WEBVTT 00:00:37.305 --> 00:00:39.485 Welcome to the Stone Choir Podcast. 00:00:39.765 --> 00:00:40.765 I am Corey J. 00:00:40.785 --> 00:00:41.185 Mahler. 00:00:41.805 --> 00:00:43.005 And I'm still Woe. 00:00:44.665 --> 00:00:48.605 On today's Stone Choir, we're going to be discussing the subject of Baptism. 00:00:49.605 --> 00:00:56.205 On Stone Choir, we are obviously talking about theology in general, but we don't typically get too much into systematics. 00:00:56.225 --> 00:01:02.125 We don't delve into specific issues, certainly ones that are well fleshed out in church history. 00:01:03.285 --> 00:01:09.885 Today is probably going to be one of the rare episodes where we're going to talk about something where we have literally nothing new to say. 00:01:10.685 --> 00:01:20.345 The reason that we're doing this is, one, we've had a number of quests from folks asking us to describe the sacraments from a Lutheran perspective. 00:01:21.365 --> 00:01:29.865 Lutherans are good at theology, not because we have smart Lutherans today, but just because we inherited something that was correct and competent from better men. 00:01:31.005 --> 00:01:37.645 Unfortunately, Lutherans today are incredibly terrible at telling people, A, we exist or B, what we believe or why we believe it. 00:01:37.765 --> 00:01:43.525 So I think most people, if you hear about Lutherans, the only thing you have in mind is, you know, the tranny. 00:01:44.025 --> 00:01:47.205 That's frankly the vision of Lutheranism in the West today. 00:01:47.905 --> 00:01:49.485 And it's not wrong. 00:01:49.485 --> 00:01:50.705 Most Lutherans are like that. 00:01:50.845 --> 00:01:56.325 But, you know, no true Scotsman fallacy is not an absolute because there's such a thing as a Scotsman. 00:01:57.485 --> 00:01:59.445 There's also such a thing as an actual Lutheran. 00:02:00.005 --> 00:02:01.105 And that's what Corey and I are. 00:02:01.165 --> 00:02:06.525 So today's episode is going to discuss the Sacrament of Baptism in the future. 00:02:06.545 --> 00:02:09.005 We'll do one on the Sacrament of Holy Communion. 00:02:10.885 --> 00:02:18.985 The reason that we're doing it in addition, just a number of people asked, is that these are things that are instituted by God that are foundational to the Christian faith. 00:02:19.685 --> 00:02:23.845 And it was a natural follow on from last week's episode where we're discussing forgiveness. 00:02:24.625 --> 00:02:37.485 And in that episode, we were chiefly focused on the forgiveness from God that we extend to each other and interceding on behalf of each other to God for the forgiveness of our mutual sins. 00:02:38.625 --> 00:02:47.165 And we mentioned in the episode that there are the means of grace, there are means by which God provides forgiveness to us in this life. 00:02:47.705 --> 00:02:52.385 In time and space, forgiveness is delivered, not only at the cross, but personally. 00:02:53.345 --> 00:02:55.745 And so I want to briefly acknowledge a couple of things. 00:02:55.905 --> 00:03:02.785 One, when a Lutheran says Sacrament, we don't mean the same thing as the Roman Catholics, for example. 00:03:02.805 --> 00:03:06.245 I know we have the majority of our listeners at this point are not Lutheran. 00:03:06.285 --> 00:03:10.345 So for the folks who are Lutheran, a lot of what we say is probably going to be old hat. 00:03:10.365 --> 00:03:18.005 For the rest, we're trying to make the best form of the argument for what we believe is a scriptural view of baptism. 00:03:18.985 --> 00:03:25.705 This is effectively, if this were a formal debate, this would be the affirmative side for the premise. 00:03:25.725 --> 00:03:26.665 We're making the argument. 00:03:27.365 --> 00:03:36.065 And part of that is that we're going to be saying things that will contradict what the majority of our audience believe about these things. 00:03:36.645 --> 00:03:40.525 And I want to acknowledge that up front that we're not trying to pick a fight. 00:03:40.625 --> 00:03:46.225 We're not trying to pick on anyone or to talk down to you or to condemn you or your churches. 00:03:47.685 --> 00:03:49.445 This is Christian doctrine. 00:03:49.505 --> 00:03:52.165 I think we all agree that this stuff is worth getting right. 00:03:52.525 --> 00:03:54.585 I think we all agree that this stuff is important. 00:03:55.345 --> 00:03:57.205 We disagree on the details. 00:03:58.185 --> 00:04:02.965 And in Scripture, it talks about that being part of the Christian life. 00:04:02.985 --> 00:04:12.585 You know, when you look at the New Testament, inside the New Testament, as the earliest church in the very first century was being formed, they were arguing about things. 00:04:12.925 --> 00:04:16.365 There were disagreements and there was a right side and there was a wrong side. 00:04:16.385 --> 00:04:20.165 But those errors existed inside the church. 00:04:20.605 --> 00:04:25.965 You know, there's a case where Paul rebukes Peter to his face for his false teaching. 00:04:27.085 --> 00:04:28.625 These are apostles we're talking about. 00:04:29.145 --> 00:04:30.805 And, you know, Peter straightened out. 00:04:30.905 --> 00:04:31.705 Paul got it right. 00:04:31.845 --> 00:04:32.525 Peter was wrong. 00:04:32.545 --> 00:04:33.045 He was an heir. 00:04:33.265 --> 00:04:36.385 He was called to repent and they had that sorted out. 00:04:36.825 --> 00:04:44.545 So it is not outside of proper church practice for brothers in the faith to talk to each other, frankly. 