We all know the old gospel hymn blessed assurance. The first verse without the refrain goes like this: "Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine! Oh, what a foretaste of Glory divine! Heir of salvation purchased of God, born of his spirit, washed in his blood." We all need reassurance in our lives. I wonder if as we read about the baptism of Jesus in the Gospel of Mark, whether Jesus' baptism was for reassurance.
As we read the lesson in Mark, we know little or nothing about the backstory of the lives of John the Baptizer or for that matter Jesus himself. There are no birth accounts in Mark for either of them. Mark has them just appearing. John appeared preaching a "baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sin." He also preached that "one more powerful than he will come after him" and that John is just a servant. Then we see Jesus a man from Nazareth coming to be baptized by John. Mark does not make known who Jesus was. Just that he came for a small town in Galilee. Then something amazing happened. God speaks to Jesus and we see him as God's Son, his beloved son.
The words that God spoke to Jesus as he was coming out of the water were words of assurance, but for whose benefit. Initially, it was for Jesus. That he was set apart as God's son and the assurance that God was with him. That he is pleased to have Jesus as his son. It was the positive assurance Jesus needed as he was sent out to meet the temptations, the mount of transfiguration, the garden experience and his crucifixion.
In the same way our baptism is assurance to us that we are God's beloved. It is the assurance that through the water and the Word, you and I have been adopted as God's children. No longer does the power of sin, death and the devil weigh over us. But instead we hear that God loves us.
Unfortunately, many people forget about the power of their baptism. Many see it as a means of gaining membership either into a church or into God's family where it is more akin to an insurance policy. Once they are baptized they fail to see the importance of their baptism. For many it is a onetime event that is soon forgotten.
Martin Luther took his baptism seriously. When confronted by temptation and doubt, said: "I am baptized." It is interesting to note that he didn't say that he was a Christian or that he believed, but that he was "baptized." He found strength in his baptism. He found the assurance of God's presence and spirit in his baptism.
In the community of faith in which I serve a member made a font for the entrance of our sanctuary. Originally it was called a blessing bowl where people can enter the church, making the sign of the cross in remembrance of their baptism. But it also serves as the baptismal font for baptisms. It serves to remind us that it is through baptism God grants us the grace to enter into his family, that his loves is based not on what we have or haven't done in our lives. It is based solely on his unconditional love.
In celebrating the Baptism of our Lord, it is a good time for us to celebrate and remember our baptism. To reflection on God's love for us and to remember that in baptism God's grace is given to us. Take a moment today to look at Luther's small Catechism and see the importance of remembering our baptism.
baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 5And people from the whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem were going out to him, and were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. 6Now John was clothed with camel's hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. 7He proclaimed, "The one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the thong of his sandals. 8I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit."
