Sticking to the Script

A friend of mine was talking to a young woman - a newly graduated minister. The new minister said, "I had my first Baptismal Service last Sunday at church.

My friend, also a minister, said, "Oh, that's great! How did it go?"

"Well ... it was pretty interesting," she said, "This young couple came to me wanting to have their infant son baptized. They were members of the church, so when I took it to the Session, it passed easily and without a hitch."

"Then, just like I'd been taught at school, I met with the couple to discuss with them the meaning of baptism, and we went over the logistics of the service. I said to the parents, "You'll know when you're supposed to come to the front of the sanctuary because I'll say: Will those desiring the Sacrament of Baptism please come forward.""

"Everything was on schedule for a perfect first baptism. It was a bright, sunny day. The church was filled with the family members and friends of the couple. And at the appropriate time, I moved to the Baptismal Font and pronounced, "Will those desiring the Sacrament of Baptism please come forward.""

"Well,” she said, “not only the young couple and the baby came to the Baptismal Font, but also a woman and her son, who were just visitors that Sunday."

She said, "I panicked. I didn't know what to do. Should I baptize them, even though I haven't received the approval of Session, let alone even know who these people are … or should I turn them away. After all, I had said, ‘Will those desiring the Sacrament of Baptism please come forward.’”

Then she remembered some story from the Bible, and she knew there was a line in the story, something like, "Is there anyone here who could prevent these people from being baptized?"

And she thought, well, they seem to have been called by some feeling or power, or even summoned by God, to come forward ... so she baptized them, along with the little baby.

Let me ask you a question …

Do you remember when you were young, and you'd say or do something inappropriate? And then your mom or dad would yell at you, "Young man! That was completely uncalled for!"

What an interesting phrase, "uncalled for" - as if there was something about who or what I was, about my life, about my words or actions that is called for. That I am a person who is called. That it's not just ministers or elders who are "called", but each and every one of us has received a calling.

Like that mother and son who felt called to come forward for baptism, we are all summoned to certain situations or places or circumstances - we are summoned, we are called, to a certain way of life.

Today, we read the story of the temptation of Jesus. It's interesting that the temptation of Jesus immediately follows his baptism - as if something happened in baptism which now makes Jesus a threat to the devil - as if something happened in baptism from which Jesus now needs to be lured away.

When we look at the ways in which Jesus was tempted, do we see any central theme?

Really the temptations of Jesus are not very similar to those we face.

He was not tempted to say malicious or vindictive things about other people. He wasn't tempted to search out internet pornography. He wasn't tempted to shoplift or pickpocket, or to be greedy or mean. Jesus was tempted in rather extraordinary ways - to perform supernatural deeds of magic and power.

The devil said to Jesus, "If … If … you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread."

It's a very clever line. The devil doesn't say, "You aren't the Son of God!" To say it this way would be to elicit from Jesus a strong protest - a powerful defense: "I am the Son of God!"

"If you are the Son of God ...", this plants the seeds of self-doubt and uncertainty ... "Am I the Son of God? Do I have to prove by supernatural powers … I am the Son of God?"

Think of an argument between a mother and a daughter. In anger the woman screams, "If you're my daughter... !"

"If you're my daughter ... ?" - flesh of my flesh, soul of my soul, conceived and carried and born in the midst of tremendous love. The mother cannot say anything more cruel than this - to raise doubt about the child's identity as her daughter … If you're my daughter …"

"If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread." Live your life, live the story, in a way different than the one your Heavenly Father has given to you. Live a story different than the one that says, "God will always feed you and provide for your material needs."

Live this story instead, "Look out for number one!" "Take care of your own interests!" "God helps those who help themselves!"

But Jesus is not fooled. He quotes from the old story - an old creed from the Book of Deuteronomy, "We do not live by bread alone ..."

So, the devil lifts Jesus to the pinnacle of the Temple, and says to him, "If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down ..." and then, the devil quotes Scripture to Jesus, "It is written, "God's angels will bear you up ..."

But the devil twists the ancient words, making them into a temptation to self-aggrandizement, pride and personal power.

"Live a different way - live another story, not the one that says, "Be humble and selfless and giving.""

But Jesus turns aside from the temptation using the words from the old story of the Hebrew people, "Do not put the Lord your God to the test."

Finally, Jesus is carried to the top of a high mountain and shown all the Kingdoms of the world. "I will give all of this to you, if only you bow down to worship me," offers the devil,

"Rather than spiritual power, or the power of God's Kingdom, grasp hold of worldly power - hold fast to the things of this earth."

