I DO CHOOSE

A Sermon for the 6th Sunday of Epiphany
by Pastor Laura Gentry

Mark 1:40-45 • 1 Kings 5:1-14 • Psalm 30

It is practically impossible for us to comprehend how horrible it was to be a leper in biblical times. People had no idea how this ugly and painful disease was spread. It struck fear in their hearts. And how did they handle this paralyzing fear? They totally isolated those who showed signs of infection.

According to the Levitical laws, lepers were considered unclean and forced to live outside the city. As late as Medieval times, a priest would read the burial service over the leper before he or she was cast out of the city, doomed to die alone. It seems outrageous to us today, but those sick with leprosy in the ancient world had to live in large unlivable pits, far away from civilization.

So not only did lepers have physical pain, they lived with the emotional pain of being abandoned by their family and friends in their dying days. In today’s reading Jesus has a brief encounter with one such person. Here is a man who had lost hope. Yet, he has heard about Jesus and it fills him with hope again. Lepers weren’t even supposed to approach the healthy, yet this man comes directly to Jesus and says, “If you choose, you can make me clean.” The audacity of his faith is striking.

The ancient audience would expect Jesus to toss rocks at the leper to keep him at bay. That was what normally happened in such a circumstance. Yet, Jesus does the unexpected. He does not rebuff this leper. In fact, he is so moved by compassion that he breaks the religious law by stretching out his hand and physically touching the man. He reaches out to him in more ways than one. Then Jesus says: "I do choose. Be made clean!" And the man is healed instantly.

In the reading from the I King, we hear a similar story of a leper being healed through the power of God. In it, Naaman, an enemy military commander, is given words of wisdom by the prophet Elisha that he is to immerse himself in the Jordan River 7 times. Now Naaman’s got a bad attitude, but at length he agrees to follow these instructions and is immediately made clean. This demonstrates how God’s healing power knows no limits. Even God’s enemies are given mercy and healing! And perhaps this news is even more miraculous than the fact that Naaman’s leprosy disappears.

Today’s Psalm gives voice to the joy God’s healing can bring. “O LORD my God,” says the Psalmist, “I cried to you for help, and you have healed me. O LORD, you brought up my soul from Sheol, restored me to life from among those gone down to the Pit. Sing praises to the LORD, O you his faithful ones, and give thanks to his holy name. For his anger is but for a moment; his favor is for a lifetime. Weeping may linger for the night, but joy comes with the morning.” This Psalm concludes with the profound cry of faith: “You have turned my mourning into dancing; you have taken off my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, so that my soul may praise you and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give thanks to you forever.”

And today, there is great cause for the people of God to not be silent but rejoice and give thanks. Why? Because today a great healing is about to take place, which we will be privileged enough to witness. I’m talking about baptism. In this holy sacrament, we are adopted into God’s joyful family. We are healed of our sin through the gift of forgiveness. And we are promised deliverance from death and the devil forever. Can there be a more marvelous healing? Can there be a sweeter balm for our mourning souls? No. In baptism, we are all transformed into happy, dancing people.

For many of us, this healing took place before we were consciously aware. We were infants at the font and we only learned about the healing of baptism years after the event. Today, however, we have the rare opportunity to witness an adult baptism. Jamie Horkheimer has been walking with Jesus for quite a long time and has developed an active worship life. Yet, the Holy Spirit has led him to seek a deeper fellowship with his Savior. Jamie wants to have the assurance that he is accepted by God and promised the gift of eternal love. In asking to be baptized, he is saying to Jesus precisely what the leper in the Gospel lesson said: “If you choose, you can make me clean.”

Jamie is crying out with the Psalmist for healing. His soul wants transformation so that he may be fully God’s own—filled with peace and joy that pass understanding. He wants his mourning to give way to dancing. And that’s what all of us want, isn’t it?

So many times the harsh waves of life come crashing over us and we feel lost and alone in the universe, like drowning souls. We sense our own helplessness. We run aimlessly and box at the air, unable to live as we know we should live.

Yet no matter how far we have moved from God’s way, there is grace for us. There is compassion. There is healing and rebirth. And so in faith we cry out to Jesus: “Won’t you choose to save us!”

