Epiphany year A Sermon 08 Baptism of Jesus
At this time of year... it’s easy to imagine the scene
that marks the beginning of Jesus ministry...
the event we call... Epiphany.
The sun is shining...people are enjoying themselves at the river. Curiously drawn... to the eccentricities of Jesus cousin...the one they dub John the Baptist...
Who’s calling them all back to God.
Jesus...a young man of only thirty...takes a few steps toward his cousin in the water... he feels the shock of cold on his legs...
He dips down...under the water... steadying himself on his cousins arm... and rises up... gasping...
into the glorious sun light...water spraying and cascading off his hair...[pause]
The act is symbolic and subversive...symbolic of ritual purification... of turning away from all that separates people...from God and one another.
And this baptism of repentance is subversive...
A rebellious act against religious authority and political power...against the Temple and against Rome. [pause]
Jesus is about to set out as a young rabbi – he will call followers to learn his way... his truth ...his interpretation of the sacred texts.
And suddenly as Jesus emerges from the water...
there’s a tear... in the very fabric of Creation...a bending of physical rules...an opening between our familiar dimensions of time and space...and another dimension always present... but un measurable...in human terms.
and through this rip...something seems to flutter...
like bird’s wings ... something visible to the human eye...
and through this opening between divine and human dimensions... pours communication that is audible
to Jesus’ human brain...
"You
are my Son, chosen... and marked by my love...
pride of my life."
A divine message and a title... reserved until this moment... only for the nation of Israel... For Jesus
Its an unmistakable calling...an anointing...a setting apart...and in this moment...Jesus understands... his identity and his mission.... [pause]
You know there had been another moment like this... another breach...between the human and divine dimensions...but of course Jesus wouldn’t remember it...
the moment of his conception ...in the womb of an untouched Hebrew girl...who kept these things close to her heart...
as he grew to be a man.
The rabbi’s had taught him everything an ordinary Jewish boy...would need to know. [pause]
Some storytellers say... that morning in the river...
Jesus cousin John heard the message too. But the gospel of Mark only tells us...in that moment... Jesus heard and understood... the true nature of his identity.
He was the chosen one...promised by the prophets...
his very life... was to be a divine message....
he was to be the very Word of God...
Somehow in the place of Israel... Jesus’ own life...his actions...his teaching...would shine the light...would communicate the very will of God...for the world
...he would carry...
God’s saving message of love for all peoples...
... God’s family would be established in all the earth... and this good news would spread like yeast...like a mustard seed...like living water ... poured into a thirsty world...
A world where religious and political and economic power was wielded and abused...a world where human pride and selfishness...constantly worked to destroy... the goodness tirelessly created by God. [pause]
Every Jewish boy knew... since God’s covenant with Abraham... it had been Israel’s mission...to personify God’s son...God’s child...The mission of God’s chosen people was to be a living example of God’s will...
a light...for all the nations of the world.
And the message and mission they’d been given... was critical for the very survival of the planet...because only God’s way of Shalom...God’s way of peace...with justice, compassion and mercy...only God’s way of love... would or could... turn humanity away...
from destroying itself and creation...
and separating itself from God.
Called...to shine the light of God’s love beyond itself...
to all the world... the nation of Israel failed to carry out that mission. [pause]
And in that moment of epiphany...in the river Jordon...Jesus understands...
his divine identity and mission...to take the mantle of Israel upon himself...to be the son of God himself...
to take up God’s cause of love...
and to shine the light of God’s love for all people. [pause]
no matter what the cost... no matter what the sacrifice.
And from that moment on...Jesus begins to form the people of a new covenant... called...
not simply to believe in him ... but to be his disciples...
his working apprentices...
people who in turn... will shine the light...will carry the divine message... of reconciliation and healing wherever they go...across all borders whether ethnic economic religious or political. [pause]
And here we sit... by our rivers... 2000 years later ...wondering if we can bother answering Jesus invitation to follow him...to take on his yoke...to apprentice ourselves to the divine cause of love.
There are so many demands on our time and energy.
And there’s always someone trying to sell us something or luring us into some lifestyle. So many measures of success ...
But when we answer Jesus’ invitation...to take up God’s cause of love and follow him...when we choose to become his disciples...then it’s Jesus...not culture...not advertising...not some guru or life coach or power crazed televangelist...who teaches us how to live... and how to love...
It’s Jesus... his story...his life...his words...his teaching.
It’s Jesus who teaches us the skills we need... to overcome evil with love...its Jesus who gives us the training to stand firmly for love...
in the face of lies...cruelty, violence, indifference and injustice... It’s Jesus who shows us how to bear the cost of standing up... to the principalities and powers in the world opposed to God’s cause of love.
Following Jesus isn’t a cushy number...apprentices don’t just bask in the warm reflected glow of their teacher ...smugly observing the world from the cozy comfort of self-righteous seats in some church building...
