As Dave and I were anticipating Hadleigh’s birth we discussed many things. One of the things that we began to ponder was if we were going to baptize her as an infant. Once we decided that we were indeed going to have her baptized we became a little puzzled. We didn’t want just anyone to baptize her because we wanted to know the person who performed the sacrament, as well we wanted someone who believes similar to what we believe about baptism. We weren’t sure if we should wait until we got back to the states, or if we should try to do it in Germany. During our quandary Dave had an epiphany. Our good friends David and Eowyn Stoddard are missionaries with Mission to the World in Berlin and David is a pastor! So we gave them a call to see if he would be willing to come down here and baptize Hadleigh at our Chapel.
This weekend the Stoddards and their five children are on their way to a family reunion in France and to break up the drive spent the weekend with us, so it worked out for David to baptize Hadleigh yesterday in Chapel.
It was very special to have David baptize Hadleigh. Dave and David have been friends for around 15 years, since college. Our first date was with David and Eowyn. David was also the bestman in our wedding, and now he has baptized Hadleigh. Not only was it special to have David baptize Hadleigh, but the whole affair was special as we reflected on the meaning of baptism during the weekend. I was moved as I thought about the promises of God and his faithfulness to us, and to Hadleigh. I struggled through the baptism, I sniffled through the whole thing. The Lord is good and faithful to keep his promises, and Dave and I continue to pray that there won't be a day that Hadleigh doesn't know the Lord.
I am posting the text of what David said this morning as he baptized Hadleigh. It was wonderful, and if you take the time to read it you will understand a little bit more about why we have chosen to baptize Hadleigh. As a fun aside, the dress Hadleigh is wearing is the dress I wore when I was dedicated as an infant.
On October 4, 2003 I had the privilege to stand by you both at another mile marker in your lives: your wedding in Atlanta. I am honored to stand with you again today at another mile marker in your lives, this one being the natural result of the other. At your wedding you exchanged two very precious things. First of you exchanged rings made of gold. Though they were expensive you exchanged something even more valuable, more precious, even more costly on that day. Your exchanged vows: “I David take you Ami to be my wedded wife, to have and to hold, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part.” On that day you made a very costly commitment, a precious promise, a vow of infinite value: so valuable that each of you built your lives on the basis of the other’s lifelong faithfulness to that solemn oath and pledge.
Vows have a very sobering side to them. When take a vow we rest the weight of our hearts on another person’s word. We trust and relax in the assurance that this dangerous, threatening world here, at least, is a safe place. That’s why broken promises hurt so much. If what our hearts rests on gives way, we are not just bruised – we are shattered. The more we trust, the more it hurts when our trust is betrayed.
Vows have a very surprising side to them as well. When promises are kept we flourish. We find a joy in life which is refreshing and transforming. Held promises free us up to be who God has intended us to be, to take risks, to be adventurous, to discover what is meant by the “abundant” Christian life. Honored oaths enable us to function as artists in a world of chaos. Because we have a firm foundation in our lives we can begin to bring order where other find only hurt, anger, brokenness, and disorder.
I say all that because you are about to make some new promises before God and these witnessing believers. You are about to take new vows that not only change your lives, but now involve the life of Hadleigh Claire. I say all this so that you don’t miss the importance of this moment. But please don’t feel like you are the principle actors in this drama; as if you are now on center stage at the climax of the play and if you fail now the whole show is lost. At baptism you as parents make promises which are important. But ultimately they only shadow the promises of God. They pale in comparison to what God is now promising you, me, and Hadleigh today. This baptism is a mile marker in your lives, in her life, but a baptism is ultimately to turn all our eyes on the principle actor, the song, the drama which encompasses all of history.
1.Your are making a promise
a.Here is what you are promising today. It is not insignificant, but it is secondary. To devote your entire lives to the training of Hadleigh. To read Scripture with her. To pray with her. To help understand unfolding mystery of God’s love for us. To pray for her. To set and example in your lives in your piety and godliness for her. To nurture her by all means possible to grow in her relationship to Jesus. You are to be the first in her life to speak truth when need; to correct and discipline. At same time you are to the biggest fastest deepest repenters she will ever know.
b.It a promise which you can never uphold perfectly. You will fail. But when you fail, as you repent and cling to the promises of forgiveness in Jesus blood, even your failures will give her indescribable insights into the forgiveness of the Father.
2.God is making a promise
a.The promise is called the new covenant. Jeremiah 31:31-34, “The time is coming when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. It will not be like the covenant I made with their forefathers when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they broke my covenant, though I was a husband to them. This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time, I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. No longer will a man teach his neighbor, or a man his brother, saying, 'Know the LORD,' because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest," declares the LORD. "For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more."
b.Peter repeats this promise at Pentecost when he preached, “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. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off-- for all whom the Lord our God will call."
c.This promise comes with a sobering and surprising side. Here is the sobering side of the gospel: he will also be faithful and just to his covenant if Hadleigh choose to reject his promise. Baptism is a sobering reminder to you, to me, to us that if we reject his authority over us, we will justly receive what we have wanted – eternal separation from the just King.
d.Here is the surprising side of the gospel. What the Lord promises as we come to faith in him is that he will give to us a righteousness equal to Jesus. What baptism seals is the promise that as Hadleigh clings to his grace alone, God will give her a righteousness equal to Jesus. It is precious promise that God makes with imperfect people; a costly commitment which required the death of his own son, for you, me, and Hadleigh. That promise doesn’t depend on your faithfulness nor her piety. It is based his God’s calling and her response to his call. That’s what baptism signifies.
The Vows: David and Ami•Do you acknowledge your child’s need of the cleansing blood of Jesus Christ, and the renewing grace of the Holy Spirit?
•Do you claim God’s covenant promises in Hadleigh’s behalf, and do you look in faith to the Lord Jesus Christ for her salvation, as you do for your own?
•Do you now unreservedly dedicate your child to God, and promise, in humble reliance upon divine grace, that you will endeavor to set before Hadleigh a godly example, that you will pray with and for her, that you will teach her the doctrines of our holy religion, and that you will strive, by all the means of God’s appointment to bring her up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord?
•To the congregation: Do you as a congregation, in so far as you able for the next months undertake the responsibility of assisting David and Ami in the Christian nurture of this child?
Dave and Hadleigh
The Community Group Ladies: Karie and Ben, Missy, Sarah, Jan, Jessica, me and Hadleigh, Kristen, Sara and Ellie
The Stoddards and The McNays:
Eowyn is holding Emma (17 months), David is holding Ethan (2 months), and then Alethea (4), Jesse (7) and Liam (6) are in front
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