THE BAPTISM OF JESUS

 

The Baptism of our Lord is always celebrated by the church shortly after Christmas and even more shortly after the New Year.

 

Some might ask, "Why was Jesus baptized? After all, He certainly didn't need to be baptized. He didn't have any sins of which to be ashamed and for which He needed to repent and be forgiven. Did He?"

 

Well, yes He did. He had a whole world full of sins: ours, yours and mine. "Chief of Sinners Though I Be, Christ is all in all to me; All my wants to Him are known; All my sorrows are His own." (Words from a well known hymn by William McComb.)

 

Jesus' baptism reminds me of just how far He was willing to go for me. He became one with me so that I could be one with Him.

 

All of my life, well, at least for a great part of my life, I have striven to be one with Jesus. I have striven to live in such a way that by my words and actions I would not bring shame to His name. After all, as a Christian I carry His name. Sad to say, however, that in spite of my striving I often have not been successful in this endeavor. At times like that I hope that no body is listening or watching, or at least not listening or watching very carefully.

 

Of course someone always is. My Lord always is. But in contrast to those who are just waiting to get the scoop on me, and most certainly in contrast to those who relish the opportunity to scrutinize my my speech and behavior so that they might have grounds to be critical of me, my Lord takes all of my shame upon Himself there in the Jordan River, and then most compassionately carries my burden to and then onto the cross. He carries that which was crushing me, and He sets me free from its terrible consequences.

 

May I also then look at you and my neighbor the same way, and may you and they likewise at me the same way. Remembering our Lord's baptism and our being baptized into Him equips us in this regard - to also be agents of forgiveness. Forgiveness which at the heart of God's Kingdom's business, which by the way is at the Heart of God's Kingdom Prayer, the Lord's Prayer.

 

Pastor David Albertin

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