We're going to begin our worship by singing to God's praise. We're going to sing in Psalm 16.
! We're going to sing from verse 8 to 11.
!
We'll stay down to the end of the psalm to God's praise and we stand to sing.
Amen.
!
My body too will rest secure in open with a name.
For you will not allow my soul in death to stay.
Lord, help me to lead your holy one to see the truth in his.
You are made known to me the path of life divine.
This child I know that you might come.
Joy from your face will shine.
We'll bow our heads together in a short word of prayer.
Let us pray.
Our Father in heaven, as we come to unite our hearts in prayer and as we lift up our voices
in song and praise to you, we are thankful that as we come today, we do indeed set the Lord before us.
That all that we seek to do, we seek to do for your sake and for your glory.
So we give you thanks for this day and this opportunity to worship you,
this blessing that is ours to be under your word, to be hearing it, to be learning from it.
And today as we have the service of baptism too, we thank you for that blessing that there is to be heard and seen in that as well.
And we do pray that together we will be encouraged, that we will be blessed by you.
And we pray for our young people as we come to you today.
We thank you for them.
We thank you for those who will be baptized today and we pray for your blessing on them and their families.
We thank you for all who belong to us as a congregation, from our creche, our tweenies, our Sunday school, our Bible class, our youth fellowship,
and all our families, Lord, we commit to you asking your protection and blessing over them.
Thankful that there is that desire to learn of you.
And we pray that they may come to know you in that special way,
that they will set the Lord before them, themselves all the days of their lives.
So may you bless us.
May you watch over us.
May you continue with us in all that we do as we ask it all in Jesus' name and for his sake.
Amen.
Before the young ones go out to the Sunday school, I just want to say a few words to you.
And in my hand here, I have something that probably most of you have at home.
Do you recognize what it is?
It's a TV controller.
Now, this can cause a lot of discussion in the house, a lot of debate.
Has anybody hidden the controller on anybody else so that you have control over what you're watching
and what everybody's watching?
It can cause a lot of discussion.
It can even cause little fights to start.
Where do you put the controller?
Because it gives us a sense of power.
Because we can rewind, watch something again.
We can fast forward if we're not enjoying something we're watching.
We can pause if we want to take a wee break and come back and watch something again later.
It gives us that sense of power.
Well, today as we come to look at God's word, as we come together today, we have a special service,
service for baptism.
And we'll see that later on towards the end of the service.
But as we come to look at God's word, it's almost like we're pressing the rewind button on the controller.
We're going to go back into the book of Acts in the New Testament, back to a time like 2,000 years ago.
And we're seeing a sermon being preached, just like we see here today.
And we're seeing Peter there preaching a sermon.
We're seeing people listening to what he's saying.
And we see people then seeking to understand about what he's saying, wanting to know more about what he's saying.
And they have a question, what should we do?
It's a great question that for ourselves today when we think of all that we're seeing and all that we're hearing.
What do we do with it?
Well, we are reminded that as we go back to the book of Acts and as we see Peter saying,
you must be baptized.
He's telling of the importance of being baptized in the name of Jesus.
Is that a doctor then?
He's telling of the story.
That's all.
Thank you.
