Another Perspective on Baptism

January 15, 2023 2nd Sunday after Epiphany Human Relations Day John 1:29-42 John – Another Perspective on Baptism Year A Prelude Welcome Call to Worship To all searching for grace and truth, Come and see! To all searching for meaning and purpose, Come and see! To all searching for abundant life, Come and see! All: Let us worship God together (Presbyterian Outlook, Stephanie Songe) Prayer of Invocation To the revelation and the wonder, open us. With the vision and the possibility, convict us. For the recognizing and the following, equip us. In the struggle and the seeking, be with us. Holy One, manifest your love, make your justice known in and among us. Amen. (United Church of Christ Worship Ways, Dr. Sharon R. Fennema) Song Leaning on the Everlasting Arms – UMH 133 Children’s Sermon Children’s Sermon (John 1:29-42) Disciples Sharing Christ Greet the children, carrying a bag or box of something. Hello, children of God! Guess what? I brought something with me today that I just cannot wait to share with you! So I have been trying out some different recipes to make things, and they don’t always come out successfully. But this time I made something that turned out super yummy! These treats didn’t burn, they didn’t fall flat, they aren’t too goopy, they are just right. And I’m so excited that they came out nicely that I want to share them with you! In fact, the recipe actually made a pretty big batch, so I think I really need to share them with you. Otherwise I’ll have too many. If I eat these all by myself, I might not feel very well afterwards. Will you help me to enjoy these? It’s really more fun when I get to have company for munching, anyway… Well, I will give you a cookie in just a minute (if necessary, this can be an “after service is finished” incentive), but first I want to talk about sharing things. We often hear how important it is to share things like toys, or crayons, or even attention of people we want to talk to. But do you know what it means to share Jesus?? Let me ask you this: who is someone you would like to meet? Someone you’d be super excited to see if they walked in the room? (Allow for responses) I’ll bet if you met someone that famous, you would be so thrilled that you would want to tell your friends and other people about it, right? Well, that happened when Jesus began His ministry on Earth. John the Baptist was one of the first people to realize who Jesus was and how important He was. John was so excited that He pointed Jesus out to others and told them that they were looking at the lamb of God. They ran after Jesus, and when they met Him and understood who He was, they went to tell others about Him, too. Meeting Jesus was something they didn’t want to keep to themselves, and they couldn’t wait to tell others who they had found. You know, we should be just as eager to tell people this good news of Jesus. Knowing that He died for us is amazing. Think about it: the God who created the whole universe came to live as a person, and gave up His life so that we could be adopted into His family and live as children of God! That’s kind of mind-blowing, really. It’s something that should give us joy and hope, so much so that we want to share it. We want others to know God’s love, too. And there are many ways we can do that. We can use our words to tell others about Jesus, of course. But we can also share through our actions, by doing kind things and just demonstrating that we care about people. It might start with just a few people, but it can spread to more so that many can hear the great news we have! Will you pray with me about that? (Distribute treats if appropriate, or remind kids to meet you later.) (Kristin Schmidt – Ministry to Children) Affirmation of faith (From A Brief Statement of Faith) In a broken and fearful world the Spirit gives us courage to pray without ceasing, to witness among all peoples to Christ as Lord and Savior, to unmask idolatries in Church and culture, to hear the voices of peoples long silenced, and to work with others for justice, freedom, and peace. In gratitude to God, empowered by the Spirit, we strive to serve Christ in our daily tasks and to live holy and joyful lives, even as we watch for God’s new heaven and new earth, praying, “Come, Lord Jesus!” With believers in every time and place, we rejoice that nothing in life or in death can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Presbyterian Outlook, Stephanie Songe) Scripture John 1:29-42 Sermon - John – Another Perspective on Baptism A Drum Major For Peace Since our country celebrates the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr day tomorrow, I thought I might share this passage from a sermon of his. Perhaps his words can be an expression of hope for us as well. May we be found to be so faithful in telling the truth that others will know our commitment to Jesus, and they will desire to experience faith for themselves. King preached: "Yes, if you want to say that I was a drum major, say that I was a drum major for justice; say that I was a drum major for peace; I was a drum major for righteousness. And all of the other shallow things will not matter. I won't have any money to leave behind. I won't have the fine and luxurious things of life to leave behind. But I just want to leave a committed life behind." "And that's all I want to say…if I can help somebody as I pass along, if I can cheer somebody with a word or song, if I can show somebody he's traveling wrong, then my living will not be in vain. If I can do my duty as a Christian ought, if I can bring salvation to