Symbol of New Life

Rev. Debbie Cato

Genesis 17:1-16 and Matthew 3:13 – 4:1

Peace Presbyterian Church

January 11, 2015

Symbol of New Life

Today we celebrate the Baptism of the Lord. This is Jesus first appearance as an adult. It seems rather strange really. Just 2 weeks ago we celebrated the birth of the Christ child; the baby in the manger. We know a lot about his birth. Even non-believers can tell the story of Jesus' birth. The Gospel of Luke tells us that when Jesus was 12, he stayed behind in Jerusalem to talk with the rabbis in the synagogue. He scared his parents to death. But, other than that, we don’t know anything about Jesus' growing up years. All those years are a void. But now, we meet him again. Thirty years has passed. 30 years. It probably went fast for Mary too!

As a 30 year old adult, Jesus shows up at the Jordan River where John the Baptist is baptizing people. John is baptizing in preparation for the “one who is coming who is greater than he.” Remember when the angel told Mary that her cousin Elizabeth – too old to bear children, was in her sixth month? John the Baptist is her son. John and Jesus are cousins. What a coincidence, huh?! It is here, at the Jordan River, that John baptizes Jesus.

Now let’s take a moment to really look at John the Baptist. He was a bit of a strange fellow. John lived in the wilderness of the desert. Scripture tells us that his clothes were made of camel’s hair; that he wore a leather belt around his waist; his food was locusts and wild honey. We get the idea that John is not so neat; not so clean. It’s not hard to imagine that John has a bit of a wild appearance about him. We can imagine that 40-50 years ago we would have called him a hippie – someone who might have traveled around the country in a Volkswagen bus and attended Woodstock. Or, we might imagine him as a homeless man standing on a corner; someone we cross the street to avoid.  Today, John would find himself as one who’s standing on the outside looking in, not welcome to be among us. A mis-fit. Too odd for our company.

God not only includes John in his story, but John does something wonderful; some-thing incredibly important! God picks this wild-looking, weird sort-of guy to baptize his Son, Jesus Christ; the Messiah. What a gift to the onlookers, the sinners looking on! I can imagine them saying, “Hey, He’s one of us and look at what he’s doing ... maybe there is hope for us.” Or we could think, “Mmmm. If God used someone as strange as John the Baptist to baptize His own Son, maybe God will use me too.”

Matthew tells us that Jesus comes from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. After doing some convincing – you see John knew that Jesus was greater than he, John baptizes Jesus. And, just as Jesus is coming up out of the water, he sees the heavens torn apart and the Holy Spirit descends on him like a dove. And a voice from heaven says, “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.” You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.

Why was Jesus so insistent that he be baptized? After all, He is the Son of God! He was without sin! Have you ever wondered about it? Why was Jesus baptized? Well, I have. See, I think that Jesus was fully human and needed to experience everything that humans experience. This was God's announcement that Jesus is God’s Son, His Beloved. This was Jesus' introduction to the world. The time had come for Jesus' ministry to begin. So, He's baptized.

Think about it. What is the result of Jesus' baptism for us? We are filled to over-flowing with a feeling of joy that God has revealed his Son; that He has announced his love and proclaimed just how pleased he is with Jesus. Joy that Jesus is God’s Son, the Beloved. Jesus is now, for us, the Word of God in human form - the Way, the Truth and the Life - God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God. After witnessing his baptism, we don’t have to wonder any longer about who Jesus is. We know his true identity. “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.” Jesus is the Christ.

The very same is true for us, as we remember our own baptism. In this sacrament, our identity becomes clear. We are children of God. No less loved; no less accepted than Jesus Christ himself. We are no longer Debbie, the sinner who falls short over and over again. We are no longer Debbie who disappoints. We are no longer Debbie who struggles to belong. You are a beloved child of God within a community of other beloved children of God. In this sacrament, we are connected to the whole Body of Christ; to the universal community of Christians, a community that is nothing less than the flesh-and-blood, physical presence of Jesus in the world today.

