Driven to the Light

January 8, 2025 Isaiah 43:1-7 Driven to the Light Baptism of the Lord Year C Prelude Greetings Call to Worship When we pass through the cleansing waters of baptism and the troubled waters of our lives, God declares: I will be with you. When we go through the fires that refine us and the fires that threaten our livelihoods, God declares: I will be with you. Even when we travel to the far corners of the earth or down into the depths of our souls, God declares: I will be with you. So come, let us worship God whose love never fails, whose presence never leaves, whose mercies never end. Praise be to God who, in the form of Jesus, waded into the waters of baptism to prove God’s solidarity with us! Amen. Written by Dr. Lisa Hancock, Discipleship Ministries, July 2024. Invocation (unison recommended) Holy One, awaken us again to Your outpouring Spirit of Love. Through this generous gift, stretch our souls wide and form us into channels of your healing grace. Gift us with an ability to recognize You in each other, all imprinted with Your beloved blessing. Clarify our intentions, purify our actions, fill our words with grace and our hearts with hope. Yes, soak our thinking, our praying, our hoping, our everything in You. Amen. (United Church of Christ Worship Ways, David Long-Higgins) Song I Was There to Hear Your Borning Cry UMH 2051 A Sermon for all Ages Children’s Time Remember your baptism "Let your light so shine that others, seeing your good works, may glorify your Father in heaven." Do you ever use candles at your house? In my home we have candles for some different reasons. When we are having a really nice dinner we might put candles on the table to help things look very special. If we lose power and its dark sometimes we light a candle to see (of course it’s a lot easier and safer to use a flashlight). The best way we use candles is for someone's birthday. In a lot of families, if you are a kid we place as many candles as your age on the birthday cake – then we light the candles, turn off the lights and sing to the birthday boy or girl? Is that what you do at your house? We put the candles on the cake to celebrate all the years someone special has been alive. Every year they have lived holds special memories and birthdays give us a chance to remember. For family and friends, we are thankful for each year. The older you get the brighter your cake is – filled with lots of birthday candles. In the church we celebrate another special day in your life, the day you were baptized. We celebrate that day when we as a church welcomed you into God's family. Now for some of you – you were baptized right here in this church. For others you might have been baptized in another place, that's just fine. Later today we as a congregation will all dip our hand in this water – where we baptize people in our congregation and remember each of our baptisms. Remember we are all God’s special children. Prayer: God of light, thank you for all the special days in our lives. Today we especially thank you for our baptism – let us never forget how much you love us. Give all the children a candle and invite their families to light it on the anniversary of the child’s baptism. This will help connect children that you did not baptize in your local church to their baptism stories. (United Methodist of Greater New Jersey) Do you know how to swim? Some people use something like these "floaties" to help them stay afloat when they they are first learning to swim. For some people, learning to swim can be a very frightening experience. They are so afraid of drowning that they don't want leave the shallow end of the pool, and if they do, they want to stay close to the edge and hold on to the side of the pool. The only trouble is, you can't learn to swim with your feet on the bottom or with your hands holding on to the side of the pool. I heard a story about a boy who wanted to learn to swim, but he was afraid that he might drown. Then, one day, a new swimming instructor came to the pool. This instructor's swimming lessons were exactly what the boy needed. He knew that the boy was afraid of drowning, so as the lesson began and the boy began trying to swim, he walked alongside with his hand underneath the boy's belly. His hand was like a safety net in the boy's mind. He knew that he had nothing to fear because his instructor was there to keep him from drowning! Sometimes, life can be a lot like learning to swim. It can be frightening. There may be times when we face uncertain situations and we may be afraid that we are getting in over our heads. Like the boy holding to the side of the pool, we want to hold on to those things of which we are sure. There is no reason for us to be afraid. Just as the swimming instructor's hand was there to keep the boy from drowning, we have God's promise that he will be there for us when we go through deep water. Listen to his promise. "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you." We are at the beginning of a new year. It is time for a fresh start -- a time of new beginnings. It is exciting, but it can also be frightening. As you face new situations in the coming year, let God's hand support you. He will always be there for you and he won't let you down. Dear Father, as we face the uncertain days of a new year, we place our life in your hands. We claim your promise that you will be with us. Amen. (Sermons4Kids) Responsive Reading Psalm 29 UMH 761 Passing of the Peace As you greet those around you, look at each person and offer these words from Isaiah: “You are precious in God’s sight.” Scripture Isaiah 43:1-7 Sermon Driven to the Light Jaymie, I and Mr. Utke were sitting in the library talking during Sr. Lunch time – Mr. Utke told us that it was January 8th – national quit day. Jaymie looked at each other and I said,Oh it must be national quit your job day. We got excited