Sermon Series on the Sacraments: Baptism & Communion, Grace Poured Out

From Salem’s February Shalom, Monthly Newsletter

Grace Poured Out: A Sermon Series on the Sacraments in Lent

I don’t know about you, but I am really enjoying the Matthew sermon series. For most of the year, we follow a 3-year set of Bible readings read in worship called the Revised Common Lectionary. This sermon series, and the next, will follow that (mostly), but with a specific focus on the sacraments: Baptism and Communion. You might wonder – why do a sermon series on the sacraments? We are already familiar with them! We celebrate Communion on the 1st and 3rd Sundays and on festivals…we baptize babies and adults after having a baptism visit with pastor…and at least once a Sunday we reference them in some way in worship – so why have a sermon series on the sacraments?

Both sacraments are central to our life and faith. Communion feeds our bodies and our souls with grace upon grace, binding us together with Christ as the body of Christ. Baptism washes away our sin and claims us as God’s beloved in a way that nothing else can or ever will. Both sacraments are Grace Poured Out—granting us life, forgiveness, and salvation. Promised by God, commanded by Jesus, and celebrated with an earthly element: water, wine, and bread with the Word.

I was telling a few lay leaders the other day that we not only have a Bible Study, reading and a written portion for our First Communion class, we also have the students bake the bread that will be used on Palm Sunday when they partake in Communion for the first time. One of the lay leaders asked, “Do they stomp on the grapes too?” which made us all laugh. I can’t guarantee we will be learning how to stomp grapes to make wine, but I can tell you we will learn lots together about what the sacraments are and what they mean to us and our faith.

Here’s where we’re headed for this Grace Poured Out series:

2/22 - Matthew 4:1-11

3/1 - John 3:1-17

3/8 - John 4:5-42

3/15 - John 9:1-41

3/22 - John 11:1-45

I am so, so excited for this. Join us for this special 5-week series through Lent, as we reflect, pray, and discover the power of God’s grace poured out in the sacraments.

God Bless, and Bring your Bible! Rev. Allison Siburg Cell – (425) 301-9122 Church – (402) 721-6639