Matthew 3:13-17

13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him. 14 And John tried to prevent Him, saying, “I need to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me?”

15 But Jesus answered and said to him, “Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he allowed Him.

16 When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He^[c] saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him. 17 And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”

Introduction

Today on the church calendar is designated as the Sunday we observe the Baptism of our Lord. Although this passage may be very familiar to us, it raises lots of questions. This morning we will explore four of these.

What is baptism?

Why did Jesus get baptized?

What is the significance of the dove and the Father’s words?

What does Jesus’ baptism mean for us?

I. What is baptism?

The word “baptize” comes from a Greek word meaning “to dip.” Simply put, baptism is a purification ritual involving washing with water. In Old Testament times, there were two main purposes for this: one was to prepare for prayers and sacrifice. The other was to symbolize the washing away of guilt or sin.

The Jewish people practiced ceremonial purification of priests and, under certain circumstances, of lay people. There were also purification rituals for objects including clothing, utensils (such as those used in the tabernacle and later the temple) and furniture. The Jewish people also practiced baptized Gentiles who converted to Judaism.

In the time between the Old and New Testaments, various groups such as the Essene community at Qumran where the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered practiced daily ceremonial washings. This continued into the time of Jesus.

John the Baptist had a special ministry. He was to announce or herald the coming of the promised Savior or Messiah. As part of that preparation, he called people to repent of their sins.

 11 I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.^[b] 12 His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather His wheat into the barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”

Since ceremonial washing with water was common in the Old Testament,  the Jewish people were not surprised that John the Baptist used water graphically to portray repentance and forgiveness of sins (Mk 1:4). Further, water is nature’s detergent, a cleansing agent well suited to the symbolism of purification.

II. Why did Jesus get baptized?

If John’s baptism called for repentance, and Jesus was without sin, why was He baptized?

That was the same reaction John the Baptist had:

13

The Jordan River flows from the top of Mount Herman where the snow melts and travels down to the lowest point on earth, the Dead Sea. For the most part the Jordan River is neither beautiful nor peaceful. It’s 25 percent mud and plunges downhill at a furious pace, falling nine feet per mile. This river Jordan is now a barrier between the two hostile nations of Israel and Syria for thirty miles. Amid the not so beautiful, sometimes furious river, east of Jericho, there is a peaceful and beautiful bend called the ‘Ford of the Partridge.’ It’s a place of great beauty, shaded by willows and eucalyptus trees, much as it was in New Testament times. According to tradition, Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist in this very place.

 We need to understand that the baptism of Jesus was unique. This was the Messiah, the promised Savior, the one John and the whole nation of Israel had been waiting for. Why would the Holy One of Israel seek baptism?

The answer lies in Jesus’ answer in v. 15:

15 But Jesus answered and said to him, “Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he allowed Him.

A. He was fulfilling all righteousness.

“Thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness,” or, as the NIV puts it, “It is proper for us to fulfill all righteousness.

What does that mean?

The whole point of Jesus’ baptism is that it marks the beginning of His ministry.

In just 9 short days, we will witness the inauguration of Barak Obama as President of the United States. That inauguration will mark the official beginning of his term as president. Think of Jesus’ baptism as His inauguration. Jesus is our Prophet, Priest, and King. Primarily He is our Great High Priest.

In the Old Testament, priests had to be consecrated to God when they were about 30 years old. Luke 3:23 tells us Jesus was about thirty at the time of His baptism. When Jesus says He and John need to fulfill all righteousness, He means they need to obey the Law of Moses regarding the consecration of a priest.

The baptism of a priest consisted of two parts: first the priests had to be washed and then they had to be anointed. John’s baptism provided the washing; and as we see later in the passage, God provided the anointing by the coming of the Holy Spirit.

 In His baptism, Jesus was accepting His role as our Great High Priest who would one day offer Himself as the perfect sacrifice for sin for all time. This was the whole reason He came to earth.

 B. A second reason Jesus was baptized was He was identifying with His people. Although Jesus was without sin, we are all sinners who need to repent. Since Jesus is our substitute, He was identifying with our sin and our failure. [But as we’ll see next week when we look at the temptation of Jesus, He succeeded where we failed. Only one who was without sin could die for the sinful, and only Jesus is without sin, because only Jesus is God.

