Baptism of Jesus is about humility and our humility
" When is God with Us?" Epiphany 1.
"Lincoln once got caught up in a situation where he wanted to please a politician, so he issued a command to transfer certain regiments. When the secretary of war, Edwin Stanton, received the order, he refused to carry it out. He said that the President was a fool. Lincoln was told what Stanton had said, and he replied, "If Stanton said I'm a fool, then I must be, for he is nearly always right. I'll see for myself." As the two men talked, the President quickly realized that his decision was a serious mistake, and without hesitation he withdrew it." from sermon illustrations web
Humility can save us from the bad choices we make. Knowing when to be humble and to accept direction from others is important. We do not have all the answers all the time. God has sent others to help us. It is good to be humble.
Jesus did have all the answers and He was divine. Yet he humbled himself and went to the baptism of cleansing and repentance for us. He was fulfilling all righteousness as the sinless Son of God. Jesus was baptized by John just as the others had been. Yet John recognized He did not need it. Luke 3:3 says it was a baptism of "repentance."
January 6 was Epiphany introducing the season of Epiphany that lasts until Lent. The different Sundays commemorate the ' epiphanies' of Christ---that is the revelations of who Jesus is. First we mark the coming of the Wise Men ( the revelation of Christ to the Gentiles); this Sunday we observe the Baptism of Jesus ( when the voice from heaven proclaimed ' This is My Beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.' Matthew 3:17; then His first miracle, His acts of healing, His acts of sovereignty over nature, culminating in the Transfiguration ( when a voice from heaven again says ' This is My Beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to Him.' Matthew 17:5 Then Lent begins , as Jesus goes to the Cross. ( adapted from Gene Veith, Patrick Henry College).
What about our humility? " Let the griefs, pains and humiliations that come to you help you. You will hate them, as they always hurt. But they will help you to be near to Christ, and you will be learning not to fear them. There is the pain of disappointment when some cherished plan has gone wrong, and you are inclined to be bitter and resentful: but let it help you to think more about Christ's pain and disappointment; then you are nearer to him and it becomes very different.....Be ready to accept humiliations: they can hurt terribly, but they help you to be humble, and to be a little nearer to our humble and crucified Lord. There is nothing to fear if you are near to our Lord and in his hands." Glory Descending- Michael Ramsey and His Writings, Dales,
The people needed to repent but Jesus did not need to. Why did he subject Himself to this humility? " that He may hallow the baptismal streams....and that he may beyond all doubt bury the old Adam beneath the flood. For He who is both Spirit and Flesh would open, to all that should ever be baptized, the power of grace, whereby we may be born again, of the water and the Spirit." ST Gregory Nazianus
Our humble Lord shows us the way that is the way of the cross even for us His disciples. When is God with us? " He is acquainted with all my ways" Psalm 139. This means He is even with us in the hardest times of our lives when we do not see a way forward. " Fear not: for I have redeemed thee. I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you." Isaiah 43
Be ready to accept humiliations. They can hurt terribly. They help you to be near to our Lord. There is nothing to fear if you are near to our Lord. You are called by thy name; thou are mine. I will be with thee. There is nothing to fear.
In this Epiphany tide we are His light.
" Songs of thankfulness and praise,Jesus Lord to thee we raise, manifested by the Star to the sages from afar; branches of royal David's stem in thy birth at Bethelehem; anthems to thee be addressed, God in man made manifest.
Manifest at Jordan's stream, Prophet, Priest and King supreme; and at Cana, wedding guest, in thy Godhead manifest; manifest in power divine, changing water into wine; anthems be to thee addressed, God in man made manifest....
Grant us grace to see thee, Lord, mirrored in thy holy Word; may we imitate thee now, and be pure, as pure art thou; that we like to thee may be at thy great Epiphany; and may praise thee , ever blest, God in man made manifest." Words" Christopher Wordsworth 1862
"Lincoln once got caught up in a situation where he wanted to please a politician, so he issued a command to transfer certain regiments. When the secretary of war, Edwin Stanton, received the order, he refused to carry it out. He said that the President was a fool. Lincoln was told what Stanton had said, and he replied, "If Stanton said I'm a fool, then I must be, for he is nearly always right. I'll see for myself." As the two men talked, the President quickly realized that his decision was a serious mistake, and without hesitation he withdrew it." from sermon illustrations web
Humility can save us from the bad choices we make. Knowing when to be humble and to accept direction from others is important. We do not have all the answers all the time. God has sent others to help us. It is good to be humble.
Jesus did have all the answers and He was divine. Yet he humbled himself and went to the baptism of cleansing and repentance for us. He was fulfilling all righteousness as the sinless Son of God. Jesus was baptized by John just as the others had been. Yet John recognized He did not need it. Luke 3:3 says it was a baptism of "repentance."
January 6 was Epiphany introducing the season of Epiphany that lasts until Lent. The different Sundays commemorate the ' epiphanies' of Christ---that is the revelations of who Jesus is. First we mark the coming of the Wise Men ( the revelation of Christ to the Gentiles); this Sunday we observe the Baptism of Jesus ( when the voice from heaven proclaimed ' This is My Beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.' Matthew 3:17; then His first miracle, His acts of healing, His acts of sovereignty over nature, culminating in the Transfiguration ( when a voice from heaven again says ' This is My Beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to Him.' Matthew 17:5 Then Lent begins , as Jesus goes to the Cross. ( adapted from Gene Veith, Patrick Henry College).
What about our humility? " Let the griefs, pains and humiliations that come to you help you. You will hate them, as they always hurt. But they will help you to be near to Christ, and you will be learning not to fear them. There is the pain of disappointment when some cherished plan has gone wrong, and you are inclined to be bitter and resentful: but let it help you to think more about Christ's pain and disappointment; then you are nearer to him and it becomes very different.....Be ready to accept humiliations: they can hurt terribly, but they help you to be humble, and to be a little nearer to our humble and crucified Lord. There is nothing to fear if you are near to our Lord and in his hands." Glory Descending- Michael Ramsey and His Writings, Dales,
The people needed to repent but Jesus did not need to. Why did he subject Himself to this humility? " that He may hallow the baptismal streams....and that he may beyond all doubt bury the old Adam beneath the flood. For He who is both Spirit and Flesh would open, to all that should ever be baptized, the power of grace, whereby we may be born again, of the water and the Spirit." ST Gregory Nazianus
Our humble Lord shows us the way that is the way of the cross even for us His disciples. When is God with us? " He is acquainted with all my ways" Psalm 139. This means He is even with us in the hardest times of our lives when we do not see a way forward. " Fear not: for I have redeemed thee. I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you." Isaiah 43
Be ready to accept humiliations. They can hurt terribly. They help you to be near to our Lord. There is nothing to fear if you are near to our Lord. You are called by thy name; thou are mine. I will be with thee. There is nothing to fear.
In this Epiphany tide we are His light.
" Songs of thankfulness and praise,Jesus Lord to thee we raise, manifested by the Star to the sages from afar; branches of royal David's stem in thy birth at Bethelehem; anthems to thee be addressed, God in man made manifest.
Manifest at Jordan's stream, Prophet, Priest and King supreme; and at Cana, wedding guest, in thy Godhead manifest; manifest in power divine, changing water into wine; anthems be to thee addressed, God in man made manifest....
Grant us grace to see thee, Lord, mirrored in thy holy Word; may we imitate thee now, and be pure, as pure art thou; that we like to thee may be at thy great Epiphany; and may praise thee , ever blest, God in man made manifest." Words" Christopher Wordsworth 1862
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