Sermons 2008

Baptism of David William and Anne Tyler, Proper 8A, 29 June 2008














Home | Light and Love, Christmas 1B , 28 December 2008, John 1:1-18 | The light and the darkness, Christmas Day, 25 December 2008, John 1:1-14 | What would you see? Christmas Eve, 24 December 2008, Luke 2:1-20 | What did you say? Advent 3B, 14 December 2008, John 1:6-8. 19-28 | A refining fire, Advent 2B, 7 Dec 2008, Mark 1:1-8 | Alert, alert! Advent 1B, 30 November 2008, Mark 13:24-37 | Where will we stand: sheep or goats? Proper 29A 2008, 23 November 2008, Matthew 25: 31-46 | The talents to...? Proper 28A, 16 November 2008, Matthew 25:14-30 | Choose this day, Proper 27A, 9 November 2008, Joshua 24:14-25; Matthew 25:1-13 | All Saints A, 2 November 2008, Matthew 5:1-12; 23:1-12 | Holy or not? Proper 25A, 26 October 2008, Matthew 22:34-46 | Things: God's or Caesar's? Proper 24A, 19 October 2008, Matthew 22:15-22 | The wedding and the allegory, Proper 23A, 12 October 2008, Matthew 22:1-14 | The vineyard and the rock, Proper 22A. 5 October 2008, Matthew 21:33-46 | Deference and disobedience, Proper 21A, 28 September 2008, Exodus 17:1-7; Matthew 21:23-32 | Be content, Proper 20A , 21 September 2008, Matthew 20:1-16 | Only one true church? Proper 18A, 7 September 1008, Matthew 18:15-20 | Be content! Proper 20A, 21 September 2008, Matthew 22:1-16 | Be content! Proper 20A, 21 September 2008, Matthew 20:1-16 | Holy Name and Holy Ground, Proper 17A, Exodus 3:1-15; Matthew 16:21-28 | What's in a name? Proper 16A, 24 August 2008, Matthew 16:13-20 | Dogs? Proper 15A, 17 August 2008, Matthew 15:10-28 | Time to get out of the boat, Proper 14A, 10 August 2008, Matthew 14:22-33 | Who, me? Proper 13A, 3 August 2008, Matthew 14:13-21 | LIKE what? Proper 12A, 27 July 2008, Matthew 13:31-33, 44-52 | Good seed, bad seed, Proper 11A , 20 July 2008, Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43 | Watch the Farmer, Proper 10A, 13 July 2009, Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23 | Easy Yoke? Proper 9A 2008, 6 July 2008, Matthew 11:16-19, 25-30 | Baptism of David William and Anne Tyler, Proper 8A, 29 June 2008 | The Twelve or the Dirty Dozen? Proper 6A, 15 June 2008, Matthew 9:35-10:15 | Jesus likes sinners?, Proper 5A, 8 June 2008, Matthew 9:9-13 | Lawlessness or not? Pentecost 3A, Proper 4A, 1 June 2008, Matthew 7:21-29 | What do you mean, if? Easter 6A, 27 April 2008, John 14:15-21 | Comforting words and St Thomas, Easter 5A, 20 April 2008, John 14:1-14 | Ordinary good shepherds, Easter 4A 2008, 13 April 2008, John 10:1-10 | Light for clarity, Easter 3A, 6 April 2008, Luke 24:13-35 | "Blessed are those who....", Easter 2A, 30 March 2008, John 20:19-31 | Hallelujah! He's alive! Easter Sunday A, 23 March 2008, John 20:1-18 | He had it all, Palm Sunday A, 16 March 2008, Matthew 26:14-27:54 | Lazarus: Waiting for Jesus, Lent 5A, 9 March 2008, John 11:1-45 | Miracles Physical and Spiritual, Lent 4A, 2 March 2008, John 9:1-41 | Living Water, Lent 3A, 24 February 2008, John 4:5-42 | God's unselfish love, Lent 2A, 17 February 2008, John 3:1-17 | Temptation, Lent 1A, 10 February 2008 | Ash Wednesday, 6 February 2008, Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21 | They heard the Lord call, Epiphany 3A, 20 Jan 2008, Matthew 4:12-23 | Come and See! Epiphany 2A, 20 January 2008, John 1: 29-42 | Remember Your Baptism? Epiphany 1A, 13 January 2008, Matthew 3:13-17 | We Three Kings, The Epiphany, 6 January 2008, Matthew 2:1-12




















Baptism of David William and Anne Tyler

There was once a little child in Sunday School who was asked what baptism means, and the child said, "Baptism is when God puts a cross on your forehead, and nobody sees it, but God sees it."

To be baptized means that we are no longer defined by how we've missed the mark. We are defined by Jesus Christ. In baptism, we receive a new identity. In baptism, we are covered with Christ.

When we are baptized, if we live into it, our baptism helps us get our view of the world right – it helps give us a perspective on what it means to live in the world as a baptized Christian – in, but not of, the world.

A group of students were once asked to list what they thought were the current Seven Wonders of the World. The list included:
1. Egypt's Great Pyramids
2. Taj Mahal
3. Grand Canyon
4. Panama Canal
5. Empire State Building
6. St. Peter's Basilica
7. China's Great Wall

The teacher noted that one quiet student hadn't turned in her list yet, so she asked the girl if she were having trouble with it. The girl replied, "Yes, a little. I couldn't quite make up my mind because there were so many."

The teacher said, "Well, tell us what you have, and maybe we can help." The girl hesitated, then said, "I think the Seven Wonders of the World are:
1. to see
2. to taste
3. to touch
4. to hear
She hesitated a little, and then added,
5. to feel
6. to laugh
7. and to love

Those taken for granted everyday miracles we overlook as simple and "ordinary" are truly wondrous. The story reminds us that the most precious things in life cannot be bought. The God who loves us gave them to us.

Now there are several things that should always be said about any baptism and about baptism in any age.

First of all, it is the most important day in our life, even though we won’t remember it if we were baptized as infants. And it is up to parents and godparents and grandparents to tell the story of our baptism over and over again to remind us of what happened on this day and of how this is the most important day of our life.

Second, our baptism is a liturgical remembering of Jesus’ own baptism – and at the same time much more than that. Our baptism is uniquely our own. Our baptism sets seal, sign, and symbol on our own unique and personal relationship with the God who loves us. Someone may choose to be baptized again and again – but this first baptism is sufficient until the end of the ages and beyond. No one can unbaptize us, no one can take it away..

Third, our baptism signals our formal membership in the Body of Christ, the Church, the blessed company of all faithful believers, no matter what church or denomination we may choose for himself. They are all part of the Body of Christ.

But our baptism is more than a membership in a club or organization or social circle, although there is some of all that. When we are baptized with water in the Name of God the Holy Trinity, something mysterious, something very powerful, something timeless, something holy, happens to us. We know in the essence of our being and at the heart of our faith that it does. We are washed clean by the water of Baptism, forgiven and stripped of any original sin, reborn to new life, and made Christ’s own forever. We may try to deny our Baptism – but no one can ever undo it.

We are changed forever. This is all God’s doing and it is permanent. And God know each one of his children, a Child of God, whom he loves for all time and eternity.”

AMEN