13 Jesus then appeared, arriving at the Jordan River from Galilee. He wanted John to baptize him. 14 John objected, "I'm the one who needs to be baptized, not you!" 15 But Jesus insisted. "Do it. God's work, putting things right all these centuries, is coming together right now in this baptism." So John did it. 16 The moment Jesus came up out of the baptismal waters, the skies opened up and he saw God's Spirit - it looked like a dove - descending and landing on him. 17 And along with the Spirit, a voice: "This is my Son, chosen and marked by my love, delight of my life."
By his baptism Jesus, “ who was like us in all ways except without sin” ,
chooses sides. “He chooses to be identified with the sinful crowd, with the insiders who are really outsiders, rather than with the self-righteous Pharisees and Sadducees. He does not surrender his identify as the sinless one, but he makes an identification with sinners. He accepts their corruption, their sinfulness as his own. He is, In Bonhoeffer’s memorable phrase, ‘The Man For Others.’” Proclamation 2A Epiphany, p. 17
In his Baptism Jesus boldly lets the world know where he stands and where God stands too! God has chosen to be on our side and sent His Son to so identify with us that there can be no mistake about it.
He came to show and tell us about a God who’s compassion is greater than his anger - always - a God who is abounding in steadfast love.
Jesus baptism marked him for
a ministry of mercy -
which is our ministry too.
He was a “man for others “ and we are too!
Prayer thought for the week: “Lord, help me to more compassionate and steadfast in kindness.”
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