Loving God, by water and the Spirit you reveal our true identity in you and adopt us as your children.  May that same Spirit be in our minds and hearts today as we consider the example of Jesus, for in his name we pray.  Amen.

            Remembering the baptism of Jesus right after Epiphany has always seemed rather sudden to me.  Just last week, we were remembering Jesus as a baby, and then today, he shows up for baptism as an adult.  However, given the manner in which the gospel of Mark starts, perhaps we shouldn’t be surprised.  Mark, as you may recall, says nothing about Jesus’ birth (or John’s for that matter), and both of them just show up as adults in today’s gospel.

         At the same time, baptism marks a new beginning – both for Jesus and for us – which is certainly worth considering as we embark upon a new year.  In Jesus’ case, his baptism marked the beginning of his ministry, confirmed his identity, and put him in solidarity with all those who repent and seek forgiveness in baptism.  After all, Jesus didn’t need to have his sins forgiven or to repent.  Instead, he humbles himself in order to identify fully with all those who are seeking God with repentance and faith.  Then, as he does so, two rather amazing things happen.

         First, the heavens are torn apart as the Holy Spirit descends like a dove – reminding us of the prayer that was spoken by Isaiah: “O that you would tear open the heavens and come down, so that the mountains would quake at your presence” (Is. 64:1).  Isaiah was hoping for some judgment and punishment of the wicked at the time – some cleansing that would lead the people back to a right relationship with God.  For Jesus, however, the Spirit fulfills a different purpose.

         As the Spirit descends on Jesus, a voice from heaven also speaks, saying, “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased” (Mk. 1:11).  This voice from heaven is the second amazing thing at the baptism of Jesus, where Father, Son and Holy Spirit all seem to be present and active.  And, as it happens, the voice speaks the words of Scripture.  Two different verses are put together in order to reveal that Jesus will be both a Servant and a King (Ps. 2:7; Is. 42:1) – the Messiah and a Light to the nations.

         However, just as we are wrenched away from the baby Jesus to witness his baptism as an adult, there is no time for Jesus to revel in this moment and bask in the glory of God.  Instead, in the very next verse (which we didn’t hear today), the Spirit drives him out into the wilderness in order to be tempted by the devil (Mk. 1:12-13).  There is no time for Jesus to be comfortable – no time to breathe in the water and the Spirit.  More pressing needs are at hand – challenges that will force Jesus to rely on that same Holy Spirit.

         Of course, Jesus will, in fact, take time for prayer – both while he is in the wilderness and in the midst of his ministry.  He simply cannot do the things that he needs to do without being in constant conversation with his Father in heaven.  And really, is it any different for us?

         We, too, have been baptized by water and the Spirit.  We, too, have been affirmed in our identity as children of God and inheritors of eternal life.  We, too, have been set apart for ministry (even though not everybody thinks that way), and we have been given gifts for ministry.

         As you may have noticed in today’s readings, the Holy Spirit figures prominently.  It might also be important to know that, at least in Hebrew, the word for “spirit” is the same word as wind and breath.  The Spirit of God moved over the waters.  “A wind from God” moved over the waters.  The breath of God moved over the waters.  All of these are possible translations of Genesis 1:2 – and the Spirit, the breath, the wind, is always active and bringing forth life.

         Over the last few weeks I’ve been reading about some of the Celtic saints who were torn between living in isolation as a hermit or being drawn into mission and ministry in the wider world.  Some went back and forth between the two ways of life, while others spent time as a hermit before founding a monastery or a convent.  In each case, they spent time in the presence of God, seeking the leading of the Holy Spirit in what they were called to do.

         The thing is that none of us are given the Holy Spirit solely for our own benefit.  We are baptized into a community – or communion – of people, so that by supporting one another as followers of Jesus, we are empowered to share the good news of God’s love in the world.  As we do so, there will be times when we need to stop, and breathe, and allow the Spirit of God to flow through us.  For, it is only through such pauses for prayer that we get a sense of in which direction the Spirit, the wind and the breath are moving us.

         May all of us be given a firm sense of where the Spirit is leading us this year, through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

Baptism of Our Lord (B)                  Mark 1:4-11

January 7, 2024                               Genesis 1:1-5

St. Luke’s Zion Lutheran Church

Pastor Lynne Hutchison

© 2024 Lynne Hutchison  All Rights Reserved