Luke’s gospel is different. It is different on purpose.

Everyone knows that Mark’s gospel was the first to be written. Matthew borrowed heavily from Mark and much of Matthew’s gospel is word-for-word, Mark! Matthew actually utilizes 90% of Mark’s content!

Not so with Luke. (Kind of…) Luke did not necessarily approve of the two previously written gospels. As a matter of fact, he says from the “git-go,” that his is going to be an “orderly account.”
(Taking some kind of “cheap shot” at both, Mark and Matthew…)

So Luke, wants to be his “own man.” He wants to write his “own gospel.” He desires that it will be an “orderly account – this time around.” And yet, the funny thing is – that he too, will quote Mark many times directly, word for word. More than 50% of Mark can be found in Luke!

That is not the case with the Baptism of our Lord, however. Luke desires to be “different.” He obviously has his reasons.
I felt “more than compelled” to set the record straight. “I have to be honest with you.” I have to “lead you” down right paths, for his name sake.

The guys…and I do suspect they were all guys, when they put the lectionary together and picked all of our lessons, they periodically leave some verses out.

I am sure you have probably noticed it before. It happens frequently. So for example with our gospel text, we only get chapter 3, verses 15-17, and 21-22. Well what about (?) the skipped verses?
Why not just read Luke 3. 15-22?

I tell you it was done purposefully. It was done “for a reason.”

A lot of people love the Gospel according to Luke. It is where we get our Christmas Gospel from every year. Prodigal Son… Ten Lepers… He was a stellar writer.

But remember, Luke wanted to be “different.” He wanted to set himself “a part…” Luke does not desire to be (simply) like everybody else. He is his own man.
Let me share with you those missing verses for today:

“18 So, with many other exhortations, he proclaimed the good news to the people. 19 But Herod the ruler, who had been rebuked by him because of Herodias, his brother’s wife, and because of all the evil things that Herod had done, 20 added to them all – by shutting up John in prison.”
So, John the Baptizer was “in prison.” You did get that, right?
Luke goes on to say, “Now when “all the people were baptized”, and when Jesus “also had been baptized” and was praying, the heaven was opened, 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.
Luke does not mention where the baptism took place.
Luke does not mention who baptized Jesus.
If it was John, that is not important. John was locked up tighter than drum, in prison. Luke is different.
He doesn’t want to spend time about who should baptize who. John feels unworthy. Jesus should baptize John.
Luke is breaking from tradition and leaving things out…intentionally. Not important. Not going to waste our time.
Jesus was baptized. We know that. Luke gives us what is important. Who and where are not important. What is important was that Jesus was at prayer. What is important is that the spirit descended in bodily form — like a dove..but not until Jesus was found in prayer, first! A voice from heaven is heard, “You are my son, the beloved, with you I am well pleased.”
All the important stuff is there. All the familiar stuff is there.
I bet when the Gospel was read – you never thought to yourself…where is John and I bet you assumed they were standing at the Jordan River bed. I bet you assumed John was standing right there…present.
But the gospel of Luke does not say that! Luke is different and intentionally so.
Luke spends a paltry 20 verses on John the Baptizer. He just is not that important…to the Jesus story.
Luke also isn’t going to get into the argument about “how best to baptize.”
Total immersion, pouring, sprinkling…We have no, Jesus coming up out of the water. Luke doesn’t go there…but note where he does go.
Jesus is baptized and following that event…Jesus is at prayer. Jesus is at prayer. Prayer is important. As Jesus prays, the heavens open up. Then the spirit descends. Then the voice is heard.
This is an orderly account. There is an order.
John is not important. John needs to step back and be out of the picture. This is about Jesus. This is not about John. John is in prison. He is not even there. He is not present.
This is, after all – the Baptism of Our Lord.
This is about God’s intimate love for his son. This is intimate and we are a part of it.
He is my son, the beloved…with him I am well pleased…and in my throat..I feel this lump, my eyes moisten, I shake ever so slightly. Thank you, Father, thank you. Oh, how we long to hear those words…directed at “us!”
Amen.