January 10, 2016
Epiphany 1
Isaiah 43:1-7
Luke 3:15-17,21-22
James Taylor's 1970 hit is
a sad, yet strong tome about navigating the ups and downs of life.
A friend's unexpected
suicide.
Addiction & depression struggles.
The path to fame and
fortune.
Fire. Rain.
Sunny
days. Lonely times.
//
When I hear the words rain and fire, I can understand them to be descriptions of both good and bad, comfort and worry, relaxation and
fear, creation and destruction.
//
It is liquid water that
makes life (as we know it) possible
in this world. All life requires precise
amounts of water to be sustained - from water comes the growth of the
earth. The human animal can live with hunger
for a much longer than it can with thirst.
It is not surprising that
the biblical story is splattered with significant water events: unshaped waters
at creation' birth, a cleansing flood, a path to liberation through a border
sea, miraculous wedding wine... and as we heard today, a ritualistic washing
that invites a deeper faith.
//
Throughout the history of
our species, we have known that fire provides warmth, light. When proto-humans developed the skill to make
fire, their ability to adapt to a (sometimes) harsh world dramatically
increased.
In the bible, a burning
bush catches Moses' attention and sets him on a liberating journey, a fiery
pillar protects the people from Pharaoh's second guessing, it is around a
warming fire where Peter' faithfulness is tested... and today: a promise of a
greater baptism: with fire.
//
For me both fire and water
have helped relax me and allowed me to appreciate my place in the world.
I have sat around a
campfire with friends - hypnotized by the dancing, crackling flames.
I have willingly let a
summer rain soak me, as I stood, head up, eyes closed - trying to take it all
in.
//
And yet, we all know the
devastation both fire and rain can cause:
landscapes changed by flood and wildfire. The fire and water that can relax, also
kills: burns, drowns.
//
//
People heard about the
charasmatic wilderness prophet, who was inspiring people to embrace a deeply
personal and impactful faith.
They made their way down to
the river that marked the edge of the land of promise - the stream that the
liberated Hebrews (who followed Moses out of Egypt) crossed to re-enter to the
adopted land of their founding family.
The Baptizer called people
into that same channel - to be engulfed by waters of change: be
buried and rise up a new creation.
//
People craved to be more
deeply connected to the holiness that surrounds us all - at this time in their
lives John was the impetus, the inspiration to become a person of greater
spirit.
Some even saw (in John the
Baptist) the hope for God's long-hoped-for annointed leader: The Messiah. The story goes that when John heard these
rumours, he deflected them away from himself - water is one thing, but a more powerful baptism is when you are
engulfed in the fiery spirit of God. The
Annointed-of-God is greater than I. The
best I could ever hope for (John said) would
be to be his foot butler. And I am even under qualified for that job.
//
Water.
Fire.
Cleansing, renewing, the
power to re-shape and re-create.
//
Even scorched or drenched
land can be reborn.
//
When we think of a desire
to grow a newer, deeper faith water and fire remind us of the need to set aside
the baggage that weighs us down and inhibits the Spirit.
//
Spirit - the mysterious
presence of God that is able to be experienced in this moment. Elusive, but inviting. A glimpse of a glory, but beyond our
comprehension. A hint of holiness, but
only a hint.
//
Literally, etymologically,
to be baptized is to be dipped in water
- the time in the water is not is intended to be permanent - it is a time of
change, a time of transition. We are
doused... and then emerge out of the water and move out into a dry world.
//
We, currently, find
ourselves in the church Season after Epiphany - it is one of the times within
the lectionary cycle known as ordinary
time - identified by the colour green.
The Season after Epiphany
is defined by its edges - Christmas at one end and Lent on the other.
Christmas is a fixed date,
whose 12 day season ends when the day of Epiphany always arrives each year on
January 6th. This ordinary time we are
in, starts at the same each year, but it's length varies.
Lent always lasts 46 days
long, but the start of Lent each year is relative to the date of Easter, which
can happen anytime between March 22nd and April 25th depending on the timing of
the full moon and the northern spring equinox.
So, the Season after
Epiphany can last anywhere from 30 to 64 days - this year, we will be in this
time for 35 days.
The final Sunday of the
Season after Epiphany always invites us to hear the story of a time when Jesus
and three of his closest followers were camped on a mountain together - and
(for the briefest of times) Peter, James and John saw Jesus enveloped within
the (almost) blinding glory of God.
