Romans 6:5 If
we have been united with Christ like this in His death, we will certainly also
be united with Him in His resurrection.
I was once asked to perform a
baptism by an elderly couple in a hospital room. Both of them were in their
seventies and the husband couldn't remember if he had ever been baptized. He
was dying of cancer and only had weeks to live. They were both anxious about
this, so I did the baptism in the room within minutes of being asked.
It was a beautiful experience. I
remember using a paper cup as a font and the patient’s bed tray as an altar. I
had a pocket New Testament with me from which I read scripture pertaining to Christ’s
baptism. I asked the elderly man if he believed in Jesus and if he wanted to be
baptized. He simply said, “Yes, I do.” All three of us then joined hands and I
said a prayer, asking the Holy Spirit to bless and sanctify the water, as well
as each one of us. I poured a little of the water over the husband’s hair and
thumbed a cross on his forehead. To this date, it was one of the most sacred sacraments
that I have ever completed. Smiles and tears were shared like Communion bread
and wine. We all embraced each other and our hugs became the passing of Christ’s
Peace.
A couple of weeks later, we laid the
old man to rest in his grave. His elderly wife was at peace throughout the
ceremony. I like to think that she knew her husband’s soul was safe in the arms
of Jesus. The baptism had united him to Christ’s death and resurrection.
Paul reminds us that our baptisms
eternally connect us to Christ. We die to sin and live for Christ in baptism.
We go from a mortal life to an eternal existence; we pass through the waters of
woe to the River of Life. Our baptism is our crossing of the Jordan, from
humanity to divinity, from a dusty planet to the Kingdom of God. It’s a
beautiful blessing and one which everyone in the world should get to experience.
Questions for personal reflection
What does
baptism mean to me? How has it shaped my life and faith?
Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for the
wonderful gift of baptism which not only brings us into the community of faith,
but also unites us eternally with You. Remind us of this special blessing and
help us to positively share it with other people, so that they may be drawn
closer to You. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.
John
Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. If
you would like to comment on today’s message, please send him an email to traqair@aol.com.
Today’s
image is John’s drawing of Christ’s baptism. If you would like to view a larger
version, please click on the following link: http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7194/6924951609_4fc7a8a94e_b.jpg
No comments:
Post a Comment