00:04:44.925 --> 00:04:51.465 And it's not so much in concern that, oh, I'm concerned that you're wrong or you're concerned that I'm wrong. 00:04:51.485 --> 00:04:53.305 It's that this is God's stuff. 00:04:53.385 --> 00:04:54.805 This is not our stuff. 00:04:55.585 --> 00:05:06.585 And so the approach that Corey and I take and that we encourage everyone to take is to treat God's things as his and to receive them on his terms as he intends. 00:05:07.345 --> 00:05:22.865 And when we find in our own circumstances that our churches are failing in some way, you know, great way or small way, to deliver God's things as God describes them, that is an immediate problem for us in our own personal circumstances to deal with. 00:05:23.645 --> 00:05:28.685 So as we go through this, I want to acknowledge that we're going to say some things that some of you are not going to like. 00:05:29.005 --> 00:05:33.325 I know that one of us is wrong, at least maybe both of us are wrong. 00:05:33.445 --> 00:05:41.965 But just as a reasonable argument, if we say one thing about baptism and you say the opposite, one of us must necessarily be wrong. 00:05:42.105 --> 00:05:45.725 So it's not accusatory to say somebody is wrong here. 00:05:45.745 --> 00:05:48.305 It's simply an evaluation of the equation. 00:05:48.325 --> 00:05:49.305 The equation doesn't balance. 00:05:50.105 --> 00:05:54.005 You got to balance that before both sides can be right. 00:05:54.025 --> 00:05:58.165 So we're going to make the case for what we believe scripture says about these things. 00:05:58.185 --> 00:06:03.805 And obviously, it will be from a Lutheran perspective, but we believe this is what scripture says. 00:06:04.885 --> 00:06:12.905 I don't want people to come away from this feeling doubts or concerns that you have a bad church or if you think negative things about us, that's fine. 00:06:13.365 --> 00:06:19.525 I don't want you to listen to this and suddenly have deep concerns about your church. 00:06:20.105 --> 00:06:24.245 First, worry about scripture and about whether or not you believe it. 00:06:24.865 --> 00:06:33.485 And if in that evaluation, you find that you have concerns about your church, you know, those are problems we all face in our own lives. 00:06:33.505 --> 00:06:34.545 We're not going to tell you what to do. 00:06:34.565 --> 00:06:39.005 But I want to acknowledge that some of these things are contrary to some of your church teachings. 00:06:39.525 --> 00:06:40.825 And we all know this. 00:06:40.905 --> 00:06:43.625 These are five hundred year old discussions. 00:06:43.745 --> 00:07:00.605 So they said we have nothing new to say here, but we're going to try to make the case clearly for what we believe scripture teaches, because particularly for Lutherans, the sacraments, baptism and communion are foundational to our approach to the Christian life. 00:07:00.965 --> 00:07:07.725 You know, a lot of what we talk about on Stone Choir is about the Christian life for us personally, by virtue of our theological frame. 00:07:08.645 --> 00:07:10.665 The sacraments underpin all of that. 00:07:11.305 --> 00:07:12.685 And we allude to it sometimes. 00:07:12.705 --> 00:07:23.325 We want to spend an hour or so here today specifically laying out the case for what we believe scripture says about baptism, because it underpins everything else that we believe and what else comes up. 00:07:23.905 --> 00:07:32.405 And as we said elsewhere, when there's discussion and debate around doctrine, it's not about winning arguments. 00:07:32.585 --> 00:07:34.405 It's not about beating up on someone. 00:07:35.105 --> 00:07:37.425 It's about having more of what God wants us to have. 00:07:37.785 --> 00:07:39.625 God gave us these gifts in scripture. 00:07:39.885 --> 00:07:43.605 He gives us these gifts in time for our benefit. 00:07:44.105 --> 00:07:54.685 And so the reason that these things are worth fighting for and fighting against and about, is that when we don't get them right, we have less of the good things that God wants for us. 00:07:55.045 --> 00:07:59.205 And that's our chief concern is why we're talking about it, even knowing that some of you are going to disagree. 00:07:59.225 --> 00:08:09.985 So I hope that when you disagree with some of the things we say, one, I hope that you'll receive it in the spirit in which it's given, which is not to beat up on you, even though some of the things that we're going to say are going to be very stark. 00:08:10.525 --> 00:08:13.505 I don't want that to be taken as a personal attack. 00:08:14.185 --> 00:08:21.085 And also, ultimately, is a concern that downstream from these beliefs is the comfort of the gospel. 00:08:21.105 --> 00:08:24.045 It's the comfort of the things that God wishes for us to have. 00:08:24.685 --> 00:08:40.725 And everything that we talk about is in view of God's gifts to us, in view of the fact that there will come a day in your life where everything's on fire, where you are at rock bottom, where something is just unspeakably horrible. 00:08:41.225 --> 00:08:45.565 And those are the moments when having your theological ducks in a row is paramount. 00:08:45.945 --> 00:08:50.825 Because if you have a mess going into the battle, you're already way behind. 00:08:50.865 --> 00:08:54.285 You're already down points before you even come under fire. 00:08:54.825 --> 00:08:57.025 And we don't want that for each other. 00:08:57.205 --> 00:08:59.605 So we're going to go through the passages. 00:08:59.625 --> 00:09:01.485 This is basically a Bible study today. 