Baptism of the Lord Sunday might as well also be called Holy Spirit Sunday because of the close relationship between the Sacrament of Baptism and the Spirit. In our Gospel lesson, we have the story of Jesus being baptized.
People often ask why Jesus needed to be baptized since we usually associate baptism with the forgiveness of sins and Jesus as God’s Son was sinless. But in addition to cleansing from sins, baptism is also closely associated with the outpouring of God’s Spirit.
Notice that when Jesus was coming out of the water, we are told that the Spirit descended upon him like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.”
Baptism is closely associated with the Holy Spirit.
And this is also why on this Sunday of the year, our Old Testament reading is from the creation story where we hear that it was the wind from God that swept over the waters leading to the creation of the world.
In the Hebrew language, which the Old Testament was written, the word for “wind” is the same word for “breath” and “spirit.” Wind, breath, spirit. It’s all the same word.
I find it very interesting that the word, “breath” is interchangeable with the word, “spirit.”
Jack Leviton is a bible scholar who has recently written a book about this. The title of his book is “The Holy Spirit Before Christianity.” And in his book, he makes the important point that we often only think of the Holy Spirit in terms of the New Testament and specifically with Pentecost when the Holy Spirit came upon the disciples marking the beginning of the church.
But he makes the point that when we read the Old Testament more carefully, we can see that the Holy Spirit is also prominent in the Old Testament. And this is why our Genesis creation story reading is paired with the baptism of Jesus story because they both speak of God’s Spirit. Spirit, wind, breath. They all are connected.
And this has led Jack Levison to this very, very important quote that I would like us to think about on this Baptism of the Lord Sunday. He says, “If there is a message for the American church in a study of the spirit in the Old Testament, it’s for us to learn to breathe again.” “It’s for us to learn to breathe again.”
That might not sound very spiritual at first, but since the word, “spirit” is closely connected with “breath,” breathing is probably one of the most spiritual things we can do.
And when I heard him make this point about learning to breathe, I immediately recalled a conversation that I had with a pastor friend of mine who has suffered with anxiety. When we were together a while back, he told me that one of the things his therapist has taught him to do was to use his breathing to help him cope with his anxiety.
There’s a way to breathe that can be helpful and there’s a way not to breathe. Breathing from the abdomen, experts tell us, has many advantages. It helps to diminish the sense of anxiety we may be feeling in any given moment.
When we learn to breathe, it helps to increase our oxygen supply, it increases our feelings of connection between our mind and body, and it enables us to have better concentration and focus.
This past Wednesday when I was watching the news where people broke into the Capitol to protest the presidential election based on a conspiracy theory, I felt like the wind had been knocked out of me. I couldn’t believe what I was watching. I was angry. I was embarrassed. I felt so helpless. And that’s when I thought about this sermon and how God invites us especially in moments like this to breathe and to receive God’s Spirit anew.
I say all of this because I really think learning to breathe is a spiritual thing.
So, let’s just take a moment and be conscious of the breath we are taking in this very moment. As you breathe, think about that breath as God’s life-giving spirit filling your lungs and providing you with oxygen, connecting your mind and body, and helping you to be focused and centered. God’s Holy Spirit is as close to you as that breath you are taking.
As we think about the breath we are taking, let’s try this abdominal breathing exercise that you might find helpful to do periodically during the course of your day. Go ahead and take a deep breath through your nose while silently counting to five. When you get to five, hold your breath for a second or two.
Let’s try this together. Slowly breathe in using your nose, counting slowly to five…
Now hold hold on to that breath for about two seconds…
And exhale slowly.
Let’s do that one more time…
This is a breathing exercise that we can do each day. If you’re like me, we probably don’t do this nearly often enough. But what is more basic than being conscious of our breathing and learning to breathe?
And whenever you do this breathing exercise, not only does it have health benefits and can calm us when we are feeling anxious, it also reminds us that God’s Holy Spirit is in that very breath we are taking. The Holy Spirit is as close to us as the wind and our breath.
Another important point that Jack Levison makes about the Spirit in his writings is that the Spirit not only enables us to breathe, it also is what prompts us to be a people of justice and mercy.
Throughout the scriptures we read how the Spirit leads and guides us to challenge the status quo where there is injustice. John Wesley, the founder of Methodism refers to this as the “promptings of the Holy Spirit.”
When have you felt prompted by the Holy Spirit to speak out or take a action against racism, inequality, sexism or anything that seeks to dehumanize people?
I find it very interesting that this past summer’s Blacks Lives Matter protests were rekindled because an African American man was choked to death while crying out, “I can’t breathe! I can’t breathe!”
That breath that he wasn’t able to take was also the Spirit that gives all of us life no matter what our color of skin might be. Spirit, breath, wind. It’s all the same. Those words all refer to God’s life-giving power at work in the world. Perhaps if we would keep in mind that every single human being is breathing in God’s spirit in any given moment, it might help us to see that we are one human family.
George Floyd’s final breath led to an unleashing, an unleashing across our country of God’s Spirit calling out racism and injustice and demanding that changes be made in how we treat each other. God prompts us through the Spirit to stand up and speak out for what is right.
Learning to breathe also means learning to use our breath and and our voices to promote justice and mercy.
When Jesus was baptized by John, the Spirit descended upon him. And I also think about one of the first things that Jesus did following his baptism. He went into the synagogue and he read from the prophet Isaiah where it says, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, (there’s that word again, ‘Spirit’) …” “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”
The Spirit, God’s wind is what prompts us to share God’s mercy and love with all people especially in those places where there is inequality and suffering.
When we learn to breathe, we not only receive God’s life-giving Spirit for ourselves, we also can’t help but to offer that same life-giving Spirit to others.
A little over two years ago, I felt prompted by the Holy Spirit to preach three sermons close together here at Athens First in support of the LGBTQ community. It was around that time that we were approaching our denomination’s special General Conference meeting which was focusing on that very issue.
I shared with you during those sermons how my biblical perspective had changed over the past several years and led me to this more inclusive understanding. When I had planned out my sermon schedule which I like to do months in advance, I had no plans on addressing this issue, but as that General Conference was fast approaching, I decided to change my sermon plans. I only did that because I felt prompted by the Holy Spirit to do so.
I have been thinking about those sermons from two years ago because later this year toward the end of August, our denomination will be holding another General Conference that could potentially lead to a split in the United Methodist Church over this issue. My prayer is that our church will continue to be a prophetic voice of full inclusion where candidates for the ordained ministry are not disqualified based on their sexual orientation and where gay couples are not turned away from being married by a United Methodist pastor.
The same Holy Spirit that led me to preach those sermons two years ago is the same holy breath and wind that is leading me to continue in lifting up this very important issue. The Spirit is always prompting us to stand up for justice and equality. I just pray that I would become even more open and responsive to the Spirit’s promptings.
On this Baptism of the Lord Sunday, let’s continue to learn to breathe in God’s Spirit of peace and justice. Practice those breathing exercises and remember that God is with you in every breath you take. Every single breath.
In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Creator God, your breathed and creation was born. You spoke and our world came came to life. The beauty of the earth, the bounty of creation, the rising and setting of the sun all speak of your goodness and grace. Breathe upon us anew with your life-giving Spirit. Remind us of our baptism in which you have claimed us as your own. Forgive us for whenever we do not breathe in your Spirit and receive the fullness of life you have in mind for us. Amen.
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