Pastors E-Letter 1/8/21
In worship on the first Sunday in Advent, we read the words of the prophet Isaiah, “O that you would tear open the heavens and come down…” (Isaiah 64:1). We talked then about our desire, our longing for God to come down and clean up the mess that we are in. Our desire for God to come down and set everything right. And then we connected that longing to God’s answer to our pleas. In Jesus, God has indeed come down. God has taken on our flesh and blood to set things right, to clean up the mess, and lead us back to God.
I couldn’t help thinking about this truth as I watched the images of violence and chaos at the U. S. Capitol. The mess is still with us. It seems to grow messier and more chaotic every day. A woman lost her life in the violence inside of the Capitol, the symbol of our democracy. All of us watched in horror. The world watched in horror as well. What is happening in our nation that we have come to this?
All of this transpired on the day Christians mark as Epiphany – the day we celebrate the revelation of the light of Christ, the hope of Christ, the peace of Christ to all the world. The Old Testament reading for yesterday speaks of this light, “Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you. For darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the peoples; but the Lord will arise upon you, and his glory will appear over you. Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn.” Isaiah 60:1-3
We know the darkness. We saw and felt the darkness spread over us like a cloud on Wednesday. But the promise of God in Christ is that the darkness will not win. That the light has come and is shining even in these dark and chaotic days.
This week, as I opened my bible to the gospel lesson for this Sunday, the baptism of Jesus from the gospel of Mark, I noticed that the same words are used in the description of Jesus’ experience of baptism by John, as are used in Isaiah, “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.” (Mark 1:10) I’ve never noticed that connection before. God tore open the heavens to come down to us in Jesus. And then again, God tore open the heavens to send the Holy Spirit and to speak those amazing words of affirmation over Jesus, “You are my Son, the beloved; with you I am well pleased.”
This Sunday in worship, God will do the same for us. As we come again to the waters of baptism to renew our baptismal covenant with God, God tears open the heavens to send the Holy Spirit on us and to speak those words of affirmation over us. That Holy Spirit is given to us to empower us to walk in newness of life. The Holy Spirit is given to us that we might carry the light of Christ in us and that we might walk in his grace and truth. The Holy Spirit is given to us that we might know the truth, stand for the truth, and be set free by the truth. The Holy Spirit empowers us, as our baptismal vows state, to “resist evil, injustice, and oppression in whatever forms they present themselves.” The Holy Spirit empowers us to push back the darkness and testify to the light.
We cry out for God to move and to act. God has acted in giving us God’s own self in Jesus Christ. God continues to act through the power of God’s Spirit poured out on us in our baptism. The question is, will we, empowered by that Holy Spirit, embrace the light, the love, and grace of Christ and stand up for truth? Will we allow God to use us to push back against the forces of darkness in our nation and our world?
This Sunday we will answer those questions as we worship, in-person and online. We will claim the power of God to bring order to chaos, light out of the darkness, and use us as instruments of light, truth, grace, and peace through the work of the Holy Spirit in us. If you are worshipping online, be sure to set an altar or holy table in your home and have a bowl of water on it for the renewal of your baptismal vows.
I knew I needed to be washed in the water once again as we head into this new year. I had no idea how that need would grow in me this week. But I not only need to be washed but I need to be renewed in my commitment to stand and speak for truth in this world. I look forward to worship this week. And I pray you will join with me in the meantime, praying for our country, praying for an end to the darkness, praying for people of faith and good will to stand up for truth and for the courage to push back the darkness in the power of the Holy Spirit.
Grace and Peace,
Annette