Baptism of Ava Claire Johnson
Jesu Juva
“That First Step”
Text: Isaiah 60:1-6; Matthew 2:1-12; Ephesians 3:1-12
Grace, mercy, and peace to you from God our Father, and from our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.
Arise, shine, for your light has come.
Arise! Isaiah says. And the Wise Men did. They arose, they got up from their homes and went to Jerusalem. Then guided by the Scriptures they went to Bethlehem. And guided by the star, they found the one they were looking for. A child. The one born king of the Jews. They are a treasured part of the Christmas story, the visit of these men from the East.
Arise! And they did. But I wonder, how hard those first steps were . . .
Were they friends? Did they come together the whole way? That would have made those first steps easier. And we assume so, but the Scriptures do not say that. At least one author has speculated that they came separately and met on the way. That would have been harder. And it was an arduous journey. Travel for us is easy. We usually have multiple options. We have interstates, rest areas, hotels, and GPS to help us. But this was a big deal. They would have to prepare before taking that first step. It would not be quick, or easy.
But they did it. They took the first step, which led to many more. But that first step is so often the hardest.
Which you know. Oh, some first steps are easy - like jumping out of bed on Christmas morning to see the presents under the tree. But getting out of that same bed on a cold winter morning to go to school or work . . . not so easy. Some first steps are quite significant - like when Neil Armstrong took the first step on the moon. Or when little Ava will take her first steps. Think of other first steps we take . . . the first step down the aisle to get married, the first step at the cemetery when bidding farewell to a loved one.
But it’s not just us. Think of other first steps taken when God said arise! in the Scriptures . . . Adam and Eve’s first step outside the Garden of Eden. How hard was that first step?? Abraham’s first step from Ur, then from Haran - to he knew not where! Moses’ first step going back to Egypt to confront the Pharaoh. How hard was the first step of the first person of Israel into the Red Sea between those two walls of water! The first time Aaron stepped into the Tabernacle and behind the curtain to perform the rites God commanded. The first steps of the prophets when they had to go confront a king, or the high priests with the Word of God. The first steps of the women who went to the tomb on Easter morning. The first steps of Paul after he was struck blind by God on the road to Damascus, or then his first steps to proclaim the Gospel to the Gentiles. And I’m sure you can think of many, many more. These are all hard and significant steps. That all began with one, first step. Which is often the hardest.
But what do all these first steps from the Scriptures have in common? This: that God took the first step toward us. If He hadn’t, we wouldn’t; we couldn’t. But God did. God took the first step. God acting, God commanding, God directing, God leading, God providing, God blessing. God coming to us to give us what we need. Or to say this a slightly different way: we arise, because He first arose for us.
And this day, this Feast of Epiphany, reveals that to us. That here, in this child, is the God we need. Here, in this child, is the Saviour we need. Christmas is about the Son of God becoming man, taking on our human flesh, the incarnation. Epiphany is the revealing that this child of man is the true Son of God. The Son of God stepping into our world, into our life, into our sin and death, so that we could step OUT of death to life again. So that we can arise! because He first arose for us.
And how about some of Jesus’ first steps? When He arose and stepped into Samaria. When He arose and went to where the lepers were. When He arose and stepped into the Temple to cleanse it. And when He arose and went to Gethsemane, knowing that there He would be betrayed, and then arrested, tried, sentenced, crucified, and dead. Some of those steps brought Him criticism, some condemnation, and some sadness. But He took all those first steps to save. To save the Samaritans, to save the lepers, to save those who were being taken advantage of in the Temple, and to save you.
Because sometimes our first steps . . . well, they take us where we should not go. Little Ava can’t walk yet, but she will soon enough. Some of those steps will be hard and some will be easy. And some will be sinful. She will walk in the footsteps of her parents, from whom she inherited sin. And she will add to it. Just like us, she will go, she will do, she will think, she will desire, she will speak, what she should not. And the first time, the first step, is hard. There is guilt. There is shame. But then the next time, the next step, is a little easier, and then the next a little easier still. All steps away from God, not towards Him.