It was a glimpse - they
could not remain in that light, but they were changed by the experienced.
That’s
an teaser for the church service in four weeks - on February 7th.
The Season after Epiphany
starts and ends with reminders that times of obvious and tangible experiences
of God's presence are not meant to be our resting places, but times of
transition - jumping off points into new and changed stages of life and
faith.
Hints
of Holiness can
motivate us to live as people of the Spirit in the ordinary times of life.
Glimpses of Glory are
guides to hope and promise
//
//
In Jesus' day, a empire centred in Rome
to the west dominated Galilee and Judeah.
Six centuries before before Jesus, it was an eastern empire from Babylon
that controlled the (so called) Holy Land.
Babylon's king, Nebuchadnezzar,
organized a takeover of Judah that centered on demoralizing the Hebrew people. First, the political and religious leaders
were removed and humuliatingly forced to go into exile by the rivers of
Babylon. Eventually, the nobility and
ordinary people (not needed by the Babylonians to tend their captured lands)
were also sent into exile.
How could this be?
For more than two centuries, since
Moses' people crossed the Jordan River and claimed Canaan as their own, Judah
had been viewed as a promised land.
It was into this time of displacement
and demoralization, that a prophet's voice rings out with words from their Hod:
Do
not fear. For I am with you.
As they sat by the rivers of Babylon,
between the people and their home was a harsh wilderness. And yet, the prophet espouses a hopeful
promise: Because you are precious,
because you are loved, God will gather daughters and sons from every direction
and bring you back. Dangers on the way will not harm you. You
will travel through water and not be overwhelmed; you will travel through fire
and not be consumed.
//
//
Fire and rain.
Sunny days and lonely times.
//
In all times and places, the word of
God is consistent. In the midst of times
of worry and trouble the promise rings out:
do
not fear; I am with you.
//
//
I think that it is human nature to long
for certainty in most situations. Not to
say that we don't appreciate a good mystery, or that we can't enjoy a fun
surprise. In fact, many of us thrive in
spontaneous circumstances - but when the uncertainty is accompanied by fear or
worry, it can be a hard time to endure.
//
I suspect that part of why John the
Baptist had such a following, is because he invited people to take the
everlasting care of God to heart.
I guess the question for us is:
"Is a glimpse of God enough?"
"Will a hint of holiness
suffice?"
John did have some disciples who
supported him and came regularly out to the wilderness with him, but most of
the pilgrims took what they got in their river experience and went back to
day-to-day living. Was that enough for them to be changed?
To watch the news and the blogs, you
might assume that this world is only a scary and selfish place, where you can't
trust anyone - where there is an ulterier motive to anything that appears to be good.
But... faith can inspire an
alternative.
We are not meant to stay in the water -
the moment of inspiration is wonderful, but it's true impact can only be known
when we move away from the river to live the hope and love we have been shown.
//
The baptism of Jesus is usually
described as the 'start' of his active ministry.
God's belov-ed child - pleasing to God
- filled with the Holy Spirit, left the Jordan to spread good news rather than
hoard it.
As followers of Jesus, we are called
beyond the river.
We make the glimpses last by letting
the light of God shine through our actions and attitude.
We need each other...
Our community needs us...
The world needs us...
to believe that there is always more
than the difficulty of the moment.
Exiles can dream of home
because they can go home - they will go home.
Faith teaches us that we
are not stuck in this moment - whether it be good or hard, fire or rain,
relaxing or stressful.
We are called to embrace
the new and renewing ways that the holiness of God might become know as we move
into each new time.
//
I think we do that by
appreciating the glimpses we get.
When I see one guy on a
bike pepper-spraying a group of refugees in Vancouver, I hold on to the courage
of Malala Yousafzau.
When I think about the
downturn in our economy, I think of what the people of North Korea have to
endure with the inhuman priorities of their dictatorial government.
When I experience
depression and worry in my adult life, I am often fortunate to get to
experience the lives of children who still have a natural dose of wonder and
innocent hope.
What hints of hope can inspire
and sustain you?
?????
?????
Do not be afraid.
We are not alone.
God is pleased with us.
//
Let us pray:
Speak to us today, O God. Call us and send us out to show others your
love and care. Amen.
****offerings****
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