No apprentices have to practice what they’re taught. Apprentices have to extend themselves beyond their comfort zone...to become like their master...sometimes at a very great cost... sometimes under great pressure to act without love.
Everywhere we turn today someone is offering us
a quick fix for life... or a cheap deal...success without effort or pain... But observing Jesus...we learn what it costs God... to keep on loving us...to keep on loving a rebellious and self-worshipping world...
In Jesus ...we learn what it costs God to refuse to retaliate in the face of humiliation and rejection...
we learn what it costs to love our enemies or turn the other cheek. To overcome evil with love.
as his apprentices... Jesus recruits us and teaches us.... then sends us out...to bear the cost of loving ourselves... to shine the light of God’s love...into our families, among our workmates... in our politics in the pub and in even into our churches...
Send us out to work...to bring about...
the conditions that create justice and peace
wherever we are...and even if it costs us dearly...
as it surely cost Jesus.
He calls...he invites us to follow him...this man anointed by God...and the first step we need to take... is to say yes
And our response can be made new... every day.
Let’s take a moment to respond in our own way in silence. . [silence]
At Wanaka keep reading [At Hawea Skip to the Hawea bit]
In a few moments...Cheryl and I will leave for another service at Hawea. There we will witness yet another small tear in the fabric of Creation?
At God’s initiative... by the power of the Holy Spirit...
a young child will be brought through the waters of grace into the circle of Jesus’ disciples.
We will not magic him into a life...free from decision or pain... nor will we exempt him from the cost of loving... as Jesus loved. Each of us has to answer Jesus call for himself…and one day little Tom... will make his own choice. But until he is mature enough to choose…
to say yes to Jesus…
... his parents, and his grandparents and our community of faith have the mission to teach him...the story of Jesus’ identity and mission…and through our own lives…to teach him how to take up God’s cause of love. When we do as Jesus said…the kingdom of God is at hand.
At Hawea
This morning did you notice...we witnessed yet another small tear in the fabric of Creation?
At God’s initiative... by the power of the Holy Spirit...
a young child was brought through the waters of grace into the circle of Jesus’ disciples.
We did not magic him into a life...free from decision or pain... nor did we exempt him from the cost of loving... as Jesus loved.
Each of us has to answer Jesus call for himself…and one day little Tom... will make his own choice. And until he is mature enough to choose…to say yes to Jesus…
... his parents, and his grandparents and our community of faith have the mission to teach him...the story of Jesus identity and mission…and through their own lives teach him how to take up God’s cause of love. When we do as Jesus said…the kingdom of God is at hand.
At this time of year... it’s easy to imagine the scene
that marks the beginning of Jesus ministry...
the event we call... Epiphany.
The sun is shining...people are enjoying themselves at the river. Curiously drawn... to the eccentricities of Jesus cousin...the one they dub John the Baptist...
Who’s calling them all back to God.
Jesus...a young man of only thirty...takes a few steps toward his cousin in the water... he feels the shock of cold on his legs...
He dips down...under the water... steadying himself on his cousins arm... and rises up... gasping...
into the glorious sun light...water spraying and cascading off his hair...[pause]
The act is symbolic and subversive...symbolic of ritual purification... of turning away from all that separates people...from God and one another.
And this baptism of repentance is subversive...
A rebellious act against religious authority and political power...against the Temple and against Rome. [pause]
Jesus is about to set out as a young rabbi – he will call followers to learn his way... his truth ...his interpretation of the sacred texts.
And suddenly as Jesus emerges from the water...
there’s a tear... in the very fabric of Creation...a bending of physical rules...an opening between our familiar dimensions of time and space...and another dimension always present... but un measurable...in human terms.
and through this rip...something seems to flutter...
like bird’s wings ... something visible to the human eye...
and through this opening between divine and human dimensions... pours communication that is audible
to Jesus’ human brain...
"You
are my Son, chosen... and marked by my love...
pride of my life."
A divine message and a title... reserved until this moment... only for the nation of Israel... For Jesus
Its an unmistakable calling...an anointing...a setting apart...and in this moment...Jesus understands... his identity and his mission.... [pause]
You know there had been another moment like this... another breach...between the human and divine dimensions...but of course Jesus wouldn’t remember it...
the moment of his conception ...in the womb of an untouched Hebrew girl...who kept these things close to her heart...
as he grew to be a man.
The rabbi’s had taught him everything an ordinary Jewish boy...would need to know. [pause]
Some storytellers say... that morning in the river...
Jesus cousin John heard the message too. But the gospel of Mark only tells us...in that moment... Jesus heard and understood... the true nature of his identity.
He was the chosen one...promised by the prophets...
his very life... was to be a divine message....
he was to be the very Word of God...
Somehow in the place of Israel... Jesus’ own life...his actions...his teaching...would shine the light...would communicate the very will of God...for the world
...he would carry...
God’s saving message of love for all peoples...
... God’s family would be established in all the earth... and this good news would spread like yeast...like a mustard seed...like living water ... poured into a thirsty world...
