Sermon Based on : “The Baptism of Christ” Luke 3. 15-17; 21-22; Isaiah 43. 1-7; Acts 8. 14-17
Preached on: Epiphany 1 -13.01.19
On the 25th December we celebrated the birth of Christ, last Sunday that was the Epiphany we celebrated the visit of the Magi to baby Jesus which marked the beginning of the Season of Epiphany when we look at various accounts during which Christ was being ‘made manifest’. Today we read about Jesus being “made manifest” at His baptism. Even though there isn’t much difference in the two important events in the liturgical calendar, we see, chronologically there was a difference of about 30 years in the two events. On the one hand we see Infant Jesus in the manger and the following verse of today’s Gospel Readings makes us aware that Jesus’ age was around 30 years when he came to John the Baptist to be baptized. We find that the same account is recorded in all three synoptic gospels.
Before we proceed any further, let us ponder on the question if Jesus really needed to be baptized? Baptism is a symbol of purification. Did Jesus really need to be baptized by John the Baptist – who in today’s gospel reading we see, says that he thinks himself not worthy enough to untie the thong of Jesus’ sandals. By going to John the Baptist, we see
(a) Jesus himself set an example for us to take part in the sacraments. Baptism, specifically, is the outward expression of our inner faith. Thus we know how important it is to express the inner faith – our faith in God. And..
(b) By being baptized Jesus identified himself with us – the sinners! This act of our Lord also tells us how much like Jesus, we need God. We know Jesus abided in His father’s will of saving the sinners for which the son had come in flesh. It was right here He, though sinless, associated Himself with sinners, whose sins He bore when He was crucified. While other people were going to be baptized to get rid of their burden of sins, Jesus, right, in the beginning of his ministry went forth to prepare himself for taking the sins of the people.
(c) Theologian Michael Green writes:“By submitting to baptism, Jesus acknowledged God’s claim on him, as on others, for the total consecration of life”. (The Message of Matthew – Michael Green p. 80). This reminds us that by baptism we acknowledge God’s claim on our lives – baptism calls for total consecration of our life and to identify with our Lord and His body that is the Church.
The book of Isaiah’s second part that is chapter 40 to 55, deals with the end of the Babylonian exile when the people of Jerusalem sinned against God. Yet now, our Old Testament reading from Isaiah chapter-43 tells us about God’s reassurance and hope. In many translations the chapter begins with the word “But” and then reaffirms Yahweh’s love for his people and his plans for their future and in fifth verse we see God says, ”Don’t be afraid, for I am with you”. At Jesus’ Baptism we see, once again, the fulfilment of God’s promise of being with the sinners to redeem and fill them with hope. The God who once punished people for sins has now come to take their sins on himself so to cleanse them of their iniquities.
Turniung again to the Gospel passage, in verse 21, we find, when Jesus was baptized, he prayed. The gospel mentions Jesus’ prayers repeatedly at various occasions bringing forth to us the necessity of praying. Even in today’s New testament reading the importance of praying and the work of the Holy Spirit in one’s life are correlated. We see Jesus prayed at the start of his ministry just like many of you mentioned to me last Sunday that leaving aside various circumstances you made sure to be in church to pray for the New year 2019.
What happened when Jesus prayed after his baptism- is so remarkable. That’s when heaven was opened. When we pray, our living God, responds and we further see the Holy Spirit descended on Jesus in bodily form of a dove and a voice came from heaven – “You are my Son, the beloved; with you I am well pleased.”
Despite how we might imagine the voice of God – booming, impossible to miss, unbelievably loud – there’s absolutely no indication that anyone other than Jesus heard a peep. Nevertheless, it was enough. It was enough to carry Jesus into the wilderness, enough to sustain him in the face of the devil’s temptations, enough to launch the ministry that is the reason that we’re here today. And it set the pattern for the way that God and Jesus communicated, not through big happenings or spectacles, but off the main stage, through prayer and listening.
In other words, this morning’s gospel offers the suggestion that the clearest manifestations of God’s power and presence often come to us not in grand gestures or bold accomplishments or anything that we control. Rather, this morning’s gospel offers the suggestion that the clearest manifestations of God’s power and presence often come to us when we pause and pray and pay attention. No one else may have heard God’s proclamation that Jesus was his Son, the Beloved, with whom God was well pleased, but – through prayer – Jesus did.
It’s a pattern that Jesus modeled throughout Luke’s gospel: that prayer is the precursor to big actions and big decisions. As word about Jesus spread far and wide, and the stakes of his ministry grew, Luke 5:16 tells us that “he would withdraw to deserted places and pray.” Before he chose his disciples, he prayed. Before he submitted to those who would kill him, he prayed. Before he breathed his last breath, he prayed.
The example was not lost on Jesus’s disciples, who asked him to teach them to pray. He not only taught them what we now call the Lord’s Prayer (and will ourselves pray shortly), but he taught them to pray persistently, expectantly, and with enough humility to recognize that we may not know the answer that we think we do.
May the dear Lord help us to take time to discern prayerfully where He may be calling. Particularly in this dark and gray time of year, remember that much is taking place beyond what we can easily see and hear. Somewhere, where we can hear it if we are listening, God is calling you “Beloved” and calling you to something.
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen