Monday, January 9, 2023
The First Day of the First Week of Ordinary Time
The Baptism of the Lord
(click here to listen to or read today’s scriptures)
Oh, the water
After Jesus was baptized, he came up from the water and the heavens were opened for him.
Most recently, Chris and Melissa’s then nine year old daughter Aly was baptized (on August 15, 2021). Her mom and dad were in the baptistry with her. Chris asked her the questions and spoke the words, “Aly, we baptize you in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” Melissa held her, and allowed her body to fall back into the water until she was completely immersed. Aly came back up, released her nose, smiled the biggest smile, and hugged her mom.
She came up from the water and the heavens were opened for her.
A voice came from the heavens saying, “This is my beloved son, with whom I am well pleased.”
A few years earlier (September 16, 2018) Chris and Melissa’s then nine year old son Jack “took the plunge.” After his baptism we joined the rest of his family behind the pool for pictures, and then his sister Aly (who was six, then) served him his first official communion. The pictures show a lot of happy family.
He came up from the water and the heavens were opened for him.
Here is my servant whom I uphold, my chosen one with whom I am pleased. A bruised reed he shall not break.
Jack and Aly’s dad Chris spent most mornings of his twelfth year with me reading F. LaGard Smith’s Daily Chronological Bible. We worked our way through all 66 books, and his youth pastor Larry Crawford baptized him at Waynesville Christian Church. At Little Galilee’s church camp that summer Chris experienced the Holy Spirit baptism.
My parents came for Chris’ baptism, the same parents who baptized me as a baby and whose pastor soon after debated their neighbor’s pastor about the merits of infant and “believer’s” baptism at Mom and Dad’s house in Lawrenceville. I didn’t participate, except when I cried for milk a couple of times.
Marc also spent a few summer weeks at Little Galilee. During one of those weeks his friend and camp counselor baptized him in the pool. A few years later Andi too was baptized in the pool at Little Galilee. Chris and Marc drove from Champaign to Little Galilee for her baptism and were nearly late. Chris said they broke several speeding laws getting there on time. For both Marc and Andi, my parents were there to greet them and hug them.
They came up from the water and the heavens were opened for them.
In truth, I see that God shows no partiality. In every nation whoever fears him and acts uprightly is acceptable to him.
Theologians have argued the meaning and value of baptism as a condition for entering heaven, for salvation. No doubt there will be more baptisms in our family. Miles and Jasper are six and three years old. But we haven’t done much debating. Baptism, as Andi told Miles, is what we do to show our friends and family that we have “invited Jesus into our heart.”
This is Jesus we are talking about. And he was baptized too.
God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power. He went about doing good and healing all those oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. And the Lord will bless his people with peace.
(Isaiah 42, Acts 10, Psalm 2, Mark 9, Matthew 3)
(posted at www.davesandel.net)
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