Matthew 28:16-20

¹⁶ Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. ¹⁷ When they saw him, they worshiped him, but they doubted. ¹⁸ And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. ¹⁹ 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 ²⁰ and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”^[d

Acts 2:37-42

³⁷ Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and to the other apostles, “Brothers,^[i] what should we do?” ³⁸ Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ so that your sins may be forgiven, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. ³⁹ For the promise is for you, for your children, and for all who are far away, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to him.” ⁴⁰ And he testified with many other arguments and exhorted them, saying, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.” ⁴¹ So those who welcomed his message were baptized, and that day about three thousand persons were added. ⁴² They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.

On some of the most wonderful days in worship, we celebrate the Sacrament of Baptism. (We hold that sacraments are sacred acts that our Lord Jesus instructed His followers to practice.) In baptism we allow ourselves to be washed clean of our sins, and accept what God does for us in the saving grace of Jesus.

Prayer

God, let your Spirit so touch the water of baptism that it may be a fountain of deliverance and rebirth. Cleanse and claim us in those waters that we can see ourselves as your redeemed children. In Christ’s precious name we pray. Amen.