On Saturday Cheryl and I drove down to The Woodlands, a city just north of Houston. We did that so that we could gather together with the saints at Living Word Lutheran Church yesterday for worship. As part of that service, I was given the privilege of administering the Sacrament of Baptism for my great niece, Isabella. I have no idea how many Baptisms I have been a part of in my life, whether it be in the role as pastor or parent or witness or sponsor. I always get a bit emotional when I contemplate the enormity of what takes place in Baptism. God is the one at work. By the power of His Word of promise, connected to the water, He washes away sin and claims a person as His own dearly loved child. He puts His name on that person and welcomes him or her into His family. It is a way He assures us of His grace, His undeserved love, in our lives. He gives through this Sacrament the forgiveness Jesus earned for us with His life of perfection and His sacrifice on the cross.

The baptism of Isabella was especially emotional for me. Her mother, for whom I was a baptismal sponsor, is already in heaven with Jesus. I officiated at her graveside three months ago. As Isabella was welcomed into the family of God, I wonder if the saints in heaven, including her mother, were rejoicing. Is this part of what Jesus was speaking about in Luke 15, when he described the rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents (Luke 15:7, 10) ?

There was a billboard across the highway from the hotel in which we stayed. It was advertising another church in the area and proclaimed that “Miracles, signs and wonders happen every Sunday at 11:00 a.m.” at that church. I mentioned that billboard at yesterday’s baptism, reminding the family and the congregation that God was doing a miracle in Isabella’s life, washing away her sin and making her His child.

Take some time today to remember your Baptism and the wonderful assurance that it gives to you, the assurance that Jesus has paid for your sin so that you can be confident of God’s love and your forgiveness. Take some time to ponder and reflect on this as you read through the Scripture passages below.

Acts 2:38 Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Titus 3:5–7 …he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.

Acts 22:16 And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on his name.’

1 Peter 3:18–22 ¹⁸ For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit, ¹⁹ through whom also he went and preached to the spirits in prison ²⁰ who disobeyed long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water, ²¹ and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also—not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a good conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, ²² who has gone into heaven and is at God’s right hand—with angels, authorities and powers in submission to him.

Romans 6:3–5 Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 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. If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection.