "No, he gave himself to God.  And he's not finished, he's starting over again."

          Baptism is a new beginning.  Its blessings can never be taken from us.  We can give them away, but no one can steal them.  Regardless what happens, we are baptized.  Regardless of how often we fail, we are baptized!  We have no greater treasure.  Thank you Jesus!  Amen

Copyright © 2003 by Pastor Bob Tasler.  All rights reserved.