Lesson:Benefits of Baptism

Today’s BIG Idea:

Baptism promises forgiveness, salvation, and new life with God forever.

By Water and the

Holy Spirit we are

made members of

the Church which is

the Body of Christ.

(LBW, p. 121)

Time for:

1. In Baptism:

a) we become heirs of eternal life

b) we receive the forgiveness of sins

c) we are freed to new life with God forever

d) All of the above

2. We are a priesthood of all believers because:

a) Only priests and pastors can pray to God

b) Only priests and pastors can baptize

c) Only priests and pastors can read the Bible

d) All the baptized share in the ministry of the gospel and in the life of the church

a) That they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.

b) That they might see in you the light they are missing as sinners

c) That they might want to be as good as you and so come to be baptized

d) That all may know that you have earned God’s favor

3. At the baptism service we say, “Let your light so shine before others,”

4. Gospel means:

a) A special book in the Bible

b) Angel blest

c) Spoken by God

d) Good news

5. Baptism is considered by the Lutherans to be:

a) An important rite of passage

b) A symbol of how much an individual loves God

c) A sacrament

d) A special way to honor God

6. The following people are not allowed to baptize people even in extreme situations:

a) Kids

b) Youth directors

c) All of the Above

d) None of the Above

Lord, you rescued us and made us your children, inheritors of your eternal kingdom. In all that we do, in all the places of our lives, make us instruments of your love. Grant us patience where there is impatience, understanding where there is misunderstanding, love where there is hate. We ask all of this in your name. Amen.

MARK 16

15And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the good news to the whole creation. 16The one who believes and is baptized will be saved; but the one who does not believe will be condemned.”

EPHESIANS 13Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, 4just as he chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless before him in love. 5He destined us for adoption as his children through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of his will, 6to the praise of his glorious grace that he freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. 7In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace 8that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and insight…

Continued >

EPHESIANS 19he has made known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure that he set forth in Christ, 10as a plan for the fullness of time, to gather up all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. 11In Christ we have also obtained an inheritance, having been destined according to the purpose of him who accomplishes all things according to his counsel and will, 12so that we, who were the first to set our hope on Christ, might live for the praise of his glory. 13In him you also, when you had heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and had believed in him, were marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit; 14this is the pledge of our inheritance toward redemption as God’s own people, to the praise of his glory.

COLOSSIANS 3

1So if you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth, 3for you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4When Christ who is your life is revealed, then you also will be revealed with him in glory. 5Put to death, therefore, whatever in you is earthly: fornication, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed (which is idolatry). 6On account of these the wrath of God is coming on those who are disobedient. 7These are the ways you also once followed, when you were living that life.

Continued >

COLOSSIANS 3

8But now you must get rid of all such things–-anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive language from your mouth. 9Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have stripped off the old self with its practices 10and have clothed yourselves with the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge according to the image of its creator. 11In that renewal there is no longer Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave and free; but Christ is all and in all!12As God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience.

Continued >

Object Lesson:

Think about what happens to an egg, a tea bag, and a carrot, when put in boiling

water. All have different, but good results from the adversity of the boiling hot water.

We speak of baptism partly as drowning our old sinful self, and dying every day to sin. But remember that is good news – it

is part of becoming a new creation.

Science

Connectio

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Go to grand canyon video

Key Words

DAILY REPENTANCE is when you realize, every day, that you are a sinner, but

through your baptism into Jesus Christ you are redeemed and forgiven.

FORGIVENESS is when God completely forgets every sin you ever committed in

your whole life.

BreatheGo to music video

If we are forgiven our sins in Baptism, why do we have to repent of sins later? In baptism God declares forgiveness, but in order to receive forgiveness, we have to realize that we need it.

If we are forgiven our sins in Baptism, why do we sin afterward? There is no good explanation – we shouldn't, but we do – this is the human condition we call “original sin” and shows that we need God's grace because we cannot free ourselves.

CLOSING QUESTIONS

Is there such thing as an unpardonable sin? One place in the bible (MT 12:31-32) speaks of an unpardonable sin as “blasphemy against the Holy Spirit.” This seems to mean that while you reject the work of God, you are not able to receive God's grace.

CLOSING QUESTIONS

Is it possible not to sin? As Paul says (in Romans 7:14 and following), we find it to be a law that we sin even though we don't want to. God did not make us to sin, but we are corrupt and broken and need God to restore and renew us.

L: The Lord be with you,

C: And also with you.

L: Let us pray. Saving Lord, in the waters of our baptism you have raised us to new life. Grant that we may live worthy of that gift. When we fall short, make us open to your forgiving love. We ask all of this in Jesus’ name.

C: Amen

L: May the God who saved you through your baptism, who continues to bless and guide you, be foremost in your mind in the week ahead. In the name of the Father +, and of the Son +, and of the Holy Spirit +. Amen.