Affirm Baptism Devotional

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BAPTISM

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INTRODUCTION Water is an important theme throughout Scripture; it’s mentioned 722 times! From the very beginning in Genesis, to the end in

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Revelation and everywhere in between, water plays an important role in the unfolding story of God and God’s people.

Through the next 21 days, we will journey through water stories in both the Old and New Testaments, and explore how water through the gift of baptism sets us free to live as the children of God we are created to be.

In this devotional You are invited to join with a friend, mentor, parent, leader, or grown up of your choice to travel through these together.

The goal

is to discuss with someone, not just "complete" it. We encourage you to do just one a day, but if you wish to do more than one, space them out throughout the day.

Let us know when you're done!

REV

LAURA

L E A D

S E R V A N T

S P I R I T U A L

BOSTROM F O R

D E V E L O P M E N T

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1

Read: “In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth, the earth was a formless void and darkness covered the face

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of the deep, while a wind from God swept over the face of the waters.” Genesis 1:1-2

Think: Here in the beginning, God’s work is to take the chaotic creation and order the cosmos, for the earth, waters, and darkness all existed prior to God’s work.

Ask: What does “in the beginning” mean to you? Share a time when your life has been chaotic. How did God bring about peace?

Prayer: Creator God, in the midst of the chaos of our lives, you are always present to remind us that your life and love win. May your Spirit of peace be in our hearts, so that we may place our trust in you. Amen.

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2

Read: “The flood continued forty days on the earth; and the waters increased, and bore up the ark, and it rose high above the earth.

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The waters swelled and increased greatly on the earth; and the ark floated on the face of the waters. The waters swelled so mightily on the earth that all the high mountains under the whole heaven were covered.” Genesis 7:17-18a

Think: The same waters sent to destroy are also used to ensure that Noah, his families, and all the animals aboard the ark are safe.

The interesting thing about this story is that God changes God’s mind (read Genesis 8:21-22) and makes an everlasting covenant with Noah, of which the rainbow is a sign.

Ask: Have you ever changed your mind after making an important decision? What made you change your mind? Would the outcome have been different? What does this story tell us about God?

Prayer: God of life, when the storms of life rage and we are afraid, may we be reminded that you are a God of love and that you hold us in your hands. May we share this good news with the world, living as your signs of life in the world. Amen.

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3

Read: “Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea. The Lord drove the sea back by a strong east wind all night, and turned

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the sea into dry land; and the waters were divided. The Israelites went into the sea on dry ground, the waters forming a wall for them on their right and on their left.” Exodus 14:21-22

Think: After Pharoah sets the Israelites free from slavery, he changes his mind and pursues them. Moses and the community cross the Red Sea (or Reed Sea), for God parts the waters. Unfortunately for Pharaoh, all his horses, chariots, and chariot drivers are drowned in the Sea. This begins the Israelite's forty-year journey through the wilderness. This is an image repeated throughout Scripture - God’s people must pass through water before they can begin to embrace their calling as a community blessed to be a blessing for the world. Water is a powerful force; it has the ability to sustain and take life.

Ask: Can you share a story when you’ve experienced water either sustaining or taking life? How would you have felt walking across the Reed Sea?

Prayer: God of the wind and waves, your creation is beautiful and majestic, but can also be powerful and scary. Help us to remember that all you make is good, and may we be in awe of you and your world.

Amen.

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4

Read: “So he [Namaan] went down and immersed himself seven times in the Jordan, according to the word of the man of God

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[Elisha]; his flesh was restored like the flesh of a young boy, and he was clean.” 2 Kings 5:14

Think: Namaan was commander of the army of the king of Aram and suffered from leprosy. Through a series of events, Namaan eventually ends up at the house of Elisha the prophet. He tells Namaan that he needs to wash in the river Jordan seven times and he will be healed. But Namaan gets angry because Elisha won’t instantly heal him, and he believes that there are much better (and cleaner) waters than the Jordan river. But Namaan’s servants wisely remind him that Elisha isn’t asking all that much. So Namaan washed in the Jordan and his skin was restored to health.

Ask: Have you ever done something you didn’t really want to do, but needed to do?

Share your experience. What was your hesitation and what was the outcome? What does being restored mean to you?

Prayer: God of restoration, in you we are made whole. May we be grounded in you, our source of being, so that we might be a vessel of love for the world. Amen.

