Text: Rom 6:1-11
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5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.
Monica and I went to a funeral this past Monday for her friend Sandra Malone. Though Monica was best friends with Sandra’s sister, Debbie, she had a long-connected relationship and history with Sandra and their family as well.
While this was not one of the readings used for Sandra funeral, it is a part of our funeral liturgy and I’ve recited these verses at all of the funerals I’ve officiated at as we remember our baptism and the baptism of those who depart in the faith.
3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.
5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.
The service of remembrance was at St. James, Roman Catholic Church in Novi. It was the first time I’d been there and there is always a connection for me with my youth and the church I was raised in, and spent the first 40 years of my life connected to.
Interestingly, the Priest that founded St. James church was Father James Cronk who officiated at Monica and my wedding back in 1982. He has passed into the Lord’s care now, but seeing his picture on the wall reminded me of the greater connection we all have to the universal, catholic, small c, church, and the life of faith that unites us to Jesus.
So, while there remains a divided Christian church here on earth, with denominations and nondominations, there also remains only one Jesus who unites you and me and our lives to his through the means of Holy Baptism.
The priest who officiated at the funeral, Father Ed Zaorski, appeared to be older than me but we all know, looks can be deceiving. But it did remind me that the need for men to fill pulpits remains strong across all denominational lines. We continue to thank our Lord for his call to all who faithfully serve!
In our reading today, Paul calls all who have been baptized in Christ to live new lives as followers of Jesus.
6 What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it?
Death and sin hang over us all.
I thought a lot about it, as I considered the 130 funerals or so I’ve officiated at over the last 13 years or as I ponder the beginning of the 14th year I’m now entering in to.
Death remains and so does the sinful self.
When Jesus came to John to be baptized and following John’s protest he said:
“Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.”
Christ’s fulfillment is your salvation!
It is all of Christ!
Nothing you do of say adds to it!
You simply receive!
Baptism is the ultimate unifier in Christ. It is also why as Lutherans we accept Holy Baptisms from other faith traditions done in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
Christ’s words and his command are all we need.
18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in[b] the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
St Ambrose in his writing on the sacrament of Baptism and emphasizing the invisible action of God writes:
"You entered; you saw the water …. Lest, perchance, someone say: ‘Is that all?’ – yes, this is all, truly, where there is no innocence, where there is all piety, all grace, all sanctification. You have been what you were able to see with the eyes of the body, with human perception; you have not seen those things which were affected but those which are seen. Those which are not seen are much greater than those which are seen.”
Later he put this in a structured form of the visible with the invisible:
You see the water,
But not all water heals;
But water heals, that has the grace of Christ.
One is an element,
The other, a consecration.
The one [is] a work,
The other, the worker
Augustine and the Catechumenate, William Harmless 1995 pg. 101
Friends, Baptism is the work of God and Christ the worker. We who have been marked receive his benefits!
When I came to the Lutheran church at St. John’s Lutheran church in Rochester, Michigan - my baptism, which took place at Holy Trinity Roman Catholic church in McKeesport, Pennsylvania when I was a baby came with me, reminding me that it is Christ who marked me as his own in Holy Baptism and it is Christ, through the work of the Holy Spirit, who continues to remind me that Jesus is with me always, even to the end of the age.
You too can hold on to the work of God in your baptism, no matter the years, place, or age that our God in Christ claimed you as his own. You are and remain his!
Martin Luther knew the importance of this as he wrote in the Small Catechism:
As the head of the family should teach it in a simple way to his household
First
What is Baptism?
Baptism is not just plain water, but it is the water included in God’s command and combined with God’s word.
Which is that word of God?
Interestingly, the Priest that founded St. James church was Father James Cronk who officiated at Monica and my wedding back in 1982. He has passed into the Lord’s care now, but seeing his picture on the wall reminded me of the greater connection we all have to the universal, catholic, small c, church, and the life of faith that unites us to Jesus.
So, while there remains a divided Christian church here on earth, with denominations and nondominations, there also remains only one Jesus who unites you and me and our lives to his through the means of Holy Baptism.
The priest who officiated at the funeral, Father Ed Zaorski, appeared to be older than me but we all know, looks can be deceiving. But it did remind me that the need for men to fill pulpits remains strong across all denominational lines. We continue to thank our Lord for his call to all who faithfully serve!
In our reading today, Paul calls all who have been baptized in Christ to live new lives as followers of Jesus.
6 What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it?
Death and sin hang over us all.
I thought a lot about it, as I considered the 130 funerals or so I’ve officiated at over the last 13 years or as I ponder the beginning of the 14th year I’m now entering in to.