And Jesus responds with unbelievable compassion. He reaches out to each one of us and says: “I do choose. Be made clean!” Let us dance for joy at this miracle today and every day. Amen.

© 2009 Laura E. Gentry

MARKED TO MAKE OUR MARK

A Sermon for the Baptism of Our Lord
January 13, 2008
Pastor Laura Gentry


Matthew 3:13-17
Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan, to be baptized by him. John would have prevented him, saying, "I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?" But Jesus answered him, "Let it be so now; for it is proper for us in this way to fulfill all righteousness." Then he consented. And when Jesus had been baptized, just as he came up from the water, suddenly the heavens were opened to him and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, "This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased." (NRSV)

Grace and Peace to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

The astronaut stepped onto the Moon's surface. As he put his left foot down, he proclaimed: "That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind." Many of you, I’m sure, remember watching it on TV in 1969 when Neil Armstrong became the first person to walk on the Moon. Armstrong and his colleague Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin collected data and performed various exercises - including jumping across the landscape - before planting the Stars and Stripes flag on the Moon’s surface. They also unveiled a plaque bearing President Nixon's signature and an inscription reading: "Here men from the planet Earth first set foot upon the Moon July 1969 AD. We came in peace for all mankind."

Those astronauts and the country who sent them there certainly made their mark upon the Moon. Their footprints, the American flag and the plaque all bear witness to the fact human beings found a way to reach the moon. We left our mark.

As Christians, we have to ask ourselves about the mark we leave. No, we’re not doing exotic space missions but we’re doing something with the lives we’ve been given. We’re doing our thing, living our lives, taking care of our families, working our jobs, being who we are. And as we do these things, we wonder: is there anything that will leave a lasting impact?

At the beginning of this new year, as we hear about the beginning of the ministry of our Lord at his baptism. We are here in the brand new year of 2008. What’s going to happen this year? Will we do anything important? Will your and my life make a mark on the surface of this world? What will we be remembered for?

The occasion today—the day on which we see Jesus begin public ministry—gives us an important insight into what it means to have purpose in life, how we can contribute, be meaningful to this world, have an genuine sense that we have in some way fulfilled what we were put into this world for.

Jesus came from the northern county called Galilee down toward the city of Jerusalem, and to the Jordan River. It is a small but world famous river. When God's people, the twelve tribes came out of Egypt and were about to enter the "promised land," they had to cross this river, from east to west. It miraculously parted so they could go through on dry land. Only through water, as once before they came through the Red Sea out of Egypt, could they enter the Promised Land.

Now there is John the Baptist, a rather eccentric man for a good number of reasons, and he is doing something weird at this river. He is telling people in no uncertain terms: "Change!” He declares. You’d think he was running for President with that mantra. But he’s not talking about political change, he’s taking about personal change. “Get a new attitude! “ He says, “Turn away from your sin. Get ready for God’s coming!" As a sign that people were willing to change meaningless routines of life, to turn toward God instead, they were dunked by this John in the River Jordan. This was a clear sign that they had repented and were now eagerly awaiting the coming Messiah.

Jesus comes to John at the Jordan to get himself baptized. John knows this Jesus is the one he has been preparing people to meet. “What in the world does he need baptism for?” John must be thinking. He is the perfect one, without sin. He has the power to straighten every crooked aspect of life. He sure doesn’t need to repent, he’s already going God’s way.

So, of course, John tries talk Jesus out of Baptism. But Jesus explains that he has come to fulfill all righteousness! He has come to make everything right. The only way he can make everything right is by taking that which is "un-right" upon himself. He who knew no sin became sin for us, so that we might have this rightness with God. He is stating that from this moment on he will do right, be right, and amend all that is bad in the lives of people.

And as Jesus comes up out of the water, heaven opens. It is hard to imagine just what the author means by saying that the “heavens open” but it certainly must have been amazing. Many artists have attempted to illustrate this scene simply because it sounds so compelling.

Then Spirit of God, appearing like a dove, rests on Jesus! This dove is not simply a symbol of peace, as often the dove symbol is used. The dove is the symbol to God's people of the Spirit that hovered over the face of the deep chaos and darkness at the beginning of time. A new creation is taking place! Now this Spirit is upon Jesus. He will be the light of the world! He will be the Sun of righteousness. He will be the end to darkness, to despair, to that which lurks in the dark shadows of the heart.

