My First Sermon!

My mom volunteered me to give a sermon while I was in Selah on break. So, this is the sermon that I delivered on January 10, 2010. Here ya go:

While thinking about this sermon, I have had to think to myself about what is important about the baptism of Jesus for today’s Christians. This got me to thinking about my own baptism, and what baptism means to me.

Since I was baptized as an infant, I have no recollection of what it felt like at the time, other than the assumption that the impromptu bath was a bit surprising and upsetting. I do know that it was important to my parents for me to be baptized, and that the Methodist Church must support infant baptism for some reason. However, my baptism as an infant isn’t something that is meaningful to me in and of it self. It really doesn’t matter whether I was immersed, poured, or sprinkled with water. It doesn’t even matter that I was baptized inside of a church building. All of those things are only significant because of what they represent.

Though I didn’t know the importance of baptism at the time or immediately following, I have realized more of the importance of my baptism throughout my life. For my parents, my family, and the church, it has shown that God is an important part of my life. And that all of the people present at my baptism made a promise to me and to God that they would show God’s love to me. Through the service of infant baptism found in the United Methodist Hymnal, the members of the church promise those being baptized that they will:

Surround them with a community of love and forgiveness, that they may grow in their service to others.

And also, to:

Pray for them, that they may be true disciples who walk in the way that leads to life.

My baptism brought with it the love and prayers of a whole community of people! Over the years, I have come to realize and appreciate the unending love and support of my church community, and have been blessed to be able to have them share their love of God with me. I also know that my baptism serves as a sign that God has been ever present in my life. This is what my baptism has meant to me...

I would like to give you all an opportunity to briefly discuss this important element of our Christian faith. Form pairs or small groups with those around you and spend a few minutes answering this question: What does baptism mean to you?

Everybody has a little bit different idea of what baptism means and what its importance is for their lives. People in this congregation have played different roles in baptisms, whether they are being baptized themselves, the parent or sponsor of somebody being baptized, or a congregation member during a baptism. I suspect that for everybody in this room, baptism has more meaning than just getting a little bit wet. In the Methodist tradition, the sacrament of baptism is baptism by both water and spirit. But what, exactly, does it mean to be baptized in the spirit?

In today’s gospel lesson, we read of Jesus being baptized by John the Baptist. While John the Baptist baptized many people, none of them was quite like Jesus. Luke 3:15-16 describes Jesus baptism, which was followed by the Holy Spirit “descending like a dove.” When Jesus was baptized, the Holy Spirit came down. For us as Christians, we are also baptized by the spirit. The outward symbol of the water signifies the inward baptism by the spirit that happens inside of each one of us when we experience new birth. Something inside of us is changed when we are baptized by the spirit, which brings us closer on our path toward becoming “true disciples” of Jesus Christ.

The Holy Spirit is the part of the triune God that is with us all of the time, guiding us on the path of discipleship. The spirit serves a guide for Jesus as soon as it descends upon him. The gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke all three mention the spirit leading Jesus into the desert immediately following his baptism. In the desert, Jesus is tempted by the devil for 40 days.

This isn’t the first place in the bible where God leads people into the wilderness. Though it is called various things, such as wilderness, valley, and desert, this is a recurring theme throughout both the Old and New Testaments. Moses lead the Israelites through the wilderness for 40 years. Many of the Old Testament prophets spent time in the wilderness, often receiving revelation from God there. The gospel of Luke mentions that the word of God came to John the Baptist in the desert.

The Holy Spirit also leads us into wilderness-like places today. For each of us, there are some things that make us a little bit uncomfortable. There are places where we are lead to be, things that we are lead to do, that give us goosebumps. But sometimes, no matter how hard you try to shake those feelings, something just keeps leading you back.

In his sermon on “The Marks of the New Birth,” John Wesley discusses at length the changes that people experience when they receive “new birth” or are “born of the spirit.” Among other things, he mentions that part of receiving the new birth by the spirit is “universal obedience to Him we love, and conformity to His will.” Out of the love that we have for God when we receive the Spirit, we strive to follow God’s will for our lives.

Often, following God’s will doesn’t bring us where we want to go or where we expect to go. The spirit sometimes leads us to our greatest trials, sometimes leaving us feeling like we’re walking into an unknown and desolate wilderness. No matter how far we try to run in the opposite direction, the Spirit leads us back to that place.

I remember a time when I was young that I had decided that I wanted to be a pastor when I grew up. As I grew up, though, I realized everything that is required of being a pastor. I felt like I didn’t have the gifts and talents needed to be a pastor, and decided that I would go in a different direction and go into elementary education. God kept his plan for me, though, and the Spirit continued to lead me in that direction that I saw ahead of me as a child.

God has led me straight into my personal wilderness. In being called into ordained ministry, I have to face some of my greatest fears and undergo some of the biggest trials of my life. Growing up as a very shy child, I couldn’t imagine anything more terrifying than getting in front of people every week and talking. I question my academic ability often, yet the spirit has led me to a vocation that requires three years of graduate school. Seminary is more difficult than any pastor will ever lead you to believe, and finals had me pretty down, but I was always able to look up knowing that I was following God’s will for my life, and that the Holy Spirit was by my side every step of the way.

While this isn’t the path that I would have chosen if it were completely up to me, I am learning that God provides the confidence and skills necessary for success as they are needed. All that God asks of me is to trust and follow God’s will. I know that I have the love and support of my family and my church that affirmed me in my baptism as an infant. I know that the Holy Spirit is always with me, and will never lead me some place where I can’t be successful and help to build God’s kingdom. Though I may walk through the valley, I will always come out on the other side.

The spirit leads each and every one of us down a path, sometimes through deep valleys, but I encourage all of you to discern and follow God’s will where it leads. You can experience a number of exciting things, meet amazing people, and learn that you can do things that you never thought you could. Who knows, you may even find yourself giving a sermon to the congregation that once never even knew you could talk!