Epiphany and the Season After - Year C -- 2010
Indexed by Date. Sermons for Epiphany Year C
Isaiah 43: 1-7
Psalm 29
Acts 8: 14-17
Luke 3: 15-17, 21-22
Once again, we are amazed at where the time went. Its 13 days since Christmas and Jesus is a grown-up and beginning his ministry with a baptism by cousin John.
Of course, the lectionary is not chronological. There are very few stories of Jesus’ childhood and youth in the biblical record. When I pick up a biography I like to look at the childhood stories of the biography’s subject, but for the most part, anything that is included is only there because it is significant in forming adult about whom the biography has been written. You can’t include every childhood incident!
Obviously, the gospel writers did not consider stories of Jesus’ childhood very important either and, in addition, they may not have known any of the stories.
So here is Jesus the grown-up, with, by some calculations, 30 years more or less, under his belt, receiving John’s baptism. The lectionary compliments this story with one from the early church on what we might call, the development of baptismal tradition and policy. In the early church, in order for baptism to be complete a prayer for the indwelling of the Holy Spirit accompanied by the laying on of hands needed to accompany it. Eventually the baptismal formula, recognized by the ecumenical churches, came to be, “I baptize you in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”
There are several versions of the “baptism of Jesus” in the gospels and each has a slightly different perspective. In this story the voice from heaven, affirms Jesus identity and value, but notice that the affirmation is in the second person! “You” are by beloved son. “You”!
It is not a declaration for all to hear; it is for Jesus himself. As he begins his ministry, a ministry which will be full of disappointments and challenges, he is given the affirmation that God is with him and God is pleased with him. There will be other times when his identity can be proclaimed for all to hear.
It was important for Jesus, I think, to hear this affirmation, loud and clear, so that he could face his temptation with strength of purpose. It would not take away the temptation but it gave him reasons and strength to resist.
As I take a child in my arms or as an older child or adult kneels before me, I have an opportunity to proclaim this love and affirmation; through prayer and action we receive and pass on the great love of God. Baptism is primarily about grace and about God; it is not something we are asked to earn, but something into which we live and grow.
As we seek to go about the works of ministry to which we are called by our baptism we too are invited to listen for the voice of God speaking to our hearts.
Most United Church folks were baptized as children and most of the baptisms I have done have been infants. I have baptized a few children old enough to talk, but who could not be trusted n ot to say something inappropriate during the service. I was baptizing my cousin’s son, and it was a real challenge to keep him from playing in the mud and getting his special clothes dirty before the ceremony. As I put the first handful of water on his head he announced, “I don’t want my hair washed!”
I was doing a baptism in St Stephen’s United in Alma NB and the younger of two brothers decided that he was not going to take part. He went to sit with his grandmother. I baptized the rest of the children and as I was handing out the lighted candles, his eyes became like saucers and he said, “Gramma, I want a candle”. She then whispered, “Well, you know what you have to do”. So after it was almost all over I went back and baptized him and he received his candle.
I was carrying one child around after his baptism and I disappeared around a barrier as I crossed at the back of the sanctuary and he whimpered and stuck out his chubby little hand and said, “Mamma, Mamma.” Thankfully in less than ten steps he could see his Mamma again and he did not scream!
Baptism is not something cute we do to babies. Baptism is not something we do to make “bad” babies into “good” babies. Baptism is not a form of insurance or divine protection from harm. Baptism is a radical statement on the part of the parents, the community, and if the candidate is of age, the person himself or herself, that we follow a different path; that we march to the beat of a different drummer.
At some times in history and in some countries becoming a baptized Christian is a dangerous thing to do. The members of the church really have to be committed to what this action means for them.
In North America there is probably very little difference between active church members and non-active ones. You don’t need Christianity to be good and generous person. We are active here because we have chosen to walk in this way. We may have grown up in a committed church family but at some point you made the decision to stay. You may have come for various reasons and found meaning in the fellowship, music, worship and outreach. You may be here seeking something more in your life.
The baptism of Jesus reminds us that our call is not to a one time decision (like getting a vaccination) but a call to a life long journey of faith.
The people to whom John was preaching knew of all of the prophesies of the Messiah. They knew that the Messiah would come and save them from the dreaded Romans, and he would sit on the throne of his ancestor David, and Israel would be great and powerful once again, as it was under his kingship. Even John seems to believe that Jesus will be a, ”take charge, warrior kind of messiah”.
Jesus came and was proclaimed as “this ONE” but the way in which he lived out his call as messiah was disappointing to many. Many did not believe in him because he did not talk about power and might in traditional terms, but about the power of weakness and the strength that comes from service not from defeating someone else.
For many centuries the church forgot about the power of weakness because the church, in the west at least, enjoyed the power that came from Christendom and all that went with it; but Christendom is dead and the powers that be don’t automatically listen to us anymore. Fewer and fewer social privileges come with being a church member. That does not mean we should stop making our voice heard; by no means, but it does mean that we need to be more realistic about our expectations.
It does mean that our faith and its expression may sometimes cost us, or at the very least, cause us inconvenience. It does mean that sometimes we may be a lone voice in the wilderness. It does mean that our faith expression must be intentional, rather that simply following what everyone else is doing.
As church members we may not always agree either; as a United Church we have always honoured diversity. In a world where like minded people gather together and exclude others our church can present an example to the community and world of a people who can work and worship together in the midst of diversity.
v What does it mean to be baptized? What does it mean to be God’s beloved? What does it mean to be a member of a community of faith?
Jesus left the waters of the Jordan for a time of struggle and temptation so that he could decide what this all meant for him and for his ministry.
We too need to take some time on a regular basis to take stock of what it is that we are called to do and be as God’s people.
Beloved of God, let us go into the days and weeks ahead ready to struggle with our identity and our mission.
Amen.