Baptism

1
Baptism

• Bringing Your Child to an eternal relationship
  with Jesus

2
Family teaches and feeds

• Childhood Sunday dinners with tablecloth, best
  China, salad forks, soup spoons, bread plates.
  Mom and Dad wanted us to know our manners and be
  comfortable in business and social situations.
• Purpose of meal--doing business
  --having
  fellowship --1 purpose sustaining life and
  health with nutrition
• In spite of fact that USDA says 99 of Americans
  arent getting RDAs and intelligence, emotional
  stability, leading killers like heart and cancer
  are diet related, NEVER learned about nutrition
  one of my family members nearly died before
  learning to correct nutrition
• In church, we need feed children the Eucharist,
  the food of their souls, before they understand
  why we need to teach them about Jesus so they
  can choose nutritious spiritual food wisely.
• Easy for kids to go to church until they refuse,
  wear their Sunday best, have lots of fun with
  good friends, but never meet Jesus or learn to
  benefit from the Eucharist or pattern their life
  after Jesus teachings
• This presentation will deal primarily with the
  purpose of baptism and the role of parents and
  godparents.
  

3
What would happen if the baby/child baptized
didnt grow into a mature Christian?

• 1. salvation
• 2. morals? learning not only whats right
  wrong, but, also, how to tap into the power of
  God for strength to do good. No body wants their
  kid pregnant alone, on drugs or in jail.
• 3. psychological studies about Christians

4
What the Researchers Found

• Christians are happier and more fulfilled.
• Christians are less prone to depression and
  mental illness and more likely to recover. May
  have to do with Church community.
• Christians have more fulfilling marriages.
• Christian Marriage Savers preparation yields 97
  divorce free marriages.
• Christians are more likely to earn more and have
  more stable employment.

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Christian Discipleship Effects

• Health
• Financial Management
• Relationships
• Altruism
• Emotional Health
• Productivity
• Everything we humans valuehappiness,
  relationships and financesdepends on the DEPTH
  and QUALITY of religious formation

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Parents and Godparents

• Gods answer to kids learning the truth about God
  and His church.
• Deuteronomy 1116-32 one of many passages where
  God spells out what He expects from parents Be
  careful! Dont let your heart be deceived so
  that you turn away from the Lord and serve and
  worship other gods. Commit yourselves
  wholeheartedly to these words of mine. Teach
  them to your children. Talk about them when you
  are at home and when you are on the road, when
  you are going to bed and when you are getting up.
  Write them on the doorposts of your house and on
  your gates so that as long as the sky remains
  above the earth, you and your children may
  flourish. You will be blessed if you obey the
  commands of the Lord your God. But you will be
  cursed if you reject the command of the Lord your
  God and turn away from Him and worship gods you
  have not known.
• Deuteronomy 67 Repeat them (the commands of
  God) again and again to your children.

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Parents Are Primary Teachers of Faith

• The CHURCH doesnt put parents in charge of their
  childrens religious formation it AFFIRMS that
  God gave parents the primary responsibility to do
  whatever it takes to get the job done right
  make sure their kids are brought up to be
  Christians
• An awesome, holy and marvelous responsibility.
• When we look at the liturgy of baptism, we will
  see that the Church asks the parents and
  godparents detailed questions about whether they
  are willing to take on this role.
• And for the child to enter into the
  covenantsolemn agreement with Godthe parents
  and godparents make vowssolemn promisesto
  provide the things necessary for the child to
  become a mature Christian

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Whole Church Makes Vows to Support the Parents

• Will you who witness these vows do all in your
  power to support these persons in their life in
  Christ?
• Church provides Supplemental Sunday classes for
  children, sponsors/godparents to help the
  parents, catechism classes, preschools and day
  schools that teach Christian truth, afterschool
  programs that teach Christian truth, church camp,
  youth retreats, confirmation classes, books,
  media, TV, etc.
• In fact if the church could successfully take the
  role of the parent and ensure the child grew into
  a mature Christian, it would. But it cant! God
  didnt create the family that way. His design
  was for children to learn about the most intimate
  things in the context of the love of family.
• Only parents can model the faith daily, talk
  about it all the time, evaluate what the child
  still doesnt know and needs to know in a highly
  mobile culture

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What is Baptism?

