2 Kings 5:1-12; Twenty-Second Sunday after Pentecost; October 24, 2021; Baptism of Axel West Zimmer;

2 Kings 5:1-12; Twenty-Second Sunday after Pentecost; October 24, 2021
Baptism of Axel West Zimmer;
Life in Christ Lutheran Church, Grand Marais, MN;
Naaman, commander of the army of the king of Syria, was a great man with his master and in high favor, because by him the Lord had given victory to Syria. He was a mighty man of valor, but he was a leper. Now the Syrians on one of their raids had carried off a little girl from the land of Israel, and she worked in the service of Naaman’s wife. She said to her mistress, “Would that my lord were with the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy.” So Naaman went in and told his lord, “Thus and so spoke the girl from the land of Israel.” And the king of Syria said, “Go now, and I will send a letter to the king of Israel.” So he went, taking with him ten talents of silver, six thousand shekels of gold, and ten changes of clothing. And he brought the letter to the king of Israel, which read, “When this letter reaches you, know that I have sent to you Naaman my servant, that you may cure him of his leprosy.” And when the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his clothes and said, “Am I God, to kill and to make alive, that this man sends word to me to cure a man of his leprosy? Only consider, and see how he is seeking a quarrel with me.” But when Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his clothes, he sent to the king, saying, “Why have you torn your clothes? Let him come now to me, that he may know that there is a prophet in Israel.” So Naaman came with his horses and chariots and stood at the door of Elisha’s house. And Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, “Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall be restored, and you shall be clean.” But Naaman was angry and went away, saying, “Behold, I thought that he would surely come out to me and stand and call upon the name of the Lord his God, and wave his hand over the place and cure the leper. Are not Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them and be clean?” So he turned and went away in a rage.” (2 Kings 5:1–12, ESV)
Grace and peace to you from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Naaman was an important man, and no friend to Israel. In fact, some of the early church fathers believe he was personally responsible for the death of a previous king. He was a brave man, leader of the armies of Syria. Second only to the king, it seems. But he had a problem. He had leprosy. It was a serious problem. It was a fatal problem. All that he had, his reputation, his wealth, his position was in jeopardy. So, when the little Hebrew slave girl spoke up he listened. She had faith that God could heal through the prophet Elisha. Naaman wasn't taking any chances. He went to the king to request the necessary travel arrangements. The king quickly sent him on his way with a letter of introduction. Naaman gathered up offerings, expensive gifts, and hit the road. When he arrived, he wasn't well received by the King of Israel. Of course, it didn't help that Syrians were in the habit of raiding the border and carrying off people and treasure. The king of Israel was naturally suspicious. But more than that, given the impossible task of healing leprosy, he was sure it was a trap to give the foreign king an excuse for another raid. What he didn't see, was God's hand at work. The little girl was a foreign missionary. She trusted in the possibility of God's work through the prophet Elisha. She spoke out in faith. Naaman listen. The king of Syria also acted in a kind of faith that something could be done. The king of Israel doubted God's willingness or ability to act, but the prophet Elisha set him straight. "Send him to me, so that he can know (as you should know!) that God's prophet is in Israel." Naaman takes his whole company to Elisha's door. And there he stands waiting for the prophet to appear. But he doesn't. Instead, he sends a servant with a message. "Go and wash in the Jordan river seven times and you will be healed." Now its Naaman's time to show his true nature. He is a proud man. "I've come all this way and he sends a servant! He should come out and meet me. After all I'm an important person, not some lackey who doesn't get the attention of someone who should be my servant!" His pride is so strong he would rather die than do what the prophet said, wash in the Jordan river. He knew the river. He likely crossed it on his way. It didn't even matter that he would probably have to cross it in order to return home. The Jordan was a mud hole. The rivers in Damascus ran crystal clear. In Damascus the river water was used to irrigate the farmland. The Jordan was even worthless for that. "How can that filthy water do anything! I'm an important person, my healing needs to be done some other way." He stomped away in a tantrum. But God's Word wasn't done yet. Just like the little slave girl spoke up, Naaman's other servants speak up. "Father! (a term of respect for their master) This is an easy thing to do. If he had told you to do something difficult, you'd have been right on it. What have you got to lose! All you have to do is what he said, 'Wash and be clean!'" Again, Naaman listens. He sets his pride aside make the trip to the Jordan and washes away his leprosy. "... and his flesh was restored like the flesh of a little child." And a miracle happens. He returns to Elisha and says, "Behold, I know that there is no God in all the earth but in Israel." It's a kind of double baptism. His disease is washed off and left in the dirty Jordan water. His unbelief, his sin, is washed off, too, into the water. As it is all washed away in that muddy water, in the washing, God gives him faith. It is the miracle of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit.
It is no coincidence that many years later Jesus washes in the very same water. But he doesn't need to do it to be clean, that's what John the Baptizer says. Jesus steps into the water and John protests. "I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?" But Jesus answered him, "Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness." (Matthew 3:14-15, ESV) You see, he is going into the water with Naaman. Down there in that filthy water is Naaman's leprosy. Down there in that filthy water is Naaman's unbelief and sin. Jesus is going down in there to take it up into himself. As, the perfect and righteous Son of God, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, steps in the Jordan river, his righteousness is filled up with Naaman's leprosy, Naaman's unbelief, Naaman's sin. Jesus and Naaman down there in the water together. Naaman comes up clean. Jesus comes up filthy. Naaman goes to Elisha to confess his faith.
Surely [Jesus] has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed.” (Isaiah 53:4–5, ESV)
To the cross he goes with sin, and unbelief and disease and suffering... he dies there to put it all to death there and bury it all in the deepest pit.
This font is your Jordan river. "I baptize you in the name of the Father and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit." That's you in the filthy water, up to your neck in disease, and unbelief and sin, and death. And that's Jesus standing with you down there in the filthy water. Jesus is there to take it up into himself.
Holy Baptism the Third Part
How can water do such great things?
Certainly not just water, but the word of God in and with the water does these things, along with the faith which trusts this word of God in the water. For without God’s word the water is plain water and no Baptism. But with the word of God it is a Baptism, that is, a life-giving water, rich in grace, and a washing of the new birth in the Holy Spirit, as St. Paul says in Titus, chapter three:
“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, so that, having been justified by His grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life. This is a trustworthy saying.” (Titus 3:5–8) And out you come confessing your faith. Out Jesus comes and to the cross, to suffering and death, your suffering and death, for your sin. Promising you rebirth and renewal. It's the word of God, brought to you by his servants. The word of promise. The word of life.
And there's more... there's always more. Jesus' death leads to Jesus' resurrection, his restoration before God, the Father. Naaman came up out of the water with resurrection flesh, like that of a young child. Baptism is your promise of resurrection flesh.
... Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.” (Ephesians 5:25–27, ESV)
... without spot wrinkle or blemish you will stand before Christ for all eternity, perfect and holy. Fully human, fully forgiven, forever.
And so, we remember that little splash of water, that promise of healing and forgiveness, our little part of the Jordan river. Just like the little slave girl focused on God's promises, just like Naaman's servants focused on God's word of promise through Elisha, we focus on God's Word of promise here. Amen.
The peace of God that passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.

