sermon - Baptism

            Our lives are marked with transitions.  It is graduation season, we mark the end of set period of time and requirements of study and honor the students with a ceremony of completion.  In a few weeks, my little Daisy troop will be bridging, moving from Daisies to Brownies.  Next Sunday, our youth will be confirmed, we will celebrate a time of study and transition our youth into adult members of the church.  Transitions are all around us:  from being able to vote for the first time and getting a driver’s license, to weddings and births, to retirement.  And most of the time, we mark these transitions with some sort of ceremony, certificate, or party. 

            Rituals, ceremony, help guide us through times of transition, people of all cultures participate in various rites of passage, often with those transitioning being marked in a specific way, such as a bride wearing a white dress, or a graduate wearing a gown. 

            Our Sunday worship reflects this as well.  We mark our sacred time together with the ringing of the church bell, we set aside this space as sacred space, and we, in a sense, exit the secular world in which we live, and enter into sacred time and space before being sent back out into the world.  We transition weekly, reminding ourselves of the sacred, of the need to be in intentional connection with our beloved creator, of connecting to the sacred story and sharing with one another in prayer. 

            It is this very topic of sacred transitions that we find in our story from the Gospel of John today.  There is a very well educated man, Nicodemus, that has heard about Jesus and heard about his teachings.  Nicodemus wants to know more, he has questions that he wants answered, but he seems somewhat concerned about being seen, about being associated with Jesus,.  For you see, he was a Pharisee, a leader of the Jews, the very people that were resisting Jesus and his teachings.  But he knew there was something more happening here, he knew Jesus was from God, but he takes a great risk to his own reputation and leadership to be seen with Jesus.  so the text tells us, that he comes to Jesus in the night. 

            In the Gospel of John, light and dark are symbolic themes throughout.  In the night, in the dark, can be interpreted symbolically as not yet fully knowing, not yet exposed to God’s light, not yet fully aware of the divine presence.  So, it is possible Nicodemus sneaks out in the night so no one will see him speaking with Jesus or it could be a metaphor for where he is spiritually, but either way, he wants to learn more. 

            And Jesus, in his own way, speaks symbolically of what it means to be in relationship of God.  He speaks of being born again, or being born from above.  The only way to see the kingdom of God, is to be born from above.  And Nicodemus seems to take this very literally and asks how can one be born a second time?  And Jesus responds proclaiming that one must be born of water and spirit to enter the Kingdom of God.  He then elaborates explaining the difference of being born of the flesh and being born of the spirit.  As people, as living creatures here on earth, we are all born of the flesh from our mothers.  But we all have the ability to also be born of the Spirit.  We transition into this world through birth, but we also transition as spiritual beings through water and the Spirit. 

            We, as Presbyterians, mark this transition, this celebration, this gift from God of being born of water and Spirit in baptism.  We have had several baptisms over the past few months and we will have another next month, and these children are all being marked by water blessed by the Holy Spirit and the parents, Godparents, and members of the church promise to raise the child in the faith.  Are these children born again?  Well, that term born again is a loaded expression depending on your faith tradition.  As Presbyterians, we believe that baptism is a transition, a transition of promised love, nurture, and care.  In this sacred time and sacred place, sacred vows are expressed that we desire a life of faith and discipleship for this child.  So, is this child born from above?  Absolutely, and throughout her life, seeds of faith will sprout and bear fruit and she may find a moment where she truly understands God’s love for her in her life.  We often talk about our faith journeys as on-going conversion experiences.  On-going moments of feeling seeds sprout and grow, on-going moments of being touched by God’s grace and love, on-going moments of the water and Spirit breaking into our lives connecting us to the Kingdom of God. 

            Although we believe in one baptism, that one baptism is sufficient for our entire lives, we also believe that the promised water of nurture is on-going.  So we may have moments when our baptism becomes real to us, where it becomes relevant or alive.  We hope that for our children that will be confirmed next week.  That the vows of baptism taken on their behalf twelve or so years ago are now alive in their own hearts, in their own faith journey, in their own understanding of who God is to them.  And so we mark this experience again, not as a second baptism, but as the time in which their baptism makes sense to them, where they can now take the vows of church membership on their own behalf.  It is the same transition and yet another transition, being born of the water and the spirit, it is on-going, ever calling us to grow in our faith no matter how old or young we are. 

            Rites of passage call us to be transformed, to live differently, to grow into a new phase of life.  Nicodemus cannot stay the same if he listens and deeply understands what Jesus is telling him.   Just like when you get your driver’s license, you get it to want to use it.  Along with a changed life of greater independence also comes great responsibility.  I didn’t get my driver’s license to have it sit on a shelf and admire what I had accomplished.  I got it, to use it. 

