Re-Membering the Body of Christ

Sermon 1-27-19 P = emPowered

Grace to you and peace from God our creator and from our Lord and Savior Jesus the Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit, Amen.

If you haven’t noticed yet, we’re in the middle of doing an in-depth look at baptism, assigning each letter an aspect of our baptismal life.  Each week, a new word is revealed, and by the time we get to Lent, we’ll have gone through the entire word BAPTISM!

Let’s do a quick review, shall we? So far we’ve covered B, which is…. That’s right, born from above…. Last week was A, which stands for …. Affirmed, that’s correct. Last week, we also walked through the Affirmation of Baptism service, which is more commonly known as… Confirmation.

This week we’ve gotten to P, which stands for… emPOWERED! Haha, maybe I cheated just a little bit. In our baptisms, we are called and anointed by the power of the Holy Spirit, empowered to live as part of God’s new community, which we call the Body of Christ. In fact, one of the promises that your parents made FOR you in your baptism, and a promise you later AFFIRMED in your confirmation… is to “live among God’s faithful people.” That’s the very first promise listed, because that is where baptismal life begins – as part of God’s community among the people of faith.

The Christian life of faith, begun in baptism, is not meant to be lived “lone ranger” style. We’re created as social beings who thrive on relationships. We long to belong somewhere, whether that is a physical place, or a group of people who deeply love us for who we are. We don’t do well when we try to be completely independent and “make it on our own.” We all need a posse of people behind us to support us and living out our baptismal promises and trying to follow Jesus is no exception.

Even Jesus didn’t “go it alone.” He invited along twelve unlikely characters to join him in his ministry, and we’ll find out more about how they end up as part of Jesus’ movement in just a few weeks. For now, though, we jump into the story just after Jesus’s baptism and testing in the wilderness. Then, filled and empowered by the Holy Spirit…. Jesus begins his world tour as messiah, and his first stop is…. At home. Back to his roots, back to his back to his home community, back to his home town even… even back to his home synagogue. 

There, in front of the little old ladies who used to pinch his cheeks when Jesus was a kid, he preached one of the shortest sermons ever. “Today the scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” Boom. Mic drop. The end. I bet that is not the sermon those church ladies where expecting.

This first sermon sets the tone for his entire ministry. “Today the scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” In Jesus, today the spirit is upon him, today the oppressed and the blind and the poor shall be liberated. It’s kind of a theme that Jesus picks up: Later in to Zacchaeus, that vertically challenged tax collector who pledges to repay everyone he has ever cheated, Jesus says, “Today salvation has come to this house.” While Jesus is on the cross, he turns to one of the criminals crucified with him and says, “Today you will be with me in paradise.”

God has come to us TODAY. God loves us TODAY. God has chosen and has empowered you TODAY.

Today IS a very special day…after church we will be doing what we do best – eating and having fellowship with one another, and also having our annual meeting. But our annual meeting isn’t just about approving budgets, reading reports, and reviewing the last year – though all that IS important work for the church. The annual meeting also sets the tone for the coming year… and reminds us of who we are and what we have been empowered by our baptisms to be and to do as a family of God. We are reminded of things like our mission, values, purpose, and vision.

Does anyone remember our mission statement? If you picked up your annual report, you can find it right here…. And it goes like this: “Share the embrace of God’s love by being a family that welcomes, supports, and nourishes all seeking to make connections and to make a difference through service as part of the Body of Christ.”

We, as members of the Family of God, are part of the Body of Christ. Now what exactly do we mean by this? We didn’t pull the idea of “the body of Christ” out of thin air – it comes from right here in Paul’s letter to the Corinthians.

I remember first hearing this passage at confirmation camp, and picturing a giant eyeball, just floating around – sort of like Mike from Monsters Inc or something out of a B rated horror/ sci fi movie. “When sermons go terribly wrong! Imagine a world, sometime in the future, a pastor turned mad scientist invented a way to represent her church in different types of body parts…. But she couldn’t know that every person in her church would become absorbed into one…. Giant…. EYEBALL!!” (It’s right there in 1 Corinthians, by the way!) 

RUN AWAY!!!

Now, Paul didn’t know about modern medicine and biology and stuff, otherwise he might have gotten EVEN WEIRDER: “The pancreas can’t say to the optic nerve – I have no need of you! So, scram!” “and the brain stem can’t say to the white blood cells– I have no need of you!” BYEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

It may sound fantastical or even funny… but Paul based this on something that was actually happening in real life. The Christian community at Corinth was NOT doing very well at being a community. They were deeply divided, constantly fighting, and forgetting what Christian community is about: Love.