And then the voice. The voice is speaking to the crowds around John, to us who crowd around Jesus today. The voice from heaven says, "This is my Son, whom I love."

Until this time, these people known as Israelites, Jews, the people of Israel were called God's Son, God's children. You had to belong to "them" in order to be part of God's family. Now, Jesus is called, God's Son! He is a new beginning of "God's people." From now on, all who are part of his family are in God's family. The old barriers are gone. By getting united with Jesus in baptism, you and I join God's family. As God’s children, we just might make our mark in history after all!

God’s voice from heaven says, "with him I am well pleased." These words are reminiscent of the prophet Isaiah’s words about the coming of the "Son of God". In Isaiah’s prophesy, he says that the Messiah will be a servant. He comes not to show off how powerful he is, but to serve. He has come to give us the righteousness we need to be in God's family.

This Jesus makes his mark, not by flying do the moon or doing anything big and lofty, but by serving people. Here already at his baptism, he begins his serving us by putting himself under the law—he who is above all laws. He will do all we do not do in serving others. He will take the consequences of our failure to trust God's ways are the only ways. It will get him nailed–nailed to a cross. There he will be a servant to the end. Even when taunted to show that he is really the God he claimed to be, he will remain true to his mission—royally and divinely to serve you and me so that we could be in God's family, righteous before the heavenly Father.

Jesus begins at his baptism to serve; we begin to be his family and serve from our baptisms. We are adopted into God’s family when the waters of our baptism flood over us and we are washed clean of impurity, dying once for all to the old loyalties to self, world, and evil. And God marks us. In our baptisms, we are sealed by the Holy Spirit and marked with the cross of Christ forever.

Will we make our mark in this world? I don't know. I do know that every time we serve others, as God in Jesus served us, we fulfill the law of Jesus. Theologians like to call this our “baptismal vocation”. The root of the word vocation comes from the word voice and means a summons or strong inclination to a particular state or course of action. In our baptism, God calls us to a particular course of action: to a life of love—a countercultural life that includes and cares for all of God’s people. This is quite a vocation we’ve been given! We don’t have to go to the moon but God expects us to make our mark!

Loving and serving others means we are aware of our failures. We must be aware that we stand before the perfect God. We must accept our baptismal vocation and follow the lead of Jesus—to forgive others as we have been forgiven. Living out this calling means that we do so in the Spirit’s power, as Jesus did, asking for help at every step of the way, for our human nature will always want to get in the way and keep us from following God’s will. Martin Luther explained that baptism is something that is done in church one day but that takes the rest of our lives to complete.

Jesus today reminds us by being baptized, that we too are baptized, that we have been marked with his cross and called to a whole new way of life. We have been marked in order that we may leave a mark by doing God’s will.

What mark will you leave on this world? How does being marked with the cross of Christ make a difference in your life? How will you fulfill your baptismal vocation to live a life of love? How exciting to remember, as we enter this new year, that we have been marked by the cross of Christ and we are full empowered to make our mark! Amen.

Now, may the peace of God, which passes all understanding, keep our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.

© 2008 Laura E. Gentry

THE SPIRIT IS CALLING

A Sermon for the Baptism of our Lord
January 7, 2007
by Pastor Laura Gentry

Luke 3:15-17, 21-22
As the people were filled with expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Messiah, John answered all of them by saying, "I baptize you with water; but one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire."…Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heaven was opened, and the Holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, "You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased." (New Revised Standard Version)

Grace and Peace to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Today, we heard the story of the baptism of Jesus. He is baptized in the Jordan River by John the Baptist and the Holy Spirit descends upon him like a dove and there is a voice from heaven, which says, “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.” It is as truly a miraculous moment for all who have gathered at the river. At this point, Jesus is ready to begin his public ministry.

And as we celebrate the baptism of Jesus, it invites us to take a closer look at our own baptisms. Just what does it mean to be a Baptized Christian?