,
that today we will hear your word speaking to us as a new word a fresh word for us today
just as fresh as it was then with the same power the same blessing in it lord that you are the one
who is able to save and so we ask that you will help us to do all for your glory and we look to
you in these days lord with all our different needs we thank you that you are god and lord for
all and whatever our need today we thank you that we can bring it before you we do remember
particular needs around us today we thank you for our homes and our families but we pray lord that
in those homes where there is grief and sorrow and sadness that you will come and comfort and console
as we particularly remember the family of anne mcdonald today we pray for each one of them
may your blessing and your peace be with them in a special way and in these coming days as well
as we prepare for the wake and the funeral services to take place lord we ask that your spirit
will comfort and guide in these times we thank you for the fellowship of your people in these days
as well for the way that we are able to unite our hearts and prayer for one another
bringing all our different needs to you and we do pray for our community and thank you for the power
of prayer and we ask that especially in matters concerning your cause that you would unite us
together as your people in that spirit of prayer as we think of the situation regarding tesco at this
time we do commit all the prayers of your people and the prayer meeting this evening in the apc church
lord that we are time of unity and blessing in that a time when we are assured of your presence and
the power of that you have for we may be weak in ourselves but we thank you that you can do all
things for us and so we pray for your grace and your mercy upon our town and upon decisions made
regarding your day and if it is your will lord we do pray that decisions will be overturned by your power
and by your grace so give us that spirit of prayer and give us lord to look to you in these days as
well to seek your blessing over us in being seeing numbers added to those who are being saved even as we
have read of in your word we thank you that your word reminds us of that great power that you have that
salvation belongs to you alone and so here are prayers for our people for our community for our nation
and the nations of the world and we see so many needs around us with the devastation in spain in
this past week and we pray for that situation lord for those who are hurting and mourning for those who
are still missing for those who are helping in these situations lord may your grace and mercy be with them
and may you lead us as a people lord in all of these days as we think of the united states and the
election taking place there in these coming days lord we pray for your blessing over that nation as
such a powerful nation throughout the world that has so much to offer for good as well as evil
and we do pray lord that you will be pleased to bless and to guide and to pour out your spirit upon all our
lands so here our prayers continue with us in this day and go before us is all we ask we ask the
forgiveness of our sins in jesus name amen we're going to sing again to god's praise this time in psalm 90
in the scottish psalter page 350 of the psalm books
psalm 90 page 350
we'll sing from verse 14 to verse 17
with thy tender mercies lord as early satisfy so we rejoice shall all our days and still
be glad in thee we'll sing from verse 14 to 17 to god's praise and we stand to sing
singing singing
So we'll be joyed shall all our days, and still be glad in thee.
And Lord, in us the days of thee, where then we leave our heart, and years where then we ever last see.
So do the ring us fly.
O let thy wife and power appear, thy sermons face before.
And show unto her children dear thy glory evermore.
And let the beauty of the Lord our God be as a poor.
Around the world, his vibration, his vibration, his vibration.
Amen.
For the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
For the promise is for you and for your children, and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.
Amen.
I deserve privilege to be here today under God's word, having his word before us, having the assurance that he gives in his word of his presence with us,
that when we are gathered in his name, he is in the midst to bless.
And today we come with that significance, too, of the sacrament of baptism, and all of that shows to us of the wonder of who our Lord is.
Today is a special day for parents who are baptizing three precious children, for their families, and for us all together as a congregation and as a community of fellowship here.
It's a special day to partake of in the service, hearing the word of God, seeing what's happening before us, and asking, what does this mean?
What does it mean for those who are baptizing, and what does it mean for ourselves as a congregation, and even personally?
What does it mean to me as an individual?
What's the significance of it?
You see, in baptism, our focus isn't just on those who are being baptized.
Our focus is, first and foremost, on Jesus Christ and the blessings that we pray for in him, for us all together,
for the wee ones who are baptized, for their parents and families, and for us all together.
It is all about Jesus.
Someone once said this of baptism.
Baptism is like a precious jewel, set apart by itself.
It's nice and appealing, but has nothing within it to compel.
But place baptism against the backdrop of our sin, and turn on the light of the cross,
and the jewel explodes with significance.
You think of when you see a jewel, when it's just sitting there, maybe it doesn't look that impressive.
But put something in the background, especially a dark background, and shine a light through it,
and it explodes in all its colors and all its beauty.
And so it is with baptism.
It's not just about gathering together as family and friends.
There's so much significance behind it, and especially when we see our sin,
and what's signified in baptism, and the cross, and what Jesus has done for our salvation there.
As Peter preached this sermon in Acts chapter 2,
at the heart of it was all about the Lord Jesus Christ.
Verse 36 says,
Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ,
this Jesus whom you crucified.
Before it came to seeing their need, and before it came to the baptism,
was to see Christ crucified, and all that that means.
He has been made Lord and Christ, whom they crucified.
We're thinking today of the blessings that there are in baptism.
The blessings that we know in Christ that we are reminded of through baptism.
And that comes as we see Christ with faith.
As his word, as you see there in verse 37,
they were cut to the heart by the word.
As the word cuts to our heart,
as we hear the word, and as we see the significance of it,
may it cut to our hearts today in the same way it did then,
so that we might know the blessings that are ours in Christ.
A man called Fred Marsh spoke of the blessings that there are in Christ in this way.
