Sligo Presbyterian Church: Our Congregation and Community

Over the next couple of weeks, God has blessed our congregation with two baptisms. To better understand the sacrament, during two worship services, we’ll consider The Meaning of Baptism by discussing the following:

November 8 - What It Means for the Child
November 15 - What it Means for the Parents and Community

On Sunday, November 8, we discussed what baptism means for the child. Below is a video and the text of the sermon. You can stream the service by going to the Sligo Presbyterian Church YouTube Channel on Sundays at 10:00 a.m. (EDT). You can hear a podcast of the service at the Sligo Presbyterian Church YouTube Channel or the Sligo Presbyterian Spotify Page.

You know, one of my favorite things to do as a minister is baptisms. And you know, it doesn’t matter whether it’s an infant or an adult or a whole bunch of kids in a backyard swimming pool which I did once when I was in Weirton, this is always a wonderful and exciting time for both families and congregations. Of course, for me personally, the baptism that’s most special is one I didn’t do. Instead, I was standing beside Debbie when Ernie Gardner baptized Maggie in the Arvonia Presbyterian Church almost twenty-five years ago. I’ll tell you, no matter how you cut it, I just love being involved in baptisms. And I’ll tell you, what makes it even more exciting is that, on consecutive Sundays, starting today, we’re going to have two right here in Sligo Presbyterian Church.

And you know, that’s why I decided to use those two services to talk about the meaning of baptism. And since both baptisms involve infants rather than adults, we’ll be looking at what baptism means for the child as well as for the parents and community. And I think that’s probably something pretty important for us to do, because although I think most of us are pretty much pro-baptism, we may not be very clear about what it means or how it affects those involved. And I think that’s a shame, because when we’re clear about its meaning, its impact can be substantial.

And so, this morning, we’re going to start by focusing on what baptism means for the child, you know, like little Drew this morning and Quinn next week. In other words, what difference can baptism make to them as they go about living lives that are just getting started? Now that’s the question. And I’ll tell you, when you take a look at Scripture, I think we can find three reasons why baptism and particularly infant baptism is important.

For example, first, for the child, I believe baptism represents a sign of grace, you know, an external representation of something happening on the inside. You see, baptism reminds us of what God is doing within us, shaping and molding us so that we might grow into the men and women we were created to be. And I’ll tell you, I think that’s exactly what the Apostle Paul was getting at when he wrote this to the Romans:

Don’t you know that all who share in Christ Jesus by being baptized also share in his death? When we were baptized, we died and were buried with Christ. We were baptized, so we would live a new life, as Christ was raised to life by the glory of God the Father.

If we shared in Jesus’ death by being baptized, we will be raised to life with him. We know that the persons we used to be were nailed to the cross with Jesus. This was done, so our sinful bodies would no longer be the slaves of sin. We know sin doesn’t have power over dead people. [Romans 6:3-7, CEV]

Now for Paul, this is what baptism is all about. And I’ll tell you, it can mean the same thing to us. In other words, baptism can remind us of who we are in relationship to God and what God is doing for us right here and now.

For example, baptism can remind us that we’ve been graciously cleansed of sin, that through the blood of Christ, we’ve been washed clean of all those things that cause us to feel guilt and shame and all that garbage from the past that can mess up our future. You see, not only have we been forgiven, we’ve been cleansed. And I’m telling you, the physical act of washing with water symbolizes this washing away of sin and spiritual impurity. It’s like what the Prophet Isaiah said, “Your sins are scarlet red, but they will be whiter than snow or wool.” [Isaiah 1:18b, CEV] Man, through grace, we’ve been cleansed from sin.

