Friday, October 21, 2011
Galatians 3:26 For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
REMEMBER YOUR BAPTISM
The Sunday bulletin cover pictured a pastor baptizing a young man and the words: "Your heavenly Father knows that you need them."
The pastor began the sermon with the following accounting:
Three piece suit with new shirt and tie -- $99.95
Silverplate Baptismal Shell -- $110
Quart of Spring Water -- .25
Christ's Baptism -- Priceless
Martin Luther would agree. He wrote in the second part of his explanation of Baptism: "Baptism works forgiveness of sin, delivers from death and the devil and gives eternal salvation to all who believe this, as the words and promises of God declare."
We also ought to value our baptism highly, remembering what God has done for us through this Sacrament -- and using it as a living part of our faith-life every day. But the quote on the bulletin cover is from the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus is talking about daily necessities like food and clothing, "Your heavenly Father knows that you need them."
What does that have to do with baptism?
Everything.
For Jesus' words about the heavenly Father knowing our daily needs and providing for them are of no comfort at all to us if we are unsure whether God considers us His children. After all, we often act very little like the One we address in prayer as "our Father." He is kind, loving, just, fair, trustworthy, forgiving. Too often we are unloving, unjust, unfair, untrustworthy, and not forgiving.
It is at just such times that Luther urges us to remember that at our baptism God said, "I have made this sinner (and your name was spoken) my child. I promise him/her Christ's forgiveness ... and my promise creates and renews in the baptized the faith to hold on to it."