He spoke of it in a number of different ways.
He said there's an inheritance that can never be lost,
a grace that can never be limited,
a hope that can never be disappointed,
a joy that need never be diminished,
a peace that can never be disturbed,
a salvation that can never be cancelled.
What we have through faith,
and that's what baptism points us to,
our need of our cleansing of our sin
that comes through Jesus Christ.
These are the blessings that we seek for the children who are baptized today,
for their families,
for their parents,
and for all their families together,
but for us all together too,
that we would see that this is the word of God to us all.
And so we're going to think of three things
that we see in these verses of baptism.
The first thing we see is the need.
The second thing we see is the name.
And the third thing is the number.
The need, the name, and the number.
So first of all, we see the need that we have for baptism.
Peter here has preached a powerful sermon.
The Spirit has been with them.
The Spirit of God was poured out on the church,
as you see at the beginning of chapter 2.
And Peter stood up in their midst
and proclaimed the word of God to them.
And what he saw was what every preacher longs to see.
He saw a response.
A wonderful response.
And that's the response you see in verse 37.
When they were cut to the heart,
they said to Peter and the rest of the apostles,
Brothers, what shall we do?
They heard the word of God.
They heard about the crucified Christ,
who had been crucified for their sins.
And they pleaded,
What shall we do?
They realized there was a need of something.
They realized that this word called for a response.
And their question is,
What shall we do?
When we gather this morning for this service of baptism,
there's so much to be thankful for.
There's so many blessings that we can see.
There's reminders to us of these blessings before us.
The blessings that we have in life.
As we think of the children being baptized.
As we think of the privilege of being together for it,
under God's word.
But in it all,
what is our greatest need?
What should we be most thankful for today?
We could come here today and say,
It was nice to be here.
It was lovely to see families together.
It was beautiful to see children baptized.
We could go away thinking all of these things.
And they are all great blessings that we are to be thankful for.
But is it the most important thing that we are to see
when we think of what's before us today?
And what it represents and says to us of our need.
It's not to see something that's nice and beautiful
and a blessing in so many ways.
But to see the word of God
and the sacrament of baptism
and speaking of the wonder of the grace of God to us.
A sinful people.
It's hard to think of that
when we think of baptizing young infants.
A sinner.
It doesn't sound right.
And yet we all come into this world
as sinners in need of salvation.
When the people ask that question,
What shall we do?
It's the same question that we have to ask ourselves today.
What shall we do?
What is our greatest need?
As we see this before us today.
Well, Peter gives us the answer.
When they ask that question,
Peter gives him the response.
In verse 38,
Repent and be baptized,
every one of you,
in the name of Jesus Christ,
for the forgiveness of your sins.
Sin is our enemy.
And so our greatest need
is to be rescued from sin.
I'm sure you will all have seen
the devastating floods in Spain this past week.
Whenever you see a natural disaster like that
and so many other different things,
it reminds us of the power that's behind it.
The devastation that it brings.
It's hard to believe when you see the pictures
on the television,
how quickly things happened.
How quickly things changed for them.
How helpless the people were.
How powerful the force of the water was.
Devastation and tragedy came.
And the need for the people in the midst of it
was rescue.
And yet sadly for so many,
that rescue wasn't there.
It's tragic.
And it's a reminder to us
of our need to be saved.
Of our need to be saved.
Not from the powers of this world in that sense,
but the power of our enemy of sin.
The power of sin.
And there's a psalm
that speaks of this in a powerful way.
Psalm 65 at verse 3.
It says,
When we were overwhelmed by sins
and guilt upon us lay,
you pardoned all our trespasses
and washed our guilt away.
When we were overwhelmed by sins.
It's the same kind of idea
as the waters of a flood
pouring over a people
and overwhelming them.
Sin does the exact same thing.
It overwhelms us.
But yet we are assured there
that when we put faith in our Lord,
you pardon all our trespasses
and wash our guilt away.
And that is what we see
of our need in baptism.
The water that signifies
our need to be cleansed
from our sin.
We are all overwhelmed by sin.
But what we want is to see
the word of God
pricking our hearts.
Reminding us of our great need.
The blessings, yes,
that there are in baptism.
The beauty of seeing children baptized.
But we see it in the backdrop of sin.
