First Sunday after the Epiphany

The Baptism of Jesus

Mark 1:4-11

Illustrations

 
One author says this about baptism, "Whether an infant or adult, the person baptized answers from that moment to the name Christian. No other loyalty comes before this and being a Christian should be the baptized person's most distinctive characteristic."


There is an old story which illustrates what I am trying to say. ''There was a famous actor who years ago was giving 'readings' to an art and literature group which met in the afternoons. One of the ladies asked the actor if he would recite the 23rd Psalm. He did so eloquently, with masterful flourish and diction and when he was finished the entire group clapped.

Then someone noticed an elderly pastor standing near the rear of the hall and they asked him to recite the 23 psalm also. He protested, saying he was not a great speaker. They finally convinced him to present the psalm. His speech was haltering, his manner was not showy, and yet when he was done, everyone remained silent. Something happened to the group.

One of the person's present asked the actor afterwards; 'What happened back there?' What was the difference in your two presentations. It was the same psalm ... '

And the actor replied thoughtfully: 'I knew the psalm, he loved the shepherd."

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Lutheran Standard Article

The ALC insists on the importance of baptism because Jesus insisted on it. Christ said in Matthew 28:19 that all followers should go into the whole world, making disciples by baptizing and teaching all that had been commanded.Scripture couldn't be any plainer than that.

The passages that you cite are important too, but they don't make baptism any less important.

Acts 16:31 tells how the jailer and his whole family were converted. But note verse 33 that indicates all were baptized the same night. This hardly suggests that baptism was ignored.

Paul says in I Corinthians1:14-17, that he was not sent to baptize but to preach the gospel. He explains that he did not want to set up an elite group in the church who could claim they were baptized by Paul, in contrast to those who received baptism from less famous people.

Jesus followed the same procedure, baptizing no one but allowing his disciples to administer the sacrament. This casts no aspersion on baptism. It simply indicates becoming a Christian is not a single act, but a process that includes baptism.

"What worries me, are the Lutherans who seem to think that baptism is all that's required for salvation. That may sound weird to you, but I know I'm not imagining this problem. Too many people have mentioned the same notion to me for it to be a figment of my imagination. I personally know baptized Lutherans who show no evidence of the indwelling of the holy Spirit and even seem embarrassed to talk about the gift of faith in Jesus Christ--a gift that I consider the greatest ever given.

The article on pg.4-6 where Trygve Skartsen recounts how the husband, who was a baptized Lutheran had no interest at all in talking about the Lord or the church. "You don't think    I'm a pagan, do you? I've been baptized!!" the man said.

What was that man thinking? is getting baptized like getting a polio shot? Instead of immunize us against disease, does baptism immunize us from eternal damnation? Is baptism suppose to be some magical act that zaps us for-ever into the arms of a loving God, no matter what we choose to do with our lives? I think not.

Skarsten says:"It does not good to tell an unrepentant and unbelieving person 'You have been baptized,'thereby giving the impression that God's grace will make everything all right. That is like giving a sleeping pill to a comatose patient. We need to get rid of the deadly notion that all baptized people are children of God and heirs of eternal life."

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Humor

FINDING THE LORD

A drunk stumbles along a Baptismal service on a Sunday afternoon down by the river. He proceeds to stumble down into the water and stands next to the Minister. The Minister turns, notices the old drunk and says, "Mister, are you ready to find Jesus?"

The drunk looks back and says, "Yes sir, I am."

The Minister then dunks the fellow under the water and pulls him right back up. "Have you found Jesus?" the Minister asked.

"No, I didn't!" said the drunk.

The Minister then dunks him under for a quite a bit longer, brings him up and says, "Now brother, have you found Jesus?"

"No, I did not!" said the drunk again.

Disgusted, the Minister holds the man under for at least 30 seconds this time, brings him up and demands, "For the grace of God, have you found Jesus yet?!!!??"

The old drunk wipes his eyes and pleads, "Are you sure this is where he fell in?"

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Surely Jesus did not sin. Why, then, was he baptized? Some theologians have suggested that Jesus was baptized in order to identify more closely with those he would serve.

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A pastor wrote:

Mrs. Era was a school principal in Dorchester County, Maryland. Several years ago, she told my wife about a student who was nervous and high-strung and subject to temper tantrums.

One day the student walked out of the school and paced up and down the road. Mrs. Era went after him and called to him but to no avail. She then approached him and walked beside him silently until he became calm and returned to school.

Mrs. Era told my wife, 'I didn't t know what to do so I just walked beside him."

Mrs. Era helped the student by identifying with him and his situation.

Jesus, who urged that his followers be baptized, increased his credibility and helped us when he "walked beside us" in our baptism.

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In his book, Called by the Gospel, Marc Kolden suggests that a sign should be attached to every baptismal font saying, "Warning Baptism has been determined to be hazardous to your health." In Baptism you lose your life for Christ's life. It's like being drafted into the army; You can't get out of it. You can be a deserter, but you're still in the army. You are no longer free to keep your own hours. You live now for your country.