“Shining the Light”    Text: Luke 3:15–17, 21–22 . Baptism of Jesus Sunday, January 13 2013

Written by Rev. James Murray, Dominion-Chalmers United Church.

The Baptism of Jesus is an important moment for us. In Luke's telling of the story, Jesus goes from his being born, to his appearance in the temple as a precocious young boy. The next time we meet him, Jesus is being baptized as a mature adult. We don't really get to see this little child grow up. What he did to get himself ready during those thirty years is a mystery to us. We don't really know anything about his family, which would give us some insights. We aren't even sure what happened to his father, and what role Joseph might have played in raising this young man. It is as if Jesus just steps out of the crowd who had gathered to hear John the Baptist. This unknown figure, full of mystery, steps out to be baptized, and claim his destiny.  By this simple act of being immersed with water, his life, and our whole world, is changed.

It is important to know what sort of person Jesus was, because the goal of our spiritual life is for us to become like ‘the inner being of Jesus himself’ (Dallas Willard). The goal of our spiritual formation is to transform our daily life so that it is shaped by both the character and teachings of Jesus. This is why we tell the stories of Jesus over and over again. We want to learn from these stories about Jesus in order for us to learn how to live as Jesus.

This is one reason why Jesus’ Baptism still has great significance for us. It is one of the first glimpses we get into the character of who Jesus is. The arrival of the magi at Epiphany gave us a glimpse of what God imagines this child to be about. Epiphany reveals the importance of this child, who will be a light of hope for all the people of the earth. Jesus' baptism lets us see this great light which is fully realized. On this day God is revealing an aspect of what God made flesh will look like, as incarnated in Jesus Christ. Both events indicate the incarnation is not only about Jesus. This event is about us as well. This event is telling us what God is like. It is also telling us what God wishes us to be like.

When you look at yourself in the mirror, what do you see? Do you see every one of your imperfections, or do you see your beauty? Do you see a terrible sinner, or do you see a beloved child of God?

Baptism celebrates the wonderful gift we have received from God. We are all beloved children of the most high. This is a most precious gift. It is so precious that we want everyone to experience it. This gift of grace defines who we are to be. The baptism of Jesus is the event which begins his public ministry, which leads to his crucifixion.  The poet and writer Kathleen Norris says “For individual Christians, baptism is our call to become part of the community of the church, which often provides us with our own cross to bear.”  Norris says it is together, as a church community, that “we are meant to witness to peace in a cruel and violent world, and bring a message of hope in the face of despair.”

Baptism is a significant moment for us all. In Baptism we see the whole history of the Bible replayed. It was at the Jordan River that Moses taught the runaway slaves the meaning of the Torah. It was at the Jordan that Joshua led the people into the Promised Land. It was at the Jordan that the prophet Elijah ascends into heaven. It was at the Jordan that Elisha begins to speak as a prophetic voice.  When Jesus approaches John on the banks of the Jordan, all these great memories come into play.

In the days of John and Jesus, baptism was usually reserved for unclean foreigners who converted to Judaism.  John the Baptist dared to call his own people to baptism. He says being an “insider” is not enough (Mt. 3:9). John insists that all who seek God’s kingdom will have to turn their lives around. John is doing something radically new at the Jordan River. Baptism is the symbol of this new commitment to God. There must be an inner transformation of the heart if the words of God and the life of Jesus are to have any meaning today.

This inner transformation changes much more than just our outward behavior. It also changes our heart. It changes how we think. It keeps us self-aware, so we do not fall into blind legalism. It also guards us against crossing the line which separates good spiritual fruits from harmful religious nuts. The goal is a healthy, balanced spirit which is in harmony with God, and at peace with the self and the neighbor.

Baptism is a microcosm of the entire spiritual path. When we were baptized, we were given all these stories to make our own. It is by sharing in the baptismal moment that we become able to recognize Moses and Elijah, who later join Jesus in a third moment of light, which is called the Transfiguration.  The transfiguration happens just before Jesus heads down the road to Jerusalem for the last time. That moment echoes the belief that Jesus' life sums up all that the law and the prophets sought to teach us about God. It reflects all those images which were at play when Jesus was baptized in the Jordan River.

