"Walking Wet" - Sermon for the Fourth Sunday of Easter

Walking Wet
Easter 4 (Narrative Lectionary 3)
April 21, 2013
Acts 8.26-39

More than one observer has noted that today’s story is the sacramental parallel to the road to Emmaus text in Luke. As Jesus was made known to his disciples in the breaking of the bread, a strong allusion to Holy Communion, so now Luke (as the author of Acts) pushes baptism to the fore of the unfolding story of the church’s mission. In doing so, Luke weaves several major themes of Acts into one episode: by baptizing a black man from Africa, one who could never become a Jew because of his reproductive status, he continues to fulfill the promise that the saving news of Jesus would go to all peoples, everywhere. This work is going to be accomplished by the Holy Spirit in the most unlikely ways and through the most unlikely people.

There is a lot of biblical ore that could be mined here, but I want us to imagine the “so what?” of the text. To prime our imaginative pumps, we should note a few points of the text we might otherwise skip over. First, the person that the Holy Spirit chooses to join with the Ethiopian is not one of the Apostles. The Philip present here in the story is not the apostle but rather is one of the seven who was called upon to “wait tables,” to ensure that the widows had their daily allotment of resources a story we read last week. Presumably, the 12 apostles were preaching their brains out somewhere, but here the Holy Spirit is using one who is out and about, who is in the world and meeting people wherever they are in daily life.

Second, notice that as soon as they come up out of the water, Philip and the Ethiopian are on their way. Philip is carried off by the Holy Spirit and the Ethiopian returns to his African home. They don’t stop to build a church on the site of this historic occasion, the “Cathedral of the Baptized Ethiopian.” Rather, they are on the move. Philip is blown by the Spirit to new mission opportunities, but we don’t know about the Ethiopian. He is probably the first person to take the gospel to Africa. Here’s where the imagination comes in and it comes from what happens after the baptism. Philip and the Ethiopian have been down in the water and both emerge drenched to the bone. This wasn’t a “little dab’ll do ya” baptism with a few sprinkles. They are both “walking wet.”

In his preaching, I could always count on one of my former pastors and now colleague, Wally Jensen, to somehow work baptism into the sermon. Perhaps it was because Wally attended seminary when the old green hymnal, the Lutheran Book of Worship, came out with its renewed emphasis on baptism. It drove me crazy sometimes, but I came to understand what Wally was trying to do. He was reminding us that we aren’t just freed from something in baptism; we are freed for something. Being baptized into Christ Jesus means that we are freed from sin, death, and the power of the devil, but it also means that as Christ was raised from the dead so are we raised to new life. Wally reminded us every Sunday that we “walk wet” in the world, serving God and others.

I thought about walking wet this week as I listened to the accounts of the Boston Marathon and West, Texas tragedies. We have all heard about how people ran towards the blasts in Boston and that 14 fire fighters lost their lives trying to contain the fire in West. On Facebook, many posts reminded us of Fred “Mr.” Rogers’ words: “When bad things happen, look for the helpers.” The helpers in these tragedies and in countless others—whether they realize it or not—are “walking wet.”

I belong to a group called Pastor 2 Pastor, a partnership between the Southeastern MN Synod, Southwestern MN Synod, Gustavus Adolphus College, and Thrivent Financial for Lutherans. Its purpose is to support pastors in their ministries. In February we studied the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America’s social statement on criminal justice, and about a week ago we listened to representatives from the “3Cs” of the criminal justice system, “cops, courts, and corrections.” Although police detective Matt, judge Allison, and probation officer Deanna aren’t able to witness verbally to their faith, I was overwhelmed by how they managed to bring grace into a system that by definition is graceless. They are people who “walk wet” in their daily lives.

The Holy Spirit calls each of us in the midst of our comings and goings of everyday life to join with others on their journeys of faith who are trying to make sense of what God is up to in our world. We walk wet, living out our baptismal callings, when we run toward the darkness and brokenness in our world, seeking to bring light and healing and the good news of life in Christ. This doesn’t necessary mean walking toward bomb blasts; it could be as simple as reading to a child. As you leave here this morning, I hope you will do so by the center aisle where the baptismal font and Christ candle are located, dipping your hands in the water, making the sign of the cross. This will be a reminder that you, too, walk wet in the world, moved by the Spirit in ministry. Amen