Vicar’s sermon Baptism of Christ 12.1.25 Luke 3

Baptism of Christ 12.1.25
Mr Stewart stood opposite me in the Cathedral Choir in Hereford. I was knee high to a grasshopper (still am) on the end of the front row of Cantoris (the Cantor’s side), singing treble. He was on the opposite side (Decani – the side the Dean sat), one of the gentlemen of the choir (and father to a friend of mine), singing alto or counter tenor. This time of year was his time of year because, at the Feast of the baptism of Christ we would sing Orlando Gibbon’s anthem ‘This is the record of John’- a solo for the alto with choir acting as a chorus. Orlando Gibbons wrote at the back end of the reign of Queen Elizabeth 1, a Catholic who ‘made the transition’ to Reformed worship and the Church of England. His anthem is in English and gives us the text from John’s Gospel chapter 1: a text with similarities to our Gospel reading today.
John chapter 1 and Luke 3 attempt to answer a question that vexed early Christians: who was John the Baptist. In John 1 we read of ‘the Jews’ sending priest and Levites from Jerusalem to ask John ‘Are you the Messiah’. And the answer he gives is unequivocal: he answers ‘No’.
Luke doesn’t give us this exchange. Instead, as you see in front of you, we read of Jesus’ baptism and of how this was accompanied by the Holy Spirit descending upon Him in the form of a dove and a voice from heaven saying to Jesus ‘You are my Son, my Beloved, with you I am well pleased.’ But note that this declaration is answering the question that began our passage, which was ‘whether John might be the Messiah?’
Ana, in her talk at Wednesday’s communion service, reminded us that this Epiphany season offers us three main moments of revelation, three stories of Jesus’ nature being revealed or uncovered for us to see. The first is the visit of the magi: – where Jesus is revealed as being King of the whole world (not just King of the Jews): the wise men fall in worship before Him as representatives of the nations. The second ‘epiphanic moment is the one we read of today, the baptism of Christ, where John (and those with Him) see Jesus as the Messiah: the anointed one of God. The last of our three stories we will read next week: the wedding at Cana and the changing of the water into wine which the Evangelist John describes as a sign through which Jesus’ disciples ‘believe in Him’.
So, back to today’s reading: it directly answers the confusion abut John the Baptist. He is not the Messiah…and it does this by showing us who is: Jesus. John got us so far. He was aware that there would be one who would come after him; he knew that the one who followed him would baptise, but this person’s baptism would be unlike that which he practiced. It would not be with water but with the Holy Spirit and with fire. And then, with this insight, John witnesses Jesus’ baptism and sees Him anointed by the Holy Spirit. Lets’ remember, lest we forget, that the meaning of the word Messiah (or Christ in Greek) is ‘anointed one’. Jesus is the anointed one of God.
And then, having got clear in our minds that the passage is showing us ‘who is who’ in God’s purposes, we can then think a bit about baptism. It seems strange doesn’t it that, having been told that there is a huge distinction between John’s baptism with water and the Messiah’s baptism with the Holy Spirit and with fire, we make a lot of water baptism here in church and less about baptism with or in the Holy Spirit?
Clearly, the Christian church has practiced water baptism from its earliest days. Jesus commands it, we do it. Ecumenically the world churches agree about water baptism’s importance. Some sprinkle, some dunk, some baptise children, others only adults, some require a considerable period of preparation for parents or candidates, others just ‘get on’ and do it. There are any number of bible passages in the New Testament that speak about being baptised. The apostle Paul has a lot to say about it as you’d imagine. But being baptised with the Holy Spirit? Is this the same as being baptised with water?
Here, Christians have found a capacity to fall out. There are those who believe that baptism with the Holy Spirit is a totally different kettle of fish to baptism with water, a wholly different experience. There are many who would testify to having had a powerful experience of God’s presence that occurred at some distance from their baptism (possibly as an infant many years previously) and that this experience, rather than confirming their ‘water baptism’ leads them to question its validity. There are others for whom this ‘baptism with the Spirit’ is associated very closely with their baptism with water or possibly their confirmation. Quite simply, the New Testament doesn’t give us tidy answers to how this baptism of the Spirit is to be received: you can find texts that point in any number of directions, but that it is essential is in no doubt.
Where there is agreement is on where we might identify the Holy Spirit’s presence in someone’s life. ‘By their fruits you will know them’ said Jesus: and so, where we see the fruit of the Spirit of God (love, joy, peace and so on) we might with confidence say that God’s presence is within a person’s life regardless of whether they have had an overwhelming experience of the Spirit or not. We might also find agreement with other Christians by holding to our Anglican insight that sacraments are ‘outward signs of inward and spiritual graces’: that faith (even if it is just the size of a mustard seed) is always met by God’s faithfulness as we come for baptism.
What does that mean? In scripture ‘fire’ appears at a number of significant moments in Israel’s history. It is there when God and Abram enter into a covenant together. Moses meets God at the burning bush: a fire that burns but doesn’t consume. The people of God are led by a pillar of fire. The top of Mount Sinai burns with fire as the people enter into covenant with the Almighty: fire here is a sign of God’s presence. Fire also burns on the altar before God: we might say that it is a symbol of sacrifice offered.
To be baptised with the Holy Spirit might well encompass some of these things. Christians might expect to have a sense of God’s abiding presence with them: fire as a sign of His covenant. That doesn’t mean we never have our ‘moments’, but He tells us ‘Do not be afraid, I have redeemed you. I have called you by name. You are mine. I will be with you.’ The Holy Spirit is the one who brings this assurance to us. Remembering the burning bush we might have a sense of calling (as Moses) did: a recognition (in life, not just in church) that leads us to worship: it is the Holy Spirit who enables our worship, prays for and through us. As we call to mind the pillar of fire by night we might say that the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives gives us a sense that God leads us – sometimes this may well be by convoluted and mysterious ways, but the Holy Spirit makes real for us a purpose for living and guides us as we seek to follow Christ’s way. The fire of Mount Sinai? This might speak of what is required of those who live in covenant with God: we are no longer bound by religious Law but led by God’s Spirit to fulfil the law to love God with all our heart, mind, soul and strength and to love our neighbours as ourselves. And then lastly, the fire on the altar? a reminder that this Spirit filled life will always involve sacrifice and self offering.
This is the record of John: Are you the Christ? He answered ‘No’. And the Holy Spirit descended upon Jesus. In turn, he baptises us with His Spirit. Not a sprinkle or a splash but a spring of Living water that enables us to live as He lived. As we approach the font in our service let us pray for the fire of the Spirit of Jesus to anoint us again, to the praise and glory of God the Father.
Amen