• Go and make disciples of all the nations,
  baptizing them in the name of the Father and the
  Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new
  disciples to obey all the commands I have given
  you. (Matthew 28 19)
• --something Jesus commanded
• --something that all who receive it must be
  taught to obey Jesus teaching

10
Something God does

• Jesus replied, I tell you the truth, unless you
  are born again, you cannot see the kingdom of
  God.I assure you, no one can enter the Kingdom
  of God without being born of water and the
  Spirit. Humans can reproduce only human life,
  but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual
  life.
• --necessary to enter the Kingdom of God,
  necessary for salvation, going to heaven
• --something God does, not just a profession of
  faith
• --gives a supernatural, spiritual life of
  indwelling of God the Holy Spirit

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The Holy Spirits New Life in Us

• Titus 34-7 Butwhen God our Savior revealed
  his kindness and love, he saved us, not because
  of the righteous things we had done, but because
  of His mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us
  a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit.
  He generously poured out the Spirit upon us
  through Jesus Christ our Savior. Because of his
  grace he declared us righteous and gave us
  confidence that we will inherit eternal life.
• --forgave our sins in the washing/new birth of
  baptism
• --new life of the Holy Spirit living in us
• --because of this we CAN inherit eternal life

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John the Baptists testimony

• John 1 32-34 Then John testified, I saw the
  Holy Spirit descending like a dove from heaven
  and resting on him. I didnt know he was the
  one, but when God sent me to baptize with water,
  he told me, The one on whom you see the Spirit
  descend and rest is the one who will baptize with
  the Holy Spirit. I saw this happen to Jesus, so
  I testify that he is the Chosen One of God.
• Baptism with water by John was a symbol of having
  asked Gods forgiveness, but Jesus will bring a
  new baptismone where Christians receive the Holy
  Spirit

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Vocabulary Lesson

• State of gracethe life of God/Holy Spirit living
  inside a person that is given at baptism
• --the supernatural life that is supposed to last
  forever? eternal life in heaven (with God)
• Sometimes called the state of love of God for
  the one who loves Me is the one who keeps my
  commandments

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Can we loose the state of grace received in
baptism?

• I John 5 16-17 If you see a Christian brother
  or sister sinning in a way that does not lead to
  death you should pray, and God will give that
  person life, but there is a sin that leads to
  DEATH, and I am not saying you should pray for
  those who commit it. All wicked actions are sin,
  but not every sin leads to death.
• More vocabulary
• Mortaldeadlydestroys the life of grace?person
  goes to hell unless they intend to change
  (repent) and ask Gods forgiveness
• Venialsickweakens life of grace, inclines the
  will to commit worse sin?person can still go to
  heaven
• For there is no just man upon earth, that does
  good and never sins. ( Ecclesiasticus 821)
• Whole book of Jude deals with ungodly
  peoplesaying Gods marvelous grace allows us to
  live immoral lives. The condemnation of such
  people was recorded long agothe Lord..(will)
  execute judgment on the people...keep yourselves
  safe in Gods loverescue others by snatching
  them from the flames of judgment. Show mercy to
  others, but do so with great caution, hating the
  sinsGod is able to keep you from falling away
  and will bring you with great joy into his
  glorious presence without a single fault.

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What kind of sin leads to hell?

• When you follow the desires of your sinful
  nature, the results are very clear sexual
  immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures,
  idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling,
  jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambitions,
  dissensions, division, envy, drunkness, wild
  parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell
  you, again, as I have said before, that anyone
  living that sort of life will not inherit the
  kingdom of God.

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What the supernatural life looks like

• Galatians 622 But the Holy Spirit produces
  this kind of fruit in our lives love, joy,
  peace, patience, kindness, goodness,
  faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
• Children growing up in a state of gracein the
  Holy Spirits lifewont even realize that the
  tender love they have for you and for their
  brothers and sisters, classmates and other people
  around them is SUPERNATURAL, different from the
  experience of unbaptized/pagans.

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Keeping the State of Grace/Holy Spirits life
ALIVE

• Moral lifeknowing how to get forgiveness from
  God if they sin (intention to change and ask for
  forgiveness) knowing what kills that life
• Orthodoxy-right belief-knowing how to tap into
  Gods power, for instance that the Eucharist is
  FOOD for the life of grace, increases grace
  strengthens it knowing that they need to repent
  of all sin and ask forgiveness for the Eucharist
  to be beneficial
• Heresywrong beliefA 350 lady came to the
  chiropractor every two weeks for two years for
  relief of her back and knee pain she asked if
  she would ever get better. The doctor tactfully
  pointed out that she could get better if she lost
  weight. But the lady said, I think God wants me
  like this because I dont eat any more than
  anyone else. She was unable to be whole because
  of her false or heretical beliefs.
• It is Christian education that teaches lessons
  like these. Otherwise our children will be
  likely to learn or reason in false ways that
  prevent them from being whole.

