This is such an accurate reflection on society

Lesson, we are spoiled brats. How can we take on an attitude of thankfulness in this generation, when we feel like we are owed so much?

I dropped her

And now I can't sleep. Well, I can't sleep for other reasons, too: not enough exercise, things on my mind. But yes, I dropped her. She was sitting in my lap as we lay on the bed together. I heard her stomach start to rumble a bit, so I decided to adjust the spit up rag. I lifted it to straighten it out...and next thing I know her weight shifts and her face is heading straight for the mattress. I react as quickly as I can, but too late. She has fallen about 4 inches, well more with momentum, as her face started about 15 inches from the bed. And yes she did a face plant. She looked at me, her face turned red, and then it squinched up, and her eyes said, "Why, Daddy? Why?" She began to cry. I lifted her into my arms and held her close and told her I was sorry. I stood up out of bed, and began to sway and walk around...trying to comfort her. She calmed down, but when I lay back down in bed with her in the same position as before-one we both know well and one that had previously been safe-she again squinched up her face , it turned red and her mouth openned so I could see her tonsels and she squelched her raspy cry. Wheee Whee Whee.

It was never my intention, and I felt so bad. At three months has gained strength and is less easy to control. It is easy to see how free will can create so many problems. She, unknowingly, exercised her new ablility to move in new ways. And, in the past when I have seen her sway one way or another on my lap, I catch her. This time, I missed it. How does this relate to the Creator and Creature? Are we allowed to fall flat on our faces? How many times have we been caught before we fall? Are some falls are more harsh than others? And then are we lifted up and swayed and soothed until we can be at peace again?

A prayer for Ruby Eugenia and all of her generation

A prayer for Ruby Eugenia and all of her generation.
La Rotunda, Santa Fe, NM
opening session house floor
March 18, 2009

Please pray with me,
O God our help in ages past...our hope for years to come.

Thank you for this new day, and the life you give us.
Thank you for our elected officials who govern here,
and for all who facilitate this process of public service to our community

Thank you for the life of my daughter, born 7 weeks ago today.
She knows little of what this world is all about...as do we all.

Her big blue eyes delight in the way the shadow of the ceiling fan is cast on the vigas in our home.
Colors in contrast catch her eye and she is fascinated by them,
and yet we so often are a people divided on the grounds of differing colors, red and blue...
yellow, black and white. May we be united n our diversity this day!

I love how my little one sits on the changing table amazed by this simple little stuffed animal, that we call señorita obeja; but we so often are a people who feel like we need more things, bigger things, faster and fancier things. May we delight in simplicity today!

My little girl is comforted when her mother or I hold her tightly in our arms, there she rests and is at peace,
and yet we so often are a people who push others away, we build walls, and we keep you at arms distance... Hold us close this day.

When my little angel sleeps, she rests without worry, without fear, as if she is basking in the very presence of your divine being...
but we so often are a people who cannot trust, we are afraid of one another, we cannot trust ourselves...Free us from worry and fear, today.

My precious baby knows no threat to her life; and yet, we so often are a people who threaten so much of life, the lives of others and the lives of your creation. This day may we respect all life!

My little angels thinks that everything is just right, for now, but some day she will wake up to parents in an argument, someone in power will mistreat her, a friend will betray her..you know well this road.

Soon she will discover a world different from the one she knows now.
But, may the actions of this day make it possible for her to wake up to a better world.
As discussions take place and decisions are made here today,
may they be made with my little girl Ruby Eugenia in mind, but not just her, sino all children in this state, in this nation, and in this world.

O God our help in ages past,
and our hope for years to come
do a new thing! Make a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland. And may we perceive it!

Amen

Is my girl cute or what??!!

Ruby Eugenia...
how photogenic.

6 weeks

A prayer for Ruby Eugenia and all of her generation

A prayer for Ruby Eugenia and all of her generation.
La Rotunda, Santa Fe, NM
opening session house floor
March 18, 2009

Please pray with me,
O God our help in ages past...our hope for years to come.

Thank you for this new day, and the life you give us.
Thank you for our elected officials who govern here,
and for all who facilitate this process of public service to our community

Thank you for the life of my daughter, born 7 weeks ago today.
She knows little of what this world is all about...as do we all.

