Baptism 101
This coming Sunday you will be asked to remember your baptism. Which for those who were baptized as infants, comes as an immediate struggle. You were there, but life was so new that you weren’t really paying attention. For those who were baptized as children, you might have some memories, but maybe they still feel a bit vague and a bit distant. And if you were baptized as an adult, you probably have strong memories of your baptism and why you chose to be baptized. So, what’s the best way to prepare to remember your baptism?
First, you can call up those who were present at your baptism. Do any friends or family have stories to tell? Where were you baptized? Do you know the pastor who baptized you? Were you baptized by sprinkling or dunking? Were you baptized in a church or out in nature? Was it part of a Sunday worship service or at some other time? Gathering some of these details can assist in moments of quiet reflection on Sunday.
Second, look at the vows before Sunday. I know, nobody likes homework, but these are the promises made when being initiated into Christian life. It is good to look back and them from time to time and remember what you promised.
Do you renounce the spiritual forces of wickedness, reject the evil powers of this world, and repent of your sin?
Do you accept the freedom and power God gives you to resist evil, injustice, and oppression in whatever forms they present themselves?
Do you confess Jesus Christ as your Savior, put your whole trust in his grace, and promise to serve him as your Lord, in union with the Church which Christ has opened to people of all ages, nations, and races?
According to the grace given to you, will you remain faithful members of Christ’s holy Church and serve as Christ’s representatives in the world?
For some, these vows and promises are as sacred and holy as marriage vows. You do answer many of them with “I do”. For others this outward sign of inward grace is nothing but glory for God as they feel like a new creation in Christ.
Third, after looking at the vows comes the hard part. Asking yourself if you are living “wet”. Are you living out these vows? Would someone know you are baptized from how you live and function in the world? This last set of questions are not easy and I do not expect anyone to have an immediate answer- in fact, I am hoping we can explore them more in the coming Lenten season (Easter is early in 2024, it’s March 31.) Baptism is often an important step in one’s faith journey.
“God has chosen to use the sacrament of baptism as one of the ways that divine love comes to us. The grace offered to us in baptism is grace made available through the work of Jesus Christ. When we receive baptism, the forgiving, cleansing, saving power of God is applied to our individual lives. This is such an important part of God’s working with us that the risen Christ, in his last conversation with his disciples, specifically instructed them to baptize.”[i]
And how do you prepare if you are someone who is not yet baptized? That’s a good question to which there are no good answers. You might do whatever you usually do to prepare your heart and mind for worship. You might talk to your pastor about being baptized. Or you might spend time discerning why you have not been baptized.
No matter how you come to worship this Sunday, God will meet you there. Emmanuel, God is with us, after all.
[i] Felton, Gayle Carlton. By Water and the Spirit: Making Connections for Identity and Ministry. Nashville, TN: Discipleship Resources, 2010.
