I Join You

Preaching Series

Time after Epiphany. Jesus’ Life for Us. Jesus comes into our lives and engages the obstacles between us and God — doubts, meaninglessness, spiritual oppression, the overwhelming needs of the world, and even death itself. In short, he makes visible (“epiphany”) the Kingdom of God and he calls us to share in what he is doing.

First Reading

Our first reading, a story from Acts in which Paul the apostle moves a congregation of Christians from the baptism of John the Baptist — a preparatory baptism — to the baptism into Jesus the Son of God to whom John the Baptist pointed.

Acts 19:1–7 “And it happened that while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul passed through the inland country and came to Ephesus. There he found some disciples. And he said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” And they said, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” And he said, “Into what then were you baptized?” They said, “Into John’s baptism.” And Paul said, “John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, Jesus.” On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they began speaking in tongues and prophesying. There were about twelve men in all.”

Main Reading

Our second reading comes from the Gospel of Mark. The baptism of Jesus in the Jordan.

Mark 1:4–11 “John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. And all the country of Judea and all Jerusalem were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. Now John was clothed with camel’s hair and wore a leather belt around his waist and ate locusts and wild honey. And he preached, saying, “After me comes he who is mightier than I, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. I have baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.” In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And when he came up out of the water, immediately he saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.””

Introduction

This week. Enacted one of my new year resolutions. Get fit. Lose a few lbs, strength, stress management, fun. Bike to Y. Swim. Bike back.

Arwen: I will join you. came with me. Had a swim set. Worked harder. Why? Because with another person.

As we begin the new year we make resolutions. We imagine a better version of ourselves. New life.

fitness. reading. more time for leisure, family. travel. Put down the pack, the bottle, the _____……

Most consistent recommendation: Resolutions more successful when partnered. Another person or group for accountability, support, encouragement.

Join master’s swimming.

Join the reading group.

If you want to grow spiritually, who do we partner with?

Baptism of the Lord Sunday. Jesus partners with us.

Exegesis 1: Jesus Joins the Repentant

Jesus comes to be baptized by John.

crowds of people.

John is preaching. Repent.

People longing to feel right with God.

to prepare for the Messiah who would bring the KofG.

He does not need to repent.

He stands in solidarity with the repentant. He listens and looks around at them. He hears their confessions to John.

His turn comes. He goes to John.

[in other gospels (Matt. 3): John hesitates. I should be baptized by you!]

[Let be so now, to fulfill all righteousness.]

I repent of sin…not my personal sin, but the sin of all people, which by being one of them is mine too.

He is plunged under the water.

Prayer in Jesus heart.

He makes a repentance on behalf of all.

a practice for what he will do on the cross. He will take all the sins of the world upon his shoulders and plunge them into the tomb.

He communicates physically, so we can see, what is in his heart: I JOIN YOU

Implication 1

EX: If you have made resolutions and failed. You are in good company.

If you struggle with sin. You are in good company. We all do.

Paul, wretched man that I am who will deliver me? (Rom 7:24)

There is no condemnation for those in Christ! (Rom 8:1)

Jesus is in our company. Jesus stands there with us.

Jesus is there with you. He joins us in that experience.

Partnership: Jesus I confess my sinfulness because you are right there on the banks, in the Jordan, in the water: I JOIN YOU

Exegesis 2: The Spirit Descends

Jesus comes up out of the water.

Eyes up toward heaven. A new beginning.

He saw the heavens torn open.

the next time the word torn is used, it is in reference to the curtain of the temple.

Jesus is going to make the way to heaven open for all people.

Eventually he will go there…when he ascends bodily into heaven after the resurrection…

But rather than going there right now, the HS comes to him.

The HS comes in bodily form. An actual dove.

Like in the book of Genesis, that the cleaning of the world was complete, a new beginning was dawning.

Physical presence: so that people could see the event.

The HS is going to be a guided force in his life.

The HS says to Jesus: I JOIN YOU

Implication 2: We receive the HS

When Paul taught the Ephesians, he offered them the baptism of Jesus, and they recieved the HS.

Just as Jesus received the HS, we too receive the HS.

We who have been baptized have recieved the HS.

Some amazing manifestations, mostly subtle, the fruit of the Spirit. Galatians 5:22.

The HS empowers and guides us, so that we can live into the ministry that God has for us.

EX: A. J. Gordon, one of the founders of Gordon Conwell Divinity School, told of being out walking and looking across a field at a house. There beside the house was what looked like a man pumping furiously at one of those hand pumps. As Gordon watched, the man continued to pump at a tremendous rate; he seemed absolutely tireless, pumping on and on, up and down, without ever slowing in the slightest, much less stopping. Truly it was a remarkable sight, so Gordon started to walk toward it. As he got closer, he could see it was not a man at the pump, but a wooden figure painted to look like a man. The arm that was pumping so rapidly was hinged at the elbow and the hand was wired to the pump handle. The water was pouring forth, but not because the figure was pumping it. You see, it was an artesian well, and the water was pumping the man! When you see a man who is at work for God and producing results, recognize that it is the Holy Spirit working through him, not the man’s efforts that are giving results. All he has to do—and all you have to do—is keep your hand on the handle.

The Son joins us. The HS joins us.

Partnership: HS I need your empowerment in my life.

HS says to us: I JOIN YOU

Exegesis 3: The Father Speaks

As Jesus receives the HS, a voice speaks from heaven.

It is the voice of the Father.

An amazing event. The voice that said, let there by light. The voice that Moses heard.

A physical sound, just like the dove. Just like the Son standing in the water.

You are my beloved Son. With you I am well pleased.

An official transition from being the Son of Mary. The Son of Joseph. Which the leaders and detractors will throw at him.

Now he is publicly identified as the Son of God, with the parents already knew. [And why Jesus then speaks to his mother oddly, and his brothers and sisters oddly in other places after his ministry begins.]

This affirms Jesus for the path ahead. In all the trials, he will remember that he is beloved.

He will hear this voice again, just before his passion. On the mount of transfiguration. (Mark 9) This is my beloved Son! Even all evidence of the passion not withstanding!

Notice that this affirmation is offered before Jesus commences his ministry. His ministry flows out of his identity, not the other way around.

Father says to the Son: I JOIN YOU

Implication 3: We are assured that we are beloved.

We are called the children of God. I John 3:1. Also in conversation with Nicodemus, we are told that we are born again in the HS.

We pursue our spiritual life because God loves us, not so that God will love us.

EX: Image of a parent and a child. We love them already and unconditionally, and we want what is best for them. We rejoice in their successes, we grieve for their failures. We are always in their corner. So it is with God the Father.

Example of my parents affirmation.

We lose those loved ones, but never the affirmation of God the Father.

We can commit to spiritual growth, because the Father loves us and identifies us as his children.

Partnership: Father, I want to trust in your love for me.

FATHER SAYS TO US: I JOIN YOU

Conclusion

I began with the new year resolution.

There are all kinds of good goals.

the best goal is to grow in our relationship with God.

We can do that because God has joined us in that resolution.

The Son as a penitent, the HS as empowerment, the Father as affirmation.

I JOIN YOU!