REMEMBER YOUR BAPTISM

Every year about this time we take a Sunday and remind ourselves about the meaning of baptism. We do it around the story of Jesus being baptized by John the Baptizer. (Notice I am being careful to not say John the Baptist because for some that would make him seem to be a member of a current denomination.)

The gospel writers had to include John the Baptizer in their writings. For over a hundred years after his death, John continued to have disciples, and people knew about the John-Jesus connection. It had to be clarified.

What John did was take a ritual that already existed and expand it. For those who were not born Jewish but wished to convert to Judaism, there was a rite known as mikfa. A convert would dip three times in flowing water and recite certain prayers. It represented purification from the paganism associated with gentiles, and it affirmed a decision to be a part of the Jewish people.

What John did was to say that everybody, not just converts, needed a mikfa. “Do not presume” he shouted, “to say that Abraham is your father.” Do not presume to say that you are born Jewish and don’t need a mikfa. Everybody needs a mikfa. People need to affirm for themselves that they are a part of the covenant with Abraham.

So Jesus stepped forward and was baptized. And after the crucifixion and resurrection, before he ascended, he commanded that his disciples “go into all the world baptizing in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.” (That’s the only time that the Trinitarian formula occurs in the Bible---in connection with baptism.)

In the Book of Acts we read several times about adults being baptized, but we also about families being baptized, and that is the Biblical warrant for the practice instituted early in the church of baptizing infants, to be followed by confirmation, where the individual now more mature takes on herself/himself the obligations and identity of following Christ.

The church in various denominations practices three ways of applying the water, often called sprinkling, pouring, and dunking, depending on how much water.

Baptism is only performed by ordained clergy in most denominations, though allowances are made for persons who want to be baptized in emergency life threatening situations, where any Christian believer can baptize, using whatever material is available.

The doctrine of the universal church is that baptism, while administered by human beings, is really an action by God. It is an affirmation that God has accepted and claimed this life as God’s own child. For all eternity. Done deal. God prepared us to understand this by saying at Jesus’ baptism: “This is my beloved Son.” Ex opri operandi is the Latin.

Since the real action in baptism is an eternal action by God, it does not need to be repeated (and indeed cannot be repeated.) People may request to go through the ritual again, and some ministers may naively comply, but if a baptism is valid, it is valid through all eternity.

Last week we talked about two theories of what worship is: one was called the…objective theory and the other the…subjective theory. Worship is about pleasing God or worship is about inspiring us. Recognizing that people may want to experience their baptism (if baptized as a child) or re-experience it (if baptized as an adult), the church has developed various rituals of “remembering your baptism”.

I have no memory of my baptism as an infant. I can’t even find any pictures. But my mother told me that the pastor, Woody Stone, never had babies cry while he was baptizing, because he had this little Hitler-like mustache that he used to tickle the back of the baby’s head, and the theory was that the baby got busy trying to figure out this new sensation and forgot to cry. Anyway, all I know was that at my baptism, I didn’t cry. Maybe you have some stories like that about your baptism.

Someone once asked Martin Luther how he coped with all of the confusing stuff surrounding him as he invented the Protestant Reformation day by day. Remember he started out as a humble monk, wasn’t even sure he should pursue further studies. And suddenly the attention of the world was focused on him. He is called to appear before the inquisition in Rome. Heads of state are conferring about his movement. He used to have dreams that he was in the pulpit and had forgotten to prepare his sermon. Who knew when all of this would come crashing down?

And when he was asked about how he handled all of this, his answer was: “I remember my baptism.” Now he too was baptized as an infant. And given his relationship with his father, quite possibly he knew none of the details about it. But he knew that he had been claimed by God, and that was enough.

Notice Luther didn’t say: I remember my ordination as a priest. He didn’t say: I remember my consecration to lead the protestant believers. The thing that gave him the assurance and authority to take this world changing step was his baptism.

That leads me to say to you who are baptized, remember your baptism. Celebrate the details if you have them, but above all, remember that the authority to change the world in the name of Christ has been given to you.

I don’t want to hear any more: the devil made me do it. Or the denomination won’t let me do it. That’s unbaptized talk.

In the church from time to time we set aside certain persons for certain tasks: deacons, elders, missionaries, bishops, conference ministers. We ordain or consecrate or install. But none of these rites is any more high or holy that the one open to all believers: Baptism.

We don’t know how to go out and witness to a world that is lost and lonely? Let the preachers do it? That’s what Bible studies are for. That’s why hundreds of people committed their lives and some gave their lives at the stake---so that anybody can open God’s word and speak about it. The Bible belongs to you. You’re baptized!

We can’t do anything about hate language in our society? We can’t do anything about hunger in our community? We can’t do anything about the mistreatment of immigrants in the work place in our region? Who told you that you can’t do anything? You’re baptized!

We can’t do anything about the decline of mainline denominations in America? We can’t do anything about the public perception that only right wing conservatives can speak for the church? We have no more energy for ecumenical dialogue and cooperation? Who told you that? You’re baptized!

So I’m calling on you today to remember your baptism. Nobody is more called than you. Remember your baptism. Nobody is more empowered than you. Remember your baptism. Nobody is more gifted than you. Remember your baptism. Nobody has more spirit-given strength than the strength God gave you in the water.

At the beginning of creation the Spirit of God hovered over the primeval waters. God’s great saving act was to bring the People through the Red Sea waters. God brought the People to the Promised Land through the waters.

God brought you through the waters. And when you feel most over your head with confusion and weakness and anger and grief, God is there, calling you beloved, and bringing you through the deep waters to solid ground.

And when you need some assurance about that, remember your baptism.