Pastor Tom
Johnson, January 11, 2015
Jesus’ Baptism reveals he is the Son of God, King, and the Christ—the
promised Messiah. The Hebrew word Messiah
and Greek word Christ is jam-packed
with meaning. Messiah means prophet,
priest, and king—the long-awaited Savior of the Nations—the Prince of Peace.
The water, Word, and Spirit declare Jesus Messiah. The root of the word Messiah
means to spread liquid over something. John spreads water over the head and
body of Jesus. It is a physical sign of an invisible reality—the truth that
Jesus is God and King veiled in human flesh.
The water visibly covers Jesus. His drenched hair, dripping beard, and
shiny-wet skin all reveal God’s purpose, blessing, and presence in the Person
and work of Jesus of Nazareth. He is soaked head to toe with divine essence and
substance. And the message John the Baptist preaches is that this sign of water
anointing Jesus points to a time when Jesus will anoint his people with the
Holy Spirit. “I baptize with water,” the prophet says, “but he will baptize
with the Holy Spirit.” Jesus will give us a sign that God’s anointing is on us. He will
outpour his blessing, presence, favor, and grace upon us by water and the Holy
Spirit. With this physical sign, he will assure us that our sins are forgiven
and we have been adopted into God’s royal family.
This need of assurance that we are God’s precious possession is as
ancient as the story of humanity. When Cain expressed fear of retaliation for
the murder of his brother, God assured him of protection by putting his mark on
Cain. Even though we do not know what that is, he carried that gracious sign
and seal of God. Abraham and all Hebrew males received the physical mark of
circumcision. It is a constant reminder that they have been set apart by God as
unique blessing and call to be a blessing to all families of the earth. The Lord said to Samuel, “Rise and anoint [David]; for this is the
one.” “Samuel took a horn of oil, and anointed David in the presence of his
brothers; and the spirit of the Lord came mightily upon David from that day
forward (1 Samuel 16:12b,13). David remembers and celebrates God’s call and assurance of his loving
presence when he says those familiar words, “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will
fear no evil. For thou art with me. Thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me.
Thou anointest my head with oil. My cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy
shall follow me all the days of my life. And I will dwell in the house of the
Lord forever” (Psalm 23).
Even though the tradition of wearing a yarmulke, kippah, or skullcap is
not found in Scripture, Hebrew males wear this as a sign, reminder, and
assurance that God is watching over them. One scholar said it is like you
constantly feel the palm of God resting on your head from behind you as he
guards and directs your path. Just days before Jesus’ crucifixion, Mary, the sister of Martha and
Lazarus, anoints Jesus with costly nard—a whole pound of precious ointment and
pours it lavishly upon the head of Jesus. Jesus said it was a worshipful act
that points to his death.
Jesus welcomes the additional anointing and assurance that he is the Christ—the Messiah—the Anointed—the One—the promised Son of God who goes to the Cross and rises from the dead to bring about the forgiveness of our sin and the assurance that we too have the seal of the promised Holy Spirit. Jesus welcomes the water as John submerges and poures water over his body. Jesus welcomes the Holy Spirit as he descends upon him like a dove. Jesus welcomes the voice of the Father that declares him the Beloved Son of God.
Jesus welcomes the additional anointing and assurance that he is the Christ—the Messiah—the Anointed—the One—the promised Son of God who goes to the Cross and rises from the dead to bring about the forgiveness of our sin and the assurance that we too have the seal of the promised Holy Spirit. Jesus welcomes the water as John submerges and poures water over his body. Jesus welcomes the Holy Spirit as he descends upon him like a dove. Jesus welcomes the voice of the Father that declares him the Beloved Son of God.
It is in our fallen, human nature to doubt God’s blessing and presence
in our lives. We are, as one theologian put it, “sacramental beasts.” We long
for something we can touch, see, hear, taste, and smell to reassure us that we
are God’s beloved and have received his anointing of grace, peace, and
forgiveness. We can invent all sorts of ceremonies, body art, clothing, and all
sorts of things to show the world that we have God’s blessing, acceptance, and
assurance of grace. But we don’t need to. I keep thinking about the recent violence in Paris, France where 17
people were killed in the name of their god and the more than 2,000 people
killed in Nigeria Friday also in the name of their god…where the perpetrators
of hatred and violence believe they have been anointed by their god to carry
out brutal killing. This is false religion—palpable evil—and a formidable challenge
to our human journey.
John, the greatest of all prophets, has said, “I baptize with water,”
the prophet says, “but he will baptize with the Holy Spirit.” The One who is
anointed with water, the Word, and the Holy Spirit—that same Anointed Messiah
will anoint us. We have been anointed, sisters and brothers, to carry out the
forgiveness of sins and the assurance of eternal life in the name of God the
Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. We have the unction and blessing of God
poured out upon us. We have the true and universal ointment to share with all
people everywhere. God’s indelible mark is upon us to carry out his mission of grace,
healing, and peace through the balm of the Gospel. He is our Anointed One—our Christ—our
blessed Redeemer. We are his anointed ones—the baptized to spread his love over the face
of all the earth. Ours is a holy salve to restore his broken and sinful
creation.
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