Text: Luke 3:15-17, 21-22                                                                           Calvary 011010
Title: “Do You Believe?”

Last week we began talking about the beginning of the season of Epiphany, and we said that Epiphany means revelation of something that we didn’t know before or we’ve never seen before. And for Christian’s it is the revelation of God’s Gace to the world.

The 1st biblical test that begins this season is the story of the Magi which we talked about last week. Well the 2nd text that always follows the story of the Magi, is the text for this morning which is about the baptism of Jesus.

It’s mention in all 3 Gospels
Mark: J’s baptism serve to identify who Jesus is. And was a way to identify himself with those he came to save.
Matt: voices our concern when John asks “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” and J. responds “it is necessary to fulfill all righteousness”

In the Gospel of Luke however the emphasis is on the events that immediately follows the baptism. You’ll notice john or the Jordon are not mentioned at this point.

Luke was making sure that we don’t get stuck on John and forget about Jesus.
Last week we talked about the temptation for us to want glory and praise.
We have to always remember the main reason why we worship and why we do everything, it’s for the glory or God.

Story: Mary’s appearance
2 weeks ago with Mary’s appearance in several places and the songs about her.

It’s all about Jesus not about us,

Story:       Baptism Without God
in 2006, USA Today reported a new baptism-style ceremonies where God is never mentioned. It said parents are seeking to initiate their children into a world of all faiths.
One of the parents of the Children that was baptized in this way said, “We just wanted a larger spirit to guide our daughter, but we didn't want to get specific. I wanted all her bases covered.” 

The couple said “we just do Christianity L-I-T-E” for Greer, who “believes in angels and fairies, leprechauns and Santa Claus.”
Source:  USA TODAY , April 12, 2006, Cathy Lynn Grossman.

Baptism is not about us or about when or where, it is about God, his grace shown to us in Jesus Christ and in the greatness of the mystery that is given to us in this sacrament.

In his account of Jesus Baptism Luke focuses on the events that immediately follow the baptism. Several things and each of them has significance, and an association and connection with other parts of the biblical text.

1- “the heavens were opened”
It is an echo of Isa prayer in Isa 64, “Oh that you would open the havens and come down, that the mountains would tremble before you.”

As opposed to the story of Joseph in Egypt or Elisha where God closes the heavens and it brings drought, famine and death.

The opening of the heavens reveals blessings and signifies the newness.

2- The second thing is the Holy Spirit that comes upon Jesus, which signifies and marks Jesus ministry. In the following chapter is we see the mention of the H. S.
4:1 “Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan”
4:14 “Then Jesus, filled with the power of the Spirit, returned to Galilee and he began to teach in their synagogues.
4:18 where he is in the synagogue and is given the scroll of Isa to read from and he opens it and reads “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”

The H. S. is not something to be feared but rejoiced over, because it brings freedom, power, release to the captives and oppressed, it brings good news and proclaims the presence of the Lord.

It is also Jesus gift to the church which enables its ministry of witness and service
24:49 “And see, I am sending upon you what my Father has promised.”
And in the opening chapter of the book of Acts, as the church was beginning to form and grow, the Holy Spirit is the one mentioned as being responsible for the ministry.

It is by the power of the Holy Spirit that we are all here service each other and the community. Not because of us or our abilities but because of Gods power that is given to us.

And finally the proclamation of the voice from heaven “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.”
Even though all three Gospels emphasize different aspects of the story, yet all three off them have this same quote.
The fraises “the Beloved” and “well Pleased” both characterize the Father’s relationship to the Son
In the Gospel of Luke the Greek word agapetos translated here as “the beloved” is used only in 2 other places, both times in reference to Jesus:
        At the transfiguration               and in the parable of the Wicked Tenants.

Also the fraise “well pleased” is an attribute reserved only for God. We see it when the angelic chorus at Jesus’ birth announces God’s favor (2:14).

So the voice at the baptism of Jesus describes to us both the identity of the Son and the character of the Father.

The son is Beloved, and that the Father is well pleased.

So we are given this epiphany at the beginning of this Gospel, with the heaven’s opening, the coming of the Holy Spirit and the voice of God. And in the remainder of this Gospel, everything that Jesus does, every word he says, every act he performs, proves, clarifies and assures us of this epiphany.

And we are given a choice, either to ignore and dismiss it, and go one wondering in the wilderness that is this world, looking for a savior and finding non.

Or we embrace the power of this revelation, and believe in it as many before us have, and in return receive something that is incredible, and unimaginably wonderful, that is a God that loves us, cares for us, and most importantly saves us. Amen.