Your Baptism - Today

Advent 2 - December 4, 2005

Mark 1:1-8

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

When was the last time you picked up your Catechism and read it? Or any part of it? Oh, by the way, Luther’s Small Catechism isn’t that entire blue book you have, it is only the first 45 or so pages. Luther’s Small Catechism consists of his preface, about eight pages, and then, four sections that cover probably another 40 to 50 pages. The rest of your blue book then, is the explanation of Luther’s Small Catechism, some 200 or more pages, depending on which version you have. That portion is synodically produced addition, designed to be a teaching tool.

Some are wondering about those four sections, thinking, “I always thought there were six chief parts?” Yes, there are. And unfortunately, that’s about all most pastor’s teach, so it is about all that most good Lutherans ever study. Maybe that’s because the Six Chief Parts is all that the longer explanation portion of the catechism covers - that long section with questions, answers, and bible verses that takes up the majority of what most people consider the Catechism. In fact, besides Luther’s Morning & Evening Prayers, the Six Chief Parts are the only thing published in the little booklet form that many people remember.

But in all honesty, Six Chief Parts are only the first section for the Catechism. There is also the second section of Daily Prayers - Luther’s simple suggestions for the daily prayer life for every Christian. The third section is called the Table of Duties, and looks at some of the different roles we may have in life - parents, children, employers, employees, etc... Luther gives Bible passages that suggest how God would have us live our lives in our different vocations.

Finally, there is a section entitled Christian Questions With Their Answers: for those who intend to go to the sacrament. This section, as suggested by the title, was intended by Luther to be used by those who plan to come to the Lord’s Supper. They are questions and answers that help us mentally and spiritually prepare for the gracious gifts we are to receive.

Now, how many of you are familiar with any of the three sections, other than the Six Chief Parts? And in case some of you have forgotten, the Six Chief Parts cover; the Ten Commandments, the Creed, the Lord’s Prayer, the Sacrament of Baptism, Confession and the Office of the Keys, and the Sacrament of the Altar. Given that today we gather at the Table of our Lord, how many of you knew there were questions and answers to help you prepare for this Blessed Sacrament, much less used them beforehand?

I would guess, for the most part, many here think that the catechism is for kids to learn from. That is indeed true, for it contains the very basics of the Christian faith. Yet, how many of you here could tell me what the meaning of the 2nd Article of the Creed is? Could you tell me what the 8th Commandment is? Consider this, if you cannot tell me what it is, do you truly believe it - or live your life according to it?

While only a few may remember all of what they learned concerning the Six Chief Parts, it is tragic that most people know little to nothing about the other three sections of the catechism. It is even worse, shame on the pastors who never taught the other sections or even introduced them. At a guess, the vast majority of people never even read Luther’s Preface to the Catechism.

Listen to what Luther wrote in his preface, it explains why he prepared the catechism. In the beginning of his Preface to the Small Catechism he wrote the following.

The deplorable, miserable conditions which I recently observed when visiting the parishes have constrained and pressed me to put this catechism of Christian doctrine into this brief, plain, and simple form. How pitiable, so help me God, were the things I saw; the common man, especially in the villages, knows practically nothing of Christian doctrine, and many of the pastors are almost entirely incompetent and unable to teach. Yet all the people are supposed to be Christians, have been baptized, and receive the Holy Sacrament even though they do not know the Lord's Prayer, the Creed, or the Ten Commandments and live like poor animals of the barnyard and pigpen. What these people have mastered, however, is the fine art of tearing all Christian liberty to shreds.

Now, how many of you here have read any portion of your Catechism recently? How many of you picked it up and dusted around it on the bookshelf? How many of you remember the stuff you learned in it all those years ago?

Our text today is the beginning of Mark’s Gospel. It is the Gospel about Jesus Christ, the Son of God. And in this text, Baptism and confession of sins are intimately tied together. In this text, two of the Six Chief Parts that re the first section in the Catechism are made an integral part of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

It is deplorable that so many people, including good Lutherans, see baptism as something long in their past. Too many see baptism as what happened to them as a baby and doesn’t really much matter in their life anymore. Luther doesn’t understand baptism this way, his Small Catechism makes that clear. How many of you remember what he wrote?

