Baby Dedications 12 20 2009
Today on Christmas Sunday is a great day to bring our children to be dedicated to the Lord. Our Scriptural lesson comes from the Gospel of Luke that tells us about the birth of John the Baptist to Elizabeth and Zechariah and of Jesus the Christ to Mary and Joseph.
In each of these announcements, an angel comes to bring remarkable news. When Zechariah was working at the temple, the angel said, “Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will name him John. You will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great in the sight of the Lord” (Luke 1:13b-15).
Then the angel Gabriel appeared to Mary and told her that the Lord is with her. Gabriel told Mary that she will conceive in her womb and bear a son, and she will name him Jesus. The angel said, “He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David. He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end” (Luke 1:32-33).
Just like how the parents of John the Baptist and Jesus the Christ, received unimaginable joy at their births, the parents of Cameron John Chow and Marcus Zhong Yuan Tang also experienced great joy. I’m not sure if an angel came to you like those who came to Zechariah and Mary. But all parents believe that their children will become good people and achieve great things. And that’s the way it should be.
Cameron was born on Sept. 12, 2008 to Christi and Johnny Chow. Cameron is 15 months old. Since Cameron is very affectionate and warm-hearted, he likes to give hugs to anyone who will receive one. I know this to be true since I have received one of his hugs at the GIFT Christmas party a week ago. Giving hugs is symbolic of how God first hugged us when he created us in the beginning or how God hugged us when Jesus came into the world as a little baby or even how God showed his love for us on the cross. God hugs us out of love. When Cameron learns more about Jesus, we prayed that he would keep on hugging as his way to show that God loves us all.
Marcus was born on Sept. 25, 2009 to Cindy and Tony Tang. Marcus is almost 3 months old. Marcus smiles when you talk to him and tickle his cheeks. When you see a smile, God has created us with the capacity to smile back. We can’t stop smiling when we see a smile. A smile tells us that we have joy and gladness and many will rejoice when a baby comes into our lives. We all can testify that once a baby comes home, everything changes. You no longer have any personal time anymore. Your schedule, your priorities and your life changed. But when you see that smile on Marcus, you are ready to change your life forever.
Elizabeth and Zechariah’s hope for their baby was to become a prophet to prepare the way of the Lord. Mary and Joseph’s hope for their baby was to become the Savior of the world. Christi and Johnny’s hope for Cameron is that he might become a singer or a musician or perhaps a dancer because he enjoys music and dancing. Cindy and Tony’s hope for Marcus is that he might become a NBA basketball player because when he was born, he weighed 9 pounds and 3 ounces. We hope and pray that these boys will grow up to become healthy, happy, faithful, humble, and responsible people who may solve many of the problems in the world that I’m afraid we have helped create.
When Jesus was old enough, his parents brought him to the temple for purification. In our Chinese American culture and Christian community, we introduce a new baby into the world a number of times. First, the parents (and grandparents) show pictures of their newborn right after delivery. We may have a red egg and ginger party. We have a baby dedication worship service like today. In each of these occasions, the baby is unaware of what’s going on. For pastors, we just hope that the baby doesn’t cry.
But the real reason why we introduce children into the world is to hear the promises and commitments from the parents, the family members and all of their friends that they will bring this child up in the teachings of Christ. Just as Mary and Joseph provided the right kind of family life to prepare Jesus for his God-given work, you as parents have this sacred responsibility too.
In the life of the church and especially here at FCBC, we have a responsibility too. No longer is this child just a new baby for these parents but today we know him by his given name, Cameron John Chow and Marcus Zhong Yuan Tang. From this day forward, we will pray for them to grow up, mature in faith in God by providing them with nurture, instruction, and love that comes from God. When we make our commitments, we make them seriously and with the help of God, we will help fulfill God’s plan for these children’s life and purpose in the world.
Ritual
To the Parents:
In presenting Cameron and Marcus to God, do you promise that through the grace given you and in partnership with this church, you will teach him the truths and responsibilities of the Christian faith, and seek to lead him into a living relationship with Jesus Christ?
Parents: We will.
To the Congregation:
Do you, the loving church family of these children and members and friends of this church, accept the responsibility, together with the parents, grandparents, godparents, aunts and uncles, to teach these children that they may be brought to full maturity in Jesus Christ? If so, will you signify your acceptance by saying, “We will.”
Congregation: We will.
Don holds Cameron, “God bless you and keep you. God’s face shine upon you and be gracious to you. God look upon you with favor and give you peace. Amen.”
Don holds Marcus, “God bless you and keep you. God’s face shine upon you and be gracious to you. God look upon you with favor and give you peace. Amen.”
Presentation of Certificates and Roses
This certificate will remind you of the commitments you made here today. This rose, a universal symbol of beauty and God’s wondrous creation represents your child made in the image of God himself.
Closing Prayer
Dear God, even as Mary and Joseph brought the child Jesus to your house that he might be consecrated to your service, so these parents have brought these little ones to this house of worship, that among your people they might present them to you. Give to these parents your special graces of insight and love that under their guidance, Cameron and Marcus may grow in wisdom and stature and in favor with you and all people. Grant that we your people may truly be a household of faith to these children, providing them with food for the spirit to nourish them through the years of growth and maturity. With gratitude for these children we dedicate them, their parents, and ourselves, to the end that their lives may be a blessing to you and a service to humanity. Amen.