            Nicodemus is given a purpose behind what it means to be born of the water and spirit.  By being born from above we are given the ability to see the Kingdom of God.  We are marked by the water and the Spirit by God as a means to grow in our lives, we are called to use our baptisms, not just mark it as a specific day in our lives, but to see the Kingdom of God.  We are marked by the water and the Spirit, we are born from above, as an on-going gift from God, empowering us to be disciples, participants in God’s Kingdom, not just in the next life, but here, in this particular place in this particular time.  Let us this day, all remember our own baptisms, marked by the water and the Spirit, growing into God’s people, transforming the world around us through God’s amazing love.  Amen. 

Pentecost - sermon

                I feel like it was just Easter, but fifty days have past which brings us to this day, a call it the best kept secret of the church.  Christmas and Easter are the big days in the life of the church, but so should be Pentecost.  Pentecost, the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon God’s people.  God at work in the world, God’s breathe stirring life into God’s people.  Wind, breathe, Spirit, and a sacred connection.  In Easter, we celebrate life over death, we celebrate God’s yes in the face of the world’s no.  Pentecost continues the story, continues the message of the resurrection, continues the story of life returning to places that can speak of death. 

            I am going to put you all on the spot today.  How many of you want to make a difference in the world?  Raise your hand.  How many of you actually feel like in some way, either large or small, you are actually making a difference in the world today?  There is a movement in our greater society to seek ways to make a difference in our world.  We are constantly being asked to make a donation to this cause or that cause; sometimes it is at the grocery store – would you like to donate a dollar to the St Jude’s fund?  Or it might be in purchasing an item: for every item purchased, a dollar goes to bringing fresh drinking water to a thirsty child.  And even our pets are included in this, for every bag of dog food bought, twenty meals will be given to dogs in shelters.  Last year, I bought pink ribbon earrings and a percentage went to breast cancer research.  It goes on and on.  How do we see this?  Do we see this as marketing strategies to prey on peoples’ desires to do good in order to sell things?  Or do we see it as the Holy Spirit moving upon the waters of consumerism seeking to do the better good? 

            Pentecost is upon us, it is here, not just on one particular day, but each and every day, each and every moment of time.  The breath of God’s life is pouring out upon us if we are open to hear its call.   

            As I wrestled with our first text today, that of Ezekiel and the valley of dry bones, we could do a very in depth conversation group on this.  One of the resources I read, asks this question:  Has anything of great importance died in our own community?  Where are the places that are crying out for rebirth?  And I love this one:  Can our dreams dance again?  As I thought about places that have died, other than the war torn areas of our world, I thought more specifically to our own country and towns ridden by various addictions such as meth and heroin.  While living in Florida, there was the bad part of town, and as the police and drug enforcement agencies seized crack houses, the houses were turned over to the town for community resource centers.  I had the opportunity to teach ESL in two such houses, once used for drugs, now used to empower people through education:  Life out of death, hope out of despair.  Throughout our nation there are small towns that have literally become ghost towns, with a handful of people still living there, there is the city of Detroit, an entire city going bankrupt, the foreclosures and extreme poverty. 

            And so as I thought about rebirth, for the power of dreams dancing again, I thought about Waco Texas and Chip and Joanna Gaines and the work they are doing to restore homes throughout the city.  They have truly changed this town, they have brought hope into a town that had been struggling for so long.  They have put a positive name on a place that seem to only know bad press.  Ours is a God that continually offers life, offers life in what even might seem to be a dying world.  We can view the world through the negative lens that things are just bad, or we can view the world through the lens of faith, through the promise of God, through the hope of our scriptures that even in destructive times of history, God is restoring life. 

            Can our dreams dance again?  As the Holy Spirit continues to pour out upon this world, as the breathe of God continues to renew and restore creation, our dreams based in God’s love can come to life, can be a reality.  Pentecost is being lived out this week, as Ledgewood Baptist hosts families that are currently homeless.  Families, all across our nation, but also right here in our own community, without a consistent place to come home to.  I can’t even imagine it, but through God’s love, through the power of the Holy Spirit the agency Family Promise is at work to find permanent housing for these families as well as to provide them the resources they need for this transitional time in their lives. 

            Can our dreams dance again?  For three families, they will soon be receiving a home through Habitat with an upcoming Building blitz over in Mine Hill in June.  Why will 150 people give 9 days of their lives to build three houses?  Why are people so willing to help others?  Why do people take to the streets in order to voice their message of hope and justice and love for each other?  Because God is at work in this world, because there is incredible power in the Pentecost story, because God puts a message of hope in our hearts and a passion to make this world a better place. 

Mother's Day - sermon

                Mary, the mother of Jesus, takes center stage in the beginning of the Gospels of Matthew and Luke in what we call the Nativity story or birth story of Jesus.   But then, she seems to almost disappear completely.  She is mentioned a few more times in various ways, but no longer are angels coming to her, no longer are shepherds or wisemen coming to visit her and her child. 

