When God Speaks
January 8, 2012
Text: Mark 1: 4-11
Rev John Benham
Here we
are in the season of new beginnings and renewal. Have you
some
extra runners outside following up with New Year resolutions?
I
think of a friend who enjoys the taste of scotch and other spirits but
he’s always made January his month of no drinking almost like an early
lent to bring balance to his life.
It’s hard to imagine that
just two weeks ago we celebrated Jesus’ birth and today it’s time for
his adult baptism dip. So John the Baptist showed up in the
middle of nowhere, dunking people in a river telling people to
straighten and turn back to God. John’s contemporaries are
following their traditions in the Temple while John’s out “there” by
the river proclaiming the good news. Something
tells me
that John’s choice of baptism by the Jordan River is a message for “the
church” today!
So, let me begin with naming some of the beefs I
have with “the church” (not necessarily Trinity or one denomination)
but with the ways “the church” has used baptism to threaten or scare
people to “get done or else”. Did the religious
leaders not
get the memo that Jesus heard God’s affirming word, “you are my beloved
child”? God begins with a loving affirmation. What
a gift
we all need. But the gift becomes a challenge quickly as Mark
tells us that the baptized Jesus is “immediately driven” by the Spirit
into the wilderness - a place of searching and temptation.
Have some of you been baptized as adults? I am thankful that
the United Church celebrates both infant
and adult
baptism, but I wonder if adult baptism can offer the gift of knowing
that baptism is a free gift of God, but a gift that changes our
lives. I was baptized as a baby in 1963, but I’m guessing it
was
life changing more for my parents than me!
Yet when we look
closely at Mark’s story of baptism I think Mark is really challenging
our assumptions about God. I have to confess something, being
a
father of two daughters, if John the Baptist showed up at our door for
a date I’d probably call 911. Clad in camel’s hair and a
leather
belt smelling of desert locust and honey, he would not be the one I’d
pick to date my daughters. But then John speaks and it’s as
if
God speaks and I am humbled by the prophet:
“I am
not worthy to stoop down and untie the thong of his sandals.”
In today’s language John might sound something like this:
Get
ready for someone so cool. I’m unworthy to even tie his
shoes. I just got you wet, but the one to come will set your
life
on fire. You just might become a new person.
That’s
the key for me when God speaks we can become new people.
While
I’m driving the car God speaks and she’s usually telling me to slow
down! I delayed the news of my recent speeding ticket until a
special Christmas dinner. Gathering with two special couples
it
was the ideal time to confess that I do need to slow down or I’m going
to become poor! My better half knows me well.
Our family
trip to New York city immediately after Christmas was one more sign
from God that I need to slow down. My teens didn’t
appreciate my efforts to wake them up for 6:30 am to hit the road as
they wanted to sleep until noon! They finally had a family
conference and told me to “slow down, chill out” and relax”.
I
think I’ve come to realize that Baptism really about comfort and
challenge.
The
affirmation of God for Jesus is the gift we all need in life and many
of us come to worship for comfort and healing. Yet, we John
the
Baptist does humble us to realize we need to “turn back to God” and the
journey into our wilderness is an essential experience to understand
what we need to break free from in our lives.
On the
surface I often seem like I enjoy what I do and I’m a very laid back
person but there’s something you maybe don’t know about
me.
When I’m under stress I can tend to sleep walk. It doesn’t
happen
often, but it’s God’s way of telling me to relax and not
worry.
Last year it happened once while on my first experience of a cruise
ship. I found myself running down the hallway of the ship at
3 am
certain I was late for the fire alarm (we had practiced earlier in the
day). When you wake up from sleep walking two
things came
to my mind. Thank God I had some clothes on, and then I
realized
I was locked out of my room. My family eventually rescued me
and
opened a door. Dreams and sleep walking are definitely signs
of
God’s voice in our lives. We can’t hide our stress or worries.
The
Spiritual journey of baptism is trusting in God.
The
diet of modern society is to “keep in control” and “not let
go”.
When God speaks we are humbled to face our fears. Death can
be a
fear for every human
being. I think this human fear was addressed beautifully by
Dr. Marla Shapiro as seen on Canada AM this past week.
Dr. Shapiro has reflected on "The
Top Five Regrets of the Dying,"
by Bronnie Ware. Bronnie worked in a palliative care setting
and
as such was surrounded by people who often spoke about their most
common regrets. Dr. Marla having had her own diagnosis of cancer is
well aware of how one can feel as if you are fighting for your life.
Here is a list of the top
5 regrets taken from her article.
- I wish I'd had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me.
- I wish I didn't work so hard.
- I wish I'd had the courage to express my feelings.
- I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends.
- I
wish that I had let myself be happier.
Dr. Shapiro says: When
I was first diagnosed with my cancer, after I climbed out of the fear
and the anger, I began to see with more clarity some of my own mistakes
and pitfalls that were defining my life.
I love
her honesty and humility as she shares how her daughter saw the
positive side to her cancer. Although it took her breath away
to
hear her eldest say that breast cancer was the best thing that ever
happened to their relationship, she heard her loud and clear.
I
knew what she was saying: that while emotionally, I was always
available to her, my long hours at work often kept me away physically
from the family. No matter how much I called our time spent so called
"quality time," an absent parent is simply absent. It gave me the
opportunity to realize that many times I did not think about the impact
of my decisions and my schedule on my own family.
(Dr. Shapiro)
I
think God Speaks through fascinating folks like John the Baptist and
caregivers and wise people like Dr. Shapiro. Since baptism is
about becoming New People I appreciate that Dr. Shapiro has taken the 5 regrets
and transformed them into a list of five 5
opportunities:
- Make decisions mindfully - recognize that when you are saying no, it is because you are saying yes to that other side that is more important. Don't be afraid to say no.
- It is never too late to say you are sorry and open yourself up to others.
- Take the time for yourself - stop feeling guilty for the all so important me time. That time is critical to keep yourself whole and balanced.
- Don't be afraid to clear the landscape of those things and people that weigh you down.
- At the end of the day, be able to look in the mirror and be proud of who you are and if you don't feel that way- then forgive yourself and start again.
Starting
again each day is our baptismal gift!!
Rev.
Gaylyn and I really look forward to this New Year together and we’re
especially interested in your dreams for Trinity and what hopes you
bring to this place. It’s natural to wonder about the future
church and how to attract a younger generation, but let me share
something from my personal experience.
I really enjoy listening
to those who rarely attend church but let’s remember that John the
Baptist was out there. Experience has taught me that folks who
attend worship for the first time are not looking to join committees or
to prop up an institution. Like you and me they long to have
a
deeper relationship with God and I’m sure to diminish the stress or
worry in their life.
I want to welcome everyone to come forward
now to remember your baptism. Dip your hand into this font
and
feel the water of God’s transforming Spirit. If you’ve not
been
baptized don’t worry, but feel free to come for God’s blessing from the
water of life. God’s voice is calling out for you in love.
Commissioning and Benediction
(Borrowed from Dr. Fred
Craddock, and paraphrased)
Love generously
Live Simply
Serve Faithfully
(Humbly)
Speak Truthfully
Pray Daily
And leave the rest to God.