The Baptism of Jesus

Epiphany 1B

Epiphany 1B| 1.7.17 |

We are in the season of Epiphany. This is time in the year when having mourned the darkness of the world and longed for the light of Christ during Advent, and having celebrated the coming of that light during Christmas in the birth of Jesus, we now for several weeks we explore what it means to follow the light of Christ. How do we bear the light and the good news of Jesus’ coming to the world.

Because Epiphany is the celebration and the reminder that Jesus came into the world as the light of the world and that we are sent to be a light to the nations. And so we will be walking through the Revised Common Lectionary passages for Epiphany and focusing on the gospel passages where we see the disciples respond to the call to follow Jesus the light of the world. How do we respond to his presence and his calling of us to be his followers and his light to the world?

So this morning we are going to begin where Jesus’ ministry begins at his baptism. So let’s read

I don’t know if any of you know them name John Smith. He’s not a familiar name he is actually a radio host for Bloomberg news but if he began talking I would bet that everyone in this room would recognize his voice. He is probably the most recognizable voice in all of NYC. Because it is his voice that tells you on the subway to stand clear of the closing doors please. And that your train is being held in the station momentarily.

Now he’s been the voice for about 11 or so years ever since the MTA brought out the newest batch of subway cars. And prior to that and on some cars still today, the announcements were completely jumbled. You couldn’t make sense of it. You couldn’t hear it or understand it. Which would then lead to confusion and frustration mainly over not having enough information. Why are we being stopped? Why aren’t we moving? Somebody tell us something. And so that’s why the voice comes on to tell you there is train traffic ahead of you. It’s clear, it’s friendly,

Now the reason I tell you that is because God’s voice is very prominent in all of these passages this morning. And I think one of the great challenges of following Jesus, following him as the light of the world is that so oftentimes it’s his voice that gets drowned out. His words his direction that gets lost in the noise of all the other voices. And so I want to focus this morning on God’s voice and how it manifests itself in this passage as how God’s voice points us and shines the light on his son Jesus, so that we will follow him…with joy and hope and courage.

So I want us to look at or maybe more appropriately hear things this morning: God’s powerful voice and God’s confirming voice. And we need to be familiar with both of these voices if we are going to follow Jesus the light of the world.

God’s powerful voice

In the opening chapters of Genesis and in the writers proclaim with great confidence that God is stronger and greater than any form of chaos or power that exists.

Look at : First you have the spirit of God hovering over earth which is formless and void. It is chaotic, it has no order this swirling mass with waters and verse 3: and God said, let there be light and there was light. It’s the voice of God that speaks the world into existence. And that begins to bring order and eventually beauty out of chaos. In the creation account it is God speaking it is his voice that does all of this.

Then in this powerful voice continues. But in it is not so much the words themselves that are in focus, we don’t hear what God says here, but rather the power of God’s voice that is the focus.

The voice of the Lord breaks cedars. The voice of the Lord does this and that.

It’s the voice of the lord that is stronger than all chaos. God is victorious over the raging waters, storms and wind. Even mountains and trees appear unstable in the presence of God’s strength.

There is great majesty and authority that is given to this voice. That even when the world and creation itself are falling apart God gives strength and peace. But even with all of that from and God’s voice seems somewhat distant. Again we don’t even read the words it’s just the voice in general.

But now in Mark, the voice of God comes much closer and speaks more personally, yet it is still associated with earth-changing power. Because look what happens the voice rips heaven open and speaks directly to Jesus the treasured words of delight… “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.”

This had been the hope and cry of the prophets as they waited for God’s voice that he would come down and rip the heavens open and rescue Israel and therefore rescue the world. This Isaiah’s exact plea: in : Oh that you would rend the heavens and come down, that the mountains might quake.

And now as Jesus comes up out of the waters of his baptism that voice that hold the power to create the world that can break cedars now comes down rips the heavens open and says this is the one this is my beloved son.

We listen to voices of power and we are drawn to them. Politics, ideologies, But these passages invite us to listen to this voice. To take great hope that this is the powerful voice that we should follow.

Especailly when we are in the wilderness. Which is the context of Mark. John the Baptist comes out of the wilderness Jesus is baptized in the wilderness. The wilderness is a wild and chaotic place. It’s the chaos of . It is oftentimes the wilderness that we find ourselves when we are confused and hurting.

What it means to be a follower of Jesus is to trust in God’s voice. His powerful voice, he speaks to us through the Bible, by his spirit to guide us and comfort him so that it is his voice that we follow and take great hope in as we wander in the wilderness.

God’s confirming voice

But we don’t just see a voice of power as the heaven’s are ripped open we see a voice of confirmation. Because it’s these very personal words from God the Father to the Son that confirm the ministry of Jesus and direct our attention and affection to Jesus. These words: You are my beloved Son, with you I am well pleased. Even better than well pleased, in you I have delighted.

