sermon illustration

The Commission Includes Baptizing - Lutheran (Matthew 28:18-20)

Source: Historical illustration82 words

A Lutheran pastor in Nazi Germany secretly baptized Jewish children to save them from the Holocaust, giving them Christian identities that protected them. Was it right? The questions are complex, but notice: he saw baptism as powerful, real, consequential. The Great Commission doesn't say "invite people to make decisions"—it says "baptize them." Luther saw baptism as God's action, not mere symbol. "Baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit"—this is how disciples are made. Word and sacrament together.

Scripture References

Matthew 28:18-20

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