Meditation on Luke 3:15–17, 21–22
Baptism of Our Lord Sunday
Rev. Karen Crawford
Jan. 12, 2025
We have just made a new memory together! One more for the history books!
We remembered our baptisms and recognized those who have been baptized in our church. Most of those present today who were baptized in our church were baptized with water from our beautiful marble baptismal font, dating back to 1939.
Did you know that our baptismal font has eight sides? Do you know why? Eight is for the day after the Sabbath, when Christ was raised, and there was a NEW CREATION.
YOU, my friends, are now raised to live abundantly and eternally with Him.
Edward N. and Samuel H. Abbey gave the font to the congregation in memory of their parents. Dr. Edward Abbey served as minister here from 1903 to 1937. Our history book says, “He was a stately and dignified man who was active in the community. He helped establish the first bank; campaigned for an organized fire department; worked earnestly for a new public school. His wife Augusta Hammill Abbey died in 1934. Three years later, in his 89th year, Dr. Abbey retired for health reasons.” He died in his sleep that same year. But at his 89th birthday party, he said, “People are my hobby. I love to meet them and help them with their troubles. And when I can no longer help people, I shall know my mission is over.” [1]
From what I have heard about Rev. Dr. Abbey, I believe his caring, servant spirit captures the spirit of our congregation, the First Presbyterian Church in Smithtown. Yes, we are a Church of Jesus Christ. We belong to Him. But we are all about people. Our calling, as Dulcie McLeod shared in her Epiphany message last Sunday, is to BELIEVE. We believe in people, and we make it our aim to help one another find our callings and live out our baptisms, knowing and doing the Lord’s will for our lives and our church. And we believe in ourselves, as God has made us, and the Spirit is transforming and recreating us, and as we are affirmed by the love and grace of one another. And we believe in our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who brought light into our darkness, claims us in our baptisms, and strengthens us daily to live faithfully.
Merriam Webster says BELIEVE means “to be true or honest, to accept the word or evidence of, or to hold as an opinion,” or “suppose,” such as “I believe it will rain soon.” When we say BELIEVE IN, we change the meaning slightly, “to accept something as true, genuine, or real, to have a firm or wholehearted religious conviction or persuasion,” such as regarding “the existence of God as a fact” or “to have a firm conviction as to the goodness, efficacy, or ability of something” or someone. To NOT BELIEVE is “to be astounded at.”
This word we sometimes translate in English as BELIEVE is pistis in Greek, with some different connotations than our English word. Pistis “in Greek mythology was the personification of good faith, trust, and reliability.” Pistis in the New Testament is often translated as “faith” and shown to be the opposite of fear. After Jesus calms the storm in Mark chapter 4, he says to his disciples, cowering in the boat, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?” Faith here is pistin—same root as pistis. But when the New Testament talks about BELIEVING IN something or someone, that word pistis may be translated TRUST.
TRUST, to me, is different from BELIEVE. TRUST involves commitment and loyalty. TRUST isn’t just a matter of the mind or intellect. TRUST engages the heart, mind, and soul and empowers us to do what we never imagined we could have done before. Like the Apostle Paul says in Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through Him that strengthens me.”
In our passage in Luke today, the people are coming in droves to be baptized, filled with hope and anticipation that they will meet their long-awaited Messiah. They expect him to be John the Baptizer, but then God surprises them, exceeds their expectations. The heavens open and the Holy Spirit descends on Jesus like a dove. A voice speaks from above, “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.”
A few days ago, I said to my husband, “What was I thinking when I went away to seminary? Driving to Princeton every week for two years and leaving my husband and family behind in York, PA?” That must have seemed crazy to the rest of my family. It certainly did to my editors at the newspaper where I worked as a journalist. It was a hard thing to do. Many times, I cried myself to sleep at night, with only my shelty, Molly, at my apartment in Princeton for company. I wiped away tears as I made the 2 hour and 15-minute drive one way on the Pennsylvania Turnpike every Monday morning.
Looking back, I know I was living into my baptism—seeking to follow God’s will for my life. It’s easy to see that now, but then, it was scary. What empowered me was that I was so grateful for God’s faithfulness to my family and me. I wanted to be a blessing to the Church. The only way I could have done such a thing was with the loving support of my husband, Jim. I could not have done it without him. He believed in me. His love strengthened me to trust in our relationship, trust in myself, and trust in the Lord, who exceeded, without a doubt, my expectations.
This year, as we celebrate God’s faithfulness for 350 years of ministry in Smithtown and 200 years in this sanctuary, let us TRUST in one another. May we encourage everyone to live into and live out our baptisms more than ever before. May our TRUST build our love, unity, and peace, and strengthen us for ministry for the next 200 years.
May our TRUST in ourselves rub off on others, so that they who may be insecure or fearful may be emboldened and delighted to serve, to stand firm as God’s Beloved, who can never fail!
May we, as Proverbs 3:5-6 tells us, Trust in the Lord with all our hearts and lean not on our own understanding. In all our ways, may we acknowledge and give thanks to the Lord God, who directs our paths.
This is my hope for you this year, my friends. May you be filled with expectation, like the crowded coming to be baptized by John, that you will meet your Messiah every time you enter into worship with your church family. May you leave your doubts outside these old walls, doubts about other people, doubts about yourself. Leave them all behind in the parking lot! And don’t pick them up again when you depart from this place in the love of God, peace of Christ, and power and unity of the Spirit.
Sisters and brothers, we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us!
TRUST in the One who will meet all your needs and help you moment by moment, day by day.
TRUST in the One who will fill you with hope and exceed your expectations.
Will you pray with me?
Holy, Triune God, thank you for your love for us and the whole world and for revealing Your Son, the Messiah, at the River Jordan, where for us and our salvation, he was baptized by John. Thank you for your faithfulness to our congregation, for guiding and equipping us for ministry in Christ’s name for 350 years. Strengthen us to live into and live out our baptisms every day, led by the Spirit, seeking to be obedient to your will. And as we learn to TRUST in other people, in ourselves, and in you, most of all, fill us with hope. Grant us peace as we anticipate that you will exceed our expectations. Amen.
[1] J. Richard Mehalick. Church and Community (1675-1975) The Story of the First Presbyterian Church of Smithtown, 2nd edition, 2010.
Sharing God's Love and Grace 