Illustration:
Over the centuries Christians have debated what baptism accomplishes, to whom it should be administered, and how much water should be used.
Christian Theology in Plain Language, p. 158.
Illustration:
The story is told about the baptism of King Aengus by St. Patrick in the middle of the fifth century. Sometime during the rite, St. Patrick leaned on his sharp-pointed staff and inadvertently stabbed the king's foot. After the baptism was over, St. Patrick looked down at all the blood, realized what he had done, and begged the king's forgiveness. Why did you suffer this pain in silence, the Saint wanted to know. The king replied, "I thought it was part of the ritual."
Source Unknown.
Sermon:
Baptism in those days could be for repentance or conversion. The Jews baptized or washed themselves to cleans themselves of sin as well as offering sacrifices according to the Law. Today, washing, I suppose we could compare it to coming to the Alter and cleansing ourselves through prayer and leaving the sin there. When a non Jew came to faith in the Jewish God they were baptized or washed to have them join with them.
John the Baptist was doing a different thing with this water baptism. He was asking them to repent and wash away their sins. He was actually turning them away if they didn't show fruits of their repentance. Calling them snakes and to get right with God first before you come to be washed or baptized. He didn't say go to the temple and offer an appropriate sacrifice according to the Law.
John the Baptist was moving away from the Law that made them realize they are sinners and not very pure at all. He was offering a way to be clean from sin and to be pure. With him it was showing proof of your changed life then you could come join him in being cleansed of your sins through washing or baptizing in water.
With this life style change you would join with the people with changed lives. Lives that pulled you to God Almighty.
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We are born with a sin nature; that drawing towards doing sinful things. But Jesus didn’t have that sin nature within Himself. But he was tempted as we are and did not sin;
Hebrews 4:15 (ESV) Speaking of Jesus:
...but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.
Since Jesus was truly God (Colossians 2:9) and truly human and our Holy Scriptures tell us he never sinned, Why would he come to be baptized?
Jesus did not need to be baptized with water for the remission of His sin.
-From Adam to Moses there were no written law for them to be accounted to except what was passed down from the Patriarchs.
-From Moses to John the Baptist there was the written law handed to Moses that showed them they could never be pure and never without sin. The animal sacrifices only covered their sin never rid them of it.
-From John the Baptist to Jesus there was an enlightenment of getting their life right and receiving the washing or baptism of remission of their sins through water.
-From Jesus until now we are to accept God through Jesus and be filled with the Holy Spirit just the way we are; sinful humans with that sinful nature we were borne with.
So why did Jesus come to be Baptized by John?
-At that point God was moving from water to Spirit baptism.
---Luke 3:16 - John answered, saying unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water; but one mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire:
Jesus came in the progression of Gods' story of Salvation. He came to accept us the way we are, even knowing who we are. Dirty with sin he doesn't care. He will accept us and baptize us with the Holy Ghost and purify us with his Holy Fire just the way we are.
Today water baptism lives on. For infants it's to allow the Church to hear the parents, or the grandparents, the aunts and uncles to promise to raise the child in the House of the Lord. To teach the child the ways of the Lord. Its a way for the Church to promise to help in anyway possible this infant and their parents. The water brings them into a holy communion with God through His earthly Church. Even with water baptism each child well either accept Christ for Salvation and be baptized in Gods Holy Spirit. Or they will not accept this great gift of God that we call Salvation.
For the adult it shows a change in their life, an opportunity to promise things to God and to answer questions Gods Holy Church on earth would ask. This water brings them into a holy communion with God through His earthly Church.
Reaffirmation:
Today we are celebrating the baptism of Jesus, and we are going to remember we are baptized when God claimed us as sons and daughters in a life long covenant.
This is a reaffirmation of our Baptism and is not a Baptism Ceremony.
*An opportunity will be offered for those that wish to allow Christ into their lives and for those that needs baptism for the first time.
On this the Sunday that we Celebrate the Baptism of our Lord Jesus Christ we will Remember that we are baptized and we should be Holy and Thankful.
INTRODUCTION TO THE SERVICE
A deacon or pastor addresses the congregation:
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.
RENUNCIATION OF SIN AND PROFESSION OF FAITH
Since the earliest times, the vows of the Baptismal Covenant have consisted
first of the renunciation of all that is evil and then the profession of faith and loyalty to Christ.
The pastor addresses the congregation, and the congregation responds:
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.
THANKSGIVING
A deacon or pastor leads the congregation to give thanks:
Let us rejoice in the faithfulness of our covenant with God.
We give thanks for all that God has already given us.
As members of the body of Christ
and in this congregation of The United Methodist Church,
we will faithfully participate in the ministries of the Church
by our prayers, our presence, our gifts, our service and our witness that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ.
We will.
The pastor addresses those reaffirming the Baptismal Covenant:
The God of all grace,
who has called us to eternal glory in Christ,
establish and strengthen you
by the power of the Holy Spirit,
that you may live in grace and peace.
Signs of peace may be exchanged.
An appropriate hymn, stanza, or response may be sung. Other hymns of
Christian commitment are also appropriate.
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.
According to the grace given to you,
will you remain faithful members of Christ’s holy Church
and serve as Christ’s representatives in the world?
I will.
THANKSGIVING OVER THE WATER
Pour out your Holy Spirit,
and by this gift of water call to our remembrance
the grace declared to us in our baptism.
For you have washed away our sins,
and you clothe us with righteousness throughout our lives,
that dying and rising with Christ
we 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.
Invitation to receive Christ or to be baptized:
Invitation to come to the Baptismal Font and reach in and take one stone to remember this occasion.
*Pastor says as they reach in to receive the stone: Remember that you are Baptized, be Holy and Thankful.
---Invitation to those that are receiving Christ for the first time.
If you, through these words, professed your belief in our Lord Jesus Christ for the first time please come forward at this time.
---Invitation to those that are receiving Baptism for the first time.
If you have professed your belief in our Lord Jesus Christ and never been baptized before please come forward at this time.
SENDING FORTH:
The Holy Spirit work within you,
that having been born through water and the Spirit,
you may live as faithful disciples of Jesus Christ.
Amen.
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Note (1) Baptismal Covenant, United Methodist, Modified to fit the Ceremony for this occasion.
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“The Services of the Baptismal Covenant of The United Methodist
Church as Revised to Align with the 2008 Book of Discipline and Book of
Resolutions,” Copyright © 2009, The United Methodist Publishing House.
Published by The General Board of Discipleship with permission of The
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