Luke 3:15-17, 21-22
Martin Luther, the great reformer of the church, is known, among other things, for a few sayings: “Here I stand, I can do no other” for instance. And a favorite of mine: “If you sin, sin boldly” which gives me great license at times. From watching the movie “Luther” during Advent, some of us learned that a theme in his life was a prayer he repeated: “I am yours. Save me.”
He is also said to have repeated the phrase “remember your baptism” to himself and his followers. I don’t believe, since infant baptism was the standard at the time, that he was actually urging them to remember the moment they were baptized. I think the essence of Luther’s phrase in this case is to remember that you are baptized; that you are already one of God’s beloved children. You need do no more to earn any more grace or love or attention. You are God’s already through your baptism.
Luther wrote, “A truly Christian life is nothing else than a daily baptism once begun and ever to be continued.” (http://www.ucc.org/worship/samuel/january-10-2010.html) Luther wants us, and himself, to recognize that this is not a one time event. We are to know constantly who we are and whose we are. Baptism claims us as nothing else can or does.
The baptism of Jesus was very elemental--water, wind, & fire were all wrapped up in it. And when you get those three together things are bound to happen. The earth is shaped by water, wind, & fire. It is carved and mutated by these strong forces. And these are the exact forces that show up in our scripture this morning.
John said “I baptize you with water; but one who is more powerful than I...will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.” The Greek word for ‘spirit’ which is used here is pneuma, which can also be translated as wind.
All this occurs at the end of the third chapter of Luke. Luke takes three whole chapters and then some for us to get to the start of Jesus’ ministry. Three chapters of angels appearing and not one but two special births and shepherds and children getting lost in the Temple and all sorts of events that the other gospel writers just ignore.
Three times prior to this point, Luke is telling someone to not be afraid. “Do not be afraid” is heard by Zechariah (who is John’s father), Mary, and those shepherds. Angels have a way of frightening people it seems, with good reason. The sudden appearance of a heavenly being in one’s life would be fearful, at least it would be to me. As frightening as water, wind, and fire.
We don’t need much in the way of reminders of the power of these elements: Water pouring down a valley wreaking havoc in its wake; Wind toppling buildings, bursting windows; Fire ravaging homes, homes of people and of animals, as well as everything else in its wake. We only need to think of recent tsunamis, hurricanes, tornados, and wildfires to be reminded that we aren’t talking about a gentle, easygoing event here.
Baptism is elemental; it claims us at our very base. And, if we forget the white outfits and happy receptions that follow, they are indeed frightening affairs; frightening not only for the ones being baptized, but also for the whole church. We’re calling in the whole of creation to participate through water, wind, and fire when we perform a baptism. And just as sure as those elements carve out the earth and reform it into another likeness, so too those who are baptized are carved out and reformed into a new being not to mention what happens to the church along the way.
Baptism isn’t about one person or even a small group of people. Baptism is something that affects the whole of the church; all of Christianity is changed through a single, solitary baptism.
The early church performed its baptisms once a year at Easter. Lent was a time of preparation for those who sought baptism. It was a time of learning and of being deprived of worldly comforts. Those seeking baptism knew that they would face this frightening, awe-filling event but would do so with the church behind them. Because the church was as intricately involved as they were.
Baptism, if you think about it, is a brush with death. As one dips beneath water, one is cut off from the air that sustains life. Below the water, there is no way that we humans can keep breathing. Of course, most baptisms are a quick affair that in no way endangers the participants. But to be immersed completely in water at the control of another is indeed a frightening prospect.
And it’s frightening for the whole church because without this individual’s brush with death, the church faces its own brush with death. Without baptisms, there is no way that growth can happen. It’s an irony: Near death brings growth.
We come through this frightening, near-death event precisely because it is a blessing. We are beloved and blessed through this process. Isaiah had it right; God is with us through thundering water and raging fire. Isaiah was preaching to an exiled Judah reminding them that whatever came, God was their God. And it’s no accident that a few centuries later, a wild preacher out in the wilderness who was baptizing with water spoke of one who would do so with fire. It’s because God will remember us through all of it and call us God’s own.
Blessed. Beloved. Baptism. We are reminded of God’s great love for us as we enter the waters and fire, each and every day. Luther’s continual, day after day baptism got it right; we are once and always baptized … we are once and always blessed … we are once and always beloved.
Water, wind, and fire: forces that constantly move and shape the world around us as they shape our very selves, our very beings. The waters of your baptism still flow, all around and through you. Whether you can recall that moment or not, remember your baptism each and every day.
