Sermon for St Edward’s 12/1/25 Baptism of Christ. Readings: Luke 3:15-17,21-22; Isaiah 43:1-7
Today we remember the baptism of Christ. Now, obviously, we do baptise babies and children in the CofE so that might seem a natural progression from Christ’s birth but Jesus is baptised as an adult, which is a bit of a jump ahead from his birth, as we have just celebrated, and in a few weeks time we will drop back to Candlemas where we remember Jesus presented in the temple 40 days after his birth, as Jewish law required. So it might seem a strange order.
But the reason we jump ahead to the baptism is that Epiphany, which is the season we are in through January – Christmas to Candlemas, is a season of revelation. It tells the ways in which Christ is revealed. Firstly Christ revealed to the Magi as we looked at last week, then through John’s preaching, through the HS at Jesus’ baptism, later through the first miracle at the wedding at Cana and then finally we circle back to Candlemas, through Jesus himself.
So this is a season of revelation.
Now we know so little about Jesus’ life as a child and we must assume that he lived a relatively normal life because if it was miraculous then it would have been written about. His birth story is surrounded with the supernatural, the angels, the dreams, the visitors, the miraculous pregnancy, so in a way this, the baptism of Jesus, actually is the next chapter in Jesus’ story as the son of God, baptism marks the start of that next step. And we see that echoed in Luke’s words as he goes on to give us Jesus’s genealogy/ family tree, as might be done at someone’s birth, as Matthew does at the start, Matt 1. So, if we were just looking at Jesus as the Son of God, ignoring the human side then his baptism would be next.
And baptism and use of water was important for the Jewish people. In the documents from Qumran – the Dead Sea Scrolls – we read that there were rituals of bathing, purification and possibly initiation too using water. It is possible John took these rituals and developed them into his baptism of repentance. Jesus too legitimises or perhaps sanctifies the act of baptism by himself being baptised, and then leaving it with us as an act of worship and commitment.
So we heard in our reading, John the Baptist who we looked at on the 3rd Sunday of Advent you may remember, and who the start of Ch 3 tells us a little more about, John received the word of God, and then went out to preach the news of a coming Messiah and baptised people for repentance and forgiveness of sins. (v’s2-3)
We read that people heard his words and were filled with expectation wondering if John was the Messiah. But John puts them straight, no, the one who is coming will baptise with the Holy Spirit and fire. And then that after all the people had been baptised then Jesus too was baptised. I wonder how that came about?
In John’s version of this event (John 1) we read that he saw Jesus come towards him and he knew who it was straight away as he declared,
‘Here is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!
… ‘I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptise with water said to me, “He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain is the one who baptises with the Holy Spirit.” And I myself have seen and have testified that this is the Son of God.’
John 1:32-34
It is not clear if this is John prophesying what was to happen (ie in the future), or whether this is after Jesus’ baptism so he sees him again and knows he is the Son of God.So perhaps we can hypothesise, according to Luke’s version of events and bearing John’s account in mind, John must have had a word from God, a prophecy so that when the dove rested on someone after baptism he would know this was the Messiah.
So then when Jesus came to him to be baptised, and we don’t know how he came, the passage just says and Jesus was also baptised… So, John baptises him, perhaps as he would anyone else and THEN we read:
…when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heaven was opened, 22 and the Holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, ‘You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.’
So in this way John then knew who he was because it fitted the prophecy he had been given
A dove came down in bodily form, a dove literally came and sat on Jesus and a voice speaks the Father’s words of affirmation over the son.
You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.
Words of affirmation for Jesus but also for John and for the gathered crowd. These words of God miraculously reveal who Jesus is to all assembled. He is God’s son, the promised Messiah. He is loved by the Father, by God, and God is so happy with him.
So Jesus’s baptism is the revelation of who he is. It is a filling of the Holy Spirit and the equipping for all he needs. It is also the start of his earthly ministry. We know that from here he goes to the wilderness and is tempted but he is full of the HS. He begins preaching, he begins performing miracles. He has been equipped for this time and all he will encounter. This is in part why we baptise. We follow Christ’s example.
And Jesus’ identity as declared by God, was before he had done anything. God wasn’t pleased with him for all the miracles he had done – he hadn’t done any yet! God declares he is God’s son and he is loved. He is affirmed in who he is, not what he does.
It’s all about relationship.
And it is the same for us. Baptism comes at the start of our relationship with the Lord. It is not about all we have done, it is before we have done anything. When we are baptised as adults we are declaring we want a deeper relationship with God. That it is in Jesus we find our identity and not in what we do or who we are. When babies are baptised their parents and Godparents declare this on the child’s behalf.
And we step into all that God has for us. God equips us too. We believe that baptism is a sacrament, that the Holy Spirit is at work through it, so we too are called and equipped as we are baptised, just as Jesus was. And the baptism liturgy affirms us too, it says God knows us by name. Just as God named Jesus as his son, and just as Isaiah references in God’s word for the Israelites.
God formed you. God redeemed you. God calls you by name and says ‘you are mine’
We need to know this, we know life as a Christian is not easy. God might call us to difficult things, some even face persecution for their faith, we go through tough things in our life and we need God with us. Thankfully as Isaiah reminds the people of Israel and us –
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you;
when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you…Because you are precious in my sight, and honoured, and I love you,
Do not fear, for I am with you…
Isaiah 43: 2-5
Isn’t that an amazing thing to hear?
Have you ever heard God calling your name? I imagine most of us haven’t but what a fabulous image. I can imagine at our own baptisms whether as a child or an adult, God speaking that over us, just as God did for Christ. You are my child, you are beloved, I am always with you, do not fear. We all need affirmation in life don’t we? And we can all be people who encourage and build up one another. I think we all need these words stuck up on our fridges, or where we work, to remind us regularly!
I talked about wonder last week as God’s word for us as a church this year. This is a perfect example for us to wonder upon this week. To think about God knowing each of us by name. Imagine God calling to you using your name. To wonder that God thinks you are precious, and honoured and loved.
Amen
Prayer from baptism service:
May God, who has received you by baptism
into his Church,
pour upon you the riches of his grace,
that within the company of Christ’s pilgrim people
you may daily be renewed by his anointing Spirit,
and come to the inheritance of the saints in glory
Amen
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