Becoming Children of God-Reformation and Liam's Baptism

John 8:31-36

Martin Luther, the founder of our church, the “igniter” of the Protestant Reformation, the man who was bold enough to compile a list of 95 issues with the church of his day, and then bold enough to nail them to the door of the castle church in his own Wittenburg, Germany on October 31, 1517. This Martin Luther, who holed himself up in a tiny room to avoid being burned at the stake, and while he was there translated the entire Bible from Hebrew and Greek into German, so that the average person could read it. This historical figure, who psychologists say, is the only person in history who could be completely analyzed based on the large volume of writing he did…they say he never had a thought that he didn’t put on paper…This man, this “legend” among Lutherans, when it comes down to it…is exactly like you…and me. His name may be in the history books, but he’s no different than us.

When it comes down to it, Martin Luther, with all of his credentials, accomplishments, achievements, and history-making works…is just another disciple of Jesus, another child of God. He’s just another person who heard the words of Jesus when he said:“Follow Me” and did exactly that.

“The truth will make you free” Jesus says. The truth of the matter is, a disciple is anyone who leaves behind the pressures of this life, makes a turn somewhere along the way, and begins following Jesus first.

The disciples did it: Peter and Andrew left their nets lying in the sand and followed Jesus. James and John, jumped out of the boat and left the family fishing business to follow Jesus. Tax collectors and sinners flocked to Jesus’ side, leaving behind their old lives and starting something new. Each of these people, when Jesus came into their life and asked them to “follow”, they stopped what they were doing, and they did it. They followed Jesus. They became disciples.

Just like Peter and Andrew, James and John, our first movement as disciples is to drop whatever it is that keeps us from answering the call, and begin to follow Jesus. Just like Martin Luther, our first task is to let go of anything that stands in the way of our relationship with God and begin to follow Jesus…
Is it easy? Think for a moment about all the things you have to do today. Could you drop them all and never return to them again?

There is someone here this morning who in just a few short moments will make it look really easy. In just a few short moments Liam will come to the font, feel the waters of baptism trickle gently over his forehead, and just like that…become a child of God…become a disciple of Jesus. It’s just that simple…come to font…feel the waters rush.... It’s easy, and it happened exactly the same way for you. Baptized into the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, we become his followers.

Jesus, in the end, the one we’re following, leads us to the cross…the sacrifice that he makes to bring the unconditional love of God to the world is the sacrifice of his own life. In this supreme gift lies the heart of what Martin Luther discovered: God’s love is free…for you, for me, for the world. God’s forgiveness is free….God’s approval of you…is free. It can’t be bought, not with money, not with good deeds, not with self-denial, or self-sacrifice, or anything else that you or I have or hold. It is God’s to give, and God gives it for free.

Of course, it’s not free for God. For God the cost is huge, it means life and death, it means pain and suffering, it means the cross for his son, the grave for his own flesh. But in this incredible act, God says “You’re worth it”

Today, we remember and celebrate the Reformation, a shift in the church toward the God who is gracious, the God who forgives without charging us a thing. The God who rejoices in the possibility of new and continual reformation and rebirth in the church for years to come. This is the movement that Martin Luther began. This is the Reformation commitment we are called to continue as disciples of Jesus.

The best part of this is that there are as many ways to do it as there are people in the world. The possibilities are limitless. You can do it as a teacher, a mechanic, a tax man, a saleswoman, a doctor, a lawyer, a stay-at-home mome, a cashier, a toll booth worker, a builder, a child, a friend, a husband, a wife, a son, a daughter, a grandparent, a baby… The list goes on and on. At the end of the day, all you have to do to follow Jesus is be yourself. Exactly the person God created you to be. That’s why Liam makes it look so easy-he has absolutely no problem being the person God created him to be. In fact, at his age, it’s all he knows.

Luther nailed the 95 theses to the door. Peter and Andrew dropped their nets. James and John jumped out of the boat. The tax collectors left their tax booths. The sinners found forgiveness. Liam came to the font and was baptized. What will you find in the words of Jesus, standing before you, saying: “Follow Me”? How will you be a disciple, in the spirit of the first disciples, the tax collectors and sinners, Martin Luther and the other Reformers? How can you receive God’s love the way Liam did this morning? How will you change the world tomorrow as a disciple of Jesus? What can you do today with the gifts God gave you and the unconditional love God shows you?