The Day of Beginnings

The site where Jesus was baptized by John.

Baptism of Our Lord, Year B – January 11, 2015

Our Redeemer Lutheran Church, Grand Prairie, Texas

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Grace and mercy and peace are yours, through God our Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

Today could very well be called “The Day of Beginnings” – just look at our Old Testament lesson from Genesis and our Gospel lesson from Mark. Both are from chapter one of each book; both begin with beginnings:

Genesis begins: “In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth…” and then we hear of that first day of Creation, when a wind from God – or the Spirit of God – swept over those first waters. And then the voice of God creates light. God separates light from darkness – Day and Night - and it is good.

It was the beginning – the beginning of everything! - and when we are at the beginning, anything is possible. But, for that time, anyway – it was all still good.

The story of our beginning continues on: God spends five more days putting Creation into place: the skies, the stars, the moon, and everything that dwells upon this planet that we call “Home” – every creature that flies in the air and swims the sea and every creature that wanders over land. And then, of course, God creates the first two humans. And God calls all of this “very good” and decides to rest for a day.

It doesn’t take long for the goodness of Creation to turn bad, and sin enters the world when the first humans decide to take matters into their own hands. Throughout time and over and over again, humans walk in sinfulness – taking matters into their own hands, not trusting in the God who created them, not knowing the God who loves them.

In that love, God promises a New Creation, and it begins with another beginning: “The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God” is how Mark begins to tell us of the life of Jesus. Mark doesn’t begin with angels bringing tidings of great joy, he doesn’t begin with the young parents of a little baby boy, he doesn’t begin with shepherds and wise men coming to worship Jesus.

Mark begins his good news with John the Baptist, preparing the way for Jesus, calling people to repent so that they may receive forgiveness of their sins. Mark begins his good news with the waters of baptism – the waters of the New Creation. The Spirit sweeps over these waters, too – this time, in the form of a dove. The voice of God speaks over these waters, too – this time, calling Jesus his beloved Son.

The beginning of Creation is our beginning. The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ is our good news. The baptism of Jesus is echoed throughout time and space, in our own baptisms, when the Spirit hovers over these waters that wash us, and the voice of God is over these waters, calling us, “Beloved.”

As beloved children of God, we often live in tension with the world around us. Violence begets more violence, and sometimes it seems as though death is the only logical ending to it all. We live in a world marked by racism and sexism and ageism – and every other form of discrimination known to humankind. Fear is rampant and destructive; grace can be so hard to find. Creation has become quite chaotic.

As beloved children of God, it may be tempting to withdraw from all of this and to focus only on the beauty of the earth and the glimpses of goodness that we still can see. And yet, that is not the model we have from Jesus. Jesus emerges from the waters of his baptism and goes straight out into a harsh wilderness, to be tested by the devil for forty days. When he begins his earthly ministry – another beginning! – his work is among the sick, the poor, the hurting, the lowly.

As beloved children of God, we emerge from our own baptisms, called to live in this world. We are not called to live perfect lives. We are called to follow and to trust in the God of heaven and earth: the God who made us, who provides for us, who redeems us, who sustains us daily. We are called to forgive others and to love others. We are called to care for the least of these – the sick, the poor, the hurting, and the lowly. And this is all work that must extend beyond the confines of the season of Christmas, beyond Sunday morning or Wednesday night – this is work that we are called to each and every day of our lives in Christ.

We are eleven days into the beginning of a new year – another beginning! Even if you haven’t come up with official resolutions for 2015, I ask you to consider making some now – making some today. Resolve to love and forgive. Resolve to care for the least of these.

And when you don’t – when you step away from God and the loving work to which you are called – rely upon the waters of your own baptism. For in them, you have been claimed by God, you have been marked with the cross of Christ, and made his own – forever.

Amen.

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