Sermon Tone Analysis

A Presbyterian and a Baptist minister were discussing baptism.

After a beautiful dissertation on the subject by the Baptist minister, the Presbyterian minister asked if the Baptist considered a person baptized if he was immersed in water up to his chin.

“No,” said the Baptist.

“Is he considered baptized if he is immersed up to his nose?” asked the Presbyterian.

Again the Baptist’s answer was “No.”

“Well, if you immerse him up to his eyebrows do you consider him baptized?”

queried the Presbyterian.

“You don’t seem to understand,” said the Baptist.

“He must be immersed completely in water—until his head is covered.”

“That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you all along,” said the Presbyterian, “it’s only a little water on the top of the head that counts.”

Blessed Lord, You have caused all Holy Scriptures to be written for our learning.

Grant that we may so hear them, read, mark, learn, and take them to heart that, by the patience and comfort of Your holy Word, we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life.

… through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Baptism.

THE USAGE OF THE WORD “BAPTIZEIN.”

The Baptists maintain that in classical usage the verb baptizein has but one meaning, to immerse, and that it always refers to the mode of baptizing, submersion.

But the word does not always mean to immerse, and it does not necessarily fix the special mode of applying the element to the object baptized,—for the classical writers use baptizein of the flowing or pouring of water over an object, of the washing of an object, whether by aspersion or immersion, of being overwhelmed by wine, or by debts, or with sophistry, or by taxes, or by grief, or by disease, or by misfortune, or by sleep, or by excess of study, etc. (See Dale, Classic Baptism, pp.

234–354.)

In the Greek Septuagint the word is used in three senses, to dip or plunge (), to overwhelm with fright (), and to wash ().

In the N. T.

baptizein (and its derivatives) is occasionally used metaphorically in the sense of being overwhelmed with calamities (, ; ), but it generally has reference either to Jewish ceremonial purification and washings (; ; ), or to Christian Baptism.

(See the N. T.

Greek Lexicons of Thayer and Cremer.)

Revere F. Weidner, “Baptism,” ed. Henry Eyster Jacobs and John A. W. Haas, The Lutheran Cyclopedia (New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1899), 38.

God sets

In the Gospel According to Luke, God sets the events of today’s text in a particluar historical setting:

As noted just now in the Word of God, John preached “a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.”

Notice, however, that there was no promise attached to John’s baptism, only a warning of what God’s response was to the failure to truly repent:

As we heard earlier in the Word of God, John preached “a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.”

Notice, however, that there was no promise attached to John’s baptism:

God also presents John’s ministry in a particular setting and purpose.

Later, in His ministry and in response to their interrogation regarding His authority, Jesus would ask of His adversaries the simple, yet profound question about John’s baptism:

God also presents John’s ministry in a particular setting and purpose.

Later, in His ministry and in response to their interrogation regarding His authority, Jesus would ask of His adversaries the simple, yet profound question about John’s baptism:

After John had been imprisoned by Herod, Jesus summarized his ministry and its relationship to the Kingdom of God:

Those who submitted to John’s baptism did so out of fear.

They responded to John’s proclamation of God’s divine wrath that was in readiness to break out among God’s people for their failure to love God and keep His Commandments.

The coming of the Kingdom of God would be a time to be feared among those who were living lives that were contrary to His reign.

They also, however, received John’s baptism in hope, for John directed them to look to another, the One Whose way he had been sent to prepare:

The word of “the Coming One” was good news to those who came to the Jordan in hope of deliverance.

They knew that God had promised to visit His people for blessing, not for destruction:

God’s revelation had shown water to be God’s means of preserving life, and of cleansing from sin:

As God’s judgment of flood cleansed the earth of sin in the days of Noah, it preserved the lives of those who feared Him and trusted in His Word.

Peter proclaimed concerning this exceeding great and precious promise:

21 Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 22 who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to him.

20 because they formerly did not obey, when God’s patience waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through water.

21 Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 22 who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to him.

The Bible tells us that Jesus was baptized by John as well:

Jesus fulfilled all righteousness, and John with Him, when He was baptized.