One of the ways that Christianity revolutionized the world is by teaching how Jesus lived in TRUE and authentic community with everyone, regardless of rank, religion, or race. In our own Jesus-following communities, Paul reminds us that here is no place for hierarchy, power plays, manipulation, or oppression. All members of the body are necessary and valued. Sadly, even thousands of years later, Christian communities even now still fall into the same problems that the churches in Corinth did.  And so, preachers like Paul have continued to come forward to remind us and challenge us, preachers like Martin Luther King Jr.

Just this past Monday was MLK Day, and many churches have taken the opportunity of this “day off” to sponsor a “Day of Service.” Here at Family of God, we hosted our first ever day of service, where 25 kids – many of them with no direct connection to this church – showed up despite the cold, to do various service projects. We do to honor his memory and continue his work toward justice and the kingdom of God. Dr. King had a dream that he shared with the world – a dream that all people, no matter their background or skin color, could live together in something he called the Beloved Community.

Beloved community is pretty much exactly as it sounds – a community where all people are loved and valued by God and by one another. A community where compassion and empathy are second nature. A community where everyone has a seat at the table.

If someone is missing from the table, the community – the body – is not complete. Just as one person cannot function as the WHOLE body, when someone’s voice is not welcome at our table, the rest of the body of Christ suffers. 

We are empowered in our baptisms to become the Beloved community. It starts here and now, wherever we are at, with whoever we are with. With the people we love, and with the people we find difficult or challenging to love, with people we don’t understand sometimes.

This power that comes from God is best manifested by being vulnerable and accepting that we are not complete without each other. This seems rather backward – why are we being given power, so that we can give that power away? Except that this is EXACTLY what Jesus modeled for us. He had everything and chose to spend most of his time with the kind of people that everyone else overlooked and threw away.

I mentioned that when I first heard this passage from 1^st Corinthians explained, I was at confirmation camp, daydreaming about giant eyeballs flying around. As we listened to these words of Paul, me, the youth group leader, and everyone in my confirmation class, were in canoes, lashed together with rope, drifting in the middle of the lake. Where one of us went, the rest of us went too. We would only get to shore by doing it together, and no one was going to be abandoned or forgotten.

That’s us. That’s the body of Christ. Re-Membering one another. Sharing “the embrace of God’s love by being a family that welcomes, supports, and nourishes all seeking to make connections and to make a difference through service as part of the Body of Christ.” Thanks be to God. Amen.

Season of Baptism: A is for Affirmed

My sermon for from Sunday, January 20th was a little bit different. Due to weather, I was planning on low attendance and prepared a more conversational sermon. I was pleasantly surprised when we got a lot of people, and it still worked to do what I planned. I walked the congregation through our Affirmation of Baptism service (Confirmation).  I'll share my notes here. 

Sermon 1-20-19, A = Affirmed

Grace to you and peace from God our creator and from our Lord and savior Jesus the Christ, by the power of the Holy Spirit, amen. 

Last week - B = Born Anew

This week A = affirmed

What does that word mean?

1. state as a fact; assert strongly and publicly.

synonyms:declare, state, assert, aver, proclaim, pronounce, attest, swear, avow, vow, guarantee, promise, certify, pledge, give one's word, give an undertaking;

2. offer (someone) emotional support or encouragement. 

In baptism God, affirms our chosenness, that we are created good and beloved by God at our birth

Then, we affirm something to = Affirmation of Baptism

Baptize infants/ kids vs. “Believer’s Baptism” (when you're older)

The reason we baptize babies - symbolizes that we do nothing to earn God’s love

But what about when we grow up? 

Rite of “Confirmation = Affirmation of Baptism (we can affirm this all the time, not just when we’re in the 9th or 10th grade)

(I asked, "What was your Confirmation class like? Do you remember your confirmation verse?")

ELW Page 234 - Go through the Affirmation of Baptism service 

Profession of Faith

The leader addresses those making affirmation of their baptism.

I ask you to profess your faith in Christ Jesus, reject sin, and confess the faith of the church.

Do you renounce the devil and all the forces that defy God?

Response:

I renounce them.

Do you renounce the powers of this world that rebel against God?

Response:

I renounce them.

Do you renounce the ways of sin that draw you from God?

Response:

I renounce them.

This section comes from the ancient rite of exorcism. We are casting out/ turning our backs on everything that gets between us and God.  I asked, 'If you were to add things to “turn our backs on,” what would they be? What specifically “defies” or “rebels” against God?'

