011320 – Jesus identifies with us! (Matthew 3. 13-17)
The Baptism of Our Lord
Franciscan Villa
South Milwaukee, WI
Let’s talk about the Baptism of Our Lord, just for “a little bit.”
“When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too.”
“And as he was praying, the heaven was ripped open, torn apart and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove.”
“And a voice came from heaven: ‘You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”
In his baptism Jesus “fully identified” with a “fallen humanity.” (That would be US!)
YOU and ME!
This would “seem to indicate” that Jesus was a person who would experience “trials and temptations,” “faults and failures,” just like WE DO — he would have also experienced “torment, doubt, loneliness, questions, confusion, despair, anger, love” and everything else – that we go THROUGH “in this life of ours.”
In his Baptism, Jesus BECAME “one with us!”
He could RELATE. He KNOWS…what it is and indeed EVERYTHING…that we go through…
Jesus ALLIED himself with US! That is “more than huge.” That is like EVERYTHING!
We have a SAVIOR, a RESCUER, a DELIVERER, a REDEEMER and an EMANCIPATOR that KNOWS “what we are going through…”
NO MATTER WHAT IT IS: Suffering, discomfort, troubles, set-backs, the messy-ness of this life, the uncertainty, times of hesitation, times of decision, the flaws, the weaknesses, distress, agony Jesus KNEW it all.
He was well aware of the “human condition.”
AND HE made the CHOICE to become one with us.
I wonder if there was any “fear or trepidation or anguish” on his part as he approached those waters of the Jordan.
It was by stepping into that MURKY WATER that he joined himself with “the whole of humanity…”
All the people of the Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem were out there just WAITING on the shorelines to be baptized by John…
And Jesus, JOINED their number.
By WADING out into the clouded, muddied, stench and foul-smelling waters knee deep with them, Jesus became ONE with them and could IDENTIFY with them.
And he did ALL OF THIS, for the LIKES of US.
“Having a hard time?”
“Confused?”
“Happy-sad?”
Feelings of love, affection, warmth, compassion, care, fondness, concern, desire, sympathy empathy, sorrow…all of it…the WHOLE RANGE of human emotions and feelings…
Jesus understands. He gets it!
He is with you! When no one else understands, HE DOES.
Remember that old Song – “Take it to the Lord, in prayer?”
Right there is some of the best advice you will ever hear!
He understands.
He can relate.
He gets it.
And there is no better place “to take our stuff to” – then, to the LORD IN PRAYER!
Today, I am VERY THANKFUL that Jesus took the plunge and became one with us.
Amen!