Baptism of Christ

On Friday 6 January we celebrated the Epiphany which marks the end of Christmas. Epiphany is a time to celebrate the revelation of God the Son as a human being in Jesus Christ. We commemorate principally two events; the visit of the Magi to baby Jesus and Jesus' physical manifestation to the Gentiles. The baptism of Jesus in the Jordan River and his manifestation to the world as the Son of God. Epiphany season lasts for just four weeks until Candlemas on Thursday 2 February. Today is the first Sunday of Epiphany and we celebrate this morning the Baptism of Christ.  We think today of Jesus being baptised in the river Jordan by John the Baptist.

Images of water run through the Gospel readings in the season of Epiphany; we will read together about the waters of the River Jordan, the waters of creation, the water of baptism, water into wine at the wedding of Cana and the call beside the Sea of Galilee. Epiphany is a good time for us as followers of Jesus to reflect on our own baptism and on what it means to be a community of baptised people.

The baptism of Jesus is recorded in all four of the Gospels, why? Well I guess it’s because it’s such an important event in Jesus’ life. At Jesus’ baptism, the voice from heaven which spoke to bring creation into being and said it was good, speaks to declare this human being is God’s beloved son. Then we are told the heavens were torn apart and God’s Spirit descend like a dove on Jesus. God the Father, God the Son and god the Holy Spirit. The writer of Mark wants us to understand that the baptism of Jesus sums up the whole of the Gospel message.

Jesus is the Son of God and the Saviour of the world, Jesus is the Son of God and the Saviour of the world.

Some years ago I was staying with friends at a house with a large open air swimming pool in the garden. It was a hot summer’s day and all of us had been enjoying swimming and playing in the pool with the children. At the end of the afternoon, we’d got out and were getting dry and changing back into our clothes, when suddenly my friend screamed, we turned  to the pool and saw that her little boy who was five and who couldn’t swim had taken off his arm bands and jumped back into the pool. He was below the water. Instinctively several of us jumped in to save him; his mother got to him first and brought her son to the surface and out of the pool. It was a heart stopping moment for everyone; wonderfully the little boy was ok. The picture of Sebastian’s Mother leaping into the pool to rescue her son has stayed vividly with me ever since and still sends shivers down my spine as I reflect on what might have happened that afternoon.

Rescuing the world, rescuing me and you from being separated from God by sin wasn’t something God could do by just watching. Like Sebastian’s mother who leapt into the swimming pool, God came down to rescue us. Jesus doesn’t stand and watch us in the pool drowning; Jesus is in the river Jordan, God coming to us, to where we are and how we are, to rescue us. Jesus’ baptism identifies Jesus as God’s Son and each of us as God’s children. For everyone who comes in search of a new way of living and forgiveness is named as God’s beloved child. Baptism is not an ending but a beginning of life with Jesus, not by ourselves but in God’s family.

The afternoon of July 7 1963 at St Giles’ Church, Farnborough, Kent was a very significant event in my life. My parents and brothers, family and friends all gathered with me at my Baptism. I wasn’t aware, I don’t think of what was happening to me at my Baptism. Yet great gifts were given to me as they have been to each of us who have been baptised. Just pause for a moment and think of your own baptism, when and where was it? Who was there?  What happened?

At our baptism, we become daughters and sons of God.  It may seem impossible but it’s true. God looks at us and says “you are my dear, dear child; I’m delighted with you” Try just saying that to yourself this morning with your own name at the start, “Mandy, Graham, Bob, Jane …. You are my dear child; I’m delighted with you”. Think for a moment of God saying this to you at your baptism and on every day of your life since.  

How can this be? Well it’s because Jesus Christ is the Messiah and the Messiah represents his people, you and me. What’s true of Jesus is true of us too. Mark’s gospel tells us that God’s Spirit descended like a dove on him. Jesus was anointed with the Holy Spirit; marked out as God’s Son and because Jesus was, we too are marked out as God’s children.

Some time ago, I was called by a credit card company to ask if I had used my card to pay for petrol at a particular garage in Walsall. I had. I was told that the card had been cloned, it’s identity stolen, it no longer belonged to me. I would have to be given a new one. Friend’s no one can remove the name given to us “beloved child” by God at baptism. We are blessed by God’s grace and share this with all others who have been baptised into God’s family. 

We may not remember our own Baptism. But whether we do or not as followers of Jesus we are called to live lives in the light of what God has done for us; rescuing us, forgiving us and giving us His Spirit  so that we can live in the light that and knowledge that we are God dear, dear child.

So a blessing, “my dear child” and God’s Spirit, who anointed Jesus.

What is God saying to you about Jesus’ baptism this morning? Do you need to hear again that you have been rescued in love by God, called by name “my dear, dear child” Is this something you can share with others this week to encourage them in their walk with God?

Or is it the reminder that as we are called, we are also anointed by God’s Spirit; who is with us and who sends us out to live and work to his praise and glory.  Amen.