Embracing Our Identity: Baptism and Justice

Devotional

Day 1: Baptism as a Declaration of Divine Love

Baptism is a profound declaration of God's unending love and grace, marking individuals as His beloved children forever. This identity transcends any worldly labels or circumstances, reminding believers of their inherent worth and calling. Through baptism, one is invited to embrace this divine identity, which serves as a constant reminder of being cherished and called to live out this truth in daily life. As individuals journey through life, they are encouraged to strip away the false identities imposed by the world and return to the core truth of their baptismal promise: they are beloved, precious children of God, beautiful to behold. [56:23]

Isaiah 43:1 (ESV): "But now thus says the Lord, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: 'Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine.'"

Reflection: How can you remind yourself daily of your identity as a beloved child of God, especially when faced with worldly pressures and labels?

Day 2: Active Participation in Justice

The call to justice, as expressed by the prophet Amos, is an active demand for transformation. It is not a passive stance but requires believers to confront and address the injustices around them. This call is deeply rooted in one's baptismal identity, which compels individuals to embody God's love in their actions. By actively participating in justice, believers become instruments of change, working towards a more equitable world. This journey is not just personal but collective, as all are part of God's family, called to support and uplift one another in the pursuit of justice. [50:17]

Micah 6:8 (ESV): "He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?"

Reflection: Identify one injustice in your community. What steps can you take this week to actively address it, embodying God's love in your actions?

Day 3: Resilience Through Faith in Suffering

Suffering, while a reality of life, is not the final word. Through faith and trust in God's love, believers can find hope and resilience, knowing that they are never separated from His grace. The story of Fet, a woman who embraced her identity as a beloved child of God despite immense suffering, serves as a powerful reminder of the resilience and hope that one's baptismal identity provides. Even in the darkest moments, God's love remains steadfast, empowering individuals to rise above their circumstances and live out their calling with courage and conviction. [47:03]

2 Corinthians 4:8-9 (ESV): "We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed."

Reflection: In what ways can you draw strength from your faith to overcome a current challenge or suffering in your life?

Day 4: Collective Identity and Support

Our baptismal identity is both personal and collective, inviting believers to support and uplift one another as part of God's family. Together, individuals can work towards a more just and loving world, embodying the love and grace of God in their interactions with others. This collective identity calls for a commitment to community, where each person plays a role in fostering an environment of support, encouragement, and mutual growth. By embracing this collective identity, believers can create a ripple effect of positive change in the world. [50:48]

1 Corinthians 12:26-27 (ESV): "If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together. Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it."

Reflection: How can you actively contribute to the well-being and growth of your faith community this week?

Day 5: Empowerment Through Divine Identity

Embracing one's identity as a beloved child of God empowers individuals to live with courage and conviction, even in the face of adversity. This truth is a source of strength and hope, guiding believers in their journey of faith. By holding onto the truth of their baptism, individuals are inspired to be agents of change in a world yearning for redemption. This empowerment is not just for personal benefit but serves as a catalyst for positive transformation in the lives of others and the broader community. [56:03]

Ephesians 3:16-17 (ESV): "That according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love."

Reflection: What steps can you take today to live out your divine identity with courage and conviction, impacting those around you positively?

Sermon Summary

In today's gathering, we explored the profound significance of baptism and its role in shaping our identity as beloved children of God. Baptism is not merely a ritual; it is a powerful declaration of God's unending love and grace, marking us as His own forever. This identity transcends any worldly labels or circumstances, reminding us that we are cherished and called to live out this truth in our daily lives. As we journey through Lent, we are invited to strip away the false identities imposed by the world and return to the core truth of our baptismal promise: we are beloved, precious children of God, beautiful to behold.

We also delved into the theme of justice, inspired by the words of the prophet Amos, "Let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream." This call to justice is not passive but demands active participation in confronting and transforming the injustices around us. Our baptismal identity compels us to be instruments of justice, embodying God's love and working towards a more equitable world. This is not just a personal journey but a collective one, as we are all part of God's family, called to support and uplift one another.

Through the story of Fet, a woman who embraced her identity as a beloved child of God despite immense suffering, we were reminded of the resilience and hope that our baptismal identity provides. Even in the darkest moments, God's love remains steadfast, empowering us to rise above our circumstances and live out our calling with courage and conviction.

As we continue through Lent, let us hold onto the truth of our baptism, allowing it to guide us in our pursuit of justice and love. May we be ever mindful of our identity as God's beloved, and may this truth inspire us to be agents of change in a world yearning for redemption.