Live out a different story - a different script.

And once again, Jesus quotes from Deuteronomy, the old, script of Israel, "Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him."

I need to tell you something … I believe what happened in the baptism of Jesus, is that he was ordained. In his baptism, Jesus was given an identity and a story to live out. In baptism, Jesus is given the script for his life. And the temptations are for Jesus to go by a different script - to rewrite the story.

Years ago, my daughter’s High School put on a play. It was a comedy and the Drama teacher - Miss Thompson, organized the production. She poured herself into this play. After school, she worked with the actors and actresses - rehearsing lines, coaching them, teaching them about timing and facial expressions and hand movements.

And then, when the students left, she would stay on, getting costumes and scenery ready. She'd be at the school, late into the night, and then back again in the morning - teach all day, repeating this routine over and over again.

So opening night arrived, and everything was ready. The play started out very well, and then one of the main actors forgot his lines. I was there … and you could see him searching his brain, and there's this awkward silence, and all the other people on stage are frozen in anticipation and worry. And Miss Thompson, off on the side, was just about to whisper his words to him, when the actor begins to speak. It wasn't the right line, but it was a funny line he'd made up himself, to cover up his memory lapse. And the audience roared with laughter, and everyone involved with the production heaved a great sigh of relief. But then with the laughter ringing in his ears, this young actor made up another line. And it was funny, but not quite as funny as the first line. And again, the audience laughed, and with that laughter ringing in his ears, he made up another line, and another line, and another line - and right before our eyes the play collapsed. It fell apart. It was ruined. And there was Miss Thompson, my daughter told me, off on the sidelines, the tears running down her face, because this young man had changed the script. He thought he was brilliant, but his own lines weren't anywhere near as good as the ones that were already written for him.

Jesus says, "I'm sticking to the script. That's who I am. That's my identity. That's the story God has written for me." In the Sacrament of Baptism, Jesus received his script. In the Sacrament of Baptism we are all called to our role, our part, in the grand play God has designed for our lives and for the world.

Let me tell you another story … A minister was baptizing an infant boy one Sunday morning, and as was the custom at his church, and at most churches, after the baptism the minister asked the congregation to stand: Do you promise to encourage this child to grow in faith and the knowledge of God?" And everybody in the church said, "We do."

And after the service everyone left the sanctuary, except for a seven year old boy who came up and tugged on the minister's robe.

"What is it?"

And the little boy fixed the minister with a steely glare and demanded, "Where's that kid I'm responsible for? If I'm in charge of him, I want to see him!"

The minister said, "That's the first time anyone I'd ever met seemed to understand the meaning of baptism."

We receive the story in baptism. We are summoned to participate in the unfolding saga of God's action in the world. But we have to share the story, and we have to help those who are baptized to find their part in the script - to encourage them to learn and grow into the role, into playing the part, God has planned for them - of what he or she can do or be in the Kingdom of God.

Just prior to ordination to the Ministry of Word and Sacrament, each potential ministerial candidate has to come before a committee of the presbytery in order to undergo, "Trials for Ordination." Every minister I know, including me, has been very nervous about this. You can be asked almost any question, and this little group of people has the power to recommend … or not recommend your ordination.

Not too long ago, I heard about this one minister, who's been asking each potential candidate the same question for the last thirty-five years.

He says to the candidate, "I want you to look out the window."

"I want you to tell me when you see someone come along."

"I see somebody!" the person says.

"Do you know this person?"

"No sir, I don't."

"Good! I want you to describe this person to me ... theologically."

Apparently, this minister usually gets one of two answers. The first answer is something like, "I see a sinner in need of redemption."

And the second answer is something like, "I see a person who, whether or not he or she knows it, is a child of God."

And this minister says about his question, "Technically speaking, either one of these answers is pretty much right. But it has been my experience that those who gave the second answer make the better minister, because they see people not as they are, but as they can and will be – a beloved child of God …”

As you look at the children baptized in this church, year by year, I ask you - I invite you, to participate in this Sacrament. To share with these children the story - the story of God, which is our story. And to help them to learn the script - to learn their lines, and their part in the play.

To take seriously our responsibility to nurture and encourage the growth of faith in our children - to share with them the love and care of Christ.

To see a child, brought before you in baptism, not for what they are, but for what they can and will be. That in the midst of them being helpless infants, or troublesome toddlers, or mischievous youngsters, or stubborn, rebellious teens, we might continue to see their God given potential.

That we might not see only what is, but in each baptized person we might see a child of God - valuable, precious and loved by God ... as are we all ... as are we all …