First Sunday after Epiphany year A 2014 - Baptism of Jesus

Sermon based on Isaiah 42:1-9 and Matthew 3:13-17

Today I want to tell you about the some of the dangers of Dihydrogen monoxide:

• is called "hydroxyl acid", the substance is the major component of acid rain.
• contributes to the "greenhouse effect".
• may cause severe burns.
• is fatal if inhaled.
• contributes to the erosion of our natural landscape.
• accelerates corrosion and rusting of many metals.
• may cause electrical failures and decreased effectiveness of car brakes.
• has been found in excised tumours of terminal cancer patients.

Despite the danger, dihydrogen monoxide is often used:

• as an industrial solvent and coolant.
• in nuclear power plants.
• in the production of Styrofoam.
• as a fire retardant.
• in many forms of cruel animal research.
• in the distribution of pesticides.
• Even after washing, product remains contaminated by this chemical.
• as an additive in certain "junk-foods" and other food products.

It doesn't sound like the sort of chemical you'd want to have near you, let alone in your house but I can guarantee that not only do each and every one of you have this dangerous chemical in your homes, you have all been in contact with it several times this morning.

Surprised?

Perhaps not, for dihydrogen monoxide is more commonly known as water.

Yes, ordinary, everyday water

but water isn't totally safe.

In 2012, the latest figures I could find, 371 people drowned in water

each year around 2000 children – that's just children – attend A&E with scalds from too hot baths, with around 400 of those admitted to hospital for further treatment, costing the NHS around £38.2 million per year in treatment

the huge amounts of rain there has been over the past few weeks has caused devastating flooding in many, many parts of the country, with people having to be evacuated from their homes, with no indication when they will be able to safely return home.

But without water to drink we would all die – in about 3 days

we may be able to survive without food for a for a few weeks, but not without water

water is essential for our lives and for all known life on earth

the bottom line is, without water on this planet, there would be no life

It was even in water that the first life on the planet came into existence and there was no life outwith the rivers and seas and oceans for around 2.5 billion – yes 2.5 billion years

so for almost all of earth's existence the only life which existed did so in water

but this ordinary substance, this basic molecule required for life, just does that

it sustains us

it carries nutrients around our cells

it washes our clothes and our bodies

but it is just a simple chemical made from 2 basic elements – hydrogen and oxygen

the same simple chemical which is used when a person is baptised

whether, as normally practised in the Church of Scotland, it is baptism by sprinkling or dabbing a wee bit of water on a person's forehead

or, as in other traditions, it is baptism by full immersion

it is still water which is used

even Jesus' baptism by his cousin, John the Baptist, was baptised in the water of the Jordan

so, for the church this simple chemical can take on a most significant of roles


as in and though baptism, we become members of the one holy catholic and apostolic church

which is actually quite a staggering thought, when you think about it.


All people who are baptised – irrespective of when, who by and whether or not they have anything at all to do with church

 as members of the church – the body of Christ - through baptism, they are shown to be a child of God

as baptism is a sign, through the use of water, of an inward grace – the grace of God which passes all understanding – the person receives

baptism also represents the washing away of sin from the individual being baptised


that was the baptism John the baptist preached – that those gathering to hear him should repent of their sins and be baptised


which does sort of beg the question as to why Jesus needed to be baptised


after all, Jesus was completely without sin, so didn't need the sort of baptism John was calling people to have


that's why John the baptist protests against baptising Jesus, as he knows Jesus doesn't need to repent of or have sins forgiven


but Jesus asked John to baptise him so they could do what God required


and when Jesus emerged from the water, God blessed him by coming down to Jesus as the dove of the holy spirit and speaking the words from God the father, “this is my own dear son, with whom I am well pleased.


In that moment, as Jesus came out of the water, baptised by John, the three persons of the trinity were present


Father, in the heavenly voice


Son, in Jesus

Spirit, in the dove

and so God showed himself to the world through his servant king, Jesus Christ

a king, a messiah, who showed the humility of a servant by following what God wished of him, through being baptised by John


in that baptism, God showed he had called Jesus and given him the power to see that justice was done on earth


through Jesus, the covenant God had with the chosen people of Israel was extended to all the nations – to the whole world


this began Jesus ministry


without a fanfare or shouting or speeches in the street


a ministry which would set the prisoners free and give sight to the blind


all starting by the simple act of Jesus being baptised in water by John


a baptism we are all invited to share in, which all people throughout the world are invited to share in


which poses a challenge for us as the church, I believe

because if we baptise infants, which is the custom of the Church of Scotland and say they are members of the church through their baptism


then the church is much, much bigger than attendance figures show


there are almost certainly more people sitting at home or working or shopping right now who are members of the church, through baptism, than ever attend any church


the reasons for this are complex, and just thinking about it could be a sermon series all of its own

but I wonder if it is because we as a church congregation failed to keep our the commitments we make as a congregation when a person – especially a child is baptised


and I quote from the baptism service for the church of Scotland (quote from Book of Common Order p92)

but then, the words commit us to live before all God's children in a good and kindly way and share with them the knowledge and love of Christ


these are things we can do in everyday of our lives, just by living our lives as followers of Christ we can and will reveal God's love to all the nations through the love of Christ shining through our actions


all because of that most dangerous, but essential elements – water


Just like God, it is good, but it is not always safe.