00:09:02.605 --> 00:09:05.445 We have more Bible than we're going to get through in an hour or so. 00:09:05.985 --> 00:09:13.485 But we want to make clear the case for what baptism should mean in the Christian life, because it means a great deal. 00:09:15.305 --> 00:09:18.445 To begin with, I want to just give a brief example of framing. 00:09:19.565 --> 00:09:27.245 Imagine a scenario where you walk up to me and I hand you a $100 bill, and then you put it in your pocket and you walk away. 00:09:28.065 --> 00:09:30.965 Later on, you describe that scene to someone else. 00:09:31.305 --> 00:09:34.005 There are two ways you can describe it. 00:09:35.705 --> 00:09:40.645 I walked up to this guy and he handed me a $100 bill, and I looked at it and it was a real $100 bill. 00:09:41.065 --> 00:09:44.325 I was amazed and I put it in my pocket and I walked away. 00:09:44.945 --> 00:09:46.185 That's one telling of the story. 00:09:46.345 --> 00:09:46.845 That's true. 00:09:46.865 --> 00:09:47.645 It's accurate. 00:09:47.665 --> 00:09:48.445 It's what happened. 00:09:50.905 --> 00:10:09.105 I walked up to this guy and he was holding a $100 bill, and he reached out to hand it to me, and I looked at it and I saw the $100 bill and I wanted it, and I grabbed it in my hands, and I took it between my fingers and I pulled it close, and I held it up to my eyes and I looked at it and I peered it intensely, and I saw this is a $100 bill. 00:10:09.125 --> 00:10:09.765 This is real. 00:10:10.305 --> 00:10:13.925 I was excited and I put it in my pocket and I walked away. 00:10:14.845 --> 00:10:15.725 That's also accurate. 00:10:15.945 --> 00:10:18.665 That's a retelling of the same events. 00:10:19.925 --> 00:10:23.605 Both are factually correct, but what's the difference between them? 00:10:24.105 --> 00:10:27.625 In the first one, the emphasis is on me handing you a $100 bill. 00:10:28.265 --> 00:10:32.665 And in the second one, the emphasis is on you taking it and making it yours. 00:10:32.765 --> 00:10:36.765 And so in the second telling, I very quickly vanish. 00:10:37.105 --> 00:10:39.805 And it's just you and the $100 bill and you interacting with it. 00:10:39.885 --> 00:10:44.585 And in both of those cases, there's a giver and there's a receiver. 00:10:45.525 --> 00:10:51.105 And the emphasis is on whether you focus on the giver or you focus on the receiving. 00:10:51.845 --> 00:11:05.745 And so as we talk about the Sacraments, fundamentally when there are disagreements, particularly among Protestants, Roman Catholics and Lutherans are actually almost entirely on the same page about baptism, with one important exception. 00:11:06.385 --> 00:11:07.985 But it's kind of peripheral. 00:11:08.005 --> 00:11:10.665 It's important, but it's not the main thrust of the question. 00:11:11.105 --> 00:11:14.165 For everyone else, there are varying degrees of substantial disagreement. 00:11:14.765 --> 00:11:15.885 And it has to do with that framing. 00:11:16.505 --> 00:11:24.685 Is this a giving and a giver, or is this an action by someone where God was somehow involved? 00:11:25.085 --> 00:11:27.845 But as soon as we came on the picture, it's all about us. 00:11:28.745 --> 00:11:35.125 And those two frames really separate the two different views of the Sacrament of Baptism. 00:11:35.845 --> 00:11:41.285 And when Lutherans say Sacrament, we mean something slightly different than Roman Catholics. 00:11:42.245 --> 00:11:53.165 For Lutherans, there are two chief sacraments based on this definition, instituted by Christ himself with physical means for the forgiveness of sins. 00:11:53.945 --> 00:11:58.685 So there's some other things that Roman Catholics have that they call sacraments that are, some of them are very salutary. 00:11:58.985 --> 00:12:01.765 Marriage in particular was instituted by God in the garden. 00:12:01.865 --> 00:12:04.285 It's older than either Baptism or Communion. 00:12:04.905 --> 00:12:14.985 Lutherans don't consider that sacramental because although it's holy, which is the root of sacrament, one of the roots, it doesn't impart forgiveness of sins. 00:12:15.085 --> 00:12:21.465 So when we're talking about sacraments, the emphasis is on God giving a physical means for forgiveness of sins. 00:12:21.885 --> 00:12:24.625 So when we use that term, that's specifically what it means. 00:12:25.145 --> 00:12:26.605 The word also forgives sins. 00:12:26.705 --> 00:12:28.325 Absolution also forgives sins. 00:12:29.165 --> 00:12:41.605 There are other places that these come to us, but it's only in the word, only in Baptism and Communion, that there's a physical means tied to the promise of forgiveness, which is why we call these the means of grace. 00:12:43.525 --> 00:12:50.045 So to start with the scripture, we will turn first to Matthew 28, the end of the Book of Matthew. 00:12:50.365 --> 00:12:52.005 This is, of course, the Great Commission. 00:12:52.025 --> 00:12:56.365 Undoubtedly, almost all of you will be familiar with this before I even read it. 00:12:58.645 --> 00:13:02.765 Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. 00:13:03.325 --> 00:13:05.085 And when they saw him, they worshiped him. 00:13:05.305 --> 00:13:11.425 But some doubted, and Jesus came and said to them, All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 00:13:12.145 --> 00:13:22.585 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. 