作者Revd Dr Samuel Wells 聖馬田堂主任牧師 我們剛剛重演了耶穌事工開始的時刻。我們相信,我們重演耶穌與門徒的最後晚餐時,耶穌特別臨在。正因如此,我們相信,我們重演祂在約旦河的洗禮時,祂也特別臨在。受洗時,神在你心中放下一首歌。此時有其他人在場非常重要,因為忘記旋律是很容易的事,尤其是當你只有幾個月大時。這就是有教父母的原因。教父母的職責是學好這首歌,以便你忘了怎樣唱時,他們可以唱給你聽。所以,教父母留心聽着:我們得靠你們。 這是甚麼歌?耶穌受洗的故事向我們展示了這是甚麼歌。故事發生了三件事:天開了;神的靈彷彿鴿子降下;有聲音說:「這是我的愛子」。每件事都有重大意義。 這首歌的開頭是這樣的:天為你開了。注意耶穌的故事發生了甚麼事:福音以天裂開為始,以聖殿幔子裂開為結。你與神之間的幔子已被撕開。天為你開了。神對你生命的旨意並無極限:那是永恆的旨意。 你也許會發現,你選擇職業時,你的教父母會在你身邊:他們可能會說別找地方躲起來,別只做你父母做過或想你做的事情:天為你開了。天不是極限:一切並無極限。又或有天你患上重病,甚至面臨死亡,你的教父母熟悉你心中的那首歌,可能會說:天使正在等你,他們認識你的名字:天為你開了。死亡是通往那裂開的天之門。 這首歌的第二行是這樣的:神的靈在你裏面。還記得在洪水故事的結尾,鴿子把新生命的嫩枝帶回給挪亞嗎?正如耶穌受洗時聖靈如同鴿子降落在祂身上,賜下聖靈的恩賜。這份恩賜表示,你現在是聖靈的殿,透過你,別人能夠遇見神。神的靈在你裏面。 如有天你感到孤獨,感到周遭充滿敵意時,你可能會聽到教父母輕輕吟唱一曲:你也許感到四周充斥邪惡,但你仍能敬拜,因神的靈在你裏面。又或有天你功成名就,你可能會聽到一首更嚴厲的歌:神的靈在你裏面,即使人人都崇拜你,你也別忘記你要敬拜的是誰。那時你可能會生你的教父母氣,但他們可能正在唱那首放在你心中的歌,令你想起你的洗禮。 如是者,天為你開了;神的靈在你裏面;最後就是洗禮之歌的第三行:你對神非常重要。神的講法是「這是我的愛子」,意指「耶穌對神非常重要,神賜給耶穌的一切,神也賜給我們」。你對神非常重要。 有天你可能深切意識到自己的罪。然後,你應該聽到你的教父母說,你對神非常重要。無論你做了甚麼事,無論你覺得自己有多不值,你仍然對神非常重要。又或當你渴望親密和激情時,但因神看似遙不可及、虛無縹緲,而可能會離開教會。然後,你或會聽到你的教父母含着淚唱道,你對神非常重要。記住你的歌。 這就是洗禮:神在你心中放下一首歌。你教父母的角色是這樣的:學好這首歌,以便你忘了怎樣唱時,他們可以唱給你聽。這首歌是這樣唱的:「天為你開了;神的靈在你裏面;你對神非常重要。」這是首讓你心吟唱的歌。這首歌意味着甚麼?我會告訴你。你是神心中的歌,神永遠不會忘記你怎樣唱。 We have just reenacted the first public moment of Jesus’ ministry. And just as we believe Jesus is especially present when we reenact Jesus’ last meal with his disciples, so we believe he is especially present when we reenact his baptism in the Jordan. What happens at baptism is that God places a song in your heart. But it is very important that there are other people present – because it is very easy, especially when you are only a few months old, to forget the tune. So you have godparents. It is up to the godparent to learn the song so well that they can sing it back to you when you forget how it goes. So, listen carefully godparents: we’re relying on you.
And what is the song? Well, the story of Jesus’ baptism shows us what the song is. Three things happen in this story. The heavens open; the Spirit descends like a dove; and a voice says ‘This is my beloved child’. Each of these events has great significance. The beginning of the song goes like this: heaven is open to you. Look at what happens in the story of Jesus: the gospel begins with the tearing of the heavens and ends with the tearing of the temple curtain. The veil between you and God has been torn apart. Heaven is open to you. There is no limit to God’s purpose for your life: it is an eternal purpose. Now you may find that your godparents sidle up to you when you are making a choice of career: they may say don’t dive for cover, don’t just do what your parents did or want: heaven is open to you. The sky isn’t the limit: there is no limit. Or if a time comes when you are facing serious illness, even death, your godparents, knowing the song in your heart, may say: the angels are waiting for you, they know you by name: heaven is open to you. Death is the gate to the open heaven. And the second line of the song goes like this: God’s Spirit is in you. Remember the end of the story of the flood, when the dove brought the twig of new life back to Noah? Well here is the dove descending on Jesus, bringing the gift of the Holy Spirit. The gift implies you are now the temple of God’s Holy Spirit. You are the place where others will encounter God. God’s Spirit is in you. If a time comes in your life when you feel alone and surrounded by hostility, you may hear a godparent gently whispering a tune: you may feel evil is all around you, but you can still worship, for God’s Spirit is in you. Or if a time comes when you are wildly successful, you may hear a sterner song: God’s Spirit is in you – everyone may worship you, but don’t forget whom you worship. You may be cross with your godparent at the time, but they may be singing the song in your heart, and reminding you of your baptism. So, heaven is open to you; God’s Spirit is in you: and finally, the third line of the song of baptism: You mean everything to God. God’s words are ‘This is my beloved Son’. These words mean, ‘Jesus means everything to God, and everything God gives to Jesus God gives to us’. You mean everything to God. There may come a time in your life when you feel a deep sense of your own sin. Then you should hear your godparent say, You are everything to God. You still are, whatever you have done, however unworthy you feel. Or you may wander away from the church because God seems so distantly cosmic and ethereally vague, when you long for intimacy and passion. Then you may hear your godparents sing, through their tears, you are everything to God. Remember your song. So, this is what baptism is: God places a song in your heart. And so your godparents’ role is this: to learn that song so well that they can sing it back to you when you forget how it goes. And this is the song: ‘Heaven is open to you; God’s Spirit is in you; you are everything to God.’ This is the song that makes your heart sing. And what does the song mean? I’ll tell you. You are the song in God’s heart, and God will never forget how you go.
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