In the very last verses of Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus says to his disciples: “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, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
This scene is after Jesus’ death and resurrection. It is one of the so-called post-resurrection appearances before his ascension. In Matthew, this is the last time the disciples see Jesus and these are his last words: “Remember, I am with you always to the end of the age.”
In an older translation, Jesus said, “Lo, am with you even unto the end of the world.” “Lo,” I am with you, rather than “remember” I am with you. I like the old translation. We don’t use “lo” much in everyday conversation, but it means “behold.” Beholding is more than remembering. Behold, be aware, perceive… I am with you.
This passage from Matthew is part of the church’s warrant for baptizing. Jesus instructs his disciples to baptize disciples in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. And so we do.
The earliest extant Christian liturgical document we have is a baptismal liturgy from the mid 2nd to early 3rd century. That service would have been an Easter Vigil like this one, where candidates were baptized just in time to see the Easter dawn. A much more recent addition to the church’ baptismal liturgy is the baptismal covenant -- one of the great treasures of our current prayer book. We said it a few moments ago. The baptismal covenant gives shape and form to the Christian life, giving us words to live by.
In addition to the general vows of baptism to renounce evil and follow Christ, in the baptismal covenant we vow as baptized members of the Body of Christ to:
- be faithful in worship
- to seek reconciliation with God when we need it
- to proclaim the Good News of Christ through the witness of our lives
- to seek the face of Christ in others
- to work for justice and peace.
These are significant vows that we make.
But by far the most important commitment we recognize and celebrate tonight is God’s vow to us. Our vows are important, but the most significant vow we celebrate tonight is God’s vow. Tonight, by God’s grace, Tyler is sealed and marked as Christ’s own forever. And all of us who have been baptized are reminded that God has made that same vow to us. That we are God’s own forever. That simple, that sweeping, that profound.
God vows to hold us as his own forever. God vows to love us even if we don’t always fulfill our part of the vows. God vows to never turn away from us, even if we turn away from him. God vows to guide and bless our every day. God vows to be with us always, even to the end of the age.
This is God’s extravagant commitment.
There are several ways we can respond to this extravagant commitment of God to us. Some people I suppose manage indifference. Maybe some are tempted by God’s unconditional commitment to become a sort of adolescent spiritual wastrel. After all, why not, God will always take us back?
The best response, of course, is gratitude. Gratitude for the blessings of living a life shared with Christ, shaped by Christ’s presence with us. Gratitude for the experience of finding, in the baptismal covenant, direction to deepen our life in Christ. And the awareness that life in Christ brings joy, freedom and peace.
Gratitude all starts with “lo.” “Lo” I am with you. Gratitude begins with the awareness that God is with us. Gratitude begins with our beholding Christ’s presence with us. We can help one another with that beholding. We can be the presence of Christ for others; we can help show the presence of Christ to others. All of us here are a part of Tyler’s beholding that Christ is with him. We can help him see that the marvelous and holy flame kindled this evening will illumine his path to the end of the age.
