"BAPTISM" - Matthew 3:13 - 17

A Sermon by Alex W. Evans, Pastor

Second Presbyterian Church, Richmond, VA

Sunday, January 8, 2023

Text: Matthew 3:13-17

“BAPTISM”

            “Goblin Mode.” Have you heard that term?

            “Goblin mode” is the Oxford English Dictionary’s 2022 “Word of the Year,” even though it is two words. Oxford Dictionary picks a new word each year. According to Oxford Dictionary, the term for 2022 – “goblin mode” - is defined as “a type of behavior which is unapologetically self-indulgent, lazy, slovenly or greedy, typically in a way that rejects social norms or expectations.”

            “Goblin mode” is basically refusing to be your best self, and instead, going with sloppy, indifferent, and selfish. “Goblin mode” is basically giving up on the idea that what we do, how we present ourselves, and how we treat others, even matters. What . . . is . . . . happening . . . . that this is the word for 2022?

            We all might feel like this sometimes – life can feel pretty “blah” - Goblin mode – just indifferent to anything and everything. We might encounter people in the grocery store aisles, or at the post office, who look like they just got out of bed, even if it is 3:00pm – wearing pajamas and slippers, all unkempt. Goblin mode is the opposite of trying to better yourself. We might even apply this term to what happened this week within the Republican Party and their search for a House Speaker – a small faction, refusing to govern, unapologetically self-indulgent, without regard to social norms or expectations about what leadership or government mean.

            This is an interesting term – “goblin mode” – especially as we celebrate a baptism today, and move into Epiphany, and to the banks of the Jordan River.

            Epiphany comes from the Greek word, “epiphaneia,” which means a “sudden perception of the true nature of something.” An epiphany is an “aha moment.”

There are lots of epiphanies in the gospel stories as people see Jesus, recognize something amazing and unique about him. One of those epiphanies happens along the Jordan River. Listen to this story from Matthew 3:

Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan, to be baptized by him. John would have prevented him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” But Jesus answered him, “Let it be so now; for it is proper for us in this way to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he consented. And when Jesus had been baptized, just as he came up from the water, suddenly the heavens were opened to him and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased.”

            This is the Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.

            An epiphany for all who were present – a sudden perception of true meaning about Jesus.

            In just two short weeks, we have moved from Jesus’ birth to Jesus’ adult baptism. The gospel stories are not going to allow us to linger long on the manger, and the serene shepherds in the fields, or the “Glory to God in the highest.” As Will Willimon says, we cannot get stuck in “sappy sentimentality that too often inundates Christmas” – the baby Jesus, lots of adoration and admiration. God has bigger intentions for us following Jesus and it involves obedience and life. (See Christian Century, 12/30/2013).

Jesus’ coming is always about a huge epiphany – we see God in our midst and we align our lives with God. And with that epiphany, there intends to be no more “goblin mode;” no more self-indulgent or sloppy behavior; our lives are meant to be about goodness, about love and righteousness, doing justice, loving kindness, and walking humbly with God following Jesus.

            This scene has Jesus coming to John at the Jordan, to be baptized. Right away we want to highlight several things that deserve some attention. First, John the Baptist represents law and speaks as a prophet. He is introduced at the beginning of this third chapter, telling people to change their hearts and lives. John is linked to another prophet, Isaiah, who was a voice shouting in the wilderness. John is dressed in leather and camel’s hair. People were coming from the whole region to confess their sins and be baptized. John baptized the people but kept saying, “there is one coming after me – one filled with the Spirit who will really bring about God’s reign.”

            And then, second, Jesus shows up to this chaotic scene at the river to be baptized by John. Dale Bruner, who writes a commentary on Matthew, calls this baptism of Jesus, by John, Jesus’ first miracle – “the miracle of humility.” Jesus “goes down with us” – and his whole life will be like this. He began his public life in a river with sinners and ended his life on a cross between thieves. Jesus stays low with us, identifying with us at every level. The God of the universe is not above us but ONE with us, in every way. This epiphany becomes plain right in Jesus’ first appearance on the scene, at his baptism. (see Bruner, Matthew, p. 83)

            Understandably, John is not sure what to do with this. He says, “No, I need to be baptized by you, you come to me?” (Only in Matthew do we have this little interchange with John trying to get out of baptizing Jesus.) But Jesus answers – and these are his first spoken words in this gospel – “Let it be so now; for it is proper for us in this way to fulfill all righteousness.” When Jesus speaks, it is about “righteousness.” Then John consented and baptized him.

