Baptismal Service

EH #58 - Soldiers of Christ, Arise!

March 24, 1991

If we have not done so before, the congregation stands to repeat The Apostles' Creed (513 WS): [Be seated]

Mini-Homily:

Our last baptismal service was January 12, before the air war began in Iraq, before the counter-war began. We are sensitive to the horror of war, and perhaps for that reason were (and are) somewhat reluctant to use the terminology of warfare to describe the Christian way at that time for obvious reasons.

The fact remains, warfare is what the Christian way really is! The entire Universe is engaged in a contest of good and evil, and somehow the human personality is in the middle of the conflict.

Sometimes we try to clean up the stories of the Old Testament, and we worry about a primitive concept of God, or a God of war and vengeance. We get side-tracked in questions of history or sociology when we haven't faced up to our own personal struggles of theology. We need to read the Old Testament first of all in the light of what we know and who we are today— and certainly God is not directing any of us to be primarily warriors or literally taking up physical weapons. But there is nevertheless a life-and-death struggle for your soul, for the souls of your loved ones, for the soul of our generation.

The powers of good and evil are strong, and our human resources of themselves are weak. But God never intended that we should fight the battle against evil in our own strength, or using merely human wisdom and power. The history of grace and salvation is a story of God's intervening, stepping into the battle on behalf of human beings who look to Him for help.

The sacrament of baptism is a statement to three worlds watching that you are siding with Almighty God in this warfare. You are turning your back on the sinful, selfish way of life. You are leaving the land of slavery and bondage. You are crossing the Red Sea of obedience and following the Pillar of Fire of the Holy Spirit and the Bible and the Body of Christ, the Church.

You are casting your lot in with God, and with Jesus you are dying to that which opposes God and good and Life; you are dying and being buried to sin, and to all claims of the devil, and you are raised to newness of life with Jesus Christ in His resurrection victory over sin and death and hell.

Why we use water in this ceremony— even as we use real bread and drink in the sacrament of communion— is because the sacrament is a token to us of how the real world of God and Life and the Infinite somehow makes contact and intermingles and transfigures the real world of broken life and imperfect love and anguish where we live now. You will be covered with real water, and get wet— and that immersion will say to us all:

I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me; and the life that I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God who loved me, and gave Himself for me. Galatians 2:20

The words of ritual in the Church of Jesus Christ across the years have referred to the significance of water in the ceremony of baptism:

NOAH AND THE ARK were saved by water

ISRAEL THROUGH RED SEA in a covenant relationship, led by the hand of Moses, then later

THROUGH THE JORDAN RIVER at flood-tide, into the Promised Land, where the Israelites did not need to fight for themselves so much as they needed to follow God and obey Him (a la Jericho)

We are baptized with real water as we remember

JESUS BAPTISM WITH SINNERS, when He identified with us, against the protest of John the Baptist.

We are baptized with water

SIGNIFYING THE WASHING AWAY OF SINS THROUGH SPIRITUAL BIRTH as well as the significance of

BEING "BURIED WITH CHRIST AND arising with Him in newness of life.

We mention also such scriptures as

Mark 16:16 "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; he that believeth not shall be damned."

Acts 2 where Peter says

[Peter]: "Repent and be baptized every one of you for the remission of sins and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

You are obeying your Master, Jesus Christ in presenting yourselves for baptism here this day.

(Shall we pray)

Prayer: O Father, Give the assurance of Your Holy Spirit's Presence to these persons who confess Your name and declare their faith in the sacrament of Baptism today! In Jesus' Name. Amen.

[Will the congregation please stand; will the Baptismal Candidates stand here at the altar; and those wishing to re- affirm their vows publicly stand with them. May we ALL hear the questions, and answer them before God as an affirmation of our belonging to the Body of Christ:]

Beloved:

Desiring to receive holy Baptism, the Lord Jesus Himself has promised in His Word the things we have prayed for; the Church of Jesus Christ stands ready to receive you, and you may count on His faithfulness, as well as the steadfastness of the true Church until He comes.

Your part is to promise by God's grace to renounce the devil and all his works, to constantly believe God's holy Word, and to obediently keep Christ's commandments.

Please give public testimony by answering the following questions appropriately:

Do you renounce the devil and all his works, the vain pomp and glory of the world, with all covetous desires of the same, and the carnal desires of the flesh, so that thou wilt not follow, nor be led by them?

Answer: I renounce them all.

Do you believe in the truth as stated in the Apostle's Creed?

Answer: All this I steadfastly believe.

Will you be baptized in this faith?

Answer: It is my desire.

Will you then obediently seek to do God's holy will and in love keep His commandments, and walk with Jesus as your Savior and Lord all the days of your life?

Answer: God being my helper, I will endeavor so to do.

Prayer:

Grant, O Lord, that these persons may truly be buried with Christ as dead indeed unto sin and evil affections, and that they may be raised to newness of life in Christ.

Grant that this baptism may be a true means of grace that they may know that they have power and strength to triumph over the world, the flesh and the devil, sharing in Your victory all the days of their lives.

Grant that they may live forever in unity with You, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, in the fellowship of Your Body, the Church. Through Jesus Christ, Amen.

[To the candidates;]

In just a few moments, as we baptize each one of you, we affirm that you are full members, not necessarily of this organization we call the Church of the Nazarene, but full members of the Church of Jesus Christ, and living participants in the Body of Christ.

[Those of you have re-affirmed your Christian Baptism of other years, we pray that God indeed does witness to your hearts that you, too, are called to be a vital part in the Church of Jesus Christ, living members in the Body of Christ, the Church.]

The Baptismal Candidates may leave to prepare for the Sacrament. Those who have re-affirmed their vows may return to your seats; you all may be seated.

(Congregational Song - Sacrament - Benediction and/or as appropriate, led by Pastor Nielson)

Pastor Nielson close the service and give benediction.