until Mr. Utke said no. It is national quit you New Year’s resolution Day. It was the day when all of those wonderful plans that we made to change the world by changing ourselves come to an end and life goes back to normal. So what about you, how are your new year’s resolutions going? Last week we made a commitment to get closer to God this year – how is that going for you? It is a good day for a new start. I like the way the amplified version puts it in the present tense: "Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth; do you not perceive and know it, and will you not give heed to it? I will even make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert." I don't know how it is with you, but I like new beginnings. It doesn't matter whether it's a new year, a new month, a new week, a new day--a new experience--I like new beginnings. "A Jesuit priest, C.J. McNespy, once noted that scholars do not agree as to when the liturgical (church) year really begins. The usual opinion, of course, is the first Sunday of Advent. Others start with the Easter vigil. Still others choose the Sunday which comes seventy days before Easter. Father McNespy wraps up the controversy happily; "in any case, since we need to be constantly starting over, it doesn't hurt to have several new years." (C.J. McNespy, America, 1-25-64, p.149, quoted by Ellsworth Kalas, "Ring Out the Old" December 29, 1985)--I'll take as many new years, as many occasions for new beginnings--as the calendar or religion or life will provide. I'm glad for the chance for starting again. And that's the reason I wanted to anchor what we say today in this passage of scripture from Isaiah. "Behold, I'm doing a new thing; now it springs forth; do you not perceive and know it, and will you not give heed to it? I will even make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert." So it's against this background of God intervening in history, a God who is always doing a new thing--it's against that background that I want us to look at these two approaches to life--if only/next time. The book of Isaiah is all about new starts. Our scripture says that God is doing a new thing. The book of Isaiah spans about 500 years of history. It is written by at least 3 authors. Isaiah 43 is believed to be written by the second author. The second book is good news from what is called the golden prophet – because he had a way of seeing the best in the middle of bad situations. He reminds us that trouble does not last always. This book is called the servant song – it is good news to a collective group of people who are coming out of exile. Chapter 42 reminds them that their captivity was the consequences of their own actions. They forgot about their relationship with God, they lost their center, and they were taken into captivity. Chapter 43 tells them that no trouble lasts forever. God’s justice always ends in mercy. As a matter of fact, chapter 43 of Isaiah is the only place in the Hebrew Bible where God directly says I love you – I care about you. God says that you are special. God will always be with you. In tough times and Good God is still there with you. If you are going through the fire, God goes there too. If you have to go through the water, no matter how murky or dirty – God is there with you. The movie, Schindler’s List is the story of the struggle that the jews went through in the holocaust. In one scene a man is desparately looking for a place to hide from the nazis. He decides that he will hide in the toilet of an outhouse. Only to discover that there are two children already hiding knee deep in the dirty polluted water. God goes with them in the dirty waters of life. Sometimes in life we can all feel that we are knee deep in murky dirty water – And God is there with us. God is also in the water of baptism. Today is a good day to remember our baptism. Today is a good day to experience God’s grace, today is a good day to start all over again. We have all sinned, we have all fallen short of the glory of God. In a world where we all struggle to survive in some way, we can easily get caught in the world of if only – A young man who had made it big had been away from home a long time traveling to exotic places all over the world. He had not been very attentive to his widowed mother. His conscience began to bother him and he decided to do something about it. He sent her a unique gift, a rare South American parrot for which he'd paid $1200. Well, time went by. Two weeks, three weeks, and he heard nothing. And the fourth week he called. When he got his mom on the phone he said, "Did you get the bird I sent you?" "Oh yes!"--It was so nice, I cooked it the day after it came. It was delicious!" "You cooked it! Mom, that was a rare South American parrot. It cost me $1200. That parrot could speak five languages." "My goodness, son," the mother responded. "If only you'd said something." If only! We hear it all the time. If only I hadn't had that accident. If only I'd lived in some other place. If only I were more beautiful. If only he had not died so young. If only people were friendlier to me. If only I had more money. If only I were younger. If only I were older. If only I had a different kind of job. If only people really knew my abilities. If only--and it goes on and on. If only. We're going to talk about that today, but we're going to talk about it in the context of an alternative stance: next time. There's a world of difference between "if only" and "next time." "If only" looks backward; "next time" is a look forward. "If only" is a word of defeat; "next time" is a word of hope. The world of if only is much more than living a life of regret. It is looking at the past and wishing that circumstances had been different. We have all had our fair share of if onlys. How does living in the world of if only’s work out for you? Does it give us the power