00:13:23.125 --> 00:13:26.245 And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age. 00:13:28.945 --> 00:13:42.125 This is one of two verses, two sections of scripture we will be going over today, where we're going to take some time to slow down and break down exactly what is going on here, and yes, look at the Greek a little bit. 00:13:42.825 --> 00:14:04.565 And the reason for that is that too often when we're reading this, we just kind of read through it quickly, and we sort of fly over this, instead of actually looking at what exactly is being said, what is scripture telling us, what are the words being used, what do they mean, why do they matter, what doctrine is being put forth here. 00:14:06.025 --> 00:14:09.305 And so let's look at exactly what Christ is telling us. 00:14:09.905 --> 00:14:13.845 He's giving commands here, and He's giving a reason for it. 00:14:14.645 --> 00:14:21.405 And so we have the imperative, to start off the command, go, go therefore, therefore. 00:14:21.405 --> 00:14:22.485 To what does that refer? 00:14:22.485 --> 00:14:23.045 Why go? 00:14:23.285 --> 00:14:30.065 Because all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Christ, and therefore He is commanding us to go. 00:14:30.685 --> 00:14:32.925 And what are we to do in this going? 00:14:33.345 --> 00:14:35.485 We are to make disciples of whom? 00:14:35.645 --> 00:14:36.865 Of all nations. 00:14:37.485 --> 00:14:45.505 Incidentally, this is tied into other episodes, other matters we've discussed, because it is the word for nation or race there. 00:14:45.825 --> 00:14:48.725 We are to make disciples of all races, of all nations. 00:14:48.745 --> 00:14:50.545 You can use either word. 00:14:51.385 --> 00:14:58.305 But now we come to the part that is key for what we will be discussing about baptism in this episode. 00:14:59.125 --> 00:15:02.385 We are told to go and make disciples of all nations. 00:15:03.185 --> 00:15:08.085 But then we are told how to do that, how we are to make these disciples. 00:15:08.445 --> 00:15:10.005 There are two things that are given. 00:15:10.525 --> 00:15:12.725 The first is baptizing. 00:15:14.105 --> 00:15:16.125 Baptism is given first. 00:15:16.385 --> 00:15:17.305 That's noteworthy. 00:15:18.165 --> 00:15:23.385 Out of two things we are to do to make disciples, we are first to baptize. 00:15:24.625 --> 00:15:26.745 Then we are to teach them. 00:15:27.545 --> 00:15:37.525 Now, the underlying Greek terms, which thankfully do come through in the English translation, are in the same tense here, baptizing and teaching. 00:15:38.545 --> 00:15:42.725 Baptisantes and didascantes are the two words there in the Greek. 00:15:44.605 --> 00:15:47.585 But this tells us how we make Christians. 00:15:48.585 --> 00:15:51.665 This is the standard way that you make a Christian. 00:15:52.265 --> 00:15:56.605 You baptize the person in the triune name of God. 00:15:57.325 --> 00:16:02.025 Then you teach the person all that Christ has commanded us to observe. 00:16:03.145 --> 00:16:04.205 That's how you make a Christian. 00:16:05.345 --> 00:16:13.885 Now, today we may look at that and think that maybe it's backward to some degree, but that's only because everything around us is in shambles. 00:16:14.345 --> 00:16:18.865 Because if you think about it, how does one usually come to faith? 00:16:19.245 --> 00:16:23.745 Well, one usually comes to faith because one's parents take one to church. 00:16:24.865 --> 00:16:32.205 You don't usually come to faith because someone convinced you, or however you wish to word this, as an adult. 00:16:33.925 --> 00:16:35.205 That is unusual. 00:16:35.225 --> 00:16:48.005 That is outside the normal Christian experience, because the normal Christian experience, what God wants for us, is to grow up in a Christian nation, in a Christian family, to be Christian from birth. 00:16:49.205 --> 00:16:50.085 That is the goal. 00:16:50.105 --> 00:16:51.305 That is how things should be. 00:16:51.325 --> 00:16:52.725 And so it is baptizing. 00:16:53.105 --> 00:16:56.225 And yes, we Lutherans do believe in infant baptism. 00:16:56.245 --> 00:17:04.365 We will go over this at some point in this episode, but really it runs through the entirety of the scripture sections dealing with baptism. 00:17:05.365 --> 00:17:08.725 But so we baptize infants, and then we bring them up in the faith. 00:17:09.345 --> 00:17:13.225 It's not just a matter of being baptized and, oh, well, I'm over the line, I'm good, I'm done. 00:17:13.645 --> 00:17:16.865 No, you are baptized, and then you progress in the faith. 00:17:17.085 --> 00:17:22.025 That's, of course, sanctification as part of that, but just being instructed in the faith. 00:17:23.225 --> 00:17:35.905 And so here, just to start off, we have the words of Christ commanding us to make disciples of all nations, of all races, by doing two things, the first of which is baptizing them. 00:17:37.045 --> 00:17:40.425 This is an incredibly important part of the Christian life. 00:17:40.445 --> 00:17:45.105 It is not something that is ancillary or secondary or something that can be ignored. 00:17:46.025 --> 00:17:52.805 It is placed right here in Christ's command to spread the faith as the first item. 00:17:54.225 --> 00:18:01.065 We have to pay attention to the words of Christ and the way that he spoke them, the words he chose, the order in which he put them. 00:18:02.005 --> 00:18:04.725 And he says, baptize and teach. 00:18:06.305 --> 00:18:12.185 And it's notable here in Matthew 28 that these are the very last words of that gospel. 