Water Baptism Service for an Infant

Until they reach the Age of Responsibility

Merely change the names in this service; to whom is going to be water baptized

and those bringing them to be baptized. Names used are fictitious, yet without

names, there will be no emotion in this service; to decide if you want to use it.

Alan’s Baptism

We are gathered today to praise our great God for making Alan His Child;

And to baptize Alan James Smith

In the name of the Father, His Son Jesus, and the Holy Spirit

My wife Caroline will now lead us in a prayer

Dear Heavenly Father, we want to thank and praise you for all the love you continually give us, including the birth of little Alan. We come here today to celebrate Alan’s baptism and welcome him into the family of God. Please continue to fill Alan’s heart with the Holy Spirit, so the Holy Spirit can guide Alan to follow Jesus all of his life.

Father please also let the Holy Spirit guide Ann and Jack, the sponsors of Alan at his baptism, all here, all in Alan’s family, and all in the family of God. To love Alan as their brother in Christ, continually pray for him, and help him follow God’s truths in the Bible. Until Jesus comes to give all of God’s children glorified bodies like He has; and then our Heavenly Father brings us to our eternal home in His New Heaven and Earth.

We ask this in Jesus name, Amen.

Service:

We are here to praise our God for bringing Alan into the Kingdom of God, when the Holy Spirit gave Alan life in Ann’s womb. To praise Jesus for His atoning grace on the cross; which made Alan spiritually one with His Savior, an equal fellow citizen with all the saints in the household of God. Which are all the believers here on earth, and all the believers’ spiritual beings in Heaven.

*Then they also brought infants to Him that He might touch them; but when the disciples saw it, they rebuked them. But Jesus called them to Him and said, "Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God. Lk 18:15-16 NKJV+

*For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father. Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, Eph 2:18-19 NKJV+

I apologize for not being an eloquent speaker; I am just Ann’s old fashioned grandpa. Yet when we let the Holy Spirit guide us through the Bible, using the words our God has given us; it opens up our hearts and minds to see the glory of our great God.

*For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. Heb 4:12 ESV+

Jack and Ann reproduced Alan’s very tiny physical body from their own physical bodies. Since Jack’s and Ann’s physical bodies were sinful; Alan’s tiny physical body was also sinful from the time Alan was conceived.

*"That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Jn 3:6 NASB+

*Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, And in sin my mother conceived me. Ps 51:5 NKJV+

Then after Alan’s tiny physical being had attached to Ann’s womb; the Holy Spirit created Alan’s new holy eternal spiritual being, his soul – spirit – heart, within Alan’s tiny physical body. We know Alan’s spiritual being was holy, because the Holy Spirit is God; and He cannot create anything sinful or evil.

*For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. Ps 139:13-16 NIV+

*You send forth Your Spirit, they are created; And You renew the face of the earth. Ps 104:30 NKJV+

After the Holy Spirit created Alan’s eternal spiritual being within his physical body, Alan’s physical body was given life also.

*For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also. Ja 2:26 NKJV+

Paul tells us our spirit is able to pray and sing to God, as well as our physical mind. Though at this time Alan’s mind may not be mature enough to sing, his spirit desired the pure spiritual milk from God from the time Alan’s spiritual being, his soul-spirit-heart, was given life in Ann’s womb. The words and songs that Alan’s spirit wanted to hear and say.

*What am I to do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will pray with my mind also; I will sing praise with my spirit, but I will sing with my mind also. 1Co 14:15 ESV+

*So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation— if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good. 1Pe 2:1-3 ESV+

Alan has known Jesus since he was given life in Ann’s womb. Just like John knew Jesus was a babe in Mary’s womb and leaped with joy; while Alan was still a babe in his mother Elizabeth’s womb.

*And why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. Lk 1:43-44 ESV+

And little Alan has been perfecting his praise to Jesus since his physical body was given life in Ann’s womb. For God has perfected praise out of the mouths of babies and nursing infants.

*But when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that He did, and the children crying out in the temple and saying, "Hosanna to the Son of David!" they were indignant and said to Him, "Do You hear what these are saying?" And Jesus said to them, "Yes. Have you never read, 'Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants You have perfected praise'?" Matt 21:15-16+

Jack, Ann, and Alan became children of God by faith; which is a free gift from God. Not by any works they had done or anyone else has done for them; only by letting the Holy Spirit guide them to Jesus atoning grace.

*For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. Eph 2:8-9 ESV+

When Jack, Ann, and Alan accepted the Holy Spirit into their hearts, they were able to believe in Jesus as their Lord and Savior. No one can say Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit. And our Heavenly Father filled them with the fullness of God.

*Therefore I tell you that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, "Jesus be cursed," and no one can say, "Jesus is Lord," except by the Holy Spirit. 1Co 12:3 NIV+

*that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Eph 3:16-19 ESV+

God blesses a believer’s child from the time they are given life in their mother’s womb. Since both Jack and Ann are believers; God filled Alan’s spiritual being, his soul-spirt-heart, with the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit sanctifies and keeps Alan’s spiritual being holy, a child of God. Until Alan’s sinful physical mind becomes mature enough to rule over his spiritual being; and Alan must make his own decision to follow God, and once again accepts Jesus as his Savior.

