Dear Fellow Children of God,
What is the most important event that ever happened in
your life? Some might think of
graduations, or weddings, or births.
But, I encourage you to think about the grace God gave you on the day of
your baptism.
At the current time we have many baptisms scheduled at
St. John from the middle of May to the middle of July. (See the links below to last week’s
baptisms.) When you think of what God
says about His promises and actions in our baptisms, it is hard to think that
any graduation, or any wedding, or any birth even, is more important.
That is why I wrote a letter to my newborn son, Joshua, as
he was about to be baptized in St. Louis in March of 1981. I put that letter along with the words of
Romans 6:3-4-in the church newsletter, with the plan of sharing this letter with
Josh later when he would understand the promises and actions of God’s grace in
his life. Please read the Bible verse
and letter below and consider again the question, “What is the most important event that ever happened in your life?”
“3 Or don't you know that all of us who were
baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were therefore buried with him through
baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead
through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.”
Dear Joshua,
You are not old enough to read this
now, but someday soon you will be. At
that time you and I will sit down and talk about the most important event of
your life, your second birthday, the day you were born into the Kingdom of God,
the day of your baptism.
You might ask, “Dad, why is this so
important? After all, Mom washes me
every day. You only poured some water
over my head.” But, Joshua, I was not
the one washing you. God was. He was working through the water and His
promises to wash you clean from something all the soap and water in the world
couldn’t get out; your sin.
Perhaps you also wonder, Joshua, why
you were baptized so young in life. When
we talk about your baptism you probably won’t remember it. Well, first of all, you didn’t wait until you
were 5 or 6 to be sinful. You needed God’s
forgiveness right then.
Also, God did some very special
things for you when you were baptized.
He began to create faith in you, or belief in God, on that day. That’s because He also gave you the gift of
the Holy Spirit in your baptism. (Acts
2:38)
But, Joshua, your baptism isn’t
something that is already over and done.
It is one of the ways God helps you to be a Christian today. When you’re sorry for doing something wrong,
God is working through your baptism.
When you are happy because Jesus saved you, God is working through your
baptism. It is indeed a wonderful gift
which God has given you.
And, Joshua, that’s why we celebrate
the day of your baptism like a birthday, one which is perhaps more important
than your natural birthday. That was the
day you were born into this life on earth.
But you still have to die some day.
In your baptism you were born into God’s kingdom as a forgiven child of
your Father, God. This Christian life
will last forever.
Love,
Dad
The rest of that story is that in 1981 a family in our
congregation in St. Louis read that letter in the newsletter and decided to
have their son baptized on the same day Josh was baptized, March 22. It was a day of joy for both families. Tragically, 3 months later that other little
boy died of heart problems. Nevertheless,
in the midst of this tragic loss the family had the assurance of God’s promises
and God’s grace. God promises to give the
Holy Spirit, and faith, and forgiveness, and salvation, in the water and His
word in baptism. And God keeps His
promises! This family knew the power and
love of God’s promise for their son in his baptism. In the midst of their tears they could be
sure of God’s grace.
Last week I wrote about the mysteries of God. Why do tragedies happen? How can God do what He promises? One of the mysterious ways God works is
through His promises in the waters of baptism as people are joined to the dying
and rising of Jesus. As we watch others
be baptized, we can remember our own baptisms and the promises we hear in
Romans 6,
“3 Or don't you know that all of us who were
baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were therefore buried with him through
baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead
through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.” (Romans
6:3-4)
A Child of God, Thankful for God’s powerful grace in my
baptism,
Pastor Jonathan
P.S. Maybe it is time for Josh and Andy to read
this to their children, my grandchildren.
P.P.S Here is a picture from Alexis Barfield’s
baptism on May 10. https://plus.google.com/photos/114993745799525883148/albums/6105100932013912881/6148577265998823506?banner=pwa&pid=6148577265998823506&oid=114993745799525883148
P. P.P.S. Here is a picture from the baptism of
Charlotte Whitehill on May 13. https://plus.google.com/photos/114993745799525883148/albums/6105100932013912881/6148577201332191026?banner=pwa&pid=6148577201332191026&oid=114993745799525883148
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ABOUT ‘THOUGHTS FROM THE PASTOR’
- I am sending these e-mail messages, hopefully weekly, to all St.
John members and friends whose e-mails I have. (I am always adding new
names of friends and members – in case you are just receiving this e-mail for
the first time.) However, if you don’t want to receive this e-mail,
please let me know, and I’ll gladly leave your name off my list for this
message. . .
****
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