This past Sunday I had the chance to give the Homily (like a sermon for those non-liturgical peeps) at church. I also had the chance to lead our church through the baptism liturgy for the baptism of two of my favorite kiddos. Kiddos that I have known since they were born (or shortly thereafter), it was so beautiful to witness and be a part of it.
It also carried some pretty significant weight in my heart and life. I grew up in a faith tradition, that though it has many beautiful components, did not allow women to speak in services, or in some instances, outside of women and children's spaces. When our leadership team decided that the Sunday I had already drawn to speak on, would also be the Sunday of the baptism, I was a little overwhelmed. Partially because it was our first ever baptism service, partially I didn’t feel qualified to speak on such a big day, and partially because I know the conflict that can come up over women speaking in churches and we would have some guests with us that day because of the planned baptisms.
Well, with lots of prayers, some nerves, and a little bit of shaking, it was a great service. I even made it through leading one of my “nieces” through the vows of baptism without crying, I only choked up once. As I sit and reflect on the time yesterday, I am filled with gratitude for a church that believes that all members have something to bring to the table in terms of giftedness, and a teaching team that pushes me out of my kids, youth and women comfort zone, because they see giftedness in me.
Our church follows the Revised Common Lectionary, so the hope was to incorporate the text for Sunday, with the baptism, and since it was the end of our time in James sum up the previous 4 homilies as well. I haven't written a presentation word for word since college, I'm usually more of a bullet points person, but since I was kind of nervous, and our goal for the length of the Homily was 5 minutes instead of the normal 20, I thought I would script it. Here is what I wrote beforehand, and mostly delivered yesterday:
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I used NT Wright's James for Everyone as a resource for the James passage
Our church has used John Mark Hicks' Enter the Water, Come to the Table as a resource as we have developed our theology around baptism
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Here are a few photos (also how amazing it is that I go to a church where I can speak in Chacos and a messy bun, and it is 1000% ok):
It also carried some pretty significant weight in my heart and life. I grew up in a faith tradition, that though it has many beautiful components, did not allow women to speak in services, or in some instances, outside of women and children's spaces. When our leadership team decided that the Sunday I had already drawn to speak on, would also be the Sunday of the baptism, I was a little overwhelmed. Partially because it was our first ever baptism service, partially I didn’t feel qualified to speak on such a big day, and partially because I know the conflict that can come up over women speaking in churches and we would have some guests with us that day because of the planned baptisms.
Well, with lots of prayers, some nerves, and a little bit of shaking, it was a great service. I even made it through leading one of my “nieces” through the vows of baptism without crying, I only choked up once. As I sit and reflect on the time yesterday, I am filled with gratitude for a church that believes that all members have something to bring to the table in terms of giftedness, and a teaching team that pushes me out of my kids, youth and women comfort zone, because they see giftedness in me.
Our church follows the Revised Common Lectionary, so the hope was to incorporate the text for Sunday, with the baptism, and since it was the end of our time in James sum up the previous 4 homilies as well. I haven't written a presentation word for word since college, I'm usually more of a bullet points person, but since I was kind of nervous, and our goal for the length of the Homily was 5 minutes instead of the normal 20, I thought I would script it. Here is what I wrote beforehand, and mostly delivered yesterday:
We have spent the past few weeks in the book of James, and we have learned how words have the power to shape us, to determine how we view ourselves, and the world around us. Words have the power to harm, and transform. Words have power.
James 5:13-20
Are any among you suffering? Let them pray. Are any cheerful? Let them sing psalms. 14 Are any among you sick? They should call for the elders of the church, and they should pray over the sick person, anointing them with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 Faithful prayer will rescue the sick person, and the Lord will raise them up. If they have committed any sin, it will be forgiven them. 16 So confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed.When a righteous person prays, that prayer carries great power. 17 Elijah was a man with passions like ours, and he prayed and prayed that it might not rain – and it did not rain on the earth for three years and six months. 18 Then he prayed again, the sky gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit.19 My dear family, if someone in your company has wandered from the truth, and someone turns them back, 20 know this: the one who turns back a sinner from wandering off into error will rescue that person’s life from death, and cover a multitude of sins.
In our text today, and with the baptism, we will witness here in a few minutes we see the power of words on display. We see how our words give us the chance to bridge the gap between heaven and earth, to bring Jesus’ coming kingdom to life in our lives and community.
In today’s passage, James is giving us guidance for the things that we come up against in this life. He is suggesting that in everything we encounter in this life, our answer should be prayer. When we see hard things, good things, and bad things. He is telling us that our answer should first be prayer. In praying we are bringing new realities to earth and trusting in our Lord to answer our prayer. Our prayers have the power to transform our lives, and the lives of those around us. Our prayers have the power to bring healing and forgiveness.
When we confess our sins, when we look to Jesus for restoration He will come near to us. He isn’t a dark, distant or unknown God, but a God that wants to be near to His children who need him. NT Wright reminds us that prayer is important because God is, as James promised near to those who draw near to him. Heaven and earth meet when in the spirit someone calls on the name of the Lord. And prayer means what it means and it does what it does because God’s new time has broken in to the continuing time of this sad old world, so that the person praying stands with one foot in the place of trouble, sickness, and sin and with the other foot in the place of healing, forgiveness, and hope. Prayer brings the two together. So when we are sick or hurting, or have sinned, we should pray, and when we are happy and rejoicing about the good we should see we should thank the Lord!
So today, I want to challenge us to recognize the great power that our words have, not just in how we speak to and respond to each other, but in bringing together heaven to earth. What a privilege and responsibility.
Today we are going to hear some mighty words spoken. Words on the truth of who Jesus is, and who he has made these young ladies to be, and how He has shown up in their lives. We are going to witness their confession of faith and their baptism, and see heaven meet earth again.
Baptism is a sacred ritual that joins us in the story of Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection, connecting us with God’s church from the time of Jesus and moving us from brokenness in old creation or participation in God’s new creation through the power of God’s holy spirit.
Each of us has a story that the Lord is writing in our lives, a story of redemption, sanctification, and drawing us closer to him. For each person that looks different. Today, as we hear and read the words of the baptism liturgy I would love for all of us to think of how Jesus has moved or is moving in our stories. To be reminded of all he has done, and all he promises to do. As we hear the baptism covenant spoken, be reminded of covenants you have made in your lives, and as we promise to support these girls as they grow in their lives in Christ, I want us to remember today, text, and the power we have to point each other back to the truth. That all of us sometimes get distracted from the truth and sin against each other and God, and that we have the power and the privilege to use our words to point each other back to Jesus.
I used NT Wright's James for Everyone as a resource for the James passage
Our church has used John Mark Hicks' Enter the Water, Come to the Table as a resource as we have developed our theology around baptism
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Here are a few photos (also how amazing it is that I go to a church where I can speak in Chacos and a messy bun, and it is 1000% ok):
