Fire and Water
On the sign in the narthex that you walked past to get into the sanctuary this morning, you'll see the abbreviation for Reverend in front of my name. Just above that Reverend you'll see the word, “Pastor.” That's what's on my business cards as well. My title on government forms like marriage licenses is Minister. But according to the second-holiest book in Christendom, which is, of course, the Reformed Church in America's Book of Church Order, my official title is Minister of Word and Sacrament.
Word and Sacrament.
In our Reformed tradition, hearing the Word of God is the focal point of our worship service. Everything before the scriptures and the sermon, all the hymns, the confession, the prayers, set the tone and prepare for the Word. And then, most of the time, we hear the scripture lesson for the morning, and then you all get to hear me talk about it for 15 minutes or so, and that's the centerpiece of the worship.
However it's not every Sunday that we are blessed to celebrate both the sacraments of Communion and Baptism, and so today, I'm delighted to take a backseat, keep my remarks on the Word short, and let us focus on the Sacrament part of the title.
We just heard words from the Gospel of Luke telling of the baptism of Jesus. And that before that baptism crowds had gathered to hear John the Baptist, thinking he might be the Messiah. And John told them, “I baptize you with water. But one who is more powerful than I will come, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.”
In a few minutes we'll celebrate the baptism of Morgan Altland. And what we do, here in this sanctuary, is a baptism of water. It is a sacred rite, as old as our faith, to invoke a cleansing of her spirit, and a preparation for life in Christ. And as we baptize with water, the Spirit also baptizes with fire, sealing God's faith within her, marking her as a part of God's covenant people.
That covenant is a threefold promise between God, between Morgan and her family, and between this congregation and the greater church community.
That God shall be loving to her, gracious to her, a constant companion through all of her days, the good and the bad. That she will not be judged by any worldly sin, but by God's own love for her. That she will know forgiveness and compassion, goodness and blessing, from our Heavenly Lord.
That she shall be brought up in God's Word, taught of our Lord's care for her, that even though there may be days in her life ahead when she faces doubts, when her faith may diminish, that that divine spark of this baptism today, will always be a beacon to her soul, lighting her way forward.
And our promise to God and to Morgan as her community of faith is that we will care for her. That we, alongside her family, will be a resource and a comfort to her. That she will always have people around her who love and care for her, to celebrate her joys and mourn her woes. And that we will take a care to nurture her in God's loving kindness.
The scripture passage concludes with God's voice, after the baptism, claiming Jesus as his own Son, in whom God is well-pleased. The baptism with water we celebrate this morning is a solemn, sacred, yet joyful promise. And the baptism she receives of fire by the Holy Spirit is God's answer to that promise. That our words and actions we say and do here today are heard and accepted by our God. And that even as God claimed Christ as his own Son, so it is that God claims Morgan, as well as every one of us from our own baptisms, and God is well-pleased.
Let us pray.
Holy and gracious God,
We give you thanks this morning for the gift of your promises to us. That you call us into holy communion with you through your Word, through the sacraments, and through the work of your Spirit in our lives. Lord, as we prepare to celebrate your sacraments this morning, we pray that you may look on us with favor, remembering your promises to your people, and helping us to remember our own promises in return. In deepest gratitude for you everlasting mercies we pray in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
On the sign in the narthex that you walked past to get into the sanctuary this morning, you'll see the abbreviation for Reverend in front of my name. Just above that Reverend you'll see the word, “Pastor.” That's what's on my business cards as well. My title on government forms like marriage licenses is Minister. But according to the second-holiest book in Christendom, which is, of course, the Reformed Church in America's Book of Church Order, my official title is Minister of Word and Sacrament.
Word and Sacrament.
In our Reformed tradition, hearing the Word of God is the focal point of our worship service. Everything before the scriptures and the sermon, all the hymns, the confession, the prayers, set the tone and prepare for the Word. And then, most of the time, we hear the scripture lesson for the morning, and then you all get to hear me talk about it for 15 minutes or so, and that's the centerpiece of the worship.
However it's not every Sunday that we are blessed to celebrate both the sacraments of Communion and Baptism, and so today, I'm delighted to take a backseat, keep my remarks on the Word short, and let us focus on the Sacrament part of the title.
We just heard words from the Gospel of Luke telling of the baptism of Jesus. And that before that baptism crowds had gathered to hear John the Baptist, thinking he might be the Messiah. And John told them, “I baptize you with water. But one who is more powerful than I will come, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.”
In a few minutes we'll celebrate the baptism of Morgan Altland. And what we do, here in this sanctuary, is a baptism of water. It is a sacred rite, as old as our faith, to invoke a cleansing of her spirit, and a preparation for life in Christ. And as we baptize with water, the Spirit also baptizes with fire, sealing God's faith within her, marking her as a part of God's covenant people.
That covenant is a threefold promise between God, between Morgan and her family, and between this congregation and the greater church community.
That God shall be loving to her, gracious to her, a constant companion through all of her days, the good and the bad. That she will not be judged by any worldly sin, but by God's own love for her. That she will know forgiveness and compassion, goodness and blessing, from our Heavenly Lord.
That she shall be brought up in God's Word, taught of our Lord's care for her, that even though there may be days in her life ahead when she faces doubts, when her faith may diminish, that that divine spark of this baptism today, will always be a beacon to her soul, lighting her way forward.
And our promise to God and to Morgan as her community of faith is that we will care for her. That we, alongside her family, will be a resource and a comfort to her. That she will always have people around her who love and care for her, to celebrate her joys and mourn her woes. And that we will take a care to nurture her in God's loving kindness.
The scripture passage concludes with God's voice, after the baptism, claiming Jesus as his own Son, in whom God is well-pleased. The baptism with water we celebrate this morning is a solemn, sacred, yet joyful promise. And the baptism she receives of fire by the Holy Spirit is God's answer to that promise. That our words and actions we say and do here today are heard and accepted by our God. And that even as God claimed Christ as his own Son, so it is that God claims Morgan, as well as every one of us from our own baptisms, and God is well-pleased.
Let us pray.
Holy and gracious God,
We give you thanks this morning for the gift of your promises to us. That you call us into holy communion with you through your Word, through the sacraments, and through the work of your Spirit in our lives. Lord, as we prepare to celebrate your sacraments this morning, we pray that you may look on us with favor, remembering your promises to your people, and helping us to remember our own promises in return. In deepest gratitude for you everlasting mercies we pray in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.