to change things? Does it give us hope? Does it give us grace? Does it make us feel better? Probably not. It is based on the past, it based on circumstances that we cant do anything about. Instead of living in the world of if only, what if we lived in the world of next time. Next time is a second chance. Instead of looking back on spilled milk, next time gives us a chance to do something different. It gives us the power to make a difference. It gives us grace, and where there is grace, there is also the presence of God. In the world of grace, God is with you, God is on your side, God is doing a new thing. Isnt it comforting to know that in God’s world there will always be a next time. Laura Lee is the would-be victim of Hodgkin disease who has demonstrated this fact eloquently. She wrote at least two books, both recording her feelings, thoughts, and observations as she walked through the valley of the shadow of death. She likened the choices of life to standing before a button panel. "You push the down button for bitterness, resentment, and self-pity. Or you can push the up button and draw closer to God, closer to others and to be a better person. It's always an act of the will, a will beyond emotions or what you feel like doing. You can be deceived by feelings." What are you doing this year to draw closer to God? God is right there right next to you. The waters of baptism represent the presence of God in our lives. God is there in the murky water, God is in the cleansing water of baptism. That brings us comfort. Four-year-old Virginia and her family were enjoying the first visit by their new pastor. Gathered around the living room were Mother, Father, Virginia, Grandmother and the pastor. Soon it was Virginia's bedtime. After a bath, Virginia invited everyone to come up and hear her bedside prayers. Grandmother, whose arthritis was bothering her, chose not to go upstairs with the others and remained seated on the sofa. Just as Virginia knelt down, a flash of lightning followed by a crash of thunder filled the room. "I want to go downstairs with Grandmother," cried Virginia. "I'm scared." The adults in the room tried to reassure her. "Jesus is right here with you," said Mother. "He's even in your closet and under your bed," added Father. The new pastor said, "Yes, remember, Virginia, Jesus is right here in your bedroom." Suddenly another blinding flash of lightning and deafening blast of thunder rattled the windows. Virginia, pointing a finger directly at the pastor, said through clenched teeth, "You stay up here in my bedroom with Jesus. I'm going downstairs to my grandmother's lap!" And off she ran. You see, baptism is something like Grandmother's lap. In the midst of the rejections and raging storms of life, baptism reminds us where the love is. Named and claimed as God's child forever, we know that we have been chosen. No matter what. Hear again the promise of the Lord: "I have called you by name and you are mine ... you are precious in my eyes, and honored, and I love you" (vv. 1, 4). And that's the truth." CSS Publishing, Lima, Ohio, Where Is God In All This, by Tony Everett We thank God for comfort, peace, grace. You know in the coming year, none of us knows what will happen, or even how we will handle it. No matter how many resolutions we may have, life will still throw us unexpected curve balls. We all face an uncertain future. But the good news is that we do not have to face the future afraid. Whatever happens, God will be right there by our side. Remember your baptism and be thankful! Let us pray….. Song It is Well With My Soul UMH 377 Prayers of the People Before we are born, before we do anything or make something of ourselves, before we make our first mistake or confess our first sin or fail majorly, you claim us, God our Creator, and call us beloved. We give you thanks and praise this Sunday for Jesus’ baptism and for ours, for the sign and seal of your claim on us and the sacred water from which we emerge newly born in Christ. That you come so close, Holy God, close enough to kiss our forehead with holy water and Holy Spirit, is astonishing. How can we comprehend a love such as this? How could we ever earn this amazing grace? You call us to you in love, O God, and send us to love others in Christ’s name. Hear our prayers this day as we hold the weary and the suffering in our p2 hearts and minds. We pray for those recovering and rebuilding from hurricanes and natural disasters. Shelter and protect those who have lost loved ones and homes, God. Be their refuge and their strength. We pray for refugees, for children and families, mothers, fathers, aunts and uncles seeking asylum, safety and opportunity. Your love knows no boundary or border, Holy God. Help us to love as you love. We pray for the sick and their caregivers. We pray for first responders and hospital personnel. Give hope to those who are called to help and heal. May our world know well-being. We pray for countries and communities struggling for safety and freedom. We pray for those without access to healthcare, food or shelter. Help us, Holy God, to dismantle oppressive systems that privilege and hoard. Help us build new and just systems for our collective flourishing. We pray for those who, in this new year, feel helpless and hopeless. Remind them, Savior God, that the night is not night to you. Remind them, Covenant God, that you have called them by name, that they belong to you, that none of us is alone. (Presbyterian Outlook, Terri McDowell Ott) Lord’s Prayer Stewardship Moment Luke writes in chapter 3, describing Jesus’ baptism, followed by the gift of the Holy Spirit and a voice claiming, “You are my Son, the Beloved, with you I am well pleased.” As we remember that description, I’m struck by what a remarkable reality it is for each one of us to be claimed by God. Remember? Isaiah 43 says, “I have called you by