CRISTS POINT
May 13, 1992

BonD CHAPEL, UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO

JOHN M. BUCHANAN
FOURTH PRESBYTERIAN CuurcH, CHICAGO

SCRIPTURE
ISAIAH 61:1-4
LuKE 3:15-17, 21-22

-.-WHEN JESUS ALSO HAD BEEN BAPTIZED...A VOICE CAME FROM HEAVEN,
"YOU ARE MY SON, THE BELOVED; WITH YoU I AM WELL PLEASED.’ JESUS
WAS ABOUT THIRTY YEARS OLD WHEN HE BEGAN HIS WORK.”

-LUKE 3:21-23 (NRSV)

_— _ SOMEPEMES™TT~TAKES™THTIRTY=¥EARS.

IN HIS NEW weworr, (DeaDutnes FORMER NE
Sans

YORK TIMES REPORTER, BUREAU CHIEF,
Semen = spec,
EXECUTIVE EDITOR, |JAMES RESTON, DE-
a See
SSS ae
SCRIBES THE YOUTHFUL NAIVETE AND HEADY
SSS,

OPTIMISM OF HIS EARLY riFEy

AND THEN A} THIRTY JHE FOUND HIMSELF
Serer ee

IN LONDON, DURING THE Bur1z |, UNDER FIERCE
ae | eS

ATTACK, SEPARATED FROM HIS WIFE AND NEW
See. =

easy FACED FOR THE FIRST TIME WITH THE
——

POSSIBILITY OF DEATH. HE STILL HAS THE
eee

LETTER HE RUOHE WROTE THAT NIGHT IN LONDON TO

HIS INFANT SON RicHarD: {9 Lyn ka ne —_—

"TO YOUR MOTHER I LEFT EVERYTHING I HAVE, A FEW

DOLLARS, A LOT OF BOOKS, AND THE MEMORIES OF A

SHORT AND HAPPY LIFE. TO YOU, ALAS I LEFT NOTH-

ING..." [SEE pp. 93-94]

RESTON WRITES THAT HE WAS GLAD LATER HIS SON

WAS TOO YOUNG TO READ IT. \ Bur THIRTY WAS FOR HIM,

CLEARLY, A PIVOTAL AND_IMPORTANT TIME. ay?

| "JESUS WAS ABOUT THIRTY YEARS OLD-! LUKE ADDS
a |

ae
AS A POSTSCRIPT TO THE ACCOUNT OF THE BAPTISM, e———~—f———®>
u" = . » TT . -- _ —
- + ABOUT—THIRTY YEARS-OLD" WHEN"HE-BEGAN. HIS
WORK; ro esenscise ABOUT IT.
mn

==

Joi k—secivushy - AW Lodvre-—— yt
PAN re 3 ees at dorks \res

FRERER ANDREW GREELEY'S THP@RTANT RESEARCH

Saag
INTO CONTEMPORARY SPIRITUALITY SHOWS THAT{ "AROUND
a

THE AGE OF THIRTY SERIOUS PRAYER BEGINS FOR MANY

=——

peopte.") REQWAS REPORTEDLY NEWSWERK-2N-A-GOWER
fe

ARTICLE ON PRAYENG, ['2.AT AGE THIRTY, WHEN THE

ILLUSION THAT WE ARE MASTERS OF OUR OWN FATE FADES
ADULTS DEVELOP A DEEPER NEED TO CALL ON THE MASTER

OF THE Universe." [NEWSWEEK, 1/6/92]

AND SO, AT THE AGE OF rurety, (A YOUNG ADULT
—3 SS

FROM NAZARETH SHOWED UP ONE DAY IN A CROWD OF
PSS SS Se

PEOPLE WHO HAD COME TO THE JORDAN RIVER TO HEAR A
=

i ae =
STRANGE PREACHER BY THE NAME OF Jonn. | somieine A
————— eee Seca

Pf E
MEMBER OF A DESERT COMMUNITY“APPARENTLY, PERHAPS
; =a =
THE ESSENES; ASCETIC, -HIGHLY DISCIPLINED, CELI-
= fn ee ==

BATE, | THE ROMANS WERE VERY SUSPICIOUS )OF THEM.