00:18:12.705 --> 00:18:15.705 It doesn't say it, but Jesus obviously sent it into heaven. 00:18:15.725 --> 00:18:17.265 We know that from the other gospels. 00:18:17.865 --> 00:18:24.685 So this is the very end of Jesus' earthly ministry, the very last thing that he says, which is pretty important. 00:18:25.185 --> 00:18:29.505 The very last thing that God says before he ascends into heaven is go and baptize. 00:18:32.245 --> 00:18:35.565 I think that throughout church history, we've taken that seriously. 00:18:35.585 --> 00:18:43.245 And again, virtually basically every Christian denomination, including by definition, believes that baptism is something. 00:18:43.265 --> 00:18:45.425 You know, God had some to do with it. 00:18:45.445 --> 00:18:46.485 There's some called baptism. 00:18:46.985 --> 00:18:48.945 What we disagree on are the details. 00:18:48.985 --> 00:18:51.505 And so today's episode is to talk about the details. 00:18:51.525 --> 00:18:59.145 But I think as Cory just laid out up front, this is the cornerstone of the Christian faith. 00:18:59.865 --> 00:19:09.745 And it's notable that this is where God tells us how to baptize, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. 00:19:10.545 --> 00:19:11.405 This is the Trinity. 00:19:12.705 --> 00:19:20.105 One of the atheist Reddit tier memes is that, oh, the Trinity was unknown until AD 325. 00:19:20.465 --> 00:19:21.945 And then Constantine made it up. 00:19:22.225 --> 00:19:23.565 Before that, there was no Trinity. 00:19:24.385 --> 00:19:26.145 No one who's ever read the Bible would believe that. 00:19:26.385 --> 00:19:29.545 That's stupid beyond comprehension. 00:19:30.205 --> 00:19:37.645 Jesus Christ says the names of the persons of the Trinity and says, you will baptize in my name. 00:19:38.825 --> 00:19:40.365 This is Elohim. 00:19:40.785 --> 00:19:42.505 This is God Almighty. 00:19:43.125 --> 00:19:47.605 This is the three persons and one God that are confessed in all three ecumenical creeds. 00:19:49.105 --> 00:20:00.625 I think what's particularly interesting about Jesus' earthly ministry ending with baptism in Matthew 28 is that it perfectly bookends where Jesus' earthly ministry begins in Matthew 3. 00:20:01.325 --> 00:20:07.985 Matthew 1 and 2, you have his genealogy, his conception of the birth, and then John the Baptist. 00:20:09.685 --> 00:20:17.285 In Matthew 3, the very first thing that Jesus does at the beginning of his earthly ministry is to be baptized by John the Baptist. 00:20:19.185 --> 00:20:23.065 Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John to be baptized by him. 00:20:23.425 --> 00:20:27.945 John would have prevented him, saying, I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me? 00:20:28.505 --> 00:20:33.945 But Jesus answered him, let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness. 00:20:34.245 --> 00:20:35.105 Then he consented. 00:20:35.605 --> 00:20:46.245 And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were open to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him. 00:20:46.585 --> 00:20:51.885 And behold, a voice from heaven said, This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased. 00:20:53.885 --> 00:20:55.905 This is notable for two reasons. 00:20:56.525 --> 00:20:59.685 One, Jesus is being baptized. 00:21:00.105 --> 00:21:03.765 And as John said, like, why would you come to me to be baptized? 00:21:04.265 --> 00:21:05.465 I need to be baptized by you. 00:21:06.985 --> 00:21:09.765 And Jesus said that all good things would be fulfilled. 00:21:09.785 --> 00:21:11.085 All righteousness would be fulfilled. 00:21:12.725 --> 00:21:19.505 The reason I think that this book ends Matthew 28 so perfectly is that this is the physical manifestation of the Trinity. 00:21:20.005 --> 00:21:25.105 You have the Son, the second person of the Trinity, emerging from the waters of baptism. 00:21:25.665 --> 00:21:29.205 You have the Holy Spirit alighting on him as a dove. 00:21:29.665 --> 00:21:37.385 And you have God the Father speaking audibly for all to hear, saying, This is my beloved Son with whom I am well pleased. 00:21:37.745 --> 00:21:41.265 So here's the Trinity in baptism, Matthew 28. 00:21:41.605 --> 00:21:43.885 You have the Trinity as part of baptism. 00:21:44.745 --> 00:21:46.505 There's never been any doubt about the Trinity. 00:21:46.865 --> 00:21:59.185 From the first time that God referred to himself as plural in Genesis until now, until the creeds and the councils, Christianity has always worshipped a triune God. 00:21:59.925 --> 00:22:11.725 God revealed more of himself over time, but the simple fact is that anyone who just read the Bible and never read Reddit would never have any doubt that there's something triune. 00:22:11.985 --> 00:22:21.465 Now, triune was a neologism that was created specifically to try to describe what's going on here, to try to give one name to the three persons and one God. 00:22:21.985 --> 00:22:28.265 In a great many of the early debates in the Christian church were, how do we deal with three persons? 00:22:28.465 --> 00:22:30.645 How do we have a father and a son and the Holy Spirit? 00:22:31.165 --> 00:22:32.645 What is the difference? 00:22:33.025 --> 00:22:33.965 Is there a difference? 00:22:33.985 --> 00:22:35.905 Is it permissible to say different? 00:22:36.745 --> 00:22:42.505 All those debates are part of the controversies around the Trinity and around Christology as well. 00:22:44.225 --> 00:22:59.085 The fact that Jesus went into the water and then came out and all three parts of the Trinity appeared, bookends 28 so perfectly because this is the moment where Jesus put the power of baptism into the water. 