First Sunday after the Epiphany (The Baptism of Christ)
January 11, 2009
The Gospel: Mark 4:1-11
Sermon: "January 11, 2009"
The Rev. Dr. Vicki L. Smith, Rector
The Gospel: John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. And people from the whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem were going out to him, and were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. Now John was clothed with camel's hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. He proclaimed, "The one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the thong of his sandals. I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit."
In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And just as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit descending like a dove on him. And a voice came from heaven, "You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased."Mark 4:1-11
January 11, 2009 Well, I guess Christmas is well and truly over. We’re done visiting and back to work. We can see the shelves of the refrigerator now that all those holiday goodies are gone and even if we kept the tree up until Epiphany, it is probably down by now, or we feel like it should be.
In the two weeks since we celebrated the birth of our Savior, a great deal has happened in the church year. Today, the feast of the baptism of Jesus, Jesus is a grown man and beginning his public ministry. Aside from one accepted and several questionable stories, we don’t know much about those 30 or so years between birth in Bethlehem and baptism in the Jordan River. I think that is part of why Jesus was baptized when and where he was—to bring him again to the attention of the world around him. Christmas is the beginning of the story, Jesus’ baptism is when the action really starts.
You know the story, and just heard one version of it. The adult Jesus comes to John the Baptist seeking to be baptized. John, recognizing Jesus for who he truly is, demurs—he is not worthy to baptize the son of God—Jesus should baptize him instead. Jesus insists and as he comes out of the water and voice from heaven cries: You are my son, the beloved, with you am well pleased.
John was right to hesitate. He was offering a baptism of repentance and had promised that another would come after him, offering baptism in the holy spirit. Jesus was that one who came after so of course John did not want to presume to baptize him. Besides, John recognized Jesus as the son of God and knew that Jesus, being sinless, had no need of baptism. As was the case with so much of what Jesus did, Jesus’ baptism was about and for us, not himself.
Jesus, the sinless son of God, took on our sinfulness and accepted John’s baptism of repentance. It was an expression of solidarity with us and a living out of the incarnation. With his baptism, Jesus says, as clearly as possible, that he is one of us and models for us the call to repentance. Jesus, in his baptism, invites us to recognize our own sinfulness and to bring it to God in repentance.
But that is not all. By his baptism, Jesus also invites us into his baptism, baptism in the holy spirit and into new life. One commentator said, John asks for a promise to change; Jesus gives the power to change. By virtue of our baptisms, we receive the holy spirit; we are forgiven our sins and invited into new life in Jesus Christ. It is important today, as we remember Jesus’ baptism, that we remember our own, the gifts it has given us and the life it calls us to lead.
Jesus’ baptism is also one hugely important sign— certainly to his world, but to us and our world as well. At his birth, the angels proclaimed the birth of the savior to shepherds in the field. Not much later, the star proclaimed his presence to wise men from the East who came to worship the king of the Jews. And when he was baptized, a voice from heaven told everybody who Jesus was. His baptism was another way that Jesus’ identity was proclaimed to the world.
The voice from heaven said “this is my son, with whom I am well pleased” but what God also meant was: This is the Son of God come to live among you-- pay attention—listen to him—learn from him—follow him.
Jesus’ baptism is a wake up call for us. Just as the angels and the wise men helped us know that this was no ordinary baby, so the voice from heaven tells us that this is no ordinary man, not even an ordinary prophet, teacher or religious leader. This is the son of God, living human life as it is meant to be lived; doing the will of God with every fiber of his being and showing us how to live and how to love.
Listen to Him! Pay Attention! Jesus will not force himself on us—if we choose to ignore his presence, reject his teachings and refuse his love, we can do that. Lots and lots of people from his time ‘til ours have done exactly that. But we have heard the angels sing; we have seen the star and we have heard God’s voice from heaven. Epiphany means manifestation, and in this Epiphany season we remember and celebrate the ways Jesus is made know to us.
This Epiphany season let’s pay attention and listen to him—in prayer, in Scripture, in study, in worship and in the bread and wine. Let’s pay attention and listen to him in the voice of a friend, in the quiet touch of a loved one, in questions and doubts, in work and in service. Let us pay attention and listen for Jesus in a beautiful sunrise or peaceful sunset, in glistening water and strong evergreens, in creatures great and small and in people all around us. This is the season of Epiphany, and while we probably won’t hear a voice from heaven, Jesus will be made know to us—our task is to pay attention, and listen to him.