Sermon 1 Peter 3: 18-22

Again we return to a texts on Baptism. It appears that the writers of the Church's schedule of Bible readings have focussed a lot o baptism over the past few months. Or maybe it is because we've also Baptised Jack and Fraser, that the theme of Baptism comes up. Today, again the Gospel talks of Jesus' Baptism, and the teaching letter, 1 Peter compares baptism to those saved from the flood in Noah's time.

There is actually a lot said about Jesus baptism in all the Books of the New Testament. I suspect, although I haven't looked, that all of them mention in some way the Baptism of Jesus. How strange so much is written or spoken about this one event in Jesus life. How interesting that the Church writing in 1 Peter is still working out what Jesus baptism meant to them, and today means for us.

A friend once said, "It only took a few minutes to be baptised, but I have spent my whole life discovering what it means." We too in the Church gather to discover what it means to have been baptised. That is one of the reasons we are gathered here today. We've know that, through baptism we have been called to be the Church. And now, as part of the Church we worship together and listen for God's word, in the Scriptures, in the music, and in the preaching. We struggle to hear how God wishes us to express our calling as a baptised people in this time, in this place and in this age.

Peter describes the Church being like Noah's ark, saved through water. You know the story, the world had turned to violence, all but 8 people. And God tells Noah to build and ark, into which humanity and all the animals of the world are saved from the 40 days and nights of rain. That is one of the reasons in Christian art that the Church is shown as a boat and why the entrance of a Church is called a "Narthex". If you go onto a boat, the entrance room will also be called a Narthex. In many churches they actually put the baptismal font where the worship space meets the Narthex. Baptism is entry onto the ship.

And so Peter says, "And baptism, which this pre-figured, now saves you - not as removal of dirt from your body, but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ." Now, we know that baptism is not just another bath but a change of relationship with God. Peter says that Christ suffered for us, that we might be brought close to God. He's talking about the cross, by which we Christians proclaim we are saved. In baptism, we are connected with the death of Jesus on the cross and brought to God.

I like Peter's sense of humour, "baptism saves you, not as removal of dirt from your body, but as an appeal to God for a good conscience." Of course it is not a bath but something more. Now that we are God's people. Gone is the striving to be good enough, or spiritual enough or holy enough to be God's people. Through Jesus Christ, we are adopted as children of God. That is important! So, now what do we do!?

That is what Peter's Church is asking. It might seem a strange question to ask, since, for the most part, over the past 1600 years we thought we knew the answer to the question pretty well. Was it 388, that Christianity stopped being an illegal religion and became the religion of the Roman empire? Christianity for the first 300 years suffered persecutions when the Church's existence challenged the surrounding community's beliefs. Often the Church was just tolerated, but sometimes we were hunted down and persecuted. Literally thrown to the lions. But all the changed and the Churches which mostly met in people's homes, now had power and a place at the emperors table.

And yet, I suspect most every culture has a saying, "With power comes corruption". Peter's church which once was centred in Jerusalem, now became a Church centred in Rome (the emperor's city). Don't get me wrong, there was much good that the Church did during the time when it was the official religion of this vast empire, but eventually this relationship led to the Church becoming deeply corrupt. The 1500's were one of the worst periods in the Church, with the Church in Rome wanting money for building projects and wars. Just 500 years ago. I wonder how the church heard today's reading from Peter's letter?

Did you notice that strange part of Peter's letter. First he talks about how we are saved by Christ's suffering, "He was put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit, in which he went and made proclamation to the spirits in prison, who in former times did not obey, when God waited patiently in the days of Noah ..." This odd bit of scripture, no doubt, was used in the 1500's for a special fundraising effort; here's how it might have worked; the preacher would say, "I know your worried about your mom and dad who were not very good Christians or weren't even Christian at all. So why not make a special payment of money for the Church's new building project and we will, on behalf of Christ declare them freed from hell. In Peter it says Christ preached to the spirits in prison therefore the Church has the power to free them from hell." Of course, if the people did not respond, the preacher could always "turn up the heat" and fill people with fear of hell. And understandably, the simple people would respond by giving away their monies. The church at this time would even give out official pieces of paper saying dead people were no longer in hell!

However, during this time there were preachers and priests who would not agree to this. In the pews there were many who listening for God in today's text did not hear fear, but rather heard hope; hope for them, for their loved ones and for the world. While they tried to challenge the corruption of the Church eventually they were cast out or killed. And not wanting to abandon their calling as Christians, they became the reformed Churches. We know some of the leaders names, John Calvin, the great thinker of reformed and presbyterian churches, Martin Luther of which the Lutheran church is named. And there are more, Katherina Shultz who taught; she wrote a wonderful essay on why women can be preachers too. And many who are known only to God yet who heard good news and who sought to share that Good News with others.

These real people gathered to worship God and respond to their calling as baptised people and heard the call to take the Church in another direction. And so we became the protestant church, which literally means, "Protesting Church" since we were protesting the corruption of the Roman Church.

The Roman Church eventually dealt with the internal corruption, and the protestant Churches had to deal with their power issues as well. And as we know eventually we Protestants started splitting up into smaller churches, each saying they were the right and true church. It got so bad that there must be over 1400 protestant churches in the world!

Sometimes the differences in the Churches were silly. Sometimes just over things like candles or whether you could pray for someone who was already dead. Other times the difference were over substantial issues. However for the Church that says it has one Lord is was and is scandalous.

So the Church prayed and listened for God, as we do today. In Asia, Churches decided instead of competing with each other they would select different regions to focus on. The Methodist Church would focus on India, the Presbyterians on Taiwan, the Lutherans on another nation.

In Canada, we decided another route, instead we decided to recombine the protestant churches, and so in the late 1800's we started talks and in 1925 we agreed to join together the Methodists, the Presbyterians, and the Congregationalists. And 75 years later, here we sit as one part of the largest church unions in history. As one part of the Church of Christ who amongst all the baptised of the world who are Christ's mission.

Now, this sermon is a bit of a history lesson, and admittedly it is a simplified and incomplete history. We Christians have a rich history which many stories of struggle, success, and failures. A story of people who, like Peter's Church sought to respond to their calling as people claimed by a God who loved them. A story of a people who were called to be the Church for the sake of the world God' loves.

We live in a different age, the Church is no longer the religion of the empire, gone is the power and the money, and many of the buildings are going and perhaps we Christians eventually may return to worshipping in houses.

But I have no fear for the Churches future, nor should you. How is it that we should live in fear given all the Christ has done for us. We who, even before we knew about the love of God, the Lord of the Universe sent the Church to tell us of the good news. Or blessed us with parents who already knew or who would know about learning to live a life of grace.

Grace means "unmerited kindness", Kindness that is undeserved. Some people call it "unconditional love". That is the central message of Christian faith. That we are now part of a people saved because God loves us. And now that we are saved, we are called to be a people who's lives express gratitude for that kindness. We who were forgiven, forgive. We who were loved, love. We who were shown generosity are generous. We who were shown mercy show mercy.

As the Church of New Westminister, we are called to be a ship on a sea where the lost can find hope. I sometimes wish we had a bell on the Church. Like a ship, churches included a bell since it let people know, here you can find shelter from the cold. Here you can be saved from downing. Here you can find travelling companions. Here you can be brought home. Although we may not have a bell, I am comforted and encouraged by the last verse of today's text. That "Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaves, and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers made subject to him." This is the one who is the captain of our ship, we need only listen to Christ be the Church.

Sermon 1 Peter 3: 18-22
by James Love