this was Rally Day worship wiith the commissioning of teachers, remembrance of 9/11, and reaffirmation of baptism. The musicians did a wonderful job leading us through worship and the different "moods" of each part of worship. The sermon was preached as an invitation for people to come forward and touch the baptismal water, grab a rock from the bottom of the font, and be anointed by one of the pastors. I think the sermon worked well to set up the reaffirmation of baptism
“Coming and Going” Luke 3: 21-22; SAPC; Denton; Sept 11, 2022; Richard B. Culp
Luke 3: 21-22 1 Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heaven was opened, 22and the Holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, ‘You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.’
Introduction: We gather around the waters of baptism this morning in our worship - a font in the front of the sanctuary; a font in the back of the sanctuary; perhaps a bowl of water on a table as you worship with us on live stream.
in a few minutes, you will be invited to rehearse a pattern followed again and again by disciples of Christ - coming to the waters of baptism and then going from the waters of baptism.
coming and going.
Move 1: Coming to the waters of baptism.
a. We know that Jesus sent the disciples out into the world to baptize others, but do you remember that people were showing up for baptism before they have even met Jesus or heard bout him?
1. Before Jesus was baptized.
before the Holy Spirit descends upon him in the form of a dove.
before the voice from the heavens declares, “you are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.”
2. Before all of that people were coming to be baptized.
b. Why were they coming to be baptized?
1. maybe they felt a need to change their lives;
or they had a desire to move forward in a new way
or they were desperately hoping to find something that would make a difference in their lives.
2. Whatever the reason - they were coming to the waters of baptism.
c. Like them, we come to the waters of baptism.
1. Not a new place.
2. Some have presented children for baptism
Some of us have knelt before the baptismal font as the water was spilled over onto us.
3. Some of us have not been baptized, but in coming to the waters are making that step that may lead us to baptism.
We are a people shaped by coming to the waters of baptism.
Move 2: At the waters of baptism, God acts.
a. We are not coming to the waters of baptism to be re-baptized.
1. God acts in baptism, so we only need to be baptized once.
2. what God has done, does not need to be redone.
3. sometimes we need reminders
b. Flannery O’Connor’s short story “The River” has a scene where a young boy is baptized in the river.
“Have you ever been Baptized?” the preacher asked.
“What’s that?” he murmured.
“If I Baptize you,” the preacher said, [he goes on to describe baptism a little differently than we might]“ you’ll be able to go to the Kingdom of Christ. You’ll be washed in the river of suffering, son, and you’ll go by the deep river of life. But then the preacher asks, “Do you want that?”
“Yes,” the child said, and thought, I won’t go back to the apartment then, I’ll go under the river.
“You won’t be the same again,” the preacher said. “You’ll count.”
(Flannery O Connor's short story, “The River.” A variation of this quote was referenced by P. C. Ennis, “The Power of Approval,” Journal for Preachers, Easter, 2008, Volume XXXII, Number 3, 14; to read the complete short story go to http://www.doxaweb.com/assets/The_River.pdf)
We are coming to the waters of baptism to be reminded that when God acted in the waters of baptism, we were changed forever.
move 3: Going from the waters of baptism
a. The renowned preacher Reverend Peter J. Gomes, former Plummer Professor of Christian Morals at Harvard Divinity School and Minister at the Memorial Church, Harvard University, and American Baptist minister often noted that Baptism does not immunize one from temptation or from Satan: quite the contrary, it raises one's consciousness. The newly baptized meet temptations that they could not before ever imagine. (http://lutheranconfessions.blogspot.com/2011/03/peter-gomes-on-matthew-41-11.html)
1. Being baptized does not remove you from the world through the magical splashing of water.
2. Being baptized means being initiated into the body of Christ and following Christ into the world.
3. in the waters of baptism we proclaim that we are joined with Christ in his death and resurrection, which also means we are joined with Christ in his work in the world.
b. Martin Luther, the great Reformer, reputedly has this Latin phrase written in chalk on his desk.
1. The phrase “Baptizatus Sum.”
2. It translates as “I am baptized.”
3. In Latin, it has the sense of this ongoing thing. It’s not “I was baptized,” it’s “I have been and continue to be baptized.” (https://lutheranhuskerblog.wordpress.com/2018/01/07/baptizatus-sum-sermon-for-1-7-2018/)
4. For Luther, it stood as a reminder each day that we had been claimed by God. There was nothing in the world that could separate him, or us, from the love of God in Christ Jesus.
5. For Luther that was a daily truth.
6. As church historian Martin Marty notes, For Luther, baptism "signifies that the old creature in us … is to be drowned and die through daily … repentance, and … that daily a new person is to come forth and arise up to live before God in righteousness and purity forever.” (Martin Marty, "Luther: The Daily Gift of New Life,” Christianity Today, https://www.christianitytoday.com/history/issues/issue-86/luther-daily-gift-of-new-life.html
c. When you come to the waters of baptism, you are invited to take a rock from the water to go home with you.
1. Put it in your pocket
on your desk
or the kitchen table
or your dresser
2. See it or touch it each day and be reminded that you have been, or are going to be, and you continue to be baptized - claimed by God; united with Christ; sent by God.
Conclusion: Come to the waters of baptism.
Go from the waters of baptism into the world.
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