III. What is the significance of the dove and the Father’s words?

16 When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He^[c] saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him. 17 And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”

Although the word “Trinity” never appears in Scripture, in this passage we see the Trinity: God the Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The Son submits to the rite of baptism, the Spirit descends and rests upon Him, and the Father speaks His approval. As we sang this morning, here we see “God in three persons, blessed trinity!”

 The Spirit of God descended upon Jesus like a dove. We don’t know exactly what this looked like; we can only use our imaginations. Matthew tells us the Spirit alighted on Him. John tells us the Spirit remained on Him.

 The dove is a symbol of innocence and purity (In Mt 10:16, Jesus told his disciples, “Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves.”) The dove is an ideal symbol for the Holy Spirit since it is a totally defenseless animal. The Holy Spirit’s ministry was not to glorify Himself; it was to glorify Jesus.

 As if the appearance of the dove is not extraordinary enough, God speaks from Heaven and says, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”

God’s statement is made up of 2 OT passages: Psalm 2:7 and Isaiah 42:1.

Psalm 2:7 reads:

7 “I will declare the decree:

The LORD has said to Me,

‘You are My Son,

This day have I begotten You.

Isaiah 42:1 reads:

1 “Behold! My Servant whom I uphold,

My Elect One in whom My soul delights!

I have put My Spirit upon Him;

He will bring forth justice to the Gentiles.

Both of these passages are prophecies about the promised Messiah, and both are fulfilled in Jesus. The clause “in whom I am well pleased” or “in whom I delight” means “in whom my pleasure rests.” In other words, God’s plan of salvation centers on Jesus.  The heavenly voice both qualified and identified Jesus. Others have been called beloved and pleasing, but Jesus alone can be termed my Son. There are many children, but He is the unique Son of God.

We said earlier that when a priest was consecrated, he was washed and anointed. John provided the washing; God provided the anointing with the Holy Spirit. This was God publicly declaring His approval and His confirmation of Jesus as our Messiah.

IV. What does Jesus’ baptism mean for us?

A. Believers in Jesus need to be baptized and need to baptize their children.

In being baptized, Jesus was also setting an example for His followers. Baptism itself does not save us. It is an outward sign of an inward work of grace that God has done in our lives.

Paul writes in Romans 6:

“What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? 4 Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

The baptism of Jesus (going into the water and coming out) also symbolized how He would die and rise again. The same is true when we are baptized: we are reminded that along with Jesus, we, too, have died to sin and are to walk in newness of life.

In our tradition, we baptize infants because we believe that God is faithful to His covenant promises. We promise to raise the baby within the Christian community, and we trust that as we do, God will draw that child to Him. But we also baptize adults who come to Jesus for the first time and have never been baptized.

More than that, Paul says, since we are forgiven in Christ, we need to not cheapen God’s grace by continuing to sin and saying, “It’s all right; I can ask forgiveness later.” Instead, we need to follow through on our baptism. We need to die to sin and walk in newness of life.

Do you believe in Jesus? Have you repented of your sin? Have you been baptized? Have you baptized your children? Are you walking in newness of life?

B. Like Jesus, we need to go out of our way to help seek and save others. Jesus said in Luke 19:10, “for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.” Just as Jesus humbled Himself and took on human flesh in order to seek lost sinners, we need to follow His example and go out of our way to show the love of Jesus to others.

In Matt. 28, Jesus told us to “Go therefore^[c] and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen. The great commission is for every believer. It may mean going where we don’t want to go, or speaking with people we would prefer to avoid; but this is what God calls us to do.

C. When we are baptized, we are united in Christ.

Our responsive reading this morning was from Galatians 3:26-28:

26 For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. 27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.We need to work for unity and peace in the church.

We need to love one another. Brent was fond of quoting a Biblical scholar (either Earl Palmer or Eugene Peterson). When we are having difficulty with a brother or sister in Christ, we need to remember that God has that person’s photo in His wallet. What kind of witness can we be to the world when we are at odds with each other?

Conclusion

The baptism of Jesus was unique. It marked the inauguration of His mission as Messiah. However, the baptism of Jesus also serves as an example for us to follow. Like Jesus, we need to practice the sacrament of baptism. Like Jesus, we also need to follow His example of going out of our way to seek and to save those who are lost. We need to fulfill the Great Commission, reaching out to those around us who do not know Him. The baptism of Jesus means that we are united in Him. Therefore we need to work for unity in the Church, so that we can have the best possible witness to the world around us.

Please join me in prayer. 

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being (4) in him was life, and the life was the light of all people.

