The Baptism of Our Lord: A Sermon by Deacon Terry

​Today marks the first Sunday after the Epiphany.
For those of us who maybe a little rusty, or just didn’t know.
The word Epiphany comes from the Greek – meaning showing forth,
appearance, manifestation.
Epiphany is a time for remembering that Jesus is GOD.
It is a season for us to re dedicate ourselves and our ministries.
This year there will be 6 Sundays in Epiphany, it’s different every year,
based on when Easter is celebrated.
There are 4 major themes in Epiphany
The confession of Peter – when Peter sees Jesus as the Christ – the son
of the living God.
The conversion of Paul – when Saul becomes Paul on the road to
Damascus – Paul becomes a believer
The presentation of Jesus in the temple – when Mary & Joseph take
Jesus into the temple as an infant and Simeon, a guy who has been waiting
his whole life to see the messiah, holds Jesus and finally sees Jesus.

And Today’s theme – The baptism of Jesus
When Jesus goes to the Jordan to be baptized by John, who sees Jesus
and realizes who he truly is.
There seems to be a theme in these 4 major Sundays of Epiphany.
I took some time to check out baptism and its significance in each of the
major church denominations, because I was curious about the different
traditions and why they are different.
If you are Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Lutheran, Episcopalian,
Methodist or Presbyterian, you tend to baptize infants, but can baptize
adults. They baptize through immersion, pouring or sprinkling.
If your Baptist or Pentecostal – you would need to be a believing adult and
you would be immersed.
If you are Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Lutheran, Episcopalian,
Methodist or Presbyterian, for the most part you are cleansed from sin and
are given new birth.
If you are Baptist or Pentecostal it is symbolic of salvation already received.
So, what do we do with all this valuable information?
Who’s right, who’s wrong? Does it matter?
The Old Testament reading we just heard from Isaiah said “here is my
servant, whom I uphold, my chosen. I have put my spirit upon him to bring
justice to the nations”.
The New Testament reading from Acts says, “Beginning in Galilee after the
baptism that John announced – how God announced Jesus with the Holy
Spirit, how he went out doing good, for God was with him”.
And in our Gospel we hear “Jesus came from Galilee to be baptized by
John”, after that moment he saw the spirit of God descending like a dove
and aligning on him”

Did you pick up on anything in these three readings?
In case you didn’t, here is what I picked up on.
In each of these readings the SPIRIT shows up.
This helps me to understand that the Holy Spirit has always been around.
Before Jesus, during Jesus’ lifetime and still is.
WOW
These three readings when put together help me to better understand the
Trinity.
Not that I really do – but it helps.
So thinking about Baptism, based on these readings
I think of the SPIRIT OF BAPTISM.
Water = whether Baptism is through immersion, sprinking or pouring –
doesn’t seem as important.
Infant or adult – May not be as important as we think
It seems to be about the SPIRIT in which the Baptism is done and where
the heart of the people involved – more than the “act” itself.
The wise people of each denomination, though differed in how baptism
should be performed and understood, they made these decisions in the
SPIRIT.
Their hearts were in the right place.
Seems like God had a plan for Jesus from the get go to be baptized, based
on our Old Testament reading, followed up by the New Testament reading
that Jesus was with the Holy Spirit after the baptism.
Now I want to switch gears and think about John for a quick minute.

Have you ever been asked to do something that you felt unqualified for?
Something that someone believed you to be capable of, but you yourself
didn’t feel that way?
Did you feel that maybe the person asking you was more qualified than you
were?
I often feel that way when thinking about my role as a Deacon. I often feel
unworthy, uneducated, ill trained and not consistent.
I often feel that so many others are so much more capable in so many
ways than I, to fill this role.
God can definitely trade up in my case.
Looking at John the Baptist, one of my hero’s I see a guy that was doing all
this baptizing, getting all the accolades, all the attention, yet was a simple
man. One who was faithful and dutiful.
How many of us would have simply “stepped aside”, to tell the world that
you is just a side show? That Jesus is the main attraction.
Think about how John must have felt, when Jesus came to him to be
baptized. Talk about feeling unworthy, uneducated, ill trained and
inconstant! (at least I don’t eat wild locust and honey).
Then I think back on my original question about denominational baptisms.
The importance of the differences. I ponder the faith filled, educated, spirit
filled people who established these different rituals and the importance of
the baptism ritual and think how GOD uses all types of people to bring
others closer to him.
From the Baptist, to the Catholics, to the Episcopalians and yes to John the
baptizer, you and me.
Each of us grows closer to GOD through baptism in whichever way it is
performed.
Closeness to GOD, belonging to the family of GOD, through his church.

God said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”
He said this after he was baptized; leading us to believe that baptism has a
role for each of us.
Another stroke of genius in today’s readings is our collect.
Calling us to remember the promises made.
Here it is again:
Father in Heaven, who at the baptism of Jesus in the river Jordan
proclaimed him, your beloved son and anointed him with the Holy Spirit;
Grant that we may keep the covenant that we have made, and boldly
confess him as Lord and Savior, who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and
reigns, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen
Reflecting on the Baptism of Jesus this morning, I thought as we begin a
new year, it may be a good time to reflect on our baptism.
The promises we made or someone made on our behalf.
As I read the questions we all promised, I ask we reflect in our hearts each
question.
This is a ‘gut check”. Do we really believe the things we say or do we just
“play church”?
Do you renounce Satan and all the
spiritual forces
of wickedness that rebel against
God?

I renounce them.

 

Do you renounce the evil powers of
this world
which corrupt and destroy the
creatures of God?
I renounce them.

 

Do you renounce all sinful desires
that draw you
from the love of God?
I renounce them.

 

Do you turn to Jesus Christ and
accept him as your
Savior?
I do.

 

Do you put your whole trust in his
grace and love?
I do.

Do you promise to follow and obey him as your
Lord? I Do
These, our promises were made with Godly intention. With honest and
sincere hearts, just like those baptism requirements from different ways
of faith I mentioned before, just like John’s baptizing Jesus.
None is perfect, and that’s the point.
God uses every one of us, his children differently and in ways that are
unique for each of us.
Reflecting on the baptism of Jesus, thinking about the “rules” of each
major denomination for baptism and on our own baptism on this first
Sunday of Epiphany gives us a chance to examine ourselves, how we
see others, how we witness humbleness in ourselves and others, and
finally how we are measuring up to our baptismal promises.
On this Sunday, take the time to re set your spiritual clock for 2026.
Reflect, not on how you were baptized, reflect on where your heart was
then, where it is now, and where you want it to be.
AMEN