A Sermon for the First Sunday after Epiphany
The Rev. Patricia A. Gillespie
Isaiah 42:1-9
Acts 10:34-38
Luke 3:15-16,21-22
Psalm 89
"You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased."
This is the beginning of Jesus's public ministry. Often we assume that this was the booming voice of God, a news announcement introducing his beloved son to all the people.
Yet notice that here in Luke, as in the earlier Gospel of Mark, the statement is addressed directly to Jesus: "YOU are my Son...." (Only Matthew shifts the grammar to be a public announcement, "This is my Son ...") Perhaps at the Father here in Luke is telling Jesus something that Jesus himself needs to hear. It's the kind of affirmation all humans hope for from their parents: a father saying, "Good job, Son!"
Just what has Jesus done that delights his Father so? Luke has told us that first all the people are baptized, then Jesus also is baptized.
Jesus has just been baptized along with all the people. Jesus, the one person who does not need to repent or to be washed clean, has willingly joined the muddled, sinful mess of humanity, stepping in the water. God is well pleased that God's own Son has freely accepted his immersion into our human life, into our messy human affairs.
In his baptism, our Lord steps right into our lives. Jesus sets aside his divine power and privileges and joins our human community. In our baptism, we are asked to do the same: to set aside those things that separate us from God and community. To join us, God became humble and vulnerable. In baptism, we make ourselves humble and vulnerable to be open to God's touch.
In the early church a sign of this humility and openness was that people removed all their old clothing, stepping naked into the baptismal waters to be re-clothed in Christ. Our baptism is a call to that kind of humility, to stand naked before God; to drop all our coverups and defenses, to allow ourselves to be vulnerable, so God can touch our lives.
The things we use to protect and hide ourselves are many; they can be negative or positive: An addiction, anger or resentment, greed, or control needs can build walls to isolate us. Our successes, education, status, rules, or money can separate us from others, including God.
And it can be very, very hard to set these defenses and coverups aside.
John the Baptist tells us that Jesus comes along to baptize with fire and with the Spirit. Fire is a dangerous thing. It can burn away almost everything. Letting Jesus into your life is a dangerous thing - baptism with fire can burn away all those coverups and defenses and leave you standing naked in the Spirit. And it is then that God will touch your life. It is then that you are clothed with Christ in that new beginning as God's beloved child.
In baptism, we join the community of God's people. Baptism reminds us to drop our coverups and defenses, to allow ourselves to be vulnerable, to enter, with Jesus, the risky troubled waters of human relationships. It is then that we can touch one another's lives and gather together in service and in worship.
Luke alone of the gospel writers tells us that it was when Jesus was praying that the voice came from heaven. It might have been that "still, small voice" heard in prayer rather than a booming, thunderous announcement. Jesus, still newly wet behind the ears from his baptism into the human mess, has maintained a Son's connection with divine life.
At that point, had those people understood what John the Baptist was trying to tell them, a voice should come from the people, addressed to Jesus, saying, "You are our God, the Beloved; with you we are well pleased."
Now, about two-thousand years later, we can offer that affirmation: When we recognize Jesus as God with us and gather together to worship and serve him, we are then again baptized with Jesus, humbly immersing ourselves in the struggle of human relationships and sharing his connection with God.
In his baptism, our Lord steps right into our lives. In his baptism, our Lord sanctifies the muddy waters of our lives, and splashes us all with his glory.
In our baptism, we step right into God's life. And a still, small voice whispers, "You are my Children, my Beloved, with you I am well pleased."