Remember Your Baptism

Lenten Devotional Series Day 42. Today’s lesson is the second half of Mark’s Passion, Mark 15:1-47.

Easter is traditionally an important day for baptisms in the life of the church. What better way to celebrate Jesus’ resurrection than to welcome new shareholders in it? And for those being baptized, it makes great sense for one’s baptism to coincide with the great feast of Easter, as a way of remembering the experience and its significance every year.

For the good many Christians who were baptized as infants or children, “remembering your baptism” sounds pretty difficult. But in truth it’s not so hard, because the liturgy of baptism remains the same. The best way to remember your own baptism is to see someone else experiencing the same thing.

In a manner of speaking, if you’ve seen one baptism, you’ve seen them all. It’s not meant to be a unique experience, different for every person. Rather, it’s supposed to be the same for everybody because it’s a ritual symbol of a shared experience. Just as human birth is common to all mankind, new birth is a common experience among all Christians.

Nobody remembers their birth. Likewise, few Christians remember the details of their baptisms. It’s the way God made the world, but this doesn’t mean baptism isn’t important. In fact, the opposite is true. Life is full of experiences, and birth is just the beginning. The same is true for baptism. Each Christian has a unique calling consisting of countless unique experiences, all stemming from the experience of baptism all Christians share.

On the other hand, the sameness of our baptismal experience is no reason to take our baptismal promises for granted. What we said then—or in the case of children, what our parents said on our behalf—remains just as important today. As with wedding vows, or any other covenant promises, baptismal promises are valid and binding forever.

In anticipation of Easter this Sunday, why not take some time this week to remember your baptism, i.e. to revisit the significance of it by praying through the baptismal liturgy (below)? If you’re a parent, it’s vitally important that you talk through this with your kids as well. (For covenant children, parents and sponsors have sworn to do so in the baptismal liturgy itself.) Then on Easter, remember your baptism as you celebrate the resurrected Lord, by whose Spirit you have been sealed.

(If you’ve never been baptized, why not do so this Easter? Leave a comment here or reach out to the Church of the Resurrection through the ‘Contact Us’ tab, and one of the pastors will get in touch with you soon.)

The Baptismal Collect. We praise you, most merciful Father, that all whom you receive and adopt as your own are spiritually regenerate and made true members of your church; and we pray you to grant that those who are baptized, being buried and raised with Christ, may have victory over sin, the world, and the devil, that they may live righteous lives, and that at the end they may inherit your eternal kingdom together with all the saints, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Baptismal Examination

• Do you renounce the devil and all his works, the vain pomp and false values of the world, and the sinful desires of the flesh, so that you will not follow nor be led by them?
• Do you believe and trust in God, the Father Almighty, who loved the whole world so much that he sent his Son to die for us? Do you believe and trust in his only Son Jesus Christ, who was crucified for our sins, rose from the dead, and is the only way of salvation? Do you believe and trust in his Holy Spirit, who enables us to receive God’s word, repent, and believe the Gospel?
• Will you endeavor to keep God’s holy will and commandments all the days of your life?
• Do you believe in God the Father?
• Do you believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God?
• Do you believe in God the Holy Spirit?
• Will you continue in the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in the prayers?
• Will you persevere in resisting evil, and, whenever you fall into sin, repent and return to the Lord?
• Will you proclaim by word and deed the Good News of God in Christ?
• Will you seek and serve Christ in all persons, loving your neighbor as yourself?

The Baptismal Charge. Fight bravely under his banner against sin, the world, and the devil; and, by God’s grace, be Christ’s faithful soldiers and servants to the end of your days. Amen.

The Duties of Baptized Persons. You have solemnly promised in the presence of the congregation and your chosen witnesses that you will follow Christ. It is your duty to trust in him, to follow his example daily, and to be a faithful and loyal member of his family, the church. You should develop the habit of daily Bible reading and prayer, of commitment to and worship in the local body of Christ, including regularly partaking of Holy Communion, by which we are reminded of Christ’s death for us and at which we rededicate ourselves to his service.

The Duties of Parents and Sponsors of Baptismal Candidates. It is your duty to see that these persons are taught, as they are able to learn, the promises made on their behalf. It is your responsibility to ensure that they are taught the Christian faith and what it means to trust in the Lord. Encourage them to lead godly, Christian lives and to follow the example of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.