January 12 2020 First In Line

January 12 2020 *Matthew 3.13-17, Psalm 29 “First In Line” Pastor Jacqueline Hines

==

In his short life of 33 years, Jesus came to his cousin John to be baptized in the Jordan River. There was a long line of folks who came to John to be baptized. [slide # 1 line for baptism] Baptism had become a part of the Middle Eastern culture. If you have ever taken a tour of Israel, you have seen baptism pools. [slide # 2 ancient baptism pool] Baptism represented a revival of faith, a renewal of vows to God, but John did not want to baptize Jesus. [slide # 3  John  with Jesus] John thought of Jesus as so holy that he did not need anything, much less to be cleansed from sin, for he had no sin. John quickly realized that there are many benefits of baptism, even for Jesus.

John Wesley, founder of Methodism and priest in the Church of England noted five benefits of baptism. [slide # 4  John Wesley] First, baptism makes us conscious of our sinful nature and covers us with a since of God’s cleansing power that washes away our sins in what Micah 7 calls the depths of the ocean also called by some, the sea of forgetfulness. Wesley had no problem with infant baptism since the biblical example shows Jesus being circumcised 8 days after he was born and brought to the Temple for dedication – today some call it a Christening. As Methodists, we are open minded to different ways of being cleansed just like we wash a pot differently from the way we clean a bed.

Wesley taught baptism as a symbol but emphasized that baptism makes us officially in covenant with God, a second benefit of baptism. Bethel has an official covenant with God as baptized believers. We have also established an official Covenant of Holy Manners with each other that we have repeated and reviewed together from time to time.

Covenants make our commitment clear. I was friends with a couple who lived together for decades. He refused to marry her. This was very upsetting to her. She did not feel secure because for her, his commitment was too casual and not at all clear. Year after year, she reminded him what Beyoncé sings, “…if you like it…you should put a ring on it…” My friend wanted the world to see that he was committed, that he loved her, and that their love was something the world should see and to which they should hold them accountable, spiritually and legally.

I have never found a reason to do a private baptism. Baptism is a community event, a public confession, an official ceremony affirming that we believe in God, the father almighty, creator of heaven and earth and in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He 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 and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead. We 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.

Baptism puts our beliefs on record and makes our covenant official. Baptism tells the world what they can expect of us. They will know we are Christians by our love for one another. Baptism is a symbol of covenant. Our love is the sign and living proof that we are keeping our commitment and that we are not hypocrites.

Baptism puts us on the church membership list, which is a third benefit. When babies are baptized, they are listed as Prepatory Members but not counted in the roll until they affirm a covenant with God for themselves during Confirmation.

A fourth benefit Wesley recognized was that baptism adopts us into the loving family of God. Fifthly, baptism affirms the idea that we are now children of the Most High God with all the benefits, privileges and responsibilities that come with being a child of royalty. We are legal heirs. We have the legal right to the spiritual gifts of God, the grace of God, and the promises of God, the God who loves us and calls us, BELOVED. We are heirs of the kin-dom of God. Romans 14 describes the kin-dom of God as the Holy Spirit working side by side us in our lives to bring right living, to bring peace and to bring joy. That is all we need to keep us going.

Jesus came to John to be baptized not simply as a good example, but because he wanted to acknowledge his ongoing need for consecration. He wanted to confirm his commitment to a covenant with God and God’s people. In his humanness he needed the connection with others. By God’s design, we need each other. We need to stay connected. [slide # 5  hands…need each other]

Connection is what helps us care for one another. You’ve heard of the experiment in the days when there were pay phones on street corners [slide # 6  telephone] A researcher left a coin in the change cup, so that when the next person in line went to make a call, they found a quarter. As the researcher left, he smiled and greeted the next person in line and touched them warmly on the shoulder. More often than not, the person preparing to make a call would say, “Hey, wait, you left your money.” When the researcher did not warmly greet the next person in line, more often than not, the person did not bother to let the researcher know that he had left some money behind.

This week a business man running a deli was stabbed to death while chasing behind someone who had stolen the tip jar. As mourners gathered lifting prayers and candles their attitude was one of choosing to be a light rather than curse the darkness. One woman declared emphatically that we must help those who need help. We cannot afford to hate each other because if we hate, we cannot help.

It is not easy to connect with one another. It is even harder to stay connected with one another. We are in desperate need of the Holy Spirit’s help to do our part in making this world a better place. Won’t you ask God’s guidance in your life today?

There is an epidemic of isolation and loneliness throughout our world that makes it hard to connect in our times of need. Some have said that the loneliest crowd are college students away from home. We see how important it is to invite those in the armed forces for Sunday dinner, Thanksgiving and Christmas when they are not able to go home and be with family. I appreciate the Bethel family that invited me for Christmas dinner a few weeks ago. When we are not connected to others, medical experts say that our mental and physical health is at risk. Our blood pressure goes up. Inflammation increases, setting the stage for heart trouble and less resistance to illnesses like colds and flus.

Good neighbors are a great blessing. [slide # 7  neighbors] Good friends are more precious than gold. [slide # 8  good friends] Pets can give us joy and purpose. [slide # 9  pets] Emotional support animals [slide # 10  emotional support ..]   [slide # 11  dog giving high five] save lives and bring comfort to those traumatized with post-traumatic stress syndrome for example. We are made to connect. [slide# 12  person hugging dog]

There is even a new app that claims to have a solution to loneliness. It is called a chatbot. [ slide # 13  chatbot app] It is an AI – artificial intelligence robot with whom you can have a nearly human conversation. Chatbots may help sometime, but like Tami Terrell and Marvin Gaye sang -  “...ain’t nothing like the real thing, baby….ain’t nothing like the REAL thing…”  [slide # 14  Marvin / Terrell…]

After Jesus was baptized, the heavens opened. The Holy Spirit descended in the form of a dove. A voice came from Heaven saying, “This is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased.” [slide # 15  Jesus  baptism]

We are also pleasing to God. God loves us just as much as Jesus. We are the apple of God’s eye, the center of God’s attention, first and foremost in the mind of our creator. We are all beloved, we are all important.

Regardless of how we treat each other, God treats us as if we matter, as if we are the head of the class, first in line. It does not matter if we are in a cheese line, bread line, soup line; towing the line or crossing the line, first hired or first fired, feeling glad or feeling bad, God is with us to open up the Heavens for us, to descend upon our lives in the form of a dove and tell the world, this is my child and I am happy about. It pleases me to call you my children. I am not disappointed. I am pleased. I am not ashamed. I am pleased because your commitment is clear, you’re true to your covenant, you trust not in your own might or your power but in my Word that cleanses and restores. I love you! You are precious in my sight.

If you have never felt God’s great love for you, just ask and you will receive, seek and you will find, knock and the door will be opened to you. Let go and let God love you. Let go of anything that is not Godly and let God love you. Connect with God. [Slide # 16 hands connecting…] Amen. [slide # 17 we grow]