Sermon: Baptism of our Lord

St. Stephen Lutheran Church	Pastor Debora Stein
Luke 3:15, 21-22                The Baptism of Our Lord		January 10, 2016

Today, my sermon was inspired by an article written Pastor Robert Gorrell, and an art piece that amazed him, he wrote:

“Last summer my wife and I were visiting Santa Fe, New Mexico, searching for a piece of art to go in the new addition to our church building. We went from shop to shop, experiencing the local art, but as we entered one gallery, I was taken aback by a bronze sculpture created by a respected artist named Gib Singleton.  Singleton’s work appears in the Vatican, the Cowboy Hall of Fame, and he was a favorite artist of Golda Meir, Israel’s prime minister.  A few years ago he even helped restore Michelangelo’s Pietà when vandals damaged it.

The particular piece that stopped me in my tracks was called The Dove. It brings to life that moment when Christ has just been baptized.  A dove has descended and landed on the outstretched hand of the Savior.  What is so compelling about the way the artist represents that moment in Christ’s life?   First, Christ’s arms are outstretched in a manner that seems to be welcoming all. It is as if Jesus stands ready to embrace anyone who is willing to come to him.  Second, Christ’s outstretched arms and his body form a perfect cross.

The artist’s intent is to reveal to us that Jesus’ baptism commissions him to begin a mission on earth that will culminate in the ultimate saving act performed on the cross.  Jesus, the Christ, portrayed by the artist’s sculpture is both welcoming and ready to die for the sins of all.  This welcoming and sacrificial character of Christ is symbolized in the moment of baptism when God’s Spirit descends upon him to empower him for all that lies ahead.  Jesus is baptized into a mission that both welcomes and redeems all sinners.”  (end quote)

Luke tells us that the people were “filled with expectation, and all were and wondering whether John might be the Messiah”.  As sometimes happens, the people are close to mistaking the messenger for the message.  But John the Baptist clears things up by saying, “I baptize you with water; but one who is more powerful than I is coming, and I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandals”.

It is a powerful statement. While John is popular enough to draw a huge crowd of his own, he is honest enough to admit that he is not the main attraction.  While John baptizes with water, the “one who is more powerful” will baptize with something else.  John explains that Jesus will baptize with “the Holy Spirit and with fire”, and it sounds a little frightening, to be touched by God’s Holy Spirit or by fire.  It leaves us with an image of something that could be very painful.  John’s point, however, seems to be that the one who is coming will have an awesome power... power that will be enacted through baptism.

Luke tells us that all the people in the crowd are baptized, including Jesus.  Then, as Jesus is praying, the Holy Spirit comes down to him in the bodily form of a dove.  And, as if that isn’t enough, a voice speaks from heaven, saying, “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased”.  This is a moment of incredible power.  It is an event when the Trinity is actually joined together, God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

In that moment, God’s voice affirms three things about Jesus: first... he is God’s Son; second... he is loved by God; and third... God is “well pleased” with him.  In our baptism, through Jesus and the Holy Spirit, God also makes three affirmations about us: we are God’s children; we are loved by God; and God is well pleased with us.  Baptism enables each of us to follow our role in God’s mission, as we, too, are called to welcome all people, serve others, and perhaps even give up our lives in the name of Christ.  Such change in our lives can be painful, at times, as we’re called to give up our old ways to take part in Jesus’ ministry.

“John baptizes Jesus, who comes sinless into the waters, and through his baptism, Jesus is ordained into a ministry of servanthood and sacrifice.  Jesus’ baptism represents both empowerment by the Holy Spirit and affirmation by God.”

In the beginning of Lutheran funeral services, we give thanks for baptism, remembering that as we are baptized in Christ, we are also baptized into his death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of God, we, too, might receive new life.  Through the waters of our baptism, we experience both death and resurrection with Christ. 