a world once wrought, if I can spread the message as the master taught, then my living would not be in vain." May we all be so fortunate as to live those words. Carla Thompson Powell, Truth to Tell One thing that I admire about Martin Luther King’s ministry is that he had a strong sense of calling of what he was trying to do. But he also has a strong sense of who Jesus was and why he was trying to create a beloved community here on earth. Martin Luther King’s words reflect the theme of our scripture. Today, John the Baptist becomes John the witness to Christ. We have been looking at baptism stories for two weeks now. All of the gospels agree that Jesus baptism was the beginning of Jesus ministry to the world. And after Jesus feels his call, then he also invites his 12 disciples to walk with him. It is always a special treat for us to explore the gospel of John. This is the second Sunday of epiphany and the beginning of a new season. But John is also a special gospel, because he tells similar stories than Matthew. But he always has such a different perspective. For instance in this story about Jesus Baptism, - we don’t hear about the actual event. We are not sure if it even happen. We just have to take John the Baptist word for it. In matthew, we actually get to witness the dove speaking about Jesus being the son of God for ourselves. In this scripture written by a John – John the Baptist tells us about the dove. (I think I will just call John the Baptist JB from now on.) It is JB who tells us two important things about Jesus. He is the lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world, and that he is the Son of God. We know that Jesus and JB are cousins, and yet JB says that he never knew this person before this moment, and yet the spirit revealed who Jesus was for the world. Jesus was the messiah. The key to understanding the gospel of John is that he is telling us that this is the messiah. All of the stories in the gospel of John are about each person realizing that fact for themselves. John always asks us to think about what it means for us personally that Jesus is the messiah- the son of God, the lamb of God who has come to take away the sins of the world. In John, Jesus makes a series of I am statements about his relationship with God. In today’s story – the I am statement is I am the first. Jesus is the first born in faith, Jesus is the first in heaven, and in this case Jesus is first in baptism. JB can baptize with water, but only Jesus can baptize us in spirit. Jesus does not say he is first in this story with words but with action. He does not dispute anything that JB says about him. And eventually John’s disciples become Jesus disciples. Andrew is one of JB’s disciples, but when he sees Jesus as the Son of God – he tells his brother Simon that the messiah has come. They become two of Jesus most faithful disciples. As Jesus changes Simon’s name to Peter. In this scene, Jesus only says one sentence to Andrew and Simon Peter – when they come to see the messiah – Jesus asks them both – what are you looking for? Each of us here have a story for coming here this morning- what are you looking for? Each of us has a walk with Jesus – what are you looking for? Some of us come here looking for fellowship with like minded people. Some of us are in need of healing, some of us are searching for answers, soe of us are searching for meaning for ourlseves and the world some are looking for a sense of direction. John’s message for us – as long as you look for all of that in Jesus – you will find what you are looking for. What Do You Come to See? In the northern Portuguese town of Sobrado, a lady has a dog name Preta. Preta leaves her owner's home every Sunday morning at 5:00 a.m. and walks 16 miles to a Roman Catholic church in time to take her usual place next to the altar for mass. The dog stands and sits whenever worshippers do the same. She usually walks back home, though some of the parishioners will give her a ride. What is interesting is that the Portuguese newspaper Correio da Manha has reported that church attendance has grown as many people have attended just to see the faithful dog. Not the faithful God - the faithful dog. Go figure. (from Wesley Taylor, Tualitin, Oregon, Homiletics, January 20, 2002) What are you looking for? Do you seek God or are you like the people in Sobrado, Italy who go to church to see a dog that worships? When someone misses worship in our church and they meet another member who worshipped they ask, "Who was there?" If the person is a member of a Pentecostal Church and misses worship and then sees a fellow parishioner who worshipped that Sunday they ask, "What happened?" For some of us our faith is about relationships, friends, relatives and members of the flock. For others it is about what they experienced. Keith Wagner, ChristianGlobe Networks, Inc. We Would See Jesus William Willimon notes that in many churches there is a little brass plaque attached to the preacher’s side of the pulpit. It is not something the people in the pew can see, but something that no pastor can miss as he or she prepares to speak. It is a reminder of why people have come to church that morning. It simply reads: "We would see Jesus." And it’s true, isn’t it? Isn’t that why people come to worship? Take Oscar for example. He had been in the church most of his life. Like many, he attended more or less regularly, gave as he could, and enjoyed the company of a few friends he had there. But when his wife was diagnosed with MS, his presence in worship took on a different thrust. He came wanting answers for his