« “A Twelve-Year-Old in the Temple” | Main | “The Royal Law” »
January 10, 2010
“John’s Baptism and Christian Baptism”
Luke 3: 1-18 & 21-22
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Some folks might be taking a slow pace as they begin the new year, but not those of us who Worship at Faith Church. We are quickly moving through the first part of the life of Jesus. Two weeks ago as we ended the previous year we looked at events that occurred some 40 days after the birth of Jesus. Last week we moved ahead 12 years to see the 12 year old Jesus in the Temple. This week we have moved ahead another 18 years to read about the baptism of Jesus when he was 30 years old.
Luke really does not tell us much about the event of Jesus’ Baptism. He does tell us that after Jesus was baptized, while he was praying, The Holy Spirit came on him in the form of a dove and God the Father spoke from heaven saying “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased”.
Although Luke does not give us many of the details of Jesus’ baptism, he does tell us a lot about what being baptized by John signified. He tells us that John’s baptism was “a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.” Which means that the baptism of John was a sign that the baptized person had repented of his or her sins. John came calling people to repent. He came calling people to repent because there was a judgment coming from God.
There is a lot of language in this passage that deals with the coming judgment. John yelled at those who he thought were not taking his baptism or their sins seriously by calling them the offspring of vipers, snakes, fleeing a coming fire. We assume that these people were coming to John for baptism without taking repentance seriously.
He also said “Even now the ax is lying at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire”. The references to an ax and fire warn about a coming judgment. The Messiah was coming. His coming would bring about Salvation for those who would trust in him, but it would bring judgment upon those who would not. Those who were baptized were declaring that they were sorry for their acts of disobedience against God. They were declaring that they were ready for and looking for the Savior whom God was sending.
But being prepared for the Salvation that the Messiah was bringing involved more than being baptized. It involved a change in behavior.
Those who came to John to be baptized asked him what they should do to escape judgment. He said “Whoever has two coats must share with anyone who has none, and whoever has food must do likewise.” Those who are baptized are to share their wealth and resources with those who lack the essentials of life.
To tax collectors John said, “Collect no more than the amount prescribed for you.” To soldiers he said, “Do not extort money from anyone by threats or false accusation, and be satisfied with your wages”.
Those who are baptized are to be generous to the poor, they are to be honest, not cheating others in any way or threatening others, and they are to be content with their wages and live within their means.
The people who came to John asked if he was the Messiah. He said No and stated that he was just a humble servant of the Messiah. He also spoke of the difference between his baptism and the baptism that would come from the Messiah: “I baptize with water….He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.”
John’s baptism was a ritual washing, nothing but a symbol of the cleansing salvation that the Messiah would bring. Jesus’ baptism, Christian baptism is more than just a symbol, it is a means of Grace. God’s Holy Spirit is present in the act of Christian Baptism and from that point on continues to work in the lives of those who truly believe in Jesus and seek to please him.
This explanation of John’s baptism might lead you to ask or at least wonder why then was Jesus baptized by John? If it was a baptism that was anticipatory of the forgiveness of sins or the remission of sins, why would the only one who was sinless be baptized. He had no need to repent. He had no sins to turn away from.
The answer is this: Jesus was baptized for you. He was baptized as an example for us that all who are His are to be baptized as He was. He was also baptized as a symbol of what he would do on the cross. In his death on the cross he would take our sins onto and into himself. In His baptism he claimed our sins and repented of our sins and pledged to offer the sacrifice that would erase our sins.
Today we remember and celebrate our baptism. We have been baptized not by John or into John but by the church and into Jesus. Our baptism is a symbol of our repentance. We are sorry for our sins and we are striving to live free from sin. Our baptism is a pledge that we are trying to be generous to the poor, honest in all our interactions with others, and content with what we have. In our Baptism we identify with Jesus, God’s own beloved Son, the one who died for us, and we acknowledge that He is the promised one who has been sent by God. In our baptism we celebrate the accomplishment of our salvation. We have not yet received it in its final form, but it is finished and waiting for us.
Let us now renew the vows that we took when we were baptized or that our parents or guardians took for us when we were infants or children.
Pastor David Horner
Faith Presbyterian Church
West Lafayette, IN 47906
Posted by faithpres at January 10, 2010 02:23 PM