Ted Sperduto

                                                         January 10, 2010

                                                      Luke 3:15-17, 21-22

Our scripture reading this morning focuses on the baptism of Jesus.  But I’d like to back up a minute. Two weeks ago we were celebrating Christ’s birth.    January 6^th was the 12^th day of Christmas, Epiphany.  Four days ago the three “kings” (Wise Men, or Magi) arrived to pay homage to Jesus, the new born king.  Magi were a tribe of priests in the Persian Empire.  After a failed attempt to become the dominant power in Persia, they took on a priestly role in the empire.  One of their functions was the study of astrology.  The “Kings” were astrologers.

This year, I must confess, I’m more conscious of the 3 kings, because of the choir’s production of “Amahl and the night visitors”.  Susan whipped us into shape very well.  A friend said there were two miracles in “Amahl”.  At the end of the performance Amahl could walk without his crutch, and after the performance I could hear again, since I was the deaf king.  However, Mary might dispute that analysis of my improved hearing.

The arrival of the 3 kings we call Epiphany which means “show forth”. In Jesus, God is showing or revealing a new direction for creation.  God is shown in human personality.  In Jesus God is bringing the “good news” of forgiveness, revealing a New Covenant based in Love, and a new understanding that God is accessible through prayer.  Jesus brings a new kind of relationship, an inclusive uniting power (We are all “children of God; brothers and sisters.).  He shows a new way for individuals, communities, tribes, and nations to relate to one another.  In 2010, we still have a long way to go!

The Gospel of Luke includes prophetic words, the angel Gabriel, shepherds, and a chorus of heavenly angels.  In the Gospel of Matthew the three “Wise Men” are guided by an unusual star; possibly formed by the conjunction of Saturn and Jupiter in 7 B.C. (B.C.E.).

Luke draws the beginning of his Gospel from the depths of Jewish prophecy, and the rough hewn lives of everyday ordinary hard working people like shepherds.  Through the three Wise Men, who represent outside cultures, Matthew projects his gospel toward the world beyond Judea (Palestine), the world of the Gentiles.  That’s us.

This new human being, the baby Jesus is God’s act of participating in the human experience; of becoming one with us.

I can’t help but think of the Exodus account of Moses and his encounter with God in the burning bush.  God said, “Say that ‘I Am’ has sent me.”  “I Am” is a shorter way of saying “I am who I am” or “I will be who I will be”.  In Jesus birth, God is saying ”I will be Jesus”.

In the Gospels of Matthew and Luke are saying that Wise Men (“outsiders”), shepherds, and all the angels and stars in the Heavens are celebrating this new thing coming to creation through the Baby Jesus.

I found myself thinking about all this “stuff”, as I was contemplating today.

A couple days ago I was driving the streets of Wausau listening to ESPN radio.  “Mike and Mike” were talking about the playoff games this weekend.

There conversation turned to fans and whether or not fans had power over the outcome of games beyond making a lot of noise when the other team was on offense.

It was mentioned that some fans have to wear a particular sweatshirt or pair of socks, because their team wins when they wear those items of clothing.  And if they don’t wear their lucky clothes, their team loses.  Is this true for any of you?  What will you be wearing when you watch the Packers play today?

I know some of you won’t watch the game today, because you could care less.  You think, “football shmoofball, what a waste of time”.  But did you ever think that the power of your mental and emotional attention, or your grubby old jeans might be the deciding factor in a Packer win today.  Think about that!  This could be important….........Think about it!

Well this deep discussion caused me to have an “Ah Hah” moment…..the shepherds, the angels, and the Wise Men were the first true “fans” of Jesus.  They made a pilgrimage to seek the baby Jesus.

Another “fan” of Jesus, who grew with him, was John the Baptist.  John and Jesus were relatives.  According to Luke, John recognized that Jesus’ teaching and ministry were at another level.  When Jesus came to John to be baptized John expressed his feelings of unworthiness.  He said, “I baptize with water, but Jesus (“one who is greater than I”) will baptize with the Holy Spirit and with fire.”

