January 12, 2014
Stetson Memorial United Methodist Church
Baptism of the Lord Sunday
Sermon Series on
“The Names of God”
Sermon 2 of
series-
“The Sacred
Names of God: Yeshua/Mashiach”
Matthew 1:18-21
Psalm 2
Mark 1:14-20
Matthew 3:13-17
(All Scripture is from The Names of God Bible)
(Start
pouring the water) Water…it has so many implications and meanings. It can be
life giving and life taking. Water has so much power. When it is held back, we
can enjoy a leisurely trip down the river. When it is held back, we can have
water to drink from our faucets at home. When it is held back, we can enjoy
fishing at our favorite fishing hole. But when it is let loose…then…then we can
see its awesome power. When it is let loose we see the devastation of a flood
in all its might. When it is let loose we see how a rain storm can ravage a
village. How can something that is so life giving be so devastating? It is
definitely a force to be reckoned with…
There
are many stories in the bible about water, some good and some not so good. Out
of the water God created the dry land in the Book of Genesis. Through water,
the Israelites were saved from the Egyptian’s in the Exodus story. Out of a
rock Moses was able to find life giving water for a thirsty nation. Through the
waters of the Jordon River the Israelites entered into the new land.
But…but…out of water there came a flood that wiped away almost all of humanity
in Noah’s day. Out of water the Israelites enemies, the Egyptians, were drowned
in the Red Sea. There are many more stories about water in the bible. It has an
important place in God’s grand design. Water is a holy and powerful thing.
Water…at times we can’t live with it but more often we can’t live without it.
Let
us pray:
Almighty God, the life
you birthed in us by baptism into Jesus Christ will never die. Your justice
never fails. Your mercy is everlasting. Your healing river flows. Your Spirit
blows where you will. We cannot stop you, God! But sometimes we try. We try to
block the flow, we redirect the winds of the Spirit, or we walk so far away
from the life-giving Stream that we do not hear its sound, and we forget its
power. We parch ourselves. We are dry and thirsty, O God. Come, refresh us!
Come upon us, Holy Spirit! Come upon these waters. Let these waters be to us
drops of your mercy. Let these waters remind us of your righteousness and
justice. Let these waters renew in us the resurrection power of Jesus. Let
these waters make us long for your coming reign. Most Holy God, Father! Full of
Truth and Grace! Glory to you! Jesus Christ, Savior, Lord! Glory to you! Spirit
of fire, Spirit over the waters, Spirit of holiness! Glory to you! Eternal God,
One in Three and Three in One! All glory is yours, now and forever. Amen!
Today
is Baptism of the Lord Sunday in the Christian calendar. It is a day when we
remember that baptism that changed all other baptisms to come. It is a day that
through water a new era emerged. Through water we are saved. Through water we
are adopted. Through water we are claimed. And through water we are freed. But
what was so special about that baptism?
The
Scripture from Matthew this morning shows us why it was so different.
John
knew who Jesus was and that He would bring about a new baptism. It would not be
a baptism that just cleanses you with water from your sins but a baptism above
all baptisms. This baptism would be one that has never been seen before…A
baptism of the Spirit and fire…A baptism that God comes and lives within the
baptized person through the Spirit…a baptism that would change all other
baptisms. But as I read the passage, the most exciting piece for me is the part
when the voice says “You are my Son, chosen and marked by my love, pride of my
life.” Yeshua changed everything…you see…as we are baptized…we who follow
Yeshua…the Christ…even to this day …God still proclaims “You are my son…you are my daughter, you are chosen and marked…I have
claimed you and you are mine…the pride of my life…through this water I have
marked you with the seal of my Spirit.”
Who
was this man called Jesus…this Yeshua who would become Christ the
Messiah…Mashiach ((ms-SHEE-ach)? When we look at the name Yeshua it is not
special. As a matter of fact it was a very common name…Barabbas’s first name
was Yeshua…They chose this Jesus to set
free and Jesus of Nazareth to be put to death. This Yeshua…Jesus…came to
save humanity from sin and death not in the way Barabbas did by insurrection
but by showing humanity how to live a new life of gentleness and peace. This
Yeshua was different…when Jesus was baptized by John…He changed all baptisms to
come after Him. Think about a life without this Jesus…without a savior. Can you
imagine a world without a savior…how dark it would be without Yeshua…without
His light shining in a world of darkness and sin…We are baptized in the name of
Yeshua and we are saved…our sins are forgiven through the waters and by His
blood. But there is even better news…everyone is invited to the “pool party”…
Yeshua is Jesus the Savior.
Yeshua
is Mashiach (ma-SHEE-ach) the Messiah…the Christ. Jesus was known as Jesus the
Christ…the Messiah now we just call his name Jesus Christ…as if it were His
last name…but the two names work together because it is through Jesus we have a
Messiah…a champion…that has set us free from all that may harm us…from the
chaos in which we live.
Mashiach
(ma-SHEE-ach) ®Christ,
Messiah…Anointed One set apart for a special mission… There were others that
the people thought was their messiah…others they considered to be
messiah’s…they were one’s who set the people free…King David was one of them.
But Yeshua was a different type of Messiah. He did not take Rome by storm, He
showed a more excellent way to live life…He was as gentle as a lamb…He was the Lamb of God who would be the
Messiah to free all of humanity.
The
name Christ…that was given to Yeshua in Greek meant Messiah or Anointed One.
Yeshua was the Anointed One from God and was blessed by God with authority,
strength, and honor. But He was not anointed by oil as did others who were set
apart…Yeshua was anointed by the Holy Spirit at His baptism. And so are we He was called to heal the
rift…to bridge the gap…between God and humanity. Jesus stayed away from the
name messiah…the name Mashiach…until just before His death. He didn’t want to
take on the political role that He would have had to take because of the name
messiah. But this Mashiach solved a bigger problem than Rome…this Messiah was
to solve the problem of sin in the world…to set free the captives of sin and
death. In a hurting world in need of a Messiah, there is hope in Yeshua the
Mashiach…the Christ…the Messiah…the Anointed One…
(Go out into the
congregation)
Today
is the Baptism of the Lord Sunday, the day when we remember not only Yeshua’s
life changing baptism but ours as well. Through water we are saved. Through
water we are redeemed. Through water we are given a new life. So when the
waters of life seem as if they are about to overtake you…remember your baptism…when
you walk through the waters they will not over take you. When you feel as
if you have no one who really cares in your life…remember your baptism…I have claimed you and you are mine. When you
feel like an outcast in this journey of life…remember your baptism… Through the waters of baptism we are included in
the family of God. Even when your life has taken on the chaos of the world
with no end in sight…remember your
baptism…be still and know I am God. When others treat you as an outcast and
worthless…remember your baptism you are
fearfully and wonderfully made. You have been sealed with love…you have
been sealed with power…you have been sealed with grace…you have been sealed by
the Spirit. Remember your baptism…
Amen!
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