Martin Luther, the great reformer of the church, is known, among other things, for a few sayings: “Here I stand, I can do no other” for instance. And a favorite of mine: “If you sin, sin boldly” which gives me great license at times. From watching the movie “Luther” during Advent, some of us learned that a theme in his life was a prayer he repeated: “I am yours. Save me.”
He is also said to have repeated the phrase “remember your baptism” to himself and his followers. I don’t believe, since infant baptism was the standard at the time, that he was actually urging them to remember the moment they were baptized. I think the essence of Luther’s phrase in this case is to remember that you are baptized; that you are already one of God’s beloved children. You need do no more to earn any more grace or love or attention. You are God’s already through your baptism.
Luther wrote, “A truly Christian life is nothing else than a daily baptism once begun and ever to be continued.” (http://www.ucc.org/worship/samuel/january-10-2010.html) Luther wants us, and himself, to recognize that this is not a one time event. We are to know constantly who we are and whose we are. Baptism claims us as nothing else can or does.
The baptism of Jesus was very elemental--water, wind, & fire were all wrapped up in it. And when you get those three together things are bound to happen. The earth is shaped by water, wind, & fire. It is carved and mutated by these strong forces. And these are the exact forces that show up in our scripture this morning.
John said “I baptize you with water; but one who is more powerful than I...will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.” The Greek word for ‘spirit’ which is used here is pneuma, which can also be translated as wind.
All this occurs at the end of the third chapter of Luke. Luke takes three whole chapters and then some for us to get to the start of Jesus’ ministry. Three chapters of angels appearing and not one but two special births and shepherds and children getting lost in the Temple and all sorts of events that the other gospel writers just ignore.
Three times prior to this point, Luke is telling someone to not be afraid. “Do not be afraid” is heard by Zechariah (who is John’s father), Mary, and those shepherds. Angels have a way of frightening people it seems, with good reason. The sudden appearance of a heavenly being in one’s life would be fearful, at least it would be to me. As frightening as water, wind, and fire.
We don’t need much in the way of reminders of the power of these elements: Water pouring down a valley wreaking havoc in its wake; Wind toppling buildings, bursting windows; Fire ravaging homes, homes of people and of animals, as well as everything else in its wake. We only need to think of recent tsunamis, hurricanes, tornados, and wildfires to be reminded that we aren’t talking about a gentle, easygoing event here.
Baptism is elemental; it claims us at our very base. And, if we forget the white outfits and happy receptions that follow, they are indeed frightening affairs; frightening not only for the ones being baptized, but also for the whole church. We’re calling in the whole of creation to participate through water, wind, and fire when we perform a baptism. And just as sure as those elements carve out the earth and reform it into another likeness, so too those who are baptized are carved out and reformed into a new being not to mention what happens to the church along the way.
Baptism isn’t about one person or even a small group of people. Baptism is something that affects the whole of the church; all of Christianity is changed through a single, solitary baptism.
The early church performed its baptisms once a year at Easter. Lent was a time of preparation for those who sought baptism. It was a time of learning and of being deprived of worldly comforts. Those seeking baptism knew that they would face this frightening, awe-filling event but would do so with the church behind them. Because the church was as intricately involved as they were.
Baptism, if you think about it, is a brush with death. As one dips beneath water, one is cut off from the air that sustains life. Below the water, there is no way that we humans can keep breathing. Of course, most baptisms are a quick affair that in no way endangers the participants. But to be immersed completely in water at the control of another is indeed a frightening prospect.
And it’s frightening for the whole church because without this individual’s brush with death, the church faces its own brush with death. Without baptisms, there is no way that growth can happen. It’s an irony: Near death brings growth.
We come through this frightening, near-death event precisely because it is a blessing. We are beloved and blessed through this process. Isaiah had it right; God is with us through thundering water and raging fire. Isaiah was preaching to an exiled Judah reminding them that whatever came, God was their God. And it’s no accident that a few centuries later, a wild preacher out in the wilderness who was baptizing with water spoke of one who would do so with fire. It’s because God will remember us through all of it and call us God’s own.
Blessed. Beloved. Baptism. We are reminded of God’s great love for us as we enter the waters and fire, each and every day. Luther’s continual, day after day baptism got it right; we are once and always baptized … we are once and always blessed … we are once and always beloved.
Water, wind, and fire: forces that constantly move and shape the world around us as they shape our very selves, our very beings. The waters of your baptism still flow, all around and through you. Whether you can recall that moment or not, remember your baptism each and every day.
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