
January 12, 2025; Luke 3:15-16, 21-22; The Baptism of the Lord
The baptism of Jesus is recounted in three of our gospels: Matthew, Mark, and Luke. But Luke’s version, the one we have just heard, is different from the other two. In Matthew and Mark, Jesus is baptized and immediately as he steps out of the water, the heavens open, the Spirit descends, and he hears God’s voice proclaiming him as the beloved son. Luke is different. Luke says that after Jesus’ baptism, as he was praying, the heaven’s opened, the Spirit descended, and he heard the voice of God. Luke has moved the great signs of God’s presence to a later time, to a time when Jesus is praying. Why would he do this?
It may well be because Luke wants us to understand that the great things that God has done for us are not fully appreciated until a later time. It is only when we look back on the blessings that God has given us that we can unlock the deeper meaning of God’s love. All of us have key moments in our lives when we knew that we were blessed, when we knew that God was with us. But it is impossible to absorb the true significance of those events when they occur. It is only later, when we look back, that the full force of God’s blessing can be released.
Many married couples who are here this morning can remember the excitement and joy they experienced when they met their future spouse for the first time. In those moments you knew that you were loved. You knew that God was blessing you. How important it is to look back on those moments today and to claim their power. Remembering them will give you greater patience dealing with your spouse and more flexibility in negotiating the compromises that every marriage demands.
Many of us can remember the thrill of beginning our first real job, finally earning a living, using the skills we have developed, dreaming about the future. How important it is for us to look back on that initial blessing and claim it for our use today. Doing so will make us more thankful for our ability to work and give us strength to face the routine and the difficulties that every job involves.
Looking back even helps shape our view of the world. We often lament the increase of armed violence in our world, the political divisions in our country, the economic injustice that characterizes our society. That is why it is important to look back in those moments when God’s blessing was clear and where God was certainly active. Some of us can remember the signing of the Good Friday Accords in the 1990’s that brought an end to forty years of bloodshed in Northern Ireland. We can recall the words and actions of Dr. Martin Luther King who moved our society closer to racial equality. We can remember the witness of Mother Theresa of Calcutta whose care for the poor insisted on the inherent value of every human life. Looking back at these moments when our world was clearly blessed can give us the hope and the courage to face what needs to be changed in our world today.
We are all busy people, but it is important to pause, reflect, and look back at what God has done for us. In doing so, we will find a greater capacity to live. Luke tells us that it was only after his baptism, as Jesus looked back in prayer, that he fully understood his role as God’s beloved son. That is why it is important for us to look back as well.