Her big blue eyes delight in the way the shadow of the ceiling fan is cast on the vigas in our home.
Colors in contrast catch her eye and she is fascinated by them,
and yet we so often are a people divided on the grounds of differing colors, red and blue...
yellow, black and white. May we be united n our diversity this day!

I love how my little one sits on the changing table amazed by this simple little stuffed animal, that we call señorita obeja; but we so often are a people who feel like we need more things, bigger things, faster and fancier things. May we delight in simplicity today!

My little girl is comforted when her mother or I hold her tightly in our arms, there she rests and is at peace,
and yet we so often are a people who push others away, we build walls, and we keep you at arms distance... Hold us close this day.

When my little angel sleeps, she rests without worry, without fear, as if she is basking in the very presence of your divine being...
but we so often are a people who cannot trust, we are afraid of one another, we cannot trust ourselves...Free us from worry and fear, today.

My precious baby knows no threat to her life; and yet, we so often are a people who threaten so much of life, the lives of others and the lives of your creation. This day may we respect all life!

My little angels thinks that everything is just right, for now, but some day she will wake up to parents in an argument, someone in power will mistreat her, a friend will betray her..you know well this road.

Soon she will discover a world different from the one she knows now.
But, may the actions of this day make it possible for her to wake up to a better world.
As discussions take place and decisions are made here today,
may they be made with my little girl Ruby Eugenia in mind, but not just her, sino all children in this state, in this nation, and in this world.

O God our help in ages past,
and our hope for years to come
do a new thing! Make a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland. And may we perceive it!

Amen

Mk1,40-45 sermon

Sure Jesus, I won’t tell anyone….
Mark 1:40-45, 2 Kings 5:1-14
Westminster Presbyterian Church, Santa Fe

February 15, 2009

I have joined a new club. Wow! I mean it has been so cool for me to be in this club. It’s kind of a wink wink, nod nod club. You don’t have to say much to know who is in it. “Oh really, how old is yours?” “Ah, yes, I understand.” (slide 1, Ruby Gene and me). Being a Dad has been an amazing experience for me so far. I’d heard a lot of things about parenting, before, but I didn’t really know what it was going to be like…now I’m part of the club.

I want to thank each and everyone of you for your love and support for Trasie and me throughout her pregnancy, the special time during the birth, and now in these early days of Ruby Gene’s life. I’m not used to getting so much attention..oh, wait… I remember, when people have stopped by to drop off a little gift or maybe some food, it’s not me they’re interested in seeing is it.

And, God willing, I look forward to everyone getting a chance to meet her next week. I wonder if she’ll sit through the entire service? It will be the first of many sermons she’ll hear me preach “bless her heart.”
It’s crazy for me to think about her growing up…and what life has in store for her. I kind of wish she would just stay small. Like she is now, even if it means restless nights. The world can be a difficult place, a harsh place. Unfair it seems at times.

This morning’s passage from Mark implicitly names the cruelty that can be experienced in life. Did you catch it? The leper in the story, at one point in his life, was a baby child, just like my Ruby Gene. Probably doted on and loved like Ruby Gene has been by so many wonderful people. Maybe he did well in school; maybe even had a family of his own.

But something happens…a tragic turn of events. Disease. Leprosy. Now he is restricted to living out in the “open field.”¹ After so many people around him, now he’s isolated, not welcomed in the public places. He’s an outcast. Leprosy “…a slow, chronic disease that attacks the peripheral nervous system and motor skills, often leading to disability and disfigurement.” ²Not much chance of coming across someone with leprosy in our day.³
But back in Jesus’ day, it was a fairly prevalent thing; and there were harsh strict rules dealing with lepers. ⁴ Lepers were impure so they were kept apart. There was little chance for them to become clean, and be restored to society. The leper says to Jesus, “if you choose, make me clean.” It seems others who knew the cleansing codes, chose not to. Jesus sees the man and our translation says he was moved with pity…other translations say filled with compassion, or feeling sorry for him...

