Belonging Through Baptism
Exodus 40:12-15; Isaiah 43:1-3a; Luke 3: 15-17; 21-22
This is the Sunday we focus on the Baptism of Jesus. A lot of churches encourage congregants in the pews to remember their baptisms on this Sunday. Many congregations use actual water as a part of the remembrance, perhaps using a piece of greenery to splash water on the congregation or passing bowls of water among the congregation so people can put their fingers in it and perhaps apply it to their faces. We will be doing something like that at the end of this morning’s service, using the baptismal font here at the front of the sanctuary.
Baptism is such an important part of faith in Christ. Theologian William Willimon says, “In baptism, we are initiated, crowned, chosen, embraced, washed, adopted, gifted, killed and then reborn, then sent forth and redeemed. We are identified as one of God’s own, then assigned our place and our job within the kindom of God.” We’ll unpack that statement as we go through this morning’s sermon. Just out of curiosity, how many of you were baptized as infants? How many of you were baptized as older children, teenagers, or adults? How many of you remember your baptism day? Mine was June 10th, 1962, but I do not remember it because I was only five months old.
Those of us baptized as infants may feel a bit cheated, in that we ourselves did not get to choose to be baptized. Instead, our parents or grandparents chose us. Yet when an infant is baptized, God chooses us and claims us as God’s own before we have any say in the matter. In the case of infant baptism, the parents, God parents, family members and the people in the congregation then have the responsibility of helping that infant grow into faith and understand that God has a claim on their life. That is my story. I’ve grown into my baptism and had the blessing of being instructed over the decades by family members, youth directors and pastors as the meaning of being claimed in those waters sixty-two and ½ years ago.
For those baptized later in life, they choose to be baptized as the Spirit stirs within them. It is something they themselves can claim as an act of faith, as God also claims them as a beloved child of the kindom. I have very fond memories of baptizing someone much later in life, an 86-year-old man in my first ordained call in Sacramento. Once we had anointed him and prayed over him, he wondered aloud, “What was I waiting for? This feels wonderful!”
Baptism has been a central part of the Christian faith since Jesus himself was baptized by John in the River Jordan. But its origins go back much further than the 1st Century A.D.
Washing rites in Hebrew scriptures are first mentioned as the tabernacle or tent of meeting was being established in 1450 B.C. Aaron and his sons were to be washed with water prior to taking on their role as priests. This anointing gave them a new identity as they became priests serving God in the temple. They too were claimed by God through water. This idea of being claimed by God is also reflected in this morning’s passage from Isaiah 43. The God who created and formed us knows, redeems and claims us as we pass through the waters. God knew the names of Aaron and his sons.
Throughout much of the Hebrew scriptures, washing rites were used in preparation for offerings of sacrifice. On Day of Atonement, the high Priest was not able to enter the holy of holies, considered to be the place where God dwelt in the temple, until he had washed. Then, after praying and going back out of God’s dwelling place, the high priest took a goat and spiritually placed the sins of the people upon it. It was then slapped on the rear, which made it run out into the wilderness. The people were restored and off the hook from their sins for a year, thanks to the “scapegoat.” After his duties, the high priest had to wash once again due to being so close to all those sins. Visitors to the inner court of the temple had to wash their hands and feet first, so that they could be pure as they drew closer to God.
Water washings related to three things back then: religious purity, separation from sinfulness and moral purity. During Jesus’ time, large stone jars were used for washing hands for purification. In John’s Gospel, we read about that practice for all of the wedding guests.(John 2:1-11)
Beginning in the first century B.C. there was a new washing ritual for Jewish people, A mikveh. מִקְוֶה / מקווה This is a bath used for ritual immersion in Judaism to achieve ritual purity. Mikvot appear at the beginning of the first century BC, and from then on, ancient mikvot can be found throughout the land of Israel, as well as in historic communities of the Jewish diaspora. Hundreds of mikvot from the Second Temple period have been discovered in archeological sites far across the Land of Israel.
Around this time, a group of ascetic Jewish believers living in the desert known as the Essenes were baptizing converts to Judaism as a symbol of purification and belonging. Many Biblical scholars believe John the Baptist was an Essene himself.
