Sunday 02/18/24 - Sidney UMC
Sermon Title: “Hope Through Baptism!” (“Resurrection Hope” Series: Part 1 of 7)
Old Testament Scripture: Psalm 25:1-10
New Testament Scripture: 1 Peter 3:18-22
Gospel Lesson: Mark 1:9-15
This
past Wednesday on Ash Wednesday, which was also Valentine’s Day, we began the
season of Lent. Ash Wednesday and Lent are not things that are required of us
by holy scripture, but many churches have embraced ashes and the 40-day season
of Lent as part of our spiritual practices and disciplines to lead us through
this season, which ends on Holy Saturday, the day after Jesus’ crucifixion, and
the day before Easter.
The season Lent is actually 46-days,
but many churches don’t count Sundays, as this is the Lord’s day. During this
season preparing us for the trial, crucifixion, and death of Jesus, we are
invited to walk more closely with Christ. We are invited to walk more closely
with each other, and we are invited to give up, to give away, to pray, to fast,
and to become more like Jesus.
In the twelve years that I have served
in ministry I have always done sermon or preaching series in Advent and in
Lent. I do this in part because these are holy seasons leading us to the birth
and awaited second coming of Christ, as well as the crucifixion and awaiting
the resurrection of Jesus Christ. I also do sermon or preaching series during
these holy seasons, as it is a good opportunity to learn and grow through a
more focused or succinct set of ideas or teachings. This season of Lent, my sermon
series is called the “Resurrection Hope” series.
The hope and the foundation of the
Christian faith is rooted in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Without the
resurrection of Jesus Christ, the Christian faith does not hold together, and
loses its power. To be a Christian is to have hope, is to seek hope, and to
pursue hope, even when hope seems far away. During this seven-week sermon
series, I will be utilizing our lectionary scripture readings, each Sunday to
discuss different types of hope.
In fact, one of the earliest statements
of Christian faith or a creedal statement of sorts, that gives us hope, is from
1 Corinthians 15:3-9, where the Apostle Paul says this:
3 For I handed on to you as of first importance what I in turn had received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures, 4 and that he was buried, and that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. 6 Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers and sisters at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died. 7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. 8 Last of all, as to someone untimely born, he appeared also to me. 9 For I am the least of the apostles, unfit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God (1 Cor. 15:3-9, NRSV).
So, the idea of the hope
of the resurrection of Jesus Christ was generally speaking taught and believed from
the earliest days of the Christian movement. Christians believed, had faith,
and had hope because of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
This morning in the first part of this
seven-week sermon series, I want to discuss “Hope Through Baptism”. The reason we
are tackling this topic this morning, is because in our lectionary gospel
reading for this morning, we have one of the narratives of Jesus getting baptized
in our gospel of Mark 1:9-15 reading, by his cousin John the Baptist in the
Jordan River. So, does baptism then connect with the idea of hope? Further, is
the idea of “Resurrection Hope” important or significant? I think that it is, as
hope, once again, is part of the bedrock of our Christian faith.
How do we have “Hope Through Baptism”
though? The answer is that baptism connects more fully to God, and connects us
more deeply to the first Christian baptism, which is Jesus’ baptism. The way that
Jesus told us at the Last Supper, in the that Upper Room, during that first
communion, to do this in remembrance of him, around the bread, and the cup,
Jesus also told us to be baptized. In the gospel of Matthew, Jesus gave us his
great commission in part in 28:19-20 that says:
19 Go therefore and make
disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the
Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything that
I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age’ (Matt.
28:19-20, NRSV).
For many of you, whether in person or online, you know that
I have preached a lot on the different methods of water baptism, and the
theology behind them. I will discuss some of this morning, but more specifically,
I am focusing on the power and the hope of baptism. I have seen, have performed,
and have participated in many baptisms. I have seen and have performed baptisms
on babies, children, adults, and have seen all sorts of baptism. As Christ was
baptized this morning in the Jordan River, formally starting his public
ministry, baptism would soon become a thing. On the day of Pentecost and after,
baptisms were happening all over, as that was the birthday of the Christian Church.
Some might have been immersion baptisms of people that were of age to make a
profession of faith in Jesus Christ, some might have been infant or child baptisms,
or people that believe in the baptism of the Holy Spirit. In general, baptism
is hopeful thing!
In fact, every time I see, perform, and have experienced a baptism,
there is always hope. The people present are uplifted, excited, and over joyed
that the church visible on earth is adding a new member. I don’t think I have ever
seen anyone angry, upset, or discouraged at a baptism, except if the baby
starts crying. As I said, baptism in and of itself is a hopeful thing, and it
brings us together. When there are baptisms, family, extended family, and friends
come. There are pictures, food, and it is a special occasion. In some Christian
Churches or Christian Denominations, a special outfit is even worn for the
baptism, but in general it is a hopeful experience.
