Content,
context and connections. I’m asking you
to pay attention to the readings and look for connections between them;
especially those connections between the first lesson and the gospel. I’m not going to ask for content suggestions
from you today because, if you are like me, I’m guessing you found these two
readings rather depressing. I suppose
the connection between these readings could best be summed up as, “What’s the
point?”
When
our first lesson begins, “Vanity of vanities!
All is vanity,” and the centerpiece of the gospel is a parable where God
says, “You fool! This very night your
life is being demanded of you,” it’s easy to wonder, “What’s the point?” Does anything we do really matter? The rich get richer and no longer even bother
to hide their contempt for those on the margins of society. It does indeed seem like all our days are
full of pain and our work vexation.
These
readings challenge us to examine the Why of our lives, and that can be a scary
propo-sition. Is there a Why to our
lives? Or is life simply, as Thomas
Hobbes said, “Nasty, brutish and short?”
Or, even worse, is the Why of our life based in fear and the desire to
avoid hell?
May
I suggest that the Why of our lives is twofold: 1) to draw closer to God; and
2) to move God closer to others. And
while we don’t get that message in either the first lesson (all we do is
vanity) or the gospel (he who dies with the most toys still dies), we do get
this message in our Epistle reading.
In
our reading from Colossians today, Paul writes, “If you have been raised with
Christ, seek the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God
. . . Put to death whatever in you is earthly.”
And
at the end of today’s passage he says, “You have clothed yourself with a new
self which is being renewed according to the image of its creator. There is no longer Greek and Jew, circumcised
and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave and free; but Christ is all and
in all.”
This
passage from Colossians comes conveniently between a rather depressing passage
about the vanity of life and a less-than-cheerful parable which says no matter
how successful you become, you are still going to die. The reason I say Colossians is conveniently
placed is because in it we are reminded that we live for, and believe in,
something beyond this nasty, brutish and short life. And that something is God.
If
you have been raised with Christ, seek the things above. This is the summation of how we draw closer
to God. And in our Bible-focused
discipleship, we can remember back five Sundays ago when Paul told us what
those things are: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity,
faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
We put to death those earthly desires that separate us from God and pursue
those things which draw us closer.
The
act which puts to death our earthly life and raises us with Christ to new life
is our baptism. Our baptism pulls us
from the menacing waters of death and turns those waters into a source of life. Our baptism acknowledges our death to this
world and our being raised to a new life in Christ. And through our baptism we are adopted into
the household of God.
Today
we have the honor of participating in this ancient act of death, resurrection
and adoption as we baptize Simon Tate Calvert and welcome him into this house
of God. In today’s service – as with all services, but particularly today – you
as a congregation do not simply observe what takes place around the font, you
actively participate. You participate by
saying the words, certainly. But you
will also participate in connecting this service to your faith. You will help prepare Simon to live and teach
the faith. And in these acts, by your
word and example, you will draw closer to God.
The
word and example that you proclaim in this service can also help to move God
closer to others around us. Paul tells
us that we have been clothed with a new self.
This new self is given to us at baptism.
Collectively these new selves are void of the barriers we create. There is no Jew or Gentile, slave or free or
any other culturally-based dividing line for us to maintain because Christ is
all and in all.
Our
drawing closer to God is summed up in the first part of today’s passage and is
reflected in the rite of Baptism. We
have been raised with Christ and put to death earthly things that draw us away
from God. Simon’s parents and Godparents
will face west and then turn east in a symbolic gesture that turns them from
the evil powers of this world and toward God.
As
they and you proceed through the baptismal covenant, you will promise to
continue in the apostles’ teaching, proclaim the Good News, seek and serve
Christ in all persons and respect the dignity of every human being. This is how we move God closer to others. We move God closer to others by learning our
faith, proclaiming the Good News of God’s love, and working to break down those
artificial barriers designed to keep people away from God by respecting all
people. This breaking down of barriers
is what Paul was getting at when he said there are no divisions, only that
Christ is all and in all.
Vanity
of vanities, all is vanity. All our days
are full of pain and our work is a vexation.
We work and toil and save to better our lives, and then we die. But in the midst of all this is God. God, who is with us in the midst of our
struggles. God, who leads us to new life
through death. God, who desires the
demolition of man-made barriers so that all people may come within his loving
embrace. It is this God who fills the
Why of our lives by causing us to draw closer and urging us move him closer to
others.
It
is those movements – us to him and him to others through us – that are
reflected in the act of baptism. Today
we once again proclaim our allegiance and make holy promises. Today we draw near and taste again for the
first time that holy food of the Body and Blood of our Savior Jesus
Christ. And today we help God move
closer to another as we baptize Simon, welcome him into this house of God and
ask him to share with us in the eternal priesthood of Jesus Christ.
So
for a moment, let us put aside our vanities and selfish ambitions and answer
the Why of our lives by participating with Simon in his holy Baptism.
Amen.
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