2022.05.22 Who Baptized You?

Who Baptized You?

Luke 3:15-22 • 1 Corinthians 1:11-15

We have the honor and joy of baptizing Taylor Hall today! So, I’d like to take the opportunity to teach a little bit about baptism, to remind or inform our understanding of what exactly will be happening at the end of the service.

In the gospel accounts, John does the baptizing (and eventually the disciples do some baptizing). This story tells a different tale, though. Who really baptizes us?

In the UM Church, an ordained deacon, ordained elder, or licensed local pastor is required for a baptism to be recognized by the church. Although I understand this, this requirement causes lots of confusion. I have been given authority by the Church to administer the sacraments. But the actual work of the sacraments is not mine to perform …

A seminary professor tells a story of a 90 year-old woman approaching her after a sermon about baptism. The woman had a sister who died shortly after birth. Without time to call their Lutheran priest, her grandmother baptized her infant sister. The priest refused to officiate the funeral because he hadn't baptized the baby, and this woman had mourned her sister's eternal loss for almost a century. The seminary professor told the woman the priest isn't the one who baptizes infants anyway.

[http://www.workingpreacher.org/preaching.aspx?lect_date=1/10/2010#]

Lutheran – Missouri Synod hymnal: “In urgent situations in the absence of the pastor, any Christian may administer Holy Baptism.”

In most cases, preparing and having the pastor officiate is proper. But pay close attention to the verbs: WE ONLY OFFICIATE … we administer … we oversee … we preside like a judge in a courtroom. The one doing the work of baptism, the one who is rightly attributed the verb “baptizing” is God Himself!

The early disciples weren't immune to such confusion.

1 Corinthians 1:11–15 NRSV

11 For it has been reported to me by Chloe’s people that there are quarrels among you, my brothers and sisters. 12 What I mean is that each of you says, “I belong to Paul,” or “I belong to Apollos,” or “I belong to Cephas,” or “I belong to Christ.” 13 Has Christ been divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? 14 I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius, 15 so that no one can say that you were baptized in my name.

Who Baptized You?

Baptism is a ritual cleansing … from sin.

It is a ceremonial washing to celebrate a spiritual washing that only God can provide through His Holy Spirit.

As Jesus is baptized into John’s baptism, John is calling others to repentance … a transformed life. "Flee from the wrath to come." "Repent." "Stop sinning!"

He then uses water to represent that transformation. That's why he hesitates to baptize Jesus in Matthew's telling of the story. If Jesus has no need of transformation, why would John baptize him? Jesus’s insistence that John baptize him to “fulfill all righteousness” indicates that John’s baptism is a forerunner to his role as Messiah! And then we see the revelation as he comes out of the water:

The Holy Spirit descends and a voice claims Jesus as God's Son.

When I was younger, I played baseball.

• Kevin Kronauer, coach

• good ballplayers needed a nickname

• my brother and I were catchers and his nickname was Gadlage Gun

• One day, Kevin pulled me aside and told me my new name was Bazooka Joe

• On Kevin’s teams, a nickname, was the sign of a transformed, skilled ballplayer

In God’s Kingdom transformed lives often bring a name change:

Establishing His covenant:

Abram – Abraham : father of multitudes

Sarai – Sarah : mother of nations

Jacob – Israel : "he contends with God"

Cephas/Simon – Peter : "rock"

Saul “desired” – Paul : “small or little”

God is in the business of changing lives. In Jesus’ baptism, God doesn’t need to change His name, He simply claims Jesus as His son and declares His great pleasure in Jesus. Our baptism is a celebration of God claiming us and declaring His great pleasure in us as His son or daughter.

We’ve talked before about the different workings of grace in our lives. In the case of children, Baptism is a celebration of Prevenient Grace. We rejoice in the fact that God is already wooing and calling Taylor to be His. In Prevenient Grace, God stakes a claim in the future of this child, and that claim is transformative!

In a minute, we will all renew or own covenant with the Lord. This often reminds me that I am not who I used to be, and God’s claim on me has made the difference.

It is appropriate to want to DO something when I’m reminded of and renew my covenant with God. After renewing your commitment, you may want to celebrate your baptism. Once you've been baptized there is no need to be "re-baptized." Since God is the one who really does the baptizing, He didn't mess up your baptism the first time, so there is no need to ask Him to redo it. However, we mess up, and often need to be reminded of our history and our cleansing and commitment that bring a hopeful future. At the conclusion of renewing our baptismal vows, we’ll share water together from all of our homes because we are one family in the Lord!

We will use this combined water for Taylor’s baptism as a recognition that she is officially becoming a part of God’s family … of our family.

At the end of the service, I will leave that water at the front of the sanctuary. After we are dismissed, if you would like to remember your baptism as a celebration of your covenant renewal, just come forward and use the water as you feel appropriate:

Some people may dip their hand in the water and touch their head;

others may just touch the water with their fingertips

some may rinse their hands in a ritual to represent baptism’s cleansing.