2 Cor.5:17-21; The Fourth Sunday in Lent; March 31, 2019;

2 Cor.5:17-21; The Fourth Sunday in Lent; March 31, 2019;

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. (2 Corinthians 5:17-21, ESV)

The New Creation

(Inspired by a series by Rev. William Weedon.

Concordia Pulpit Resource, Volume 17, Part 4, Series C)

Grace and peace to you from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

What in the world does Lent, getting ready for Easter, have to do with Baptism?  Pastor I think you’ve lost it.  What we need is a little tweaking about selfishness.  What we need is to hear about how the world gets carried away with the Easter Bunny, and how it doesn’t have the right focus.  “They’ve forgotten what Easter is about!”  So that we can feel good about ourselves because we’ve got the right focus.  That’s why we’re here to get in the right mood for Easter.  What’s all this about Baptism?

Well, Baptism is foundational for our faith.  In fact, it is so central we shouldn’t be talking about God’s gifts to us without placing Baptism among the most important.  If we believe what we say we believe, then our baptism should never be far from out thoughts.  That’s why I’ve moved the font front and center this evening.  Really, it belongs there all the time, or right in the middle of our focus.  We have the tradition of moving it back when we are not using it.  Maybe though, it would be good to put it out front a bit more often. 

Take a good look at the font.  Some of them have eight sides.  There’s a reason for that, it’s not just a random thing, the way the carpenter decided to make it.  He had a reason.  There’s a long-standing tradition in the church for having them octagonal.  Just like so many things, symbols in the church, there is a deeper meaning.  And that’s what we are going to look at tonight.

To really get the understanding about what Baptism is all about, and how it connects us to the baby in the manger, and Christ on the cross, and resurrected, we need to go back a way.  Not to Bethlehem.  But way back even farther than that, all the way back to the beginning.

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. (Genesis 1:1-2, ESV)

I want you to notice a couple of things here.  First, it starts with God… in the beginning, God.  No big bang, no aliens, nothing but God.  And notice how God is active The Holy Spirit was hovering over the waters.  The world begins with water and the Spirit.  From the water the Holy Spirit brought life.

The account goes on to explain just how God, the Holy Spirit worked to create everything.  And here’s the first hint as to why a font has 8 sides.

Day 1: light and darkness, day and night.

Day 2: Heaven and earth. 

Day 3: Land and sea.

Day 4: Sun, moon and stars

Day 5: Birds and fish.          

Day 6: Animals and human beings.

Day 7: God rested.

It was all good and perfect.  No suffering.  No pain.  No death.  Human beings were in perfect relationship with God and everything, and everyone around them.  It was Eden, paradise.

“Seven days of work make one weak” W E A K.  That’s not what God intended for us.  God set aside one day for rest.  He calls it the Sabbath.  The confirmation students can tell you what day the Sabbath is.  He worked six days, Sunday through Friday and rested one, Saturday, the Sabbath.  That’s God’s way of doing things.  That’s God plan and order for creation.  He made everything, beginning with water.

Water is the key to all life.  When the explorers searched the world for new places, they spent lots of time searching for water.  When scientists look for life on other planets the first thing they look for is water.  Nothing can live without water.  We need water.  Without it we die.  We use water for everything.  We drink it.  We wash with it.  We horde it, when it is in short supply.  We even play in it.  Water is one of the keys to God’s creation.

God’s creation of the Garden of Eden was centered on water.  When we think of the best places to be on the earth, we picture of Lake Superior, or peaceful waterfalls and pools of cool clear water.  That’s a yearning that comes from deep within us.  We know the world isn’t as it should be.  “in the beginning” that’s the way it was.  Everything was in perfect harmony.  Everything was in perfect relationship to everything else.  Everything was in perfect relationship to God.  We have a built-in longing, homesickness to return to that.  God’s creation isn’t that anymore.  Where once peace was everywhere, now there is only death.  Instead of life being in harmony, life is in competition.  Instead of time marching toward eternity in perfect peace, it marches only toward death.  Seven days at time, week by week we march toward death.  An endless series of sevens until death takes away all that we have.

“Meaningless! Meaningless!” says the Teacher. “Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless.” What does man gain from all his labor at which he toils under the sun? What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun. Is there anything of which one can say, “Look! This is something new”? It was here already, long ago; it was here before our time.   (Ecclesiastes 1:2-3, 9, 10, NIV)

And yet, there stands our Baptismal font.  All eight sides.  Right in the middle of meaninglessness.  Right in the middle of certain death.  Right where we put the coffins.  Right where your coffin will be.  If the Christian faith means anything it must have something to say about death.  If it doesn’t then, you may as well be an atheist.

There is one body and one Spirit— just as you were called to one hope when you were called— one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. (Ephesians 4:4-6, NIV)

One baptism connecting us to one Lord, Jesus Christ, sent into the world to set it free form the endless march of seven and seven and seven and seven leading to death.  One Lord, Jesus Christ, sent to rescue us from meaningless life.

God created the world in six days.  He finished all his work and rested on the seventh day, Saturday.  Does it sound familiar?  God’s Son did it too.  He did his work of salvation.  He finished it on the sixth day… a Friday.  We call it Good Friday.  That day He hung nailed to the cross.  He suffered, died and was buried.  He restored our relationship to God by removing the punishment for sin, for all those who have faith in His death and resurrection.  He lived a perfect life for us.  He was born, lived a perfect life and died on the cross.  His very words were “It is finished!”  Dead and in the tomb where we will all be.  His body rested in the grave on the seventh day, Saturday.  But this is where everything changes.  This is where Lent really has some meaning.  We look forward to the resurrection, but only because Jesud died, and rested in the tomb on the Sabbath.  But even more so because the baby rose again from death, the next day, Sunday, the first day of the week.  Day 1 but a new day too, Day 8, a new day of a new creation.  Jesus Christ rose from death, promising to you and me a resurrection.  You see the 8 sides of the font?  When you were baptized, you were placed into the 8^th day of creation.  You were given new life in the new creation.  Those eight sides are a constant reminder that the old has passed away and the new has come for you.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. (2 Corinthians 5:17-21, ESV)

That’s what I’m talking about.  In the beginning God, the Holy Spirit moved over the water and created life.   At this font, God, the Holy Spirit moves over the water and creates life.  By His life-giving promises God gives you new life, through water and the Word.  You have a new beginning.  One that doesn’t end in meaningless death, but one that passes through death, with Christ into new life, eternal life.  In Baptism God connects you to the baby in the manger, the Jesus that walked dusty roads, the Christ that suffered on the cross, and rose again.  You receive the forgiveness of sins.  That means your relationship with God is restored to paradise.

