He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but
because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by
the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our
Savior… Titus 3:5-6
Dear
People of Zion Lutheran Congregation,
In the early centuries of Christianity, this
season of the year was a time of teaching in preparation for baptism. We've spoken about baptism at our first
Lenten Wednesdays. At those evenings,
I've been learning that many of us don't have a very practical understanding of
baptism.
Why do Lutherans baptize at any age, from
infant to elderly? We understand baptism
to be a word from God to us. It’s not holy
water. Luther writes, “It is not water
that does these things, but God’s Word with the water and our trust in this
Word.” We get the benefit from baptism when
we remember the word. Now, are we hearing that word in our daily
lives? It's a promise. Are we hearing that promise spoken to us from
day to day?
If you feel regret, what does baptism have to
offer you? A regret is a sense that we
have done something wrong, or failed to do something right. Maybe we don't identify that as a sin. Most often, we should. When we've failed
to live out our calling in the world, failed to be what God has put us here to
be, that's a sin. That someone would
label it naughty is not what makes it sin.
It's whether we've done what God wanted us to do.
Baptism is a promise that we are cleansed
from our sins. That regret, that change
of mind that says I would do things differently now, makes us ready to confess
to God. As as we confess, God
forgives. Then we can begin to let go of
our regrets, knowing that we have been forgiven.
Baptism is a promise that we have been
claimed children of God. Regrets can
make us fearful. Have I done something
that will mess up an important relationship in my life? Whether friend, co-worker, family member, how
we're getting along with someone has a huge impact on our daily life. The word in baptism promises us that,
whatever happens with other people, God still claims us as beloved children,
and always will.
Baptism is a call to change our minds,
regularly and often. Sinners need to do
that. Luther wrote: “What does Baptism
mean for daily living? It means that our sinful self, with all its evil deeds
and desires, should be drowned through daily repentance; and that day after day
a new self should arise to live with God in righteousness and purity forever.”
God is working to bring a new you to life, every day. Some emphasize one moment of conversion. We believe conversion ought to happen every day. That regret, and the change of mind that goes
with it, together with God's abundant forgiving love, are meant to shape you. They shape you, bit by bit, into the person
God needs you to be in the world. In
this life, God's work in you will never be done. You'll still be a sinner when
you take your last breath. But that
doesn't mean God hasn't made some significant changes in you.
I am baptized. I am cleansed. I am claimed.
I am called. Can you say that? Then baptism has begun to become the
practical part of your Christian life that I believe it is meant to be.
Your Pastor in Christ,
Ladd Bjorneby