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Infant Baptism Heresy

• Infant Baptism is Biblical.
• St. Paul baptized whole households, including the
  children and infants.
• Jesus blessed children, indicating that children
  could receive spiritual benefit Jesus condemned
  those who tried to keep the kids away.
• In the Old Testament/Covenant/among the Jews,
  babies came into the family of God/Covenant by
  circumcision at 8 days of age.

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Baptism Confirmation

• Baptism is only one part of Christian initiation.
  Baptism is dunking or sprinkling with water in
  the Name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. But
  the second part of initiation was always done by
  the bishop in the early church was performed by
  the laying on of hands and prayer.
• Paul travelled through the interior regions until
  he reached Ephesus, on the coast, where he found
  several believers. Did you receive the Holy
  Spirit when you believed?, he asked them. No,
  they replied, we havent even heard that there
  is a Holy Spirit. Then what baptism did you
  experience, he asked. And they replied, the
  baptism of John. Paul said, Johns baptism
  called for repentance from sin. But John himself
  told the people to believe in the one who would
  come later, meaning Jesus. As soon as they
  heard this, they were baptized in the name of the
  Lord Jesus. Then when Paul laid his hands on
  them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they
  spoke in other tongues and prophesied. There
  were about twelve men in all. Acts 19 1-7
• Part of what we promise in baptism is to get our
  children confirmed.

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Different Customs in East (Orthodox) and West
(Roman and Anglican) Churches

• In the West, baptism was delegated by the bishop
  to the priest. He baptized the baby then waited
  for the bishop to come and confirm. That didnt
  happen for years so the child didnt receive Holy
  Communion until after Confirmation.
• In the East, both the baptism and the
  confirmation were delegated to the priest.
  Instead of the bishop being there to lay hands on
  the child, the bishop gave the priest oil he had
  blessed to anoint the child with. (This
  anointing with oil was called chrismation instead
  of confirmation.) Then the baby immediately
  received Holy Communion and continued to receive
  Holy Communion from that day forward.
• The Anglican church inherited the western form of
  confirmation and so until the 1970s children
  didnt receive Holy Communion until after they
  had been confirmed. In the 1970s some
  liturgical scholars decided they liked the
  eastern way better so a practice of anointing the
  baby with oil blessed by the bishop was added to
  the liturgy of baptism. Some Anglicans intend to
  confer sacramental chrismation with this
  anointing and, so, they allow children to receive
  Holy Communion right after baptism. Other
  Anglicans simply anoint prayerfully with no
  intention to administer the sacrament of
  chrismation so children baptized in these
  Anglican churches dont receive until after they
  have been confirmed.
• Roman Catholic children, by the way, begin
  receiving Holy Communion at the age they can tell
  right from wrongsecond gradebut they still
  havent been confirmed or chrismated at that age.
  This may or may not be an abuse, but, obviously,
  it doesnt hurt the child who hasnt been
  confirmed to receive Holy Communion.
• In Anglican practice, even if there has been an
  intention to chrismate, the bishop always
  confirms the young person at that time, the
  young Christian re-affirms the promises made at
  the time of their baptism.

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Who will we choose as godparents?

• Dont want people who dont understand what it
  means to raise a person in Christian faith.
• Baptized people who are in good standing in their
  church, regularly receive Holy Communion
• Usually 3 people, 2 the same sex of the child and
  one the opposite sex of the child
• People who are zealous and willing to devote time
  and energy not only to the child, but also know
  Christian teaching enough to teach it.

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Part IIWhat the Catechism Says about Baptism

• A catechism is a simple summary of Scriptural
  teachings.
• Book of Common Prayer page 858
• What is Holy Baptism? Holy Baptism is the
  sacrament by which God adopts us as his children
  and makes us members of Christs Body the Church,
  and inheritors of the kingdom of God.
• What is the outward and visible sign in Baptism?
  The outward and visible sign in Baptism is water,
  in which the person is baptized in the Name of
  the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy
  Spirit.
• What is the inward and spiritual grace in
  Baptism? The inward and spiritual grace in
  Baptism is union with Christ in his death and
  resurrection, birth into Gods family, the
  Church, forgiveness of sins, and new life in the
  Holy Spirit.
• What is required of us at Baptism? It is
  required that we renounce Satan, repent of our
  sins and accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior.
• Why then are infants baptized? Infants are
  baptized so that they can share citizenship in
  the Covenant, membership in Christ, and
  redemption by God.
• How are the promises for infants made and carried
  out? Promises are made for them by their parents
  and sponsors, who guarantee that the infants will
  be brought up within the Church, to know Christ
  and be able to follow him.