            The Gospel of John has this unique story of Mary attending a wedding where Jesus and his disciples were also in attendance.  John does not have the birth story like Matthew and Luke do.  John starts with a Creation story, then the baptism of Jesus, and then he calls his disciples, all in the first chapter.  This is the first time that Mary is mentioned and her name is not even used, she is named as:  the mother of Jesus.  On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there.  She is described, not named, but she is mentioned before Jesus. 

            Once the Gospel writer sets the stage by letting the reader know who is there, he immediately names a problem.  Mary, Jesus, and the disciples are at this wedding, but the wine has run out.  Mary notices the problem and knows how to fix it.  She has raised this amazing young man and she knows what he is capable of.  The reader may not know, the disciples may not know, no one else at the party may not know, but Mary knows that Jesus is more than just another guest at the party.  So, in order to keep the party running smoothly she tells him that there is no more wine.  And his response is rather fresh.  Yes, he is a young adult, but he seems rather rude – he seems to rebuke his mother stating:  Woman, what concern is that of you and me?

            Well, Mary doesn’t let his comment stop her.  Some may say she is meddling, others might say she saves the day.  Maybe it is a close family member who is getting married and she does not want the family to be embarrassed that the wine has run out.  Maybe she is ready to push Jesus out into the public eye letting others know what she already knows about him, that he can perform miracles.  Whatever her motives are, she quickly goes to the servants and gives them a heads up.  Do whatever he tells you to do.  And sure enough, Jesus goes to the servants and has them fill 6 stone jars with water.  Now, I think we all know where this story is going right, no spoiler alerts here – the water has been transformed into wine. 

            Mary might not have a name in this story, Mary might even be called woman by her own son, but in this story, she prepares the way for Jesus’ first miracles, she paves the way for water to turn into wine, she paves the way for abundance instead of scarcity.  Perhaps this was an actual wedding or perhaps it is a parable or metaphor for God’s gift of Jesus into the world.  How ever we read the story, literally or symbolically, Mary is the catalyst inviting the presence of God to get to work. 

            Mothers just might know their children have special talents or a unique calling and sometimes they sit back and wait for the child to discover that talent or calling on their own.  Or, sometimes they encourage and nurture and maybe even push a little to help the child engage in that calling.  Or, sometimes the child feels pushed in a direction that they have absolutely no interest in at all.  Do I really have to take piano lessons?  Do I really have to play tennis?  Do I really have to turn water into wine? 

            There is a lot of deep meaning going on in this passage, as Jesus takes water jugs set aside for the ritual of purification and transforms water into wine.  There is some major forshadowing going on here leading into the sacrament of Communion.  In the Jewish faith, water was used for purification, just as we do with baptism.  But now, this water becomes wine.  It is not just wine for the party, but it is really good wine, usually the host serves the better wine first, but the better wine is that which Jesus creates.  For those that follow Jesus, for those that continue to follow him after his death, they will remember the story of the purification water transforming into wine and the connection to Jesus at the last Supper proclaiming that this cup is the cup of the new covenant sealed in his blood for the forgiveness of sins.  It is a new form of purification, a spiritual purification, cleansing our inner being. 

            And Mary paves the way.  Just is in the Christmas story, Mary opens her life for this miracle of possibility, she allows her life to be changed forever, she does not run from all the fears and questions that she has, but embraces the divine and becomes a servant to God, trusting that God’s plan is at work.  And then, after all the years of raising this child, she knows it is time for God’s plan to unfold even more, and again, she sets the stage to allow other people’s lives to be changed forever.

            We have much we can learn from Mary.  Mary learns that there is scarcity at the wedding, they are out of wine, but she also knows that God is a God of abundance.  Mary turns to the source of God’s abundance, she seeks him out, perhaps interrupts him with his buddies, and abundance is restored to the party.

            Where in our lives, where in our community, where in this greater world is there scarcity?  We live in such an abundant culture that sometimes it is hard to see the scarcity.   But just this week, we are engaging in two places of scarcity and we will bring, through God’s love, abundance.  We have been collecting coffee in honor of Mothers and will bring from our abundance to Faith Kitchen coffee for those whose lives are so fragile and vulnerable as they struggle day to day in scarcity.     And then on Thursday, a handful of church members are fixing a meal, serving the meal, offering hospitality to several families in the Family Promise program.  These families are housing insecure, and Family Promise is the safety net of meeting them in their scarcity and lifting them up and providing a lifeline until the family is able to get back on their feet. 

             God calls us to those places of scarcity and to use our resources, our time, our talent, and our treasure to bring abundance.  We may not be able to literally turn water into wine, but maybe we can be like Mary and set the stage for the divine, the sacred, the gift of God’s abundance to be present in the situation, and who knows, who knows, perhaps instead of water into wine, we will have families with a home or hungry people with a meal or isolated people with a friend.  Amen.