January 10, 2010 — The Baptism of our Lord
“Our Baptism Frees Us from the Power of Sin” — Pastor Lassman
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My fellow redeemed in Christ,
“Well, now that your sins are all forgiven you can sin all you want.” Have you ever heard that or even thought it yourself? It’s not uncommon. It is tempting to excuse our sin at times by thinking “well, God forgives me anyway.” But of course, that’s not what the bible teaches. Oh, it’s true that Jesus had died for all of our sins. It’s true that our debt of sin has been cancelled. It’s true that we are forgiven and God does not condemn us. This is all true. But this does not give us the green light to sin all we want. God’s forgiveness doesn’t encourage us to sin or excuse or defend our sin. It’s just the opposite. God’s complete and unconditional forgiveness empowers us to hate and resist our sin. Paul says: “what shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound?” And just in case someone might not know the answer to his question Paul answers it: “by no means!” in American slang Paul is saying “no way!” But if our sins are forgiven why can’t we just sin all that we want? Good question. And Paul tells us why: “how can we who have died to sin still live in it?” “died to sin?” What does Paul mean by that? How and when did we die to sin? Well, I’m glad you asked because that’s what our sermon is all about this morning as Paul reminds us that “our baptism frees us from the power of sin.”
I. Paul says some amazing things about our baptism. Paul says that our baptism is like a time machine. When we are baptized we are connected to what happened to Jesus over 2,000 years ago. For in our baptism what happened to Jesus physically happed to us spiritually.
A. Our Lord Jesus was crucified, he died, and he was buried. And Paul says that’s what happened to us in baptism: “Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried there with him by baptism into death….we know that our old self was crucified with him….” Amazing words aren’t they? How can a little water do this? Unfortunately many protestants say that it can’t. They don’t believe Paul. They believe that baptism is a symbol of something that takes place apart from baptism. Paul doesn’t say that baptism is a symbol…Paul tells us what baptism does. He says that in the waters of baptism our old sin-loving self was crucified with Christ on the cross, died with him on the cross, and was buried with him in the tomb. See what I mean when I say that our baptism is like a time machine? A few moments ago we sang, “Were you there?” “were you there when they crucified my Lord?....were you there when they nailed him to the tree?...were you there when they laid in him the tomb?” And if you didn’t know it before today ….the answer is “yes. Yes, we were there.” for such is the wonder of our baptism. And because of our union with Christ in his death and burial Paul says that we are “dead to sin.” Something that is dead does not respond. That’s what being dead means. There is no response. This means that we not only don’t want to sin, but we don’t have to sin. That’s what Paul says: “for one who has died has been set free from sin.” In other words, sin has no power over us….that’s a fact of our baptism. That’s the promise of our baptism.
B. But Paul has more to say. Not only have we been united to Jesus Christ in his crucifixion, death, and burial…but in our baptism we have also been united to him in his resurrection from the dead. Listen to Paul: “just as Christ was raised from the dead…we too might walk in newness of life…now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him.” On that first Easter Jesus was physically raised from the dead…and in our baptism we were spiritually raised from the dead…in other words we were “born again” as Jesus says in Nicodemus in john’s gospel: "truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God” (3:5, ESV). And in his letter to Titus Paul says: “he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the holy spirit” (3:5, ESV). When we were born into this world we were born physically alive but spiritually dead. And this is why we had to be “born again” and Paul says that this happened in baptism when our old self died with Christ on the cross and our new man in Christ was raised up….so that now we are as Paul says, “alive to God in Christ.” And so we sang: “were you there when God raised him from tomb?” and again because of our baptism the answer is, “Yes. Yes, we were there.” such is the wonder of our baptism.
II. “Dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus”. That’s what Paul says. And he’s right. …and yet every Sunday we confess our sins. Why is that? If we are free from the power of sin…why then do we still sin? Well, there are two possibilities: 1) either we do not know or remember this promise of our baptism……or 2) we just don’t believe it. For the only way to use the power of our baptism is by faith, simply believing what Paul says.
A. To remember our baptism doesn’t mean to remember the day that we have been baptized or even that we have been baptized. To remember our baptism means to remember the promises of our baptism. One of those promises is that in our baptism our sins are forgiven and so we are free of guilt. So whenever you feel guilty about your sin you are to remember and believe God’s promise to you that in your baptism your sin was forgiven. And in this way you find peace and comfort for your guilty conscience. And so it is with the promise that you are free from the power of sin as Paul says to you this morning, “so you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.” In other words, believe it. Just believe it. You are dead to sin and you are alive to God in Jesus Christ. Your baptism actually did something to you. So then if it is a matter of faith to believe that your baptism gives you God’s forgiveness in Jesus Christ…then it is also a matter of faith to believe that you have power to resist sin and live for God. But of course, you can’t believe this unless you remember your baptism and its promise. Do you? Every day? If we give into temptation and sin perhaps it is because we either don’t know this promise or believe it. Either way, the result is the same: we sin. This is like someone sitting in a car ready to go somewhere but not using the key to turn the engine on. The car has the power to go. It has a fresh, strong battery and a full tank of gas. But the car will just sit there unless the key is used to start the engine.
B. And so it is with the power of our baptism. There is power in our baptism whether we use it or not. This power of course, is not in the water but in the word of God that is used with the water as Paul says in his letter to the Ephesians: “Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word” (5:25, ESV). “with the word.” It is God’s word that gives baptism its power. His word that says we are dead to sin…his word that says we are alive to God. We can resist sin and temptation. But we can use our baptismal power only by faith …by believing what God says about our baptism. It’s really as simply as that. Faith is “the key” that uses the power of our baptism. So then regardless of our feelings, our desires, or any other outside factors faith believes “I am dead to sin and alive to God. I don’t have to sin. I can resist this temptation.” And sooner or later….the temptation goes away. And what about those times that we do sin? We confess it to God and believe that in our baptism…it is forgiven….washed away. That’s a promise of baptism too.
Conclusion: at the end of “The Wizard of Oz” Dorothy is heart broken that not even the great wizard could get her back to Kansas. But before she could become too sad she was told some surprising and good news: “oh, your ruby red slippers will carry you over the desert….if you had know their power you could have gone back to your auntie Em the very first day you came to this country. The ruby red slippers…have wonderful powers…all you have to do is knock the heels together three times and command the shoes to carry you wherever you wish to go.” What a shock! Dorothy could have left the Land of Oz and gone back home to Kansas and auntie Em any time she wanted to! So why didn’t she? Because she didn’t know the power of the ruby red slippers. Ah…but once she knew their power she clicked her heels together three times…and soon she was back home! And so it is with our baptism. In baptism we have been joined with Jesus Christ in his death and resurrection. We are dead to sin and alive to God. We can resist sin and temptation and live for God….and this power is ours simply by believing as Paul has told us: “What shall we say then? Are we to continue to sin that grace may abound? By no means!....how can we who have died to sin still live in it?...so you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.” You have great power in your baptism. But only faith can use it. And faith can be used only when you remember this great promise of our baptism…. Are you? Amen.