5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it. 6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. 8 He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. 9 The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know him. 11 He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him. 12 But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God. 14 And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth.

15 (John testified to him and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, “He who comes after me ranks ahead of me because he was before me.’ “) 16 From his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. 17 The law indeed was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God. It is God the only Son, who is close to the Father’s heart, who has made him known.

This is the Word of the Lord…

Learning that words represent things, or thoughts, or even people; that is a key part of what educators today call Reading Readiness. That area of education, in turn, emphasizes that much of the groundwork for reading actually begins before a person ever opens a book. This helps to explain the long-standing truism that parents are actually the most important factor in predicting the successful development of a child’s ability to learn to read.

Wise parents know they need to start working on skills for reading before their child begins school. The child that comes prepared, knowing that letters make words; that words represent things; and that reading opens the world of knowledge to us, does better in school than those who have no preparation, and come with a neutral or negative attitude about reading. That preparation, begun at a very early age, follows us throughout life in our ability both to read and to reason.

For the Greeks, the ability to reason was summarized with the concept of their word “Logos” which we translate in English as “Word.”  The “logos” is intimately connected to the ability to think abstractly, beyond things that are purely physical. The Greeks considered it an attribute of godhood. In fact, a whole school of thinking called Gnosticism was based upon valuing knowledge. It equated knowledge with divinity, and the knowledge of the “logos” was part of their religious thinking. There was, therefore, great meaning involved when the early followers of Christ described Him as the Logos, because the logos was already considered the unifying force in nature.

The Gospel writer John is also saying a whole lot when he says in today’s passage that Jesus Christ is the “Logos” or Word. It is no accident that this passage takes us back to the very beginning of the Bible, where the book of Genesis tells us about the creation of the world. The phrase: “in the beginning” is unique to Genesis, so its use here forces us to think about possible connections between Jesus and the creation of all things. 

We don’t have to look very far or think very hard about it. John spells things out for us. The Word was with God in the beginning when all things were made. That means that Jesus did not just appear on Christmas morning. He always existed with God, even though He did not enter into human form until Christmas. Only God can say that He always existed, so Jesus Christ is God.

Beyond that, the plan of God becoming human to suffer and die and pay the price for our sins was arranged from before the beginning of time. Jesus was not God’s plan B when He looked down one day and found that people were sinners. As the great Chinese evangelist Watchman Nee was fond of saying: “There are no surprises in heaven.” Christmas was part of the plan from the beginning when God created all things, including human beings He knew would fall from grace.

Did you happen to notice how things actually occurred during the time of creation in the Genesis text we read earlier? Using the exact words from that text, a pattern is unmistakable:

God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light. God said, “Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it separate the waters from the waters.” And it was so. God said, “Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear.” And it was so.

That process continues throughout the entire creation narrative. How does creation occur in Genesis? God says something, and it is so. Is it then coincidental that Jesus is described as the Word. and that the Word is the creative force of God’s power? Hardly. It is the glorious truth of creation.

Again, John makes it clear for us, just in case there is any confusion here that might have caused us to miss the point. In our sermon passage, he says of Jesus: “All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being.” Jesus is actively involved in creation. He is the Word, and the Word is what God speaks when things come into existence.

Recently, I was amazed to find the use of the word “word” in ghetto slang is actually very close to the Biblical use of the word. For instance, if two men were looking at a new car one of them just purchased, the conversation might have the first man saying: “These wheels are fine, dog! In response, the second man might say: “Word. Too fine for you dog.”

In case you have not been “on the street” for a while, allow me to interpret. The first man is saying: “I admire your nice car my friend.” It will soon be the talk of the whole neighborhood. The second man responds: “You are absolutely correct. It is a fine car, and the best thing on the street. But don’t get any ideas about using it. I might not even allow you to ride in it. I remember what you did to your cousin’s car.”  

The use of the word “word” here means you have captured the truth of the situation correctly, and I agree with you. Word embodies more than mere agreement though. It also captures an entire concept. What matters for our friends on the street today is that one of them has a fine new car. The gospel writer John tells us that no one has seen God, but Jesus has revealed Him to us through His life and death and resurrection from the dead. That is what matters for all of us when John says that Jesus is the “Word.” Jesus communicates for God for all of creation.

Jesus is not only both God and human in His natures; He is also equal in power to the Father. Even though tradition tells us that creation is the work of the Father, we see here that the Son and the Spirit (the one hovering over the waters) were coactive with the Father in the process. (So much for the traditional explanation of the Trinity based on the unique roles of the Father, Son, and Spirit. Actually, it is fine to start from there, but it is a simplified view of the three persons of the Trinity that ignores some important Scriptural passages that complicate the Trinity for us.)

