Homily/Sermon: the kingdom of the Father
The New Testament Acts 19:1-7
While Apollos was in Corinth, Paul passed through the interior regions and came to Ephesus, where he found some disciples. He said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you became believers?” They replied, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” Then he said, “Into what then were you baptized?” They answered, “Into John’s baptism.” Paul said, “John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, in Jesus.” On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. When Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied— altogether there were about twelve of them.
The Gospel Mark 1:4-11
John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. And people from the whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem were going out to him, and were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. Now John was clothed with camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. He proclaimed, “The one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the thong of his sandals. I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”
In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And just as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit descending like a dove on him. And a voice came from heaven, “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.”
Watch for epiphanies in the Bible readings and in life around you! We are in the Epiphany Season, when the Church hopes the lightbulb will come on over our heads and Truth will dawn. We think Epiphany is Matthew’s story of the Star of Bethlehem, revelation in light come down from heaven, gentile wise men see the light and come to pay homage to Jesus, but today’s gospel is Epiphany - -
the Word of God breaking through ignorance and obliviousness as God tells Jesus “You are my beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased”, THAT’s Epiphany, because we are “insiders” - - Mark takes us there with Jesus as God speaks to him. This is the River Jordan and you are there!
Epiphany follows Advent. Yes, there’s Christmas, but Christmas is relatively new to the Christian calendar, Christmas is a secular burst of sound and light, cards and shopping and decorating and gifts, old man, red suit, white beard, eight tiny reindeer pulling through the sky a sleigh filled with toys! More pagan than sacred, more profane than holy; and we like it that way! As the Ephesians said to Paul, “We have not even heard that there IS a Holy Spirit.”!
But there is a Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit was manifested to us in today’s gospel as Jesus was baptized, and it’s Time to see, perceive, understand, realize (which is what epiphany is) that God’s Word is present right here right now.
There is a first or second century gospel (we have some two dozen gospels, you know, not just the four the early church fathers canonized as holy scripture) - the Gospel of Thomas is a collection of 114 sayings of Jesus, that from time to time we study in Sunday School class and we did in Midweek Bible Seminars years ago. Sayings Gospel Thomas.
Here are two of Jesus’ sayings,
(3) Jesus said, "If your leaders say to you, 'Look, the (Father's) kingdom is in the sky,' then the birds of the sky will precede you. If they say to you, 'It is in the sea,' then the fish will precede you. Rather, the kingdom of the Father is within you and it is outside you.
(113) His disciples said to him: On what day will the kingdom come? <Jesus said:> It will not come while people watch for it; they will not say: Look, here it is, or: Look, there it is; but the kingdom of the Father is spread upon the earth, and people do not see it.
Part of the Christian church, and many individual Christians, seem to be in this for what they can personally get out of it: sure and certain Afterlife, Heaven as described metaphorically in Revelation, streets of gold - - accept Jesus as your personal savior and you’re as sure for Heaven as if you were already there (I’ve watched and heard it preached). Some Episcopalians too, no doubt. But that’s not it, folks, that ain’t it.
You want the Day of the Lord? You want the kingdom of God? You want to go to Heaven? Wake up, step in, look around, you’re in heaven now, THIS is the kingdom of the Father, spread upon the earth. The Creator’s First Gift to you is the gift of life, life and love on this earth, in your Time, here and now, in the kingdom of God.
Seeing in the time of Noah, and now again, that people Do Not Get It, that we make a religion of laws and rules and self-salvation, the Creator’s Second Gift is the gift of himself as Jesus, one of us, to show and tell us that the Way of the Cross is the Way of Life. That the kingdom of the Father is a life of love and sacrifice here and now.
Christianity is not a religion to die by; we are baptized into a religion to live by; and how to live it is quite simply laid out in the Baptismal Covenant, which is printed in your worship bulletin this morning. Please turn there now.
As you remain seated for the Covenant and Prayers - -
Will you continue in the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in the prayers?
I will, with God’s help.
Will you persevere in resisting evil, and, whenever you fall into sin, repent and return to the Lord?
I will, with God’s help.
Will you proclaim by word and example the Good News of God in Christ?
I will, with God’s help.
Will you seek and serve Christ in all persons, loving your neighbor as yourself?
I will, with God’s help.
Will you strive for justice and peace among all people, and respect the dignity of every human being?
I will, with God’s help.
Father in heaven, who at the baptism of Jesus in the River Jordan proclaimed him your beloved Son and anointed him with the Holy Spirit: Grant that we who are baptized into his Name may keep the covenant we have made, and boldly confess him as Lord and Savior; who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen.
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homiletic attempt in Holy Nativity Episcopal Church, Panama City, Florida on Sunday, Jan 10, 2021, the Baptism of our Lord Jesus Christ by the Rev Tom Weller (Retired), Priest Associate of the Parish.