Ah but… there always an “ah but.”  As I look at my life, the reality of God’s promise doesn’t seem so sure.  I sin.  You sin.  Relationships fall apart.  Death waits for me outside the doors of the church.  Work is endless.  Week after week an endless progression of seven, seven, seven.  Look here.  Look at the eight.  Don’t think that your baptism is just a one-day event.  It’s not “I was baptized” it is “I am baptized.”  You live every day in the eighth day.  Take your sin as God uses his word to point it out and lay it at the stable, the cross and the font.  Receive the forgiveness of sins every time.  You are a new creation.  You are a forgiven child of God.

Eight sides.  One for each day of the week and one for the Eighth day, the day of the resurrection, the day of your baptism, the day of your new life.  Jesus said it,

And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” (Revelation 21:5, ESV)

That newness is yours through Holy Baptism, into the new life of the eighth day.  Amen.

The peace of God that passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.

Romans 6:1-11; The Baptism of Our Lord; January 3, 2019;

Romans 6:1-11; The Baptism of Our Lord; January 3, 2019;

Life in Christ Lutheran Church, Grand Marais, MN

What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. For one who has died has been set free from sin. Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.” (Romans 6:1–11, ESV)

(from a devotion by Robert Bernhardt, http://visualfeast.csl.edu/2012/01/19/baptism-of-our-lord-romans-61-11/)

Grace and peace to you from Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.

There’s a lot going on in that little bowl. I know it doesn’t look like much, but it’s really kind of a storm. None of you is looking at this little splash of water thinking dark thoughts of fear and trepidation. But maybe you should. In fact, these waters are downright treacherous. Here, right here, for some of you, you knocked on death’s door. St. Paul says it,

Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?

It’s a drowning. A dying. We experience death with Jesus. The moment the pastor says, “I baptize you in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit”, a killing, a drowning takes place. You are dead and raised. Death swirls around you in the water. Jesus’ death and yours. And don’t think for a moment that his death wasn’t real, or yours for that matter. He was pierced by nails, and stabbed by a spear. His heart filled with blood and stopped beating. He was taken down and buried in a tomb.

You see, death is the problem isn’t it. The grave. The place you will go sooner or later. A problem brought to us because of Adam and Eve. They rejected God. They fell into sin. To reject God is to reject the life he gives as a gift. They brought God sure promise of death as punishment, and not only death but permanent death, death that is total separation from God. Hell, created for Satan and the fallen angels, is the destination for all those who reject God. But it’s worse than you want to believe. Sin is in you. It’s proof of your own personal rejection of God. If you didn’t reject God, you wouldn’t sin. And the wages of sin is death. (Romans 6:23). You can’t get away from it. It’s like being stuck swimming in a stormy sea. You can’t get to shore. You can’t swim forever. The sea is too deep and the waves are too high. Eventually you will drown in death.

Ah, but that’s what Holy Baptism is all about. Jesus is there in your death. Paul declares it. It is God’s promise in Baptism. Jesus is there in your death. He grabs you out of the water you are drowning in. He pulls you out of the darkness.

Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him.

It’s not an idle promise either. Jesus didn’t just die he was raised. He wasn’t just carried into the tomb, he walked out of it. Jesus promises resurrection though the stormy bowl. Luther said it clearly.

What benefits does Baptism give?

It works forgiveness of sins, rescues from death and the devil, and gives eternal salvation to all who believe this, as the words and promises of God declare.

He’s only saying what Paul says.

For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.

Jesus dead and buried and raised again. We are united with that, with God’s Name connected to the Water. Promised a resurrection after death. Jesus proves he has power over death.

We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him.

It’s all good, but sin is still pulling you down. Every day you have to deal with falling short of what God tells you to do and not do. Most days it doesn’t feel like swimming but drowning. So what about that walking in newness of life that is promised?

It’s you sinful nature. The part of you that has evil thoughts and desires you hate. The part of you that lives for sin. Paul knew it. He says

For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing.” (Romans 7:18–19, ESV)

You know it. It’s the life you live every day.

Well, that too, is dealt with at this stormy little bowl. Luther

What does such baptizing with water indicate?

It indicates that the Old Adam in us should by daily contrition and repentance be drowned and die with all sins and evil desires, and that a new man should daily emerge and arise to live before God in righteousness and purity forever.

Confess your sin and repent. Drag that old sinful nature, that heart of sin, to the bowl. Let him be drowned and die. Let the evil desires be washed away in the water. Die again to sin.

So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.

It’s the only way to beat it. Jesus does it. He stand hip deep in the Jordan River, baptized by John. He’s in the water with you. Your sinful nature is washed onto him. He walks up out of the water and to the cross.

For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God.

Once and for all time, he crucifies your sinful nature dead, done, buried in the tomb. And the life he lives now is yours.

There it is in that little, terrible, dangerous, wonderful, stormy bowl of water. Amen.

The peace of God that passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.

Romans 6:1-11; The Baptism of Our Lord; January 11, 2014;

Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, Creston & Mount Ayr, Iowa;

What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. For one who has died has been set free from sin. Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.” (Romans 6:1–11, ESV)

(from a devotion by Robert Bernhardt, http://visualfeast.csl.edu/2012/01/19/baptism-of-our-lord-romans-61-11/)

Grace and peace to you from Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.

There’s a lot going on in that little bowl. I know it doesn’t look like much, but it’s really kind of a storm. None of you is looking at this little splash of water thinking dark thoughts of fear and trepidation. But maybe you should. In fact, these waters are downright treacherous. Here, right here, for some of you, you knocked on death’s door. St. Paul says it,

Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?

It’s a drowning. A dying. We experience death with Jesus. The moment the pastor says, “I baptize you in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit”, a killing, a drowning takes place. You are dead and raised. Death swirls around you in the water. Jesus’ death and yours. And don’t think for a moment that his death wasn’t real, or yours for that matter. He was pierced by nails, and stabbed by a spear. His heart filled with blood and stopped beating. He was taken down and buried in a tomb.

