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January 13, 2008
Scripture: Matthew 3: 13-17
Sermon: “I need to be baptized by you”

The need for baptism. It is a need that drives us as Christians. It is a need that we hope will find some satisfaction as we emerge from the baptismal waters. We need to be baptized by God. We need to know that we are a part of the wider faith community. We need to be a part of the whole. We need to know that we have taken the first step in claiming our spiritual nature, in claiming our relationship with God, in claiming our relationship as people of faith. We need to be baptized to be made complete as people of God.

The need for the baptismal waters is a need that is a constant in our lives as people of faith. As children, as we watch others walk down into the waters, we understand that there is something about that water. It calls us. It beckons us. And as we watched the people emerge from the water, we began to name that there is a need to be baptized.

And now as adults, when we see youth wade into the waters, we remember our baptisms. We remember what the water felt like as we took those first tentative steps to the preacher. We remember the fear and uncertainty as the hand was place over our face and we were taken down into the water. We remember the joy as we were brought up from those waters. The need to be baptized satisfied.

Until we reach those dry spells on our faith journey. As life becomes difficult and we are faced with struggles, we become parched and the need to be baptized comes back. How we long for that water to rain down upon us once more? How we long for that healing water to wash away the dry dust that is clogging our spiritual vision. How we long for that water to refresh our parched souls. The need to be baptized is once again a part of our lives.

The need to be baptized drives us as Christians. The feelings of joy and oneness with all of God’s creation seem like distant memories. We want to recapture that feeling of wholeness again and so we cry out: We need to be baptized by you, O God. Send your healing water to us once more. We want to be a part of something glorious once more. We need to be baptized by you O God. Make us whole. Make us new. Bring your peace to us. Wash away the dust that separates us from you. Bring your kingdom to us so that we will be made whole once more. We have a need to be baptized by you, O God.

Just like that day when John the Baptist stood beside the water, watching Jesus approach to be baptized. John has been preaching repentance to all who would listen. John has been baptizing all who had committed themselves to turning theirs back to God. John has been baptizing that the Messiah is coming, that this Messiah will bring fire to burn away the dead, that this Messiah will bring about the Kingdom of God.

And now the Messiah approaches. And now the Messiah comes to stand in front of John, wanting to be baptized. And now the Messiah, Jesus, stands before John, wanting to be a part of the whole community of faith. And now the Messiah, Jesus wants to be baptized.

And you can just see the look of confusion upon John’s face. What is he doing? I am not worthy to even carry his sandals, and he wants me to baptize him! There has to be some mistake! The Messiah is here. God’s promises of justice and righteousness will be made true. This Messiah, this Jesus is suppose to baptize me with the Holy Spirit. This is not the way it is supposed to happen!

Jesus, I am not sure you know what you are doing. I need to be baptized by you. I need to be made whole by you. I need to be healed and washed clean by you. I need you. I need to be baptized by you.

And Jesus replies: Yes, I know of your need to be baptized by me. I know of your need to be made whole. I know of your need to be washed clean. And that is why I need to be baptized by you. I also have the need to be a part of the whole creation with you as your brother. I also have the need to be a part of the community of faith with you as your brother. I also have the need to claim my relationship with God, and with all of God’s people as your brother. I need to be baptized by you. So that God’s Kingdom of justice and righteous will be for all people because I am entering into this covenant of servanthood with all of God’s children. Through my baptism, I am standing you and all of God’s children as your brother.

Through my baptism, I am bringing about a new creation that enables all of God’s children to envision a world where the weak will be make strong, where the poor will be made rich, where the lost will be found.

Through my baptism, I am calling for all of God’s people to adopt a new mind set that will bring about God’s justice, to bring about God’s passionate commitment to set right the things that are wrong. Through my baptism, I am entering into a covenant with all of God’s people to help bring about the Kingdom of God.

Through my baptism, I am showing all people of faith that they are marked for God’s new creation, where we are called into a public witness of God’s compassionate love and unfailing justice, where we as a community of faith commit ourselves to working to bring about the Kingdom of God.

Yes, John, I have a need to be baptized by you as much as you have a need to be baptized by me. Together, through our baptisms, we embrace our calling as children of God. Together, through our baptisms, we are creating a new way of envisioning and thinking about the world. Together, through our baptisms, we are reminded that we are called to live our lives according to God’s justice and God’s righteousness.

Yes, John, I have a need to be baptized by you because by doing so, I become God’s servant who will bring the reign of God to all of God’s people. By being baptized by you, I am showing the world that there is another way, a way of peace, a way of love, a way that humbles oneself for the sake of others.

Yes, John, I have a need to be baptized by you because I have a need to see this world made whole once more.

And John consents. John realizes that this Messiah has come to bring the Holy Spirit to all of God’s people, to bring about the Kingdom of God, as our brother, as one who stands in solidarity with us along our journeys of faith, as one who is a part of the faith community.

And as Jesus emerges from the waters, a voice said to all that were gathered there that day: “This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased.” The covenantal relationship between God and humankind once again made whole through Jesus Christ. The community of faith once again washed cleaned. The people of faith once again healed through Jesus Christ.

Our constant need to be baptized is a reminder for all of us that we are called to continue to live out our covenantal relationship with God and with one another. Our constant need to be made whole is a reminder for all of us to look beyond ourselves and see that there are others who have the same need to be made whole. Our constant need to feel the baptismal waters upon our skin is our reminder that we live in a world that is crying our for justice and righteousness and that we are called to live our lives working to help bring about the Kingdom of God.

It is a need that will never be quenched or satisfied until all of God’s creation is made whole once more.

This morning, we are reminded that yes, Jesus has a need to be baptized by all of us so that he can become part our lives, so that he can become part of our community, so that he can bring about the Kingdom of God.

In just a few moments, you will be invited to come forward and remember your baptism. Remember the details of that day. Remember emerging from that water. Remember being a part of the whole community of God.

Remember your call as one of God’s children to bring hope and grace to all that are hurting. Remember you call as one of God’s servants to support those around you on their journey. Remember your call to pray for one another and to pray to nourish your spirit. Remember that you are blessed through the Holy Spirit to renew, to refresh, to inspire those around you.

May we always remember our need to be baptized by God. Amen.

Rev. Heather McColl
Midway Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)

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