Almighty God,
We thank you for drawing us together this morning by the Holy Spirit, not to serve you but to be served by you. To receive the gifts of forgiveness and new life proclaimed in your divine Word and given in the body and blood of Christ. To receive the gift of the assurance of our salvation and restoration found only in Christ.
Lord,
Today we rejoice that we get to witness and participate in your baptism of Ketan. We get to witness and celebrate as you feed and grow your church. We get to witness and celebrate visible, tangible Gospel, as you seal him with, and in, your mighty name. Strengthening his faith, forgiving his sins, continuing to pour in your Spirit, and re-creating his life anew.
Lord,
Cause each of us to remember our own baptism today and everyday. As an event in history, when we are touched by God Himself. As an event in our story, when we were grafted into your story. Your capturing and claiming of us in baptism is not mere symbol, or a decision we make, or something we do of ourselves. It’s you keeping your promise and capturing and claiming us as full heirs of your kingdom by grace alone, through faith alone, on account of the person and work of Christ alone.
Rest us in the truth that in baptism we have been buried with Christ into His death, and we do not have to be afraid of the tomb in which we will one day rest, because Jesus Christ has already been there. In the gift of Holy Baptism we pass through His grave and into His resurrection. You have claimed us as your own, never to be abandoned, never to be forsaken.
Have us hear the fulfilled promise you spoke through your apostle Paul: “You are the children of God through faith. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.”
All this we pray in the mighty name of Jesus Christ the crucified, Jesus Christ the Risen, Jesus Christ the Living,
AMEN.,