sermon excerpts: "Waters of Life" (Revelation 21:22 - 22:5 and John 5: 1-9)

One of the many themes running through the Bible is the removal of artificial and unhelpful barriers. We hear this in the readings today: we cannot separate the Temple from society, or God’s world from our own. John’s vision of heaven in the Revelation is not so much a description of the afterlife than it is what the world was supposed to be like when God created it. We see perpetual light, when in Genesis all there was was darkness.

Overwhelmed by God’s abundance, we will never be separated from God’s love and presence. We will all be known and called by name, the mark of the Lord upon us. This is the life to which we are called, the vision that we work towards so that those children of God who are baptized may find that the gates are never shut and goodness abounds.

When we baptize, when we welcome people to the church, we are removing one more barrier between one household and the community. In a way, we’re giving up our right to privacy, because we invite an entire faith community into our lives. Baptism is the expansion and extension of family, the congregation functions as godparents, helping nurture and support the spiritual care and growth of its people. Of course, once we include more people and opinions into the situation, things are liable to get messy, complicated, and chaotic.

I often refer to the healing power of the pool of Bethesda as proof that creation comes from chaos. And it may seem like that in these days of the congregation trying to figure out what to do next, with the news of my departure, financial uncertainty and questioning the viability of the churches, what the next step might be. Yet we trust in the swirling storm of uncertainty, God’s healing and new restored life will be available. Such is the cleansing power of water.

Which is why we use ordinary, everyday water as a symbol of welcome, of inclusion and God’s presence at work in our lives. Water washes over us readily and easily. If you’ve cursed flooded basements or watched the aftermath of floods or tsunamis, you know that water can overcome any barrier or dam.

It moves beyond all obstacles and continues to flow. Such is the water of life, the love of God and the power of community. The welcoming power of Christ to a life of mystery, wonder and appreciation is found in our baptism and cannot be stopped. It is a most profound reminder that we are not alone. We live in God’s world. Thanks be to God.