name, you are mine.” In gratitude for that relationship, we come to offer our gifts of money, time and talent. With joy, we bring the best we have to celebrate the way God reaches out to us. May each of us reach deep to offer our gifts today. Prayer of Thanksgiving Source of all being, Hear our thanks as we offer ourselves and these symbols of our daily living to you. May your Spirit pour into us, as it came into Jesus, for we truly want to be claimed by you as we follow him. Help us find ways to live the Good News of your love for one and for all, Help us use these gifts and our time and talents in service with Jesus, your Beloved Son, Amen. (Disciples of Christ, Center for Faith and Giving) Invitation to Reaffirm Our Baptismal Covenant We gather today to worship and praise the God of awe and majesty. We come to encounter the God who knows us each by name and who walks with us in intimate love. We come to reaffirm the blessing we have received through our baptism. In baptism, we remember God’s saving actions throughout history, and we have the opportunity to answer yes as God whispers our names. As a community of God, we gather today at the waters of baptism to reaffirm our commitment to Christ and to experience anew the transforming power of the Holy Spirit. (United Methodist Ministry Matters, Laura Jaquith Bartlett) Announcements Closing Prayer for Facebook You are each precious in God’s sight. We go from this place, claiming our identity as children of God. God has called you by name. We go into the world to answer God’s call. Alleluia! (United Methodist Ministry Matters, Laura Jaquith Bartlett) Community Time – Joys and Concerns Benediction Remember that your first name is Beloved, given to you by God before any other name. Remember also it is the name given to every human being. May this blessed gift and claim of God grow in your heart and mind. And may it flow through you as a blessing into the life of the world. Blessings on you, Beloved! Amen and Amen. (United Church of Christ Worship Ways, David Long-Higgins) Additional Illustrations The Hassidic Jews have a story about the sorrow tree. According to them, on Judgment Day we will be invited to hang all of our own miseries upon the tree of sorrows. When we've done that we will be given permission to walk around the tree and survey everyone else's miseries in order to select a set we like better. According to Hassidic legend, in the end, we freely choose our own personal set of sorrows once more. That's a charming way of saying that when we see the suffering and sorrow of others, more often than not, we're quite happy to keep our own. A man at a party walked over to a woman and said, "You're wearing one of the most beautiful diamond rings I have ever seen." She responded, "It's the Chapman diamond, and a curse comes with it." Taken aback, the man asked, "and what is the curse?" The woman's face clouded as she replied, "Mr. Chapman, who gave it to me." Let me share a poem which I think will tie it all together--a rather folksy poem. I'm not sure Miss Olga would think it was great poetry, but it ties together the contrast between a "what if" and a "next time" kind of life. Two frogs fell into a deep cream bowl and one was an optimistic soul but the other one took the gloomy view, "I shall drown," he cried, "and so will you!" And with one last despairing cry, he closed his eyes and said goodbye. But the other frog had a merry grin, Said he couldn't get out but wouldn't give in. "I'll swim around 'til my strength is spent. But for having tried, I'll die content." Bravely he swam, until it would seem His struggles began to churn the cream. On top of the butter he finally stopped. And out of the bowl he happily hopped. So what's the moral. It's easily found. If you can't get out, just keep swimming around! I hope you get the picture: the contrast between an "if only" and a "next time" approach to life. No matter what happens, no matter what our circumstances, we can affirm with conviction "next time" because our God is a consuming fire, burning away all the sin and failure of the past; He is a God who is "doing a new thing," making a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert." Verse 20 both alludes to the universal nature of God’s loving, redemptive action, and proclaims the particularity that love is capable of expressing. While the water is given to all the wilderness, God declares that it flows there in order to "give drink to my chosen people." Modern homes with indoor plumbing always have water available - yet a young child, too small to reach the sink, is still completely dependent on a parent to get a drink. The same tenderness is implied in Isaiah’s image - the mighty creator God who makes whole rivers race through the land will still stoop to hold a cup to the thirsty lips of the children God “formed for myself." Once that thirst is quenched, however, v.21 reminds the reader, everyone has a responsibility to say "thank you," praising God again and again for the very staples of life. ChristianGlobe Networks, Inc., Collected Works, by Leonard Sweet That which binds us all together in this household of faith, however, is the fact that we have all been "redeemed" together. That is what we have in common -- not blood, not soil, not economics or status. Rather, we share together the one fact that God has redeemed us all. He redeemed Israel out of Egypt, that is, he bought her back out of slavery, which is what redemption means (cf. Leviticus 25:47-49). And so too he redeemed each one of us out of slavery to sin and death, and he redeemed the person who is to be baptized. Long before our baptisms, long before any one of us had done anything to deserve it (cf. Romans 5:8), God redeemed us from sin and death by the cross and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The only place where God directly says, “I Love You”