00:22:59.625 --> 00:23:05.705 Jesus did not have his sins washed away in the Jordan, as we will get to in a minute, what baptism does for us. 00:23:06.165 --> 00:23:13.945 When Jesus was baptized, he was putting into the water that which we receive by faith in time, in the future. 00:23:14.805 --> 00:23:23.285 And so God is laying this out perfectly for us to know, A, this is really important and it's coming from me, and B, it's a physical thing. 00:23:23.385 --> 00:23:30.325 You know, the combination of the water and the word in baptism is what makes this a sacrament. 00:23:31.125 --> 00:23:35.045 God said, do this, he said, say this, and he said, use this. 00:23:35.365 --> 00:23:37.405 And the third this is the water. 00:23:38.585 --> 00:23:42.085 When the water is present and the word is spoken, that is baptism. 00:23:42.125 --> 00:23:43.305 That's what God promises. 00:23:43.765 --> 00:23:52.345 And so all the promises that we're going to get to elsewhere in Scripture that are attendant to this sacrament hinge on those things being done. 00:23:53.085 --> 00:24:00.165 And the fact that God commanded it, again, that goes back to what the story I gave at the beginning about the $100 bill. 00:24:00.905 --> 00:24:08.265 When God says, do this, and then we do it, if we put the focus on ourselves and say, here's, look, look what I did. 00:24:08.385 --> 00:24:09.285 I went to the Jordan. 00:24:09.305 --> 00:24:12.205 I went to the Jordan three times, as my grandparents did. 00:24:12.705 --> 00:24:13.785 My grandparents were Baptist. 00:24:13.805 --> 00:24:15.525 They were baptized in the Jordan at least twice. 00:24:15.725 --> 00:24:17.605 They were baptized many times over their lives. 00:24:18.705 --> 00:24:19.325 And it worked. 00:24:19.365 --> 00:24:20.305 The first one worked. 00:24:20.925 --> 00:24:27.465 We'll talk about multiple baptisms, but on my dad's side, they were Baptist for I don't know how long. 00:24:27.545 --> 00:24:30.505 So if you're Baptist and you're listening, I'm not trying to pick on you. 00:24:30.725 --> 00:24:32.785 My grandmother and grandfather are in heaven right now. 00:24:33.185 --> 00:24:34.005 They were Christians. 00:24:35.445 --> 00:24:38.105 I think they got some things wrong and it didn't impair their faith. 00:24:38.825 --> 00:24:45.405 But again, when we talk about what God promises and what He gives to us, it's not about saying, well, you got this wrong. 00:24:45.425 --> 00:24:47.845 It's not about getting a higher score on the test. 00:24:48.685 --> 00:24:56.285 It's about receiving the gifts that God is giving to us, as He describes in Scripture in our lives. 00:24:56.785 --> 00:25:18.085 And the beauty of the sacraments of baptism and of Holy Communion is that with the physical element that we're going to get to, that was here with John the Baptist, the application of water and the Word, that becomes a physical touchstone in the life of a Christian to point to a moment in time, in space, where something happened. 00:25:19.245 --> 00:25:28.145 And I think that's a key element of the Lutheran sacramentology, is that here's a physical thing that actually happened. 00:25:28.445 --> 00:25:34.425 It removes theology from the realm of the theoretical or kind of metaphysical. 00:25:34.585 --> 00:25:38.525 I'm thinking and loving and worshiping, but it's all inside. 00:25:38.825 --> 00:25:39.905 It's all attitudinal. 00:25:40.385 --> 00:25:52.245 And the problem with framing your faith in terms of how I feel or what I think or what I'm doing because of how I think or feel, is that there are days when you're going to fall short. 00:25:52.605 --> 00:25:54.065 There are days when you're just not going to feel it. 00:25:54.265 --> 00:25:56.265 There are days when you're going to get it wrong. 00:25:57.065 --> 00:26:18.165 And if the root of your faith is, I'm doing the stuff, on the day when you don't feel like doing the stuff or you doubt maybe that you ever sincerely believed or did the stuff in the past, that's an open door for Satan to slide through and to say, haha, gotcha, you were never a Christian in the first place. 00:26:18.945 --> 00:26:28.385 And so the promise of salvation that we're going to get into, that Christ puts in the water of baptism here, seals a promise from God that no man can take away. 00:26:29.285 --> 00:26:30.485 Satan can't take it away. 00:26:30.905 --> 00:26:32.105 We can throw it away. 00:26:32.165 --> 00:26:38.945 It is possible for us to despise our baptisms, but God keeps his promises to us. 00:26:39.285 --> 00:26:41.225 He will do what he says he's going to do. 00:26:41.745 --> 00:26:51.925 And so when we talk about all of this, we're emphasizing what God is doing in baptism, precisely so that in those moments where we doubt ourselves, we still have something to cling to. 00:26:52.345 --> 00:26:56.245 We still have God's promises to cling to, because you can always count on that. 00:26:56.625 --> 00:27:02.325 There may come a time in your life when literally the only thing you can comprehend, I believe that God is God. 00:27:03.205 --> 00:27:04.225 That may be all you have. 00:27:04.785 --> 00:27:07.245 You may not believe that your sins are forgiven. 