a eS
JOHN FITS THE TYPE. Jiixs PREACHING REMINDED PEOPLE
PSS ep

ay

OF THEIR“NATIONAL HEROES - 7AHE PROPHETS< | HE
ff / Se

STIRBED PEOPLE WITH HIS AEEERENCES TO THE ANCIENT

ea, —————— oe
PRIVILEGES AND THE RESPONSIBILITIES MBTCH ATTEND-

TRADITIONS, THEIR UNIQUE RELATIONSHIP TO Goo, [rne

|

ED THEIR ROLE. \\ines THEY STEPPED INTO,» THE WATER
Eee | ac ond
TO BE BAPTIZED, THEY WERE AKFIRMING’ IN A EP AND
eee ™
PROFOUND WAY THEIR Jewrsuness\\ rhey WERE CLAIMING
Se oe = Sam
THEIR IDENTITY, AND THEY WERE SILENTLY BUT ELO-
Se ee ee
QUENTLY SAYING THAT THEY WERE NOT ROMAN SUBJECTS,
THAT ROMAN AUTHORITY WAS ILLEGITIMATE IN THIS LAND
eS SS Sae
GOD HAD GIVEN THEM. || J IMAGINE FOR THEM IT WAS A
ea eee =,
MOMENT OF HIGH PATRIOTISM.
[= ey
JOHN WAS .THE ONE WHO INSPIRED JESUS TO STEP
FORWARD AND/COMMIT HIS LIFE. It wAs JOHN WHO
eT Sa)

ay
INSPIRED JESUS OF NAZARETH TO BEGIN HIS TRUE
tal

VOCATION, {Ss Quote Widens of pottiny thet |

—S> WHAT DID IT MEAN FOR JESUS? | wna WAS HE
— SS ae

DOING THERE IN THE CROWD THAT DAY, LISTENING TO

[a bene) farsa)
JOHN PREACH? | PERHAPS HE WAS FREE OF HIS RESPONSI-
; & aa
BILITY OF CARING FOR HIS FAMILY \ FREE TO DO WHAT
== Sees a

HE WANTED TO DO. PERHAPS HE WAS RESTLESS, BORED.
=f ==sa, ee =o

YZ

PERHAPS, AS ANDREW GREELEY SUGGESTS, HE WAS THINK-
=a eee

ING ABOUT THE MEANING OF HIS LIFE AND WHAT HE

REALLY BELIEVED AND PERHAPS HE WAS DGENG—SOME.

aS Sa. =
SEREOUS-PRAYERNGS—— Cecidinn Whoo th ay Ue te
NA | |b.
WALTER BURGHARDT, A JESUIT WHO TEACHES AT

Ss,
GEORGETOWN, HAS WRITTEN A BOOK ON THE( Seasons OF
(eee |

LaFe)aND SUGGESTS THAT WHILE WE MAY MAKE _ OCCUPRA-
TIONAL DECISIONS, WHERE TO GO TO WQRK AND RELA-
Sey, San

TIONAL DECISIONS, WHO TO HOOK UP WITH, \ LONG BEFORE
(PERHAPS IN OUR 20S OR EVEN OUR TEEN YEARS sy

THESE DECISIONS ABOUT PLACE IN THE WORLD AND
Sea [ae

PERSONAL IDENTITY ACTUALLY COME LATER,| BEGIN BEGINNING
aS SS Se ora |

AROUND THIRTY, AND IN SOME SENSE CONTINUING FOR a A * {

THE REST OF OUR Lrves.\ [SEASONS THAT LAUGH OR
z=

WEEP, MUSINGS ON THE HUMAN JOURNEY, P. 33 FF.]

