Matthew 3:13-17; Genesis 17:19-27 Baptism- A Beginning 1-10-10

            A New Year.  A new day.  New Resolutions. Turning over a new leaf; Walking on the beach first thing in the morning and seeing the newly smoothed sand; The floor newly mopped; the dishes cleaned and put away; Taking a shower and walking out the door; a brand new sports season; a new wedding; a new baby; a new house; a new fiscal year; a new calendar year;

New beginnings energize us, strengthen us, add adventure to life, and keep the boring blasé away.

            Baptism is the ultimate new beginning. 

1. New family Relationship with Creator- with people- adopted- We have been changed from illegal aliens with no place at the table to adopted children.  We are the Little Orphan Annies adopted by Daddy Warbucks.  Baptism is the sign and seal of that adoption.  It is a recognition that God has offered us that adoption- we may deny it later- just as an adopted child may rebel against their adoption- yet we can never be unbaptized.  Circumcision was the similar rite in the Old Testament- it was an initiation rite that meant we are cleansed and are a part of the family of faith.

2. New Creation- new creature- Too often we do not change as we should, but Paul says Christians are to be radically different from those who love this world.

October 20 in Pakistan an Al Qaeda suicide bomber was heading toward a school of about 400 Muslim girls.  A lowly Christian janitor named Massey (short for messiah- a common name for Pakistani Christians- who make up about 2% of the population).   Massey saw the bomber and stood in his way so he could not get to the school.  The bomb went off killing the suicide bomber, Massey and two others, but saving the school of 400.  The dean said that despite being a Christian he had done a great deed.  But there were two martyrs there- the Muslim suicide martyr who murdered four, and the Christian martyr who gave himself to save a school of Muslim girls.  It was not despite being a Christian, but because of his faith that he was able to give up this temporary life for an eternal one.

3. New Hope- eternal hope- Jurgen Moltmann talked about one of the things that distinguishes Christians from the secular people in our culture is that we have hope- and a basis for that hope. Baptism is a sign of hope- that our sins will be washed away at the end, and that we are forgiven.  It also is a symbol that we believe that one day we will make it to heaven.  It is hope in this life too- because we are given a second chance. Baptism is not a secondary thing.  It was important enough for Christ to do it visibly at the beginning of his ministry, and important enough to command his disciples to do it right before he left this earth.  If you have not been baptized, I encourage you to do so.  It, unlike many other things, will give you more hope than you would expect.  When Martin Luther was facing the terrors of persecution and things were going horrible for him- he said out loud, “I have been baptized!  I have been baptized!”  He remembered his baptism and it gave him hope- I invite you to gain that hope as well.

4. New Start- Forgiveness- Washing.  We are never more like God than when we forgive- to err is human forgive divine. Forgiven people need to forgive.  People get mad at the banks who received millions in debt help from the government, but are stingy about loaning money to consumers- rightfully so.  Baptism is a reminder we are forgiven.

This past week on national television a news anchor spoke about Tiger Woods and encouraged him to turn to the Christian faith to find redemption.  I have heard a lot of commentary on this statement, people calling him all kinds of horrible names for doing this.  But this newsman was saying that Tiger would recover as a golfer, but needed to recover as a person. He lost his endorsements, but more than that lost his family and his ability to be an example.  The point is Christianity, more than any other religion speaks of grace and forgiveness.  It speaks of fresh starts and washing sins away.  Our baptism is a reminder of Christ’s ability to give us a new beginning. As you take the marble from the water-shell today, remember your baptism symbolizes your new beginning- your part of a new family, a new creation, with new hope and a fresh, forgiven start.