But that’s not all, because baptism can also remind us that we’ve been graciously united to Christ. In other words, by the action of God, we’ve been made one with him. And wasn’t that Paul’s point in what he wrote to the Romans? I mean, didn’t he say that “when we were baptized, we died and were buried with Christ”? [Romans 6:4a, CEV] And didn’t he also say that “we were baptized, so we would live a new life, as Christ was raised to life by the glory of God the Father”? [Romans 6:4b, CEV] You see, for Paul, because baptism makes us one with Christ, when Jesus died on that cross, we died too, breaking the power of sin. And when he was raised, we know that it’ll happen to us as well, as Paul wrote to the Corinthians, “But Christ has been raised to life! And he makes us certain that others will also be raised to life.” [1 Corinthians 15:20, CEV] You see, through grace, we’ve also been united with Christ.

But even that’s not all, because baptism also reminds us that we’ve been graciously stamped by the Father. Now, y’all may not know this, but every Thursday, Dan and I have breakfast at Michelle’s to talk some philosophy, to solve all the world’s problems and to reminisce about that wonderful time to be alive and of course I’m talking about the 1960s. But before we start talking and solving and reminiscing, I always buy a “Shot in the Dark” medium coffee and an everything bagel with a smear. And I’ll tell you, when I do, they always stamp my little card, showing that I not only bought my coffee but can expect to get something in the future. Well, brothers and sisters, baptism reminds us that the Father has stamped our hearts with his love and his grace and his mercy and that the time will come when we’ll inherit his future. I’m telling you, along with being cleansed of sin and united to Christ, man, we’ve been stamped by the Father. You see, for the child, baptism represents a sign of grace. And that’s the first reason it’s important.

And second, baptism also represents a gift from God. And I’ll tell you, that’s particularly apparent when you’re talking about infant baptism. You see, for most adults who are baptized, their baptism is based on their decision, which is appropriate and fine. But for infants, man, they’re not able to make any kind of decision. For them, baptism is a gift, in the same way their names are also gifts, one that they didn’t choose, but one that they can confirm when they’re older. And you know, in that way, baptism reminds us of the same kind of thing I think Paul had in mind when he wrote this to the Ephesians:

But God was merciful! We were dead because of our sins, but God loved us so much he made us alive with Christ, and God’s gift of undeserved grace is what saves you. God raised us from death to life with Christ Jesus, and he has given us a place beside Christ in heaven. God did this so in the future world he could show how truly good and kind he is to us because of what Christ Jesus has done. You were saved by faith in God, who treats us much better than we deserve. This is God’s gift to you, and not anything you have done on your own. It isn’t something you have earned, so there is nothing you can brag about. God planned for us to do good things and to live as he has always wanted us to live. This is why he sent Christ to make us what we are. [Ephesians 2:4-10, CEV]

Now that’s what Paul wrote. And I’ll tell you, when we think about what Zach and Maggie decided to give Drew this morning, I think it can remind us of the gift that God has already given to us.

For example, as Paul reminds us, salvation is a gift, isn’t it? I mean, he said as much when he wrote, “You were saved by faith in God, who treats us much better than we deserve. This is God’s gift to you, and not anything you have done on your own. It isn’t something you have earned, so there is nothing you can brag about.” [Ephesians 2:8-9, CEV] Now, I understand how this may come as a blow to our collected ego, but we weren’t saved because we worked to earn it or decided to get it. Salvation is a gift, not a reward or a wage, something we might never understand until we trust that it’s been freely given. And I believe baptism reminds us of that gift.

But that’s not the only gift from God that we can see in baptism. I think it also applies to the Holy Spirit. You know, it’s interesting, over and over again scripture connects the act of baptism to receiving God’s Spirit. For example, before Jesus even started his ministry, “John [the Baptist] said, “I am just baptizing with water. But someone more powerful is going to come, and I am not good enough even to untie his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.” [Luke 3:16, CEV] And after the coming of the Spirit at Pentecost, when he was speaking to the people in Jerusalem, “Peter said to them, ‘Turn to God and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.’” [Acts 2:38, CEV] You see, I think baptism also reminds us of how the Holy Spirit was given.

