Calvary Presbyterian Church
The Rev. Debra May Cerra
January 11, 2009

Psalms 29:1-11 (NRSV)
Ascribe to the Lord, O heavenly beings, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength. 2 Ascribe to the Lord the glory of his name; worship the Lord in holy splendor. 3 The voice of the Lord is over the waters; the God of glory thunders, the Lord, over mighty waters. 4 The voice of the Lord is powerful; the voice of the Lord is full of majesty. 5 The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars; the Lord breaks the cedars of Lebanon. 6 He makes Lebanon skip like a calf, and Sirion like a young wild ox. 7 The voice of the Lord flashes forth flames of fire. 8 The voice of the Lord shakes the wilderness; the Lord shakes the wilderness of Kadesh. 9 The voice of the Lord causes the oaks to whirl, and strips the forest bare; and in his temple all say, "Glory!" 10 The Lord sits enthroned over the flood; the Lord sits enthroned as king forever. 11 May the Lord give strength to his people! May the Lord bless his people with peace!

Mark 1:4-11 (NRSV)
John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 5 And people from the whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem were going out to him, and were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. 6 Now John was clothed with camel's hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. 7 He proclaimed, "The one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the thong of his sandals. 8 I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit." 9 In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 10 And just as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit descending like a dove on him. 11 And a voice came from heaven, "You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased."

“Baptism”

This morning’s Gospel reading is the familiar story of the baptism of Jesus. Since there is very little known about the childhood of Jesus, the beginning of his adult ministry comes on the heels of the birth narrative. We read that John the Baptizer, a cousin of Jesus, was attracting crowds of people from the towns and villages to come to the wilderness and hear his message. John, a compelling preacher, beckoned the people to turn their lives around, to recommit themselves to God, and to be baptized with water. He also informed them that he was just preparing the way for One who would be greater than he. John said: “The real action comes next: The star in the drama, to whom I’m a mere stagehand, will change your life. I’m baptizing you here in the river, turning your old life in for a kingdom life. His baptism – a holy baptism by the Holy Spirit – will change you from the inside out.” (7, 8)
We are told that great numbers of people responded to John’s message. We are also told that one day while he was baptizing the crowds of people, Jesus appeared before him. John baptized him in the Jordan river and God’s Spirit descended on Jesus. “And a voice came from heaven, ‘You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.’” (11)
The baptism of Jesus was the beginning point of his ministry. We know little of what Jesus did prior to that moment, but we know a great deal about his life after his baptism. It was the baptism of Jesus which launched his public ministry of teaching and healing.
Throughout the years, the ritual of baptism continues to be important to the Christian community. Jesus’ final command to his followers included: “Go out and train everyone you meet, far and near, in this way of life, marking them by baptism in the threefold name: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Then instruct them in the practice of all I have commanded you. I'll be with you as you do this, day after day after day, right up to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:19-20) 
            So, what is baptism and why is it important? Baptism is the sacrament that unites us with Jesus Christ and makes us members of God’s family, the church. Baptism signifies the beginning of a new way of living.
In our baptism God’s professes unconditional love for us. Our baptism demonstrates that God has been moving in our lives before we were even aware of it and that God claims us as God’s own. This is grace – unearned love and unearned blessings. Whenever we face difficult times, whenever the stresses of life press in on us, whenever temptation seems too great to resist, it is crucial that we remember that God has professed unconditional love for us in our baptism.
Worship was always a joy for Jane. She had been raised to believe that the Lord’s Day belonged to God so she always went to worship service on Sunday. Even when she was invited to another function on Sunday morning, she could never justify not going to worship. But, on the Sundays that there was a baptism at church, Jane struggled.
            There was a reason for Jane’s struggle but it was a secret – a secret that she had shared with no one, not even her late husband. Her parents had known, of course, but they were long gone.
            One Sunday, as the pastor strolled down the aisle carrying a newly baptized baby, it happened. Jane’s discomfort grew to panic, near terror. Jane bit her lip as the pastor headed back towards the chancel. When the people stood for the next hymn, Jane quickly slipped out of church. That afternoon Jane called the pastor to set up an appointment to see her. She was determined to relieve herself of the burden of the terrible secret she carried.
            Two o’clock the next day, Jane was at the pastor’s office. She looked pale, and her eyes were swollen and red. “I couldn’t sleep all night,” Jane said to the pastor. “I have been deeply troubled since the baptism yesterday. You may have seen me leave the service early.”
"I did see you go," the pastor said, "and I'm glad you've come to talk about it."
Jane began her story, “I had a child out of wedlock when I was sixteen. My folks pulled me out of school as soon as they found out I was pregnant. Dad simple told the teacher I was needed at home. No one ever found out about the baby. My mother assisted me in the delivery. That went well but the baby was small and had difficulty breathing. I knew I should have sent for the pastor but I didn’t. I wanted to have my baby baptized but I was afraid of what the pastor might say. So we never sent for him. My baby died two weeks after he was born. We buried him in the family cemetery on the ridge behind the house. I have never share with anyone about my failure to have him baptized. Every time I see a baby baptized at church, I remember and guilt rushes in. I worry about my son. I can’t imagine that God would keep him out of heaven but I’m not sure. As each year passes, I seem to worry more and more about just that.”
Jane broke down and wept. The pastor held her in her arms for a long time. Finally the pastor gently explained to Jane that next Sunday the sermon was on the baptism of the Lord. Maybe there could be reconciliation for Jane in the message next Sunday morning. She asked Jane to trust her and to be open to God’s message for her.
As promised, the next Sunday’s message was on the baptism of Jesus. Jane was ready to receive God’s message. The pastor read from Mark’s gospel: “In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And just as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit descending like a dove on him.” (9-10)
The pastor emphasized how Mark chose his words carefully when he said that Jesus saw "the heavens torn apart and the Spirit descending like a dove on him." Jesus didn't just see the heavens open; he saw them "torn apart." This was very dramatic! God needed to break into the world in a big way! 
            The pastor went on to explain: “What God needed to get through to us was about who God is. God is love. God loved us before we were born. The sacrament of baptism assures us of that love but is not the beginning of God’s love for us. God’s love for us began before time. And God sealed that love in Jesus Christ, God’s Son. As the Apostle Paul wrote, “For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
            Jane bit her lip. But this time she was not warding off anxiety or panic. Jane was holding back her tears as God embraced her with a new found freedom of forgiveness. God had broken through and healed the darkness of her secret.
As the words of the pastor touched her heart, Jane encountered the depth of God’s love. Her feelings of guilt and her worry melted away. She knew that her son had been embraced by God. She realized that baptism is the mark of initiation into the body of Christ but not the beginning of God’s acceptance. Jane understood that before her son was ever created, God said to him, “You are my beloved.”  
Friends, in our baptism God’s professes unconditional love for us. Our baptism demonstrates that God has been moving in our lives before we were even aware of it and that God claims us as God’s own. This is grace – unearned love and unearned blessings. Whenever we face difficult times, whenever the stresses of life press in on us, whenever temptation seems too great to resist, it is crucial that we remember that God has professed unconditional love for us. Baptism is an outward sign of God’s love …a love that is unconditional; a love that has no beginning nor no end; a love that is forever and ever. Amen and amen.