The Church: Sacraments: July 13, 2025
Absolutely! Here's a shorter, friendly blog post for your sermon, keeping the core message and the engaging Navy story.
Welcome Home: Our Church Family is Built on Ceremony!
Good morning, everyone!
Over the past two months, we've explored what it means to be the church – God’s family, the bride of Christ, His temple, and His very body. We've talked about our gifts, equipped leaders, worship, and our call to holiness. Today, we're tying it all together by looking at how God uses ceremonies and rituals to create church community, truly giving us a place to belong.
I remember feeling like an outsider when I first joined the Navy. Then, during deployment, we crossed the equator and had "Wog Day." This messy, fun ritual transformed us "polliwogs" into trusted "shellbacks." We'd gone through something tough together and came out the other side as brothers, not just co-workers. That shared experience built an incredible sense of community and belonging.
In the church, we have similar, though less messy, ceremonies designed to do the same thing! These ceremonies, called Sacraments, aren't just traditions; they're powerful ways God builds our family. The word "sacrament" itself means "an oath of allegiance" or "a pledge." The two sacraments we observe are Baptism and the Lord’s Supper. They profoundly shape our identity, deepen our fellowship, and remind us of our shared journey in Christ.
Baptism: A New Life, A New Community
First, Baptism. You've seen it – someone gets dunked in water, comes up wet, cold, and smiling, and we all cheer! But it's much more than just getting wet. In Romans 6:3-4, Paul explains that when we are baptized into Christ, we are baptized into His death. We die to our old selves, are buried, and then rise with Him to "walk in newness of life."
Water baptism is a beautiful picture of what happens when we're baptized in the Holy Spirit – we surrender to Christ's ownership. Our life is no longer our own; it's Christ living through us! As Galatians 2:20 says, "I have been crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live, yet it isn’t me but Jesus living in me."
The results of this spiritual baptism are incredible. Galatians 3:27-28 tells us that when we are "baptized into Christ," we have "clothed ourselves with Christ." It restores God's original design for us! And powerfully, it declares: "There is no longer Jew or Greek; there is no longer slave or free; there is no longer male and female, for all of you are one in Christ Jesus." Our baptism unites us, breaking down every barrier that once divided us. We are one body, regardless of race, wealth, or gender.
When we publicly witness or participate in baptism, we declare our faith and commitment to Christ and to each other. It not only changes the individual's life but deeply impacts the entire church community, affirming that we are one in Christ and will support each other on this journey.
The Lord's Supper: Sustaining Our Oneness
The second sacrament is the Lord’s Supper (also known as Holy Communion or Eucharist). We see Jesus institute this in Matthew 28:26-29 during His last Passover with His disciples. The bread represents His body, broken for our sins, and the wine symbolizes His blood, shed for our forgiveness. Jesus' promise here is profound: He won't share this meal again until we're all together in His Father's kingdom.
Why do we celebrate it? 1 Corinthians 10:17 explains, "Because there is one loaf, we, who are many, are one body, for we all share the one loaf." Just like baptism unifies us, this shared meal solidifies our unity in Christ. "Communion" and "community" come from the same root for fellowship and togetherness! We remember Jesus' sacrifice, celebrating that His death and resurrection bring us new life and make us one. Nothing celebrates family like a meal together!
Our Shared Mission
God uses both Baptism and Communion to bring us into community. Baptism is the doorway into the body of Christ, a public entry. The Lord’s Supper is how we are sustained in this community, a regular reaffirmation of our belonging. Both sacraments point to Jesus as our center, celebrating His work and highlighting our unity and love for each other.
Our faith isn't just a private matter; it's a communal one between us, the church, and God. We are called to be the body of Christ, and it takes all of us together to fulfill our mission. As Jesus commanded in Matthew 28:19-20, we are to "make disciples of all nations, baptizing them... teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you." This includes baptizing and celebrating communion! We celebrate our oneness through these powerful sacraments.
Today, as we take the Lord’s Supper together, let's not see it as just a tradition. Let it be a powerful reminder of Jesus' sacrifice for our relationship with Him and with each other. In His sacrifice, we find peace with God and unity with the body of Christ.
