Tuesday, January 13, 2015

Beloved, Blessed, Chaos


January 11th, 2015           “Beloved, Blessed, Chaos”        Rev. Heather Jepsen

Mark 1:4-11 with Psalm 29
          The first part of the liturgical year always seems to fly by.  Every year the church re-enacts the life story of Jesus, and we seem to do most of it in the Spring.  Just a few weeks ago Jesus was born and in just a few short weeks he will be turning his face to Jerusalem and the death that awaits him there.  Today is one of those highlights along the road, because today we celebrate the baptism of Jesus.
          Jesus’ baptism is always a bit of a touchy subject.  All of the synoptic gospels mention the event, so it is something many scholars believe was a true historical occurrence in the life of our Lord.  The problem with the baptism of Jesus is a theological one.  If Jesus is from God, of God, then why would he submit to a baptism for forgiveness of sins?  Why would the Son of God need forgiveness?  And if Jesus is greater than John, then why does John baptize Jesus and not the other way around?  The whole thing is a bit of a chaotic mess.  We have lots of wonderings and musings about these questions but we don’t really have any clear answers. 
          Whenever we imagine this scene it is one of tranquility and peace.  If you google images of Jesus’ baptism, you will find a whole slew of peaceful pictures.  There he is bowing before John the Baptist, now he is rising up out of the waters in joy, see the dove as it gently descends, a vision of hope and peace.  Well, isn’t that lovely?!?
          Too bad life doesn’t work that way.  Have you ever seen a dove descend, or any bird for that matter, come down from the sky?  Sure in slow motion it can look really cool, but often it just looks like a bird crashing.  I am thinking of when we lived near San Francisco and the masses of the dove’s closest cousin, pigeons, we would see fluttering about there.  Those birds would come in for a landing and it was a chaotic mess of feathers and squawks.  And watch out if you are standing too close, it hurts when a bird hits you on the head!!
          Plus, have you ever seen someone be baptized by dunking?  Sure, sometimes it’s all smooth and beautiful but often the human body reacts negatively to being shoved under water.  A quick search of You Tube will reveal loads of funny baptism videos as people come flying out of the water gasping and sputtering for breath.  Even in the best moments, you can see the human body tense as the person comes up chest heaving.
          We like to imagine this perfect baptism for Jesus, but what if it was more normal, what if it was more like our experience?  If Jesus was fully human, his body too would be crying out for air as he was dunked in the river.  He too, would be taking big open mouth breaths as he regained his composure.  Then the sky rips open!  Tell me that’s not chaotic and scary.  Mark says the heavens were torn apart.  A bird falls out of the sky and lands on Jesus’ head.  What if it was a 200mph peregrine falcon descent rather than a slow motion dove?  Then a loud voice speaks from out of the sky.  I imagine some folks would be running and screaming by this point, it’s not like people would immediately understand what was going on.  What if instead of the picture perfect scene we imagine, things were more chaotic, more real?  I like to imagine Jesus’ baptism as beloved, blessed, chaos.
          I don’t think it’s too much of a stretch.  The whole point of the baptism of Jesus is that Jesus joins the ranks of sinners like us.  Jesus joins the mess and chaos that is human life.  That is why we find him there that morning, standing in the waters of the Jordan, waiting in line with everyone else.  Jesus is the fullest expression of God’s desire to join us, and we are nothing if not messy and chaotic.
          Our Psalm too, reminds us that while God is in control, what God is in control of is chaos.  The voice of the Lord is over the mighty waters and the thunders of glory.  Mighty thundering waters?  That’s chaos.  The voice of the Lord breaks down trees and makes cities jump like wild animals.  That’s chaos.  The voice of the Lord shakes the wilderness and sets it aflame.  That’s chaos.  The voice of the Lord causes a tornado that strips the forest bare.  That’s chaos.  Our Psalm reminds us that things with God are often out of control, in control.  The world is a place of chaotic, violent natural phenomenon and yet God is in control.  God is in control of our beloved, blessed, chaos. 
          So too, when Jesus joins with the chaos that is humanity, when he lines up to be baptized with us, why wouldn’t it be the wet and wild mess all of our baptisms were?  There is a reason babies cry.  Whether we are splashed or dunked, as we arise with water pouring off our heads, we know we have been changed in a moment of chaos. 
          Once Jesus is united with humanity, his ministry begins.  His ministry grows out of chaos and will be marked by chaos throughout.  He is sent straight into the wilderness to be tempted, he will face ridicule throughout his short lifetime, and nothing is more chaotic then a man physically torn on a cross crying out “My God, why have you forsaken me?”  Ours is a God of chaos, chaos in the natural order, and chaos in the life of Jesus Christ, Emmanuel, God with us.  Beloved, blessed, chaos.
          Of course, we will remember Jesus’ sacrificial death as we gather around the table today.  As we share the elements of bread and juice, we remember the chaos of those last days.  We remember that Jesus was betrayed by his friends, abandoned by his disciples, and kneeled in a garden praying “Lord, let this cup pass from me.”  We remember that three days later his friends found an empty tomb and chaotically ran every which way, some believing and some full of doubt.  At this table we also look forward to the beloved chaos that is yet to come.  For when all people gather, from all times and places, to sit together at one table, what can it be but beloved, blessed, chaos?
          We remember too, that from his baptism, Jesus goes out to serve.  Today we will ordain and install those that have committed to serving our church this coming year.  Our new elders and deacons receive their call to serve as an outgrowth out of their baptism.  And like Jesus, it is a call to serve in a world of chaos.  I’ve spent too much time in the church to tell you that it is anything else.  What we do here each and every Sunday, and especially in the days of the week leading up to this moment, could certainly be described as beloved, blessed, chaos.
          So, as we celebrate the baptism of our Lord today, I encourage us to let go of those images of perfect perfection.  Instead, let us imagine the event for what it is.  Our world has always been chaos, and our God has always longed to be united to us and to our chaos.  Jesus just wants to be part of our mess.  That’s what Emmanuel is all about, the grace of God with us; in beloved, blessed, chaos.  Amen. 

         

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