Baptism: The Baptism of Jesus and Our Own

 Baptism: The Baptism of Jesus and Our Own

Luke 3:21-23 (HCSB): 21 When all the people were baptized, Jesus also was baptized. As He was praying, Heaven opened, 22 and the Holy Spirit descended on Him in a physical appearance like a dove. And a voice came from Heaven: You are My beloved Son. I take delight in You!

Today we celebrated the “Baptism of the Lord”. Like most who read this, I was not brought up in a “high church”, just a simple one, with hymns sung out of tune, with notes missing on our twice owned Hammond organ. We had preachers, like me, who were a little longwinded. We made a big to do about Christmas and Easter, but left all the other key events in Jesus’ life out.  His baptism is one of them.  

Well, I’m not going to create controversy here regarding the use of running water, a stream, or lake or baptistry for baptisms; pouring, sprinkling or immersion;  age or how much one knows before he or she is baptized.  

What I simply want to do is say, remember your baptism and be thankful.  In a way, it is the birthday of your new life in Christ.  It is the entry point where we begin our journey with other baptized Christians from now to eternity.  When I reaffirmed my baptismal vows today, I was not rebaptized but experienced the rekindling of my energy that has diminished due to this past year’s events, both personal and communal. The baptism of Jesus caused me to remember again all that He is to me, all He went through for me and that He died in my place, taking my sins upon Himself so that I may be with God forever. This day reignited my commitment to Him which was  initially made at my baptism.

No matter the age when you were baptized, it was first, God’s claim on your life.  And when you accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior  (whether it was the same day of your baptism or years apart), it was then that your baptism was ignited with the Holy Spirit. Let us remember that, and be thankful.   When we are baptized, we repent of our sin and publicly turned to Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord. When we are baptized, we profess the Christian faith as contained the Old and New Testaments.  It was then that we accepted responsibility to resist evil, injustice and oppression by the grace and power of God (we know that we could not do it on our own).  We promise to keep God’s holy will and commandments and walk in them all the days of our life by the grace and power of God.

Today,  I prayed these words from this hymn that many of us know:

Breathe on me, Breath of God,
fill me with life anew,
that I may love the way you love,
and do what you would do. 

Breathe on me, Breath of God,
until my heart is pure,
until my will is one with yours,
to do and to endure. 

Breathe on me, Breath of God,
so shall I never die,
but live with you the perfect life
for all eternity.

Amen

I would encourage those of you who have been baptized to reaffirm your vows every year, renewing, reigniting, reenergizing the vows that you took when you were baptized, and let the Holy Spirit rekindle your commitment to Him.  And then, go out and celebrate the victory that Jesus has had over your life. 

Quentin

Sharecropper’s  Inheritance

In Celebration of Our Lord’s Baptism, by John, at the River Jordan, 2025