Okay, so here’s a cool greek word for the week, we actually have two of them this morning. splanchnizomai (slide 2). When Jesus sees the man he was splanchnizomai. - “profound compassion that one is moved to act on behalf of someone else.”⁵ Jesus splanchnizomai:

People are busy lobbying for various laws to be pasted about any number of issues these days. Many do so for selfish gain. But some do so on behalf of others who are marginalized and oppressed in society—Who? Immigrants, homeless, gays and lesbians, minorities, people with disabilities, the list goes on. I happened to be at the rotunda Thursday, it was quite cold but that didn’t stop Father Juan. Bald, standing in the cold, he’d come all the way up from Roswell to speak on behalf of workers who were not being treated with fairness and dignity.

Is this splanchnizomai? Drawing on the tradition of Ezekiel,⁶ Jesus’ feelings and action “address more than a spiritual and personal dilemma; he is condemning social and religious practices that contribute to the misery of those in the greatest need.”⁷ Jesus is opposed to the oppressive system that would marginalize and exclude this leper, so Jesus does choose, and he touches the man, breaking down barriers.

And there is healing and power in Jesus’ touch. Jesus touched this man. Perhaps he could have healed him from a distance as Elisha did Naaman in the story from Kings. Naaman was an important man, he traveled a long distance to meet the prophet in Israel named Elisha. And he got the healing he wanted…if he would only go down to the waters and wash. But what’s interesting as we compare the interaction between Naaman and Elisha, and that of Jesus and the leper. Elisha knew the Leviticus laws, the purity codes, so maybe he didn’t want to become unclean by coming into contact with—by touching—a leper⁸....But, Jesus, the new prophet of Israel, the one Mark says is the Son of God,

knows the implications of touching this man. “Jesus, if you choose.” “I do choose. Be made clean!” And there is the touch. He is made clean…and then strangely, Jesus tells him: “Shhh, don’t tell anyone!” The translation is “sternly warns him.” (Slide 3). Our second greek word: Embrimesamenos. A translation I like is “snorting with indignation”. Snorting with indignation Jesus tells the man not to say anything, rather to go back, appear before the religious authorities that had refused to allow this man to be part of society, and show them, as a testimony against them.⁹ Jesus is snorting at those who created and enforce this kind of harsh treatment of this child of God.
“But don’t tell anyone who did this!”
“Sure…I won’t tell anybody.”
Many people wonder why Jesus tells the man to keep quiet. All over Mark’s gospel, we see Jesus telling people to: Shhh, keep quiet. The messianic secret. Why? Aren’t disciples supposed to proclaim the good news? Doesn’t Jesus want people to know who he is? Theories abound, but here in these verses, it seems quite apparent to me why Jesus wanted this man now cured of leprosy to keep his trap shut. In the verses just before this passage begins Jesus says to his disciples: “Let us go on to the neighboring towns, so that I may proclaim the message there also; for that is what I came out to do.” That I may proclaim the message there also, for that is what I came out to do. The passage continues: He went throughout Galilee, proclaiming the message in their synagogues and casting out demons. But, how things change in just six verses. At the end of this encounter with the leper Mark says, “But [the cured man] went out and began to proclaim it freely, and to spread the word, so that Jesus could no longer go into a town openly, but stayed out in the country…” It seems like Jesus didn’t want this man to say anything because he knew that if he did, according to the laws of those in power, according to the social structure which ruled the day and could determine who was acceptable to have around and who wasn’t, Jesus didn’t want the word to get out that he had touched this “unclean” man.

And when it did get out he could no longer do what he came out to do, proclaim the good news…. But this cured man did. It’s funny, the leper is told to do two things, appear before the priests, and to not tell anyone. Did he do either one? Follows directions listens well: Non-satisfactory!¹⁰ Oh sure, Jesus…I won’t tell anyone. How could he not? Can’t you see him heading into town and runs into that neighbor who grew up down the street:

“Hey, Jerry (short for Jeremiah), is that you?”
“Yes.”
“Well, you sure look different, did you do something with your hair?”
“No.”
“Well what is it…?”
“Well, I used to have a problem with my skin…it was kind of falling off.”
“Oh yeah..wow what happened?”

And after he tells one person, he might as well tell everyone else. He went out to proclaim it freely, to spread the word…. He becomes for the early community a model witness. His life has been radically transformed by Christ’s touch; he can’t contain himself. In a complete role reversal, Jesus can no longer move about from town to town proclaiming the good news, but this cured man can.

