To marvel, to fear, to do, and thus believe

We have heard the wide sweep of the gospel of John: In the beginning was the Word, which brings to mind the beginning of Genesis, and how Jesus is the definer of all that is, was, and will be.

From Luke we have heard the story of Bethlehem and how God intends to use those that are considered the lowest of the low as bearers of the Word.

From Matthew we have heard of outsiders from the East who also come to the young Jesus, to marvel, to give homage, and to take the strange story with them.

But in Mark's gospel, the one which we will be hearing most frequently during this church year, we hear a different approach.

It is a lean and spare account: there are no shepherds or wise men, no heavenly alleluias, in fact, no birth story at all.

Almost abruptly, Mark begins the Gospel with this narrative of Jesus' baptism.

And immediately we sense that we are being invited into the story not as passive watchers.

We are expected to react to the story; it is supposed to make a difference, and change us.

Here is the first clue that this is the case:

The voice from heaven says You are my Son, the beloved. With you I am well pleased.

Who hears the voice?

There is no clear indication that anyone on the riverbank heard the voice except Jesus.

But who else does hear that voice?

Us!

The voice speaks not for the sake of John the Baptizer, who is accomplishing just what he is supposed to be doing.

And it does seem that John the baptizer didn't hear, for Matthew and Luke both say that John later on sends his followers to Jesus to ask him if he is the Christ or should they be looking for another.

Perhaps if he had heard clearly at the riverbank, he would not have had to ask.

But we are the ones who hear it and are called to react to that message.

Again and again in Mark's Gospel, the folks on the scene are inwardly blind;

they cannot see the truth about what is happening all around them with Jesus.

Only at the cross and resurrection does it begin to fall into place in their hearts and minds.

Only then do they look back over all that they had heard and seen of Christ Jesus and then can say Oh, now I understand.

And, Mark says, right here at the beginning of Jesus' preaching and teaching is the first of those times that folks should have heard and understood, but could not because they were not yet “tuned in” to this new station, the station which carries the truly Good News report.

This is different from the way the other three gospel accounts proceed, but they are all pointing to the same truth of the Gospel:

that this Jesus is truly God come among us to finally set us and all creation right.

Here in Mark, the voice from heaven addresses this particular person, Jesus and says You are my Son, the Beloved,

and we now hear that voice,

and we are invited into that conversation of the Father with the Son.

How should we hear this?

With wonder, awe, and not a little fear;

for we are here treading on holy ground.

It means that God the Father, the Almighty, is not like the Greek or Egyptian, or any other kinds of gods

God the Father almighty wants to relate to us in conversation, ...not by dictation or on a whim...but in the give-and-take of conversation.

This is new...this is Good News.

Think of it:

--The stumbling words of our prayers are valued by God.

--Our psalms and hymns and anthems, even if sung in an uncertain voice, are enjoyed by God as much as the angels' alleluias.

--Our laments, complaints, and problems are patiently heard, and answered in God's judgment of the best time and way.

--And God responds appropriately to all of the words from our side with the best Word of all.

Jesus, the Word, born among us.

Jesus the Christ, the savior for all.

Jesus who is the announcement of forgiveness and the reconciliation of God and mankind.

Jesus the Vine, with us as the branches that have been grafted into the vine and draw their life from the vine.

Jesus the Redeemer, who offers his body and blood to sustain us from day to day.

Jesus the Beloved, who makes us a part of his body the Church so that we are never again to be so lonely,

trying to do things by ourselves,

for ourselves,

to the benefit of no one but ourselves.

What a comprehensive variety of images we can put forth here!

God come in the flesh is at the center of each of them.

God come in flesh and blood, in living Word, in conversation with the Father and with us.

How do we get into this conversation?

This is another marvelous thing;

it doesn't matter where we start!

for some it is in words, for others it happens in actions.

for some it begins as a child, others are adults or even nearing death before they begin.

The best time is whenever the heart is ready to turn and ear ready to hear.

Just to name two extremes:

--Jesus took children in his arms and blessed them.

--Jesus also stopped a procession on the way to the cemetery and returned a man to his previous life.

--and Jesus also touched and changed those on every stage of life in between.

It can be true for us today also.

--Many of us were baptized as infants.

Jesus enfolded us within his promises,

and that has been a point of comfort and strength ever since.

No matter what the trouble, we have always known that the Lord is standing by us with both discipline and comfort.

--Others ran into Jesus at some later point in life, as a teenager, young adult, or senior.

These persons have a different experience of the transformative power of Christ Jesus, and that is wonderful also.

Some have a long intellectual wrestling that goes on.

I'm thinking of St. Augustine, who dabbled in every sort of philosophy and hedonism as a young man, until at about age 30 or so Jesus finally got through to him.

He was found by the One for whom he didn't know he was searching.

For others, the experience of coming to the faith happened in very different ways.

I heard a person speak about being asked to assist in a soup kitchen, and in the course of the work began to ask questions of the others there why they spent their time doing this, and one thing and another lead to the answer “Jesus asked me.”

Another might say: “I hang around with a friend, ...and so here I am, and Jesus caught me. I was baptized not long ago.

Another person whom I met a dozen years ago and who is now a sought-after speaker nationally said, “Well, I thought I should do something about my children, and the pastor asked me about myself ...and said that Jesus had a great package deal for the whole family....and that started a whole process of change for me and for my children.”

So many approaches, so many ways in which Jesus reaches us.

Sometimes a large part is words, and other times actions play a big role;

sometimes it is in youth, and others in mature years.

Whenever, and in whatever way it happens, we hear the Father say

You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well-pleased, and know that the voice is talking with Jesus who is both our Lord and our brother,

and is including us within the embrace of that voice.

Oh, what joy it is to know that, to experience it, to live within that knowledge, that voice, and that truth!

With confidence and joy, let all say...AMEN.

Please note: The preceding sermon is provided as a resource for the thought, prayer, and meditation of the members and friends of St. Mark's. It is the residue of a verbal event, and thus it does not have academic footnotes and other details that would be expected in a written document. The writer gladly acknowledges the prior thought and work of many Christians before him.