questions, peace amid life’s uncertainty, healing for his wife’s brokenness. He came wanting to see Jesus. And we know how that is, don’t we? We too want to see Jesus. But you know what I’ve noticed? A lot of the time we want to see Jesus, but we prefer to do it from a distance. Take the two followers of John the Baptist in our lesson this morning. They are standing with their teacher when Jesus walks by. John recognizes Jesus, points him out to them, and announces that Jesus is the Lamb of God. Now one would think they would do exactly what they did—that they would drop everything, leave John and follow Jesus. But they do so at a distance. They hang back. They seem to want to watch from afar--to get close, but not too close. That’s the way a lot of us may look for Jesus Donald M. Tuttle It is interesting – the word baptism is a Greek word that means to dip or to be submerged – sort of like a potato chip into the dip. Jesus was submerged into the spirit of God in baptism and in his ministry. When we are baptized, we are submerged in the spirit of God. That is the third statement that JB makes about the messiah. I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the spirit. What does that mean? Back to the scripture, when Andrew saw Jesus and the revelation that he was the messiah – he immediately went and told his brother. We don’t know a lot about Andrew in the bible – but in every story he is so excited about Jesus that he tells everyone he knows. Have you ever introduced someone to Jesus? There are a lot of us that need something – can the messiah help us to find it? How can we all help in that process. Miss Donna Her name is Donna. Donna is a member of our church. She is a mentor in our Kids Hope USA program. Every week she goes to a nearby elementary school to be a friend, encourager, and mentor to a little boy named John. John looks to be 6 or 7 years old. Donna and John have bonded in a beautiful way. Though there is quite a difference in their ages, Miss Donna – as John calls her- has become John’s best friend. Once each week, she visits him at school, helps him with his school work… and then “going the second mile” every Saturday, Donna takes John to do exciting things that without Donna, John would likely never get to do – things like the zoo, the museum, the Galleria. A few months ago, Donna’s husband died in his sleep. Little John came to the funeral to support his friend Miss Donna in her grief. At the reception in the Hines Baker Room after the memorial service, John stood beside Donna and held her hand. She had been there for him and now he was there for her. He would not leave her side. It was a beautiful moment and people in the room had tears in their eyes, so touched by John’s intense commitment to lovingly stand by Miss Donna, his friend and mentor. Some of us saw John eyeing the goodies on the reception table – punch and chocolate chip cookies in abundance… and some of us said to him, “John, would you like to walk over here and have some refreshments?” But no, he would not leave Donna’s side. “I want to stay here with Miss Donna.” he would say. The love between the two of them was so radiant and powerful in that room. Also in the room that day was a man from Chicago. He had flown all the way from Chicago to Houston to be with Donna. Do you know why? Because 38 years ago when he was in first grade, Donna had been his mentor at an elementary school in the Chicago area. He flies from Chicago to Houston every summer to see Donna and to thank her for what she did for him 38 years ago – and then he made this special trip to be with Donna when her husband suddenly died. That man from Chicago says to Donna every time he comes, “I am what I am today because of the love and support you gave me 38 years ago.” He says, “Ms. Donna, you were the first person in my life who believed in me.” And today little John says to her in words and actions: “Miss Donna, I love you. I know you love me. You are my best friend.” Now, where did Donna learn to love like that, to reach out to people in need like that, to make a difference in people’s lives like that? You know, don’t you? The same place the disciple Andrew learned it – from Jesus. Donna got her sense of purpose in the same place that Andrew, Martin Luther King and so many others got it – from the messiah – Jesus. All may have been a part of different churches, but they were baptized into the same spirit. The Son of God, the lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. Jesus is who we need him to be to each of us – but he is also an example of how to treat others. I think it was Simon Peter who said that Christ suffered for you, leaving an example of what we should do for others. My final story is about hotel. Party Tonight! I was once staying in a motel in a large city and was surprised to find, posted to the elevator door, a small, handwritten notice which read, "Party tonight! Room 210. Eight o'clock p.m. Everyone invited!" I could hardly picture who would throw such a party, or for what reason, but I imagined that at 8:00, room 210 would be filled by an unlikely assortment of people - sales representatives seeking a little relief from the tedium of the road; a vacationing couple tired of sightseeing; a man stopping overnight in the middle of a long journey, looking for a bit of festivity; a few inquisitive and wary motel employees, there because of professional responsibility; perhaps some young people who had slipped out of their parents' rooms, anxiously curious about what was happening in room 210. Alas, the sign by the elevator soon came