Year C

Luke 3:15-17, 21-22

The Very Rev. Denise Vaughn

The Hope of Baptism

In the logic of the liturgical church year, which began in the season of advent, we spent four weeks anticipating the coming of the Lord at his birth and again at his second coming, followed by two weeks celebrating his arrival and now, we fast forward to the adult Jesus’ baptism, as we begin the season of Epiphany. Epiphany as you know means “to reveal” or “to show.” The scripture readings during this season will focus on a multitude of ways we are shown who Jesus is. The Church recognizes three special epiphany events in Jesus’ life. The first such event occurred on Epiphany with the visit of the gentile Magi, who brought their gifts and worshiped the Christ Child. Their worship represented all nations, and that Jesus was to be the source of salvation and blessing for the whole world.

The other two events in Jesus’ life where his presence was especially shown forth or manifested with power, was his baptism, of which we hear about and celebrate today; and the wedding at Cana, which we will hear about next Sunday. Long before this showing forth that takes place at Jesus’ baptism; the prophets of Israel including Isaiah were certain God would choose someone to be God’s instrument for leading God’s people to peace and restoration once again. Their words were so far reaching and conclusive that the New Testament writers had no trouble seeing Jesus as the one who met their expectations. In their words, are the purpose of God made known, revealed, shown forth as in the story today of Jesus’ baptism.

Matthew, Mark, and Luke all report his baptism, while John in his gospel also alludes to it with the reference John the Baptist makes to have seen the Spirit as a dove remaining on Jesus. The scene today in the gospel of Luke has the crowds who were gathering around John, Jesus’ cousin, thinking that they heard what they were hoping for, the Messiah. This was a time when God’s people were desperate for some sign of hope. Desperate for the one God would send to free them from the Roman occupation and establish Jerusalem as the capital of a free people. When John appeared at the Jordan River he was a very impressive figure. “He baptized multitudes,” Luke tells us. His ascetic lifestyle and prophetic voice brought to mind the words of the prophets.  

However, he was quick to tell them he was not the one they were hoping for and insisted that he was not even in the same league with the one who was to come. “I baptize you with water, he said, “Mine is a baptism of repentance.” But one is coming who will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. The real baptism that brings salvation, hope, is in Jesus. Here we see one of the major themes of the gospel of Luke and the book of Acts, written by the same author: the emphasis on the role of the Holy Spirit in the work of Jesus and later in the work of the Church.

When Jesus came to John and was baptized, God confirmed Jesus’ Messiahship and the role of the Holy Spirit, the heavens opened up, a dove descended and a voice was heard, “You are my Son.” Jesus is now empowered by the Spirit for his ministry; he is now prepared to live out the ministry for which God had chosen him. This moment reveals Jesus as Son-of-God-for-us and we see the breadth and depth of God’s intention and action to be with us and empower us. Jesus’ baptism of Spirit and fire anticipates the wind and fire of Pentecost. What this baptism is for Christ, Pentecost will be for the Church. Therefore, at every Christian baptism we celebrate in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, the power of the Spirit marking and revealing the children of God.

For, it is the Spirit that makes us sons and daughters of God, who loves us and calls us also to this prophetic mission of which Isaiah expresses today. The prophetic Servant Song of Isaiah expresses the claims of baptism as it speaks of living as a people named by God for the sake of God’s glory. Isaiah here is speaking words of comfort and hope to a people who had been exiled in Babylon for seventy years. God was now bringing them home to their own land, a gift from God to them. God promises to be with them as they pass though fire and water because they are precious in God’s eyes.

As God’s sons and daughters, empowered by God’s Spirit they would now be equipped to bring justice to the nations. Isaiah saw his people as the instrument of God’s mercy, justice and compassion to the nations. All the promises Isaiah and the people receive from God offer an illustration of how God is with us and they give a new understanding of Jesus’ baptism.  Jesus passes through the waters and comes fully to his identity. He becomes the ransom for many. He brings new life to people who are lost and reveals God’s love for the people. Isaiah’s words also give a new understanding to our baptism.

We pass though the waters and become God’s own. God is with us. We receive the Holy Spirit and nothing can overcome us therefore, as Isaiah reminds us, we need not fear. Peter and John knew this as they traveled to Samaria enemy territory to pray over and lay hands upon some recent converts to Christianity. For centuries, the relationship between Jew and Samaritan was little more than chaotic estrangement. They couldn’t stand being together, until the winds of the Holy Spirit moved in Samaria. The good news was preached. Philip baptized the new believers into the name of the Lord Jesus; laid hands on them and commissioned them as they received the Spirit.

This marks a turning point. The gospel reaches across boundaries of nations and ethnicity; tradition and heritage. We are inheritors of that gospel. Our whole life is lived out of baptism as those who belong, baptized by water and by fire to make us the kin-dom.. The Lord entered our lives through our baptism to the glory of God. This faith is not ours to possess alone, but by serving others we also share the hope of Christ. Hope that Jesus received at his baptism when he heard his heavenly Father say, “You are my Son, whom I dearly love; in you I find happiness.”

These words must have continued to strengthen Jesus throughout his years of challenging ministry. Strengthened by the Holy Spirit, he went from his baptism to show and to tell others about the God who spoke these important words. Our texts today for the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord show us God embracing our human world in amazing ways, Epiphany ways, that in Christ we are all the Beloved called to show Christ forth and tell who he is, make him known and reveal his presence in our lives so others will find hope.