He asked, 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.

But it isn’t only Luther who has this understanding of baptism. God understands baptism in this way as we can see from Luther’s next question, when he asks,

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).

John came, baptizing in the desert region, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. So if you can repent once, be baptized, and that’s it, then there shouldn’t be any sinning going on out there by any of you. Hmm, not the way it goes, is it.

You know, that’s part of the problem. How many try to deny their sinfulness? It is amazing how many lies people will tell about the Christian faith. And what is the worst part, is that most of those lies are told not to others, but to themselves. They are the lies we tell so that we feel better about ourselves, that we’re not such bad people in God’s sight.

Here’s a great lie men like tell, “I’m just looking, not touching. You’re allowed to window shop, after all. You can look at the menu, you just can’t eat out.” Jesus said, “He who lusts after a woman in his heart has already committed adultery with her.”

How about the language lie? How many use God’s name in prayer, and then later in the day use God’s name in other ways. Or even worse, the day never begins in prayer, and the only time God’s name is used is when something goes wrong and God’s name, or Jesus name, slip out of our mouth. I didn’t know Jesus had a middle name, but to many, He has the middle initial ‘H’.

How about this excuse to explain our sinful lifestyle choices - “Everybody else does it.”

And all these things are “OK,” or at least, that’s the lie we tell ourselves so we don’t feel bad about our relationship to God.

The biggest sin all in this way of thinking is that this is an attempt to make salvation our own work. As if salvation, eternal life, and heaven aren’t God’s gracious work - all wrapped up and delivered to us in the forgiveness of sins. And that’s where baptism fits in. Baptism isn’t that one-time-thing that is now somewhere in your past. Baptism is your daily life - it is your daily contrition and repentance.

Repentance is not simply being "sorry," nor is it simply saying " I am sorry," for this or that particular sin. Repentance recognizes our sinfulness from the ground up, from the inside out. Repentance recognizes as sinful, not just what we do, but who we are and what we think as well. It is for this reason that repentance includes the desire to turn from our sinful ways and continue in them no longer - the desire to live a new life.

Repentance recognizes our separation from God, and the fact that we are unable to save ourselves from the predicament of death and damnation.

But more than that, repentance also entails a trust and confidence in the grace and mercy and forgiveness of God in Christ. Repentance also includes knowing that we have been turned away from our headlong flight into sin and death, back toward God and His Life and salvation.

Repentance therefore, on all counts, is God's work, not ours. We do not prepare ourselves for the coming of Christ Jesus, but we must be prepared by God, by the preaching of His Word. Just as John preach God’s Law in the desert and proclaimed the Gospel, by the water, Word and Spirit of Holy Baptism, so it is true today.

Today, your baptism is still an integral part of your daily life. You were united to Christ’s death and His resurrection through God’s gracious act in water and word. A new life was begun in you, you sinful nature drowned and a new man arisen in you. You have been baptized into Christ’s death, and His resurrection - given a new life - eternal life and salvation, and a life here and now that is different from the rest of humanity.

Your daily walk of faith begins there, in your baptism. God’s Word reminding you of your sinfulness and giving you a desire to live a new life. Your baptism is a reminder of your new condition, that God has called you by name, and you are now a forgiven and redeemed child of God. At your baptism God has called you out of the world, unto Himself - and He Himself keeps you there.

And that dear friends is what the Gospel of Jesus Christ is all about. That you are in Christ Jesus, a new man. God comes to you in gracious means to give to you your new condition and to remind of your place in His kingdom, given you in your adoption through water and the word.

You want confidence that heaven is yours and that God loves you? Do you want proof that you are in God’s grace, and that you are a Christian? Don’t look at your life and make excuses, trying to explain away your sins. You don’t need to do that.

Instead, look to your baptism. Remember Christ’s death, and that through baptism you are united to His death. Your sins have been crucified in that death. Your forgiveness purchased in that death, and bestowed upon you in water and word. You have a new life, for you are in Christ Jesus, now and forevermore. Amen.

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

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