Sunday's Sermon - The Baptism of Christ

Sermon for Hasketon 9.30am and Grundisburgh 11am
Sunday 10th January 2009
The Baptism of Christ

Readings: Isaiah 43: 1-7; Acts 8: 14-17; Luke 3: 15-17, 21-22

‘Do not be afraid, for I am with you;
I have called you by your name and you are mine’

A young Christian man’s ship had sunk in the middle of the sea. He wasn’t a good swimmer and so began to shout for help: ‘God, please help me’. In the distance he saw a small boat coming towards him. The boat pulled aside him and said jump in, we’ll save you. No, said that man, I’m waiting for God to save me. So the boat moved on. A few minutes later, a plane flew by and saw the man struggling. They threw down a rope ladder, but the man shouted, go away, I’m waiting for God to save me! The plane went. Next, there came a helicopter and saw the young man, who was now struggling for life. But still, the young man shouted go away, I’m waiting for God to save me, so they went. The young man died and met God. The young man was angry with God – you didn’t save me, why didn’t you save me? God replied, somewhat confused, but I sent you a boat, plane and helicopter, what else could I have done for you?

Well, I don’t know about you, but my life is so often like this young man’s. Caught up in the middle of the storm, shouting, where are you, God!

Last year, I questioned the where abouts of God numerous times while I was working in Zimbabwe. It was the best five months of my life, but also, probably the most challenging, life changing and heart wrenching. I went on a mission, to open an orphanage for disadvantaged and orphaned teenagers, after a vision I had at the beginning of 2009. By July I was setting off to Zimbabwe with a small case of clothes, a bible, hymn book and my guitar.

I didn’t realise just how challenging the experience would be. Every day we came face to face with pain and suffering and I soon began to learn that love in action was not easy. There wasn’t a day that went past when I didn’t cry or need a hug from a friend, even if the day seemed fruitful. The every day struggle of running an orphanage, plus the struggles of every day living in one of the most neglected countries in the world, was not easy – where was our next days food coming from, living in a culture that was suspicious of white people, where poverty was the norm – where was God? Not only this, Anglicans are persecuted Christians in Harare and I was one of them! Some days I lived on one meal a day, for two weeks I simply ate beans. But all this wasn’t the problem. For me it was waking up and trying to love the unloved, it was the pain of seeing yet another orphan hungry, it was the sadness of having to walk by a street child. I tried so hard to find God in all these places. And I can tell you about finding a small baby abandoned and no one taking responsibility for her life, about seeing children dying in the hospital wards, if they are lucky enough to get that far. Where was God? One of the most disturbing experiences during the trip was seeing a disabled girl in an orphanage, abused, neglected and ignored. I was unable to help her – no one listened to me, social welfare didn’t want to know. I had to walk away leaving the image of quite literally a bruised, little and gorgeous, child behind. I will never forget her. Was God there, was he with her, was he with me?

I can tell you about so much sadness, but there is so much more hope. The darker a place is, the brighter our light shines. I got to spend time with some of the most fantastic people I have ever met! People who were forsaking everything to help others. People leaving their wealth to live with the poor. One of the most amazing people I met was a young orphan, no older than 24. He had nothing but the clothes on his back, yet he was fully involved in helping other teenage orphans back on their feet. He would share what little food he had, even with me. The most incredible thing he said to me was: ‘Carl, I’m praying for you.’. Why pray for me, when I have everything I want and more? I’m well, I have a roof over my head – you have nothing. How wrong I was, he had the greatest thing – love.

I was meant to return from Zimbabwe next June, but I soon realised that I could no longer stare suffering in the face. Our orphanage was open and running, it had lots of support and I felt that conditions were simply too tough for me. I felt God saying that he wanted me safe. The very week I returned, I learnt that some of the members of the congregation at the Anglican church I was attending had been harassed and there were even reports of violence at the cathedral. I thank God that he led me into safety. On my return home one of my friends summed it up by saying, love in action is a harsh and dreadful thing compared to love in dreams.

The readings today really stir a battle between my faith and my experiences in Zimbabwe. God says in Isaiah, I am with you always; I have called you by name. In Acts we hear about the disciples receiving the Holy Spirit, the comforter. The Gospel of Luke tells us about the Baptism of Christ, we hear that Jesus is the One, and a voice came from heaven: ‘you are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.’ In Zimbabwe, at every challenge, I was constantly brought back to the start of my Christian journey – my baptism. God saying to me, you are my son and I love you, no matter what the world says, I am with you always. Those promises I made at my baptism where at the forefront of my doubting, my questioning about where God was. Deep down however, I knew I could overcome whatever challenge I faced because at my baptism people prayed for me – that I may overcome sin, the world and the devil. I knew what I believed as I stated the creed, firmly and boldly, convincing myself that I would never doubt God. I acknowledged, in the promises I made, Christ’s authority over the whole world – the poor, the sick, the dying, its leaders. I promised to defend the weak, to seek justice and peace. I received the sign of the cross, that confirmation that I belonged to God. By the water of baptism I was dead to sin and alive in Christ. I received a candle, telling me that no matter how dark the world was, Christ’s light shatters the gloom, that Christ had come to give me life in abundance.

Honestly, I won’t miss having to buy bread for the street children. I will miss however, that feeling I got when I saw their happy faces. I won’t miss the smell of the orphanages, rather hearing the laughter and joy that those places contained. It was in these places that I got to know God a bit more and was able to live out the promises I made at the beginning of my new life in Christ.

Learning to love is a painful step, as Africa taught. It is a step that begins at our baptism – us making the decision to do it with God. All those who are baptised live Christ’s risen life. It is a life stemming from the scars of pain he suffered on the cross, the sign we mark ourselves with. At the start of this New Year, and on this special day, we are called to live out our baptism, to be washed again in water and fire. God never promised that this life would be easy, but he does promise that he will be with us every step of the way. I don’t know about you, but my new year’s resolution will be to discover a way to live my baptismal promises in a way that will benefit the people I have met and lived with, the people of God’s heart – the poor, needy, sick.

Fear not, for I have redeemed you, I have summoned you by name; you are mine. Do not be afraid, for I am with you.