e-vo for week of January 5

Dearest e-votees-

This Thursday, January 6, is Epiphany. It is the beginning of the next season of the church year, also called Epiphany. It begins after the 12 days of Christmas have run their course.

Epiphany is about God being revealed to the world. It begins with Jesus’ baptism (commemorated this Sunday) and ends with the Transfiguration (March 6).

May we all be open to God being more fully revealed in our lives. May our light so shine, like that star of Bethlehem, that others might see our good works and glorify our Father in heaven.

Peace,
Karl

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13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan, to be baptized by him. 14 John would have prevented him, saying, "I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?" 15 But Jesus answered him, "Let it be so now; for it is proper for us in this way to fulfill all righteousness." Then he consented. 16 And when Jesus had been baptized, just as he came up from the water, suddenly the heavens were opened to him and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. 17 And a voice from heaven said, "This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased."

Matthew 3:13-17, NRSV

John asks a question that all of us could ask. Why is Jesus baptized? Was it because he needed sins remitted? Was it so that he could be attached to the community of the Trinity? Was it “to get the kid done”? Was it to get grandma and grandpa off our backs? Was it done out of force of habit? Was it done for the commemorative gifts from the congregation and Thrivent Financial for Lutherans? All of these answers seem to range from less-than-satisfactory to completely inane.

Why was Jesus baptized?

Jesus says it is to fulfill all righteousness.

God the Father takes the opportunity to offer a word of affirmation (not unlike the other epiphanic bookend at the Transfiguration—see Matthew 17:5).

John takes the opportunity to put his plans aside and abide with the desires of Jesus. This is part of John becoming less while Jesus becomes greater (see John 3:30).

How will we plug into the opportunities afforded by Jesus’ baptism? Jesus fully enters into humanity through his birth, his circumcision, his baptism, his childhood, etc., etc. Jesus draws near to us. In baptism he identifies with us in our broken and dirty states. Jesus draws near to us and God the Father approves.

When we draw near to our baptisms we draw near to Jesus. Regardless of why we were baptized (many of us had no choice, others of us might have come out of mixed motives) God was present at our baptisms. God says to us “This is my daughter” and “This is my son” and God is well pleased to receive us into the community of the Trinity. This is done by virtue of Jesus doing what we could not. Jesus frees us and redeems us. It is into that hope and joy that we are baptized. It is in order to bring about that hope and joy that Jesus was baptized.


God you draw near to us in Jesus. You draw near to us in Jesus’ baptism. Help us draw near to our baptisms daily. Help us know that your love trumps our failures; that your healing trumps our disease and our dis-ease; that you are faithful to the baptismal promises you make. Thank you. Amen.