Fresh New Start 1. – Monika Bereczki-Farkas January 8, 2017

People with bowed head stood in line near to the river Jordan where John the Baptist proclaimed that the Kingdom of God was coming near. That was the perfect timing because John the Baptist was the one who came before Jesus Christ, but before John’s message there had been no prophecies for 400 years. Can you imagine 400 years without any messages from God? We call this time “Intertestamental Period” which was between the Old and New Testament. It’s a kind of gap between the Old and New Testament. Can we imagine this situation?

How can we imagine a world where there is no sign from God? What characteristics could describe this period?

– darkness, emptiness, pessimism, depression, loneliness, hopelessness, etc.

I was in the living room, preparing this sermon, looking out of the window and I saw foggy landscape around me. I always wanted to love January, but it’s like Mondays, it’s hard to find a reason to even like them; especially when I was in school and knew that I had to go to school four more days. But later as an adult I learnt to be thankful for every month, every day, every moment of life. But this last week was a bit foggy and gloomy.

We know that Spring is coming, that the warm weather is close to us, but we don’t know when. It reminds me of that 400 years. When people wished for God, longed for a message but they didn’t know when God would come. “Bow your heavens, O LORD, and come down! Touch the mountains so that they smoke!” – says Psalm 144:5 and we know this feeling and it’s not only about the weather. Sometimes we need help and we don’t know where to find it, our lives can be upside down in any moment and we are like the people in the Old Testament who longed for God: -when are you coming? Are you coming at all?

And when the time came, John the Baptist started to proclaim that hey, God is here, His Kingdom is close, you only need to come closer and I can wash away your dirt and you will be new. Baptism in the River Jordan was a special action. Can you believe that this can be possible, that water can clean us of all our dirt? We know that it can be true. Water is a really good cleanser but we also know that sometimes not only our bodies are dirty, but our souls too.

When the New Year came I heard from many people that they wished for this New Year as a new start with clean pages. They wanted to believe that all of the failures and disappointments from last year could vanish.

Actually I wish for this miracle, because it would be nice to know that all of the negative things we made last year won’t haunt us this year. And friends, this is the Good News today. It’s possible. That’s why John spoke about somebody who would come after him and who he would baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire. It’s all about Jesus. He is the one who came after John the Baptist, who stood in the line with all those people with bowed head. He was one with us, he wanted us to know that he really is for us, he really knows about you, about your pain and suffering. He knows how you wish to undo your actions, repair your relationships, live your life without guilt. He knows your questions and also He is the One who knows all the answers. That’s why we celebrate the day when Jesus was baptized because it happened for us. Now we know it’s possible that all our sins can be forgiven and it’s possible to start a new life with all clean white pages.

How many of you need this? Friends, I want to be honest with you, I need this offer from God every day.

Without this I am under a heavy load and cannot be happy and don’t find real joy.

This is a great message for us today when we also want to celebrate the amalgamation of Kirkwall and Sheffield. In 2007, 10 years ago, a new life began. It was the year when a beautiful church had to close its doors and open another one here in Kirkwall. Today when we want to celebrate the last ten years, we also have to remember the tears behind the amalgamation. Amalgamation is not always a cheerful moment.

For those who had to leave their beloved church it’s still a sad moment, unless we can celebrate instead that in 2007 a new church was born. Kirkwall wouldn’t be the same without Sheffield and we know this. Those who came from Sheffield should feel that this church is their church, their home too.

I know that is easy to say, but it’s also hard not to mention who is from Sheffield. But this creates a difference between “us” and “them”. Today when we want to celebrate the amalgamation with remembrance of Knox Presbyterian Church in Sheffield, we also have to make a step toward our unity in Christ. It’s not only about who belonged to Kirkwall and who to Sheffield, but this step should be about all of us who belong to Jesus Christ. When Jesus was baptized he stood in the line where the sinners were, like a sinner within the sinners.

Like one of us. I understand John’s hesitation and I want to shout too: “Jesus please go away, you don’t have to be there, you are not a sinner. You are the one who gave your life for us. Why are you there?” Friends, He was there for us so that today we know that there is no depth where he cannot be with us. There is no situation where he leaves us alone. He really wants our unity. He is with us today; I really believe this. Do you remember what happened when John baptized Jesus? Heaven opened and the Spirit of God came down like a dove from heaven to earth. A dove. Do you remember in the story of the great flood that a dove symbolized the end of the flood? It happened again. This time a dove symbolized the end of the 400 years with no word from God. But now heaven is opened and blessings are coming from God. We need these blessings.

Ten years ago an amalgamation happened. Let us ask God today to rebuild this church where people not only from Kirkwall and Sheffield but from everywhere can praise God and His glory. Let’s celebrate our unity in Christ. Without Jesus, there is no Christian community, unity or harmony, there is no future. But with him, we will recognize how special we are to Him.