Then we got on to the Apostles Creed, which affirms what we DO believe and turn toward:

The presiding minister addresses the candidates and the assembly.

Do you believe in God the Father?

I believe in God, the Father almighty,

creator of heaven and earth.

Do you believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God?

I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, our Lord,

who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,

born of the virgin Mary,

suffered under Pontius Pilate,

was crucified, died, and was buried;

he descended to the dead.*

On the third day he rose again;

he ascended into heaven,

he is seated at the right hand of the Father,

and he will come to judge the living and the dead.

Do you believe in God the Holy Spirit?

I believe in the Holy Spirit,

the holy catholic church,

the communion of saints,

the forgiveness of sins,

the resurrection of the body,

and the life everlasting.

Affirmation in the presence of the assembly = 
Reiterates all the baptismal promises - flip back to page 228 - It’s the same list 
Each person reiterates that promise

The leader addresses those who are making affirmation of their baptism.

You have made profession of your faith. Do you intend to continue in the covenant God made with you in holy baptism:

to live among God’s faithful people,

to hear the word of God and share in the Lord’s supper,

to proclaim the good news of God in Christ through word and deed,

to serve all people, following the example of Jesus,

and to strive for justice and peace in all the earth?

Response: I do, and I ask God to help and guide me.

Then WE reiterate OUR promise to THEM:

The leader may address others who are present.

People of God, do you promise to support these sisters and brothers and pray for them in their life in Christ?

We do, and we ask God to help and guide us.

The leader prays for God’s blessing.

Let us pray.

We give you thanks, O God, that through water and the Holy Spirit you give us new birth, cleanse us from sin, and raise us to eternal life.

“Stirrup prayer” - blessing of the Holy Spirit 

Kind of sounds like a horse …

The following words of blessing may be repeated for each person. The leader may lay both hands on the head of the person and say:

Stir up in  name  the gift of your Holy Spirit: the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord, the spirit of joy in your presence, both now and forever.

Amen.

So, Affirming our Baptism means = responding to the call to live a life of a baptized follower of Jesus 

Life of baptism - stirring up the gifts of the Holy Spirit, as Paul wrote. Many gifts, one spirit. 

All are Affirmed, or to put it another way, = “ACTIVATED”

“ACTIVATE BUTTON” on my Approval essay/paperwork 
= ready to rock and roll!

Affirmation of baptism/ Baptism= activate all the Gifts that God has given us! To become saints of God. 

Take at look at that list…  if you don’t feel any of your gifts are reflected, that’s ok…. Not a comprehensive list… stubbornness…. Determination…. Listening… all can be spiritual gifts too. 

Spiritual Gifts = as  many baptized people 

Tune in next week to find out what our next letter is! 

Season of Baptism: Born Anew

Sermon 1-13-19 – Season of Baptism: B – Born Anew

Grace to you and peace from God our Creator and from our Lord and Savior Jesus the Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit, amen.

Do you remember the first time you ever flew in a plane? Was it when you were little, like the kid that sat behind me on my latest flight from Wisconsin? It was so cute - the flight attendant gave him a pin with his “wings” for flying for the first time, and he narrated our entire takeoff and landing – look mom, we’re so high! I see that farm!

I flew for the first time when I was in middle school, and I was excited but also trying NOT to use that discrete “in-flight bag” during my first experience of airline turbulence. Maybe you’re like my dad, who flew for the first time when he traveled with my family to New Jersey for my ordination. Or perhaps you have never left the ground at all, for whatever reason, and prefer to keep it that way, with both feet determinedly planted on Terra Firma.

Some of us love to fly, and some of us hate it, but either way, we are earthbound creatures - helpless to the power of gravity and our own flightless design. We cannot even attempt to fly without something to help us along – wings, engines, hot air, or parachutes.

So, what is it about flying that so fascinates some of us? What yearning drove the Wright brothers to be the first to achieve human flight? To be suspended in the air with nothing holding you down, to look down on the world and be separate from it, to no longer be constrained by physical limitations, to go where you wish to go. To many, this sounds like the ultimate freedom.

Today we have come together to experience a very special event, a “launch” of sorts if you will. This year we get a nice long time before the start of Lent, and why not fill it with an in-depth look at the event that launched our lives as followers of Jesus, and in fact, launched Jesus’ career as well? Ever week, we will be looking at the next letter in the word Baptism and connect a word that begins with each of those letters that describes the life of baptism and how WE follow Jesus.

And I am so happy to share that we should be having at least ONE baptism during this season, and possibly THREE!!!

Alright, let’s cut to the chase, and reveal what the letter B in our BAPTISM acronym stands for! B stands for … BORN ANEW.