And I think about this and our own lives. Jesus is not here in the flesh to go out and travel from town to town and proclaim the good news. But, do you know who is? People who have been touched by the Christ. People who’ve been sick, people who’ve been lonely, people who have been excluded from society. And thanks to Jesus breaking down barriers and overcoming fears, these people have been made whole, can be integrated back into society. Who are these people?

You and me….Have we not been touched by Christ’s love? Made clean! I know it, I’ve heard your stories. I know it, I’ve broken bread of life and shared the cup of salvation with you. It’s happened in my life: if ya’ll would have seen me in high school, wow. My mom sent me some pictures a few weeks ago, and boy. [Show picture] I was some kind of freak. [I had a shaved head, I was really skinny, braces, pimples all over, I’m sitting in this chair all slouched over. ]

No wonder girls didn’t talk to me.
In college, I experienced Christ’s touch in a profound way. So much of the fear, anxiety, and worry that had been a part of my life, was gone. I securely embraced by God’s love and forgiveness…I remember when I came home that Christmas break, I was hanging out with some friends from high school, and one good friend said to me, “Topple, (that’s what I was called) something’s different about you…” yes, God changed my life. Wow.

Still, there are many times in my life when I keep quiet. When I keep to myself and it’s easy to not share this love with others. Does that happen to some of you? Oh yeah, Jesus told the leper to keep it on the DL. On the down low. hush hush…so maybe that’s what I’m supposed to do too? Just…trying to be faithful.” Why do we hesitate to share our experience? Do we forget? Are we not sure about what happened? Are we afraid of what others might think? When something awesome has happened in my life… I want to go out and share it right away. When we tell our stories, God’s story, we’re not beating the bible over someone’s head, or turning into fanatics, we’re witnessing against those who would establish and maintain oppressive forces in society, and celebrating with those who have also experienced this liberation, God’s grace.

Each of us has our own experiences. Our own encounters. Sure we have disappointments in life. There is so much suffering, so much pain. What’s interesting about these healing stories we read about in the gospels is that Jesus didn’t just wipe out all cases of leprosy, which might have been a little more effective in terms of overcoming the oppressive social structures of the day. “No one has leprosy anymore, I guess we can get rid of that law. Thanks Jesus.”
It’s kind of weird…. He touched lives with a healing touch, one at a time.
And we can do the same.
I went to the Santa Fe High Christmas choral concert this year…Dulce Cervantes had invited me. And there she was along with about 20 other teens. It didn’t take long to hear one person singing a little off key, a little more loudly than the others, and not necessarily singing the right words during the performance.
Once or twice the conductor had to quiet this young woman a bit. She had down syndrome. And as easy it may have been for her peers to shun her or just ignore her to protect their own reputation, there was Dulce, singing right next to her, trying to help her find her place in her music. Touching her life, while trying to sing her best. Did I tell you? Dulce’s in the club.

I’m part of the club. Yes, I’m part of the dad club. But even more significant, I’m part of the Jesus club (corny?.. yes). This club is not exclusive. Anyone is welcome, and everyone can share. It’s the club where we gather around the table, we share in bread and drink and friendship and love. It’s the club where barriers are torn down, and anyone can sit down beside you or me. Anyone can be made clean, be made whole, be given new life! Maybe we need to start inviting more people, sharing a little bit about what God has done in our lives, touching the lives of others out of thankfulness for what God has done for us…

how can we keep it just to ourselves? Sure jesus, I won’t tell anyone….

Announce: Next Sunday, Special Sunday in the life of the church Maya Chavez will be debuting on piano! She called me this week and said, hey Chester, are you going to be at Church next Sunday? Yes. Is Ruby Gene going to be there. We hope so…Oh me, too. I’m going to play piano! We will be ordaining and installing the new class of elders and deacons. And after church we will have the fourth Sunday Pot-Luck. (bring your favorite dishes, and I know that many of you know how to cook, I’ve sampled many of you dishes over the past two months. Also, Imam Aziz al eddebbarh from the Mosque here in town will be speaking during the potluck about the recent events in Palestine and Israel.