You see, death is the problem isn’t it. The grave. The place you will go sooner or later. A problem brought to us because of Adam and Eve. They rejected God. They fell into sin. To reject God is to reject the life he gives as a gift. They brought God sure promise of death as punishment, and not only death but permanent death, death that is total separation from God. Hell, created for Satan and the fallen angels, is the destination for all those who reject God. But it’s worse than you want to believe. Sin is in you. It’s proof of your own personal rejection of God. If you didn’t reject God, you wouldn’t sin. And the wages of sin is death. (Romans 6:23). You can’t get away from it. It’s like being stuck swimming in a stormy sea. You can’t get to shore. You can’t swim forever. The sea is too deep and the waves are too high. Eventually you will drown in death.

Ah, but that’s what Holy Baptism is all about. Jesus is there in your death. Paul declares it. It is God’s promise in Baptism. Jesus is there in your death. He grabs you out of the water you are drowning in. He pulls you out of the darkness.

Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him.

It’s not an idle promise either. Jesus didn’t just die he was raised. He wasn’t just carried into the tomb, he walked out of it. Jesus promises resurrection though the stormy bowl. Luther said it clearly.

What benefits does Baptism give?

It works forgiveness of sins, rescues from death and the devil, and gives eternal salvation to all who believe this, as the words and promises of God declare.

He’s only saying what Paul says.

For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.

Jesus dead and buried and raised again. We are united with that, with God’s Name connected to the Water. Promised a resurrection after death. Jesus proves he has power over death.

We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him.

It’s all good, but sin is still pulling you down. Every day you have to deal with falling short of what God tells you to do and not do. Most days it doesn’t feel like swimming but drowning. So what about that walking in newness of life that is promised?

It’s you sinful nature. The part of you that has evil thoughts and desires you hate. The part of you that lives for sin. Paul knew it. He says

For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing.” (Romans 7:18–19, ESV)

You know it. It’s the life you live every day.

Well, that too, is dealt with at this stormy little bowl. Luther

What does such baptizing with water indicate?

It indicates that the Old Adam in us should by daily contrition and repentance be drowned and die with all sins and evil desires, and that a new man should daily emerge and arise to live before God in righteousness and purity forever.

Confess your sin and repent. Drag that old sinful nature, that heart of sin, to the bowl. Let him be drowned and die. Let the evil desires be washed away in the water. Die again to sin.

So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.

It’s the only way to beat it. Jesus does it. He stand hip deep in the Jordan River, baptized by John. He’s in the water with you. Your sinful nature is washed onto him. He walks up out of the water and to the cross.

For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God.

Once and for all time, he crucifies your sinful nature dead, done, buried in the tomb. And the life he lives now is yours.

There it is in that little, terrible, dangerous, wonderful, stormy bowl of water. Amen.

The peace of God that passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.

1 Peter 1:3-9; The Second Sunday of Easter; April 27, 2014;

Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, Creston & Mount Ayr, Iowa;

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.” (1 Peter 1:3–9, ESV)

Grace and peace to you from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

St. Peter tells us that we have a living hope that is founded in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. And indeed, it is the resurrection of Jesus Christ that makes all the difference for Christianity. St. Paul agrees:

And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain.” (1 Corinthians 15:14, ESV)

It is impossible to overestimate the value of the resurrection to your life of faith. The resurrection is the proof that what Jesus offers, all of his work, and chiefly forgiveness of sins that he won on the cross, is real. Like one of my professors once said. If Jesus had gone around making hair grow and billiard balls, it would’ve indeed been a miracle. But it is a miracle that would’ve meant nothing, except to bald billiard balls. (Dr. John Warwick Montgomery) But Jesus most important miracle, his resurrection from the dead, attacks the real problem of the human condition. The celebration of Easter is all in recognition of the fact that Jesus has risen from the dead. Jesus resurrection is the key to everything that plagues human beings. It’s the key because the resurrection is the defeat of death. Not just death in general, but your death! This is why St. Peter calls it a living hope. It’s not just a living hope because it’s based on Jesus passing through death to life, but it is a sure hope founded in the promises of the one who is living and was dead. It is the resurrection of Jesus that makes all of his promises true.

In the book of Hebrews the author writes,

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” (Hebrews 11:1, ESV)

It is the assurance of our hope that St. Peter is talking about. We have assurance and all that Jesus has done because he was stone cold dead on the cross but walked again out of the tomb on Easter morning. His death is our forgiveness and his resurrected life is our assurance that is forgiveness is true. St. Clement of Alexandria wrote, “Christ rises again in us according to our faith, just as earlier he died in us because of our unbelief.” (Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture, volume X I, page 69) and again, St. Paul,

But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.” (1 Corinthians 15:20, ESV)

The idea firstfruits is the very first fruit of the harvest. It’s the promise of everything that is yet to come. And so Jesus resurrection is the promise of our resurrection. The promise of your resurrection!

But the resurrection is nothing without Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross, because the life of Jesus after the resurrection is the life of Jesus that was sacrificed into death because of our sin. The resurrection without forgiveness is a resurrection to eternal hell, not “an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading kept in heaven for you.” And it is indeed an inheritance. One earned by Christ, not earned by you. It is given to you, “according to [God’s] great mercy.” To quote St. Paul once again in his letter to Pastor Titus,

[God] saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit,” (Titus 3:5, ESV)

God in his mercy sent Jesus Christ to the cross to suffer the punishment of our sin. With that punishment satisfied there is forgiveness for all sin. And as St. Peter and St. Paul both state, “he has caused us to be born again to a living hope” and “the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit.” “Born again” and “washing and regeneration” are the very same thing. St. Peter even makes it more clear in chapter 3 verse 21 of this very same letter.

Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,” (1 Peter 3:21, ESV)

The appeal for a good conscience is forgiveness applied to you and me in faith through Holy Baptism. Baptism means that God forgives you, saves you. That Jesus death and resurrection are your death and resurrection. His death is your forgiveness and his resurrection is your life forever.

St. Peter applies the meaning of the resurrection directly to you. He says that since Jesus has suffered your punishment, God does not need to punish you. Therefore, nothing of your life in this world is punishment from God. St. Peter says that as you wait for the resurrection you rejoice. That is, you take joy in the fact of your resurrection promised in Jesus. Even though, at times, in this life we are “grieved by various trials.” Because of God’s promises made to you through Holy Baptism, these various trials are not punishment but testing. Because Holy Baptism is your personal promise, that Jesus is connected to you. His death is your death. His punishment on the cross for sin is your punishment on the cross for sin. And his resurrection from death is your resurrection.

Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.” (Romans 6:3–5, ESV)

This wonderful verse is what we read at the beginning of a funeral service. That’s because the promise of Jesus death and resurrection, your death and resurrection, stands there in the face of your death.

So, this means, that as hard as life gets you have the promise of the resurrection. So the hardness of life is nothing but a test to push you closer to Jesus. When sickness is a trial for you and reminds you of your death, you know that the resurrection is at hand. The sickness may kill you, but you will rise again. When work is hard and unsatisfying, you look forward to the resurrection when work will all be joyful in the presence of Christ. When your friends and family let you down, when your relationships with them are shattered because of sin, you look forward to the resurrection. After the resurrection, human relationships will be perfect, unspoiled by sin. When your body is less than it once was, you look forward to the resurrection when your soul will be rejoined to your body and you will be perfect and perfectly human in every way. And when you suffer the separation of death, you look forward to the resurrection, when all those who have died in faith will rise to new life together with Christ.

It is all there in the “living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.” It’s the power of the dead made alive. It’s the promise of the one who was dead and is alive, who can make you alive again after death. Amen.

The peace of God that passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.

1 John 4:7–16; The Eve of the Nativity of Our Lord; December 24, 2013;

Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, Creston & Mt Ayr, Iowa;

Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us. By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. (1 John 4:7–16, ESV)

Grace and peace to you from Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

It seems easy to love tonight. The baby in the manger and Mary and Joseph and the angels and shepherds all looking on. Even people outside of the church have love in their hearts tonight. And there's no question about it,

In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him.

Christmas is about love. The gift giving, family gatherings, the crowded stores, the red kettles, it's all around us. The whole world glows with love at Christmas. But it won't be very long before you hear the refrain, "Keep Christmas in your heart all of the year." And it's a good idea, but it doesn't seem to follow through. After the news reports about all the wonderful things people are doing, soon the paper will be filled with disaster, murder, theft, war, and cruelty. The love of Christmas will be put on the shelf for next year. The magic of Christmas fades away into the reality of what it means to be human. Sin abides. Death abides.

The reality of human beings is exactly what the catechism is talking about. The reality of human beings is exactly the reason why Holy Baptism is so important.

Holy Baptism - Fourth

What does such baptizing with water indicate?

It indicates that the Old Adam in us should by daily contrition and repentance be drowned and die with all sins and evil desires, and that a new man should daily emerge and arise to live before God in righteousness and purity forever.

Our old sinful nature has its way. We so easily fall under its control. The sins of our heart and are evil desires crop up and cause trouble, and pain, and sorrow, and even death. It is exactly the opposite of love. Exactly the opposite of what we celebrate at Christmas time.

And you could point outside of yourself to your neighbors who don't keep Christmas all the year, but the problem is closer to home. If God is love, and you fail to show love, then you do not belong to God. If you do not belong to God your eternal destiny is not with him, but instead you are separated from him in eternal punishment.

And how good does your love have to be? You can answer that question by simply thinking about what your lack of love does. When you fail to show love at any time does it have consequences? The answer is yes. You have relationships that are broken. You have enemies. You have family members that you can't tolerate. Your workplace is full of rumors and conflict. In order for love to have its complete effect in the world love must be always perfect. After all, God's love is perfect and your should be as well. Anything less than perfect love has a butterfly effect of trouble, and pain, and sorrow, and even death.

But it's Christmas. Love is in the air. And so it should be. Because God is love. And love was born in a manger. That squirming little baby is more than a symbol of love. He is true love.

In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him.

And that life that St. Paul is talking about in this text is a life of love. It comes because God has assured us that we are part of him. He has taken care of our sin. The baby in the manger, Jesus Christ, is the answer to the world's sin, the worlds lack of love. The manger is the beginning. The cross is the point. The resurrection is the proof. Jesus Christ, true God, and true man, born of the Virgin Mary, was crucified, suffered and was buried, dead. The love of God is shown to the world by his bearing the punishment for our sin. It is God's act of true love to sacrifice himself on the cross for the sins of the whole world. That's your sin. That's my sin. That's you lack of perfect love and mine. Taken to the cross and killed with Jesus. So every time we struggle to do the right thing. Every time we fall short of God's perfect expectation. Every time we out right do what we know we should not do. The forgiveness of the cross is there. Christians are not perfect. They are like everyone else, we struggle with sin every day. But repentance is faith that Jesus death on the cross has done something about our sin. Repentance is living in the knowledge that when we take our sin to the cross, we know Jesus was crucified for it, and we find forgiveness there.

And there is also the resurrection. Jesus dead three days raises to new life. Sin is done away with. It is left in the grave. The resurrection is God's stamp of approval on what Jesus did. But it is also a promise that we can live in a way that shows God's love. We can live a new life. Again, this is why Holy Baptism is so important. Not only is it a drowning of our sinful nature, but it's a connection to our new life.

Where is this written?

St. Paul writes in Romans, chapter six: "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 6:4)

If we are connected to Jesus in such a way, if he has raised us from our death in sin, how can we not show that love to everyone around us.

In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.

That's the new life. That is love. To proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ born in a manger, dead on the cross, and resurrected to new life. And through our connection to Jesus through faith and Holy Baptism we have God's love. And if it is God's love it is perfect love. And if it is perfect love it flows out not because we do it so well, but because it is God's.

That's the new life we have to live. That's the love we have to give. Why the manger is so important. Because the manger is the beginning of real love come into the world.

So, Christmas is the perfect time to show our love. Through gifts given, family time shared, and care for those who are in great need. It's the easiest time of year to connect what we do to the one who gave us love first. Because the cliché is true, Jesus is indeed reason for the season. The joy of the season is the baby born, but even more importantly the baby grown-up and crucified.

In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.

Amen.

The peace of God that passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.

Galatians 3:23-4:7; Advent Service Three; December 18, 2013;

Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, Creston, Iowa;

Now before faith came, we were held captive under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith would be revealed. So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise. I mean that the heir, as long as he is a child, is no different from a slave, though he is the owner of everything, but he is under guardians and managers until the date set by his father. In the same way we also, when we were children, were enslaved to the elementary principles of the world. But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God. (Galatians 3:23—4:7, ESV)

Grace and peace to you from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

"In the fullness of time." Less than a week from now we will celebrate "the fullness of time". But it's more than celebrating the birth of The Baby. It's more than putting Jesus back in the nativity scene. Or making Jesus the Reason for the Season.

