“Where to, from Here?”
Sermon Presented November 27, 2011
Final Service at Roundy and Baptism
Matthew 3:13-17
Let me begin by reading our text for this morning: Matthew 3:13-17.
Like Jesus coming to John the Baptist, you, Eric, Tina, Heather, and David have come to me as pastor to be baptized on this final service for Roundy Memorial Baptist Church. You have followed Jesus’ example, and are now “official” Christian disciples. However, most people who are baptized are not only baptized into Christian discipleship, but also baptized into a community of faith. Therefore it will be important for each of you to find a faith community so that you can be nurtured along the way. As I have said numerous times – baptism is the beginning of your journey with Christ, and this is a journey that shouldn’t be attempted alone.
My mother was so concerned about my youthful status when I wanted to be baptized that she talked to her dad, who said: “Don’t worry; she will grow in grace.” Each of you came to Christ with that same child-like openness – affirming mysteries you can’t understand. It’s up to you, now, to do your part to grow in faith.
God loves you and is well pleased with you, and God will continue to love you – no matter what! But in all likelihood, you will need to come back to God – time and time again. That’s all part of your journey and your growth process.
Now do you recall what happened to Jesus immediately following his baptism? You’re right! He was inundated with temptations, and it will be no different for you. Now in all likelihood, Jesus wasn’t tempted to sleep late, stay home from worship, or fail to find friends and mentors to help him on his journey. However, he was tempted to live selfishly and seek personal power – temptations that also come to us. It is important for you/us to seek God’s help in facing our temptations and God’s forgiveness when we screw up.
Jesus said that the purpose of his baptism was to fulfill all righteousness. To be righteous, is to be in a right relationship with God. This means both victory over evil and the establishment of justice. The Greek word translated “righteousness” can also be translated “justice”. God has a passionate commitment to set right the things that are wrong, and God wants that same commitment from us.
People come to Jesus by different routes. But however we come, whatever our background, we come because God calls our name and we respond to that call. It’s because God calls us that we are baptized.
Baptism is a beginning – a rite of “initiation” into a new life, so to speak. It’s an act of obedience and the first step of Christian discipleship. It’s the start of a journey that we don’t complete in this lifetime. On our Christian journey, there is always something new to learn and to experience. There are also potholes and detours. That’s why this is a journey we don’t dare make alone. We get into error when we don’t have the right community to bounce things off of. We need one another to encourage and help us as well as to call us to accountability. That’s why God calls us to community.
Through baptism we become part of a family that is set apart by God to be light in darkness. This family is set apart to live a radical gospel. That’s why we need to choose a church family that is theologically sound – and I recognize that what makes a church theologically sound differs tremendously – from person to person. That’s why there are so many denominations. Be careful where you land!
When we witness a baptism we are invited to remember the commitment we once made and then to contemplate how well we are living up to that commitment. Do we proclaim and live a radical gospel? Do we work for justice for those who need justice? Are we growing in our relationship with God? Each of us falls short of what God wants from us, but when we renew our baptismal commitment this morning, I invite you to seriously consider the words you speak.
When Jesus was baptized, he heard a voice affirming that he was God’s son, the beloved one, who was most pleasing to God. I John 3:1-2 says: “See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God; and that is what we are…. Beloved, we are God’s children now; what we will be has not yet been revealed!”
Where do we go from here? It’s up to us!
11/27/2011
