First Sunday after Epiphany Part 2
(The Baptism of Jesus)
Reading. Acts 19:1-7. The question that Paul asks of the believers in Corinth has always been of interest. The inference seems to be that Paul expected baptised people to somehow be different! John the Baptist had come announcing the Messiah, marking a new direction for the People of Israel. John’s baptism was one of repentance, of washing away of sin. It was not simply renouncing evil ways but of changing what the people thought about God. They had to change their minds and understand that God was in action with the coming of Jesus as Messiah. That is why it was Jews themselves who were being initiated (re-initiated?) into the family of God as People of the Messiah. This baptism was preparing them for the coming salvation that Messiah would achieve and gaining entrance into the Kingdom of God. The passage for today is set after the death and resurrection of Jesus. After Pentecost and the coming of the Spirit, church leaders obeyed the command of Jesus and baptised believers not only by water for repentance but also to receive the Holy Spirit. The church’s teaching was that Jesus as Messiah was now reigning at God’s right hand (Heb 1:3), having initiated the Kingdom of God; the baptised then had died to the old life and commenced their new life as participants in the Kingdom of God. Now as this group of people in Corinth are baptised in the name of the Lord Jesus they speak in tongues and announce prophecies. A change is observed as the Holy Spirit comes upon them.
This story in Acts recalls an incident in the life of the early church. As we ponder this reading today the question is, “Are we changed because of our baptism, and if we are, how are we changed?” We know that baptism is fundamentally an act of God; it is not about what we do but what God has done for us through Jesus Christ. Because of this our lives are changed, so perhaps the question is not, are we changed, but how do we live out the new life that God has given to us?
Prayer. God, the Father of all, as your sons and daughters who have been baptised, and rejoicing in the gift of the Holy Spirit: We thank you that the Spirit awakens us to new truth, strengthens us in our daily pilgrimage, and inspires us to venture out into life. We thank you for your church and for our fellowship with Christ, who shows us the way of discipleship. Praise be to God, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen. (Adapted from Uniting in Worship 1988)
Reading. Mark 1:4-11 Mark like all the other gospel writers chooses to introduce Jesus through the ministry of John the Baptist. Quoting from Isaiah and other ancient prophets in his opening verses the people reading and hearing John would have recognised that John was announcing the coming of Messiah and the Day of the Lord. In verse 10 he draws again on an idea from Isaiah when he describes the heavens being torn apart. He uses the Greek verb “schizo” which suggests a violent tearing of the heavens to allow the voice to be heard. In Isaiah we read, “O that you would tear open the heavens and come down, so that the mountains would quake at your presence”— Isaiah 64:1 (NRSV) Isaiah sees the nation struggling and moving away from God, so it is a plea for God to come down to earth and take action. As Mark uses this similar phrase his message to the reader is that in the coming of Jesus, God is doing something, bringing in the Day of the Lord. Mark’s full attention is on Jesus, who he is, and above all that he has God’s full approval. “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.” This heavenly statement reinforces Mark’s assertion that Jesus is the promised Messiah. The coming of the Spirit to rest on Jesus is further confirmation of Jesus’ Messianic identity. The coming of the Messiah indicates the beginning of the Kingdom of God. Here is the opportunity to both recognise the kingdom is coming and through Messiah to be involved in this kingdom. This might all seem quite theoretical but Mark’s recording that Jesus has been acknowledged as the one with whom God is “well pleased” means that through Jesus, God’s pleasure rests not only on Him but also on us. No wonder Paul can say, “For in him every one of God’s promises is a “Yes.” For this reason it is through him that we say the “Amen,” to the glory of God” 2 Corinthians 1:20 (NRSV) Mark is bringing a message of hope to a troubled nation and that same message of hope is being passed on to us. No matter what we are facing, Jesus is the one on whom we can rely. He is the one who will lead us into the future that God has prepared for all his people. As we trust and follow Jesus he is the one who will give us a life of fulfilment and peace.
Prayer. Almighty, and Everlasting God, we thank and praise you for sending your Son to be the one who would lead us home to you. We thank you that in Him we can know the fullness of your goodness and grace to us. Grant that more and more we may learn to trust and obey you. We thank you for never leaving us but always walking with us. Lead us on into the future that you have prepared. May we face each day with the confidence of knowing your love never fails. This we pray through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
Collect. Jesus, beloved Son of God, the Spirit came upon you at your baptism and the heavens were split asunder; may the same Spirit so direct, guide and rule our lives, that we will gratefully live as sons and daughters of God now and for ever. Amen.
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