Epiphany
January 8, 2017

Scripture Reading: Matthew 3:13-17

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 fulfil 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.’

And so, it begins. We do not know much about Jesus’ life before the moment of his baptism. We know he was a serious student of the scriptures via the report of his trip to the temple. His dad was a carpenter making it most likely that he apprenticed to be one also. He was born in a turbulent time in Galilean history with Jewish rebels taking on Roman oppression and being devastatedly defeated. It seems John the Baptist was more than cousin for Jesus, but also a fellow enthusiast, perhaps even zealot for a faith based on justice, in concern for others rather than ritual appropriateness.

None of us step out in faith into a world uncluttered by culture and history. While we long to start with a clean slate, it never happens. We must deal with wholeness while working for justice and justice while moving toward wholeness. Our preconceived ideas must be tested against God’s reality, determining if they pass the test of love. The harder part, is allowing God to create in us clean hearts when we discover that some of our central ideas or ideals are misguided or just wrong.

We can be thankful that the Spirit that introduced us to Jesus is with us still and willing to work with us throughout our faith journey.

Prayer: Thank you, Lord, for your ministry on earth and your abiding presence each and every day. Amen.

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized 
Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council 
of Churches of Christ in the United States of American. Used by permission. All rights 
reserved.