The Baptism of Christ by Andrea del Verrocchio and Leonardo da Vinci

Luke 3:15-16, 21-22

The people were filled with expectation, and all were asking in their hearts whether John might be the Christ. John answered them all, saying, “I am baptizing you with water, but one mightier than I is coming. I am not worthy to loosen the thongs of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.” After all the people had been baptized and Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, heaven was opened and the Holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”

“You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.” Jesus is the Son with whom the Father is well pleased. Why? What has Jesus done so far to please the Father?

Jesus is the incarnation of the Second Person of the Holy Trinity. He is God made man; the Son made human. He is the living God of the universe come as one of us, experiencing all the limitations of what being human means, and at the same time remaining divine. Jesus knew His mission. He came to die. He came to offer a life lived in perfect obedience to the will of the Father. He knew that that would ultimately mean the cross because the world will not tolerate such a life. In all of this, Jesus pleased the Father.

Jesus is the Lamb of God. He came to take on to Himself the sins of the world, then die on that cross so that sin would die on that cross. The Jewish man would bring his lamb to be sacrificed, to place upon the unblemished, innocent lamb his own sins, so those sins would be burnt up in the holocaust of the lamb’s consumed body. Jesus is the Lamb the Father offers, not for the Father’s sins, but for humankind’s sins. The Father would place onto His unblemished, innocent Lamb the sins of the world, so those sins might be sacrificed on the wood of the cross. Jesus knew this, and He consented out of love for humankind. In all of this, Jesus pleased the Father.

Jesus walked among sinners, dined with them, healed them, raised them from the dead and, at His baptism, stood among them in the waters of the Jordan and was baptized beside them. He did this so that all would know that He is one among us, like us in all things but sin. But if no sin, then why get baptized? Because it was necessary that the Lamb who would take upon Himself the sins of humankind would stand among sinful humankind in the waters of the Jordan and be washed by them. Those sinful humans who came to John desired his baptism of repentance. Jesus desired to be one with them, God with them, Emmanuel, and receive John’s baptism. In all of this, Jesus pleased the Father.

The Baptism of the Lord traditionally marks the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry. From here, He begins to gather His disciples, from among whom He will choose His apostles. He begins to preach the kingdom of God, to heal the sick and raise the dead. This is the beginning. We must choose if we are going to follow Jesus, or if we are simply going to watch this intrepid character get baptized along with the rest of us, then watch Him walk away. All that we have seen and heard here: the rending open of heaven, the dove, the voice of the Father, the cry of John, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world!” All of this compels us not to sit idly by while Jesus walks away. No, we must follow Him. “Lord, where do you stay?” “Come and see.”

Come and see, indeed.

Be Christ for all. Bring Christ to all. See Christ in all.