Our sin.
Your sin and my sin.
And our need of repentance.
Of turning from our sin.
And turning to the Lord Jesus.
Turning to him
for forgiveness of sin.
It reminds us then
of our need.
And that leads us then secondly
to the name.
The name.
When we come to baptism,
names are obviously so important.
We have wonderful names
of the three children today.
Isaiah James Murray,
Andrew Kenneth MacDonald,
and Annie McLennan.
you will hear these names
as the children are baptized.
Precious names.
Names full of meaning
for precious children.
But today is not a christening service.
It's a baptism.
We have these names today
that we baptize them in.
But it's in the name of Jesus Christ
that they are baptized.
And that's the name
that is above every name.
Their names,
the names of the children,
are precious as we baptize them.
But they have these names.
And here we come
to baptize us
as Peter says there
in verse 38,
repent and be baptized
in the name of Jesus Christ
for the forgiveness
of your sins.
And as later we will baptize
the children,
what we say is
we baptize you
in the name of the Father
and of the Son
and of the Holy Spirit.
The name that is above
every name.
And it's the name of Jesus
that resonates in the word
before us.
In the preaching of the word
it's the name of Jesus
that we are to hear.
And in the baptism
it's in the name of Jesus.
And it's a powerful name.
As children,
you grow up
and I'm sure
as these children
before us today
as they are baptized
and as they grow up
they will hear their names
echoing around the house
in different times
and in different ways
if they haven't already heard it.
I'm sure we were all used
to hearing our names
being called.
And it's usually
when you hear being called
in a slightly louder tone
you know there's something wrong.
Something we've done
that we shouldn't
or something that we haven't done
that we should.
So the name
will echo around the house.
Whatever name you're called.
John,
Donald,
Anne,
Barbara,
whatever it is
the name will echo around.
Where are you?
What have you done?
Or what haven't you done?
Names are important.
They identify us
as individuals.
And we all have
a name.
But as we think
of ourselves
growing up
or these children
who are baptized
growing up
what we want to see
and hear
and know
is the name
of Jesus
resonating
around our homes
and our communities
as well.
As parents
and as parents
who are baptizing
today
it is
your burden
as parents
to teach them
the word of God.
To teach them
about Jesus
from the word of God
and the precious
saviour
that he is.
That is the burden
that you are taking
not just today
but already
and as you go forward
that burden
is on you.
To make the name
of Jesus
a precious name
in your home.
And it's a burden
on the families
the wider families too.
The responsibility
of looking after
your family too.
Of making sure
that the name
of Jesus
is part
of that child
growing up
and part of your children
your children's children
growing up.
And it is our responsibility
too
as a church
as a congregation
we take this burden
with them
to be a people
who will pray
for the children
for our families
for all of us
together
as a congregation.
And we pray
in the name
of Jesus.
It's a wonderful thing
that we can use
individual and personal
names before God
in prayer.
But every name
that we offer
we come ultimately
to the name
of Jesus.
to the name
of Jesus
that is above
every name.
And why is
Jesus' name
so important?
I'm sure you already
know
and many of you
do
why
that is so
important for us.
The hope
that this name
gives.
You think of
Jesus himself
when he came
into this world
when Joseph
heard that
Mary was to
bear a child
Joseph was told
she will bear
a son
and you will
call his name
Jesus.
Why?
For he will
save his people
from their sins.
The importance
of that name.
You will call
his name
Jesus
for he will
save his people
from their sins.
And that's a
reminder we have
in the blessing
of what baptism
shows to us.
That Jesus
is the one
when we put our
faith in him
that he is able
to wash
our sins
away.
Just a couple
of chapters
later in the
book of Acts
in chapter 4
again you see
the importance
of the name
of Jesus
there in
verse 11
and 12
where it says
this Jesus
is the stone
that was rejected
by you
the builders
which has become
the cornerstone
and there is
salvation
in no one
else
for there is
no other name
under heaven
given among
men
by which
we must
be saved.
It is this
power
in the name
of Jesus
and it is our
prayer
that the name
of Jesus
will be precious
to the children
to the parents
to the families
and to us
all
because you see
here
that there is
a promise
here in verse 39
this promise
is for you
and for your
children
and for all
who are far off
everyone whom
the Lord
calls
to himself.