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5

Read: “The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want. The Lord makes me lie down in green pastures, the Lord leads me beside still

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waters.” Psalm 23:1-2

D E V O T I O N A L Think: This is a trust Psalm, which describes God as a shepherd king who intimately cares for all God’s children. More often than not, we imagine a very pastoral scene, where God’s peace and hope reign. These verses bring us comfort, especially those who are grieving or experiencing a difficult time in life. God leads beside still waters.

Ask: Have you ever experienced still waters, like on a lake? Share your story. “Shall not want” is another way of saying “shall not be in need.” How does the Lord provide for you?

Prayer: God the Good Shepherd, you love, care, and tend after your creation as a shepherd cares for their sheep. May we find peace and comfort in your presence all the days of our lives. Amen.

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6

Read: “O God, you are my God, I seek you, my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there

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is no water.” Psalm 63:1

D E V O T I O N A L Think: This is another trust Psalm, similar to Psalm 23, but it takes a very different tone.

The author, more than likely King David when he was in the wilderness of Judah, is seeking God. We’ve all had wilderness experiences, when it’s difficult to see or experience God’s presence. And this is a normal, everyday part of what it means to be a person of faith. However much we may not feel God’s presence, God has promised to never leave us or forsake us, no matter what!

Ask: Have you ever been outside and have run out of water? Share what that experience was like for you. Share a wilderness experience in your life. How did God show up?

Prayer: God of the wild places, our soul thirsts for you, for in you we find our true source of being. When the journey is difficult, may we be reminded that you have promised to always be by our side. Amen.

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7

Read: “But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.” Amos 5:24

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Think: Amos was a prophet and has a clear message of justice. Remember, prophets don’t tell the future, but rather tell the truth in order to draw people back into God’s vision for life. Many people during Amos’s time were using their wealth and prosperity to take care of themselves, rather than ensuring that the least and most vulnerable in their community were being cared for.

Amos calls his community away from what we would call consumerism, to a life of radical generosity rooted in God, so that all may experience real life.

Ask: What would it look like in our world for justice to roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream? How is God inviting you to be radically generous for the sake of the life of the world?

Prayer: God of justice, when the voices of the world are loud, draw us back to you, so that we can live as your children, created to be generous so that all may have life and have life abundantly. Amen.

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8

Read: “Then Jesus got up and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a dead calm. They were amazed saying, ‘What sort

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of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him?’” Matthew 8:26-27

Think: The disciples find themselves in the middle of a great windstorm on the sea, and Jesus is asleep in the boat! They wake Jesus up in order that Jesus might save them.

Jesus replies, “Why are you afraid, you of little faith?” Faith here is best understood as trust. The disciples failed to trust that God, in and through Jesus, is in control of even the winds and the sea. However much we want to be in control, we are invited into a life of trust, that whatever comes our way, God’s life and love win.

Ask: Have you ever experienced a great storm in your life (whether literal or figurative)? Share your story. How does it feel to hear that we’re not in control? Where do you struggle trusting God?

Prayer: Dear God, oftentimes we believe that we’re in control and we get frustrated when things don’t go our way. Release us from our need to control, and instead, grant us the grace to entrust our whole selves into your loving embrace. Amen.

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9

Read: “And whoever gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones in the name of a disciple - truly I tell you, none of

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these will lose their reward.” Matthew 10:42

D E V O T I O N A L Think: Whenever we serve and love others as Jesus loved and served all, we are truly living into our identity as children of God. So often, something as simple as a cup of cold water can be an extravagant sign of God’s love for our world. In our context in Littleton, we are blessed and often take things like clean running tap water, or watering our lawns, for granted. Maybe God’s invitation to share our blessings begins with us being drawn into a greater awareness of just how much we have.

Ask: How often do you use water during the day? Do a family journal to track when and how you use water. You can also take a look at your family’s water bill to see how many gallons you use. Did you learn anything new? When have you shared a cup of cold water with someone (either a cup of water, or something else)? How did that impact you, how did that impact the person in need?

Prayer: Dear God, all around us there are people who struggle with the most basic necessities of life. May we be grateful for all that we have, so that you might draw us into deeper generosity for the sake of the life of the world. Amen.

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10

Read: “Peter answered Jesus, ‘Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.’ Jesus said, ‘Come.’ So Peter got out

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of the boat, started walking on the water, and came toward Jesus.” Matthew 14:28-29

Think: The disciples find themselves once again out on a boat, but this time due to the wind, they are far from shore. Jesus is not in the boat, but walks on the water towards them to comfort them. Peter decides to come to Jesus by walking on the water, but when he loses trust in Jesus, he begins to sink.

