2011-05-08 (am) Titus 3.

1-8 Gods Promise in Baptism (Colten VanMeetelens Baptism)

Baptism.

This morning well reflect on the meaning of baptism by looking at

three questions: Why do we baptise? What does God promise, in baptism? Why do we baptise infants? As weve heard already in Coltens baptism, we baptise because Christ commands us to baptise. Just before he ascended into heaven, Jesus told his disciples, All authority in heaven and on earth belongs to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations baptising them in the name of the father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. We baptise because it is not an optional thing. It is a commanded thing. If an employer tells his employees to do something, he expects them to do it. We confess Jesus as our Saviour and Lord. Because he is Lord, we are his subjects and we are to obey all his commands. So, in obedience, Christs church, His body, baptises. You can travel all over the world, and wherever you find a church, youll find people being baptised. The church has been baptising people ever since Christ

commanded it. In practically every church, baptism is a requirement for membership. If you go to the Baptist church down the street, youll need to be baptised before they will give you all the privileges of membership. If you wish to become a member of this body of believers, if you havent been baptised, you will need to be baptised. It is a requirement for membership. And we do it; the church does, it in obedience to Christ. Okay, so its a commanded thing. But why? Why does God command us to do it? Baptism is a means of grace. It is a sure promise.
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What does God promise? God promises that the washing away of our sins spiritually is as real as physical washing with water. Steven and Karen, one day, when Colten is two or three, hell be outside, playing in the sandbox or in a pile of dirt and hell get filthy. One second, hell be clean and tidy, and then a second later, the mud, dirt, sand will be everywhere. Hell come running up to you and hell say, Look! His hands will look twice their normal size because of the encrusted dirt. Unfazed, youll grab the hose and spray his hands off. Water is amazing, plain water can get almost all the dirt off. One of my science teachers said that the molecular composition of water is almost perfect. He said it is the best natural solvent. Just for fun, look at ingredient lists on various products at home. Water is in almost everything! And, as the best natural solvent, it is very effective as a cleanser. When combined with soluble ingredients like soap, it is nearly perfect. This is why the church uses water to symbolise the washing of rebirth. For, as effective as water is, thats how effective the blood and Spirit of Christ is in washing away our sins. Our sins are washed away! In Baptism, God promises Colten, who was born in sin; that his sins are washed away. Just as surely as the water from the hose will wash away the dirt from his hands one day, thats how certain we can be that his sins, indeed, our sins, Christ washes away.
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Paul, in his letter to Titus, calls this the washing of rebirth. Look at Colten! Hes still so small, just over a month old, and yet, big and strong, and handsome for his age, of course! Seeing him, it almost seems weird to think that he would need a symbol of rebirth! But thats what baptism is! We all, as Christ told Nicodemus one night, need to be born again. Not a second natural birth, we need a spiritual birth, rebirth, by water and the Spirit. And, the best part? The absolute best part? It is this, God does everything! We, like Colten, hands covered in dirt one day, we stand before Christ, covered in the dirt of sin. And God, our Father looks at us, and he washes us clean because Jesus is the living water. Not only is he perfectly thirst quenching, he is sin eradicating. He takes our sin, and he washes it away, completely. He does this because he promised to do it. He promised it in the beginning, just after Adam and Eve were caught in their sin. He promised again when he saved Noah and his family from the flood. See, thats the thing. Sometimes, Steven, and Karen, therell come a time when Colten is older and, well, hell need to have his hands washed, but he wont know it. Being a boy, especially, hell think hes still pretty clean. But, youll know better. But all youll have to do is tell him to wash his hands. Hell go to the sink, and do it. When God came to Noah, he told him the situation the world was in. It was totally depraved. Only Noah was righteous out of the whole world. God told Noah what he had
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to do to escape the coming judgement, the cleansing of the sin. In faith, faith that God would save them, Noah built an ark for his family. The water cleansed the earth from sin. Noah and his family came safely through the flood, entering a new life. Noah acted on faith in Gods promise to save him. God came to him first, and then he responded. After the flood, sin reared its ugly head again. The promise wasnt fulfilled. So God made his promise to a guy named Abraham. This promise was of a blessing that would be for his descendants. The cool thing? God made this promise to Abraham before he had children, and long after he and his wife were able to have children. God made the impossible possible, in order to show, that he can make that which is unclean, clean. To show that he can turn sinners into saints. Again, this demonstrates Gods power that works in our lives before we are even aware of it. God was at work in Abraham and Sarah even before they fully realised it or understood it. His plan wasnt just for them, but for millions of people. They responded to Gods initiative, with trust. They looked forward to Gods promise fulfillment. Gods promise to Abraham was fulfilled in Christ. In Christ, were Abrahams descendants. We are spiritual descendants of Abraham, and the spiritual connection is of greater strength than a blood connection. Because of Christ, the family of Christ is more precious, stronger than our natural family connection.

Think about that! Look at Colten, look at each other, we were purchased by Christs blood! Were precious! Were born again, and were washed in Christ, the washing of rebirth. By Gods grace, we have great family relationships. You can see that in the family that has come out to witness Coltens baptism. By Gods grace, we also have great church family relationships. Sometimes we can get frustrated with our families. Were still struggling against sin, and so we can still sin against our natural and our spiritual families. We cover ourselves with dirt. But then, we remember that Christ has washed us clean. We remember that Christ forgives us. And because weve been forgiven, we can forgive. God puts us into families for a reason. It was no accident that Colten was born into this family. God chose him, just as he chose Isaac, David, Steven, Karen, and everyone who is gathered for worship in spirit and in truth. The reason we baptise infants is because we recognise Gods sovereignty. God is the primary mover. He always acts first. From creation onward, God has been putting his plan into place, raising up and humbling people in order to fulfil his plan. And you and I and even little Colten are all a part of that plan. God chose Colten, by his amazing grace, just as he chose each one of us. Baptism connects us, by faith, to the promise God made to Abraham. In those days, the receiver of the promise faithfully sealed it by circumcision. In Christ, Gods promise is sealed in baptism.
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In faith, Steven and Karen have presented Colten for baptism. In faith, they have received Gods promises for him. Now, in faith, they and we will teach Colten that God has set him apart for himself. He belongs to God. Christs precious blood has washed him clean! He will grow up knowing that he is Gods child! Think on that today. Think on your own baptism. Reflect on Gods promise made to you: you belong to him! You are forgiven, made forever right with God in Christ. You are a new creation, reborn! Talk about it over lunch. Talk about it to your children. Tell them about Gods promise to them. Like Noah, like Abraham, respond by trusting in Christs work on the cross. Know that by responding in faith, God calls us his children. Amen.