Yes, it is true, that we were all born at least once…. The first time of course the say we arrived from our mothers’ wombs. So, why do we need another birth?

The truth is, we were all born into a pretty screwed-up world. When we arrived on this planet as little bundles of joy, we were also held as it’s prisoner – trapped by hatred and fear of the unknown, trapped by racism, injustice, and oppression, trapped by violence, conflict, and wars. We are also trapped by by own body’s limitations, and will be subject to judgment of our peers. We are also trapped by time, whose steady march has and will cause both joy and pain in our life. Our world, our peers, our friends, our family, even our body will betray her someday.

But our God will never leave our side. This is what God has promised to us through our baptisms – as Luther writes, “a bath of the new Birth in the Holy spirit,” “through the water of rebirth and the renewal of the Holy Spirit,” “daily a new person is to come forth and rise up to live before God.”

If you remember way back from Catechism class, we in the Lutheran church have 2 sacraments, while other denominations have more, or even none. We have 2 sacraments because of our definition of what a sacrament is. According to Luther, a sacrament has 2 parts – does anyone remember these two? I’ll give you the hard one – a sacrament needs to be intuited by Jesus, or in other words, it has a “God said” or “God’s word” Part.

The second part to a sacrament is that it needs…. That’s right, and earthly part. Holy Communion was begun by Jesus on the night he was betrayed before his crucifixion, and he used _____ Bread and Wine, that’s right. In baptism, Jesus said, “Go make disciples by baptizing them,” and obviously the earthly part is …… water.

But how can plain water do such amazing things?

When the waters are poured over our heads, our old selves, trapped by the limitations and constraints of this world, will be washed away. We have been born anew and have arisen from the waters as new people, claimed by God as beloved children, never again to be held captive by the chains of the world we have been born into. The forces of evil in this world will be renounced and sent scurrying. The traps, chains, shackles, and locks of the world will be snap open and fall away.

It is in this moment that God declared to all of us in our own baptisms, “You are my beloved daughters and sons; with you I am well pleased.”

We heard them in a dove and a voice from heaven, as Jesus himself was baptized. This is a puzzling story, given what we know about baptism. Why did Jesus get baptized? What did Jesus have to be reborn from? Did Jesus have an old, sinful self, a self, trapped by the world that needed to be reborn? Why was Jesus baptized if he were already the Son of God, sent to die and rise again to defeat the power of sin and death?

What if Jesus’ baptism was an announcement to the world that its savior had arrived? What if this were God’s way of clearing Jesus for “take off”?

When we are baptized, we are anointed with oil in a ritual dating back to the very first followers of Jesus. We say that the baptized are “sealed with the Holy Spirit” and bear the mark of Christ on our foreheads. In this way, we could look at Jesus’ baptism as God’s stamp of approval, where God is confirming his true candidate for the office of Messiah and is announcing to the world Jesus’ true identity as God’s Son. Not unlike a kind of re-birth mark.

Just a few weeks ago, we heard the story of Jesus being born, and now Jesus is all grown up and ready to launch his career. During his tenure on earth, he will reveal God’s love to all people by feeding them, teaching them, healing them, and walking with them. His love for us does not stop, and even goes as far as through death itself. Though even death and the grave cannot stop Jesus from showing us God’s love in all things.

Jesus does all these things for us, because we are children of God, reborn into the Family of God, chosen and beloved. God takes us by the hand and leads us, like the little children we are, into a freedom we cannot fully imagine and cannot fully grasp yet. Even though we may walk through fire, and the waters of uncertainty threaten to overwhelm us, we are never alone. All this is promised and given to us on the day we were baptized.

But this is not a one-day affair. Just as our first BIRTH day marks the start of our lives, a wedding marks the start of a marriage, and graduation the start of life beyond a classroom, baptism is not a one-day event. Our baptism day was the inauguration of our own call to ministry, the day we were born to new life in the name of God. We belong to Christ, and we, ALONG with Christ, are born and called to be servants of one another.

The reality is that none of us lives out our baptismal lives perfectly. Sometimes, more often than we care to admit, we experience turbulence, bruise or break our wings, or crack our landing gear during a rough landing. But the beauty of life as children of God is that this birthright of love is ours forever. No matter how much the world seeks to keep us down, it has no power over us anymore. We have been born anew; the sky is the limit, and we have been cleared for takeoff.

Join us in the following few weeks as we continue to explore how baptism changes how we live and act in the world. Trust me, there is a lot to explore, and we have only just begun! Thanks be to God, amen!