Key Takeaways

1. Baptism is a powerful declaration of God's love, marking us as His beloved children forever. This identity transcends any worldly labels or circumstances, reminding us of our inherent worth and calling. [56:23]
2. The call to justice, as expressed by the prophet Amos, is an active demand for transformation. Our baptismal identity compels us to confront and address injustices, embodying God's love in our actions. [50:17]
3. Suffering, while a reality of life, is not the final word. Through our faith and trust in God's love, we can find hope and resilience, knowing that we are never separated from His grace. [47:03]
4. Our baptismal identity is both personal and collective, inviting us to support and uplift one another as part of God's family. Together, we can work towards a more just and loving world. [50:48]
5. Embracing our identity as beloved children of God empowers us to live with courage and conviction, even in the face of adversity. This truth is a source of strength and hope, guiding us in our journey of faith. [56:03]
** [56:03]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[06:28] - Opening Announcements
[08:37] - Mission Focus: Justice for Our Neighbors
[11:21] - Invitation to Prayer
[13:03] - Lenten Reflection: Water and Baptism
[15:13] - Opening Hymn
[18:24] - Call and Response: May Peace Flow
[23:45] - Children's Time: Fairness and Justice
[32:31] - Personal Testimony: Finding a Church Home
[36:29] - Prayer: Releasing Doubt
[41:18] - Scripture Reading: Romans 8:31-39
[43:08] - Sermon: Identity and Baptism
[49:19] - Call to Justice and Action
[56:23] - Story of Resilience: Fet's Baptism
[59:18] - Offering and Ministry Highlight
[63:52] - Closing Prayer and Hymn
[68:36] - Benediction and Invitation to Remember Baptism

Sermon Clips

In baptism, we're reminded of our identity in God and part of our vows to renounce evil, injustice, and oppression in whatever forms they present themselves. So I'm going to invite us to center on the water today as we prepare for worship. [00:13:33]

Sit quietly, take in a deep breath, feeling the air fill your lungs, and slowly release it. Let your body relax as you settle into this moment. Can you hear the sound of the water? Focus on the sound of the water moving with purpose, reshaping land, nourishing life, cleansing all it touches, including you. [00:13:53]

If you've been baptized, recall the water. Even if you don't remember it, remember the water touching your skin, the word spoken over you. If you've not been baptized, reflect on the invitation of baptism. Sit with these words: I am beloved, I am called, I am part of God's work in this world. [00:14:24]

As you breathe in, remember God's love, and as you breathe out, remember God's justice. Let us begin this type of worship, remembering the drop of water merging into a stream that touches our heart and shapes the world around us. [00:14:57]

We baptize children because of this promise that before we even know what's going on within us, before we can even have words to say it, God has chosen us. God has said you are beloved. Now, so many Christians seem to be obsessed with who's in and who's out, right, who's wrong and who's right. [00:43:35]

God has already chosen all of us. God has already named all of us as beloved, as children of God. So we'll hear in a moment from the choir, so no matter what people say, the eternal truth is that we are children of God. We belong to God. [00:44:56]

Paul isn't saying these words naively. He has been beaten, he's been imprisoned, he's been persecuted, so he knows suffering. He's not just making up words. He doesn't deny the reality of hardship, but he refuses to let suffering define him or be the last word. [00:46:39]

Because he's convinced of God's love that is greater than any suffering, any evil, and any force that seeks to separate us from our true identity as God's beloved. Now, this view of suffering that he took is different than the stoic view at that time. [00:47:03]

Baptism is about being named as God's beloved, but it's also about being called. We're called to witness to God's reign, we're called to enact justice, called to embody the love that has already claimed us. The prophet Amos, we're going to say this probably a lot, speaking to people who had lost their way, declares God's desire for justice. [00:49:39]

When God calls us beloved, that love is not just for us. I'm sorry we had to turn this off. We wanted the choir to be able to hear, but it's when God calls us beloved, it's meant to be this flowing stream, dream to flow outward, rolling down water, bringing healing, liberation, hope to a world that is groaning for redemption. [00:51:40]

Even in her darkest moment, Fet clung to her baptismal truth. She knew that no violence, no suffering, no worldly judgment could take away what God had declared over her. She was named, she was claimed, she was beloved. This is the power of baptism. [00:56:23]

Our Christian name, our baptismal name, it's not just what people call us, it is a sacred word, a sacred word that proclaims who we are at our very core. We have been named with such power that nothing can undo it, not suffering, not failure, not sin, not even death. [00:56:43]

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