WHY WAS I BAPTIZED?

Dr. Richard J. Henderson January 13, 2002

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Isaiah 42: 1-9
Matthew 3: 13-17

Introduction

Almost everyone here today has been baptized...but very few of us remember anything about it. A few people have been baptized as adults, but the great majority of us were baptized when we were children or infants. Yet we know how it goes - we've seen children baptized dozens of times.

Nervous parents come forward clutching their unsuspecting child. We talk about Jesus baptism and its relationship to the baptism of this child. The members of the congregation even promise to help the parents in communicating the Christian faith to their child.

Then we take the child, place water on its head in the sign of the cross, and say that we are baptizing in the name of the Father and of the Son and of Holy Spirit. The child usually squirms, wondering what is being done to him now. Then we carry the newly baptized one around the worship area and introduce her to the congregation.

We all understand that what we are participating in is a symbol - a powerful symbol of faith. This act of baptism represents the washing away of sin, the promise of forgiveness, and the committing of our lives to Christ.

I

We read this morning about Jesus' baptism in the Jordan River. Early in his ministry Jesus went to John the Baptist to be baptized. Before he began his formal ministry, Jesus traveled into the wilderness, found John and asked him to baptize him.

Wait a minute, there's a problem here. You've noticed it right away. It's a difficult question, one that scholars have debated for centuries. Why in the world would Jesus be baptized?

I mean if baptism is about the washing away of sins and the promise of forgiveness, isn't this a step that Jesus could skip? Surely of all the people who ever lived, Jesus is the last person who needs to be baptized.

He has no sin to wash away. He is the one who provides forgiveness, not one who needs forgiveness. Even John the Baptist realizes this. When Jesus comes to him, he tries to turn him away, saying, "I need to be baptized by you, and you come to me?" But Jesus insists, and John the Baptist goes ahead and immerses him in the Jordan.

Then the voice from heaven: "This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased."

II

Why would Jesus insist on being baptized? What sense does this make?

I think Jesus was baptized because it represented his acceptance of the calling God was putting before him. He knew what he was being asked to do, and baptism showed that he accepted that calling. Like us, in baptism, Jesus demonstrated his commitment to God in his baptism.

There is a very telling scene later in Jesus' life that relates to this question. You may remember the time when the disciples James and John came to Jesus with a question. Apparently the disciples had been discussing which of them was the more valuable, and who should be given the seats of honor when Jesus came into his glory.

James and John want to get to Jesus first - a kind of preemptive strike - and get the best seats reserved. So one day they approach Jesus with a request. They say, "Teacher, we want you to do whatever we ask of you."

Jesus had to be taken back with that strange request. He answered, "What do you want me to do for you?"

"Grant us to sit one at your left and one at your right, in your glory." Jesus answers. "You don't know what you're asking."

Then comes the interesting part. Jesus says, "Are you able to drink the cup that I am to drink, and have you been baptized with the baptism with which I have been baptized?"

Of course, these two don't have any idea about the suffering Jesus is talking about. They just go away shaking their heads and wondering what in the world Jesus meant. Perhaps one of them says to the other, "Well, that didn't go very well."

In his statement Jesus ties together his baptism with his call to suffer and die for all of us. In some way Jesus' baptism was his acceptance of what God was calling him to do. He had been baptized to a particular calling.

III

It's the same for us. Only, we aren't called to suffer and die for all humankind. But in our baptism each of us accepts a calling from God.

For some it is to be loving, caring parents who demonstrate their deep faith through everyday actions that everyone can see. For some it is to show integrity and honesty in work relationships. For some it is a calling to care for those who have trouble caring for themselves. Some are called to teach, with compassionate concern for each student.

Whatever skills we have been given, our baptism commits those gifts to a calling, which serves the will of God.

IV

But wait; a baby can't make that kind of decision. That's fine for adults and adult baptism, but how can an infant decide something like that?

For children, the parents make the statements for them until they are old enough to decide for themselves. At baptism, parents promise to raise their child so that he or she will be led in the direction of this faith. They pledge to help their child understand what our faith is and what it demands of us. As parents we can't decide for our children what they will believe or how they will act. All parents learn that soon enough!

And the members of the church promise to help in that teaching, and to support the baptized child as it grows in faith.

So when do the baptized children get to answer for themselves? When do they get to say what they believe? That time comes in confirmation. That's why we call it confirmation. Each child gets to confirm the vows their parents took for them at baptism, and make their own statement of faith. The confirmation class in our church begins today.

V

Jesus was baptized because he was accepting the call of God. In his baptism he committed himself to his calling. He said, "Yes" to God's request in his life. Then as Jesus came up out of the water, the Holy Spirit appeared and a voice from heaven said, "This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased." In that moment God affirms his relationship with Christ, and announces to all the world that this one is the Messiah.

Conclusion

Our baptism is a symbolic washing away of our sin, an acceptance of God's forgiveness, and commitment to the calling God has for us. We say, "Yes" to God's will for our lives. This moment can be the guide for our whole lives. We remember that we have been baptized and that defines our lives - who we are and whom we serve.

The great reformer, Martin Luther, each morning looked in the mirror and said out loud to himself, "I have been baptized." It reminded him who he was, who his Lord was, what was expected of him, and that God had called him to do some things with his life. Baptism is about accepting God's love and forgiveness. It is also about accepting God's will in our lives.

Maybe we should try looking in the mirror each morning and saying to ourselves, "I have been baptized." It could be a profound reminder of who we are and what we are called to do.

Amen.

©Richard J. Henderson 2002