Skip to main content

Introduction to Worship for 1/8/2017

By

Matthew 3:13-17

All four gospels feature the baptism of Jesus, suggesting that Jesus’ baptism seems more critical to any telling of Jesus’ ministry than does a story about his birth. (There are many interesting differences between the different gospel accounts, but the fact that it is in all four is like a big sign pointing to the baptism saying “this is important!”)

What made the baptism of Jesus so important? Over the centuries, Christian scholars have filled many pages arguing about just that question. Does it suggest Jesus was impure, and that he needed to “repent” and be cleansed? After all, “repent” was certainly the word John the baptizer used when calling people to baptism. This leads us to the word repent – metanoia in the Greek – and a very common Christian misconception of repentance. Rather than meaning “feeling sorry for doing bad things,” or regret, or confession, metanoia means “go beyond the mind” or “go into the larger mind.” Scholar Cynthia Bourgeault writes that this “‘high teaching’ was Jesus’ central message: the Kingdom of Heaven means reaching beyond black-and-white dualities, into the larger heart and mind of God.” What a different perspective this opens on a familiar Christian word. Rather than “Change your bad ways!” we now hear “Look! Look! God is inviting you to a new way of seeing! Come into the larger mind, see how God sees!” To “go beyond the mind” or “go into the larger mind” is no easy task, but the baptism of Jesus offers us some clues to how we might take steps to “repent.” We could hardly want for a more perfect, physical symbol for metanoia, the “larger mind,” than the opening of the heavens and the descending of God’s Spirit like a dove. But what needed to happen before this event? John the baptizer had to release his old way of seeing the world (Jesus should baptize me) and allow for total reversal of his beliefs (I must baptize Jesus). In verse 14, he “prevented”; in verse 15, he “consented.” Thus, John accepts the invitation into the “larger mind.”

In this way of reading it, the baptism of Jesus is a rite of passage, not to cleanse, but to embody for himself and the world the seemingly upside-down way he will liberate humanity from the prison of sin and small thinking. Through the universal symbol of water, Jesus models his invitation for all to move from unconsciousness (for which water is an archetype) to consciousness – a deeper awareness of just how deeply loved we are by a good and gracious God.

In these turbulent times, the waters of baptism invite us to hope. We hold our breath, the water splashing against our skin. We hold our breath, anticipating what is to come. We hold our breath, we remember our baptism, and we have hope.

Baptism is saturated in hope.

Jesus, raised from the waters of the Jordan River, became the hope for those who followed him, inviting them to discover a new way to live in the world, loving our enemies and praying for those who persecute us, realizing that the reign of God is already among us, with us, and within us.

■ How is the church’s expression of baptism similar to Jesus’ baptism in Matthew 3:13–17?
■ When has your participation in the sacraments assured you of your beloved-ness?

Take some time to remember your own baptism, or to share stories with someone about a water memory that is meaningful for you.  In worship this Sunday, we will all have an opportunity to renew the vows made at our baptism, and to experience again the touch of the water.



Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Introduction to Worship for 1/22/2017

By
Matthew 4:12-23 This week we are excited to have guest preacher Rick Ufford-Chase with us.  Rick is the co-director of Stony Point Center (with his wife Kitty) and is the PC(USA) Associate for Interfaith Relations, a former moderator of the denomination, and an activist and justice worker, as well as a friend of the congregation. Rick has recently curated and co-written a book called “Faithful Resistance: Gospel Visions in a Time of Empire”, which was the focus of our book study this fall at UPC. The title of his sermon is “Faithful Resistance: Not for the Faint of Heart”. So it’s fair to ask: what are we resisting, and why are we talking about it in church? We are resisting… the culture that is built on consumption and destruction; the vision of the world that puts white Christians at the center; our own tendencies to the call to love, the practices that lead us away from Jesus’ radical vision of God’s reign on earth, a “kingdom of love.” Rick will be with us the whole wee...
Post a Comment
Read more

Introduction to Worship for 2/26/2017

By
Matthew 17:1-9 And so the Season after the Epiphany closes: on a holy mountain where God may be found. It is a place of sacred mystery, where shining and shadow convey a holy presence. It is a place of community across time, where God’s people of past and present meet. It is a place of silence and witness, where visions are kept quiet and God says of Jesus, “Listen to him.” From here, we go forward into Lent: the 40 days and 6 Sundays that take us through Jesus’ progress toward Jerusalem and the conflict with the government of Palestine that would lead to his crucifixion. We will have special worship stations in the sanctuary, for reflection and prayer; a Tuesday morning prayer group; a book study on “Gifts of the Dark Wood,” a book that reflects on the hard places and what we find there; and in worship, we will tell the stories of Jesus and his encounters with people who were on the margins, that he brought into the center.  So this week, we pause to reflect on the insight tha...
Post a Comment
Read more

Introduction to Worship for 12/18/2016

By
This week, we celebrate the fourth Sunday in Advent. As we prepare for Christmas, we hear the story of Joseph’s surprising preparation and change of heart. Joseph plays an important role in this birth story, providing support, protection, and naming the child yet to be “God with us.” Matthew 1:18-25 The gospel of Matthew tells Joseph’s side of the story of Jesus’ birth. God chose Mary to be the mother of Jesus and, equally, God chose Joseph to care for them. Joseph had a difficult choice to make. His fiancée was pregnant. Had Joseph chosen to accuse Mary, the traditional punishments could have meant ostracism, or death. This story is marked with human vulnerability. Mary is in a fragile position. She could lose her fiancé, her family, her reputation, her life. Joseph was confronted with a difficult reality. This was probably not how he imagined starting out his marriage. What emotions might he have experienced? Anger, fear, shame, guilt, broken trust, confusion? Joseph did not wan...
Post a Comment
Read more