Death remains and so does the sinful self.
When Jesus came to John to be baptized and following John’s protest he said:
“Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.”
Christ’s fulfillment is your salvation!
It is all of Christ!
Nothing you do of say adds to it!
You simply receive!
Baptism is the ultimate unifier in Christ. It is also why as Lutherans we accept Holy Baptisms from other faith traditions done in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
Christ’s words and his command are all we need.
18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in[b] the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
St Ambrose in his writing on the sacrament of Baptism and emphasizing the invisible action of God writes:
"You entered; you saw the water …. Lest, perchance, someone say: ‘Is that all?’ – yes, this is all, truly, where there is no innocence, where there is all piety, all grace, all sanctification. You have been what you were able to see with the eyes of the body, with human perception; you have not seen those things which were affected but those which are seen. Those which are not seen are much greater than those which are seen.”
Later he put this in a structured form of the visible with the invisible:
You see the water,
But not all water heals;
But water heals, that has the grace of Christ.
One is an element,
The other, a consecration.
The one [is] a work,
The other, the worker
Augustine and the Catechumenate, William Harmless 1995 pg. 101
Friends, Baptism is the work of God and Christ the worker. We who have been marked receive his benefits!
When I came to the Lutheran church at St. John’s Lutheran church in Rochester, Michigan - my baptism, which took place at Holy Trinity Roman Catholic church in McKeesport, Pennsylvania when I was a baby came with me, reminding me that it is Christ who marked me as his own in Holy Baptism and it is Christ, through the work of the Holy Spirit, who continues to remind me that Jesus is with me always, even to the end of the age.
You too can hold on to the work of God in your baptism, no matter the years, place, or age that our God in Christ claimed you as his own. You are and remain his!
Martin Luther knew the importance of this as he wrote in the Small Catechism:
As the head of the family should teach it in a simple way to his household
First
What is Baptism?
Baptism is not just plain water, but it is the water included in God’s command and combined with God’s word.
Which is that word of God?
Christ our Lord says in the last chapter of Matthew: “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” (Matt. 28:19)
Second
What benefits does Baptism give?
It works forgiveness of sins, rescues from death and the devil, and gives eternal salvation to all who believe this, as the words and promises of God declare.
Which are these words and promises of God?
Christ our Lord says in the last chapter of Mark: “Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.” (Mark 16:16)
Third
How can water do such great things?
Certainly not just water, but the word of God in and with the water does these things, along with the faith which trusts this word of God in the water. For without God’s word the water is plain water and no Baptism. But with the word of God it is a Baptism, that is, a life-giving water, rich in grace, and a washing of the new birth in the Holy Spirit, as St. Paul says in Titus, chapter three:
“He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by His grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life. This is a trustworthy saying.” (Titus 3:5–8)
Fourth
What does such baptizing with water indicate?
It indicates that the Old Adam in us should by daily contrition and repentance be drowned and die with all sins and evil desires, and that a new man should daily emerge and arise to live before God in righteousness and purity forever.
Where is this written?
St. Paul writes in Romans chapter six:
“We were therefore buried with Him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.” (Rom. 6:4)
Having heard the word of God, dear friends and as those redeemed by Christ, make the sign of the Holy Cross as you begin and close each day remembering your baptism that you have been claimed by Christ and that nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord!
Second
What benefits does Baptism give?
It works forgiveness of sins, rescues from death and the devil, and gives eternal salvation to all who believe this, as the words and promises of God declare.
Which are these words and promises of God?
Christ our Lord says in the last chapter of Mark: “Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.” (Mark 16:16)
Third
How can water do such great things?
Certainly not just water, but the word of God in and with the water does these things, along with the faith which trusts this word of God in the water. For without God’s word the water is plain water and no Baptism. But with the word of God it is a Baptism, that is, a life-giving water, rich in grace, and a washing of the new birth in the Holy Spirit, as St. Paul says in Titus, chapter three:
“He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by His grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life. This is a trustworthy saying.” (Titus 3:5–8)
Fourth
What does such baptizing with water indicate?
It indicates that the Old Adam in us should by daily contrition and repentance be drowned and die with all sins and evil desires, and that a new man should daily emerge and arise to live before God in righteousness and purity forever.
Where is this written?
St. Paul writes in Romans chapter six:
“We were therefore buried with Him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.” (Rom. 6:4)
Having heard the word of God, dear friends and as those redeemed by Christ, make the sign of the Holy Cross as you begin and close each day remembering your baptism that you have been claimed by Christ and that nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord!
https://catechism.cph.org/
In the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit
Amen
In the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit
Amen
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