Baptism: Jesus' and Ours - Epiphany I

During my sermon on the Feast on the Baptism of our Lord, I engaged the congregation in a dialog.  I reflected on the elements of Jesus’ baptism and sought comparisons with our own baptisms.

First, in Matthew’s gospel Jesus was turning from one way of life to another.  He was accepting his Messianic role.  In our baptisms we are to turn from sin and evil and turn toward Jesus.   If we are infants, our sponsors agree to help us learn to fulfill this promise as we grow up.

Next, Matthew reports that Jesus tells John his baptism is to fulfill all righteousness.  We learn from the servant song of the Isaiah passage that righteousness means seeking justice and practicing compassion.  Among the baptismal promises we make (or are made on our behalf by our sponsors) are “to seek and serve Christ in all persons, loving our neighbors as ourselves” and to “strive for justice and peace and respect the dignity of every human being.”   Working to keep these promises is a contemporary way of “fulfill all righteousness,” in so far as we are able, assisted by God’s grace.

Then, a voice from heaven called Jesus “the Beloved.”  So Jesus’ baptism was an occasion for God to announce a relationship of love with him.  Through this loving relationship (God to Jesus) we become God’s beloved, too.   Thus, we can respond to God’s love as Jesus did, by seeking God’s will for our lives.

Finally, at his baptism the Spirit touched Jesus.  As the gospel of Matthew continues, we see the Spirit empowering Jesus for his work to usher in the reign of God.  We, too, are touched by the Spirit in baptism and “marked as Christ’s own forever.”  With this we can become empowered to do the work God gives us, such as feeding the hungry and caring for the needy.

So the water of baptism is the outward and visible sign of the inward and spiritual grace.  This grace helps us to turn away from sin and turn to Christ, to work for justice, and to show compassion.  It also is a sign that we are beloved by God and empowered by the Spirit to fulfill God’s call to each of us and to the St. Nicholas’ community.