prelindr. thom

THE SEQUENCE, TO USE JESUS AS AN EXAMPLE, IS

CRISIS ;(DECIDING TO LEAVE sooTine AND SECURITY 5

AND GO OUT TO HEAR WHAT’S GOING/ON AT THE RIVER;

aE —_

XPERIEN - FOR a THE ACT OF BAPTISM{!
ee

Af

a
ra

STON - THE COMMITMENT TOA NEW IDEA, A LARGER \

VISION AND THE COURAGE TO FOLLOW IT;] AND EINALLY
== Ss. See

GRACE - THE’ WORD OF AFFIRMATION. }"YOU ARE MY SON,

MY me THE BELOVED; WITH YOU I AM WELL
PLEASED." |

IT IS A CRITICAL SEQUENCE - AND SOCIAL SCIEN-
eS ee a]
TISTS ARE TELLING US, GIVEN THE PECULIARITIES OF
eee, ———————

OUR TIME AND PLACE, NOT AT ALL A SIMPLE—GR=ERS%*
Se

=

seeuewess WW cliK

FOR ONE THING, WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF LATI-
TUDE FROM THE AGE OF THIRTY ov. \ Taxecy Means
REALLY DIGGING INTO ONE'S CAREER, | HAVING BABIES
—— == ee
AND PARENTING YOUNG CHILDREN. | For M.D.'sS AND
a erp

J.D.'’s, M.B.A.'S AND Pu.D.’ THIRTY MEANS THAT

a a

THE ACCUMULATED BILLS OF A DECADE OF HIGHER EDUCA-

TION MUST BE PAID SO IT'S TIME TO GENERATE SERIOUS
INCOME Pu-D"S-FROM™ THE DIVINTTY—SGHOOL_OF THE
=e

UNIVERSETY~-OF~ CHICAGO; THE-SEQUENCE IS EVEN MORE
fee OO eee

Ww - wer EXTENDED. | FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF JUST_IWENTY

wir” YEARS OR SO IT'S HARD TO REMEMBER WHAT YOU FELT

yw Cee ad * ae , cae
LIKE AT THIRTY PRIMARILY BECAUSE .YOU WERE TOO
\ aumaemnl ee ae

BUSY EARNING, PAYING BILLS, RAISING CHILDREN, TO

FEEL MUCH OF ANYTHING BUT “EXHAUSTION.
#

FURTHERMORE, THERE ARE MAJOR SOCIETAL FACTORS
be Ra |

THAT MITIGATE AGAINST THIS CREATIVE sequences, A(CLdCM
i a nee |

an |

~ ‘

A UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA PSYCHOLOGIST,

MARTIN SELIGMAN, ANALYZES THE EPIDEMIC OF DEPRES-
a) SSS ee
SION IN OUR cuurure | HE WRITES, “STNCE-WORLD..WAR

=

“EE “DEPRESSTON™HAS—BEEN.ON—THERLSEee YOUNG PER-

oe

SONS ARE TEN TIMES LIKELIER TO SUFFER SEVERE

—

DEPRESSION THAN THEIR GRANDPARENTS." [LEARNED

OPTIMISM, P. 282]

ELAGMAN) PROPOSES, IS THAT WE

There are 2 reason Dr Selejua pone

Facesk - YoWM4 caulk haw Wry re Power <u nialec Wlttine
BW attimuatrs Hoan atynn oo alt 9 bnen
he + Mis bey

ink Scem/ Y Mr Sons by ; the entrgexeg

DECISIONS THAN EVER BEFOR

STORE CAN BECOME)A P

ls TRIP TO THE_DRUG-
WOGICAL TRAUMA sees [SA
/Cnoxces. | HAVE POR= / |

CHASED COUGH DROPS LATELY, oR FOLD TABLETS THE | A

BECAUSE YOU HAVE

4\

— SS
_ ee

SN

OPTIONS /ARE eNoRMous, ow UPON ROW, SHELF ON TOP

OF SHELF -\/THERE ARE, VITERALLY: funpRed OF ALTER-
me)
NATIVES. ou can fie WN ATTACK oF ACUTE ANXIETY
SS

DEC ve. | No WON

“ere a |

THE EMERGENCE OF THES eos

STA DING IN THE he t WALchetns TRYING TO

__Hore-serrousty)

“PEGMPTPE-RISING EXPECTATIONS FOR SELF-SATISFAC-
Saas ”

[a
SOME TIME IN THE FUTURE WHEN THE SHIP COMES IN,
a

TION, GRATIFICATION AND MEANING immeptateLy */not

ES ae
BUT wou|| JOB IS NO LONGER SIMPLY THE WAY TO
a) = Sd

GENERATE INCOME; /IT MUST PRODUCE MEANING FOR LIFE.
‘dei SS

MARRIAGE, SELIGMAN OBSERVES, IS NOT JUST FOR
iqam ee a...