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Why is it so important that the baptized child
has Christian Education?

• To guard the supernatural life of the Holy
  Spirit/life or state of grace received in
  baptism
• Because that life, which is supposed to be
  eternal life, can be killed
• I John 516-17 There is a sin which leads to
  death!

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Formation of Pre-schoolers

• Need to BE loved know that God loves them.
• Need to learn they return love to God because He
  loves themmade them, the world, gave them
  everything good, died for them
• Need to learn that it is Gods command to be in
  church every Sunday to love others.
• Ideas Read them Bible stories from a childrens
  Bible, Arch Books and St. Joseph picture books.
  Christian day care or pre-school. Teach them to
  pray. Take them to church allow them to be
  present in the Eucharistic liturgy. Videos such
  as Veggie Tales.

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Formation of Elementary School Children

• Need to reinforce that God loves them that if
  they sin they need to intend to change (repent)
  and ask forgiveness
• Learn the meaning of the Creeds, sacraments,
  importance of the Bible, how to pray, Christian
  morality.
• Learn sanctity of life deepen their loving of
  others.
• Learn to practice virtues of responsibility,
  perseverance in doing good. Learn to overcome
  temptation.
• You keep learning and growing in the Christian
  life all your life.
• Ideas Arch Books, St. Joseph books, catechism
  of prayer book or RC Baltimore catechism, books
  about prayer, church camp, Sunday school, VBS,
  Christian clubs, Focus on the Family material.

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Formation of 6-8th graders

• Need to understand sanctity of life and chastity
  and marriagebefore they learn heresy develop
  addictive habits.
• Are capable of more in-depth understanding of
  why church history, Bible study, in depth
  catechism, why not New Age or pagan.
• Preparation for Confirmation
• Ideas The Kings Highway, The Prayerbook
  Catechism, Focus on the Family, St. Michaels
  Conference, New Beginnings retreat, youth
  group/childrens day activities, confirmation
  class.

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Formation of High School Students

• Regular sacramental life and prayer life.
• Serious study of the faith Bible
• Need peer witness St. Michaels camp, church
  camp, youth group, Youth for Christ.
• Can profitably learn more about picking out a
  good spouse and marriage and discernment of
  vocation.
• Ideas Didache RC religion texts, ABCs of
  Finding a Good Husband/Wife by Steve Wood, talk
  about successful marriage preparation and
  introduce to programs they might want to use as
  engaged couples, St. Michaels Conference, youth
  group, Youth For Christ, Christian financial
  management course, evangelism course like
  Becoming a Contagious Christian. Involvement
  with activities with men/women of the church,
  prayer group.

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Godparent and Parent Small Group

• Create a Christian Education Plan
• Discussion Questions
• When we come back to large group, explain the
  plan youve come up with for your child.

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Baptismal Liturgy Rehearsal

• Book of Common Prayer page 299
• Part of a Eucharistic liturgy
• Page 302Will you be responsible for seeing that
  the child is brought up in the Christian faith
  and life?
• Prayer and witness
• Renouncing demonic temptation
• Trusting Jesus offer of salvationHe is the
  savior
• Lordrulerkingobedience

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Baptismal Covenant

• Creed
• Apostles teaching. Can be found in Scripture,
  understood according to the writings of earliest
  Christians, not your own interpretation.
• Breaking of BreadSunday Eucharist, and
  fellowship
• Persevere in resisting evil and if you fall,
  repent and return to the Lord
• Evangelism
• Sanctity of life, loving all because they are
  loved by God
• Justice and peace

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The liturgy

• Prayer for the candidates instead of the Prayers
  of the People
• Thanksgiving over the water
• Baptism
• Anointing with oil. This sealing is important!
  It is a guard against demonic seals. Often
  children adopted from foreign lands have been
  dedicated to a local deity/demon. It says my
  property, hands off.
• Welcoming of the newly baptized
• Passing of the peace onto the Eucharist

32
Lets Pray!

• Heavenly Father, We thank you that by water and
  the Holy Spirit you have bestowed upon your
  servants the forgiveness of sin and have raised
  them to the new life of grace. We thank you,
  Father, for your desire and these Christians
  desire, to bring their children to Holy Baptism.
  Bless their families and grant that they may live
  and serve you in newness of life for all eternity!