Text: 1 Chronicles 17.27
Bridal Blessing of Mark and Hafy
Baptism Ilona
Songs:
Watch your children LIS 5: 1-3
Nuptial Blessing e
Of these spouses , from heaven LIS 341: 1-2
Baptism
We t'amenons this child LIS 154: 1 +3 +6
By the power of Baptism LIS 157: 1 +2 +4 +6
"pleased you to bless the family of thy servant
that it may continue forever before thee,
because what you bless, Lord
is blessed for Eternity! "
(NASB 21, 2007)
Dear Assembly in celebration
and especially you Dear Marc and Hafy,
who pick up
God's blessing on your union
and that of Baptism for Ilona
Two exceptional opportunities We gather today in the House of the Lord, two extremely important occasions in your lives, but equally important in the eyes of God: your marital union and the Baptism of Ilona.
God strongly underlines the importance it gives to one and other. The first - the marital union - this is the first institution he established on earth, and from 6 th day of creation. As for the other - Baptism - is one of two sacraments that his son was set at the end of his ministry visible on earth.
You wanted this double ceremony because you know that God has promised his blessing to the marriage and baptism. Your attitude is the same as that of David in our text. Like him, you pray God "pleased you to bless the family of thy servant," the family and each of its members!
The word "bless" comes from the Latin "benedicere" , speak well, to announce God's part of the property to someone. And when God does good to tell someone when he ties his blessing to an institution like the state of marriage as a sacrament or baptism, they are not empty words.
As David admits with a confidence that knows no doubt "What you are blessed, Lord, is blessed forever! "
We'll briefly remind ourselves of the blessings God has related to marriage and baptism. But contrary to the order of worship, we will begin with Baptism, and then talk about the state of marriage.
X X X 1 X X X
The blessings that God has related
Baptism
When Jesus instituted the sacrament of Baptism, he said: "Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them [...] teaching them [...] " (Mt 28:19)
Jesus sends his Church in " all nations "to y do "disciples" through baptism and teaching. Jesus instituted the Holy Baptism for us from the death that our sinfulness has doomed us, and we climb into his kingdom of grace and life.
The purpose of baptism, writes the apostle Peter, is to "save" (1 P 3.21), deliver us from eternal damnation that draws us our sinfulness.
So, to summarize, the blessing that God has linked the Baptism.
course, this raises some questions. For example:
How is it possible that God Three-time St. accepts sinners like us to him?
"How can water make such great things," especially in a baby who is not aware of what's happening?
How can we apply the words of David - "What you are blessed, Lord, is blessed forever! " - In baptism when we see so many baptized later turn back to Jesus Christ. Are they still "eternally blessed" because they were baptized in the past?
X X X
How is it possible that God Three-time St. accepts sinners by Baptism?
It the apostle Peter gives us the answer, this time in his sermon at Pentecost in Jerusalem. He calls his hearers to repent and be baptized in a very specific purpose: pros get "forgiveness of their sins" (Acts 2.38).
In Baptism God offers us forgiveness of our sins. Of course, not like this, snapping fingers, but the forgiveness of sins won for us a hard struggle through his Son on the cross.
is the apostle Paul who talks a lot. He writes: "It's in the death of Jesus Christ that we have been baptized" (Rom 6.3). In Baptism God pours upon us the fruits of the atoning sacrifice of Jesus. Through Baptism God communicates to us the benefits of the death and resurrection of His Son.
Elsewhere he writes thus "we put on Christ" (Ga 3.27). In Baptism, God covers us justice, the holiness of His Son. That is why we can live in her communion: our sin is covered by the righteousness of Christ.
X X X
In Small Catechism (1529), Martin Luther asked a question that he knew that people were raised: "How can water make such great things," especially in the case of a baby is not aware of what's happening?
In response, Luther quote what the apostle Paul wrote to his colleague Titus "God saved us [...] accordance with his compassion, through the bath of rebirth and renewal of the Holy Spirit he poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior. " (Titus 3:5-6)
Through Baptism is God the Holy Spirit that renews itself the spirit of the baptized, the Holy Spirit who makes a living "new birth" , gives birth to the spiritual life of faith in Jesus Christ.
We are here facing a mystery - as Paul calls it (1 Cor 4.1) - but a wonderful mystery ! - One of our rescue for eternity! one of our reception in the Alliance of Divine grace and Baptism of life!
This miracle, the Holy Spirit has no more problems to make a baby in an adult. No more than a physical death can not wake itself to life, the adult unbeliever can not wake itself from spiritual death to spiritual life. In both cases - babies and adults alike - is the Holy Spirit who produces faith. Jesus himself said that "these small" may have to "believe in him" (Jn 3.6).