PRODUCING THE NEXT GENERATION. ( "OUR MATE TODAY

MUST BE ETERNALLY SEXY, AND THIN, AND INTERESTING
TO TALK TO, AND GOOD AT TENNIS." \[p. 283]
eS ESE

"MAXIMAL SELF," SELIGMAN CALLS us. V"THE
=

MODERN INDIVIDUAL IS NOT THE PEASANT OF YORE WITH
ep ”

A FIXED FUTURE YAWNING AHEAD. | He OR SHE IS A
a

FRANTIC TRADING FLOOR OF OPTIONS, DECISIONS AND

Secaay
PREFERENCES." ] THE RESULT IS DEPRESSION AND A LOSS
ie See

OF COMMUNLTY,AND A DECREASE IN COMMITMENT TO THE

COMMON GOOD "THE WANING OF THE COMMUNITY."
—= =< SS

THERE Is, I BELIEVE, SOMETHING STIRRING IN
aE Sse

OUR cunTurg.( WE ARE BEGINNING TO UNDERSTAND THESE

PERHAPS WE DISCOVERED THAT LIFE COMMITTED TO
[=a eS

NOTHING LARGER THAN ITSELF IS PRETTY MEAGER.
ee Se

eS
PERHAPS IT IS SIMPLY A SENSE THAT I HAVE ONE LIFE
ee ee Sea
TO LIVE AND IT IS A MATTER OF CRITICAL IMPORTANCE
SS See
TO ME TO USE IT FOR SOME PURPOSE OTHER THAN MY OWN
ee iLL EEE
AMUSEMENT.
[Ee

ue )
NEWSWEEK SAID, IN ALLEGEDLY ROOTLESS, MATE-

RIALISTIC, SELF-CENTERED AMERICA, THERE IS ALSO A
oo Sel BF Snaeeoe —

HUNGER FOR A PERSONAL EXPERIENCE oF GoDCTHAT

PRAYER SEEMS TO satisry."
i

JESUS WENT TO THE JORDAN RIVER ONE DAY, LEFT
— sy

THE ROUTINE OF CARPENTRY AND DECIDED TO GIVE HIS

re |

LIFE TO GOD -=WHTCH"WAS™HTS=VOCATEON. /| PART OF
= -= a.

WHAT JESUS DZD DURING THAT PERIOD OF TIME BETWEEN
Sar

THE AGE OF TWELVE AND THIRTY WAS WHAT ALL OF US
=== eee

SS SSF
po, {NAMELY GET _READY FOR THE REST OF OUR LIVES;

WAIT FOR, WONDER ABOUT, STRUGGLE WITH THE OPTIONS,

EXPERIMENT WITH AND GENERALLY TRY TO IDENTIFY THE
aad Sy
PURPOSE OF OUR BEING HERE - OUR VOCATION, OUR
EE ae mae aaa
CALLING. \ THAT TASK IS RARELY exnatzzep. | RATHER
Gary aE Eee See =
THERE IS A TANTALIZING SENSE IN WHICH WE ARE
——= SS,
ALWAYS IN THE PROCESS OF DECIDING WHAT WE WILL BE

WHEN WE GROW UP.
=z

10

pre «oa

1
elon

ow

IT MAY BE WHY WE ARE HERE Te ew = LIKE
[Sas
JESUS STANDING ON THE BANK OF THE RIVER, WAITING
SS (| oa

TO HEAR A WORD THAT WILL HELP US KNOW WHAT TO DO
SS ay
WITH OUR LIVES.
=,
JESUS RESPONDED TO THE WORD HE HEARD BY
Se:

STEPPING INTO THE WATER.\ FOR HIM THAT ACT MEANT

————

OPENING HIMSELF TO Gop, \To Gop’s PURPOSE FOR HIS

=e SS See
LIFE. , bee, [Ano SO I PRESUME re TO STEP
=

IN IN, \To DO WHAT YOU MUST DO Aro OPEN YOUR LIFE TO
——
Gop 2b, | To GIVE _YOURSELETO.GOD'S PURPOSE, \To_com COMMIT

YOUR LIFE TO SOME PURPOSE LARGER THAN YOUR OWN

Eat aay ——

SECURITY AND AMUSEMEN /\r0 GIVE YOUR LIFE - AND IN

Dee an

THE GIVING TO BECOME WHO GOD WANTS YOU TO BE.
ee Geez ‘Snares

DaG HAMMARSKJOLD’S DIARY ENTRY FOR WHITSUN-

DAY, 1961,/ CAPTURES THE SENSE OF 1, \anp-oveR-THE ——> _)
| i -
YEARS HAS REMINDED ME OF\THE RESPONSIBILITY EACH
<a

a ?
OF US HAS TO SAY "YES" TO_OUR OWN LIVES AND TO PUT

THEM TO WORK FOR»PURPOSES WHICH ARE IMPORTANT.
peas = :

HAMMAR - SKJOLD WROTE:
-

il

"I DON’T KNOW WHO ~ OR WHAT - PUT THE avesrron. | I
emmy Ee sir

DON'T KNOW WHEN IT WAS PUT. \; DON’T EVEN REMEMBER
meant oe

answerzng.\ Bur AT SOME MOMENT I DID ANSWER YES TO
Panel mien) tee

SOMEONE - OR SOMETHING - AND FROM THAT HOUR I WAS
See el

Fal

J

CERTAIN THAT EXISTENCE 25 MEANINGFUL AND THAT,
ee,

THEREFORE, MY LIFE, IN SELF-SURRENDER, HAD A GOAL.
=;

| ei ea)

FROM THAT MOMENT I HAVE KNOWN WHAT IT MEANS ‘NOT

7.

TO LOOK BACK’ AND['TO TAKE NO THOUGHT FOR THE

a.

MORROW. mr) IMARKINGS, P. 205]

THERE ARE SME RISKS.| A FEW MONTHS AFTER HE

WROTE THAT, HAMMARSKJOLD DIED IN AN AIR CRASH
-_ i ee

EE

WHILE FLYING TO NEGOTIATE A UNITED NATIONS CEASE

FIRE IN AFRICA, [ Taree YEARS AFTER JESUS STEPPED
ee

INTO THE JORDAN RIVER TO BE BAPTIZED, HE WAS
wee

CRUCIFIED.

12

1%

IT MAYwBE SAFER TO STAY pur, [wor TO SAY YES,
ee ee

——

NOT TO STEP Forwarp.\ Ir WILL CERTAINLY BE LESS

LT
EXHILARATING, LESS EXCITING, LESS ALIVE.

Gare cas

——— So ES

ete
AND PURPOSE - AFTER HE SAID "yes."| Any JESUS,
a Sarees

WHEN THE WATERS OF BAPTISM FLOWED DOWN OVER HIS

HAMMARSKJOLD FELT THAT HIS LIFE HAD MEANING

ge™

3v

HEAD, HEARD A VOICE 4|NO ONE ELSE HEARD a
fo ESS —

on) <

THE VOICE WAS
—— oo

Ee

FOR HIM AND IT SAID SOMETHING HE HAD NOT KNOWN OR
= ee feceremnrrn

——_—__ ee
HEARD _BEEORE. THE VOICE SAID:

\"You ARE MY SON, THE BELOVED.| WITH You I AM

mae eC SS

See
WELL PLEASED."

AFTER THE CRISIS - AFFIRMATION;

[ares THE
—————as
DECISION - UNCONDITIONAL LOVE.

Se

———— le

IT IS THE WORD WE WANT TO HEAR AND NEED TO
HEAR.

13

$0 TODAY, IN YOUR HEART QF HEARTS - TAKE A

STEP; | SAY "Y TO YOUR LIFE arve IT TO Gop,

al : _ scnterscepren
AND HEAR GOD SAY:
Ee
"You ARE MY DAUGHTER -
Moore
"YOU ARE MY SON. THE BELOVED.
eee
eo

"WITH YOU I AM WELL PLEASED.”

AMEN.

14