Remember Your Baptism!

Lutherans make a big “to do” over Baptism. It’s essential to your Christian faith! Why? First of all, our Lord Jesus commanded that it be done (Matthew 28:18-20) along with teaching in order to make disciples. Second of all, the same Lord Jesus attaches a promise to it, namely that those who believe and are baptized shall be saved (Mark 16:16). Those verses are read at the beginning of the Rite of Holy Baptism (see Lutheran Service Book p. 268) each time a person is received into God’s kingdom through water and the Word. Do you remember your Baptism?

Remembering your baptism isn’t necessarily recalling the actual memory of the event. Maybe those of you who were baptized when you were a little older can do that. Like many of you, I was baptized as an infant. My baptismal birthday is October 20, 1974. While I don’t physically remember the event, I remember it every day in a different way. Each day I return to the font of Holy Baptism through contrition and repentance. As Luther’s Small Catechism confesses: “Baptism indicates that the Old Adam in us should by daily contrition and repentance be drowned and die with all sins and evil desires, and that a new man should daily emerge and arise to live before God in righteousness and purity forever” (Small Catechism, The Sacrament of Holy Baptism IV: What Baptism Indicates). So it is for all whom the Lord has brought into His kingdom.

Baptism has daily significance! When Satan tempts you, when your sins get the better of you, when it seems as though death is victorious, remember your baptism! Remember that you ARE baptized! There you were born again (literally “from above”) through water and the Spirit (John 3:5). There your sins were forgiven and you received the gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:28). There you were buried with Christ and raised with Him also (Romans 6:4). There you were saved through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit (Titus 3:5). There you were clothed with Christ (Galatians 3:27). Yes, baptism is a one-time event, but its impact is lifelong, and lived out daily. The Holy Spirit dwells in you and is at work in and through you.

In less than two weeks another Ash Wednesday will be upon us. At the beginning of the Divine Service we’ll invite you forward to receive the ashes in the form of a cross on your forehead. The ashes are a reminder of our sin and of the frailty of fallen humanity, just as God spoke to Adam and Eve, “You are dust,?and to dust you shall return” (Genesis 3:19). But when you get home, or perhaps the next morning, you’ll wash those ashes off. That’s remembering your baptism too! The Lord Jesus has washed you clean. You have His Word and promise. Nothing is more sure and certain than that!

A few days ago I had the privilege of visiting with Kay Gerhardt at his home. With joy he showed me his baptismal certificate. Kay was baptized here at Zion by Pastor Kleinhans on December 25, 1921. Kay also showed me his 8th grade diploma from Zion. It blows me away when I ponder so many years of God’s grace carried out in the ministry of this place. Think about what’s going on today here at Zion. Baptisms are still taking place. The teachings of Christ echo off of the walls of our church and school. The Savior who took on our humanity, suffered, died and was raised for our justification is holding true to His promises in the ministry of this congregation. What a treasure we have in Him and in this ministry He has entrusted to us! Those verses from Matthew and Mark’s gospels are still read as we rejoice in the Lord’s command and promise in Holy Baptism. Beginning this month Baptismal Birthdays will be listed in the newsletter and celebrated in the Prayer of the Church. Remember your Baptism and rejoice in God’s gift of salvation FOR YOU in Jesus Christ!