Poured Out, Filled Up

The Rev. Dr. Skip Ferguson

Manassas Presbyterian Church

Manassas, Virginia

March 15, 2015

Fourth Sunday in Lent

Reaffirmation of the Baptismal Covenant

Poured Out, Filled Up

Luke 3:21-22

Now when all the people were baptized,

and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying,

the heaven was opened,

and the Holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form like a dove.

And a voice came from heaven,

“You are my Son, the Beloved;

with you I am well pleased.”

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In the baptismal prayer I offer

you hear me say,

“Pour out your Holy Spirit upon

the one who is to be baptized

that he or she may have the power to do your will,

and continue forever in the risen life of Christ.”

You heard me pray that just a few minutes ago

for Katie and Sophie:

“Pour out your Holy Spirit upon them” --

“Pour out your Holy Spirit, Lord

and fill them as they come up out of

the waters of baptism,

in the same way the Spirit filled your Son

as he came up out of the waters of the Jordan.”

In the liturgy of baptism

we celebrate the gift of the Holy Spirit

given us by the grace of God;

the Spirit of God filling our hearts,

our minds;

the Spirit poured out by God to fill us.

                                                              

Most of us were baptized at such a young age,

that we don’t remember the prayers and promises

made in our baptisms.

Even as watch a baptism now,

it’s too easy to be distracted by

the child being baptized,

especially if it is an infant.

Who can listen to the words

when we’re wondering whether

the baby will suddenly decide

loudly and furiously,

that he or she would rather be anywhere else

than in the minister’s arms?

Even I find myself distracted

when I watch other pastors preside at baptisms.

I tend to watch vocationally:

how do they handle themselves and the baby;

what do they do if a meltdown happens;

Do they dry their hands on their robes?

It’s why we have a service like this,

a service to provide us all with the opportunity

to hear anew the words of baptism,

to listen carefully to the promises made,

to the covenant that binds us with God

through baptism.

We hear:

“In baptism, God claims us and seals us

to show that we belong to God.

God frees us from sin and death,

uniting us with Jesus Christ

in his death and resurrection.

By water and the Holy Spirit,

we are made members of the church,

the Body of Christ,

and joined to Christ’s ministry of love,

peace, and justice.”

Did you hear those words, those promises?

God claims us.

God frees us from sin and death.

God unites us with Christ

in his death and his resurrection

as we go under the water,

die to the old ways, and come back up

born to new life in Christ.

We are made members of Christ’s

holy catholic church –

the church universal.

All those who profess their faith in Christ,

regardless of denomination or country or culture,

are now our brothers and sisters.

We are joined in a ministry of love,

in which “barriers of race, gender, status,

nationality, history, practice, age –

all are overcome, all are transcended.”

All that in just a few minutes,

with just a few drops of water,

and just a few words spoken.

An everlasting covenant of love is made

by the grace of God in Jesus Christ.

But, there’s more:

God then pours out his Holy Spirit upon us

to fill us, guide us,

energize us, teach us, assure us.

The Spirit helps us to know Christ,

to follow Christ,

to understand what it means

to be born to new life through our baptism.

As we go through the litany in a few moments,

listen to the words,

pay attention to them,

think about what you are saying and why.

Baptism is something we do in community,

but the litany is intentionally personal.

You will hear the covenant God made with you

in your baptism.  

When you come up in a few minutes,

feel the water:

the water that gives life;

the water that washes us clean in our baptisms;

the water from which we – you and me –

and now Katie and Sophie

have been given new life in Jesus Christ.

Keep the stone as a reminder that

you have been filled with the Spirit of God,

the very breath of God,

and that God’s Spirit is always with you

to refresh, renew,

strengthen, comfort,

reassure, guide,

instruct,

direct your steps,

including directing your steps back to God

when you stray – as we all do.

The stones are larger this year,

big enough to have the words,

“Holy Spirit” engraved on them,

Keep your stone on your dresser,

your desk, a kitchen windowsill –

someplace you’ll see it each day,

especially at the start of your day

and the close,

to remind you that you are a child of God,

claimed by God,

and filled with the Holy Spirit.

And, of course, keep the stone as a symbol as well

of our Lord Jesus Christ,

for he is our “foundation stone, …

a precious cornerstone,

[our] sure foundation.”

(Isaiah 28:7)

Praise Father, Son and …Holy Spirit!