Witness

This coming Sunday will be a joyous one: We will stand in witness to six baptisms, a momentous event in the lives of children and welcome them into the household of God.

The Rev. Lauren Banks preached about the ministry of witness this past Sunday. She reminded us that during the rite of Baptism, the congregation is asked, “Will you who witness these vows do all in your power to support these persons in their life in Christ?”

This is one meaning of the word witness. As witnesses to baptism, we actively watch, not as bystanders but as participants in the event. We stand alongside the baptismal candidates and promise to support them in the years ahead. It’s not easy to be Christian. Its demands are often countercultural – forgiveness, presence, and loving one’s enemies are not often celebrated qualities today. You will be taking on a serious responsibility of being there for these children. I remember the adults in the room when I was baptized, and I did call on them later in my life when I needed their guidance and wisdom. As witnesses, be prepared to remind these young Christians of the day they took this transforming step that launched them on the journey of a lifetime.

When we welcome the newly baptized, we too are transformed. The Body of Christ has welcomed a new member and so is itself made new. It’s fitting, then, to wonder: How am I prepared to receive the gifts of these new members? Every person, no matter their age, is called to ministry. What is the vocation, you might wonder, of this infant? This eight-year-old? Be prepared to be surprised by the answer.

The rite of baptism uses the word witness in another sense. The parents and godparents are asked, “Will you by your prayers and witness help this child to grow into the full stature of Christ?” Later, in the prayers for the candidates, we ask God to “Send them into the world in witness to your love.”

These words ask: Will you declare and embody your faith publicly, by what you say and by how you live? As baptized Christians, each of us is called to witness to the love of Christ. In the Gospels, witness is less about observing and more about testifying with one’s life. Remember, Jesus told his followers before his ascension, “You will be my witnesses” (Acts 1:8). Will you show my love? Will you forgive? Heal? Share? Disrupt? Give yourself away?  This meaning draws on the Greek word martys: giving up our very lives for the sake of the love of Christ. For most of us, it will not be a physical death like that of St. Stephen or Perpetua both who lost their lives for the sake of the gospel in the first century. But it is still a kind of death. A death to self, a surrender, so that Christ might live in and through you.

So this coming Sunday, as we gather to witness the baptism of six children and recommit ourselves to be Christ’s witnesses in the world, ask yourself: “How might I be transformed this Sunday?” “How might my daily life reflect grace, patience, and joy, so that others are naturally drawn to Christ’s presence?” “How might I show genuine love, kindness, and service to others that mirrors Jesus’ command to love God and neighbor?” 

How will you be Jesus’ witness in this world, so that these young Christians might see Jesus in you?

Faithfully,

Jenifer+