At confirmation, youth are asked to affirm their Baptism, which represents for us all, the beginning of a new life in Christ.  It is a call for our young people to actively join the mission of God through the ministry of Jesus.  When folks join our congregation, at St. Stephen, we celebrate and join in as they affirm their baptism... continuing their Christian journey with us... in a ministry of sacrificial servanthood... that culminates when Jesus returns to bring us to the place he’s prepared just for us, where we will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

Jesus lived out his baptism every day as he taught us to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, care for the dying, and share the good news... not only with our friends and neighbors, but with a world that is broken and in dire need.   As a people who bear the name of Christian, Jesus calls us to live out our baptisms in the same way, caring for the needy and sharing the good news. We, too, are baptized into a mission of welcoming and redeeming all sinners – a group, in which we all are members.

Pastor Gorrell also wrote that he’d recently baptized his newborn granddaughter, Allison.  The whole process fascinated her four-year-old cousin, Kelsey, who asked her preacher grandpa all kinds of questions about the mechanics of baptism.  In the middle of the sacrament, Kelsey turned to her grandfather and said, “More, Papa, more!” Somehow, Kelsey understood that this was a moment of great power and affirmation, and she wanted to make sure that her cousin, Allison, got a full dose.

On this day, we remember that Jesus, who was without sin, identified with us through his baptism and his humanity, through his suffering, death, and resurrection.  And on this day, we can’t help, but remember our own baptism, and that through it we, too, are loved, blessed and affirmed by God... not just as followers, but as Disciples of Christ.  Through baptism, we are commissioned into Christ’s ministry, to serve and love all people, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

The Prophet Isaiah reminds us that we are precious to the Lord... who loves and affirms us, with the words, “I have called you by name and you are mine”... Each of you are God’s beloved sons and daughters... sisters and brothers of Jesus...                     Fed and nourished... baptized and set free... blessed and claimed by Christ forever. 

May we all share the enthusiasm of Pastor Gorrell’s little granddaughter, Kelsey, for baptism and for our call to God’s mission of love and grace through Jesus Christ.

Amen.

What I learned at Confirmation Camp!

Last month, I had the distinct pleasure of going to camp!  Just last year, I'd never been to camp before, and I really wasn't looking forward to it this time.  In any case, having duly prepared for the topics that I would teach, I purchased ample amounts of bug spray and suntan lotion, packed my bags and headed to camp.
  I must say that I felt half dead on my first two days, the temperature was around 88 degrees and the humidity was in the upper 90s.  I felt like a damp sponge all day!  On the third day, I started to acclimate and feel much better.  I'm not sure if I was just getting used to the heat, or whether it was the energy and excitement of the youth.  There were those who were homesick, with it being their first time away from home, and there were those who struggled with the active nature of camp.  Others had a difficult time with the heat and the mosquitoes, as I did.  Still, there was something about being around all of these kids that seemed to perk me up.
  Confirmation camp goes from Sunday afternoon through Friday - they stay there the entire time.  Pastors and other lay leaders pair up to teach two Bible study type sessions a day, but the rest of the time is filled with camp games, swimming, boating, etc.  In the evenings, we shared worship around a campfire overlooking the lake.
  As the days passed by, I began to see changes in many of the youth.  One boy, who'd been crying just the day before, now seemed to be having the time of his life.  A girl, who seemed not to care in the least, suddenly started taking interest in what was happening, answering the questions, and even helping others. 
  Each of them seemed to have a different experience; each experienced growth in different ways; each and every one of them became a part of something greater than themselves... including me.
  By the end of camp, I was actually sorry to see them all go.  It was then that I realized how important my role was during that week.  Along with the other adults, and camp counselors, we had the honor of shaping these young people lives, perhaps a little - perhaps a lot.  I pray that they will look back and fondly remember their confirmation camp experience, the friends they made, the things they learned and the new activities that they tried for the first time.  I know that I will remember them.
  What did I learn at Confirmation Camp?  God was with us during this time of laughter and play, as well as the times of worship and song.  God was with us in the tears and the tantrums, as well as the joy and warm hugs.  I had been dreading the inconvenience of camping, but I'd forgotten how God can use us, even in our grumpiest moments, to make a difference in the lives of others.

Stand By Me - Memorial Rememberance

Pastor Debora Stein
John 14:15-21       
May 25, 2014

Much of my sermon this morning comes from Mary Hinkle Shore, a Lutheran Pastor and former seminary professor.  Once I read her commentary, I knew that I had to share it with you today, as we celebrate Memorial Day; but also as we remember Jesus’ promise of an Advocate, and his command to love.  Mary writes:
If you have to reassure someone that you’re not abandoning them, it may be because they feel you slipping away. In John 14, Jesus is responding to the anxiety of those he loves. “I will not leave you orphaned,” he says, but it is not clear how he will keep that promise. In a few hours, his arrest, trial, crucifixion and death will all have been accomplished. It will feel as if he has, in fact, abandoned them, or been torn away from them. 
Jesus loses his life, and he is not the only one to suffer loss. Those he leaves behind lose him, and without him, they lose whatever security they might have felt in the world. After his death, they take refuge by hiding. They are isolated from each other and afraid of everything on the other side of locked doors.
 We rarely think of what happened to Jesus as an experience of combat, but the story of his arrest includes soldiers, weapons and at least momentary hand-to-hand combat as Peter draws a sword to slice off the ear of one of those sent to arrest Jesus. Twenty-four hours later, those who could not watch with Jesus in the garden, or save him from the enemy, will themselves be lost without him.
 On May 25th, we observed Memorial Day. It began in 1868 as a remembrance of the dead on both sides of the Civil War. It remains a moment in our civic life to take seriously the human costs of wars exacted from those who fight them.
 Just as the passion of Jesus resulted in more than the loss of its most obvious casualty, so the human costs of war have always been higher than we have known how to count. Suicide has become an increasing concern for those returning from battle.  Each year the number of suicides are well over 400, including Reservists and National Guard troops.  In 2013 the US lost a member of the military to suicide approximately every 18 hours.  It has been an on-going battle to treat an illness that is not so easily recognized. 
One theory of suicide associates three factors with the cause of death: feeling that you don’t belong, feeling that you are a burden to others, and having the capacity to overcome the fear of pain and harm. Eventually the experience of social isolation and alienation is so strong, many are led to thoughts like, “my death will be better for my family, or I just don’t belong here anyway.”  These thoughts overpower even the natural tendency to avoid harm
[Depression is not limited to people who serve in the military.  Anyone who has suffered a traumatic incident or loss could experience such overpowering thoughts and feelings.  A teenager may experience loss when the he or she leaves home to go to college or join the military.  As we grow older, we may struggle with the loss of independence, of being able to drive, or being able to live on our own.  Some may experience loss through divorce, unemployment, or the death of a loved one.  Many of us experience the loss of our identity without a job, our spouse, or loved one. There are countless ways that depression could affect any one of us at any time.]
 Near the end of a book called, The Noonday Demon: An Atlas of Depression, Andrew Solomon writes, “So many people have asked me what to do for depressed friends and relatives, and my answer is actually simple: blunt their isolation. Do it with cups of tea or with long talks or by sitting in a room nearby and staying silent or in whatever way suits the circumstances, but do that” (437).
 The promise of the Spirit to the disciples is a promise from Jesus to blunt their isolation. “I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, to be with you forever” (John 14:16). The word “advocate” means one who stands alongside another. Under threat, we talk about someone having our back. In peacetime, a better image may be that of someone right beside you. You are not alone. To the disciples, Jesus describes the gift of his Spirit with them, and says in effect, “It will be as if I am by your side.”
 When the disciples experience Jesus as risen from the dead, they recognize his Spirit as gathering them into something new: they become a church, a community of people who are bound together by the Spirit in their love for one another. The love of God, given and received in a community like that, offers healing and belonging where there was isolation before.
 In addition to counting combat deaths and calling them to mind on Memorial Day, we are beginning to speak of the human costs of war in terms of moral injury. When the experience of survivor guilt, the trauma of combat memories, and the sense of having betrayed one’s own moral center threaten to leave one desolate, the community that Jesus breathes his Spirit into offers forgiveness, love, belonging, and good work, to be a part of with others. It is a fitting memorial to the one who said, “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you” (John 15:12).
 Reflecting on healing after moral injury, Dr. Rita Nakishima Brock says, “I think the way a person is restored to a sense of their own goodness is that they participate in the life of a community, where the things they do for other people, are deeply appreciated, and they have reflected back at them a sense that they are loved and appreciated for what they do.” That is the sort of community that Jesus brings to life by offering his disciples an Advocate, standing beside them, the Spirit of truth.
[We may not be psychologists or doctors, who specialize in depression or other such disorders, and while such treatment is vital, we do have something to offer those who feel isolated, broken, unwanted, and alone.  As children of God and a community of faith, we share the safe refuge of our Heavenly Father… the love and grace of Jesus … and the constant presence of the Holy Spirit.  We are constantly learning to live by Jesus commandments, and through him, we are able to share God’s amazing love with each other… with our neighbors, our community… and with all who have need.]
[Each Memorial Day, as we enjoy our barbeques and picnics, let us pause to give thanks for those who gave their lives for our freedom, and let us reach out to our brothers and sisters who feel isolated, depressed, and in need of our love.]
Let us pray,
Almighty God, we commend to your gracious care and keeping all who have returned from military service, all who have lost a loved one in war, and all of the men and women of our armed forces who continue to serve at home and abroad.  Defend them day by day with your heavenly grace; strengthen them in their trials and temptations; give them courage to face the perils that surround them; and grant them a sense of your abiding presence wherever they may be;  through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.  Amen.

