Dear Christian friends:

We have a Baptism today. Do we understand how precious Baptism is? Many don't know. How many of you know your Baptism day? You know and celebrate your birthday. Why do you not know and celebrate your Baptism day? Maybe you think it is not very important today.

But I tell you the truth, your Baptism is much more important than your birthday.


In our text Jesus tells us that our birthday is no good, verse 6a. "Flesh born of flesh is flesh." What does He mean? Can't go to heaven except we be born again, verses 3 and 5.

Nicodemus was very surprised. He was a Pharisee, a very good man. He thought he could go to heaven by obeying Jewish laws and Moses' laws. Jesus says, "No!"

In verse 13 Jesus says, "No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man." Jesus is the only Man not a sinner. He was conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of Mary. He never sinned.

All other men born of women are sinners and can't go to heaven, no matter how good and respectable they are. Merle seems to have no sin, be he, too, is a sinner and can't go to heaven except to be born again.

So our birthday we remember and celebrate so much is the birth of sin and death and hell. We need a new birth, a second birth. Jesus says in verse 5, "Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit."

Baptism is the new birth. God has decided to use water to wash away our sins. Acts 22:16, "And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on his name." Water alone cannot wash away sins. It can wash away dirt from our hands or body, but alone, itself water can't wash away sins.

But if we use, water in agreement with Jesus' command in Matthew 28:19 and in the name of the Triune God then it is wonderful water to give new birth and new life. It gives us faith to trust that God loves us and forgives our sins because Jesus died on the cross for us. Jesus tells Nicodemus this in John 3:16-17.

We are now born of God. In 1 John 3:1 see how much the Father loves us; He calls us His children." So can a baby be born again? In Baptism God washes away a baby's sin, too, and gives them the Holy Spirit.

Titus 3:5, "he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit."

Reasons why we baptize babies and children:

1. Unbroken tradition of the Church
2. The Apostles baptized entire families.
3. Baptism takes the place of Circumcision
4. Babies belong to "All Nations."
5. Babies, too, need Baptism.
6. Babies Can Believe

Amen.