Baptized Into Christ Jesus
The Baptism of Our Lord – January 7, 2024
Genesis 1:1-5
Psalm 29
Acts 19:1-7
Mark 1:4-11
The book of Acts is an account of how the word of Jesus’ salvation spread through the Roman world. While Luke shows a smooth transition from a small group of Jews to a larger world-wide group that included gentiles, we know there was disagreement and controversy between the members. We learn this from Paul’s letters as well as the history of the church. There always seems to be controversy in the church. In our account from Acts for today we hear a bit about one of the earliest controversies – some people believed John the Baptist was the Messiah not Jesus. That belief came about because John baptized Jesus and, as here, the news about Jesus was slow to get around. Mark, by emphasizing John’s acknowledgment of Jesus' superiority, is refuting that claim. The other three gospel writers do the same but more forcibly than Mark, with John not even describing the baptism. In our lesson from Acts the problem is solved by Paul teaching the disciples about Jesus and then baptizing them in his name.
This story teaches us a few things about our faith. First of all it reminds us that our faith is a constant learning about Jesus and God’s gifts. Like those early disciples we are not always correct in our beliefs. We do make mistakes and sometimes, even when we know what’s right, act in the wrong way. That’s why we gather here, read the scripture, and pray. It is for our benefit that we hear God’s word and, hopefully, with some right guidance from me, you can learn more about Jesus and his plans for your life. Those plans entail living in such a way that those you encounter on a daily basis will see a glimpse of God’s love through you.
We also learn in this text that the Holy Spirit works in different ways. Here the disciples did not know about Jesus so the Holy Spirit brought them Paul so they could learn. Once they heard about Jesus they desired to be baptized. We should not be surprised by this. Those first verses we read from the Bible tells us how the Holy Spirit moved over the waters and helped to create the world. In our Gospel reading we heard how the Spirit descended upon Jesus after his baptism. Not only did the Spirit work to create the world and bring Paul to the people who desired to hear the good news, the Spirit also has inspired generations of people to seek out answers, moved others into dangerous situations, and protected and guided God’s people. If the Spirit did all these things for others we are assured the Spirit does the same for us.
Today is a good day to reflect upon your own baptism. Some of you may remember it. Most probably don’t. But you can reflect on all the gifts that God has given you. Then reflect upon the life of those in our stories today. John the Baptist could have claimed to be the Messiah, exploiting God’s gifts, using them for his own desires; instead, he answered God’s call. That call that took him to live in the wilderness eating honey and locusts and preaching in such a manner that he lost his life. Paul’s story is somewhat the same. Unlike John he started out on the top. He was well respected and had position and power. All of which he gave up for a peripatetic life that brought hardship, conflict, imprisonment, and an early death. Then there is Jesus. He humbled himself, giving up what it meant to be God and gave his life for you and me.
While our lives have not been threatened because of our faith, we find ourselves in many situations where our ego and desires are in conflict with the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Many times we succumb to the temptations of the world and do not do the calling of God. When that happens we have the great gift of forgiveness from God so that we can start over and work to build a better world with the Spirit moving us as the Spirit first moved over the waters to create the world. Pray that when the Spirit calls you will be able and willing to answer.