Washed and Fed

When there's a baby in the house, most other activities tend to revolve around the needs of the little one.  If the baby cries, the one responsible is charged to make sure that the baby is clean, warm, and fed.  This brings to mind Jesus' baptism, which we will commemorate this coming Sunday.  Jesus came to the Jordan to be baptized by John... not because he needed baptism, but because he came to share in every part of our lives.  Jesus joins us as we are washed in the waters of baptized and made clean from sin.  He invites us to his table and becomes our food, feeding us with the bread and wine of Communion... and feeding our minds with His story and teaching.  We come to church to be washed and fed.  We come to church be a part of something bigger than ourselves - the Body of Christ.  We come to church to be comforted by the presence of Jesus among us, and to be strengthened to share the Good News of Jesus Christ with others.  Let us pray for those who are lost, those in need, and those who haven't yet experienced, or perhaps have forgotten, the joy of being washed and fed, and loved by Christ.  Amen.

Advent 3 - Sermon: Are You The One?

St. Stephen Lutheran Church	Pastor Debora Stein
Matthew 11:2-11                      Are you the one?		December 14, 2013

      “When John heard in prison what the Messiah was doing, he sent word by his disciples ³ and said to him, "Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?" ⁴ Jesus answered them, "Go and tell John what you hear and see: ⁵ the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have good news brought to them. ⁶ And blessed is anyone who takes no offense at me." ⁷ As they went away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John: "What did you go out into the wilderness to look at? A reed shaken by the wind? ⁸ What then did you go out to see? Someone dressed in soft robes? Look, those who wear soft robes are in royal palaces. ⁹ What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. ¹⁰ This is the one about whom it is written, 'See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you.' ¹¹ Truly I tell you, among those born of women no one has arisen greater than John the Baptist; yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.”

Today’s reading made me think of a children’s story by P. D. Eastman, called, “Are You My Mother?”  The story is about a baby bird that hatches while his mother is off getting food.  He falls out of his nest and then wanders around looking for his mother.  First he comes upon a kitten, and asks, “Are you my mother?” but the kitten doesn’t reply.  Then he comes up to a mother hen, and asks, “Are you my mother?” But the hen only said, “No”.  Then he approached a dog and asks, “Are you my mother?” but the dog says, “I’m not your mother.  I’m a dog.” 