down, replaced by a typewritten statement from the motel staff explaining that the original notice was a hoax, a practical joke. That made sense, of course, but in a way it was too bad. For a brief moment, those of us staying at the motel were tantalized by the possibility that there just might be a party going on somewhere to which we were all invited - a party where it didn't make much difference who we were when we walked in the door, or what motivated us to come; a party we could come to out of boredom, loneliness, curiosity, responsibility, eagerness to be in fellowship, or simply out of a desire to come and see what was happening; a party where it didn't matter nearly as much what got us in the door, as what would happen to us after we arrived. Perhaps if there is to be such a party, the church is going to have to throw it. Thomas Long, Shepherds and Bathrobes, CSS Publishing Company, Inc. What would happen if we invited everyone to the Jesus party? What a party that would be if everyone would just come and see. Something to strive for. Amen. Song Amazing Grace UMH 378 Prayer Eternal God, Lover of our souls, we come to you this morning hungering for something from you that will change the rest of our lives. We come hungering for honesty instead of corruption; for generosity instead of greed; we come hungering for integrity instead of intrigue. We come hungering for our neighbors to be fed and for all to have enough honest work to provide for the basic needs of their families. We come this morning hungering for righteousness to flow like rainwater and for the justice like an ever-flowing stream described by the prophets.We come hungering and we come listening for your words to us, describing how we can participate in your great work of re-creation. We come listening for ways that we can become part of the solution and not part of the problem. We come listening in fear and trembling, praying that we will have the courage to respond and act if we hear a clear word of instruction from you. Speak, Lord, For your children are listening… (Silence) Amen. (United Methodist Discipleship Ministries, Sofiyah Fosua) Lord’s Prayer Stewardship Moment The followers of John the Baptist listened as their leader identified Jesus as “the Lamb of God”. When Andrew and his colleague checked in with Jesus, they found One who appeared to be the Messiah (the Christ). In that moment, their lives were forever changed. Andrew went to tell his brother, Simon, about Jesus. Simon followed Andrew back to this Messiah, and then received Jesus’ words, “you are to be called ‘Peter’”. That is written as THE moment when Peter became a follower, who gave the rest of his life to follow this Messiah. Take a minute now to think of your own time of claiming Jesus as the Christ. Were you born into the faith? Carried to church as an infant? Baptized as a young person? How has your faith impacted your life? As you think back, call to mind your own sense of energy, excitement, expectation. Did you declare, “I believe Jesus is the Christ, and accept him as Lord of my life!” As we remember, let’s re-claim that confident faith. Join me in responding with gratitude, sharing our gifts, our tithes and our offerings. Let these symbols renew in you, and in me, our desire to be disciples of Jesus, the Christ. Prayer of Thanksgiving Ever-giving God, thank you for the amazing gift of Jesus, who is the Light of Life. As we remember his baptism, and our own, accept our thanks for the way we are built up together into Christ. We pray for you to receive our gratitude, our gifts, and our intention to continue as followers of Jesus. Help us use what is provided, to share the Good News of your love with those close by and others, to the ends of the earth. AMEN (Disciples of Christ Center for Faith and Giving) Announcements Closing Prayer for Facebook Go in the love of the One who strengthens us for the work to which we are called. Go in the fellowship of Jesus Christ, who claims us as sisters and brothers. Go in the community of the Holy Spirit, who binds us together with all the saints. Go with grace to shine God’s love into all the world. Amen.(United Methodist Ministry Matters, Judith Bartlett) Community Time Joys and Concerns Benediction What are you seeking? What are you looking for? Deep down, what do you need? Deep down, what do we need? This seeking is the blessing. This looking is the calling. This needing is the epiphany. So let us go forth to continue to discover how we become liberation together. Amen. (United Church of Christ Worship Ways, Dr. Sharon Fennema) Additional Illustrations Sermon Opener - I've Got a Strong Case of the "Can't Help Its" - John 1:29-42 One of the great celebrative anthems that comes to us from the African-American culture is the powerful spiritual “Ain’t Got Time To Die.” It was written by Hall Johnson and it has these joyfully dramatic words: “Been so busy praising my Jesus, Been so busy working for the Kingdom, Been so busy serving my Master Ain’t got time to die. If I don’t praise him, If I don’t serve him, The rocks gonna cry out Glory and honor, glory and honor Ain’t got time to die.” In this inspiring and wonderful spiritual song, the composer is underscoring and celebrating the joy and excitement of being a Christian, the joy and excitement of serving our Lord in gratitude for what he has done for us. The point that this spiritual is trying to drive home to us with great enthusiasm is that when we really become Christians, when we really commit our lives to Christ; then, we can’t sit still. We become so excited, so thrilled, so grateful