Sermon - 1/10/21

<p>I am going to be very honest with you.  My heart is just breaking.  My heart feels torn apart by what we saw last Wednesday as insurrectionists stormed our nation’s capital.  What happened makes me feel like my heart has been ripped apart.  And it is all because of <strong>words</strong>, malicious words, lies that have been promulgated, and conspiracy theories that have been sold as truth, all of which create bubbles of delusion that imprison peoples’ minds.  <strong>Words</strong> incited this event.  And, the <strong>words</strong> and <strong>lies</strong> that have been spoken destroy lives and yes, they can tear apart and destroy governments and countries!  <strong>Words matter!</strong>  Words can build up or destroy.  So, again on this day, it is so comforting to hear some <strong>words</strong> that <strong>truly matter</strong>, <strong>words</strong> that are <strong>life giving</strong> as my heart grieves.</p> <p>Today, we hear the beginning verses of <strong>Mark’s</strong> gospel as he presents <strong>his</strong> version of the Jesus story.  Mark’s gospel does not begin with a baby and shepherds and angels.  No. Mark’s version of the Jesus story is very stark, and rather abrupt as it begins <strong>at the river</strong> when God literally <strong>breaks</strong> into this broken world through the person of Jesus.  That is how <strong>Mark’s</strong> telling of the Jesus story begins!</p> <p>“In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan.”  Mark’s telling of the Jesus story <strong>begins</strong> as Jesus enters the river <strong>with</strong> others to be washed in the baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.  This gospel <strong>begins</strong> with Jesus’ <strong>baptism.</strong>  It begins with Jesus entering the historic waters of the Jordan River and doing so in <strong>solidarity</strong> with sinners, with you and me.  And, this is significant because that is how he would spend his earthly life and ministry – living with, eating wit