Been Baptized
Stories
Lectionary Tales For The Pulpit
Series IV, Cycle A
And when Jesus had been baptized, just as he came up from the water, suddenly the heavens were opened to him and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, "This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased." (vv. 16--17)
A pastor moved to a new community and was ready to get started in ministry there. One of his members came by one morning and asked if he could give the pastor a tour of the community. The pastor jumped at the chance. They loaded up in the man's pickup and began the tour.
Soon after they had started, the man pulled up to a four--way stop. Most small rural towns have one of these intersections. It is the hub of the town. There is a bar on one corner, the bank is on another, a convenience store is on the third, and the fourth is an empty building or a vacant lot. As the man stopped the truck, he gently placed his thumb on his forehead and whispered, "Been baptized."
Several blocks up the street, he pulled over at an old house and invited the preacher to join him. The two went to the door and knocked several times. Finally they heard, "Hold on, I am on my way." A kind--looking elderly woman answered the door. She gave the driver a great big hug and a smile. The man told the preacher to reach out and shake hands with a "saint." The kind lady firmly gripped the preacher's hand as the man once again touched his forehead and whispered, "Been baptized."
After a good visit, the two men left. The tour came to an end when the driver asked the preacher if he would like a soft drink. They pulled up to the convenience store. No sooner had they gotten out of the truck, than another man approached the driver, wagging a finger in his face and complaining about community problems. His voice grew louder as his anger became a driving force. The preacher's new friend responded by simply placing his thumb on his forehead and mumbling under his breath, "Been baptized."
They bought a couple of soft drinks and returned to the church. Before the preacher left the truck, he said, "I hate to pry, but I have to ask. I noticed that several times today you touched your forehead and mumbled under your breath. Why?"
The driver smiled, and put his arm around the preacher. He explained, "You see, it has been several years since I have come to know and love God. It took me a while to understand how much God loves and forgives me. A few years ago, I went before the church and asked that they forgive me and accept me into their family. The next day, I went around and told all my friends, and even my enemies, that I was now a Christian - that my old life was gone and I was going to serve God in all I did.
"I touched my forehead and mumbled the words 'been baptized' at the four--way stop because the bar was my church before I became a Christian. The bank was where all my work and effort went before I realized that working for God was more important.
"I did the same when we stopped at the lady's house because she was the first person to welcome me into the family of faith. She hugged me and told me that not only did God love me, but also the whole faith community loved me and forgave me. I was a part of the family of God.
"And lastly, I did the same thing when that man confronted me at the store because it reminded me of who I really am. I am a child of God. Loved, forgiven, and accepted. My old ways are gone. My old self is dead. I must, therefore, watch and try to be Christ--like in all that I do. I know now that this is the way to live out my call."
Sometimes we need to remember that we have been baptized and that through baptism, we have been claimed by God. We share in Christ's baptism, and are called sons and daughters of God. Just as the Spirit of God descended on Jesus as his baptism, the Spirit comes to us to transform us with love and forgiveness.
A pastor moved to a new community and was ready to get started in ministry there. One of his members came by one morning and asked if he could give the pastor a tour of the community. The pastor jumped at the chance. They loaded up in the man's pickup and began the tour.
Soon after they had started, the man pulled up to a four--way stop. Most small rural towns have one of these intersections. It is the hub of the town. There is a bar on one corner, the bank is on another, a convenience store is on the third, and the fourth is an empty building or a vacant lot. As the man stopped the truck, he gently placed his thumb on his forehead and whispered, "Been baptized."
Several blocks up the street, he pulled over at an old house and invited the preacher to join him. The two went to the door and knocked several times. Finally they heard, "Hold on, I am on my way." A kind--looking elderly woman answered the door. She gave the driver a great big hug and a smile. The man told the preacher to reach out and shake hands with a "saint." The kind lady firmly gripped the preacher's hand as the man once again touched his forehead and whispered, "Been baptized."
After a good visit, the two men left. The tour came to an end when the driver asked the preacher if he would like a soft drink. They pulled up to the convenience store. No sooner had they gotten out of the truck, than another man approached the driver, wagging a finger in his face and complaining about community problems. His voice grew louder as his anger became a driving force. The preacher's new friend responded by simply placing his thumb on his forehead and mumbling under his breath, "Been baptized."
They bought a couple of soft drinks and returned to the church. Before the preacher left the truck, he said, "I hate to pry, but I have to ask. I noticed that several times today you touched your forehead and mumbled under your breath. Why?"
The driver smiled, and put his arm around the preacher. He explained, "You see, it has been several years since I have come to know and love God. It took me a while to understand how much God loves and forgives me. A few years ago, I went before the church and asked that they forgive me and accept me into their family. The next day, I went around and told all my friends, and even my enemies, that I was now a Christian - that my old life was gone and I was going to serve God in all I did.
"I touched my forehead and mumbled the words 'been baptized' at the four--way stop because the bar was my church before I became a Christian. The bank was where all my work and effort went before I realized that working for God was more important.
"I did the same when we stopped at the lady's house because she was the first person to welcome me into the family of faith. She hugged me and told me that not only did God love me, but also the whole faith community loved me and forgave me. I was a part of the family of God.
"And lastly, I did the same thing when that man confronted me at the store because it reminded me of who I really am. I am a child of God. Loved, forgiven, and accepted. My old ways are gone. My old self is dead. I must, therefore, watch and try to be Christ--like in all that I do. I know now that this is the way to live out my call."
Sometimes we need to remember that we have been baptized and that through baptism, we have been claimed by God. We share in Christ's baptism, and are called sons and daughters of God. Just as the Spirit of God descended on Jesus as his baptism, the Spirit comes to us to transform us with love and forgiveness.