It is a real
blessing when you
see children's
children
and today
we have the
blessing of
having a
great grandfather
involved in the
baptism
not just
children's
children but it
goes further
than that
as a blessing
to us when we
see generations
coming
and after us
and we see a
generation
growing up
and the name
of Jesus
being precious
and the name
of Jesus
being blessed
to them
and so we
look to this
name
the name
of Jesus
is precious
precious
as the names
of the children
are today
it is the name
of Jesus
we long
for them
to know
and to be
precious
to them
and to us
all
together
the last
thing I want
us to see
here as we
look at these
verses
is the
number
so we
see our
need
we see
the name
of Jesus
now we
see finally
the number
the importance
of number
but not in the
sense of
how many
but what it
signifies
when Peter
answers
in verse
38
he tells
him to
receive
the Lord
Peter said
repent and
be baptized
every one
of you
in the
name
of Jesus
Christ
for the
forgiveness
of your
sin
when he
said this
they heard
this
they heard
the greatest
news
they could
hear
that there
was hope
and what
you see
then is
in verse
41
3,000
were added
to their
number
that day
3,000
souls
were added
3,000
responded
and were
saved
were baptized
and you
think to
yourself
how did
they manage
that
in one
day
3,000
we have
three here
today being
baptized
3,000
just seems
beyond our
imagination
just how
it could
possibly happen
we'd have to
call out a few
retired ministers
to help with
those kinds of
numbers
but what a
blessing on
the church
when we see
the power of
God through
his word
as a people
cry
what must
we do
repent
and be
baptized
every one
of you
in the name
of Jesus
and added
to their
number
that day
were 3,000
souls
I wonder
did Peter
expect that
to happen
as he
preached
the word
I doubt
if he did
not to this
extent
but he knew
the power
of God
he knew
the power
that God
could save
and it
doesn't depend
on us
but on
what God
can do
and so
we are
reminded
of that
today
as well
that it is
the Lord
who is able
to save
and the
prayer is
that he
will add
to our
number
those
who are
being
saved
because you
see as I
say it's
not about
the scale
of numbers
here
the 3,000
that so
often
catches
our attention
but it's
more the
word
added
there in
verse 41
there were
added
that day
about
3,000
souls
and you
see what
follows in
verse 42
to 47
is the
fellowship
of believers
there was
already a
core
of believers
here
there was
already a
congregation
of people
who were
trusting
in the
Lord
and what
the Lord
was doing
was adding
to that
number
those
who were
being
saved
and so
as you
go on
and you
see the
numbers
spoken
about
here
it's a
reminder
to us
that today
is not
just about
the three
children
being
baptized
it's about
us all
together
our
collective
responsibility
and our
collective
need
to be a
people
who pray
for
and look
out for
these
children
a reminder
to us
that there are
already those
who belong to
the Lord
in our
number
and we
pray that the
Lord would
add to our
number
even as we
see in
verse 47
daily
being added
to the
number
those who
are being
saved
those who
are being
saved
that is
our
prayer
don't lose
sight
of the
blessing of
children
as parents
don't lose
sight
of the
blessing of
these children
as families
don't lose
sight of
our children
as a
congregation
and the
responsibility
that is
ours
towards them
all and to
ourselves
collectively
as a
people
what we
want is
the
fellowship
of
believers
and the
Lord
adding
to our
number
those
who are
being
saved
and for
that it
means
taking
our
responsibility
serious
praying
and seeking
the Lord's
blessing
on us
all
together
as parents
we can so
often feel
that sense
of guilt
that we
haven't given
the time
that the
children
deserve
that we
miss out
on so
much
but let
us never
lose
sight of
how precious
they are
and to
keep praying
for them
and you
say to
yourself
well we
couldn't
lose sight
of them
but we
so easily
can
and I'll
give you
an illustration
of this
how this
can happen
there was
a man
called
Charles
Francis
Adams
and he
was a
political
figure
in the
United
States
back in
the
19th
century
and he
kept
a diary
and in
his diary
one day
was an
entry
and all
it said
was this
went
fishing
with my
son
today
a day
wasted
well
his son
Brooke
Adams
he also
kept
a diary
a
diary
that
still
exists
to this
day
and on
the same
day
this was
his
entry
into
his
diary
went
fishing
with
my
father
the
most
wonderful
day
of my
life
and you
see there
the difference
how easy
it is to get
caught up in
thinking that
our time
is wasted
when the
child is
actually seeing
it as the
most precious
day of
his life
it's all
about how
we view
an investment
into our
children
into our
families
into our
congregation
but anything
done
with them
is not
wasted
and especially
as we think
of teaching
them and
nurturing
them and
bringing
them up
in the
fear and
the nurture
of the
Lord
it is
not
wasted
and our
prayers
are never
wasted
our prayers
are to be
for them
and with
them
as they
grow up
and wherever
they go
that we
would take
our
responsibility
in baptism
as parents
as families
as a
congregation
that we
would take
these things
seriously
and that we
would see
an investment
in them
as we see
our need
our great