When the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. (Galatians 4:4-5,ESV)

The fullness of time is about our adoption as sons (and daughters). And it is about what our adoption actually means. We were captive under the law. Under the law we are unable to save ourselves. Under the law we are required to be perfect. Any small infraction of the law breaks the whole. Under the law we are, because of our sinful nature, hell bound.

Our lives are lived to keep us busy enough to avoid the reality, numb our guilt. We live one event to the next, with no time in between to breathe or think. We think it's better that way. We think that's the best way to get the most out of life. We need to experience all we can. But the one thing we should see in our busy lives is our sin. Sin is the reason for the presence of evil. It corrupts everything we do. Sin brings death. Death makes everything we do empty. And it's even worse at this time of year. Far from being a relaxing time spent with family and friends, these holidays are mach speed busyness. Satan has you distracted. In your effort to make it the best holiday season ever, he reinforces the lie that what's important is family time, gifts given, and the joy you should be feeling at the season. It seems as if every event leading up to Christmas is an effort to mask the real reason for the season. That we are sinful people in need of a Savior.

But, "in the fullness of time" we are no longer slaves to our sinful nature, but we are set free, justified by grace. This is the gift of Holy Baptism. It is water poured on us that works forgiveness of sins, rescues from death and the devil, and gives eternal salvation to all who believe. Water alone couldn't do such wonderful things. Water alone couldn't connect us to the crucified, yet living, baby born in a manger. Or as the catechism says:

Certainly not just water, but the word of God in and with the water does these things, along with the faith which trusts this Word of God in the water. For without God's word the water is plain water and no Baptism. But with the word of God it is a Baptism, that is, a life-giving water, rich in grace, and a washing of the new birth in the Holy Spirit, as St. Paul says in Titus, chapter three, "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, so that, having been justified by His grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.

The water and God's name are a rebirth and renewal, life giving. The work of the Holy Spirit through God's promises. Adoption as sons and daughters. With all the benefits and inheritances that come as a natural consequence of adoption. It's not just water. It's water and God's word and faith. Faith is clinging to the promises of God in the sure and certain hope of the forgiveness won by Jesus Christ on the cross. Faith is turning with sin to the one who offers forgiveness through the cleansing found in the water and the embedded Word of God.

There is no better way to understand God's grace, that is his undeserved love for us, then to see baptism for what it is. Not a washing that we do to ourselves, but a washing that God does to us, for us. It is his promise that makes it what it is. It is his promise that gives us the forgiveness of sins. It is his promise that gives us life and salvation. It is trust in these promises (that is what faith is) that gives us all these benefits of inheritance.

In the stable, in the manger, is the one through whom God is making his promise true. The angels sing. The shepherds worship. Mary and Joseph stand in awe. The baby is God's answer to the problem of human sin, your sin. He brings you forgiveness through his perfect life lived, his death on the cross where he suffers eternal hell for you, and his resurrection to new life as your promise of the very same. The baby is God himself in human flesh. He comes in the fullness of time to give you all these gifts. And you are connected directly to the baby in the manger through the washing of the new birth in the Holy Spirit. Amen.

The peace of God that passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.

Mark 16:16; Advent Service Two; December 11, 2013;

Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, Creston & Mt. Ayr, Iowa;

Holy Baptism - Second

What benefits does Baptism give?

It works forgiveness of sins, rescues from death and the devil, and gives eternal salvation to all who believe this, as the words and promises of God declare.

Which are these words and promises of God?

Christ our Lord says in the last chapter of Mark, "Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned." (Mark 16:16)

Advent: a Babe, a Thief and a Font.

Grace and peace to you from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

A Babe

It starts with a baby in a manger, and a mother and her husband, and angels and shepherd's. It is God come into the world in human flesh.

"Away in a Manger."

That's what we think about when you think of Advent. Maybe our talking about Holy Baptism in this pre-Christmas season seems a little off. We'd rather focus on the cuddly little baby in swaddling clothes, angels singing, shepherds kneeling at manger side, Mary and Joseph beaming at the birth.

"Angels we have heard on high."

After all that is what Christmas is about; joy and happiness in new life, comfort and joy.

"And little Lord Jesus no crying he makes."

We'd be perfectly happy to sit there in the manger with the strangely quiet newborn.

But the joy of the manger only comes from the knowledge of what the child is come to do. The joy we have at Christmas is in the rescue that God offers in the cradle that goes to the cross. The comfort, the Good News that Jesus is born, is in knowing that this tiny baby is the sin bearer of the world. He comes to bring forgiveness of sins, rescue from death and the devil, and give eternal salvation, to you, through faith and the font.

"God and sinners reconciled."

Without the promises delivered by God's Word and water. There is no comfort and joy in Christmas. Because in the font through faith God applies to you everything that Jesus did, from birth, perfect life, to perfect sacrifice on the cross. These are the benefits the baptism gives. These are the benefits that baptism gives for you! As Martin Luther says, "for where there is forgiveness of sins there is life and salvation."

"Nails, spear shall pierce him through, the cross he bore for me, for you;"

A Thief

One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him, saying, “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!” But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.” And he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.” (Luke 23:39-43, ESV)

Funny then, that when we are considering the benefits of Holy Baptism, the example we give is a thief who on the cross died without it. One thief crucified with our Lord, curses the manger's child, the other begs to be remembered. One cries out in faith. The other rejects God on the cross.

"Of the Father's love begotten."

Faith clings to the newborn King who hangs naked and bleeding and dying on the cross. The thief there with him saw him for who he was. Jesus was present with him in his greatest need. He saw his Savior and the forgiveness that was there on the cross for him. He receives directly from Jesus exactly the benefit that baptism gives.

[Jesus] works forgiveness of sins, rescues from death and the devil, and gives eternal salvation to all who believe this, as the words and promises of God declare.

The thief had no doubt about his sin. It was there with him in the flesh, written in his own just, bloody punishment. And his only hope was hanging unjustly next to him.

"Born to give them second birth."

And your need is great. The babe born in the stable is proof. Your sin pushes you toward your own just death. Sin lives in your flesh and you see it every day. You see it in the family holiday gathering that should be joyful but instead is filled with angst. You see it when you know what you should do for your spouse. You see it when you struggle to crawl out of bed on Sunday morning. You see it when you try to push your own self interest aside for the sake of your neighbor. You see it in the excuses that come into your mind when you are called upon to support your church. And the just punishment for all these is death. Not because your sins are so grievous, but because you are such a grievous sinner. Sin is living in a broken relationship with God. Sin is not loving God with your whole heart, soul, and mind, as God demands. And the family gathering, your struggles to do what is right, your selfishness, and your laziness are the result. Your relationship with God is broken. Your sins cling to your flesh. You need to be washed clean.

