God Comes To Us
Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan, to be baptized by him. John would have prevented him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” But Jesus answered him, “Let it be so now; for it is proper for us in this way to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he consented. And when Jesus had been baptized, just as he came up from the water, suddenly the heavens were opened to him and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased.” - Matthew 3:13-17
Friends,
I once had a friend who had a unique tradition at Christmas time. He hung his Christmas tree upside down above the coffee table in the living room of his home. At the bottom of the tree were three porcelain figures. One was Joseph, Jesus’ earthly father. One was Mary, Jesus’ mother. The third was Jesus in the manger.
The scene was meant to symbolize a simple Christian truth. Jesus comes down to us.
Every year, the Sunday after Epiphany (January 6) the church celebrates the Baptism of Jesus. A couple of things happen at Jesus’ baptism.
First, Jesus chooses to identify with humanity. John tried to dissuade Jesus. Jesus did not need to be baptized by John. But Jesus’ chooses to be one of the people. Jesus is baptized.
Second, Jesus is identified as God’s Son. In Matthew, the Spirit of God flutters down like a dove. This is a reference to the creation where the Spirit of God fluttered above the waters. Accompanying the Spirt of God is a voice from the heavens which declares, “This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased.”
In Baptism, Jesus comes to us.
Jesus’ baptism reflects our own baptism in which God declares us as his child.
My point is this: God comes to us in the second person of the Trinity, Jesus the Christ.
God still comes to us today. God comes to us through what we call the “Means of Grace”. The “Means of Grace” are what we call the Word and Sacraments.
The Word comes to us through the traditional texts of the Hebrews and Greek scriptures commonly referred to as the Bible.
God also comes to us through the Sacraments. Various denominations have different Sacraments. In the Lutheran Church, we believe there are two sacraments, Baptism and the Lord’s Supper.
Baptism is water applied with the spoken Word of God. Again, God coming to us.
The Lord’s Supper is bread and wine served to the individual. We believe Jesus comes to us with his body and blood in the bread and wine.
God comes to us. God comes to us in the Word. God comes to us in Baptism. God comes to us in the Lord’s Supper.
God comes to us!
Peace
Ricky Adams
Pastor
Peace Lutheran Church
Mill Valley, California