need
to repent
and believe
for the
forgiveness
of our
sins
as we
see the
great name
that is
able to
save
the name
of the
Lord
Jesus
Christ
and as
we see
the number
and our
responsibility
collectively
may we
seek to
know the
blessing
of God
upon us
and with
us
going before
us
in all
of these
things
and that
the Lord
indeed
would be
pleased
to add
to our
number
not just
those
who are
baptized
but those
who are
being saved
that our
sins
would be
forgiven
through
faith in
the one
who washes
our sin
away
that is
our prayer
and may
the Lord
bless
and grow
his church
and watch
over us
all together
as we seek
his blessing
in these
things
let us
pray
our
father
in heaven
we do
rejoice in
your word
and your
goodness
to us
may you
continue
to bless
it
to us
lead us
by it
and hear
our prayers
over it
as well
as we pray
for your
word to be
blessed
we pray
your blessing
on all
that we
do
even as
we come
now to
this part
of the
service
we come
to the
baptism
Lord
continue
with us
as we
ask all
the forgiveness
of sin
in Jesus
name
Amen
we're going
to sing
together
now to
God's
praise
we're going
to sing
in Psalm
84
in the
Scottish
Psalter
page
338
Psalm
84
we're going
to sing
from
verse 1
down
to
verse 6
how
lovely
is
thy
dwelling
place
O
Lord
of
hosts
to
me
the
tabernacles
of
thy
grace
how
pleasant
Lord
they
be
my
thirsty
soul
longs
vehemently
ye
faints
thy
courts
to
see
my
very
heart
and
flesh
cry out
O
living
God
for
thee
we'll
sing
from
verse 1
to 6
to
God's
praise
and we
stand
to
sing
!
O
love
to
God's
love
singing
It takes my course to see
My very heart and flesh cry out
For living God for me
We hold the spell of pride divine
And house wherein to rest
The swallow also for herself
Hath purchased sand and hares
In thine old altars where she'd stay
Her young ones forth may bring
O thou almighty Lord of hosts
Through art I fought and came
Blessed are they in thy house
And house thou dwell
They ever give thee praise
Blessed is the man who stands
The Lord and whose heart are thy grace
Who passeth girl, O make that smell
Therein to dig up wells
Also the rain that falleth down
Therein to dig up wells
With water built
Welcome to you all
Well we've been looking at the importance
Of baptism in our service this morning
Together as we've been looking at the book of Acts
We've seen our great need of baptism
We've seen the name that's involved in baptism
The children have their own names
But we come seeking the name of Jesus
To be the name that's blessed to them
And to us all together
And our longing today is that as we see
A number added to those who are baptized
In our congregation
We will come God willing
To see more and more being added to our number
Those who are being saved
That is our prayer
And so as we come to the baptism part of this service
I have some questions to put to the fathers in a moment
And then I'll be inviting them to come forward
One family at a time
To be baptized here and here
And we've also got the Reverend James McKeever here with us
Who is going to be the baptism of Isaiah James Murray
With James and Marion
So I'll invite him to come forward in a few moments as well
We have the water that's used for baptism
It reminds us of the significance of what Jesus has done for us
When he came into this world
He came with that name called Jesus
That he might save his people from their sins
And we see what he has done for us at the cross
And we see there that for our sins to be forgiven
He had to endure that
He had to go through that
He had to give his life
That he rose from the grave as well
He lives now
And it is him we look to for our salvation
And so as we come to the baptism part
We're going to pray for the baptism
That's before us
And we'll just say a word of prayer just now
Let us pray
Our Father in heaven
We do thank you for all that we see before us at this time
We thank you that you are the one who is in the midst
That your name is the name that we look to
As we baptize the children with their names that are before us
Lord we thank you too for the name of Jesus Christ
The one who is there for our salvation
The one through whom our sins are washed away
We thank you for the water that's before us as well
For all it signifies to us
And may you bless it in the purpose
Which is used today in the sprinkling of water
We will be reminded that we are washed from our sins
By the blood of Jesus
Who came for the forgiveness of His people
And so we come now looking to your blessing
On all that we do
And we ask it all in Jesus' name
And for His sake
Amen
Well if the fathers could please stand at this point
I have questions to put to you
And I'll just ask the question
And then just look for an answer for the question
From the three of you
The first question is
Do you acknowledge God
The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit
Revealed in Scripture
To be the only true God
And your God
Do you believe in the Lord Jesus Christ
The only mediator between God and men
Do you now promise to bring up this child
In the nurture and the training of the Lord
Well we'll stand now
As we come to the baptism part
I'll invite James to come forward first
Reverend James with James and Marion
And we Isaiah James Murray
Please
!
Please
!
Please
!
Please
Isaiah, James, Murray, I baptize you in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, one God.
May God bless you and keep you, make His face to shine upon you and be gracious to you.
May He lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace.
Amen.
Leave it right off.
Kenny and Amy, if you want to come up now.
Little Annie.
Hopefully I won't get too wet, but there's a towel there.
To you, in the name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, one God.
May the Lord bless you and keep you.
May the Lord make His face to shine upon you and be gracious to you.
And the Lord lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace.
Ali and Lauren, come up for the family.
It's nice to see you all together here.
Andrew Kenneth MacDonald, I baptize you in the name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, one God.
May the Lord bless you and keep you.
May the Lord be gracious towards you and make His face to shine upon you.
May the Lord lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace.
Amen.
We'll again engage in a word of prayer.
Let us pray.
Our Father in heaven, we do give you thanks for the blessings that are before us and the baptism.
We thank you for all it reminds us of, our engrafting to Christ.
Amen.
It reminds us that we need you, Lord.
That we need you as our precious Savior that you alone are able to save.
And we do pray that you will bless these families together.
That you will bless Isaiah James Murray with James and Marion.
That you will bless Annie McLennan with Kenny and Amy.
That you will bless too, O Lord.
Lord, Alistair and Lauren and Andrew Kenneth MacDonald and the rest of their family too, Lord.
May your blessing be with them and the extended families and us all together.
May you help us to take these vows before us seriously.
To remember our children and our children's children.
To seek your blessing and your favor upon us all.
As we ask all with the forgiveness of our sins.
In Jesus' name.
Amen.
You'll be seated again.
It is a real privilege and blessing to see and hear children in our midst.
And we do continue to pray that the Lord will be gracious to you all.
And to bless you and to watch over you all the days of your lives.
Our final item of praise is going to be from Psalm 22.
And we sing at the end of this psalm.
It's the Sing Psalms version on page 27.
From verse 28 down to verse 31.
Three stanzas.
Dominion to the Lord belongs and over nations he is king.
The rich of all the earth will feast and worship with an offering.
All those whose destiny is dust will humbly kneel before his throne.
They cannot keep themselves alive for they depend on him alone.
Hostility will serve the Lord and generations still to come will tell a people yet unborn the righteous acts that he has done.
We're reminded in this psalm of our dependence upon God.
We depend on him alone.
And we do pray that we will all go from here today depending on him as the one who is able to save.
And there's a beautiful image there at the end of the psalm.
A generation still to come will tell a people yet unborn the righteous acts that he has done.
As we see children's children baptized here today.
We do pray the Lord's blessing to continue that one day God willing they may see their children.
Children yet unborn being blessed and taught of the wonders of Jesus.
So we're going to stand to sing these verses to God's praise.
Amen.
We pray the people yet unborn the righteous acts that he has done.
We're going to close now with a benediction.
After the benediction I'll go to the door to my left.
Now may grace, mercy and peace from God,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit rest upon
and abide with you all now and forevermore.
Amen.