New Testament Baptism begins with John’s baptism of repentance and forgiveness of sins. To repent, according to theologian Ronald J. Allen, is “to turn away from complicity with the old age and its values and behaviors and to turn towards the coming realm.”
In Jesus’ baptism, his baptism by John was not for repentance (turning back to God) or the need for Jesus to be unburdened of sin. Much like Aaron and his sons, he too was anointed as he began his ministry. Through this baptism, he was revealed as the Son of God, anointed as the herald of God’s coming realm. You’ll note that John says Jesus himself will baptize, but with the Spirit and with fire. Further, he will carry out the final judgment (separate the wheat and chaff). Regarding the Spirit being part of baptism, the idea is the coming one will be the catalyst for the realm and will leave the Holy Spirit to empower the community to continue to witness to the realm after Jesus ascends.
Regarding Christ’s return in judgement, my impression is that increasing numbers of Christians no longer subscribe to a pure apocalyptic worldview. I do believe in Christ’s return. However, those of you who do not anticipate a singular apocalyptic event can certainly recognize the brokenness of our world. All people of faith understand that God is present now and desires to steer this world towards values and practices that more fully reflect the characteristics of the kindom. In this frame of reference, people still need to repent of complicity with brokenness and to join in community with one another and with God in the movement towards a better world.
As the Christian movement grew, baptism became a salvific act. In 1 Peter 3:21, Peter writes that water symbolizes being saved through Christ from sin. (1 Peter 3:21) Early baptisms also focused on being claimed by God as a son or daughter, just as Jesus was. In John 3:3-5, baptism, replaces circumcision as a sign of belonging to the covenant community of Christ.
In addition, 1st century Christians patterned the act of baptism after the life of Christ. In baptism, the convert dies to themselves as Christ died upon the cross. Those sins are buried in the tomb with Christ. They then rise from baptism in purity as Christ rose from the grave. This baptismal theology is specifically written out by Paul in Romans 6:3-4.
Now that we know the history behind the act, my focus on baptism for this morning is twofold. First, like Aaron and those who followed, like the passage in Isaiah and the moment when God revealed the identity of Jesus as the beloved son, we too are named, claimed and proclaimed as we are baptized. In baptism, we find belonging. Our primary identity becomes a follower of Jesus, Paul writes, “For as many of you as were baptized in Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew, nor Greek nor slave nor free, nor male or female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” (Galatians 3:25-28)
You may belong to service club, a bridge group, a book club, or claim allegiance as a follower of a sports team, but your primary belonging comes from the moment you were baptized.
For example, as a president of my Rotary club, I know the Rotary International moral code of conduct and try my best to follow that code.
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- Is it the truth?
- Is it fair to all concerned?
- Will it build goodwill and better friendships?
- Will it be beneficial to all concerned?
That moral code, however, does not supersede loving my neighbor as myself, or doing justice, loving mercy and walking humbly in faith.
Or, as a follower of the Buffalo Bills football team, people may identify me as a Bills fan because I often wear my blue pullover with the Bills logo emblazoned on the chest, know most of the players by name and also by the fact I have a tiny figure of one of the greatest quarterbacks ever, Bills QB Josh Allen on my desk by my computer. Yet, that identity is not my primary one. If it was, I would be at home right now, watching the Bills play the Denver Broncos in the playoffs and you would have a guest preacher this morning. For in the waters of baptism I have put on Christ. I hope, through my actions, people can see my primary identity as a follower of Jesus. This leads us to our second focus on baptism as expressed in William Willimon’s quote at the beginning of the sermon. “We are identified as one of God’s own, then assigned our place and our job within the kindom of God.”
In baptism, we know first and foremost who we are and whose we are; known by God, chosen and proclaimed as children of God, citizens of God’s kindom. From that moment of baptism, we then know what we are called to do. We are assigned to work for the kindom- doing justice, loving mercy, walking humbly, loving God and our neighbors as we love ourselves. So, this day, remember your baptism and give thanks, for in those waters, we know who we are, whose we are, and what we are called to do. Alleluia! Amen.