Sometimes, I meet families who don’t belong to this or any other church but they would like to have their child baptized. Usually, they request that the baptism be done privately in a little ceremony at a home or park. One person recently put it this way: “Would you consider performing a back-alley baptism?”

As enticing as these offers might sound, I categorically advise against it. Baptism is just too important to hide away in a private ceremony. That’s why in this church, we schedule the baptisms in the middle of the worship service when we are all gathered together as a congregation. What God does in baptism is so exciting, we all want to be here to witness it.

And just what is it that God does? What God does in our baptism is the same thing God did in Jesus’ baptism: declares us beloved and gifts us with the Holy Spirit. Martin Luther, in the small catechism, explains it this way:

In baptism, God forgives sin and delivers from death and the devil and gives everlasting salvation to all who believe what he has promised.

In the life-giving water of baptism—water which is not just water, but water connected to the Word of God—God declares us delivered. We are adopted into God’s eternal family. In that moment, God calls us by name. As God says through the prophet Isaiah: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you, I have called you by name, you are mine.” We are loved and saved forever! What a gift!

Now many people say to me, “Why do we baptize infants in the Lutheran church when Jesus himself was baptized as an adult?” And this is a question that persists in theological debates. The most helpful answer to this question, I believe, is because we understand baptism to be a gift. Martin Luther said that there is no clearer picture of the undeserved grace of God than an infant at the baptismal font. This baby in arms has done absolutely nothing to earn God’s salvation. Nevertheless, God reaches out to this newborn little person and says, “This is my beloved!” Whatever age at which we are baptized, this truth remains. We are miraculously saved—not by our own doing—but by God’s gift of grace.

Then, we are sent forth with God’s Spirit to guide us. And day after day this Spirit goes to work on our hearts. This Spirit transforms us into people that are pleasing to God. It makes us holy, despite our unholiness. And this, we call sanctification, which literally means: holy-making.

Early on in Jesus’ ministry, he stood up in the synagogue and found the place where the prophet Isaiah wrote:

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because God has anointed me
to bring good news to the poor,
God has sent me to proclaim release to the captives
and recovery of sight to the blind,
to let the oppressed go free
and to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.

When Jesus sat down he told the crowd, "Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing." The Spirit’s power within Jesus was calling him to work passionately for justice. This is his ministry. This is his vocation.

He dives headlong into this Spirit-driven vocation. Jesus cares about bodies wracked with pain or crippled by evil powers. We watch him touch people that no one else will touch. We see him feeding hungry people and eating with those who had been left out. We hear Jesus tell a story of the Samaritan who stops to help a hurting a stranger; it was Jesus' inclusive way of defining what it means to be a neighbor. And we see Jesus go all the way to the cross in faithfulness to God who sent the Spirit upon him. Three days later we rejoice with the women who bring news that Jesus is alive again. What a baptismal vocation Jesus was given!

What about our baptismal callings, our vocations? Now that we have been claimed as God’s beloved, now that we are equipped with the Holy Spirit, what are we doing? That Spirit fire within us is calling us.

Remember the story of the Pentecost? The Holy Spirit comes upon Christ’s believers in wind and fire! People suddenly hear the untrained disciples speaking fluently in all kinds of languages. And Peter stands up and preaches a sermon so powerful that it moves 3,000 people to be baptized. What Spirit experience! And those who were baptized devoted themselves to the breaking of bread and the prayers. All those who believed were together and had all things in common; they would sell their possessions and goods and distribute the proceeds to all, as any had need.

From that story alone, we can see that the Spirit is serious stuff. We shouldn’t meddle with it if we’re not ready to be utterly transformed. That’s why back-alley baptisms aren’t what we’re about. We baptize publicly because it is so important. Baptism claims a person and shapes his or entire life with a calling to do God’s will.

And so as we celebrate Jesus’ baptism, we are urged to remember our own baptisms—to ponder anew what it means to be a baptized child of God. We rejoice that we have been delivered from the evil forces of the world, forgiven and promised eternal life. And we have the responsibility to use the gift of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Through our baptisms, the Spirit continues to call us. Let us listen and follow! Amen.

Now may the peace of God which passes all understanding keep our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.

© Laura E. Gentry 2007