“Got Spirit?” – January 8, 2012, Sermon
Dr. Laurey Murphy
Sermon – January 8, 2012
“Got Spirit?”
Mark 1:4-11; Acts 19:1-7
A number of years ago, around the first of a year, a colleague had his office intercom buzzed. “There’s a young man here who wants to see you,” said the secretary. My friend thought that it was another one of the many homeless folks who hung around the front steps of this inner city church across from the state capital in Atlanta. A moment later this young man appeared in his office looking not at all like what was expected. He was neatly dressed, clean shaven, with eyes that were neither hungry nor weary from living on the streets.
“Sorry to take up your time,” the young man apologized, “but I just want a blessing.” My friend was so startled that he didn’t ask the young man why. It was obvious he wasn’t desperate nor did he seem down but in good spirits. My colleague started to explain that Presbyterians don’t usually bestow blessings like some churches do but the young man wasn’t there for lessons about Church ecclesiology. All he wanted was a blessing. So my friend asked for his name.
“Andy,” he said as he knelt on the carpet in the preacher’s study. And my friend proceeded to bless him with a prayer… thanking God for Andy’s life and the gift of God’s presence in his life and the blessings upon him. He asked that God continue to be with Andy, to bless him. With the “amen,” Andy stood up, thanked my friend, shook his hand smiling and went on his way back into the world. It was like Andy just needed reassurance that he was blessed as he faced life going into a new year.
I think that is why I’m always grateful every year when this Sunday rolls around to the “Baptism of the Lord.” I believe we all need the reassurance of God’s blessing upon us— especially at the start of a new year.
In his version of the gospel, Mark begins the story of Jesus, neither as a babe in a manger nor as a child visited by wise men with gifts, but rather with Jesus being baptized by John in the Jordan River. Just as he is coming up out of the water, Jesus sees the heavens part with the Spirit coming down like a dove and the Voice from above speaking profound words of blessing: “You are my Son, the beloved; with you, I am well pleased.”
20th Century theologian Karl Barth called the baptism of Jesus being a “summary of the essence of the gospel.” It is an amazing epiphany — a revelation like no other throughout history— of God no longer being hidden in heaven but shown in God’s Son, Jesus Christ. It is in the gift of blessing that we all are invited to partake in being known for who we are and whose are. It is the gift God gives us in Jesus Christ when He said, “Go therefore and baptize in the name of the Father, and the Son and the Holy Spirit.” We remember this day our own story of being baptized that is a part of this story continuing. But we need reminding that as life goes on…we are blest by the One who knows us best and who loves us the most. That is the blessing for us all to hear–to be reminded of and to remember– as we go forth into 2012.
Consider the power of hearing such words as Jesus stood on the threshold of his ministry with whatever hopes and fears, concerns and dreams he may have had on his way to the Jordan River. It must have been quite something for Jesus doesn’t turn back the way he came –not towards the comfort of home; instead, full of the Spirit, he is led forth into the wild, straight into the wilderness
I think, maybe, that is why we Presbyterians don’t talk much about this part of the blessing we receive in our Baptism: the gift of the Holy Spirit. We may fear that things might get a little too wild instead of being done “decently and in order.” We may be afraid of where the Spirit might lead us…and the changes it may mean for us along the way.
But I think we are missing out here in the beginning of this new year if we don’t talk about this gift of the Holy Spirit—as a part of God’s blessing for us in Jesus Christ.
Maybe that is why Tom Troeger at Yale Divinity School said “an awful lot of religion is like New Year’s resolutions: we repent on January 1st and before the month ends we are back to what we have always been doing.”
Maybe that is why Paul is so blunt in our Acts story this morning when he basically asks these 12 disciples in Ephesus who thought they were so faithful, “Got Spirit?” They confessed that they had never even heard of the Holy Spirit! They had been following the ritual of baptism that has its roots in the OT which John had been doing at the Jordan of coming clean…to turn in one’s ways to God’s way for forgiveness, which we still claim as part of the ritual of baptism today. But it is only a part of it all.
Remember back to a Sunday in Advent when John the Baptist appeared on the scene (which was repeated in part of today’s Gospel). John himself said, “The one who is more powerful than I is coming after me…I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the thong…the string of his sandals. I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”
Remember how we begin a baptism in the church by reading the words of scripture, ‘Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ so that your sins may be forgiven…AND you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you, for your children and for all who are far away, everyone whom our Lord God calls (Acts 2:38, 39).”
We don’t talk about the gift of the Holy Spirit much. I don’t talk about it much and I think it is because I have experienced the abuse and misuse of this part of the blessing, where people have misused the Holy Spirit to divide and separate and make distinctions of who’s a real Christian or not, which could be read in our Acts passage today with Paul asking, “Got Spirit?” But he wasn’t asking to divide or to judge but rather to build up the body of Christ, to strengthen the faith and to empower these disciples with the full blessing of our baptism in Jesus Christ.
It’s interesting that in the OT, the Spirit is understood as the creative energy of God — the creative wind that broods over the waters of chaos at the beginning, and the breath of God. It is the vital element of life, the dynamic uncontained expression of God’s power, often being called “The Spirit of the Lord.”
Interestingly enough, down at the same Jordan River of today, the Old Testament prophet Elisha recognized in his mentor, Elijah, and asks for this unique and mighty gift of divine vitality and asks for the same–only in double proportion! This same wild Spirit is recognized again in John the Baptist and even more in the one he points to the One who comes to baptize not only with water but the Holy Spirit.
The early Church comes to speak of the Spirit not just as the divine power but as God’s own self —-present to God’s people in all the power and mystery of wind and fire and water.
God’s Spirit hovers over the chaotic waters of our lives as in the beginning, granting Elisha’s request and more to all who ask–who remember–who go forth in the name of Jesus Christ.
It is why for example we aren’t just using prayer as bookends of a church meeting or every time we gather in the name of Jesus to open and close our time. But rather, we are praying and giving thanks for the guidance and Life in the Spirit. I have experienced many a group go through the motions of prayer in their tasks only to be stumped or blocked, ready to call it quits; only then to turn in earnest with prayer for the Spirit’s guidance, vision, discernment and experience the daring adventure of the way forward opening before them.
This morning’s scripture readings invite us to ponder as we begin this new year together–to ponder how much and how well we as a community of faith claim and live out the power and the Presence of God given to us as a blessing–not to use simply for ourselves, but for the sake of all to go forth in the ministry of Jesus Christ.
Got spirit? Let’s sure hope so! Let’s pray so! In the name of the Father, and the Son and the Holy Spirit! Amen!
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