Water, bread, and wine (juice) were essential elements of life in Jesus’ time.  These common staples of life were every day symbols that ordinary people understood and had available.  The water of baptism was a cleansing, purifying rite in Judaism.  Baptism for us is similar.  It is a symbol that recognizes the inner change that we want to take place within ourselves.  In our tradition, it’s a symbol that affirms our desire to raise our children in a way that shows forth Jesus teachings about grace and love in their lives.  Baptism affirms our own desire to show Jesus’ grace and love in our own lives.

Baptism is our “water mark” of membership in the Church.      Years ago, when we visited Valdez, Alaska, I remember our tour of Prince William Sound.  As our boat cruised along the shore at the base of the surrounding mountains, our guide pointed out a water line visible in the rock about four feet above the present water level.  He informed us that that water mark was where the water of the Sound touched the shore in 1964 before the earthquake pushed the mountain up 4 feet.  The tidal wave that followed destroyed Valdez and forced the relocation of the town on higher ground.

The water mark of our baptism evaporates and dries in a little while, but with every baptism we witness we renew the vow taken by us or on our behalf by our parents.

A water mark is not visible on us like the four foot water mark around Valdez.  But what is visible is the mark of the Holy Spirit in our lives.  We experience Holy Spirit in the love, forgiveness, grace and mercy of the Christ like attitude lived out and shared with us in our community of faith.  We experience Holy Spirit in the lives of people around us as we work and play.  We can only hope and strive as individuals that we are able to live out the gifts of the Spirit in some way each day.

Over the past year I’ve been intrigued by the work of Greg Mortenson the author of the book Three Cups of Tea.  I mentioned him in my last sermon.  But I think he’s worth mentioning again, because I think he is a great example of Spirit at work. 

Since being rescued by the people of the village of Korphe, Pakistan after a failed attempt to climb the mountain K-2 in the 1990’s, he has worked to fulfill a promise he made to the children of Korphe.  He promised to help them build a school, which he did.  It’s a school that educates girls and boys in the tribal region in Northern Pakistan around Korphe.  Following that accomplishment, other village leaders in the area asked for his help to enable them to build schools for their communities.

Since fulfilling that promise, Greg has established the Central Asia Institute that has raised funds and built 131 schools in tribal villages in the tribal regions of both Pakistan and Afghanistan.

We hear in the news that schools are being destroyed by the Taliban in those areas.  Interestingly, none of the 131 schools that Greg has helped villages build have been destroyed, because the schools are built by the villages, not outsiders.

All the schools must educate girls and boys.  People have left the Taliban because of his efforts and some of those people are teachers in some of the school. Currently 58,000 students are served by the 131 schools; most of the students are girls.

Greg Mortenson echoes an African proverb he heard while growing up in Tanzania, “If you teach a boy, you educate an individual. But, if you teach a girl, you educate a community.”  Girls who are educated return home and help teach their mothers to read.  Educated women do not allow their children to join groups like the Taliban.

General David Petraeus and other military leaders have made Three cups of Tea required reading for all officers enrolled in the counterinsurgency courses at the Pentagon; (This info is from Greg Mortenson’s second book Stones into Schools; p. 15.)

Greg’s story is compelling.  He is a shy man who does not relish being in the spotlight.  He is a wonderful example of the Spirit at work in creative ways to develop understanding and bring people together.

As look out over you all from this point of view, I see people who daily show forth the Spirit of their Christ like attitude in this community.

But, as “fans” of Jesus who have been baptized with water and touched by the Holy Spirit, it is not the amazing things that we do that shows forth the work of the Holy Spirit, but mostly the small gentle quiet gestures and activities that descend like a dove into the lives we live.

Like the Wise Men, we have our gifts to bring to the Christ living and working