1 Ofelia Ortega, Mark 1:40-45 Theological Perspective, Feasting on the Word, pp. 358-360.
2 http://www.upi.com/Health_News/2008/11/10/Leprosy_being_diagnosed_in_United_States/UPI-94971226295342/
3 There are an estimated 150 cases of leprosy diagnosed each year in the United States. According to the World Health Organization, in 2004 the number of patients with leprosy worldwide was 457,792.
4 cf. Leviticus 13 and 14
5 Gary Charles, “Mark 1:40-45, Exegetical Perspective,” Feasting on the Word, ed. Bartlett, Brown Taylor, pp. 357-360.
6 Ezekiel 34; cf. Mark 6 and Jesus splanchnizomai for the “sheep without a shepherd.”

7 Gary Charles, “Mark 1:40-45, Exegetical Perspective,” Feasting on the Word, ed. Bartlett, Brown Taylor, pp. 357-360.

8 Not only was Namaan a leper but he was also a foreigner, a double-edged sword, in terms of purity codes.

9 Ched Myers, Binding the Strong Man: A Political Reading of Mark’s Story of Jesus, 153

10 These are the marks I used to get in elementary school.

Mk 1:1-4 Baptism

When did your ears emerge?¹ Mark 1:4-11 January 11, 2009

This morning, I want to continue to explore what it means to be a child of God. A few weeks, Claudia began our voyaging, when she encouraged us to look at children if we want to find out what it means to be children of God…and maybe start acting like children. Last week we looked at aspects of Attachment Theory and various ways that parents may behave with their newborns in order to create a secure attachment. And compared this positive behavior with our concept of our Heavenly Parent, and how we this parent behaves toward us, earthly children. And this week, on the Baptism of the Lord Sunday, we continue our discovery or affirmation, as we claim our identity as children of God, by thinking about the sacrament of baptism. What about our own baptism, that of others? Wasn’t Jesus baptized?

Let’s read our passage first from the Gospel according to Mark 1:4-11.
Let us listen for God’s word to us on this day:

John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 5And people from the whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem were going out to him, and were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. 6Now John was clothed with camel's hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. 7He proclaimed, "The one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the thong of his sandals. I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit."

In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And just as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit descending like a dove on him. And a voice came from heaven, "You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased."

There you have it. Mark starts his gospel off with his hair on fire. There is not birth scene, no angels or shepherds. It’s the beginning of the good news, John the baptizer, and then Jesus appears on the scene, heavens are torn apart, the Spirit descends, and a voice speaks from heaven. Imagine reporting on that scene: Live from the river Jordan. Wow! And from this event comes the practice of baptism in the Church. Early apostles did it. And now we do it.

It’s interesting to think about how this practice of John, a baptism of repentance for adults who had something to repent of, came to be used as a rite of initiation for both adults and infants, in order to become part of the church. And now it is common practice in Presbyterian and Reformed churches, along with others, to baptize infants. Why? What has that got to do with repentance? And we sometimes will tell ourselves: remember your baptism. We do this when we install and ordain officers; when we observe ash Wednesday; among other occasions. If we’re baptized as infants, how are we supposed to remember our baptism? We baptized Jaleesa last May. Remember? Does she remember? But this is what we do.2

Among the many reasons: such as it’s easier on my back to hold an infant than an adult; theologically we do this because it speaks to God’s gracious initiative in creation, and in our lives. That’s to say, God loves us even before we begin to respond to God in trust and love. It is a proclamation of the love of God as a sheer gift.3 But, because those of us who were baptized as infants, don’t remember, and the decision wasn’t necessarily ours, it’s important that we somehow make the significance of the event part of our life. That we remember: by seeing other infants get baptized, and by claiming it’s meaning in our own lives, as part of who we are.

Baptism is rich in meaning.
And this morning, I want to talk about just two aspects of this practice.
1. Incorporation as we unite with the body of Christ in Baptism.
2. And baptism being a sign of God’s coming reign.

