Living for Christ

This morning we were privileged to witness the Baptism of two little children, Aidan and Hannah. Here we witnessed something very significant. The Apostle Paul describes what happened in our Epistle lesson in 2 Corinthians. In this little ceremony Aidan and Hannah died. They were baptized into the death of Jesus. Also, from now on they no longer live for themselves but for Jesus who died for them and was raised again (15). In this simple ceremony of a few drops of water and the Name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit they have become a new creation. They have become children of God. It is hard to believe that in this simple act their whole lives have been changed—changed for eternity. No longer are they subject to the wrath and judgment of God. Baptized into Christ, they have been reconciled with God and they now wear the innocence and righteousness of Christ. As God’s beloved children they can now expect to receive the everlasting inheritance God has promised to those who love him.

This spiritual rebirth they received happened not because I as the pastor or their parents are such good people, nor because of our faith. Nor did it happen because Aidan and Hannah are such cute little innocent-looking children. This new birth happened because it is God’s will that it should happen in this way. God commanded Baptism and he promised that all who receive Baptism receive forgiveness of sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38).

Some may question the validity of such a rite because the children are not old enough to make their own decision in the matter. Aidan, and certainly Hannah, were not even aware of what happened to them! So how can this have any validity as far as their spiritual lives are concerned? The reason it is valid is that the blessing of Baptism is not given because of something they have to do but because of what God is doing. God is the main actor in this ceremony. Not the pastor, not the parents, not the candidates, but God.

Let me try to illustrate this with a bad experience I once had in a hospital. About 15 years ago a small metal chip got lodged in one of my muscles. I went to the hospital where the doctor tried unsuccessfully to operate it out. A local anesthetic was all that was necessary for the small operation. However, because I was aware of what was going on and it took quite a long time, I was starting to feel queasy by the time it was over. When I got up and started walking I fainted and my head hit the concrete floor. This resulted in an overnight stay in the hospital so the effect the concussion could be monitored.

The lesson I learned was that my being aware of the operation did not contribute anything to its outcome. Instead, had I not been aware of what was going on, I probably would not have compounded my injury. The same is true with Baptism. The person least capable of understanding what is going on is the best candidate for receiving it. Jesus said so himself: “Unless you change and become like infants, you will never see the kingdom of God.” (Matthew 18:3) The problem we adults have is something called “reason.” Reason itself is not bad. It is an important gift God gave us so we can think, make choices and be creative. It is one of the things that make us uniquely human. However, in our fallen, sinful condition, our reason is often opposed to God’s work in our lives—to the life of faith. Our reason is often skeptical about the gifts of God because it cannot understand them or manipulate them.

That is why an infant who does not yet have rational capacity is best suited to receive the gift of God in Baptism. Because an infant is rationally handicapped, it cannot oppose God’s work in Baptism with doubts or questions. Nor can it take credit for somehow cooperating with God in this work or for having earned the right to be Baptized. All it can do is passively receive what is given to it: Forgiveness of sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit. This morning it was the Holy Spirit who was responsible for establishing a connection with God by creating a living faith in the hearts of Hannah and Aidan.

Because such an important thing happens in Baptism you would expect it to have a major influence in the lives of those who are Baptized. The Apostle Paul encourages us not to live any longer for ourselves, but for Him who died for us (2 Corinthians 5:15). There is a custom in some primitive cultures that when someone saves your life, you owe him your life and must therefore follow him wherever he goes. In effect, you have become that person’s slave. The same is true of us. When we were Baptized, Jesus saved us from hell and brought us into God’s kingdom. We owe Him not only for our earthly life because He is our Creator, but also for our afterlife in eternity because He is our Redeemer. Rightfully, our lives belong no longer to ourselves but to Jesus, to Him who died for us and was raised to life.

The Apostle Paul goes on to explain what it means to live our lives for Jesus:

If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! All this is from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to Himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them. And He has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making His appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God. (2 Corinthians 5:17-21)

Living for Jesus means to live your life in such a way that people can notice that you have been reconciled with God. They notice it, for example, by the way you earnestly desire to be reconciled with everyone, even as God desires to be reconciled to you.

This is not an easy task. As Christians, we tend to be at the receiving end of bad things. If that is the case with you, how do you get yourself reconciled with someone who is not even vaguely interested in being reconciled or who doesn’t even think he did anything wrong? If that is how it is, does that absolve you from seeking reconciliation? Most would certainly give up. But not God. If God had waited for us to tell him that we were sorry and were ready for Him to come down and die for our sins on the cross, we would still be in our sins and without hope to this very day.

In order for reconciliation to happen, the one who has been wronged must take the initiative. You must go and talk to that person. If that does not work, and the person is a believer, you can then take along another Christian whom he respects. If he is not a believer there are practical ways you can show him how much you care about him by being nice, offering assistance, and so work to create an opportunity to talk about reconciliation.

As you do this, you must remember that you are not doing this just to make friends for yourself. You are doing this so that others may also become God’s friends. The motivation is to share that wonderful news that “God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.” (2 Corinthians 5:21) I believe that means that we must also be willing to humble ourselves as Jesus did for us when He came down from His throne and showed us His love by offering His life for us on the cross. If that is how far Jesus went to be reconciled to us, how far should we be willing to go as his ambassadors in bringing that message of reconciliation to those in our lives who have yet to find peace with God?

This is truly a great and important task we are all guilty of having neglected to carry out as we should. But the task is really not that difficult if we would only remember that Jesus is with us as we face the challenges of working out reconciliation. Jesus is with us. In our Gospel lesson, we heard how a storm threatened to sink the boat Jesus and his disciples were in. The disciples tried all they could to keep the boat afloat while Jesus simply slept. To the disciples he didn’t seem to care that they were going to drown. You see, they were depending upon their own strength and know-how to get them out of that situation. It was only when they realized that they could not save themselves that they turned to the only One who could make it right: they turned to Jesus. In your effort to live for Christ, to live out the message of God’s reconciliation, do not give up when all seems to fail. For you have someone who is with you to see the job through when you’ve done all you can do.

Baptized into Jesus, Jesus has come to live in you, to comfort and to guide you. Baptized into Jesus, Aidan and Hannah have received Jesus and join us in living for Jesus. Baptized into Jesus, we now come to the Lord’s Table to receive the very Body and Blood of Christ, to hear the words of reconciliation once again: “Given for you for the forgiveness of all your sins” and to be renewed in the knowledge of Christ’s abiding presence with us.

Now may the grace of God the Heavenly Father and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit keep your hearts and minds in perfect peace through Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.