Baptism enables us to die and rise with Jesus. It makes us dead to sin and alive to God (Romans 6:11). It gives us new and everlasting life and a freshly minted identity as children of a loving Lord. It’s an experience that shapes our memory forever.

When we are baptized, we receive three gifts. First, is the gift of the forgiveness of our sins. In our baptism, we are given the full assurance of salvation, carrying with it all the effects of renewed and confident Christian living. In baptism, we have union with Christ in His resurrection as well as with His death. In baptism, we are washed and purged of our sin for our whole life. Through baptism, we are assured that our condemnation has been removed and that we are indeed saved. The baptismal water symbolizes a washing away of our sins; a new birth. A fresh beginning.

Baptism symbolizes the gift of the Holy Spirit – the very presence of God that lives in us. The same Holy Spirit that ascended on Christ at his baptism is given to us. Like Jesus, the Holy Spirit fills us with the strength and the power and the glory for our walk as a disciple of Christ.

And just as God’s voice came down at Jesus’ baptism and announced Jesus’ anointing as the Messiah; just as God publicly announced Jesus’ ministry and mission to the world; just as God said to Jesus for all the world to hear, “This is my beloved;” the kind, loving voice of God the Father says to us at our baptism; “This is my beloved child. S/He is adopted into my family now. I love him. I love her.”

When we are baptized, we are baptized into a body; into a community. This is a sign of God’s covenant with us through Jesus Christ and is similar in nature to God’s covenant with Abraham, sealed by circumcision. When we are baptized, we receive rights but we also gain responsibilities. We must no longer live for ourselves; we must live for Christ. We must live as disciples of Jesus; seeking a world that he sought; loving those he loves.

Baptism is a three-way covenant. It involves the person being baptized, God, and the Church. This is why baptisms are always public – a part of our worship service. As the Church, we have responsibilities toward all who are baptized. We are reminded that we vow to nurture and raise the baptized child of God in the Church and all that embodies. It is also a reminder of our own baptism into the community of believers.

Today, the day we celebrate the baptism of our Lord, is the time to recall our own baptismal vows. Today is the day to remember our baptism promises and reaffirm the decision to live a baptized life as a follower of Christ; whether you made those promises yourself or like me, they were made for you as an infant. Listen to the baptismal vows that either your parents made on your behalf when you were an infant or young child, or, you made yourself if you were baptized as an adult.

“Trusting in the gracious mercy of God, do you turn from the
ways of sin and renounce evil and its power in the world?” (pause)

“Do you turn to Jesus Christ and accept him as your Lord and
Savior, trusting in his grace and love?” (pause)

“Will you be Christ’s faithful disciple, obeying his Word and showing
his love?” (pause)

More than anything else, baptism marks our birth as Christians. It involves a process that is every bit as wet and messy as the physical birth that brought us into this world. But it is also every bit as permanent. Through baptism, we are identified as children of God who are both loved and lovable, chosen by the Lord to be his people in the world.

“The truth, even though I cannot feel it right now,” wrote the Dutch priest Henri Nouwen, “is that I am the chosen child of God, precious in God’s eyes, called the Beloved from all eternity and held safe in an everlasting embrace.”

The baptismal font is filled with water today. I've also added some water from the Jordan River, the river where John baptized our Lord and Savior, Jesus. Maybe you would like to reach in and feel the water and remind yourself that your sins have been washed away. Maybe you would like to touch the baptismal water and remind yourself that you are a beloved child of God. You have value and worth and you are loved more than you can imagine. I invite you to take time before you leave this morning to come up to the font and feel the water.

Perhaps you have not yet been baptized but, you have questions and are feeling a fire burn inside of you. Maybe you hear God calling you. Maybe you want to be baptized but you haven’t known how to go about it. Talk with me. You can be baptized.

Jesus begins his ministry in a river among sinners and ends his ministry on a cross between thieves. And he does it all for us – for you and for me. He changes us in ways that seem impossible. His love is incomprehensible. Let’s live remembering whose we are.

YOU are a chosen child of God.

YOU are Precious. YOU are Beloved.

YOU are Safe in His everlasting embrace.

This is YOUR true identity.

Make this your memory of baptism. Amen