Incorporation into the body of Christ
Okay, to get us thinking about this idea of incorporation, particularly when it comes to infant baptism…we’re going to get fancy and use…Multimedia. A video clip from The Lion King (1994). The opening scene, classic song by Elton john, in which the animals from all walks of life gather, as if they were shepherds guided by a star, to see this thing which has come to pass. A baby lion has been born to the king Mufasa. And it would only be appropriate to acknowledge the birth of this little one through a powerful ritual:

IMovie Clip or dvd (2:30-4:25)

How was this an initiation rite? How was baby Simba incorporated into the community? What were some of the symbols and gestures?
How does this scene compare with our practice of baptism?
What is different?
When we baptize in this church, we sprinkle water onto the baby’s head, and say, “in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. And we sign a cross on the forehead, a sign and seal of union with Christ.

In the movie, the animal “kingdom” bowed before the newly born king-to-be. We don’t necessarily bow, but we can affirm two things:
To look upon a baby is to seek the image of God born anew among us.
And to acknowledge the importance of the baby, we make vows to him or her:
Do you as members of the church of Jesus Christ, promise to guide and nurture N. and N. by word and deed, with love and prayer, encouraging them to know and follow Christ and to be faithful members of his church?

There is sprinkling and hopefully no tinkling. Words spoken: in the name of the father, of the son, and the Holy Spirit. A sign marked on the forehead: the cross.
And then the presentation: recognize the image of God in the little one who is baptized. And the little one has no idea what’s going on.

When we have no idea what’s going on, there is a phrase that describes us: “wet behind the ears.” Okay, so here’s a good one for the next time you run into one of our Korean friends.4 Ask them if they have a similar phrase in their language. Evidently they do. I read in an article that the phrase is translated: “When did your ears emerge?” To which one would reply: “My ears emerged on such and such a day.” The person’s birthday.5

In making a promise to guide, nurture, and encourage our children to be faithful members of the church; we take on the wonderful responsibility to raise our them so that they may emerge into radical disciples. So we pray for them, teach them, and set and an example for them. Through baptism, a child is incorporated into a system of relationships, in which he or she inherits a whole slew of tios tias, abuelos y abuelas.

And through these relationships that the child and all of us may discover who we are. It was in baptism that it was revealed to all who Jesus was: “This is my son, the beloved.” And in our own baptism we too find our identity as beloved children of God, incorporated into the body of Christ, and in covenantal relationship with one another.

But we forget.

When I was interviewed for this church, Thomas Burnett, who was on the search committee, asked me: “What do you think the biggest challenge facing young people today?” The answer was simple. Identity. And this is not just a problem for young people, It is a problem for all of us. Who are we?

Later on in the movie The Lion King, a grown up Simba, who now makes company with Pumbaa the Warthog and Timon the Meekrat in the land of Hakuna Matata, is confronted by a significant person from his past, Nala—the lioness he was supposed to have married. In this encounter, he is forced to face his past. While doing some soul searching, he looks down into the water to find an answer, but only sees his own reflection looking back at him.

Then the wonderful scene in which Rafiki the Mandrill sings this crazy song:
Asante sana! [Thank you very much!] Squash banana! [Squash banana!]
We we nugu! [You're a BABOON,] Mi mi apana! [And I'm not!]

Real Video 0:50 – 2:04 [Simba is pressed to answer the question: Who Are you?
Simba, had just looked into the waters, he had seen his reflection. But he doesn’t know who he is. ] Is this mufasa’s boy? Or is this a Baboon?
Asante sana! [Thank you very much!]
Squash banana! [Squash banana!]
We we nugu! [You're a BABOON,]
Mi mi apana! [And I'm not!]

Are you a child of God? Or a baboon?

Reformed Father, John Calvin knew how essential this question of identity is. He is wrote tons on the the bible and theology…and he starts off his theological treatise with these words: Without knowledge of self there is no knowledge of God. Without knowledge of God there is no knowledge of self.

Its like when we look into the waters and see not just our own reflection, but that of Imago Dei, God’s image, the image of Christ, staring back at us as well.

As our ears emerge and we gain wisdom and understanding of what it means to grow in the faith, to seek to know ourselves and to seek to know God, another aspect of baptism seems to emerge as well. Baptism being a sign of God’s coming reign.