for our new life in Christ that we can’t help but love Him, praise Him, serve Him, and share Him with others. This is precisely what happened to Andrew. He found the Messiah, he encountered Jesus – and he was so excited he couldn’t sit still. Immediately, gratefully, excitedly, he ran to share the good news with his brother Simon. It reads like this in the first chapter of John’s Gospel… _________________________________ Martin Luther King, Jr. – Captured by the Spirit of Christ Two months before his assassination, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., spoke to his congregation at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta about his death in what would oddly enough become his eulogy. "Every now and then I think about my own death, and I think about my own funeral," Dr. King told his congregation. "If any of you are around when I have to meet my day, I don’t want a long funeral. And if you get somebody to deliver the eulogy, tell them not to talk too long. Every now and then I wonder what I want them to say. Tell them not to mention that I have a Nobel Peace Prize, that isn’t important. Tell them not to mention that I have three or four hundred other awards, that’s not important. I’d like someone to mention that day that Martin Luther King, Jr., tried to give his life serving others. I’d like someone to say that day that Martin Luther King, Jr., tried to love somebody. I want you to be able to say that day that I did try to feed the hungry. I want you to be able to say that day that I did try, in my life, to clothe those who were naked. I want you to be able to say that I did try to visit those in prison. I want you to say that I tried to love and serve humanity." Dr. King concluded with these words: "I won’t have any money left behind. I won’t have the fine and luxurious things of life to leave behind. But I just want to leave a committed life behind." Did Martin King have that level of commitment when he first began his ministry? It’s doubtful. He had youthful enthusiasm to be sure. He had strong convictions. He was well brought up, with an outstanding Baptist preacher as a father. But people who are truly captured by the spirit of Christ do so generally after years of walking in Christ’s footsteps. Our faith is validated and grows as we "come and see." King Duncan, Collected Sermons, www.Sermons.com Martin Luther King, Jr. – Captured by the Spirit of Christ Two months before his assassination, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., spoke to his congregation at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta about his death in what would oddly enough become his eulogy. "Every now and then I think about my own death, and I think about my own funeral," Dr. King told his congregation. "If any of you are around when I have to meet my day, I don’t want a long funeral. And if you get somebody to deliver the eulogy, tell them not to talk too long. Every now and then I wonder what I want them to say. Tell them not to mention that I have a Nobel Peace Prize, that isn’t important. Tell them not to mention that I have three or four hundred other awards, that’s not important. I’d like someone to mention that day that Martin Luther King, Jr., tried to give his life serving others. I’d like someone to say that day that Martin Luther King, Jr., tried to love somebody. I want you to be able to say that day that I did try to feed the hungry. I want you to be able to say that day that I did try, in my life, to clothe those who were naked. I want you to be able to say that I did try to visit those in prison. I want you to say that I tried to love and serve humanity." Dr. King concluded with these words: "I won’t have any money left behind. I won’t have the fine and luxurious things of life to leave behind. But I just want to leave a committed life behind." Did Martin King have that level of commitment when he first began his ministry? It’s doubtful. He had youthful enthusiasm to be sure. He had strong convictions. He was well brought up, with an outstanding Baptist preacher as a father. But people who are truly captured by the spirit of Christ do so generally after years of walking in Christ’s footsteps. Our faith is validated and grows as we "come and see." King Duncan, Collected Sermons, www.Sermons.com Word of Mouth Evangelism Everyone knows that the best form of advertising ever invented and the one that is still most successful is word-of-mouth — people telling other people. About sixty years ago there used to be an automobile named the Packard. Packard was the last car manufacturer to get into advertising. It didn’t happen until old man Packard died, because whenever he was approached to buy some advertising for his cars he always said, "Don’t need any; just ask the man who owns one." After his death, "Ask the man who owns one" became the Packard slogan. Our Lord Jesus Christ is also known through word-of-mouth advertising. That’s how the word about him gets out. Only the Shepherds at the first Christmas heard the good news from angels. Only the Wise Men were led by a Star. Just a comparative few were touched by miracles. Almost everybody came to know Jesus Christ. Daniel G. Mueller, Just Follow the Signs, CSS Publishing Company You Have To Die First One minister surrounded himself at the church chancel with children during worship and began to talk to them about the upcoming holiday. When asked whose birthday would be celebrated, the well-informed group responded, "Martin Luther King, Jr." The minister inquired further by asking what kind of work King did. How much prompting