When I first discussed the
Baptism Service with the family, I said I was not sure if the Old Testament
Reading for the day would be suitable for my sermon, even though I had
challenged myself to preach on these readings for the rest of the year.
But when I looked at the story
this week, I thought there might be some possibilities in it. Let’s see how we go.
Let me fill you in on a bit of
the story – especially the part between what we looked at last week and what we
heard here today.
After Jacob had worked off his 14
years of indenture to his Uncle in return to his two daughters as wives, Jacob
thought it was probably time to go home.
There has been a common theme of
cheating in these stories. Jacob cheated
his father and brother. Jacob’s uncle
Laban cheated Jacob into working for 14 years instead of 7. But now it was time for Jacob to return to
his family.
His Uncle offers him a deal,
saying he should have some pay because Laban had prospered while Jacob was
there. Jacob suggests that he simply be
allowed to take the blemished sheep and goats.
Laban agrees, but then secretly removes them all and sends them three
day’s journey away. But somehow more and
more blemished sheep and goats are bred.
Eventually Jacob leaves with so many sheep and goats that Laban’s sons
felt like they were losing all their inheritance.
In this context, as Jacob starts
heading home, he begins to realise that he will soon meet his brother
Esau. He wondered if Esau would be
willing to forgive him after all this time.
He was rather afraid that Esau would still remember and want revenge.
So he sent advance parties taking
peace offerings to his brother. He sent
so many that eventually all that was left was his immediate family and a few
belongings. This is when the story we
just read happened.
Finally he sends his family
across the river but he stays behind and during the night a man comes and
fights with him. They fought and fought
all night until at dawn the man said he had better go. But Jacob would not let him go unless the man
gave him a blessing.
So the man asks Jacob his name and
then offers him the new name – Israel – which means he “struggled with
God”. In this way the man is identified
as God or at least God’s close representative.
Then the mad gave Jacob a blessing and left.
Now we could make all sorts of
things out of this story, but the context we have today, of the baptism of
Isaac gave a couple of good thoughts that will do.
When Jacob encountered this man
he didn’t really know who he was but eventually he realised that he was somehow
very close to God, and that in meeting him he should receive a blessing.
A little
man come into their lives of this family. In this
little life they have been reminded of the miracle of birth and the wonder of
each new generation. The instinctive
response they had as parents was that they wanted to seek God’s blessing
because this little man had come. So
they came to us and asked about doing what we are doing here today and it is
wonderful that we can join with them in this celebration. We certainly pray that Isaac will continue to
be a blessing to them.
Before the man gave his blessing
to Jacob, he gave him a new name – the name that is better remembered in many
ways – Israel.
Even today, but more so years
ago, when a baby was brought for baptism the parents would give him a new
“Christian Name” when the minister asked them to “name this child.” That is how Baptism came to be known as
Christening. That seems to be a
nice link for us today with that old old story and Jacob wrestling with God.
We pray for his blessing and we
pray that he will carry his name with pride as a member of the great family of
God, just as we are.
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