Ask: Have you ever lost sight of Jesus? How did you regain your vision? Share a time when Jesus reached out his hand to you.

Prayer: God of peace, in the midst of the storms of life, help us to keep our eyes on you, trusting that you’ve got us! Amen.

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11

Read: “In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And just as he was

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coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit descending like a dove on him. And a voice came from heaven, ‘You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.’” Mark 1:9-11

Think: At the beginning of Jesus’s public ministry, he is baptized by John in the Jordan River. Here he is claimed and named as a child of God and reminded that there’s nothing he can do to make God love him anymore or any less. He is a child of God no matter what! In these waters, Jesus is drawn into his full identity as a son of God, and sent out into the world to love and serve all, so that all may have life and have life abundantly.

Ask: Do you remember your baptism? Have a grown up who was there talk about your baptismal day. Maybe this is your sponsor or godparent, or a parent, or a guardian. You are a child of God and God loves you just the way you are, no matter what! How can you share this good news with those around you?

Prayer: God of love, in the waters of baptism you claim and name us as your children. Draw us into our identity as your daughters and sons so that we can share your love and life with the world. Amen.

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12

Read: “Then Jesus said to Simon, ‘Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching people.’ When they had brought their boats

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to shore, they left everything and followed him.” Luke 5:10-11

Think: When Jesus calls the first disciples, he doesn’t call the best and brightest, instead he calls a group of fishermen. These were people who didn’t make the cut to be a rabbi, so instead they learned their father’s trade. This story serves as a reminder that God often works through people and events in ways that we least expect.

Ask: How does this story encourage you to be fully yourself as a child of God? How has God called you to use your own unique personality and gifts for the sake of the Kingdom? Have you ever heard God’s call in your life? Share your story.

Prayer: Calling God, you call to us today, just as we are, to be your servants of love and life in the world. Amen.

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13

Read: “When the steward tasted the water that had become wine, and did not know where it came from (though the servants

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who had drawn the water knew), the steward called the bridegroom and said to him, ‘Everyone serves the good wine first, and then the inferior wine after the guests have become drunk. But you have kept the good wine until now.’” John 2:9-10

Think: In John’s gospel, Jesus’s first sign is turning water into wine. Here, Jesus takes something simple as water, and turns it into something extraordinary. Through this, we are invited to explore who Jesus is and how it is that Jesus takes the ordinary parts of our lives and moves in and through them to do something amazing.

Ask: Share a story when Jesus did something extraordinary in your life. How would you have reacted if you were the chief steward at the wedding?

Prayer: God of wonder, you are all around us and desire to move in and through us to do extraordinary things in our world. Open our hearts and minds to the movement of your Spirit. Amen.

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14

Read: “Jesus answered her, ‘If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked

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him, and he would have given you living water.” John 4:10

Think: Here, Jesus breaks down all cultural and societal boundaries by talking with a woman, and a Samaritan woman at that, at the well. Even though Samaritans and Jews descended from ancient Israel, they stood at opposition with one another in great hostility. They did everything they could to avoid contact with one another. After a long conversation, the woman at the well goes back to the city and proclaims that she has met the Messiah. The most unlikely person becomes a witness to Jesus!

Ask: How have your cultural and societal blinders closed you off to forming relationships with others? Have you experienced God through an unlikely source? Share your story.

Prayer: God of oneness, you call us to erase boundaries so that all may be one. Open our hearts to the ways we draw lines in our world, so that we can live more fully as your children. Amen.

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15

Read: “Now in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate there is a pool, called in Hebrew Bethzatha, which has five porticoes. In these lay

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many invalids - blind, lame, and paralyzed.

One man was there who had been ill for thirty-eight years.” John 5:2-5

People would be made well when they entered this pool as the waters were stirred up. This man had been ill for 38 years because he had no one to put him in the pool, and by the time he got there, someone would step in his way. Jesus heals the man, not by placing him in the pool, but by speaking the words “Stand up, take your mat and walk.”

Ask: How would you have felt if you were the man who had been ill for 38 years? When have you experienced God’s healing in your life? Share your story.

Prayer: Healing God, your vision is that all may have life and have life abundantly. We thank you for all the ways your healing touch brings peace and hope in our lives.

May we share these gifts with the world.

Amen.