00:27:07.585 --> 00:27:10.545 You may not believe that even that Jesus died for you. 00:27:10.885 --> 00:27:20.405 If you can still believe that God is God, scripture will give you the chance to work your way back through faith, through the Holy Spirit, to where God wants you. 00:27:21.185 --> 00:27:33.225 But if you root your faith and your confidence in my stuff and my doing and my past actions and my beliefs, then you're being deprived of one of the greatest sources of joy and comfort in the Christian life. 00:27:33.565 --> 00:27:36.005 And that's why this is so fundamental to Lutheran. 00:27:36.185 --> 00:27:38.745 And we move to Christian theology. 00:27:38.845 --> 00:27:40.005 It's not just sacramentology. 00:27:40.025 --> 00:27:46.465 This is a key part of the Christian life because it's how Jesus began his ministry and it's how he ended it. 00:27:46.845 --> 00:27:51.225 And he ended it at the beginning of the Church Age, saying, go and do this for everyone else. 00:27:51.565 --> 00:27:56.085 This thing that I have now done for you, give it to everyone because this is my thing. 00:27:56.425 --> 00:28:00.145 I need everyone to have it because it does what I promise it's going to do. 00:28:01.305 --> 00:28:09.225 If you go up to a random Lutheran and ask what baptism is, you should get an answer that is roughly what we have said thus far. 00:28:10.065 --> 00:28:13.465 Because in part, it's just going to be a quote from The Small Catechism. 00:28:14.585 --> 00:28:21.605 And this is my putting on notice all of the Lutheran listeners that you should have this answer memorized and in mind if someone asks you. 00:28:22.005 --> 00:28:24.545 But from The Small Catechism, what is baptism? 00:28:25.045 --> 00:28:32.845 Baptism is not simple water only, but it is the water comprehended in God's command and connected with God's Word. 00:28:34.025 --> 00:28:43.725 And I want to read two paragraphs from The Large Catechism that expand on this and also preemptorily respond to a particular objection. 00:28:45.665 --> 00:29:08.285 From this now learn a proper understanding of the subject and how to answer the question what baptism is, namely thus, that it is not mere ordinary water, but water comprehended in God's Word and command, and sanctified thereby, so that it is nothing else than a divine water, not that the water itself is nobler than other water, but that God's Word and command are added. 00:29:09.285 --> 00:29:17.005 Therefore, I exhort again that these two, the water and the Word, by no means be separated from one another and parted. 00:29:17.485 --> 00:29:26.045 For if the Word is separated from it, the water is the same as that with which the servant cooks, and may indeed be called a bathkeeper's baptism. 00:29:26.645 --> 00:29:32.585 But when it is added, as God has ordained, it is a sacrament, and it is called Christ baptism. 00:29:34.165 --> 00:29:42.325 Which is the central point that we're making here about the difference between the sacrament and mere water. 00:29:44.165 --> 00:29:45.785 Mere water is not a baptism. 00:29:46.365 --> 00:29:57.025 If I run up to you and throw a bucket of water at you, that doesn't count as a baptism, because in order for it to be a baptism, we have to do what Christ commanded us to do. 00:29:57.025 --> 00:29:58.885 And what did He command us to do? 00:29:59.305 --> 00:30:03.685 He commanded us to baptize in the triune name, yes, with water. 00:30:04.365 --> 00:30:08.005 Both elements have to be present, or it is not the sacrament. 00:30:08.445 --> 00:30:12.785 Because the sacrament is instituted by God in a certain way. 00:30:13.885 --> 00:30:17.685 And so it is that sacrament if it is done in that way. 00:30:18.705 --> 00:30:26.985 This is not to say, and I know that some of the audience who are a little more versed in theology will be thinking in the back of their mind, ex oper operato. 00:30:27.005 --> 00:30:28.125 That's not what I'm saying. 00:30:28.725 --> 00:30:30.285 That's not what we're advocating here. 00:30:30.685 --> 00:30:35.545 It is not the sacrament simply because the thing is done. 00:30:37.005 --> 00:30:38.465 Faith is still required. 00:30:38.485 --> 00:30:41.025 It is still faith that receives the gift. 00:30:41.045 --> 00:30:47.285 Yes, faith itself is also a gift, but faith receives the gift of regeneration, the gift of salvation. 00:30:48.165 --> 00:30:51.885 And so it's not simply because you speak the words and there's water. 00:30:52.445 --> 00:30:58.085 Faith is also present because faith is the central part of the Christian religion. 00:30:58.625 --> 00:31:06.245 These gifts of God can be received only in faith, just as a promise can be trusted only in hope or faith. 00:31:07.085 --> 00:31:08.765 That's the only way to receive a promise. 00:31:09.065 --> 00:31:12.505 The only way to receive the good things of God is via faith. 00:31:14.745 --> 00:31:28.065 But I would also like to expand here on something that Woe just said, and that is, when discussing baptism with others, I will often receive the question, why do we need baptism? 00:31:28.085 --> 00:31:29.645 Why do we need a physical sign? 00:31:29.665 --> 00:31:40.885 Now, of course, my first instinct is going to be the instinct for most Lutherans, is to shut my sinful mouth and not question why God has done what God has done. 00:31:41.425 --> 00:31:47.205 However, in this case, I think that it is reasonable and I think that we can give an answer. 00:31:48.385 --> 00:31:58.205 To some degree, there's some speculation in this, but it is also based on the totality of the verses dealing with baptism and also the Lord's Supper in Scripture. 