Jesus, by submitting to it, affirmed that God had ordained John’s ministry, and, in so doing, He submitted to God’s will concerning Him, that He was to be the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world:

Dr. Luther preached concerning baptism in the Large Catechism:

Dr. Luther preached concerning baptism in the Large Catechism:

6 In the first place, you must note in these words that here stand God’s commandment and institution.

Let us not doubt that Baptism is divine.

It is not made up or invented by people.

For as surely as I can say, “No one has spun the Ten Commandments, the Creed, and the Lord’s Prayer out of his head; they are revealed and given by God Himself.”

So also I can boast that Baptism is no human plaything, but it is instituted by God Himself.

Furthermore, Baptism is most solemnly and strictly commanded so that we must be baptized or we cannot be saved.

I note this lest anyone regard Baptism as a silly matter, like putting on a new red coat.

7 For it is of the greatest importance that we value Baptism as excellent, glorious, and exalted.

We contend and fight for Baptism chiefly because the world is now so full of sects arguing that Baptism is an outward thing and that outward things are of no benefit.

8 But let Baptism be a thoroughly outward thing.

Here stand God’s Word and command, which institute, establish, and confirm Baptism.

What God institutes and commands cannot be an empty thing.

It must be a most precious thing, even though it looked like it had less value than a straw.

9 Up to now people could consider something great when the pope with his letters and bulls gave away indulgences and confirmed altars and churches, solely because of the letters and seals.

So we ought to value Baptism much more highly and more precious, because God has commanded it.

Besides, it is done in His name.

For these are the words, “Go, baptize.”

However, do not baptize in your name, but in God’s name.

10 To be baptized in God’s name is to be baptized not by men, but by God Himself.

Therefore, although it is performed by human hands, it is still truly God’s own work.

From this fact everyone may readily conclude that Baptism is a far higher work than any work performed by a man or a saint.

For what work can we do that is greater than God’s work?

25 I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you.

26 And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you.

And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.

15 As the people were in expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Christ, 16 John answered them all, saying, “I baptize you with water, but he who is mightier than I is coming, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.

He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.

17 His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”

John declared that Jesus, “the One who is Mightier than me” would “baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.”

While water preserves life, the Holy Spirit gives life, and while water cleanses, fire purifies.

In the early Christian writing, The Shepherd of Hermas, the shepherd declares in Vision IV, Chapter III, the 4th paragraph:

18 So with many other exhortations he preached good news to the people.

4and the golden part are ye that have escaped from this world.

For as the gold is tested by the fire and is made useful, so ye also [that dwell in it] are being tested in yourselves.

Ye then that abide and pass through the fire will be purified by it.

For as the gold loses its dross, so ye also shall cast away all sorrow and tribulation, and shall be purified, and shall be useful for the building of the tower.

Holy baptism is not just a ritual, or an ordinance that we perform out of obedience; it is the ground upon which God Who has made a promise in Christ Jesus, secures us by faith and enables us to know that we are His:

The Gospel that we preach is pure, because it points only to Christ as both the One who has redeemed us to God AND as the One who keeps us in the Most Holy Faith that was once for all delivered to the saints.

The words, “baptism now saves you” are not metaphorical or hyperbolic florishes; they are the words of Divine Promise from the God who cannot lie!

It is the very Word of Christ to you:

So important is this Word of promise, that it is the marked for us as “The Great Commission” given to us by the Lord before His return to the Father:

The Lord told the Apostles that He would be with them as they fulfilled those instructions, and we have inherited that promise and that Commission.

This is a promise that anyone who hears the Gospel can receive as his own, regardless of race, ethnicity, gender or age.

Whether a baby come out of his mother’s womb, or an elderly person who has never heard the comforting Word of Promise from his Blessed Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and all ages in between.

There are so many here in our city who are weary, so many who can find no rest for their souls.

This pure Gospel of Jesus Christ is the balm that they need.

It is the healing for their sin-sick souls.

It is the remedy for the death dealing malady of Adam’s sin that infects all of those who are descended from him.

It is the sacrament of peace for all who were enemies of God in their minds.