January 8, 2017 – Baptism of our Lord Text: Matthew 3:13-17
Dear Friends in Christ,
Imagine losing someone in a drowning…Imagine what the survivors of a tsunami faced…Imagine Bethany Hamilton, well on her way to a surfing championship, waking up in the hospital without an entire arm – after losing it to a shark attack…Imagine Noah and his family floating away in the ark while the world washed away…Imagine Moses and the Israelites passing through the Red Sea, then looking back to see the Egyptian army drowning in the raging water.
The people of the Middle East desert fear the sea, fear large bodies of water, or those river wadis that so quickly become deadly flash floods. There is a reason for their fear. Remember the great sea creature that Job calls Leviathan? Remember Jonah being swallowed whole? And then Noah and his family.
So imagine the people of Israel going into the River Jordan. “John…John, is it safe?” Normally the Jordan is pretty shallow, shin-deep in some places. But come the rainy season it can be a dangerous torrent of water and it is not safe.
It wasn’t raging at this time when John was baptizing, but . . .
“IS IT SAFE NOW TO GO BACK INTO THE WATER?”
Is it now safe? Safe for whom? Imagine Jesus going down into the water after so many people had their sins washed into it. Is it safe? No. Not for Jesus. What had been washed into those waters would cling to Jesus when he climbed that riverbank and remain on him for the rest of his ministry
He would have to suffer our consequences and our death. That water would kill him as it once did the whole world. Why? Because if it did not, if He didn’t do this, then all righteousness would not be fulfilled. God would not be pleased. There would no longer be peace on earth and good will toward men.
Now again, imagine how many sins are, were, and will be washed into water until the end of time. “Is it safe now, Jesus? Will I drown? Are you asleep?” As the water rages and the winds toss us around, “Are you going to let us die?” How many are asking this? How many have?
The disciples asked this. We may ask it. We use this imagery with our problems. “I’m drowning in debt. I’m up to here with my responsibilities. Life is coming at me like a tidal wave.” We talk this way even as the Lord sends these promises. “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” (Heb. 13:5) “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you.” (Isa. 43:2) Psalm 23 reminds us that the Lord leads us beside still waters.
Yes, but don’t I have still have to go under? Won’t I be covered with water…won’t I…don’t I still have to die?” “Yes,” Jesus says to all of that.
Though we still go under, though dirt is still poured over our bodies in the ground, Jesus will reach down and take us out. Because he has already been down into the abyss, and come up. Our death will be sleep, because he died our death.
You do and need to drown and die in your baptismal waters. And making the sign of the cross, we are to drown and die daily in this life. Yet, we, too, arise, because he is risen, is risen to newness of life.
All righteousness has been fulfilled, even ours. The sins left behind – for Him – in the water to take to the cross. Yes, in that same water that covered the earth, that covered Egypt’s mightiest and finest, that covered Jesus, that held so much power – the power of creation from the beginning – that water has now become the new power of re-creation. That water washed away so much filth and disease and fear and death.
It is safe now…because the water has been cleansed. It is safe now to go back into the water – and remain there. Yes, Jesus went in and came out again. Even though the sins of the whole world were also washed into the water. They were lifted out; they left with Him; they were embedded in his pure and clean flesh, in that body that died and was buried.
For when he said it was finished, it was. And all of that, the sin of the whole world, became lost – lost at sea…buried…covered by earth…entombed in rock…never to return.
Have you ever had a drowning experience? If you have, it can be quite scary. About 10 years ago you may remember it happened to me. I was swimming to the diving platform at Comlara Park when my muscles tightened up. I thought I was going under. I still think of that day and the fear that came over me. I will admit even though I am a good swimmer I have been a lot more hesitant around water.
You face fears in your life. Jesus says to you and me today, “It is now safe to go back into the water.” With the righteousness fulfilled by God the Son, God the Father is well pleased. And looking at us – with what Christ has down in our life – The Father is well pleased with us. A new man emerges daily and arises to live before God in righteousness and purity forever. It is safe now to go back into the water…and remain there. Safe forevermore. Amen.