What’s the most important event in your life?

What is the most important event that ever happened in your life? Some might think of graduations, or weddings or births. But, I encourage you to think about the grace God gave you on the day of your baptism.

At the current time, we have many baptisms scheduled at St. John, from the middle of May to the middle of July. When you think of what God says about His promises and actions in our baptisms, it is hard to think that any graduation, or any wedding, or any birth even, is more important.

That is why I wrote a letter to my newborn son, Joshua, as he was about to be baptized in St. Louis in March of 1981. I put that letter, along with the words of Romans 6:3-4, in the church newsletter, with the plan of sharing this letter with Josh later when he would understand the promises and actions of God’s grace in his life.

Please read the Bible verse and letter below and consider again the question, “What is the most important event that ever happened in your life?”

“3 Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.”

Dear Joshua,

You are not old enough to read this now, but someday soon you will be. At that time, you and I will sit down and talk about the most important event of your life, your second birthday, the day you were born into the Kingdom of God, the day of your baptism.

You might ask, “Dad, why is this so important? After all, Mom washes me every day. You only poured some water over my head.” But, Joshua, I was not the one washing you. God was. He was working through the water and His promises to wash you clean from something all the soap and water in the world couldn’t get out; your sin.

Perhaps you also wonder, Joshua, why you were baptized so young in life. When we talk about your baptism you probably won’t remember it. Well, first of all, you didn’t wait until you were 5 or 6 to be sinful. You needed God’s forgiveness right then.

Also, God did some very special things for you when you were baptized. He began to create faith in you, or belief in God, on that day. That’s because He also gave you the gift of the Holy Spirit in your baptism. (Acts 2:38)

But, Joshua, your baptism isn’t something that is already over and done. It is one of the ways God helps you to be a Christian today. When you’re sorry for doing something wrong, God is working through your baptism. When you are happy because Jesus saved you, God is working through your baptism. It is indeed a wonderful gift, which God has given you.

And, Joshua, that’s why we celebrate the day of your baptism like a birthday, one which is perhaps more important than your natural birthday. That was the day you were born into this life on earth. But you still have to die some day. In your baptism you were born into God’s kingdom as a forgiven child of your Father, God. This Christian life will last forever.

Love,

Dad

The rest of that story is that in 1981 a family in our congregation in St. Louis read that letter in the newsletter and decided to have their son baptized on the same day Josh was baptized, March 22. It was a day of joy for both families.

Tragically, three months later, that other little boy died of heart problems. Nevertheless, in the midst of this tragic loss, the family had the assurance of God’s promises and God’s grace.

God promises to give the Holy Spirit, and faith, and forgiveness, and salvation, in the water and his word in baptism. And God keeps his promises! This family knew the power and love of God’s promise for their son in his baptism. In the midst of their tears they could be sure of God’s grace.

Last week I wrote about the mysteries of God. Why do tragedies happen? How can God do what he promises? One of the mysterious ways God works is through his promises in the waters of baptism as people are joined to the dying and rising of Jesus.

As we watch others be baptized, we can remember our own baptisms and the promises we hear in Romans 6: “3 Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.” (Romans 6:3-4)