Jesus Baptism Sermon
We all celebrate our birthdays with great joy. We have just celebrated the birthday of Jesus, certainly the greatest birthday of all. Now we are celebrating the feast of his baptism. But I wonder how many of us celebrate the anniversary of our baptisms?

This is a time when we might ask ourselves why Jesus would allow himself to be baptized by John the Baptist and what practical applications might we make in our own lives.

There is a difference between the baptism of John the Baptist and the baptism that Jesus gives to us. The word baptism means to submerge in water. Baptism was not unknown to the Jewish people. Within the Jewish tradition there was a rite of immersion for legal purification for those who had become defiled under the Mosaic Law. Baptism was also used for Gentile converts to Judaism.

From the beginning John’s baptism focused on conversion.
His exhortations and appeals for personal repentance prepared the people to receive baptism – the outward sign of spiritual cleansing.

Jesus had no need of conversion and repentance. He is the sinless one. So, why did Jesus allow himself to be baptized? There are a number of reasons that we can consider.

First of all, Jesus needs to make himself known to the Jewish people.

Jesus walked the earth at a time when modern communication and the news media simply did not exist. A spiritual movement within the Jewish people was being stirred up by John the Baptist. It was very appropriate for Jesus to begin his public ministry by making his first public appearance precisely where John was baptizing. It is John the Baptist who announces to the crowds: “Behold, the Lamb of God!” Two of John’s disciples are so moved by Jesus’ appearance that they decide to become his disciples. Thus, Jesus uses the act of baptism as a means to make himself known to the people.

Secondly, the Lord’s baptism is a moment of decision and identification. For thirty years he has faithfully carried out his Father’s will in the ordinary circumstances of his hidden life. Now the Father is calling him to begin his public ministry. By being baptized, Jesus, although he is sinless, identifies himself with the very people that he has come to save.

At Calvary, Jesus takes the sin of the world upon himself. In a similar way, as he immerses himself in the waters of the Jordan, the sinless one takes upon himself the sins of humanity. Through his baptism, Jesus announces to the world that his public ministry has begun. In his humanity, he freely chooses to complete this mission :
he will carry out the Father’s will to its’ ultimate consequence.
Through his baptism, Jesus identifies himself with all of us; that is,
sinful humanity, so that we can come to him filled with total
confidence and peace.

As we contemplate the mystery of Christ’s baptism, there are a few practical applications that we can consider.

In today’s culture, many people, even those who are baptized Christians, have great difficulty with their own identity. Many people wonder what their purpose is in this life. People find little or no meaning as they carry out their daily activities. A cloud of laziness hangs over many people as they strive to find direction for their lives. People don’t know where they are heading or why.

In the “Alice in Wonderland” book by Lewis Carroll there is a conversation between Alice and a cat :-
The cat says to Alice : Where are you going?
Alice replies : Which way should I go?
And the cat says : That depends on where you are going.
But Alice says : I don’t know.
And the cat says : Then it doesn’t matter which way you go.”

There are many in our culture not unlike Alice who are muddled in their thinking. They do not know where they are going.

And even though the cat in the story says –
“it doesn’t matter which way you go.”

In real life it does matter – it really does matter.
We need to know where we are going.
We need meaning, purpose and direction in our lives.

And Jesus is the one who gives us meaning, purpose and direction. Jesus is the way, the truth and the life.
And it is precisely in Jesus that our human existence finds fulfillment.

The consideration of Jesus’ baptism, gives us an opportunity to remember our own baptism.
After all, Christian baptism is the symbol of our mystical union or communion with Christ, when we become part of the family of God, and a temple of the Holy Spirit.
Through the gift of the Holy Spirit we receive sanctifying grace
and the theological virtues of Faith, Hope and Love.
Certainly, the reality and significance of baptism gives us great cause to celebrate.

Finally, as we contemplate the baptism of the Lord, we are reminded of our apostolic mission as disciples of Jesus Christ. Jesus commissions the Church to go forth and baptize all nations. The large numbers of people who have not been baptized should inspire us to always seek the salvation of souls.

The presence of the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove at Jesus’ baptism
was truly significant. Jesus was anointed by the Holy Spirit – so that he was able to fulfill his mission completely – to its ultimate consequence.
And the apostles on the day of Pentecost as they began their mission to baptize all nations were anointed by the Holy Spirit – with the Holy Spirit appearing to them as tongues of fire.

May the flame of the Spirit burn in our hearts in a profound and deep way – so that through the witness of our lives and words we are able to make people pause – and question where they are going – where they are heading – and hopefully to see that it is only in Jesus that our human existence finds its true purpose and fulfillment.