Baptism

Dear friends of our Lord Jesus Christ + Baptizatus sum! That’s a comfort not only for that old monk from Wittenberg, but for all Christians. Especially for those, who trust God’s promises and believe that he’s faithful and does, what he says. That doesn’t exclude those who get up in the morning knowing that the old Adam has gotten up with them yet again as he keeps doing with trying insistence every jolly morning. That’s why the catechetical encouragement about prayer in the morning is pertinent even today which admonishes us to make the sign of the cross in remembrance of the baptismal exorcism:  Flee you evil Spirit and make room for the holy Spirit+ It’s that daily confirmation of the power shift we all went through at that baptismal climax in our lives: Receive the sign of the cross both on your forehead and on your chest! No longer caught up in darkness or futility, alienated from the life of God – but rather renewed by the Holy Spirit and enveloped with Jesus Christ like with a garment – new people, washed spotless, renewed to primordial status and dressed not to die, but to live for Christ died for us and for our salvation! That’s what Baptism offers. Baptism saves and gives eternal life. Good news for sure for the holy Saints of the Church like you! That’s why we happily crawl back into our baptism every day – [regressus ad baptismum] – and are not aiming to spiritual heights of utopia!

Encouragement also for us to remember those other 66% of all people on earth still extra ecclesiam – not yet baptised, perhaps even unreached by any other baptized saints and missionaries like Bonifatius [+ 5. June 754] and Hudson Taylor [+ 3.June 1905] and Aaron Ntuli [+ 1. June 2010] whose deaths the Church commemorates this week - unreached by the gospel – still walking as the Gentiles do, caught up in the old and futile ways of the forefathers, in darkness, alienated from God, ignorant and hardened of heart, corrupt and unable to help themselves or others on the way towards salvation. Noah and his family were saved because they were inside the ark. However extra ecclessiam nulla salus! Massa perditionis? Unbiblical speculation about so-called “Anonymous Christians” or the wishful thinking of a possible Apokatastasis panton will get us nowhere in our dealings with these statistics and demographics. The Lord has given his clear mandate to the Church as we just heard: Baptize them! Teach them! It’s up to us to hear and obey so that they too will praise God for the wonderful gift of Baptism together with all saints here and above.

In Baptism he - Jesus Christ – became our new identity because there in Baptism we are “created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness” so that from then on we may now live as new creations before God and all people. Now no longer I live, but rather IX lives in me. That’s the miraculous and joyful exchange taking place in Baptism. It’s truly a reason to rejoice and be happy – even early in the morning: „Lasset mich voll Freude sprechen, ich bin ein getaufter Christ ...” and in Robert Voelker’s paraphrase: „God’s own child, I gladly say it: I am baptized into Christ! He because I could not pay it, Gave me full redemption price. Do I need earth’s treasures many? I have one worth more than any That brought me salvation free Lasting to eternity!” [LSB 594]

Just imagine, what this could mean to discriminated and marginalized untouchables – like the lepers, taxcollectors and prostitutes in Israel of old, to the pariahs and Dalits in India in Mumbai or the Basarwa [NO-people] in the Kalahari? The latter were hunted in our country like vermin, because they were no people, but rather underdogs. Well, you find these No-People everywhere – but in and through Baptism such people are also called and invited to be adopted by the triune God as members of his family and children of heaven [AmaZulu] – elevated to be divine royalty! Marked by God’s approval - made his own for good.

Can you imagine what this godly gift and heavenly inheritance could mean to those lamenting questioningly: Senzeni na?[What did we do?] Isono sethu ubumnayama. [Our sin is our blackness] Isono sethu ubulili bethu bezifazane [Our sin is our female sex] - Amabhunu ayizinja. [We Whites are dogs] – therefore begging to be black [Antje Krog]!

Can you imagine the comfort of this godly washing and thorough cleansing granting lasting revitalization for those living with HIV/Aids? When baptized they too – even as terminally ill patients - are chosen by God’s grace to know, trust and confess with the song of faith: God’s own child, I gladly say it: I am baptized into Christ! He because I could not pay it, Gave me full redemption price. Do I need earth’s treasures many? I have one worth more than any That brought me salvation free Lasting to eternity!” [LSB 594]

Well, holy Baptism is a powerful antidote to the reoccurring harassment of the old Adam. The power of holy Baptism fights and overcomes our calamity of corruption and sinful fixation with colour, sex, class, caste or social standing, our works and sinful being: Babtizatus sum! The old given [human denominator] no longer counts against you. The triune God declares solemnly: Don’t be afraid. I will not hold this or that or anything against you. You are free! Go in peace! “Geh unter der Gnade, lieber Bruder!” No longer strangers or foreigners or outcasts or migrants, but rather people of God’s household and integrated into his family. Wow! No wonder the Ethiopian eunuch went his way rejoicing – walking tall like an Egyptian – even as a impotent castrate he was a blessed saint and heir of heaven!

Baptism makes confident, trusting and faithful people – trusting God’s mercy and forgiveness. It binds God’s people together into one holy Christian Church, uniting them in divine solidarity, godly community and faithful fellowship here on earth and also in heaven.  Holy Baptism is the common ground we stand on as we gather here to worship in the presence of him, who we venerate, adore and revere: Father, Son and Holy Spirit! Blessed Holy Trinity and undivided unity!

How can Baptism do such great things? Certainly not just water, but the word of God in and with the water does these things! Creatio ex nihilo! He calls that which is not there into being: Faith, new creation, Christian being and life, justification, membership in God’s family! It’s God’s word with the water making this flood a life-giving water, rich in grace and a washing of the new birth in the Holy Spirit. Therefore you are no longer caught up in the futility of old, in the alienation of the past, ignorant and with hardened hearts, no, new creations, reborn, a new self “created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness”. This is the miracle of Baptism, through which God has done great and blessed things amongst us! We praise him for that.

And as we go out walking past that font and seeing the icons next to the exit – we remember that we are on the way towards the last judgement and that we will only get through that trial there because through Holy Baptism we are at peace with God and under his grace and inside his saving Ark una sancta catholica ecclesia! That makes us rejoice and grateful: Baptizatus sum. We praise the triune God for that. Amen.

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