Shortest Sermon EVER!

Yesterday I had probably the shortest written sermon EVER - in the history of the world.  In fact I felt guilty printing it out it was so short.  It only consisted of 3 questions.

• What is baptism?
• What does baptism do?
• Why do we baptize?

On the Sunday when the church celebrates the Baptism of Jesus and the gospel was Mark 1:1-13, I thought it was appropriate to have a discussion about what baptism means for us as individuals and as the church universal.  

So what did we actually discuss?

Well I first asked "what is baptism?" got a few blank stares so started instead with "Why do we baptize?"  I have to say I was kind of shocked where the conversation started - it started with legit theological reasons.  Any pastor can tell you those often are not the reason that parents bring their child to be baptized.  In fact I had to go fishing for those reasons - because Grandma will be upset, because it is tradition, because by having  the child baptized it will keep them from hell, or ward off the devil.  Instead the reasons I was first given was - because Jesus commands it (Matthew 28:19), because it is a sign of God's grace that should be given to all, because it is a sign of our faith - are ones that would make many pastors sing if a parent came to them with that reasoning for having their child baptized.

So then we moved to "What is baptism?" and referenced Luther's Small Catechism in which Luther says baptism is water and the Word of God.  We also discussed how it is a sacrament and compared it to the other sacrament of Communion.  

And "What does baptism do?" Well it is in baptism that God claims us as sons and daughters.  It is in baptism that we are given a tangible moment of God's love and grace for us.  In witnessing a baptism, we are reminded of our own baptism, that God's love us so much to claim us as a son or daughter and if we cannot actually remember our baptism we are reminded that someone loved us so much to bring us to be baptized so we would never not know that love.

I must admit, I was a little afraid to do this.  I have been asking questions in my sermons for, well, just about as long as I have been at Bethlehem.  But they started out as almost rhetorical - yes I wanted actual answers but they didn't change where I was going with the sermon - maybe I would use the answers as examples later in the sermon.  And even of late, when I have had more conversational sermons, I still have started out with some content.

And you would think 3 questions would mean that I would have spent less time preparing for this sermon than normal - well no.  I knew on Tuesday that these questions would be my sermon but since then I have read commentaries, I read the baptism sections of Luther's small & large catechism, I listened to podcast commentaries on the texts and I didn't get to as much as I wanted to.  I wanted to take time to read the BEM document from the World Council of Churches (BEM stands for Baptism, Eucharist and Ministry) and read a little book that the congregation often gives to families when they are preparing for a baptism.

So will I do this completely conversational sermon again - without a doubt.  Just about ever person in the sanctuary on Sunday was engaged in the conversation - that hardly ever happens in a traditional sermon.  People were actually thinking about what baptism is, why do we do this funny rite.  Questions were asked that were left hanging for future sermons - adult only baptism verse infant, how much water is needed - and many people were shocked that in case of eminent death anyone can baptize.   Realizing that faith practices have reach this inner place of knowledge and having the two connect is a goal of mine and this style of sermon worked so much better than a traditional sermon ever would.