Living Sacraments, Living Containers: A Sermon on the Baptism of our Lord

I imagine that day long ago was sunny and warm—not a cloud in the bright blue sky—maybe there was gentle breeze blowing over the river’s edge you might hear the reeds rustling.    In my mind’s eye, I see pilgrims scrambling down the banks into the river and into the Baptist’s arms— he might say to them are you ready—ready to commit your life to God—then a quick dunk in the cool swirling river and then onto the next pilgrim. Day after day dozens would come to the Baptist to commit themselves to God.

But on this day something different happened as one man was coming up out of the water—the heavens were tore open-- lightening flashed, the ground quaked and the spirit of God was upon him- a voice bellowed, “This is my son the beloved with him I am well pleased.” 

[Today] In a few moments, we will celebrate two baptism Elliot and Camryn and I highly doubt that our building will shake and I highly doubt that the roof will split open and I highly doubt that we will hear with our ears the voice of God.  

But that doesn’t mean that God isn’t going to tear into the lives of Camryn and Elliot-that doesn’t mean that God isn’t going to tear into our world in a few moments- he will probably be a little less subtle about—probably because we would all go screaming from this place in the roof was tore open and we saw the spirit coming alive, descending into our midst—but God will still show up.  

Baptism is something that the church calls a sacrament—a sacrament is an outward sign a tangible object through which God’s presence, God grace comes to us.  So in baptism—we use water-tangible object through which God tears into our world to bless us and reminds us that we are God’s beloved.   
The church says there are seven sacraments where God always shows up marriage and ordination, confession and healing confirmation and baptism and the sacrament of Holy Communion—every time we kneel down at the rail and extend our hands and receive the bread and wine we can be assure that God tears into our lives and gives us spiritual nourishment for the road ahead

But is that the only way that God shows up—that God tears into our lives the world?  

Several years ago, I was introduced to Ignatian spirituality by my spiritual director- During my time with him he taught something called the Daily Examen— sounds a bit like a scary medical procedure – but the Daily Examen was really simply a way of praying.

Part the Daily Examen that Fr. Sanders taught me was to set aside some time at the end of the day maybe five or ten minutes to review your day to see where God might have been breaking in—you did this mostly by reviewing the times in your day when you felt loved or cared for. 

I think when you really start to think about it there are a million ways that God probably breaks into our lives—we are just not aware of them.  

Think about it-- what about those peaceful moments when you step outside—the snow has fallen over night and it envelops the trees and everything. Or when you are sitting on the beach watching the sun drop into the ocean as day turns and you are simply overcome by the majestic beauty of the moment—Are not those moments when God tears in?  

What about when read just the right words out of your bible words that maybe speak directly to you--- as if God had taken His pen out and written a letter to you—it doesn’t even have to be scripture- but maybe it’s a poem or a song or the words of a close friend words that speak directly to you or what is going on in your life—maybe you are lifted up.  Does not God tear in there?

What about the person who’s sitting on the edge of your hospital, holding your hand or stroking your face throughout your illness?  Is God not tearing in through that person?

What about when that person finally says I forgive you—I no longer hold that against you?  Is that not God tearing in?

What about the stranger’s smile on the bad day? Or your grandchild’s arms wrapped around.  
God, God, God breaking reminding us that we are God’s beloved.  

But God doesn’t just break in so that we can have some nostalgic moment to feel good or feel loved or feel forgiven— God doesn’t just break into our lives in the sacraments so that we can check the box that we’ve been to church  —no God has, I believe, a higher purpose---god breaks in so that we can be living sacraments, living containers  of God’s love and presence in this world.  

One of the great misconceptions about Christian walk is simply that we are to be nice and good people. To be honest with you that make me want to vomit— if that’s what it’s all about I would not be standing here with this collar around my neck.

Christ came to lead us into a new way of being—to be living sacraments- to living containers of God’s presence so that God can tear into this world through us—to transform this world into the dream that God has for this world when he lays down his head on his pillow at night. 

I don’t know if anything defines what it looks like to be living sacrament, to be living containers of God’s grace and presence better than the our baptismal covenant.  

In a few moments we will all promise again before God to be living sacraments we will promise to doing things like:

Seeking and serving Christ in all people and loving our neighbor as ourselves

To Respect the dignity of every human being 

To Strive for justice and peace among all people

When Martin Luther King brought his fight to this country it had nothing to do with being nice and being a good Christian person but everything God’s dream and  to do with striving for justice—how will we God’s living sacraments strive for justice for those whom the scales of justice have tipped against—who maybe don’t have the opportunities, who don’t have the resources that we have.

How will we be living sacrament respect the dignity of every person- no matter what color, no matter what religion, no matter what nationality, no matter what their lot in life is-- so that they might know that they too are God’s beloved?

How will we be people of peace, who bring peace to the chaos of our lives and world?
P
art of our role as the parent and Godparents and family and friends and church of Camryn and Elliot is to not only teach them so that they know up here that God loves them but help them to see and experience God’s love breaking into their lives and then teach and help them to be living sacraments, living containers of that love and presence in the world.

Be on the lookout God is tearing to your life today and every day, look for it, look for it, look for it. And then when find take that moment and become a living sacrament, a living container of God’ love. 

AMEN