Tonight, we find ourselves still celebrating the Baptism of Our Lord and in so doing – we remember our own baptisms…as we ought…
Baptism is one of the most important acts of the church and one of only two sacraments celebrated in the Lutheran Church.
“The act of baptism” – an act that Jesus himself underwent – is one that reminds us of what God already knows: We are children of God, We are beloved by our Creator, We are part of a much larger family – the “Family of God.”
This act, this sacrament is all about “relationship.”
You know, the church has never been comfortable with the baptism of Jesus because of what it implies…
If, we were to compare the accounts of his baptism in the four gospels, the un-ease is present and unmistakable.
Mark is the “original baptismal story” and the closest historically to the actual event. He just says it the way it was.
Matthew elaborates on Mark’s story by adding to it – that John tried to talk Jesus out of being baptized.
When we get to our gospel text for this evening, Luke will not even come out and say that it was John who performed the baptism.
And John, well, John’s gospel is the most awkward of them all. In the strangeness that is sometimes John’s gospel he says that he saw the spirit descend like a dove upon Jesus. But then, he doesn’t mention anything about the baptism at all. Strange…but that’s John!
Scholars obviously “on top of” the whole situation tell us – that all this embarrassment is our surest proof, that Jesus was indeed baptized. And, he was baptized by John, in the Jordan River.
They go on to say, that when someone tells you something “not in their own best interest,” you can be reasonably sure that this is a statement of truth.
The Scriptures have no reason to lie. Their unease or dis-ease is more than evident.
And of course, the whole controversy exists because “IF” Jesus was baptized and his sins forgiven, it would mean that Jesus was sinful, just as we are.
This was too much for the early church to bear that saw Jesus to be “the divine and the perfect one, without sin,” but then, at the same time realizing – that he was also human. This was all too much to take in and digest.
So, by the time we get to the third gospel to be written…lots of questions remain: Who baptized Jesus? Was it John? Did Jesus baptize himself? Just where did the baptism take place? Luke is silent on the whole-of-the-matter.
But the suggestion remains – that John the Baptizer baptized Jesus in the Jordan River and Jesus “just appeared there” – among the “other sinners” who were gathered around the baptizer.
The poll of public opinion would have said, Jesus was there because he needed to be there. He was not present because of his solidarity with all humankind. He needed to be cleansed and washed just like the rest of them. Even if his intentions were nothing but good, it would have been ruinous to his reputation. This act gave him honor. To not be baptized was a shameful act of pride.
If nothing else, it was good PR.
In the Church, we have always spent a great deal of time talking about “God’s great love for sinners”…but at the same time, a lot of Christians do not admit to being one of them- themselves. They are the redeemed, the saved, the righteous ones…
Jesus never worried about “guilt by association.” He never worried about being cast as a sinner. It was a role he would have embraced…only the church would not allow him to embrace it. Jesus did not care if he was labeled as a sinner or not. As a matter of fact, it almost seemed liked he felt he was in good company.
Any “line” between us and anyone else is always “a false line,” a made up “line,” a “line” that you just cannot trust. The fact remains we are all one human family.
And very much like I said in the beginning, Baptism is all about relationship…Us and God, us and each other. In baptism we promise to pray for and care for each other, we are a community…a community of the faithful. In baptism, we are reminded that our lives belong to God and with us, God is well pleased! “Our obligation” in this relationship is to reach out to everyone with the same love that God has shown through the life and ministry of Jesus.
It is all about family…the family of God and we are brothers and sisters to one another. Amen.