X X X
But David says in our text: "What you are blessed, Lord, is blessed forever! " How can we apply these words of David in Baptism when we see so many turn baptized later back to Jesus Christ. Are they still "eternally blessed" because they were baptized in the past?
think for a moment! For our comfort, this truth of eternal blessing indeed applies to our baptism. God has a word. And the terms of his covenant of Baptism indicate: "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved! " (Mk 16.16) The baptized who, fed by "teaching" (Mt 28:20) constant of his Gospel, lead a life of repentance and faith in Jesus Christ, remain "clothed" of Christ so forgiven, thus saved, so "eternally blessed" .
You can fall into sin - I hate to say it, but inevitably you will fall into sins in your life - but if you repent and call on the worry atoning sacrifice that Jesus offered to you for the love of His Son, God holds you in His covenant of grace forever.
It is true that the second clause of the contract divine said "[...] but he that believeth not shall be damned" (Mk 16.16)
The who wants to spend Christ, who no longer relies on the work of Christ, breaks the covenant of Baptism. The eternal blessings no longer apply to him.
But if repents and returns with faith in Jesus Christ, Baptism clauses apply again, for his part, God remains faithful to its terms, and this for eternity.
Let us never forget, if we were to be left away from the covenant of Baptism: the fervent wish of God is to once again give us the benefit of his grace, the grace and this eternal life that Jesus Christ has obtained on the cross.
Do not forget, and remember to pray for those who have broken the alliance. As he there is life there is hope!
Hafy and Marc, let me turn now to the second point.
X X X 2 X X X
The blessings that God has related Marital Status
are they similar? To what extent can I apply this statement to the marriage of David "What you are blessed, Lord, is blessed forever! "
What is striking about the creation story is that when God created the first pair it is stated: " He created them " - word word in Hebrew - "Male and female" , ie so as to complement the emotional and sexual. Then "God saw that it was very good. " (Gen 27 31)
The blossoming intimacy between the married couple very much in the vision of God is even a clear goal of the institution of marriage.
But this is not the only one. God gives yet another reason for the creation of the woman beside the man "It is not good that man should be alone. I will make a helper who is his vis-à-vis " , " which corresponds " (Gen 2.10) These are the two parts of a single puzzle. Jesus also says it: "The two shall become one," word for word: "one flesh" (19.5 Mt ), one set or unit or tandem.
And this in all areas of life - or to use the same words that God uses in the story of creation - for "become many and fill the earth and subdue it" (Gen 1.28).
"The subject" ... Thus, they must control life together, working together, acting in concert.
No doubt they will leave the tasks between them, but married life is a duet where the two voices must sing harmoniously with one another.
Oh! there will be some false notes, wrong notes! There are probably already had from your civil marriage. There are in all couples. In this case we stop, we recognize his mistakes, we apologize, we correct and we resumed.
life of repentance and faith of the baptized, it is also exercised in the field of torque. No area of life is not excluded. There are no areas in which I behave like a Christian, and others where I do the opposite.
The blessing that rests on the baptized repentant believers and also depends on us in our domestic dimension.
But there is something else again. It is striking to see that once God had created the first couple, Adam and Eve, he was immediately "blessed" (Gen 1.28).
We do not engage in marriage by looking back and saying, "Now just be sure! This is not my business! "
Instead, it is always the case. That institution, the first he has established on earth. It does nothing to chance. He knew it was So what are men and women thrive, that is how they were better able to master the challenges of life that if everyone stuck with all alone in his corner.
"God blessed them" and since then God binds his blessing to the institution of marriage in the world. God blesses us in marriage, ie it promises to do good in marriage.
course, as the covenant of grace of baptism, marriage includes commitments of marriage. We talked about it and hear earlier in the liturgy of marriage. If some conjugal unions do not seem to enjoy the blessing of God is that God has not forgotten, not even because the unbelievers were married - God has linked his blessing to all married, marriage is a divine institution of civil life - no, it's just, basically, that the contractors have not kept their commitments.
It is true that for us since the fall into sin, it is more difficult to avoid the pitfalls of married life for Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden.
more reason to remember that it can function only if efforts are made to complement one another, to adapt to each other like two "vis-à-vis" as two additional persons of the same unit.
Thus even unbelievers couples can enjoy the blessings of God in the married state.
If, in addition, you draw your strength from the grace of Baptism Alliance to help you adapt to each other to overcome the inevitable moments of tension, to bring happiness to each other and control together the challenges of life, this will be an asset infinitely precious.
You then pass through this life together as "strangers and pilgrims on the earth" (Heb 11.13; 1 P 2.11) only to be received as "citizens of heaven " (Phil 3.20) to Table "Marriage of the Lamb" in eternal bliss (Rev 19.7-9).
So yes, this word has found its definitive fulfillment for you: "What you are blessed, Lord, is blessed forever! "
Also, your prayer is always that of David " pleased you to bless the family of thy servant
that it may continue forever before thee,
because what you bless, Lord
is blessed forever! "
Amen.
Jean Thiébaut Haessig
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