However you feel lead to remember your baptism, the water will be available at the end of the service for you.

As we prepare for our Baptism Ritual now, let’s sing together and ask for God's grace to come to us as well as Taylor through water and the Holy Spirit.

“Happy The Home When God Is There”

ALL ON SLIDES!!!

Brothers and sisters in Christ:

Through the Sacrament of Baptism

We are initiated into Christ's holy church.

We are incorporated into God's mighty acts of salvation

And given new birth through water and the Spirit.

All this is God's gift, offered to us without price.

Through the reaffirmation of our faith,

we renew the covenant declared at our baptism,

acknowledge what God is doing for us,

and affirm our commitment to Christ's holy church.

[Have Justin, Kate, and Riley bring Taylor forward.]

RENUNCIATION OF SIN AND PROFESSION OF FAITH

[4 The pastor addresses parents or other sponsors and those candidates who can answer for themselves:]

Justin and Kate:

On behalf of the whole church, I ask you:

Do you renounce the spiritual forces of wickedness,

Reject the evil powers of this world,

And repent of your sin?

I DO

Do you accept the freedom and power God gives you

To resist evil, injustice, and oppression

In whatever forms they present themselves?

I DO

Do you confess Jesus Christ as your Savior,

Put your whole trust in his grace,

And promise to serve him as your Lord,

In union with the church which Christ has opened

To people of all ages, nations, and races?

I DO

[5 The pastor addresses parents or other sponsors of candidates not able to answer for themselves:]

Will you nurture this child in Christ's holy church, that by your teaching and example they may be guided to accept God's grace for themselves, to profess their faith openly, and to lead a Christian life?

I WILL

[8 The pastor addresses the congregation:]

Church:

Do you, as Christ's body, the church, reaffirm both your rejection of sin and your commitment to Christ?

WE DO

Will you nurture one another in the Christian faith and life and include this person now before you in your care?

WITH GOD'S HELP WE WILL PROCLAIM THE GOOD NEWS

AND LIVE ACCORDING TO THE EXAMPLE OF CHRIST.

WE WILL SURROUND THIS PERSON

WITH A COMMUNITY OF LOVE AND FORGIVENESS,

THAT SHE MAY GROW IN HER TRUST OF GOD,

AND BE FOUND FAITHFUL IN HER SERVICE TO OTHERS.

WE WILL PRAY FOR HER,

THAT SHE MAY BE A TRUE DISCIPLE

WHO WALKS IN THE WAY THAT LEADS TO LIFE.

THANKSGIVING OVER THE WATER

[BRINGING WATER FORWARD]

[10 If there are baptisms, or if water is to be used for reaffirmation, the water may be poured into the font at this time, and the following prayer offered:]

The Lord be with you.

AND ALSO WITH YOU

Let us pray.

Eternal Father:

When nothing existed but chaos, you swept across the dark waters and brought forth light. In the days of Noah you saved those on the ark through water. After the flood you set in the clouds a rainbow. When you saw your people as slaves in Egypt, you led them to freedom through the sea. Their children you brought through the Jordan to the land which you promised.

SING TO THE LORD, ALL THE EARTH.

TELL OF GOD'S MERCY EACH DAY.

In the fullness of time you sent Jesus, nurtured in the water of a womb. He was baptized by John and anointed by your spirit. He called his disciples to share in the baptism of his death and resurrection and to make disciples of all nations.

DECLARE HIS WORKS TO THE NATIONS,

HIS GLORY AMONG ALL THE PEOPLE.

Pour out your Holy Spirit,

to bless this gift of water and all who receive it, to wash away their sin and clothe them in righteousness and throughout their lives, that, dying and being raised with Christ, they may share in his final victory.

ALL PRAISE TO YOU, ETERNAL FATHER,

THROUGH YOUR SON JESUS CHRIST,

WHO WITH YOU AND THE HOLY SPIRIT

LIVES AND REIGNS FOR EVER.

AMEN.

[Take the child]

By what name will this child be called?

TAYLOR LYNN

Taylor Lynn, I baptize you in the name of the Father,

And of the Son,

And of the Holy Spirit.

[The people respond:]

AMEN

[To the newly baptized]

The Holy Spirit work within you,

That being born through water and the Spirit,

You may be a faithful disciple of Jesus Christ.

[The people respond:]

AMEN

[To the congregation]

Now it is our joy to welcome our new sister in Christ.

THROUGH BAPTISM YOU ARE INCORPORATED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT INTO GOD'S NEW CREATION AND MADE TO SHARE IN CHRIST'S ROYAL PRIESTHOOD. WE ARE ALL ONE IN CHRIST JESUS. WITH JOY AND THANKSGIVING WE WELCOME YOU AS A MEMBER OF THE FAMILY OF CHRIST.

For those of us, who are remembering our baptism and renewing our commitments:

Remember your baptism and be thankful.

AMEN