"No more let sins and sorrows grow nor thorns infest the ground."

A Font

You stand by the font and see the water in it is what you need. When you see dirt on your hands, you look for water to wash them clean. When you see your sin, you look for forgiveness in Jesus and the water in the font. In the font, you see the cross and the one who forgives. He is present next to you there in the Word to satisfy your greatest need.

“Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool.” (Isaiah 1:18, ESV)

It is a cleansing flood of Word and water. Word: God's promises come true in Jesus Christ. Water: washing your sin from you. All in God's name: "I baptize you in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit." All from God for forgiveness, rescue and life.

So we prepare for Christmas joy with repentance. Repentance is faith. Clinging in faith to the babe in the manger and the crucified and risen Lord. Having no doubt about our sin, and no doubt about our Savior.

"Joy to the world the Lord is come!"

The peace of God that passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.

Joel 2:12-13; March 9, 2011; Ash Wednesday;

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Grace and peace to you from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

“Yet even now,” declares the Lord, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; and rend your hearts and not your garments.” Return to the Lord, your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love; and he relents over disaster. (Joel 2:12-13, ESV)

Dear Christian friends;

Everything good, every positive thing the church has ever done begins with repentance. That’s what the prophet Joel is urging for us tonight. Return, repent, revive… God is gracious and merciful. He restores and rebuilds. Repentance is the first step to anywhere for the church. That’s because repentance first requires an accurate assessment of where we are, who we are and what we are. That’s what Ash Wednesday beings. That’s what the season of Lent is about; repentant joy in a Savior from sin and a realistic soul searching for the reason for this season.

It all begins here at Ash Wednesday. So far we’ve carefully examined our lives using God’s law the Ten Commandments. When we are honest with ourselves and not doing what comes natural to our sinful nature (like blaming others for our failings, making excuses, or exceptions for ourselves) we find we are far lacking of what the Commandments, and God requires. When you listen to each commandment as it piles on top of the previous one it destroys our self delusions and crushes all hope of living up to the demands. And then with all your sin hanging out the death blow comes “Remember, oh man, that dust you are and to dust you shall return!” Death is coming for you. It is the wages of sin. And death means judgment and God is a severe judge. Keeping the commandments is a pipe dream. If we don’t fall into the thousand generations because we don’t keep the commandments, we surly fall into the third and fourth generation facing punishment. And right there on your face is the sooty smudge to prove it.

All of this is the first part of confession that we read in Luther’s Catechism. It’s the “we confess our sins” part. It doesn’t only mean to add up the cost of our particular sins. It means also to “plead guilty of all sins, even those we are not aware of.” That is, to say about ourselves what God says about us. We are sinners who sin. We sin in thought word, and deed by what we have done and left undone. We do not deserve anything God would give to us, let alone forgiveness.

And here we stand, before God, with nothing to offer but our sin, pleading for mercy,

Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me. (Psalm 51, ESV)

And then, there is the second part of confession. It is the pronouncement of what we don’t deserve. We call it absolution. It is a wet word. Do you hear “solution” in it? It is the drowning of our sinful nature again in Holy Baptism. Martin Luther says that Baptism

…indicates that the Old Adam in us should by daily contrition and repentance be drowned and die with all sins and evil desires, and that a new man should daily emerge and arise to live before God in righteousness and purity forever.

It isn’t some kind of magic, but a connection to God’s grace and mercy. It is God abounding in steadfast love. It is the gift of Jesus on the cross.

When we go to God with our sins in hand he doesn’t forgive because we repent. He doesn’t forgive because we are sorry for our sin and don’t want to sin again. He forgives because of Jesus. That’s what Holy Baptism is a connection to Jesus. Without Jesus even repentant sinners would have nothing but God’s anger.

Jesus is God’s answer to his anger. Get out the Self Examination Sheet again. Look over the questions again, especially the one where you see your own failure. Mark them with a little cross. Because where you failed Jesus did not. The questions that are your downfall are Jesus’ victory. In fact, that’s exactly what righteousness means, “keeping God’s commandments perfectly.” On every single question (and more) Jesus answers correctly. He keeps the commandments to their fullest and deepest meaning. And Jesus doesn’t just do it right, he is perfectly righteous in every thought, word and deed. It is so utterly true that God the Father says of Jesus, “This is my beloved son, with whom I am well pleased!” And to prove to you that this is true for Jesus, after Jesus was … crucified, died and was buried. He descended into hell. The third day He rose again from the dead (Apostles’ Creed). No history is more important that the resurrection of Jesus Christ. He conquers sin by conquering death. The wages of Jesus death is life. This is why God is slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. On the cross innocent Jesus is put to death as the greatest sinner of all time. Every commandment is piled on him. One after another the wages of the broken commandments are heaped on Jesus. Sinless Jesus carries our sin through the cross into death. His righteousness is enough to cover it all. The punishment for sin is done to death in Jesus Christ.

And now, dear Christian, the connection: It is for you. Jesus life. Jesus death. Jesus resurrection. For you, all of it. Trust God to be gracious and merciful to you because Jesus did all this for you. God relents from disaster because Jesus was the disaster for you. Cling in faith to Jesus. Rejoice in Jesus as your forgiveness in the face of your confession. Jesus is the absolution. And it is right here at the font. The old Adam drowned. The new man rising. Jesus death and resurrection. Your death and resurrection. Your confession of sins. God’s gracious and merciful forgiveness. That’s Holy Baptism for you.

Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. For one who has died has been set free from sin. ” (Romans 6:3–7, ESV)

In this Baptism God claims you as his own child. The hymn says it: “God’s own child, I gladly says it, I am baptized into Christ!” This is what it means. This is repentance. Sin and forgiveness coming together for me in Jesus Christ. Poured over me with water and God’s Word. Confession and absolution are that Baptism re-visited, remembered, repeated every day. The drowning of our sin again and again and the raising of a new child of God. Amen.

The peace of God that passes all understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.

