May
the words of my mouth and the meditations of our hearts be pleasing in Your
sight, O Lord, our Rock and our Redeemer. AMEN.
When
this country was settled, there was not an excess of paper, nor computers or as
many law offices as we have today. There
was only one thing that had any validity, it was man’s word. It didn’t matter if it was for water rights,
cattle sale or even how families would divide the land homesteaded by their
parents, a man’s word was his bond. It
would stand up in court and nobody doubted or denied the validity of a man’s
word.
This
history not only is important, but clearly connects to us how God’s Word has
impact and importance for us here today.
The Word of God that we have had passed down from generation to
generation as contained in the Holy Bible is true. Unlike society which has changed, God’s Word
and the intent we find has not changed from the Garden of Eden, to the desert
where God’s people toiled for 40 years to Jerusalem where Jesus was killed to
us today that sit here in Goodland, KS.
God’s word is the bed rock which we can know God and believe that God has
not changed.
Now
man’s interpretation has changed, whether from the understanding of words to
the application here in the world, but God’s Word has not changed. For God’s Word has one intent in mind and
that is the salvation of all of mankind.
God’s Word from Genesis pointed to the coming of a figure that would
redeem mankind. The prophets
continuously looked for the coming Messiah and celebrated yearly this
remembrance in the Seder and Passover feast.
And when Jesus Christ was born in Bethlehem, changed water to wine,
calmed the storm and raised Lazarus from the dead, Jesus was the manifestation
of the greatest love from God for us, His children. And in Holy Scripture we have this unchanging
Word of God that is True even for us today.
Yet,
daily God’s Word is under attack.
Whether in society, schools or even and especially by Satan himself. God’s Word is under attack and we, the
children of God, empowered by the Holy Spirit are the ones who can walk the
line and keep God’s Word pure. For God’s
Word being true connects with us tonight as we continue our series about
baptism. For without God’s Word
connected to Water Holy Baptism would not have the meaning, validity nor value
that is clearly offered unto us today.
In
Holy Baptism when God’s Word connected to Water washes us clean it connects us
directly to the promises of God. We
should not doubt, but daily Satan tries to get us to doubt God and His
Word. This has been the tactic used by
Satan from the Garden of Eden with Adam and Eve and even continues with each of
us today. When we doubt God and His Word
we jeopardize our salvation. God’s Word
does not change and if we doubt it then we are in folly and Satan the father of
lies has won the victory. But God does
not give up that easily on us nor His Word.
God clearly calls us to believe in His Word as truth, because in it we find
the greatest gift from Him.
The
greatest gift in His Word is the promises found in our Baptism into Jesus
Christ life, death and resurrection. We
receive in this Sacrament the truth of generations that clearly sets us free
from the bonds of death and frees us to eternal life. These are the promises that are fulfilled
when we are washed with the Blood of the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of
the world. These are the promises that
God offers to us when we believe His Word as truth and trust fully in the
divine gifts offered for us at the font.
For when we are brought to the font and washed clean, we no longer are
bound but shielded by God’s Armor of the Word of God. In the Word of God we find the truth of the
grace God offers us and sets us free to embrace. For this freedom is for all of mankind, but
especially all of us saints gathered here at Emmanuel who believe that God’s
Word is true and that in our baptism God offers us the truth of the forgiveness
of sins for each and every one of us.
AMEN.
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