Baptism: Special Delivery
“[The Means of God] [F]aith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ.”
Have you ever received something via special delivery? What excitement comes when you are blessed with unexpected flowers or chocolates! Today I would like to tell you some good news without any cost to you!
Sometimes we Lutherans refer to them as means of God's grace. Dr. Martin Luther explained the means of grace with these words:
Now when God sends forth his holy gospel he dealt with us in a twofold manner, first outwardly, then inwardly. Outwardly he deals with us through the oral word of the gospel and through the material signs, that is, baptism and the sacrament of the altar. Inwardly he deals with us through the Holy Spirit, faith, and other gifts. But whatever their measure or order the outward factors should and must precede. The inward experience follows and is affected by the outward. God has determined to give the inward to no one except through the outward. For he wants to give no one the Spirit or faith outside of the outward Word and sign instituted by him, as he says in Luke 16[:28], "Let them hear Moses and the prophets." Accordingly Paul can call baptism a "washing of regeneration" wherein God "richly pours out the Holy Spirit" [Titus 3:5]. And the oral gospel "is the power of God for our salvation to everyone who has faith"
(Romans 1[:16]) [AE 40:146]
The Workshop of God -- Scott Rauch
Blueprints. Lists. Tools, Materials. Workbench. Patience. Determination. Care. Discipline. Joy. All of these put together by a master craftsman produce a work that is meant to be both artistic and functional for daily living. The master craftsman "sees" what he will create and then creates what will be seen in the world.
God, our master craftsman, working through His Means of Grace, brings us the materials and tools by which our very lives are saved for His best works. With written and spoken Scripture, with water, and with bread and wine, we are worked on faithfully by the Holy Spirit to bring the love and grace of Jesus into and out of each of our lives. We are made into new, beautiful creations through which the very life of Jesus functionally works in the world. We are crafted in ways only God can do to be the works of God in our homes and communities.
“We pray: Father, through faith, You have crafted the grace and love of Jesus in our lives. Through the Holy Spirit, work in us the life of Jesus that we might joyfully share in Your work. In Jesus’ name. Amen.”