it took is not certain, but the answer being fished for was given. "Martin Luther King, Jr., was the minister of a church." In an attempt to draw an obvious parallel, the minister reminded the gathered faithful that was also his life's work. At that point, with a straightening of the necktie and some posturing which made him look a bit taller and a lot more distinguished, the minister wondered aloud about the possibility of a holiday being named for him. Across a couple of rows of pews came an innocent whisper that must have sounded like Jesus himself: "You have to die first." William B. Kincaid, III, And Then Came the Angel, CSS Publishing Company, Inc. The Can’t Help Its A minister friend of mine tells about a woman in his church who is so excited to be a Christian. She has a shady past and had pretty much hit bottom when a friend reached out to her… and brought her to church. The church member welcomed her warmly and loved her into the circle of their love and God’s love. She started going to church faithfully. She joined a wonderful Sunday School class. She began studying the Bible daily. She started praying regularly… and in the process was converted. She realized for the very first time in her life that God loved her… even her! She came to understand that even though she had done all those sordid things in her earlier life, that God still loved her, forgave her, accepted her, valued her, treasured her. She was absolutely bowled over by that “Amazing Grace” and she committed herself to Christ heart and soul. Recently she said to her minister, “I’m so excited to be a Christian, that I’ve got a strong case of the “can’t help its.” This is also true of Andrew. He, too, had a strong case of the “can’t help its.” He was so grateful, so thrilled, so excited about Christ that he just could not sit still. He could not keep Jesus to himself. James W. Moore, Collected Sermons, www.Sermons.com Dance the Offering Forward A missionary in Africa was preaching his first sermon in a mission church. When time came for the offering, the people danced their offerings forward. They danced and sang praise to God as they brought their offerings to the altar. It was a beautiful moment. What do you think? Should we get our ushers to do that? After the service, he asked one of the people, “Why do you dance and sing when you bring your offering forward on Sunday morning?” Back came the answer: “How could we not dance? We are so grateful to God for what He has done for us in sending Jesus Christ to save us, that we have to dance and sing our thanksgiving and besides it says in the Bible, God loves a cheerful giver.” Let me ask you something. Do you feel gratitude to God that strongly? Do you have a strong case of the “can’t help its” when it come to gratitude? When you are Christians, gratitude is the spirit of your lifestyle. When you are a Christian, you can’t help but be grateful! James W. Moore, Collected Sermons, www.Sermons.com James W. Moore, Collected Sermons, www.Sermons.com The One That Will Be Sacrificed "Well, I don't know what will happen now. We've got some difficult days ahead. But it doesn't matter with me now. Because I've been to the mountaintop. And I don't mind. Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place. But I'm not concerned about that now. I just want to do God's will. And he's allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I've looked over. And I've seen the promised land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people will get to the promised land. And I'm happy, tonight. I'm not worried about anything. I'm not fearing any [man]. Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord." Those words, spoken by Martin Luther King, Jr., the night before he was assassinated in Memphis, still haunt us. To this day, they generate speculation and debate. Some are convinced that King knew he would be killed. With the kind of turmoil King was creating and the general upheaval that was being witnessed from courthouse squares to college campuses, it doesn't require much imagination to envision a scenario wherein King would be gunned down. King noted on that very night that the "... nation is sick. Trouble is in the land. Confusion all around." Others are equally certain that King did not have a premonition about his own death. John Cartwright, who holds the professorship at Boston University which bears King's name, believes that King was not predicting his own death. Rather, according to Cartwright, Dr. King was only aware that the arc of justice is long and that significant changes only happen over an extended period of time. In other words, King knew that his words might articulate the dream, but the reality of the dream might not be experienced until generations later. We have debated the same issue with Jesus. Did Jesus know he was going to die? Did God send Jesus to earth to die? Or, as events evolved and pressure mounted, did it then become evident to Jesus that his faithfulness to God may bring about his own death? There are those who believe that Bethlehem and Calvary were interwoven into Jesus' life from the beginning. When John the Baptist declared that Jesus was the Lamb of God, it sounded like Jesus' crucifixion was certain from the outset. In a culture that sacrificed lambs twice a day in the temple, those words are a kiss of death. "Here is the Lamb of God" can be loosely understood to mean, "Hey, look here, everyone, here's the one that is going to be sacrificed." William B. Kincaid, III, And Then Came The Angel, CSS Publishing Company, Inc. ________________ _________________