There's the Baptismal Font (January 10, 2010)
By Rev. Steve Bagnall

There’s the Baptismal font – front and center. Why not push it out of the way. Wouldn’t it be easier to get to the communion rail?

Yes, but Baptism is just so important. You see, in Jesus’ Baptism He makes the sacrament the life-giving water we need to wash away our sins. By the power of the Holy Spirit in the Jordan – and in that font -- the guilt and spiritual stink of our sins are washed off us into the water. When Jesus went into that water it seemed wrong, because He didn’t have sins to repent of. Wasn’t there a danger that His perfection would be contaminated by the pollution of all those sins – yes – that’s exactly what happened. He absorbed all the sins of all the baptized sinners, and of all people in His Baptism. Here He takes His place as our Substitute. He soaks up our sin and leaves behind His clean and perfect life and perfection for us to receive in our baptism.

Of course, even when we know all this about baptism we can still miss a big part of its power for us.

Some see Baptism as a one-time event – like graduation – wonderful, but once the celebration is complete it’s time to get on with the next part – the Christian living, the getting better all the time.

Problem is that our life isn’t up, up and away. We find that the “other business” of Christian living doesn’t get done so well. It isn’t easy – troubles, sickness and loss, divorce and bills, loneliness and self-denial, “set apart from the world” can mean set apart by yourself!

And then there’s the every day, time after time reality that we keep on sinning. The triumphant new life doesn’t seem to materialize. Washed clean of my sins in the font I don’t get far before I’m filthy with sin again! I need another Baptism!

Problem – you only get one. As we confess in the creed – “one baptism for the remission of sins.” But here’s the answer to the problem—your Baptism is still effective!

You see, the same Jesus Who was in the water of your Baptism, who filled that water with His blood, the blood of His cross, the blood that wins you forgiveness -- that same Jesus is still here now. He awaits to wash away the new sins too. He pours that cleansing of Baptism over you again and again when you come and kneel in your heart and repenting, ask forgiveness for His sake.

Through His pastors He gently rinses the wounds the world’s sins give you. He tells you that He is still Your Savior. That though the whole world may leave you, He never will, that although it may seem that you are alone, that in the sacrament of Baptism He wrote His name on you and He is always with you.

And He applies the spiritual detergent of His blood again, washing you in Absolution. Your Baptism is still powerful, and in Holy Absolution you are washed again and again in that one holy flood.

The font stands here to remind your eyes – and to remind your heart – that your Savior is always with you and that no matter how much you sin, and no matter how much the world sins against you, He washes you clean and prepares you to take your place here, at His holy table, the table of the wedding feast, the table of eternity, the table of His body and Blood.

Washed and cleansed and washed and cleansed, living in your Baptism, you are prepared – prepared to eat, prepared live in this less-than-perfect world, prepared to die and enter the eternal feast of heaven.

As you pass the font, let it remind you. Touch it with your eyes, with your hand. Let the sacrament it delivers continue to touch your heart with power and comfort.

Live in your Baptism. Amen