*For the unbelieving husband is made holy because of his wife, and the unbelieving wife is made holy because of her husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but as it is, they are holy. 1Co 7:14 ESV+

*If the dough offered as firstfruits is holy, so is the whole lump, and if the root is holy, so are the branches. Ro 11:15-16 ESV+

When Alan mind is strong enough to rule over his spiritual being, He must be born again, give up his human will to God and follow Him. So his mind can be transformed and He can remain a child of God. Our physical minds can become responsible at different ages; yet we must all be born again to remain or become children of God. Many are baptized at this age.

*I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. Ro 12:1-2 ESV+

*The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” Jn 3:8 ESV+

God has adopted Alan as His son, an heir of heaven. And if Alan continues to follow Jesus all of his life, he will be glorified with Jesus when Jesus returns to give all believers glorified bodies.

*For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him. Ro 8: 15-17 ESV+

Because Alan is spiritually one with Jesus, Alan has already been taken up in Jesus to God’s Throne in Heaven.

*even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. Eph 2:5-7 NASB+

Jesus is not ashamed to call Alan His brother, has proclaimed Alan’s name, and sung praises to Alan in the presence of the congregation in Jesus One Holy Spiritual Church in Heaven. If Alan physically dies before he reaches the age of maturity; Alan’s spiritual being is taken to Heaven.

*Both the one who makes men holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers. He says, "I will declare your name to my brothers; in the presence of the congregation I will sing your praises." And again, "I will put my trust in him." And again he says, "Here am I, and the children God has given me." Heb 2:11-13 NIV+

*and the dust returns to the ground it came from, and the spirit returns to God who gave it. Eccl 12:7 NIV+

In God’s spiritual Kingdom in Heaven, Alan will wait for Jesus to return and give him a glorified body like Jesus has.

*who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body. Phil 3:21 NIV+

Water baptism symbolically shows how all believers’ sins are washed away by Christ’s atoning grace on the cross, so though our physical bodies are dead to sin; believers’ eternal spiritual beings are holy.

*There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. Ro 8:1-2 ESV+

*However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him. Ro 8:9 NASB+

To praise God for making Alan a holy child of God from the time Alan was given life in Ann’s womb. To let all believers and unbelievers in this world know that Alan is a child of God, an heir of Heaven; by the grace of our great God.

*But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him. 1Co 6:17 NKJV+

*But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, Phil 3:20 NIV+

Because Jesus asked believers to be water baptized in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

*And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 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, Matt 28:18-19 ESV+

Since Alan has Jesus in his heart, his holy eternal spiritual being will always live; though his sinful body can die. And the Holy Spirit will reunite Alan’s eternal spiritual being with his physical body after Alan has been given a glorified body like Jesus has.

*If Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you. Ro 8:11 NASB+

*who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body. Phil 3:21 NIV+

And our Heavenly Father will take Alan with all in the family of God; to eternally live with Him in His New Heaven and Earth.

*Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. Rev 21:1 ESV+

*And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” Rev 21:3-4 ESV+

We must all continually pray for Alan, help him to read and study the Bible, to learn how God would have Alan live. So Alan knows how to pray, praise, worship, and follow Jesus all of his life.

*But when Jesus saw this, He was indignant and said to them, "Permit the children to come to Me; do not hinder them; for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. "Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it at all." And He took them in His arms and began blessing them, laying His hands on them. Mk 10:14-16 NASB+

And be very careful not to cause Alan to sin by the way we live; the sinful things Alan can see us do, can also cause Alan to sin. As well as the things we do not do; for if we do not put God first in our lives, not regularly worship Him, not consistently pray to Him or study God’s words in the Bible. Alan may believe he does not have to do them either.

*“Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea. MK 9:41+

We must study God’s words in the Bible, so our Heavenly Father can give us the spirit of wisdom and revelation, and enlighten us with His almighty power. So we can show, tell Alan, all other people; about our great Lord and Savior.

*that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power Eph 1:17-19 NKJV+

Sponsors, family, all here, will you pray for Alan; do all you can with the help of God, to guide Alan so he can follow Jesus all of his life. Please simply answer; yes with the help of God.

Always remembering, the only thing we will take out of this world is our own holy eternal spiritual being, and the blessings our Heavenly Father gives us for doing the work He wanted us to do. And there is no greater work, than bringing children to Jesus.

*“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Matt 6:19-21 ESV+

We will baptize Alan after we play the song we know Alan is singing in his heart; This Little Gospel Light of Mine

It was based on this verse:

*In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. Matt 5:16 ESV+

We will now water baptize Alan James Smith, so all can see what a great God we have; all the blessings He freely has given Alan, has freely given all believers.

Alan Jack, Ann, and Alan now come up, along with Alan’s sponsors; all in Alan’s family; and all others who would like to come up also.

Alan James Smith I baptize you in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

May God richly bless and keep all of you in the love of Jesus our Lord and Savior.

Next

Baptism – Lord’s Supper

Home

+ ESV “Scripture quotations marked [ESV] are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version,” copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good New Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.”

Some words in the verses from these Bibles may be emphasized with bold letters