“Righteousness” is always what God is about – making things right. Out of chaos, order. That is how the Bible begins. Out of slavery, freedom. This is a primary theme of God. Out of the wilderness, a way. Out of confusion, clarity.

Out of heartache, hope. Out of lostness, life. Out of fear, faith. Out of death, life.

This is always God’s way and God’s work. Fulfill all righteousness. Making things RIGHT.

Matthew uses this word, “righteous” seven times to stress that if God cares about righteousness, our lives are to be righteous too. Not self-righteous – where we want to be right all the time - but about living for God, God’s righteousness – which is humility and kindness, wholeness and hope, justice and joy for everyone. In all the gospels, Jesus keeps calling us, in response to God’s righteousness, to align our lives with God – doing good, bringing healing, spreading hope.

So, baptism is a beautiful moment that reminds us of God’s abiding love and care over us, God’s grace sustaining us. But is also intends to direct our living – away from self, and self-indulgent ways, and toward serving, following Jesus.

            Jesus is baptized by John – with an epiphany that reveals who he really is: “this is my Son, the Beloved.” Then Jesus gets going in his life and ministry which is all about righteousness – the lame walk, the blind see, the poor are given help and care, the demons are chased away – and life moves toward the Kingdom of God’s reign of love and justice, peace and hope for everyone.

            Our baptisms are to unfold similarly – faithful work in the world – like Jesus.

            There is a true story about a college professor inviting a Buddhist monk to come and speak to his class of seniors. When the monk entered the room, he did not say a thing, which got everyone’s attention. He went to the board and wrote this: EVERYONE WANTS TO SAVE THE WORLD, BUT NO ONE WANTS TO HELP MOM DO THE DISHES. Everybody laughed. But then he went on to explain it this way: “Statistically, it’s highly unlikely that any of you will ever have the opportunity to run into a burning orphanage to save an infant. But, in the smallest gesture of kindness – a warm smile, holding the door for the person behind you, shoveling the driveway for an elderly neighbor – you have committed an act of immeasurable profundity, because to each of us, our life is our universe.” Then the monk reminded the students that it’s the smallest acts of kindness that save the world. (John Perricone via my friend, Millie Snyder) We certainly start there – and then seek to do as much as we can, wherever we find ourselves, to heal the planet, do justice, spread peace, and move the world toward God’s righteousness.

At Baptism, we hear about God’s abiding promises. Then, we make promises to love and pray for each other. We make promises to teach and encourage our children, and one another, to keep growing in faith, to keep serving God in the world. We cannot merely sing “Jesus Loves Me.” We are called to love and serve following Jesus. We cannot simply come to church and call ourselves Christian. We are called to find new and deeper ways each day, each season, to spread God’s love and justice everywhere.

            The new word of the year may be “Goblin mode.” Yet we are called to so much more – to live out our baptisms – especially in a world where we are inclined toward divisions, or tearing others down, or assuming we can do whatever we want.

Baptism – Jesus’ baptism – and each of our baptisms – remind us that our lives come from God. God loves us and has a claim on us. And our commitments are about the ways, the following, the obedience to Jesus – to work for help and healing in the world. That is what we are to do – live in, for, toward the righteousness of God. Not “Goblin mode.” Not selfish mode. Not sloppy and greedy mode. We have been baptized: our lives exist for the service of God – all of us, all our days – spreading love and peace, sharing love and joy, working for justice and environmental concerns, and wholeness and hope, for everyone.

May this be our way, always and forever. Amen.

Prayer of Commitment: Holy God, to turn from you is to fall; to turn to you is to rise; to open our hearts, to receive your Spirit, to see you in our midst, to strive to serve you, well, that is to abide forever. We seek to follow Christ our Lord. Amen

Alex Evans, Pastor, Second Presbyterian Church, Richmond, VA preached this sermon during Sunday morning worship on January 8, 2023. This is a rough manuscript.