We went to a baptism last week Wednesday.
It was for a baby. The baby was cute. Catilyn thought it was funny that a baby boy was wearing a white dress. We “argued” about the difference between a dress and a gown. We mocked the popular insanity by wondering how the baby "identified" and whether or not our congregation was slipping into heresy by offering baptism to a cross-dressing infant.
In his sermon, our pastor talked about what had just happened at the font. That child was given a new name - the name of Jesus. And, he explained, when that name is on you, it is on you like a target. That child now has an enemy - Satan.
Satan doesn’t particularly notice us when we are dead in our trespasses and sins. He doesn’t need to notice us. We are already on his side. But when we are baptized he does take notice. We are washed clean of our sin. We are renewed and regenerated by the working of the Holy Spirit. We are washed into Jesus. Pastor said that baptism is God’s will being done. It is God taking a child of man and making him into a child of God. You can see why Satan might notice this, and why he hates baptism.
In his sermon, our pastor talked about what had just happened at the font. That child was given a new name - the name of Jesus. And, he explained, when that name is on you, it is on you like a target. That child now has an enemy - Satan.
Satan doesn’t particularly notice us when we are dead in our trespasses and sins. He doesn’t need to notice us. We are already on his side. But when we are baptized he does take notice. We are washed clean of our sin. We are renewed and regenerated by the working of the Holy Spirit. We are washed into Jesus. Pastor said that baptism is God’s will being done. It is God taking a child of man and making him into a child of God. You can see why Satan might notice this, and why he hates baptism.
All people are born sinful and unclean. We all need the salvation of Jesus. Because of our sinful nature, however, we think we are better off doing things for ourselves. We would rather make a name for ourselves than have the name of Jesus put on us. And, as Pastor pointed out, if we can’t make a better name for ourselves, we will try to tear down the names of others to make ourselves feel better.
But it doesn’t make us feel better, not to any lasting degree, anyway. And it certainly doesn’t justify us in the eyes of God. We need Jesus for that.
Along with getting Jesus’ name in our baptism, we also get some other really important things. We get His death, and we get His resurrection. All who were baptized into Christ were baptized into His death, Paul says. And, Paul continues, if we were united with Him in a death like His, we will also certainly be united with Him in a resurrection like His (see Romans 6:3-5).
We have nothing to fear. He has paid for the guilt of our sin by His blood shed on the cross. He has justified us by His resurrection. He has given us those gifts by connecting us to Him in our baptism.
Since we have nothing to fear, because Christ is risen, and because He raises the dead, we can live our lives here on earth as people who know they are going to live forever. We can be bold in loving and serving our neighbors, and bearing witness to Christ. We don't have to be afraid of anything that threatens us, not even death.
But it doesn’t make us feel better, not to any lasting degree, anyway. And it certainly doesn’t justify us in the eyes of God. We need Jesus for that.
Along with getting Jesus’ name in our baptism, we also get some other really important things. We get His death, and we get His resurrection. All who were baptized into Christ were baptized into His death, Paul says. And, Paul continues, if we were united with Him in a death like His, we will also certainly be united with Him in a resurrection like His (see Romans 6:3-5).
We have nothing to fear. He has paid for the guilt of our sin by His blood shed on the cross. He has justified us by His resurrection. He has given us those gifts by connecting us to Him in our baptism.
Since we have nothing to fear, because Christ is risen, and because He raises the dead, we can live our lives here on earth as people who know they are going to live forever. We can be bold in loving and serving our neighbors, and bearing witness to Christ. We don't have to be afraid of anything that threatens us, not even death.
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