In the course of Our Story (I would refer you back to the Nov. 19, 2024 for more details), we have come to "Jesus is baptized for us". This is the kickoff to Jesus' ministry. What comes before in Luke and Matthew are brought together as the Christmas Season for us, with a few other details for context What comes in John is Jesus connected to creation itself. Mark is the one who starts us closest to the baptism, with an introduction from Isaiah and the entry of John the Baptizer.
Yes, the bible calls him "Baptist" but that is not a denominational thing, it is a theological thing (the way we think about our faith) that is a whole other set of blog posts.
What struck me about this moment is that it is perhaps the only time when the entire Trinity, God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, appear on the page together. Follow me on this. Jesus is there (obviously), according to the version in Luke (3:21), Jesus had been baptized with water and was praying. Then comes the Holy Spirit, 'the heaven was opened and the Holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form like a dove.' That has been the inspiration for much Christian art and iconography over the centuries. It concludes with the vocalized presence of God the Faither, "You are my Son, the Beloved; with You I am well pleased."
It may be that the Trinity is the most often quoted "in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit" piece of theology in the Christian faith while also the most under-understood. I do not mean "misunderstood", the three fold division is fairly straight forward. Rather, I mean that we often do not appreciate the nuance, the detail of what the Trinity tells us about God.
Consider for a moment 'the tableau' of our Christmas pageant. That is the final scene of the Pageant, the scene of our creche. It brings together the elements of Luke and Matthew, shepherds and Magi, around the birth of our Lord, connected by Jesus, the first family, and the angels. If we use that as a frame of reference, maybe the Baptism of our Lord provides a more intentional tableau for us, the bringing together of a scene.
The easiest part of this scene to understand is Jesus. He is God incarnate (made human), our Savior.
God the Father is present as the Voice (maybe better to write it as THE VOICE to distinguish it from the television program). He speaks to Jesus so that everyone can hear. "You are MY Son, the Beloved. With You I am well pleased..." Maybe there is something to read between the lines? I am well pleased with My Son, the Beloved, but the rest of you leave something to be desired... That all of us NEED Jesus?
Remember, God is the Creator. Made it all in seven days. Says so in the Scriptures. All-powerful, but usually speaks through visions, prophets, angels, or other intermediary media. Not this time. Perhaps this is how Jesus and the Father speak all the time?
But before God speaks, the Holy Spirit swoops down in a form 'like a dove'. And the very text of Luke changes. Before this moment, Luke sets Jesus into the time line governed by God above. Isn't it amazing how God moved an empire so that Jesus would be born in Bethlehem?
Luke 2:1 "In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus...the first registration while Quirinius was governor of Syria." The Emperor's first registration (a hint there were more?) and a historic cross reference. And yet today, scholars still argue over an 8-10 year time frame in which Jesus was born. Does it feel to anyone that Luke, as inspired by God, anticipated this? Because the next time frame is far more precise.
Luke 3:1 "In the fifteenth year of the reign of Emperor Tiberius; cross reference, Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea; cross reference, Herod was ruler of Galilee; cross reference, his brother Philip was ruler of Ituraea and Trachonitis; cross reference, Lysanias was ruler of Abilene (NOT Texas); cross reference, Annas and Caiaphas were the high priests in Jerusalem. Six temporal points brought together, was it for precision?
After this, it is as though Jesus' time line is suddenly run by the Holy Spirit.
Luke 4:1 "Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness..."
Luke 4:14 "Then Jesus, filled with the power of the Spirit, returned to Galilee..." The story goes on from there that Jesus is in Nazareth, where He speaks of the nature of the Spirit according to the prophet Isaiah, concluding with "Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing..."
From there, there are neither 'secular' time markers nor 'Spirit' markers. In Jesus, has a plan come together? Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, coming together as Jesus begins his ministry among us. For us. Saving us. A moment that represents so much more.
Peace,
Pastor Peter
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