Mark.1.4-11; The Baptism of Our Lord, January 11, 2009

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John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. And all the country of Judea and all Jerusalem were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. Now John was clothed with camel’s hair and wore a leather belt around his waist and ate locusts and wild honey. And he preached, saying, “After me comes he who is mightier than I, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. I have baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.” In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And when he came up out of the water, immediately he saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.” (Mark 1:4-11, ESV)

Grace and peace to you from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

I don’t know if you’ve ever seen the Jordan River, I haven’t, except in pictures. It’s a crooked running little thing, and muddy too. When you look at the pictures its hard to understand why anyone would ever go there to wash to get clean. But this is where John the Baptizer was working. He stood out there in the muddy stream calling people to repent of their sin and when they did he baptized them, in that muddy, dirty water. It is an interesting picture don’t you think? If you looked at the river you’d have second thoughts about washing in it.

There’s another story from the bible that helps us to understand this picture. Way back in 2 kings there was a man name Naaman. He was the commander of the army of Syria. He was a brave man, but he had a problem. He had lepersy. There was an Isralite girl there who told him about the prophet Elisha. She said that if he lived where Elisha lived he could be cured. When word got to the king, he sent Naaman, with money and a letter to the king of Israel. The king wasn’t very happy with the situation. He thought it was a trap. But, Elisha told him to send Naaman on ahead. When Naaman got to Elisha’s door Elisha sent out his messenger.

“Go to the Jordan river and wash seven times and you will be clean.”

Now picture in your mind the river we described before. Here is a very proud man asked to bath in a very dirty, muddy river. Naaman isn’t too happy with the situation.

“I came all this way for this! The prophet didn’t even see me. He just sent his servant. I could just as well have washed in clean rivers at home!”

He began to leave in a rage. But Naaman’s servants convinced him that he should do what the prophet said. So he went down and dipped himself in the river seven times. He was completely healed. In fact, the Bible uses the word “clean.”

Now, if you had seen the pictures of the Jordan, or if you’ve been there, you wouldn’t think anyone could get clean in any way washing in that dirty little stream. But, John is doing just that. And people were going out to him in bunches. In fact:

...all the country of Judea and all Jerusalem were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.

A little bit like Naaman, the folks came to John, confessed their sins, dipped in the water of the Jordan River and were clean. They were baptized, that is they were washed, and John told them their sins were forgiven.

So, Jesus comes to the muddy water of the Jordan to be baptized by John. In this reading we don’t get any of John’s arguments about not wanting to do it. We just hear about what happened when it was all done.

And when [Jesus] came up out of the water, immediately he saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.” (Mark 1:10-11, ESV)

The baptism of Jesus begins his public ministry. It’s a sort of job initiation. Here is where Jesus work really begins publicly. After he’s baptized, the Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness, to be tempted by Satan. Jesus is off and running, doing what he’s been sent to do, and it all starts right there in the muddy water of the Jordan.

Actually, I think, there’s a very important phrase there in the text that helps us to really understand what’s going on here.

In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan.

That’s right. I think it’s extremely important to take note of the fact that Jesus was baptized in the Jordan. Why? Well, just think about what John was doing there. People were coming from all over to be washed of their sin. They confessed, were washed and forgiven. It’s like all their sin was washed off into that muddy, dirty water. When Jesus stands on the bank looking in, what he sees is a sewer of sin. He doesn’t complain like Naaman. He doesn’t need convincing. He walks right in and is baptized. The difference between Naaman and Jesus, the difference between Jesus and all those people who washed there is that Jesus didn’t have any sin to wash away. Instead he sucks it all up into himself. He becomes the carrier of sin. John poured water on him and said God’s name and Jesus became the sin bearer.

From there Jesus walked and talked and taught and laughed and cried. From there Jesus carried sin to the cross. He was pinned to the cross with all that dirty, filthy, sewer of sin. And through his death he left it there. He rose again from death free from sin again.

Now look at that blue sheet in the bulletin again. This morning we began our service with a remembrance of your baptism. Listen again to just a few words from Luther’s Catechism.

What is Baptism?

Baptism is not just plain water, but it is the water included in God's command and combined with God's word.

What benefits does Baptism give?

It works forgiveness of sins, rescues from death and the devil, and gives eternal salvation to all who believe this, as the words and promises of God declare.

How can water do such great things?

Certainly not just water, but the word of God in and with the water does these things, along with the faith which trusts this Word of God in the water. For without God's word the water is plain water and no Baptism. But with the word of God it is a Baptism, that is, a life-giving water, rich in grace, and a washing of the new birth in the Holy Spirit.

St. Paul writes in Romans, chapter six: "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 6:4)

All the promises that God makes to his people for washing away of sin is made true for you in Baptism. One part of the new service of Holy Baptism in the new hymnal is the prayer called “the Flood Prayer.” If you turn to p. 269 in the hymnal you can see it. There’s one phrase of it that is fit for today.

Through the Baptism in the Jordan of Your beloved Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, You sanctified and instituted all waters to be a blessed flood and a lavish washing away of sin.

You see it? Do you see the connection between your baptism and Jesus baptism? Here at this font you were washed for the forgiveness of sin. All your sin, the filthiness that is in your heart was washed into the water. I’m talking about your selfishness, your pride, your sinful desires all of it. That little bowl of water became a muddy sewer of sin, just like the Jordan River. And all that sin, all your sin, was sucked up into Jesus. He got rid of it for you, on the cross. His death is your death, to get rid of sin. His resurrection is your resurrection to a new and clean life; buried with Jesus in death, alive with Jesus in resurrection.

Your have a new life through Jesus Baptism and yours; free from the slavery to sin; free from the fear of punishment for it too.

And just so you get the point even a bit more, your baptismal connection to Jesus isn’t just a one time deal. No, you don’t have to come up here and dunk your head in the tank again. Martin Luther is well know for saying its not that we were baptized but that we are baptized. Every day live in the promises of our baptism. We are baptized, we have forgiveness, we are clean, we do live forever.

What does such baptizing with water indicate?

It indicates that the Old Adam in us should by daily contrition and repentance be drowned and die with all sins and evil desires, and that a new man should daily emerge and arise to live before God in righteousness and purity forever.

That describes our life as a Christian. Daily we bring our sin to the cross through our Baptism to be killed with Christ. Daily Jesus puts on us his perfect life, the forgiveness of sins. And daily in that forgiveness we live and serve our neighbor.

Baptized into Your name most holy,
O Father, Son, and Holy Ghost,
I claim a place, though weak and lowly,
Among Your saints, Your chosen host.
Buried with Christ and dead to sin,
Your Spirit now shall live within.

All that I am and love most dearly—
Receive it all, O Lord, from me.
Let me confess my faith sincerely;
Help me Your faithful child to be!
Let nothing that I am or own
Serve any will but Yours alone.

Amen.

The peace of God that passes all understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.