The Sacrament of Baptism Romans 6:3-4; Galatians 3:27-29; Titus 3:3-8a
Second in a 5 week series on “Why Are We Lutheran?” Treasure as part of body of Christ, so see how this Lutheran identity shapes our understanding of the way we see the crucified and risen Christ.
The Lutheran Handbook, P.64
Last week, Theology of the Cross: God meets us not in our righteousness, but in our sin, our failure, our brokenness, our shame.
Today: baptism.
Baptism is not:
Insurance against the fires of hell (for the living, not the dead) Our work (we pour water, but God baptizes) Empty ritual (Grandma’s in town, let’s get the kid done) The end, an accomplishment (there, we got that out of the way).
We are baptized in (into) the name of the Father, Son, Spirit. = character or identity, implying unity. The character/identity of God is conferred.
Baptism means immersed or dipped, like a cloth in dye. The cloth takes on the nature of that in which it is dipped. When we talk about baptizing, we talk about immersing into the character of God. So the amount of water irrelevant, as immersed into the name of God, not the water.
This new life, new nature is for this life here, not after death (not hell-fire insurance). God doesn’t do all this so that you’re ready in case you get hit by a bus on your way home from church. Hear often, “Gotta get the baby done, just in case.”
I can’t imagine someone coming to the gates of heaven, and God saying, “Tragic, that bus thing. I know I made promises and sent my Son, theology of the cross and all that. But ya know, you didn’t do that water thing. . .”
Baptism is for this life. It is an ordination into life-long ministry. It is an adoption into God’s family. It is a enlisting into a missionary community. It is a giving up of an old life and a giving of a new one. For a purpose.
God is about the business of saving this world from the powers of sin and death. Those that are baptized are given a new identity whose purpose is in joining God in that work. That’s the adoption, the ordination, the claiming for total life in Christ. It’s not just getting the kid done, but giving them over to a whole new life devoted to Jesus Chris and his work.
God lays claim on whole life, places within a community for nurturing and equipping, and at the same time sends the baptized into the world to reveal and participate in God’s work there.
We receive the nature of God’s mercy, so that we can reveal God’s mercy.
We receive the nature of God’s love, so that we can reveal God’s love.
We receive the nature of God’s forgiveness, so that we can reveal God’s forgiveness.
We do this not from trying hard and being righteous and holy and good; we do it through the new life that has been given to us in the sacrament of baptism. The immersion into the name (nature) of God: Father, Son, Spirit. This is why it’s OK to baptize infants, as well as children and adults. It is God’s work, immersed in God’s name. God gives us a new life, a new identity to be lived out in this world, because God is at work in this world.
Those who are baptized are missionaries, called, chosen, and sent by God to reveal God’s loving nature to a world that God loves.
And because God’s nature is so gracious, when we fail to live this new life – when we mess it up, and fall short, and turn away – we can come back to God again and again, day after day, and receive that new life yet again. Baptism means we can start over today. We can receive that new nature, that God nature, one more time. Every day.
A Lutheran theologian was on the 700 Club, and was asked, “When were you born again?” He gave a wonderful answer, “This morning.”
God is at work, God meets us here today. God is showering love and grace and forgiveness on us here. God is offering a new life, a new identity in the waters of baptism. A new life we can receive, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. That’s the good news we bring to a broken world. That’s why we’re Lutheran.