Baptism Sermon
Scripture reading: Exodus 3:1-10
I wonder if the children noticed who was present in front of the pulpit today? For if we look carefully we would have noticed that in each case we saw three generations. Ws saw a Grandmother, a daughter and a grandchild. This is quite significant for today’s message. For in Exodus 3 we notice God announcing Himself to Moses as the God of a grandpa, a son and a grandson.
Now Moses must have had quite a fright in the desert. The desert is a place of silence, rest and peace. A silence which you only know once you have been there yourself. Probably the only sounds that Moses heard were the bleating of his sheep. Then suddenly he becomes aware of a burning bush. Now in itself it was not such a strange phenomenon. For in the desert lightning or even a dewdrop could cause a fire to start. But this bush does not stop burning! And then suddenly from this bush a voice speaks! Don’t come near, take of your shoes this is holy ground. And then God introduces Himself to Moses. And this introduction is an astonishing one. Which God is speaking to Moses? How does He introduce Himself?
For surely this God could have introduced Himself as the Almighty creator of heaven and earth. He could have said, Moses I am the God who made every single thing you see around you by just speaking a word! All those stars you gaze at, at night, all the wonders in nature which you daily observe, all the rhythm of nature, summer, winter etc. all these things. I am the one who made it all!! It is all the work of my hands!!
But no, this is not the way God announces Himself to Moses. What does He say? “I am the God of your father, of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob!” . . . . . . Our God is the God of people! He is the God of human beings, of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. The God of people, the crown of His creation.
For five days long God created this universe in all its glory! Why? To make a home, a living place, a dwelling, yes a safe nest for you and me which He made on the sixth day. And then in the fullness of time, when He decided to save this world from sin, He sent His own Son. He did not send a heavenly vision, nor an animal or an angel, no He sent His Son, born from a woman. This is how God reveals Himself to us, as a human being.
It was as a human that Jesus suffered His pain and anguish. And when Jesus tells us in Joh 3:16 “that God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” He is not speaking of trees and animals, but of us, human beings.
Our God, the God of this baptism font is the God of people! Our God is ‘user friendly’, a people friendly God.
But we all know that many things happen to us which makes us think differently about God. Yes there is a God, but He is out there somewhere. He is the God of History. Involved in the great issues of the cosmos. Somewhere out there far away. Far removed and far above the common hustle and bustle of everyday life! Is He really interested in my life? Is He interested in the individual? Does He have an interest in all my problems and worries?
What does verse 7 tell us? Verse 7 tells us God is intensely interested in your life! He tells Moses, “Moses there were my people are suffering in Egypt, there I saw their pain, their anguish and suffering. Furthermore, I did not just see it, no I am concerned about their suffering.” In the Afrikaans language it reads: “I took there sufferings to heart!!” Yes, God is interested in your life! He has a heart that beats warmly for us human beings. He takes to heart your sufferings, your addictions, your pain and anguish. The droughts in your life, your accidents, your sickness, your daily battle to keep head above water all your worries about the future!!
God is interested in your life!
Our God is not only interested in people’s lives, He is also interested in small peoples lives. Interested in children’s lives. We read in the Bible that the disciples want to prevent the little children from gathering around Jesus. Stay away, He is busy with matters of grave importance! But the answer we get from Jesus? “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, . . .” Our God is the God of people and of little people.
But this God, is not only the God of people, He is the God of specific people! This is the God of the covenant. The God who said “I choose you Abraham. Through you all the nations will be blessed. I will be your God and you will be my people! I will also be the God of your descendants!” With this promise still hanging in the air, a son is born to Abraham and this son Isaac belongs to God. And do you know what? God also belongs to Isaac!
There is something mysterious in the workings of this covenant of grace. In some way or another something trickles down to the next generations. That promise of God that He will show His mercy and love to thousands of those that love Him still remains. Anyone sitting here today who believes himself to be a child of God could well look back and probably will find somewhere in his ancestors someone which God used to maintain this stream of grace. God can work in generations. Today we see it with our own eyes. The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob is also the God of (insert name of grandparent, parent and child baptised!)
Yes we can thank God for godly ancestors, but be warned!! This covenant has its fair share of rotten eggs! Why did we read in verse 6 only of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob? What happened to Esau? What happened to the first-born son of Isaac? He was the one entitled to all the privileges of this covenant. But Isaac decided to get out of this covenant! Even though he was entitled to all the privileges of it he decided to sell it out for a bowl of soup!! “I realise what the implications of my birth right is, but no I’ll sell it out for a bowl of soup!!”
This covenant of grace, this covenant of God’s promise to be the God of our children does not work automatically. We cannot say: “But o my parents were great Christians! My parents were true God fearing people therefore I must be covered!” No, that is why we are commanded by God to bring up our children in such a way that they will one day make the right decision. That they will decide I will stay in this covenant. I will accept this miraculous offer of God wanting to be my God! I will say yes as an answer to the offer and promise He made me the day I was baptised! Even us sitting here this morning can (re)decide. We can admit to ourselves I have strayed from this covenant of grace, I have forgotten God’s promises and disregarded His demands! You can decide it is time to come home! It is time to return to were you belong. Safely shielded in Gods covenant of grace!!
Today you can once again say yes to Gods offer He made to you when you were still cradled in your mother’s arms here at the font of the covenant!
For this covenant of grace have two sides. God, who says I want to be your God and the God of your descendants, and me and you that must respond and say yes God I want to be your child!! And this is the greatest blessing and comfort for us this morning. We who are looking at a world turned asunder. Our human eyes that look at this world and ask ourselves what future is there for our children? What lies ahead for our grandchildren? Hear the voice of the Lord this morning. Hear the voice of the ages calling out from this baptism font! God proclaiming, your children and your grandchildren will never be God-less. They will never be without me!!
For I am the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob! I am the God of Grandparents, parents and grandchildren!!
In front of our eyes God confirmed it, and offered it to us once again. The Bible is laden with ceremonies of the renewal of this covenant. Today once again is your chance to renew this covenant of grace.
Our God, the God of people, the God who takes your life to heart wants to be your God. He wants to be the God of your children, and your grandchildren!! Is He that in your life today? Is this God your God?
Remember . . . . . . somewhere at a baptism font He made you an offer. He promised His love, His grace, His mercy to you!! Is He still waiting for your reply? Is He still waiting for you to say yes, or have you sold out your God given inheritance for a bowl of worldly soup?
Have you strayed away and climbed out of His covenant of grace? Come back today! Come home today; come back to where you belong! Back in the arms of the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Back in the arms of the God of Grandmas and Grandpa’s, Moms and Dads and grandchildren.
Amen.
