It's Friday again on Things Unseen, and we've been talking all week about baptism, our own baptism,

not to stir up controversy, but as we saw yesterday, to improve it, to make the very best day-to-day use of baptism. So that's

not just something that happened to us once in the past, it's more like an engagement ring

or a wedding band that provides a constant reminder to us of who we are now in Christ.

I'm fairly sure I'm not the only one who tends to think that when we engage in controversy over baptism, we are very rarely improving our own. And alas, sometimes

those controversies actually divert us from what's really most significant about our baptism.

I want to bring our week-long reflections to a close by saying something that has often puzzled me.

In the sermons I've heard on baptism, I've sometimes heard infant baptism defended or believers'

baptism argued for, immersion emphasized or pouring justified.

But, you know, I'm not sure I've ever heard a sermon on what is actually central to baptism.

Really? Well, maybe your experience is different, but before you respond that it is, maybe it's

wise to ask the question, what actually is most important about baptism?

The answer?

Well, let's ask Jesus.

Here's his answer.

All authority in heaven and earth has been given to me.

Go therefore and make disciples of all nations baptizing them into the name of the Father

and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

So what's central and most important to your baptism?

It's the name into which we've been baptized, isn't it?

The name that reveals the one into whom we've been baptized, the name of God, the Trinity,

the single name of the three-person God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. I'm sure there must be

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