But again, that’s not all, because when you take those two things together, and I’m talking about the gift of our salvation and God’s Spirit, man, we have a wonderful reason to hope, another gift from God. As Paul told his friend Titus, “He saved us because of his mercy, and not because of any good things we have done. God washed us by the power of the Holy Spirit. He gave us new birth and a fresh beginning.” [Titus 3:5, CEV] Now, just let that sink in. God has given us a new birth and a fresh beginning; therefore, we don’t have to carry our past into our ultimate future, because when you get right down to it, that future isn’t determined by us, rather it’s in God’s loving and merciful hands. And my friends, that hope is freely given. You see, for the child, baptism represents a gift from God. And that’s the second reason it’s important.

And third, for that child being baptized, baptism represents a change in identity, and I’m talking about a fundamental change in who he is and where he belongs and what he’s called to do. In other words, through baptism, we become a new person, something Paul described when he wrote this to the Galatians:

All of you are God’s children because of your faith in Christ Jesus. And when you were baptized, it was as though you had put on Christ in the same way you put on new clothes. Faith in Christ Jesus is what makes each of you equal with each other, whether you are a Jew or a Greek, a slave or a free person, a man or a woman. So if you belong to Christ, you are now part of Abraham’s family, and you will be given what God has promised. [Galatians 3:26-29, CEV]

We become new through baptism. It’s happened to Drew, and it happens to us. And let me tell you how. You see, this morning, in a very real sense, Drew received a new name, or at the very least, his name took on a new meaning. But this business about his name, it shouldn’t be a surprise; that tradition goes way back. I mean, in the past, children received their formal Christian name when they were baptized. And even though in our modern society, legal identity is established almost immediately through government-issued birth certificates, fifteen minutes ago, for the very first time in the sight of God and his people, I said the name. I said, “Drew Thomas Hopkins, I baptize you in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” You see, while Maggie and Zach choose his name long before this ceremony, through baptism, Drew was welcomed into the church by his name for the very first time.

And when that happened, through baptism Drew also received a new family. As I told Zach and Maggie when we talked a couple of weeks ago and I said to Drew as we walked down the aisle, this is now his home. This is his place. Y’all are his family. And it really doesn’t matter where he goes in the future; he’ll always be a baptized member of this congregation and of the Presbyterian Church and of the universal Body of Christ. And what he didn’t choose, he can’t lose. This is part of his identity. It’s like what Peter wrote in his first letter: “Once you were nobody. Now you are God’s people. At one time no one had mercy on you. Now God has treated you with kindness.” [1 Peter 2:10, CEV] Well, that now applies to Drew. Through baptism he has a place, a home, a new family.

And because of that, he also has a new purpose, and it’s the same one we all share. Of course, if we’re honest with ourselves, we might not always be very good at doing it. I mean, life is complicated. And it’s easy to become distracted by living. And as a result, we may fail to be the men and women we were created to be. Still, as a people whose names are known by God and who’ve been lead to this place and into this family, we all have a focus that can shape every step we take, something that Jesus Christ made clear when he said, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind. This is the first and most important commandment. The second most important commandment is like this one. And it is, ‘Love others as much as you love yourself.’” [Matthew 22:37b-39, CEV] Now this is the purpose that we all share, and along with the name and family, this is part of our new identity made real through baptism.

Now, next week, when we receive Quinn through her baptism, we’ll continue to talk about its significance by looking at what it means for the parents and community. But that’s next week. This morning, well, it’s about what baptism means for the child. You see, for him and for us, baptism represents a sign of grace, of being cleansed of sin and united to Christ and stamped by the Father. And it represents a gift from God, and I’m talking about the gift of salvation and the Holy Spirit and hope. And finally it represents a change in identity, because through it, we receive a new name and a new family and a new purpose. Now I think that’s what baptism means for Drew. And as we reflect on our own, it can mean the same for us.