Homily – 1/7/18
We have today’s gospel from Mark, the baptism of Jesus in the Jordan River. John had been preaching a baptism of repentance from sin. He was an outsider, as the gospel writers clearly tell us. “Now John was clothed with camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey.” This is meant to paint a picture for us of just how much of an outsider John was. He dressed funny. He ate weird foods. He consorted with the wrong kind of people. He lived alone in the desert. And yet this strange man connected with people through his message of repenting from their sins and returning to God. Remember that it had been more than 300 years since a prophet from God had been heard from. The people knew that they were not right with God, and were eager to hear again from God’s messenger. And so, this bizarre man who was completely outside of their normal experience was surprisingly enough, someone they would listen to.
But rather than allow himself to be elevated by the people, John maintained his humility and proclaimed the coming of another who would be more powerful than he. “The one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the thong of his sandals. I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.” John foretold the coming of the worthy one who would baptize not with water, but with the Holy Spirit. And then we have Jesus coming to John to be baptized.
Mark doesn’t mention this, but in Matthew we hear the same story, but with a bit more added. “Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan, to be baptized by him. John would have prevented him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” But Jesus answered him, “Let it be so now; for it is proper for us in this way to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he consented.”
John knew who he was, and even more importantly, who he wasn’t. John knew that he was not the Messiah. He had been given gifts of the spirit to allow him to fulfill the mission and ministry God had set for him. John knew what his gifts were, but also was very sure what they were not. So, when the Lord comes to him and asks him to do something else, John balks. “No Lord, this isn’t my job. I am not worthy. I am not equipped. It is too big a job. I am afraid. I don’t feel equal to the task. It is not my place.” Yet in the face of these sentiments, Jesus merely tells him, go ahead and do as I ask. Jesus is really telling him, you ARE equipped for the work. It IS part of your calling. For though John didn’t understand it, he was about to have a role in a momentous occurrence.
“Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And just as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit descending like a dove on him. And a voice came from heaven, “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.” Here we see the three aspects of the trinity, God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit each demonstrating their uniqueness, yet acting together in concert to fulfill God’s plan on earth. God in all forms is acting in the world, not for Jesus, but for us. God the Father does not need to speak out loud to Jesus; he does this so that we may hear. Jesus already has the Holy Spirit, but it comes from heaven to him as a visible sign for us to see. God in all forms is acting in the world to remind us of his power and his willingness to love us with all that He is.
John could never have imagined that he would play a role in such an event, but it was his act of baptizing Jesus that precipitated this appearance of the Trinity. Though he tried to turn away from it, John listens to Jesus and the result is nothing short of amazing.
We too are like John. Each of us has been given gifts through the spirit. Each of us has been given a mission and a ministry. Now, there are some of you sitting there and saying to yourselves, ‘he isn’t talking to me. I don’t have any gifts.’ My brothers and sisters, that is pure bunk. I am here to tell you that each one of us, ALL of us, every single one of us is given gifts. Each of us is also given a mission for which these gifts equip us. The challenge is to discern what your gifts are. To help with that, later this month we are presenting a gifts discernment workshop specifically designed to help you discover your unique gifts. I commend it to you as well worth your time and effort.
But there is another lesson that John teaches us here. For remember that John had a clear idea of his mission and his gifts. When Jesus asks him to do something different, John balks and says in effect, “no Lord, that is not part of my mission.” And yet, Jesus knows better. God uses John in a way he could never have imagined, a way far beyond his understanding of his gifts.
So, learn from John. When God calls you to do something, listen to that call. It may be outside your comfort zone. It may be something that you don’t want to do. It may be doing something that you fear. But trust in God. For as John learned, God can use us in ways beyond our imagining. And if we too can trust in God and act, the result may just be that we change the world.