Luke 3:1-18; 22-23
At the end of today’s reading, Jesus comes to John the Baptizer and
is baptized. Baptism becomes a part of the Christian life forever—a rite, an
act of faith. But what is baptism?
In the United Methodist Church, baptism is one of two sacraments—the
other is Communion. Sacraments are tangible acts that impart God’s grace—in
Communion we share bread and cup; in baptism we go through water. Another way
to think of ‘sacrament’ is as an outward and visible sign or symbol of an
inward and invisible grace working in our lives. Baptism is an outward and
visible sign of a change of heart, of a change of relationship with God, of a
new relationship with the people of God around us. Baptism is how and when we
become a part of God’s family.
But, baptism is not an end in itself. John quickly disabuses us of
such a notion in his preaching. He invites the people to a “baptism of
repentance.” Repentance means basically “to change directions.” Though some
suggest that it means to make a 180-degree turn-around, I’m fine to understand
it as an intentional, purposeful, grace-inspired change of direction. So,
baptism is an outward sign of the beginning of something new, the beginning of
living in a new direction. What does that new living look like?
As John responds to the people, tax collectors, and soldiers, we
see the pattern of this repentant life: generosity, sharing, fairness, and
contentment. John does not set a terribly high bar, but this does tell us
something about human nature in the 1st Century—it was not so
different from our own in the 21st Century. To live as generous,
sharing, fair, and contented people today would be to live so
counter-culturally, right? The Gospel calls us to live against the grain, to
stand against a culture that encourages us to get more and hold on to it, to
look out for ourselves and not worry about those around us, to always want more
and to be more and to never be content. Baptism is an outward and visible sign
that God is moving us to change directions in our hearts and minds, to live
differently.
We do well to remember our baptism from time to time. If we were
brought as an infant, as a child, we recognize that someone—our parents, our
family—loved us so much that they brought us to the waters of baptism knowing
that God could and would do something for us they could not do, wanting so much
for us to be a part of God’s family. If we came a young people or adults, we
were surrounded by friends and family (a church family) who cheered us on as we
followed Jesus in a new direction in our lives. And, for those who have never
been through the waters, the call of John echoes through the centuries to us
today urging us to repent—to change directions in our lives as God’s grace gently
beckons us—and be baptized: allow God to grace our lives through this outward
and visible act as God changes our inward lives.
Amen
Sunday, January 12, 2025
“Getting Ready—Baptism”
Watch/Listen: HERE
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