JOHN THE BAPTIST APPEARS

SERMON PREACHED BY FR. TONY NOBLE ON DECEMBER 7^th, 2008

Mark 1: 4 "John the Baptizer appeared in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins."

Some years ago I was being challenged in conversation by an ernest young Baptist. We came to the crunch, and he said: "Do you believe in infant baptism?", I replied "Not only do I believe in it….I've seen it!"

Such an answer only served to convince this man of the error of my ways!

There are of course many Christians who think that only adults can be baptised - that children can not be baptised. Indeed, only adults who acknowledge their sins and make a public declaration of their faith in Jesus Christ. Some others say that only being immersed is valid baptism - and in some cases, you must be immersed three times for it to be valid.

There is something ironical about such people and their concern for a valid baptism - for usually they have no similar concern about validity of the Eucharist.

That understanding of baptism of adults is in accord with the baptism of John Baptist, which we see in today's Gospel. "John the Baptizer appeared…preaching a baptism of repentance". Saint Mark goes on to describe how hundreds of people flocked to the Jordan to be baptised by him. It says "they came, confessing their sins". It must have been quite a sight - this prophet wearing camel skin, standing in the river with hundreds of people wading in confessing their sins - what a babble it must have been!

And imagine as you look over and see your local baker declaring: "I slept with your wife" and you reply "I stole a loaf of bread from your shop"! Hopefully it wasn't only God who forgave sins on that day. J

Despite this picture presented to us, the tradition of the Church has been to baptise children of believers. And the reason and justification comes at the end of today's gospel (Mark 1:8). "I have baptised with water, but he will baptise you with the Holy Spirit" says John the Baptist. So Christ will bring a new baptism - & it will be different to the baptism of John.

John's baptism was only for repentance and forgiveness of sins. The baptism of Jesus involves the Holy Spirit. Christ comes to bring a new baptism - it includes both forgiveness and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. When Jesus comes to inaugurate this new covenant - he takes what his fore-runner does and transforms it into a Sacrament. Baptism is now about what God does for us - not what we do for God.

The baptism of repentance was about people declaring what they believe and acknowledging their sins - but the baptism of Jesus is about God giving us gifts. Repentance is still necessary, of course - but the gift in the Sacrament of Baptism is forgiveness from God and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.

As a baptised child grows it will probably sin (and I'm sure there are many parents here who can verify to that fact) Indeed, a baptised child may even fall away from the Church - the body it joined in the Sacrament Baptism. But let's be clear - the Holy Spirit, once given, will not be taken away by Jesus. For Scripture says: "The gift of God is irrevocable". So there can be no second baptism in the Holy Spirit, as Pentecostals do.

In the Church baptism is completed by Confirmation - when the Holy Spirit is outpoured again to strengthen us as disciples and followers of Jesus, and to increase our relationship with him. The relationship is established in Baptism, but as we grow it is increased through the gift of the Holy Spirit.

What about sin then? Well there is, of course, the Sacrament of Confession. John the Baptist's message of repentance is a rallying cry for us all in this Advent season. Advent is a good time to hear his word "Repent" - and to act upon it.

"Repent" and "Confession" are not popular words these days - and you don't hear the word "Sin" in sermons often. It is jokingly said that the Episcopal Church now includes everyone, but excludes sin!

There is no doubt that the Sacrament of Confession has declined in popularity - both in our Church and the Roman Catholic Church. Although perhaps "popularity" is probably not the right word for a Sacrament which involves acknowledging your sins! Even if you won't be making your confession at Christmas (as is quite common in the Episcopal Church) we can all acknowledge that we are familiar with repentance - for repentance is really about coming to our senses. We all do that from time to time.

Oscar Wilde - of all people - gives us a good definition of repentance in his great meditation "De Profundis". He says that repentance is recognizing that the problem is not in what we do, but in what we become. When I loose my temper, it is not that I regret getting angry, but that I have become, even if briefly, an angry man. Which is a far cry from my vocation as a christian.

That is what sin does. It makes us less than we are called to be - and we can see that at the very beginning, with Adam and Eve. As we were taught when we were young, sin separates us from God. And that is the worst part of sin.

But it is the best part of forgiveness. When a person makes their confession in the Sacrament of Reconcilation, the best part is at the end - when the priest says: "Go in peace, for the Lord has put away all your sins". What wonderful words to hear. Yes, the Lord looks on the heart, and only desires good for us.

The Sacrament of Confession is a continuation of the Sacrament of Baptism. It gives us again the forgiveness of sins, and restores us to the Body of Christ, into which we were baptised.

This concept of restoration is illustrated by the first reading (Isaiah 40). In words used by Saint Mark and Handel, Isaiah proclaims the restoration of Israel back to Jerusalem from their captivity. And he has a wonderful image of God as a shepherd carrying lambs in his arms, as he brings them back.

The people who had wept by the Rivers of Babylon were comforted indeed, as Isaiah proclaims, by the Lord. They had been carried off into captivity - now he carries them back. They had been carried off because they had sinned and strayed from the covenant. Now they are to be restored and returned to Jerusalem - the very name a reminder of their relationship with God. So their relationship is restored.

Today, John comes preaching repentance. It is an appeal the whole world should not ignore in this Advent season.