Since our sermon series for Lent through Easter Sunday is “Resurrection
Hope,” what are the things in our lives that give us hope? Of course, there is
no hope like the resurrection and love of Jesus Christ, but during this sermon
series, once again, we will be diving into and exploring different kinds of hope
in our life and faith as followers of Jesus Christ. For example, next week we
will be talking about how can find hope in suffering and surrendering to God.
In this season of Lent, soon to be Easter, where do we see hope?
Have you experienced hope and joy through a baptism, or through your own
baptism? Further if you have never had a Christian baptism, what is stopping
you from dying to yourself and rising with Christ? What is stopping you from
bringing someone else into the Christian Church on earth? Baptism, whether it
be immersion or sprinkling is a deeply spiritual experience, but it also brings
hope. Whether the baby or child has become part of the church on earth, or
whether the person has professed their faith in Christ and then are baptized,
it is significant. It is something that brings us hope. Only faith in Christ
saves us, but every time I perform a baptism I have hope, and can see the hope!
In fact, I asked Sarah Pressler a few days ago, what it
like the last time that you saw a teenager profess their faith in Christ, and
get baptized? She then said, it had been a long time since she had seen that,
but that when she did see that it gave her joy and hope. The resurrection of
Jesus Christ on Easter morning is hope itself, and we see and find hope through
Christ in various ways, and this is why I am doing this sermon series for Lent
through Easter Sunday.
In our reading from Psalm 25:1-10 for this morning, it says
in 25:1-2:
1 To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul. 2 O my God, in you I trust; do not let me be put to shame; do not let my enemies exult over me (Ps. 25:1-2, NRSV).
Hope, “Resurrection Hope,” and the
hope that we encounter in various ways, like “Hope Through Baptism!”
In our reading for this morning from 1 Peter 3:18-22 we hear,
starting in 1 Peter 3:18-20 it says, once again:
18 For Christ also suffered for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, in order to bring you to God. He was put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit, 19 in which also he went and made a proclamation to the spirits in prison, 20 who in former times did not obey, when God waited patiently in the days of Noah, during the building of the ark, in which a few, that is, eight people, were saved through water.
The Apostle Peter
reminds us that Christ suffered for all people, so that we might be able to be
brought to and be reconciled to God. There are going to no more worldwide floods,
no more arks, just what Jesus has done and will do for us. This is “Resurrection
Hope,” and we also have “Hope Through Baptism!”
In fact, our 1 Peter
3:18-22 reading for this morning, ends with 3:21-22, saying:
21 And baptism, which this prefigured, now saves you—not as a removal of dirt from the body, but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 22 who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers made subject to him (1 Pet. 3:18-22, NRSV).
The Apostle Peter speaks of “Hope Through Baptism”! Baptism,
Peter says, it is not for the removal of dirt from the body, but it’s us
affirming our faith in Christ. It is also the entry point in the life of the
Christian Church. “Hope Through Baptism” brings us into the church on earth.
Baptism is powerful, joy filled, and we can have “Hope Through Baptism!”
In touching back on our gospel of Mark reading for this
morning, once again, we have the baptism of Jesus. May I add what a powerful
and hope filled baptism it was. Picking up starting in Mark 1:9 for this
morning, it says, once again:
9 In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of
Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 10 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. 11 And
a voice came from heaven, ‘You are my Son, the Beloved;
with you I am well pleased’ (Mk. 1:9-11, NRSV).
We
have this beautiful scene of Jesus Christ being baptized, and I can imagine
that anyone that was there, or for us reading this gospel reading that it gives
us “Hope Through Baptism!”
After Jesus’ baptism in the Jordan River,
by his cousin John the Baptist, the gospel of Mark reading then ends with
1:12-15, saying:
12 And the Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness. 13 He was in the wilderness for forty days, tempted by Satan; and he was with the wild beasts; and the angels waited on him. 14 Now after John was arrested, Jesus came to Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God, 15 and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news’ (Mk. 1:12-15, NRSV).
After
the “Hope Through Baptism” that was experienced through Jesus’ baptism, Jesus
was tempted in the wilderness for forty days, tempted by Satan, but he resisted
temptation. Then John the Baptist was arrested, Jesus began preaching his gospel.
Jesus called people to repent and to believe the good news of the gospel that
he was preaching.
In
this season of Lent, as we seek to give up, to give away, to pray, to fast, to
repent, and to seek to be closer to Christ, I pray that we also have hope. Hope
in the resurrection, “Hope Through Baptism,” and hope in countless other ways. For
hope is part of the bedrock of our faith, and our live as Christians. Happy
season of Lent my friends! Amen.
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