“FULL IMMERSION INTO THE WATER, INTO THE WORLD, INTO LIFE”
A sermon by Fr. Gene Tucker, given at Trinity Church, Mt. Vernon, Illinois; Sunday, January 10, 2010
Isaiah 42:1–9; Psalm 89:20–29; Acts 10:34–38; Luke 3:15–16,21–22
“Now sanctify this water, we pray you, by the power of your Holy Spirit….”
I have opened today’s sermon with a passage which is taken from the Service for the Sacrament of Holy Baptism, Book of Common Prayer, 1979, pages 306 – 307.
The prayer which precedes this blessing of the water which is used in Holy Baptism goes like this:
“We thank you, Almighty God, for the gift of water. Over it the Holy Spirit moved in the beginning of creation. Through it you led the children of Israel out of their bondage in Egypt into the land of promise. In it your Son Jesus received the baptism of John and was anointed by the Holy Spirit as the Messiah, the Christ, to lead us, through his death and resurrection, from the bondage of sin into everlasting life.
We thank you, Father, for the water of Baptism. In it we are buried with Christ in his death. By it we share in his resurrection. Through it we are reborn by the Holy Spirit. Therefore in joyful obedience to your Son, we bring into his fellowship those who come to him in faith, baptizing them in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Now sanctify this water, we pray you, by the power of your Holy Spirit…..”
Water is a wonderful thing: Without it, no life could exist on this planet.
Water is a frightening thing: For it has the power to destroy life by drowning.
Water is both life-giving and death-dealing.
In today’s Gospel reading, we hear Luke’s recounting of Jesus’ baptism. And, since it is the First Sunday after the Epiphany, the topic for this Sunday is always Jesus’ baptism, the event by which Jesus bursts on the scene, publicly taking up his earthly ministry. In His baptism, Jesus now descends not only into the waters of the Jordan River, but into the world publicly. From here on out, more and more people will begin to take notice, and to follow Him. (Each year of our three year cycle, we hear the scriptural account of Jesus’ baptism, in successive readings taken from Matthew, from Mark, and – this year – from Luke.)
Jesus enters the waters of the Jordan, goes down fully into the water, and emerges as the Holy Spirit descends in bodily form like a dove, and the Father’s voice is heard from heaven, saying, “Thou art my beloved Son, with thee I am well pleased.”
Let’s look at today’s gospel text a little more closely. For in so doing, we will discover that there are actually two baptisms described. They are:
- John the Baptist’s baptism, which is a baptism with water for the forgiveness of sins,
- Jesus’ baptism, which will be one involving the Holy Spirit and fire (John the Baptist’s description of the baptism that Jesus will administer).
John’s baptism precedes Jesus’ baptism. John’s baptism was a present-day event 2,000
years ago. Jesus’ baptism had yet to be known, for it would become a reality on the great day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit descended on Jesus’ disciples with tongues of fire
(see Acts 2: 1 – 4).
But, lest we get ahead of ourselves, let’s return to John’s baptism, and to his baptism, which was a baptism for the forgiveness of sins.
A question immediately arises: “Why is the Holy One of God (see Luke 1: 35 – the angel Gabriel’s description of Jesus) coming to undergo a baptism for the forgiveness of sins?” He who is without sin enters the waters which wash away sin.
In all fairness, we have to say that biblical scholars have wrestled with this question down through the years.
“Jesus is leading us by example,” is the most often offered answer.
“Yes,” we can say in agreement, “Jesus does lead by example.”
Here, He leads us into the waters of baptism. By his descent into those waters, He makes holy all the waters of Holy Baptism into which those who come to Him in faith will also descend. (Notice that I am using language drawn from the prayer of consecration for the water of Baptism, cited above.)
And, as He descends into the waters, He accomplishes two things:
- A baptism for the repentance of sins is the first step in following Christ,
- He makes it possible for the newly baptized person to become an heir in Christ of the power of the Holy Spirit, that power which was made manifest on the great day of Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit descended noticeably, with power, like tongues of fire, which rested on each of the gathered disciples.
And, as we follow Him into the waters of baptism, we follow His example, dying to our
old life, for we are buried with Him in a death like His. (Notice again the reference to the prayer of consecration, cited above. This concept draws its inspiration from St. Paul’s description of the process of baptism – see Romans 6: 3 – 7.)
As we follow Him, walking with Him in the Christian life, we also follow His example,
following His teachings, and learning to “take up our cross daily to follow Him.” (Luke 9: 23).
Here again, we see the Lord leading by example, for His death on the cross for our sins and for our salvation shows by example His love for the Father, and for us.
Everything changes!
Everything changes as the Lord Jesus descends into our hearts, more and more, little bit by little bit. Our perspectives change, our self-centered attitudes begin to vanish, our willingness to walk apart from the Lord begins to lose its power, its grip over us. We die to our old, sinful selves.
By His descent into our hearts, the clear message He sends us is “You’re worth it!” “I claim you as my own child for all eternity.”
Thanks be to God!
AMEN.
