[do hand motions three times for “scissors, paper, rock” game.]

Scissors * Paper * Rock

Everybody knows rock beats scissors, but rock is beat by paper, right? That always confused me as a kid, because I sure could understand “rock crushes scissors” or “scissors cut paper” as obvious wins, but “paper covering rock?” What’s that all about?

Today we are going to witness the baptism of six young ladies who are at a marvelous point along their journeys of faith. In addition to the faith they have been taught by word and deed at home, they have been learning about the Christian faith weekly in Sunday School, and all attended the Pastor’s Class retreat a week ago. There is no better scripture text to use than today’s, since 1 Peter 2 is considered by many to be a baptismal sermon. Which is odd, since its central image is not “water” but a “rock.” Alternatively, the sermon calls both Jesus and us “a living stone,” “a cornerstone,” and “a rock.”

But rock or stone is a marvelous image for one’s baptismal day. In the early Christian church, many baptisms were done in huge stone pools, some created for bathing, others just for this ritual. Imagine, after three full and rigorous years of catechism, perhaps done in secret when Christianity was considered a threat to the Roman Empire, or openly, as in our day, one would step up to that stone pool. Oftentimes done as the night of Holy Saturday turned into the dawn of Easter Day, during the Great Vigil of Easter, each candidate would disrobe and walk down those cold stone steps into the waters of baptism. The strength and steadfastness of the ancient stone pulsing through your legs and entire body, until the moment you were completely under the water, experiencing in some small way the very death of our savior and a different kind of strength filled your very being:

Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? Therefore we have been buried with him by baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life. (Rom. 6:3-4)

As each one of the six we receive today steps into the waters of baptism, let them feel the strength of this 166-year young congregation flow through them, but also let them feel the 2,000-year history of the Church of Jesus Christ, and the eternal intensity of all of creation, which will empower them to die to self, but live for Christ.

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Too often, throughout history, the rock has been a symbol of violence and warfare, used to hurt and to kill and to plunder. Not in 1 Peter. It is a symbol of peace, it’s only aggression a passive one, as it is a place of stumbling when others who do not know the way and refuse to follow the way walk past. As we watch these young people commit their lives to Christ, let us pray that it will be to a life of peace.

If it is possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. (Romans 12:18)

Let us pray as these six candidates come before us, that their lives will never be used violently nor committed to violence, but only as a peaceful example of the Prince of Peace who laid down his life for his friends.

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This rock is also a cornerstone. Jesus Christ serves as cornerstone of a great and mighty structure, the Church (with a capital “C”.) There is much to be learned from the cornerstone. It is humble, for it is not the capstone of the arch, nor the pinnacle of the tower. Unassumingly it sits low to the ground doing what it can to bring stability to a much larger entity.

Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death— even death on a cross. (Phil. 2:5-8)

We watch these young people take on today not a mantle of pride and hubris, but a yoke of service and humility, from whence true power comes.

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But the cornerstone does not sit there mutely. It has etched on it proudly for all to see the date it was set in place and, oftentimes, the name of the architect of the structure. The cornerstone is a vehicle of proclamation, telling all the world how long this good work has lasted, and who made it happen. Like a child announcing a birth date months away from its celebration, or a recovering addict receiving a token for 6 months, a year, 5 years sobriety or being clean, the cornerstone proclaims possibility and hope almost as a sermon.

But how are they to call on one in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in one of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone to proclaim him? And how are they to proclaim him unless they are sent? (Romans 10:14-15)

Those who are newly baptized take on a life of proclamation, most likely in the words they say, but even more powerfully in the lives they live and the deeds they realize, proudly telling the world the date they committed their lives to Christ, and the name of the one who created them.

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But this cornerstone isn’t always appreciated nor respected. as a matter of fact, it is misunderstood, rejected, and even a scandal to some. But this does not diminish the power of the stone, but, in fact, is essential to its power and effectiveness. To be a fad, a fashion, all the rage, puts faithfulness at risk, for the temptations of acceptability and comfort are many and devious and dangerous.

Consider your own call, brothers and sisters: not many of you were wise by human standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, things that are not, to reduce to nothing things that are, so that no one might boast in the presence of God. (1 Corinthians 1:26-29)

These candidates to be baptized today will experience rejection in their lives. Sometimes, perhaps, based on their faith and faithfulness, although we live in a society where the appeal of a “Cultural Christianity” is great, and thus the ability to be Christian and counter-cultural is all the more important. But these young women will also have to confront rejection based on human prejudice, based on race or gender or who they love or how much education or income they have. Christ offers us – and them – the strength and grace to be confident, even when discarded or abandoned.

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And finally, it is, in a paradox only Holy Scripture can get away with, that we learn that we are to be “living stones.” What is a “living stone?” Perhaps we can answer that by naming what the opposite is. A “dead stone” is a stone that has no purpose, that is never seen, never known as a part of life, never unearthed. A living stone has a purpose. Whether it be as a part of a stone wall, a beautiful landscape, a cobblestone path, or a building, then let it be the best living stone it can be.

It is good to be made much of for a good purpose at all times (Gal. 4:18) and God chose you as the first fruits for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and through belief in the truth. For this purpose he called you through our proclamation of the good news, so that you may obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ (2 Thess. 2:13b-14)

Whether we are part of the great wall of China or a simple stone fence holding in horses in Lexington, Kentucky, we can be living stones fulfilling a purpose in God’s creation. Whether we are a cobblestone in St. Peter’s square, or part of the floor of a house in India, we can be living stones fulfilling a purpose in God’s creation. Whether we are a stone in a landscape painted by Turner, Cole, or LaFarge or a stone in a simple view seen only by the animals around, we can be living stones fulfilling God’s purpose in creation. Whether we are the cornerstone of a great European cathedral or a humble church on Cleveland’s Near West Side, we can be living stones fulfilling a purpose in God’s creation.

That is why “paper covers rock” is such a powerful image. “Paper covers rock” means that the rock is hidden, and cannot fulfill its purpose as a “living stone.” This is a loss, by any means.

Today, we see six young women uncovering that rock, proclaiming for all to see their living purpose: to love God with all their hearts, minds, souls, and strength, and to lover their neighbor as themselves.

Like good stewards of the manifold grace of God, serve one another with whatever gift each of you has received. (1 Peter 4:10)

May it be so.

Amen

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Franklin Circle Christian Church

(Disciples of Christ)

Rev. Allen V. Harris

1688 Fulton Rd. (Near W. 28th)

Cleveland, OH 44113-3096

Ph: 216-781-8232

www.FranklinCircleChurch.org

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