This continues for a while, as the baby bird confuses his mother with different animals, and even a boat and a plane, until he finally comes up to an old bucket loader, that scoops him up, scaring him half to death.  When the bucket releases him, however, he finds himself landing right into his very own nest.  “Just then the mother bird came back to their tree.  ‘Do you know who I am?’ she said to her baby.  ‘Yes, I know who you are,’ said the baby bird.  ‘You’re not a kitten… You’re not a hen… You’re not a dog… You’re not a cow… You’re not a boat or a plane…  You are a bird, and you are my mother.’” 

Like the little bird, we often seem to be looking for love, for answers, and even for God in all the wrong places.  The people in Jesus time were waiting for a messiah… a savior, and they were sure that he’d be born a king… someone powerful… someone with vast armies… someone who’d take down their enemies with force and return them to their rightful place in the world.  But, they were looking for a king in all the wrong places, with all the wrong expectations.

Even John the Baptist seems to searching, with uncertainty and anxiety…  While imprisoned, he sends some of his disciples to question Jesus, “Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?”  Jesus didn’t seem to be who they were expecting.  He wasn’t born in a palace; he was born in a kind of barn… he wasn’t born with power and wealth; he was born to simple parents, a young girl and her husband, a carpenter.  John’s disicples probably wondered how this itinerant preacher could possibly bring an army to take their enemies down.  How could he save them?  They were looking for salvation in all the wrong places.

As a church, we often look for ways to grow… to increase the number of worshippers, wondering how we can bring more people in.  But, I believe that when we think that way, we, too, are looking for answers in all the wrong places.  Being a Christian is not about preserving a church building or congregation… it’s about BEING the church in the world… it’s about bringing comfort to those who are sick… it’s about feeding those who are hungry… it’s about bringing good news to the poor… and helping them stand on their own.  It’s about sharing the love of Christ with the world.

When Jesus was questioned about whether or not he was the one they were waiting for, he told them to go and tell John what it is that they heard and saw.  The blind receive sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have good news brought to them.  Jesus is pointing them to the right place.  What did you go out into the wilderness to find… to see?  Perhaps they were looking for someone who bends with the wind, wearing soft and fine clothes, but they’d been looking for all the wrong things.

How often have we heard of someone who has been in one bad relationship after another?  There’s even a country song written about it, “Looking for love in all the wrong places.”  We often seem bent on looking for happiness, for an easier way, or for something that will make us feel loved and special.   Many folks think that they’ll find what their looking for in a bottle or with drugs.  Other folks try winning love with money, thinking that they can buy their way into someone’s heart.  For some, it’s a never-ending search; they never seem to find or perhaps recognize what it is that they’re looking for… seeking some way to fill that empty place in their hearts.

John points to Jesus, who came to change the world… to give us a different understanding about who and what the Messiah is all about.  Jesus came to make us think differently about those who are sick, those who are imprisoned, and those who are needy.  He came to show us the love of God and to teach us about forgiveness and grace.  He came to save us in a way that most people of his time could not imagine.  Through his actions of healing, cleansing, and raising, Jesus tells his disciples and us, to love one another as he loves us… as God loves us… to love our neighbors… to comfort and care for those in need… to share the good news with those who are poor in any way… in health, assets or in spirit.

John the Baptist wanted to know for sure that Jesus was the one that he, himself, came to proclaim… the one who would baptize with the Holy Spirit.  What are you looking for? --- Are you my mother?  Are you my father?  Are you the one who can help me?  Are you the one that we’re waiting for?  Are you my savior?  Jesus responds to each of us… Go and tell others what you hear and see.   

Look around – Jesus is here – with each of us in our daily lives, loving us, caring for us, comforting us and those we encounter every day.   Jesus is preparing us, to continue his mission of love and his ministry of grace, to share the good news with the poor of every kind.

Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life… he fills that empty place in our hearts… he feeds us and makes us whole… he is exactly who we’ve been looking for, even though we may not have realized it.  He is found in many of the places that we expect… and in many unexpected places as well…  in a dying man hanging on a cross…  in a meal of bread and wine… in a loving presence in our lives… in a tiny – fragile baby, laying on a bed of straw…

John points to the coming of Emmanuel, God with us... Jesus, our Savior, who is all that we’ve been looking for and more.  The good news is that we don’t have to look at all.  Jesus comes to us in every place of our lives.   

Happy are we whose hope is in the Lord our God.  Amen.
 

Returning to the real world

We'll the long road trip is over and I'm delighted to be back to my office, however, much weary that I am.

The question I last posed was about the use of technology in our lives, and how it some times get's in the way of face-to-face relationships.  During my time away, I learned a couple of things.

First of all, Technology can be share, face-to-face.  While Ed was driving, I read posts to him from Facebook and shared news and funny stories.  We sometimes listened to an audio book, and sometimes just music.

Second, Face time is important, but technology can add to personal relationships.  We drove to florida to a veteran's reunion.  We hadn't seen everyone for two years, and it was wonderful to spend time with them.  It was great to relive old memories, catch up with old friends, and make new ones.  As the couple driving the farthest, however, people wanted to know when we arrived safely (as did my family).  So, I posted periodically on Facebook and now all those veteran friends and their spouses and I are connected in a new way.  It was fun to read their encouragement as I posted our stops along the way.  Now, I also have real faces to put to those posts.

I know that ministry can be done or at least begun with technology, but it's hard to beat a hug, a pat on the shoulder, or hands-on prayer.  I believe that face time and facebook, as well as Twitter and other such social media technologies can work hand in hand to the benefit of everyone in a relationship, especially the church.  An ultimately, if it benefits us in the name of Jesus and the Gospel, then we're heading in the right direction.

Yours [on-line] in Christ,
Pastor Deb

Taking a break.

If you’re like me, you’re constantly tuned in to what‘s happening… Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, emails, blogs (like this one), and text messages; for some of us it’s nearly 24/7!  How do we let it all go?  How do we have quality time with our friends and family?  Is it possible to take a real vacation, when your still connected to everything that’s happening back at the office?  I’m about to find out!

My husband Ed will be on a road trip – driving from New York to Florida for vacation.  During that time, I’ve decided limit my “tech time”, but I’m thinking that it’s not going to be so easy.  No more sitting side-by-side, watching TV, while playing games, reading emails, and/or checking Facebook, without talking to each other for hours.

 One of my first thoughts was to bring my iPad to fill the hours of travel.  The problem with that is then Ed will be left driving for hours all by himself, especially if I have my ear phones on.  He wouldn’t be very happy about that and neither would I, if the tables were turned.  So, I am not using it while traveling. 

Jesus spent a lot of face time with his friends and followers.  There were no computers or Internet back then, but he could have written letters, like St. Paul, though we don’t have any records of him doing so.  Jesus was up close and personal kind of guy throughout his travels.  Relationships were important to his mission, eating with tax collectors and sinners, touching those considered unclean.

It’s tempting to live a high-tech life, writing blogs, and updating the church website, texting and emailing, etc.  It’s fun, but also time consuming… and, it seems as if we’ve lost something when most of our relationships are on-line.  We can’t hear our “friends” emotions, or know that their not telling us something by their body language.  We can’t reach out to them with the comfort of a hug.  We can’t express our love with a kiss or holding their hand.  There’s a lot to be said for face-to-face time!

As I limit technology on my vacation, I’m hoping to carry it forward when I return.  It will be interesting to see, how it will affect my ministry, hugging and shaking hands whenever I can!  I’m sure there will be some withdrawal symptoms at first, but I pray that the hours I’m not “connected” will be hours filled with peace, love, and joy, as well as quality time with my family and friends.

I’ll let you know how it’s going when I get back!