MidWeek Wednesday in Lent (2023)

Holy Baptism

In this season of Lent on Wednesday evenings we are asking and answering the question: “How Can We Recognize the Holy Christian Church?” In other words, what has God given us that would help us identify where the true Church resides? To help answer we are borrowing a term used by Pastor Martin Luther. He called these identifying marks, “Holy Possessions.”

Last week the topic was God’s holy Word. Not just any Word, mind you, but the “Inerrant Word of God, which is the only infallible source for all matters of faith and life.” That distinction is essential, because many so-called Christians refuse to believe this about God’s Word.

This evening our topic is God’s gift in Holy Baptism. Luther said,

God’s people or the Christian holy people are recognized by the holy sacrament of baptism, wherever it is taught, believed, and administered correctly according to Christ’s ordinance. That too is a public sign and a precious, holy possession by which God’s people are sanctified.

Martin Luther

It is the holy bath of regeneration through the Holy Spirit [Titus 3:5], in which we bathe and with which we are washed of sin and death by the Holy Spirit, as in the innocent holy blood of the Lamb of God. St. Paul said it like this: Titus 3:4-7 “But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.”

Let us pray: These are Thy Words O Lord. Help us, and Sanctify us in the Truth. Thy Word is truth. Amen.

For God revealed his grace toward us

In kindness to us sinners (v. 4)

Titus 3:4 “But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared,”

In love for mankind (v. 4)

In mercy on us sinners (v. 5)

Titus 3:5 “not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit,”

For God brought us his salvation

For we are not saved by our own works (v. 5)

For he regenerated us by the Holy Spirit (vv. 5, 6)

Titus 3:5-6 “not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior,”

For he justified us for Jesus’ sake (v. 7)

Titus 3:7 “that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.”

If God were to command you to pick up and collect all the straw you could fin, or to gather feathers, and then promise you that in these things you would have forgiveness of all sin, grace, and eternal life, wouldn’t you accept this joyfully and gratefully, and cherish, praise, prize, and esteem that straw and that feather as a higher and holier possession than heaven and earth?

Why then are we such disgraceful people that we do not regard the water of baptism and the spoken word as such holy possessions, as we would the straw and feather? You see, these are the means of which he wishes to sanctify and save you in Christ, who acquired this for us and who gave us the Holy Spirit from the Father for this work?

Holy Baptism was ordained for you by God, and given to you by God. Just as the word of God is not the preacher’s (except in so far as he too hears and believes it) but belongs to the disciple who hears and believes it; to him is it given. And wherever you see this Holy Possession rightly taught and administered, there you find the Holy Christian Church.

It is God’s will that we obey his word, use his sacraments, and honor his church. Then he will act graciously and gently enough, even more graciously and gently than we could desire; for it is written, “I am the Lord your God; you shall have no other gods before me” [Exod. 20:23]. And, “Listen to him and to no other” [Matt. 17:5]. May that suffice on the church.