Affirmation of the sacrament of Baptism
Posted By Rev. Kenn Ward
Posted 2 months ago
Once in a while in our congregation, we have a special ceremony to remind ourselves what it means to call ourselves Christians. We call it "Affirmation of Baptism." Christians are people who enjoy a special relationship with God. It's not an exclusive relationship where nobody else can be included. God wants this kind of special relationship with everyone.
In every relationship, somebody has to make the first move. We remind ourselves that God made the first move. God called us. God's Spirit gave us gifts that light up our lives. (Technically we say that God enlightened us with the gifts of the Spirit). God works at this relationship by nourishing us in the community of faith. For us, the sign of that relationship is the sacrament of baptism. At the time of baptism, we sometimes say, "In baptism our gracious heavenly Father frees us from sin and death by joining us to the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. We are born children of a fallen humanity; by water and the Holy Spirit we are reborn children of God and made members of the church, the body of Christ. Living with Christ and in the communion of saints, we grow in faith, love, and obedience to the will of God." (Evangelical Lutheran Worship) Did you notice the words "us" and "we"? While the rela-tionship each one of us has with God is deeply personal, it's not a private matter between God and me. This is a very public declaration of who we are and whose we are. We are part of God's family. So as we affirm our baptism, we remind ourselves that being part of the God's family, being a Christian, involves living among God's faithful people, hearing the word of God and sharing in the Lord's Supper, proclaiming the good news of God in Christ through word and deed, serving all people, following the example of Jesus, and striving for justice and peace in all the earth.
Just as God works at this rela-tionship, we need to work at it too. As a congregation, we nur-ture that faith among us in an ongoing way, as part of our ministries of formation, education, service and evangelical witness. Sometimes it's fun and sometimes it's very hard work because God didn't pick the best, the brightest and the most beautiful. God chose us, just as we are. If I'm preoccupied with what I'm getting out of church, then it becomes easy to tear our community of faith apart. I can easily spot the second-rate, foolishness and ugliness. It's all there. And it becomes easy for me to walk away. However if I concentrate on what I have to contribute to this community of faith, I have to engage in the hard work of building, helping to bring out the best in us, seeking wise decisions and drawing attention to the beauty that can be found in us.
Rev. Kenn Ward is with the Messiah Lutheran Church, Camrose. The articles appearing in this column are written by active members of the Camrose Ministerial Association but may not reflect the views of all associated members.