A world where religious and political and economic power was wielded and abused...a world where human pride and selfishness...constantly worked to destroy... the goodness tirelessly created by God. [pause]
Every Jewish boy knew... since God’s covenant with Abraham... it had been Israel’s mission...to personify God’s son...God’s child...The mission of God’s chosen people was to be a living example of God’s will...
a light...for all the nations of the world.
And the message and mission they’d been given... was critical for the very survival of the planet...because only God’s way of Shalom...God’s way of peace...with justice, compassion and mercy...only God’s way of love... would or could... turn humanity away...
from destroying itself and creation...
and separating itself from God.
Called...to shine the light of God’s love beyond itself...
to all the world... the nation of Israel failed to carry out that mission. [pause]
And in that moment of epiphany...in the river Jordon...Jesus understands...
his divine identity and mission...to take the mantle of Israel upon himself...to be the son of God himself...
to take up God’s cause of love...
and to shine the light of God’s love for all people. [pause]
no matter what the cost... no matter what the sacrifice.
And from that moment on...Jesus begins to form the people of a new covenant... called...
not simply to believe in him ... but to be his disciples...
his working apprentices...
people who in turn... will shine the light...will carry the divine message... of reconciliation and healing wherever they go...across all borders whether ethnic economic religious or political. [pause]
And here we sit... by our rivers... 2000 years later ...wondering if we can bother answering Jesus invitation to follow him...to take on his yoke...to apprentice ourselves to the divine cause of love.
There are so many demands on our time and energy.
And there’s always someone trying to sell us something or luring us into some lifestyle. So many measures of success ...
But when we answer Jesus’ invitation...to take up God’s cause of love and follow him...when we choose to become his disciples...then it’s Jesus...not culture...not advertising...not some guru or life coach or power crazed televangelist...who teaches us how to live... and how to love...
It’s Jesus... his story...his life...his words...his teaching.
It’s Jesus who teaches us the skills we need... to overcome evil with love...its Jesus who gives us the training to stand firmly for love...
in the face of lies...cruelty, violence, indifference and injustice... It’s Jesus who shows us how to bear the cost of standing up... to the principalities and powers in the world opposed to God’s cause of love.
Following Jesus isn’t a cushy number...apprentices don’t just bask in the warm reflected glow of their teacher ...smugly observing the world from the cozy comfort of self-righteous seats in some church building...
No apprentices have to practice what they’re taught. Apprentices have to extend themselves beyond their comfort zone...to become like their master...sometimes at a very great cost... sometimes under great pressure to act without love.
Everywhere we turn today someone is offering us
a quick fix for life... or a cheap deal...success without effort or pain... But observing Jesus...we learn what it costs God... to keep on loving us...to keep on loving a rebellious and self-worshipping world...
In Jesus ...we learn what it costs God to refuse to retaliate in the face of humiliation and rejection...
we learn what it costs to love our enemies or turn the other cheek. To overcome evil with love.
as his apprentices... Jesus recruits us and teaches us.... then sends us out...to bear the cost of loving ourselves... to shine the light of God’s love...into our families, among our workmates... in our politics in the pub and in even into our churches...
Send us out to work...to bring about...
the conditions that create justice and peace
wherever we are...and even if it costs us dearly...
as it surely cost Jesus.
He calls...he invites us to follow him...this man anointed by God...and the first step we need to take... is to say yes
And our response can be made new... every day.
Let’s take a moment to respond in our own way in silence. . [silence]
At Wanaka keep reading [At Hawea Skip to the Hawea bit]
In a few moments...Cheryl and I will leave for another service at Hawea. There we will witness yet another small tear in the fabric of Creation?
At God’s initiative... by the power of the Holy Spirit...
a young child will be brought through the waters of grace into the circle of Jesus’ disciples.
We will not magic him into a life...free from decision or pain... nor will we exempt him from the cost of loving... as Jesus loved. Each of us has to answer Jesus call for himself…and one day little Tom... will make his own choice. But until he is mature enough to choose…
to say yes to Jesus…
... his parents, and his grandparents and our community of faith have the mission to teach him...the story of Jesus’ identity and mission…and through our own lives…to teach him how to take up God’s cause of love. When we do as Jesus said…the kingdom of God is at hand.
At Hawea
This morning did you notice...we witnessed yet another small tear in the fabric of Creation?
At God’s initiative... by the power of the Holy Spirit...
a young child was brought through the waters of grace into the circle of Jesus’ disciples.
We did not magic him into a life...free from decision or pain... nor did we exempt him from the cost of loving... as Jesus loved.
Each of us has to answer Jesus call for himself…and one day little Tom... will make his own choice. And until he is mature enough to choose…to say yes to Jesus…
... his parents, and his grandparents and our community of faith have the mission to teach him...the story of Jesus identity and mission…and through their own lives teach him how to take up God’s cause of love. When we do as Jesus said…the kingdom of God is at hand.