So God arises. God comes and calls us who are walking the wrong way to step back to Him. Again, He acts first; calls us by His Spirit. Because if He didn’t, we wouldn’t; we couldn’t. And sometimes that first step back is really hard. To come and repent. To speak that of which we are ashamed. To repent to the one we hurt and sinned against. To confess that we are not the person we want everyone to think we are. To set right what we have messed up. It would be easier not to. To just let things be.
But again, God arising and coming to us first, stepping to us with His forgiveness and new life, is what enables us to make these first steps. So God came this morning, took the first step to Ava and made her His child. This isn’t what we did or what she did but what God did. And in a few moments now you will arise and take the first step down this aisle to receive the Body and Blood of Jesus in His Supper. And with that you are confessing with each step you take: I am a poor, miserable sinner. And you do because God comes here for you. Because here is not what we do or what you do but what God does. Your Saviour is here for you, and calls to you to come and receive from Him what you need - the forgiveness of your sin, a new life, and salvation.
And taking that first step, YOU are Wise Men. You are following in their footsteps.
For when you arise and step up to the altar, what do you see? A man, like any other man, though dressed a little funny. And bread and wine. But you know it is much more than that. So, too, the Wise Men. For when they entered that house in Bethlehem, what did they see? A mother, and a child, just like any, many, others. But they knew He was much more than that. And they knew in the same way that you know: because God first revealed it in His Word. So despite what they saw, they took another first step, and they fell down and worshipped Him. And though they gave Him the gifts they had brought, in reality, it was they who received the far greater gift, from the one who took the first step down from heaven and into our flesh to save us.
And you, too. You bring gifts and offerings to God, but it is we who receive the far greater gift. A gift that makes gold, frankincense, and myrrh look like the old, stripped down Christmas trees lying by the road and waiting to be taken with the trash. For here is the gift of life itself. Here is the gift that no amount of money or things of this world could buy - what could only be provided for us by the blood of this child, God’s Son. By His death and resurrection. And that, that first step out of the grave, is the first step that changed everything. Neil Armstrong may have taken one small step for man, and one giant leap for mankind, but Jesus’ first step out of the grave was a leap even greater - the leap that defeated death and brought not the earth and the moon together, but earth and heaven, God and man, back together again.
And soon, we will arise and step out of this place and into the world, back into our lives. Maybe that will be easy for you. But maybe it will be hard. Maybe you are facing a daunting task, or a daunting week. Maybe you will take some first steps this week that will be frightening. Into a new situation. To heal a relationship. To confess the truth of God’s Word against the popular trends of our day with marriage and sexuality. To tell a friend or neighbor about Jesus; to be the star that lead them here. It would be easy not to take any of those first steps. To just let things be. I know there are lots of things I don’t want to do! And that’s its easier to just not do. But what Jesus is calling you to do, where He is calling you to arise, is good. And for your good. So we take that first step - or maybe for you it will be a leap! But take that first step in faith and trust that God will work. He will. He always does. Even if we don’t know how it’s going to turn out. Truth is, none of us knows what will happen, ever, though we like to think we do. We don’t even know if we will be back here next week! Maybe this is the week you will take your last step on earth and your first step into eternity.
But we will arise and step out of this place, because as Isaiah said: your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you. For though darkness covers the earth, and thick darkness the peoples; - the darkness of sin, death, and evil, which seems to be getting deeper and thicker by the day! - the Lord has arisen upon you, and His glory is upon you.
Which is to say, because the Lord arose first, has come here to you, and given you all that you need. So we arise and step out filled with Him, with His forgiveness, and with faith in His words and promises. So we do not go alone. Those first Wise Men maybe traveled together or met up on the way, and so do the wise men and women here today. Including, today, little Ava. And that unity makes our steps easier. Until that day when we all together take that first step out of the grave - again, when Jesus comes and calls us! - and together we will be, with Jesus, forever.
So arise, shine, for your light has come. Your light has come to you. For you. So take those first steps that lead to life.
In the Name of the Father, and of the (+) Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
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