Baptism in the Presbyterian and Reformed tradition means that we understand that by grace an entry into “Christ’s ministry of love, peace, and justice” is provided. Baptism is not a means of salvation but rather an obligation to service. This is who we are! With the beloved Son’s baptism began a radical servant ministry. 6

What about with our own baptism? Did we begin radical service as an infant?
(maybe to the diaper companies). For this reason, many who would advocate for an adult baptism would claim that it is important that the one being baptized know what he or she is doing. This is no small thing. Baptism means identifying oneself with the Christ, and partnering with him in ministry, and seeking to be a sign of God’s coming reign. It’s a big DEAL!

Here’s a wonderful story of a man who learned through his own baptism experience how big a deal it is:
“He was baptized when he was ten years old. He and his older brother had to walk down to the river in February, barefoot, wearing nothing but thin white robes. The congregation had gathered down by the riverside. The country preacher was standing knee deep in the cold water, telling stories to the congregation to keep them warm. The preacher was telling the old story about the country preacher who was baptizing in a cold river. The practice was three times down and under: once for the Father, once for the Son, and once for the Holy Ghost. After the second dunking the preacher’s hands were so cold he lost his grip, and the person was swept downstream as the preacher shouted, “The Lord gives; the Lord takes away; blessed be the name of the Lord. Bring on another one.” Upon hearing this story, he froze, “Nobody told me this may kill me,” he thought. So he said his first real prayer, standing beside the river. It was, “Jesus, hold on.”

Maybe, that’s what John said to Jesus, as Jesus was going under: “Hold on!” And after this scene, Mark’s gospel, which we are going to look at throughout this year, tells the story of this baptized one, the beloved, who fulfills the mission given to him by God—a mission that will eventually result in his execution. As children of God will we commit ourselves to doing christ’s work on earth no matter the cost? “Jesus, hold on!”7

A final movie clip for the morning…we’re on a roll. This one comes from the motorcycle diaries, which traces the journey of two friends Ernesto Guevara and Alberto Granado as they travel across South America. They are both aspiring medical doctors and spend time both at play and serving the people. They discover the cruel injustices that exist, particularly at the expense of those indigenous to the land. Their journey in the movie ends at a leper colony where they spend several weeks working. There are strict rules established by those in power, which further exclude and marginalize these people who are already outcasts. Those who are well live apart from those who have leprosy. And it’s the Amazon river that separates them. On the evening of his birthday, those who are well—staff, doctors, and religious leaders—throw a party for Ernesto. While he enjoys this party, he longs to be able to celebrate with those on the other side of the river. He goes down to the river and discovers that there is no way to cross, except the unthinkable, to swim.

See if you can see a baptism in this scene.

Video dvd (2:00 – 4:20) How might this be related to baptism?

He goes from one side, the side of comfort and security, to the side of the oppressed. How is this responding to a call? Solidarity with the outcast. In thinking about our practice: It’s almost like an infant baptism should be neat and tidy, a little sprinkle. And an adult baptism, in which a decision to follow, and acknowledgement of what that decision means, should be signified by swimming across a river, like the Pecos or the Rio Grande, from the side of the old life, to the side of radical discipleship.

May we, who have been baptized be constantly reminded of what that baptism means. That we are claimed and loved as children of God. That is who we are! Beloved. And that we are empowered by the Holy Spirit for loving acts of service, to carry out God’s mission in this world. No matter the cost. In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

1 Phrase from Paul Junggap Huh, “Baptism and Water Symbolism in Korea,” Call to Worship, Vol 39.4, 2006, pp 23-26.
2 There are some pretty convincing arguments for adult baptism rather than infant in the Reformed tradition, notably: Karl Barth, Church Dogmatics, 4/4.
3 Daniel Migliore, Faith Seeking Understanding, 2004, p 282-288
4 A Korean congregation shares a building with us.
5 Paul Junggap Huh, “Baptism and Water Symbolism in Korea,” Call to Worship, Vol 39.4, 2006, pp 23-26.
6 Douglas Gebhard, “Baptism and the Small Church,” Call to Worship, Vol 39.4, 2006, pp 49-50.
7 Paul Junggap Huh retelling a story by Heather Murray Elkins, “Baptism and Water Symbolism in Korea,” Call to Worship, Vol 39.4, 2006, pp 23-26.