And so as the Spirit descends upon Jesus in the form of a dove we hear the Father’s voice a voice of power now confirming and shining a light on his beloved Son. God the Father is saying: Here is the one. Here is everything I want to say, everything I want to reveal, everything I want people to see and believe, if you want to know anything about me you must get to him.

So God is confirming that Jesus is his anointed servant the savior but also confirming that he is his beloved son. God is pouring out his love and delight and affection upon his Son, and this is all before Jesus’ ministry has begun.

What’s interesting to me about this text and I think absolutely vital to understanding how we might hear the voice of God in our lives his powerful word and his confirming word is the fact that all of this takes place during Jesus’ baptism.

Jesus’ baptism is a curious thing. Jesus baptism was not his adoption. He was the son of God from the beginning, but rather he is being set apart for his ministry, this is his ordination as he bear the sins of the world.

But the beauty is that because these words were spoken to Jesus at his baptism the become the words that are spoken over us at our baptism. Our baptism is an adoption into the family of God as well as and ordination into the service of God’s kingdom.

It is in our baptism that we are connected and united to Jesus, so much so that the words that are spoken to Jesus at his baptism are the words that are spoken to us on the our baptism day and every day there after. This is my beloved in whom I delight.

And so not only do these words shine the light on Jesus and draw us to him they also bring comfort. Because the words of delight for Jesus don’t mean that the future will be easy. For Jesus the same spirit that descends upon him then thows him out, into the wilderness to tempted by Satan. Where he will spend 40 days.

“Beloved” is both a first and final word about Jesus. It is a word of love that frames the entire relationship and life of God Father,Son and Holy Spirit. Even as Jesus is sent out into the wilderness of temptation. And even as Jesus sent out once again into the wilderness of cross. This word beloved never leaves him.

And so is this word of confirmation and comfort “beloved” that frames our identities and experiences as well. Even as we find ourselves in the wilderness, facing unknown and uncertainty, even as we find ourselves fallowing other voices that promise false power and false comfort. This word remains. And not because we earn it, not because we hear it better, but because of Jesus. This word beloved is not earned it is given as a gift, it is the first and final word about we we are and to whom we belong.

God has torn open heaven and come to down so that we woud look to Jesus and hear his words of power and comfort and comfirmation.

And Jesus whole life bears this out. That these words are spoken to him and given to us. So let me encourage you to take this passage in Mark with you this week. And especially these words: This is my beloved Son in whom I delight. And let them be the loudest voice and most familiar voice for you. That means you will have to spend time reading it pondering it, writing it down. It means you will have to quiet the other voices that, voices of work, voices of your past, voices of conflict…so that you will believe this once.

The word of love frames our identities and experiences as well. God’s love for us is neither episodic nor earned; it is a first and final word about who we are and to whom we belong But this word “beloved” spoken by God to his son Jesus will frame the life of Jesus. At the beginning of his ministry here and at the end.

And because we are baptism into Jesus the words that were spoken to Jesus by the very voice of God are the words that are now spoken to us. This is my beloved, in whom I delight.

This dove descending is meant to show the whole world that Jesus is the best thing promised and expected in the OT.

The father’s voice: How much we have in Jesus. Here in this man is everything I want to say, everything I want to reveal and do, everything I want people to see and hear and believe. If you want to know antyhign about me, get with him.

All the kindness is conveyed to us in baptism. Jesus’ baptism was not his adoption. Jesus is the son of God from the beginning, so he is not being adopted into God’s family, baptism is his ordination. He is being set apart for ministry now and humbling himself to do it. But our baptism however is both our birth into Jesus’ family, (john 3) and our ordination into his service. To follow the light.

But now in Mark that same powerful voice comes mthat In , the writer proclaims with majestic confidence that God is greater and stronger than every form of chaos, and by implication, than every idol through which we imagine we can control the manifestations of chaos. God is victorious over the wildness of water, storms and wind. Even mountains and trees appear unstable in the presence of God’s strength.

“The voice of the Lord” is a recurring image in , and in that psalm, voice is associated with power rather than words. God’s power in and over all other forms of power frames our confidence in God’s final provision and care. Even when creation itself seems to be spinning apart, the Lord is able to give strength and peace. But even given all of its majesty and authority, God’s voice seems somewhat distant.

By taking on the powers of evil, Jesus has begun life again for us all. Jesus is the Second Adam, doing it all over again but this time doing it right in order to set this cosmos back on the course God set for it in the beginning. Jesus goes out into as wild and chaotic a place as exists but instead of being consumed by it, he changes it into an oasis of shalom!