Rainy Day Baptism Thoughts

I've been preaching a sermon series on Baptism the past three weeks.  My timing has been spot on because we've been inundated with rain here in the Classic City the last few weeks as well.  One has to admit rain and baptismal talk do go hand in hand.

I believe that we don't talk about Baptism enough in the church.  Thus, there is a lot of confusion about the meaning and importance of Baptism. Yet, the truth is that Baptism defines who we are.  It is an outward sign of an inward and spiritual grace.  

As United Methodist we believe that Baptism is an act of God.  The one being baptized, the clergy performing the sacrament and the water itself are either recipients or agents of the work that God is doing.  Therefore, since God is the primary actor the method of baptism and the age of the one who is baptized is unimportant as it is God doing the work.  For this reason we don't baptize anyone twice because to do so would be saying that God didn't get it right the first time and that is something we don't want to do.

One of the common misunderstandings when it comes to Baptism is the use of the word "christening" when it refers to infant baptism.  Christening comes from the era in which an individual was given their name at their baptism.  In the medieval era there were no Departments of Public Health that issued birth certificates.  Such records were kept by the church.  So when a child was brought to the church at baptism part of the ritual including the naming of the child which was made official in the baptizing of the child.  Today, ships are "christened;" infants are baptized.

I recall one day when my daughter Angelia was a teen-ager she was baby sitting a precocious first or second grader by the name of Ryn.  Ryn was as strong willed as Angelia.  I had recently baptized Ryn.  That particular day Ryn became frustrated with Angelia and said, "Angelia have you been "bababatized"?  Angelia responded and said, "Yes I have," to which Ryn retorted, "Well you ought to be changed then!"

Ryn was a budding theologian and didn't know it.  Baptism does fundamentally change us.  The waters of Baptism cover us with God's grace, removes from us the stain of sin, gives us our identity in Christ, initiates us into the family of God, and empowers us with the Holy Spirit.

Baptism changes us so much that each day we are fundamentally called to live in response to what God did for us in our Baptism.  Though Baptism is a one time ceremony, it is a lifetime calling and experience.

Today that precocious pre-teen is now in her second semester of college and her baby sitter is living in Augusta as the proud wife of an American soldier.  The good news is that both can remember their Baptism and be thankful.
Image may contain: John Brown and Angelia Brown, people smiling, people sitting, table and indoor
My daughter Angelia and I when she was a college freshman in 2011. (Above) 
Ryn and I at her High School graduation in 2019. (Below)

Image may contain: John Brown and Ryn Smith, people smiling, people standing

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