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16

Read: “Jesus spat on the ground and made mud with the saliva and spread the mud on the man’s eyes, saying to him, ‘God, wash in

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the pool of Siloam (when means Sent).Then he went and washed and came back able to see.” John 9:6-7

Think: After Jesus makes mud out of dirt and his saliva to heal a man who was born blind, when he returns to his community, people don’t recognize who he is. This isn’t just a healing story, this is a story of transformation, as the man is made new. Often we take our sight for granted.

Look around.

Ask: What do you see? Where do you see God’s love? Not only is the man’s sight restored, he is made new. How has God made you new?

Prayer: God of vision, grant us to see the world through your eyes, and love and cherish all people as your beloved children.

Amen.

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17

Read: “So those who welcomed his message were baptized, and that day about three thousand persons were added. They devoted

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themselves to the apostle’s teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of the bread and the prayers. Awe came upon everyone, because many wonders and signs were being done by the apostles. All who believed were together and had all things in common; they would sell their possessions and goods and distribute the proceeds to all, as any had need.” Acts 2:41-45

Think: Here we read about the early Jesus community. As baptized children of God, they walk the way of Jesus by living generously and caring for one another as family. It’s a reminder that oftentimes we complicate the way of Jesus, when really it is a way of love.

Ask: How do you walk the Jesus way as a child of God, as a family? What gets in your way of living generously?

Prayer: Generous God, we have so much and are thankful for all that you have provided. May we be good stewards of your gifts, sharing what you have given us, so that all may have life. Amen.

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18

Read: “A certain woman named Lydia, a worshiper of God, was listening to us; she was from the city of Thyatira and a dealer in

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purple cloth. The Lord opened her heart to listen eagerly to what was said by Paul.

When she and her household were baptized, she urged us, saying, ‘If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come and stay at my home.’” Acts 16:14-15

Think: We don’t often hear women’s voices in scripture, but Lydia's story, as many others, remind us that women played an important role in Jesus’s mission. Lydia was a businesswoman, who sold purple cloth.

Remember that purple was only used amongst the rich and powerful. Lydia is the one who brings her family to Christ, and she supports the mission of the apostles by inviting them to stay in her home.

Ask: Share a story of a woman in your life who impacted your faith in a positive way.

What do you think it means that the Lord opened Lydia's heart to listen eagerly to what was said by Paul?

Prayer: Amazing God, you move in and through all people to share your good news.

May our hearts be open to listen. Amen.

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19

Read: “Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? Therefore, we have

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been buried with him by baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.” Romans 6:3-4

Think: Through the gift of baptism, we are put to death and raised to new life.

Everything that seeks to separate and divide us from God and one another is washed away. And everything that holds us back from living as the children of God is put to death and we are set free to be all that God has created us to be. Martin Luther reminds us that each time we come across water, to remember the good news that through baptism, we are made new!

Ask: How does it feel to know that you have been set free through the gift of baptism? Go play in some water and be reminded that you are a beloved child of God, God is proud of you, and God loves you - no matter what!

Prayer: God of new life, help us to remember that through baptism you have set us free! May we embrace who you have created us to be for the sake of the life of the world. Amen.

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20

Read: “For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is

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with Christ. For in the one Spirit we were all baptized into one body - Jews or Greeks, slaves or free - and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.” 1 Corinthians 12:12-13

Think: Through the gift of baptism, all the world’s labels are removed and we are simply children of God. We are reminded that we aren’t what we do, or what we produce, or how successful we are. We aren’t human doings, but rather, human beings. This good news allows us to be fully grounded in God no matter what comes our way, for we are cherished children of God, regardless of our grade, success, or productivity. And we each have an important role and part to play in the body of Christ.

Ask: How does God invite you to be a human being rather than a human doing? What challenges do you experience in rooting your identity in Christ, rather than the world? What important role do you play in the body of Christ?

Prayer: Loving God, we are your children, for that is who you created us to be. Through this promise, may we share your abundant love and embrace our part in your unfolding story. Amen.

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21

Read: “Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the

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Lamb through the middle of the street of the city. On either side of the river is the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, producing its fruit each month; and the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations.

Nothing accursed will be found there any more. But the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him; they will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. And there will be no more night; they need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever.”

Revelation 22:1-5

Think: At the very end, we are drawn back to the beginning, back to the Garden of Eden.

Here, everyone is united as one in God’s love. God is the true source of our being, providing all that we need. God is life, God is light, God is love.

Ask: Share what emotions or feelings are stirred up when you read this passage. How can you be God’s life, light, and love in the world?

Prayer: God of the ages, you are the alpha and the omega, the beginning and the end, and in you, we find life. May we continue to return back to you, our true source of life.

Amen.