October 11, 2023

Today's Reading: Luther's Small Catechism, Baptism: Part 1

Daily Lectionary: Nehemiah 9:1-21, 1 Timothy 5:17-6:2

“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” (Matthew 28:19)

In the Name of Jesus, Amen.  In the beginning was water. The Spirit of God hovered over the water, and the Word of God was spoken according to the will of God. All of creation had its origin out of the water. God, the Word of God, the Spirit of God and water are the ingredients of creation, The Holy Trinity and water. 

God remakes His creation in the same way He made it, by means of water and Himself…the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. “It is He who made us and we are His” (Psalm 100). This makes you a disciple of Jesus, a hearer of His voice. It makes you…what you are. It gives you identity in God. He knows exactly who you are and lovingly reminds you daily of His love for His very own. The Lord loves the baptized. He made them. He made you.

In a perfect world we all would have been conceived within the marital union and love between a husband and wife. And wouldn’t it be great if we all grew up surrounded by their perfect love, of those parents, in the same house. The brokenness in this world often causes us painful and confusing identity crises. Who am I and why am I here?  The world that God created by means of water and His Word is horribly broken…it cannot simply be repaired. It can be remade. Jesus empowers His church to do the work of remaking… “go and make disciples…”

Despite the brokenness of life in this world into which you were born, God chose you to be His baptized, remade, child. Not only did He form you in the womb, but He remade and marked you for eternity in Baptism. The pastor may have administered the Baptism, but the words “in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,” show clearly that God is the one doing the “making.”  He makes disciples. He baptized you. 

God’s work of remaking you continues in His church. Baptism gave you ears to hear. The church teaches the baptized that they may learn who they are by listening. What does it mean that I am baptized? Who am I in Jesus? The answer is in the preaching and teaching that you hear from your pastor. In the Name of Jesus, Amen. 

The voice of the Lord is over the waters; 

 the God of glory thunders, 

 the Lord, over many waters. 

The voice of the Lord is powerful; 

  the voice of the Lord is full of majesty.

Know that the Lord, he is God!  

  It is he who made us, and we are his; 

 we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.  (Psalm 29:3,4; 100:3)

-Pastor Preston Paul is pastor at St. Matthew Lutheran Church, Almena, WI.

Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, Ky.

Study Christ's words on the cross to see how you can show more Christlike grace in your life. Perfect for group or individual study, each chapter has a Q&A at the end, and the back of the book includes a leader guide. Available now from Concordia Publishing House.