00:31:59.485 --> 00:32:03.305 And incidentally, also circumcision, which is typological of baptism. 00:32:03.325 --> 00:32:05.025 We'll get more into that later. 00:32:05.865 --> 00:32:07.845 But why do we have this physical sign? 00:32:08.625 --> 00:32:09.645 And the reason is simple. 00:32:10.985 --> 00:32:11.565 We're physical. 00:32:12.905 --> 00:32:15.525 You're listening to this with physical ears. 00:32:16.325 --> 00:32:18.825 Or if you're reading it, you're reading it with physical eyes. 00:32:20.045 --> 00:32:23.105 Presumably no one has translated or copied it over into Braille yet. 00:32:24.385 --> 00:32:27.785 But you are interacting with this in a physical way, because you are physical. 00:32:28.985 --> 00:32:34.685 Now you aren't just physical, because you are, of course, a spirit, a soul, and a body. 00:32:35.405 --> 00:32:42.705 Again, this is not where we're getting into tripartite versus dipartite, or that whole philosophical theological argument. 00:32:42.725 --> 00:32:43.325 That's not the point. 00:32:44.545 --> 00:32:50.905 The point is that you are not simply physical and not simply spiritual. 00:32:50.925 --> 00:32:52.525 You are both joined together. 00:32:53.805 --> 00:32:55.585 And so, we have both. 00:32:56.705 --> 00:33:08.685 In Scripture, because God is coming to you as the totality of what you are, because God is superabundant with His grace and His gifts, He doesn't just give you one way for the forgiveness of sins. 00:33:09.945 --> 00:33:10.645 He gives you many. 00:33:10.965 --> 00:33:22.725 You have the Lord's Supper, you have baptism, you have confession and absolution, you have confessing your sins directly to God, you have the Word, you have all of these various ways, because God's gifts are superabundant. 00:33:24.045 --> 00:33:42.665 And so the reason we have baptism is because if you hear the Word, well, that's received by the mind, and we'll, again, not dwell on the distinction between the mind and the spirit here, but that is received not so much by the physical you as by the spiritual you. 00:33:44.465 --> 00:33:46.465 And so what is the body doing in that interchange? 00:33:46.765 --> 00:33:49.385 Well, it's sort of passively listening and relaying that information. 00:33:50.165 --> 00:33:55.525 However, if you are immersed under water, well, the body understands water quite well. 00:33:56.445 --> 00:34:08.425 And so in the Sacraments, we have this joining together of the physical element and the Word, so the whole man, the total man, the body and the spirit together, can grasp this thing. 00:34:09.565 --> 00:34:15.325 That is God helping you to truly believe that he is bringing his gifts to you. 00:34:16.245 --> 00:34:20.005 That is why you have the physical combined with the Word. 00:34:20.625 --> 00:34:22.305 That is why they are both important. 00:34:23.525 --> 00:34:29.085 And as that Small Catechism quote discussed, it's not the simple water that's doing it. 00:34:29.105 --> 00:34:31.265 It's the water and God's promise. 00:34:32.045 --> 00:34:38.625 And I think one of the hangups that some Protestants have is that it's just simple water. 00:34:38.645 --> 00:34:40.205 You look at it like it's just water. 00:34:40.365 --> 00:34:42.205 It came from the tap. 00:34:42.725 --> 00:34:44.865 And when we do the episode on Communion, it's the same thing. 00:34:45.205 --> 00:34:46.325 It's bread and it's wine. 00:34:46.745 --> 00:34:48.845 It's not magic bread and magic wine. 00:34:49.325 --> 00:34:55.805 It's normal stuff, normal material stuff, plus the Word of God. 00:34:56.785 --> 00:35:04.765 And there is a big strain in theology where people flee from that. 00:35:04.845 --> 00:35:06.045 Like, well, that's too simple. 00:35:06.065 --> 00:35:06.965 That's too easy. 00:35:07.685 --> 00:35:08.505 I don't see it. 00:35:08.525 --> 00:35:09.385 I don't believe it. 00:35:11.105 --> 00:35:24.585 Part of the reason that this sacramental understanding is pivotal is that if you deny that simple things can also be God's things, that's a Christological heresy. 00:35:25.065 --> 00:35:26.585 That is denying God. 00:35:27.165 --> 00:35:29.565 Because how did God come among us? 00:35:30.085 --> 00:35:33.145 As a baby, he was an infant lying in a manger. 00:35:33.525 --> 00:35:35.965 He was in a stall for livestock. 00:35:36.625 --> 00:35:40.005 He was swaddled and his parents loved him. 00:35:40.025 --> 00:35:43.245 He was probably a very cute baby, but Jesus pooped his diapers. 00:35:43.965 --> 00:35:46.405 Mary had to clean him up because he pooped himself. 00:35:46.765 --> 00:35:57.525 You look at this baby and you trust in the promise of God that this is the Messiah, but you're also looking at a tiny screaming infant that's pooping and peeing because it's what humans do. 00:35:58.305 --> 00:36:06.225 And so the natural material mind to look at that thing, to look at that small child, say, Oh, I can't be God. 00:36:06.425 --> 00:36:07.125 Look at that. 00:36:07.125 --> 00:36:10.065 It's small and weak and doesn't know anything. 00:36:10.765 --> 00:36:11.725 How can that be God? 00:36:12.025 --> 00:36:13.265 That can't be really God. 00:36:13.785 --> 00:36:26.765 Well, if you trust in God's promises that he had made up to that point and the miracle of the birth, then it becomes very easy because you're not trusting in a magic baby, you're trusting in God's promises. 00:36:27.105 --> 00:36:28.605 And then it ceases to be magic. 00:36:28.625 --> 00:36:29.405 It's simply God. 00:36:29.685 --> 00:36:36.365