I have been popular this week. Isn't it great to be needed and wanted? All this time, I thought that "the powers that be" in Washington, D.C. did not need me at all. I thought that they were in a land far away and had no use for the common serf named Richard. But oh, was I wrong!! This week, I received "personal" recorded messages from John McCain every twenty minutes. Perhaps that is why he won the primary. You see, Mike Huckabee did not bother to call. Some pastors are super political. They will tell you how to vote and act like Jesus was a republican. I am not one of those people. It seems that John Kerry knew that, because he called too. His very important message for me was that Obama is not a Muslim radical, but a Christian who lives his beliefs daily. Good Info for me, I guess...oh and Mitt, I am a Morman but that does not matter, Romney called me too. Now, I realize that after all the elections are over, things will return to the norm. But for a few phone calls, it was semi-exciting to be wrong.
During the Old Testament--God was viewed as the "Holy Other" who would appear on the scene and display great power and might. He was in the Pillar of Fire, the Plagues, and the flood. He was the God that was far away--but when He came near--his power was greatly displayed.
We spoke about the Incarnation during Advent, the God of Heaven--coming down to earth and dwelling among His people. Today in our text--we see God manifest Himself again, in a form that is most uncommon.
Luke 3 :15-22
And as the people were in expectation, and all men mused in their hearts of John, whether he were the Christ, or not; John answered, saying unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water; but one mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire: Whose fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly purge his floor, and will gather the wheat into his garner; but the chaff he will burn with fire unquenchable. And many other things in his exhortation preached he unto the people. But Herod the tetrarch, being reproved by him for Herodias his brother Philip's wife, and for all the evils which Herod had done, Added yet this above all, that he shut up John in prison.
Now when all the people were baptized, it came to pass, that Jesus also being baptized, and praying, the heaven was opened, and the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased.
John speaks with tremendous power and authority. Jesus is described as one who would purge the floor and separate the wheat from the chaff. John was not an "Ear tickler" but one that warned of the wrath and judgement of God and the need of repentance. He fits in the mold of the Old Testament prophet, and prepares the way for the Kingdom message of Jesus.
On one of these days of preaching and baptizing--Jesus comes forward in obedience to God. In this setting, I am not going to get into the HOW's and WHY's of this baptism. I am available afterwards or anytime to discuss possible reasons and mode of baptism used here. In this interdenominational setting--I do not see those conversations as pertinent to the sermon.
The point today is that the Spirit of God came down that day. Not in the form of thunder and lightning--although that would have surely made people high tail out of the Jordan River. You can almost see them saying to each other, " Wow, I repented just in time--Here comes God to let Loose His Holy Hammer of Judgement." But instead, a dove descends and the voice of God is heard. The KJV says, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." The Southern translation is.."Son, you done good !"
God surprises us in the different ways He impacts our lives. Last night, at a 65th birthday party, I was able to experience the love of God in several meaningful ways. God was there in laughter, he was there in hugs, he was there in stories, he was there in Bob Pearson (the birthday boy) as tears of joy choked his words away. God was there as a video montage was played showing the life of a man, now on the backside of the Hill, growing up, having kids, losing hair, gaining weight but living just the same. God among the living--that is good news.
I made a pastoral call this week to the home of a man dying. He has liver cancer and the prognosis is dark. He has no energy and can barely speak. He knows that Jesus is walking the road with him, and he is resigned to the fact that soon the hill will be unclimbable. He waits for a miracle--but knows that death will most likely be the answer to the prayers that he prays. As I held a grown man, with his head on my chest, God was there, among the dying, and that is good news.
We act as if we understand God. If we are honest we admit that we are only kidding ourselves. Donald Miller writes in a book that I wrapped up this week, the following quote that fits the sermon perfectly, "I probably know as much about God as a baby knows the physics of the mobile above his crib."
Preachers expound the Word of God so that we can attempt to know the unknowable. God reveals Himself to us in scripture, and most fully in Jesus, the Son, who obeyed. May the winds of His Spirit illuminate our lives and may we see Him, as He shows Himself to us.