 Baptism is our way of joining Jesus on this road of spiritual discovery. It is an act of commitment. When we are baptized we are not saying we have it all figured out. We are saying we are committed to going on the road with Jesus. Our minds are open to learn with him. Our spirits are open to grow with him. Our lives are open to be changed with him. To be baptized means we are open to what God is seeking to share with us. None of us will ever reach the full perfection of knowledge, of faith, or behaviour. But we can be committed to growing in that direction. We see this sense of not being perfect  by the fact that most of us are baptized as infants, before we know anything. Infant baptism symbolizes that we wish to grow up, seeking to know God. Like a child who learns from their parents the skills necessary to live every day, as a spiritual child we must learn from God how to live life in all its fullness. For the Christian hope is not just the rest of heaven. The Christian hope is also the adventure of living this life in all its God-given fullness.

It only takes a moment for someone to be Baptized. It takes a lifetime to live out its consequences.  The theologian Walter Wink says “Baptism marks our entry to a community which is committed to the transformative values incarnated by Jesus.” The church is an imperfect community, which is always seeking to live up to its calling. As Wink puts it, the church's “sole purpose for being is to begin living now, the way the whole world is called to ultimately live.” We are to be the sign of what God's promised future can truly become. And we get to experience a taste of it here and now, as we live each day by faith.

This is a popular time of year for resolutions. With the coming of a new year, we dream of doing something new. We dream of losing weight. We dream of becoming better people. It is also a good time of year for us to dream of being people who seek to draw closer to God. We can resolve to grow closer to others as we grow ever more open to God's transforming presence in our lives.

The dove which appeared at Jesus' baptism is a symbol of the Holy Spirit being present in his life. Like Jesus, we can seek to be open to the Spirit. We can learn to open ourselves to a sense of wonder and beauty. Like Jesus, we can learn to incarnate God's compassion in our lives.

We can let the light of compassion shine when we eagerly welcome people in to our homes and welcome them in to our lives and welcome them in to our church. We are to welcome them in, on their terms, not ours. It's called practicing hospitality. In this day and age it is a radical gift of hospitality which is badly needed. We must first learn to open the door before we can begin to heal relationships, and people's lives

We can let the light of compassion shine when we take regular, scheduled time to listen for God’s leading. It takes time to hear of God’s desire for our church, and for each of our lives. We think nothing of scheduling in time for a favourite television show. Doesn't spiritual awakening deserve fifteen or thirty minutes of your time every day as well? It does take practice to become a person who is shaped by prayer, to become grounded in prayer. Spiritual practice can bring us into God’s presence anywhere, any time. This opens the door to us learning how to respectfully, but unashamedly, shared with each other what God is doing in our lives. 
 

We can let the light of compassion shine when we learn to respect the differences between us. This opens our minds to then to embrace the gifts each of these people brings. When you are secure in knowing who you are, it can be a great blessing to open yourself to others who are different from you. This opens the door for us to  initiate programs, appeals, or experiences which can  help people understand that the world is not as God desires, in order that we might together work for justice for all people and justice for all of creation.

We can let the light of compassion shine when we ask more questions about God and faith and what it means to follow Jesus. When we ask such questions we let it be known that we won't be satisfied with pat answers any more. This has to have meaning for us, it has to lift us up, or it isn't worth doing at all.  This opens the door for us to realize how we can experience God everywhere: both in the church and in the world, in nature, in buildings, in art, in media, in music, in people we like and in people we hate, in times of plenty and in times of suffering. If God is everywhere, then how do I learn to meet God here and now?

Having such open hearts, open minds, and open doors is possible, because in baptism God has come to be with us. In Baptism God is saying to us “You are my beloved child, in whom I am well pleased.” God is offering us a life changing covenant relationship. God is promising to be with us, no matter what. God is blessing us. God is saying all this is possible in your life, in our life, together.

Amen.

Sources:

Kathleen Norris, “Marked for a purpose”, The Christian Century, Dec. 25-07

Diana Butler Bass "Christianity For The Rest Of Us:  How the Neighborhood Church is Transforming the Faith. Harper San Francisco, 2006 .

Dallas Willard “Renovation of the Heart” NavPress 2002.