You may have heard the story about a scientist who thought God was no longer necessary. Considering the recently gained ability to clone animals and create simple life forms, the self assured professor challenged God to create a new life form. Then, he bent over, picked up a hand full of dirt and started off to the laboratory. Not so fast came the voice from above. You get your own dirt.

That is the trick, is it not? God creates out of nothing. He does not use someone else’s dirt. The theological term is “Ex Nihilo,” and it means creating something out of nothing. Beyond that, the scientist has missed the point that God does not play around when creating something. God speaks and it is created. (To avoid confusion here, let me make it clear that this is not at all like people who are said to be able to “make something out of nothing” because they can say something and get people to argue about it. I have known a few people like that myself, and their abilities are not like God’s. “Ex Nihilo” is something entirely different. God creates something of value out of nothing, rather than creating something of absolutely no value out of nothing that matters.)

Recently Ginger and I wanted to do something special with our granddaughter Grace who just turned 6 years old. So, we decided to go to the new King Tut exhibit now showing in Atlanta. The program was impressive, even though it does require one to be on your feet for a very long time. When not thinking about my feet, I began to think about the way in which the Egyptians viewed the whole process of mummification. They believed it ensured the remembrance of a Pharaoh long after death. In turn, that remembrance would earn them eternal life after death, along with the pantheon of gods they revered.

It struck me that they were so near and yet so far away from the truth of Jesus Christ. Like us, they desired to live forever, but they placed their faith in mere humans and imaginary gods that had no real power. The Pharaohs never did anything beyond the capability of a human being, and they never taught the righteousness and love of the God we serve. People served them out of fear, not love. Clearly, they were simply elevated human beings, something like the celebrities some people sometimes idolize today.

Jesus is “the way, the truth, and the life” because He alone provides a way for us to live eternally with the one true God, and because He alone reveals who God is to us through His life and ministry, and because He is indeed the answer to the question of how to live a meaningful life. In His life, He has shown us God’s love for us and demonstrated how our lives can be meaningful when we place our faith in Him.   

As a church family, we have struggled lately with heavy burdens of illness and loss. Unlike those who do not know Christ, we should not be surprised by these things. Paul reminds us, in his letter to the Thessalonians, that we do not suffer as those who have no hope. We know that life is not about avoiding pain and hardship. In fact, it is precisely in the hard times that we grow within ourselves and within the Lord.

I am always amazed but never surprised to find people who say they have given up on God because God did not prevent a tragedy from occurring in their life. Would any of us choose to serve a God that merely responded on call to make things go according to our desires? If you think about it, that God would be a mere robot and not much of a god at all. While having power, that god would have no wisdom, no sense of justice in the world and no choice but to obey our sometimes self-destructive desires.

I can only guess that people who want that kind of a god have never moved from the faith of a child to the faith of an adult. Of course, that is exactly what happens when people stop going to church in their teenage years. They never give themselves a chance to understand the Bible from the perspective of an adult.

When Paul tells us in Philippians that he is able to do all things through Christ Jesus, he is not talking specifically about moving mountains or changing the world. He makes the statement in a passage where he discusses how it is hard to be rich and how it is hard to be poor. Both conditions have their own set of temptations. Yet, in either situation, he has found abundant life in Jesus Christ who strengthens him.

Friends, if you have not suffered lately, watch out! It is likely that some challenge lies just around the corner. It is that way for all of us. We can choose only what our reaction will be when it comes to us, not whether it is coming our way. Of course, we can also choose to reach out to others in their time of need. We are a family, a church family. That is what families do for each other.

There is good news right now for those in the midst of the hard times. The same Jesus who took on our humanity understands our suffering. He himself tells us in the gospel of Matthew: Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. The child that experienced the love of His mother Mary on Christmas morning offers the love of God to each of us each day of our lives.

I thank God when people come with prayer requests to share with this church family. However, it is even more exciting for me when people share the results of answered prayer. I suspect it is a bit like the 10 lepers that Jesus cured of their disease. Only one came back to praise Him and give Him the honor and the glory that was due. Sometimes people are so relieved when prayers are answered that they fail to give God proper thanks for what He has done.

Have you heard the Word? That little baby, born on Christmas morning, is the same God that created the universe and everything in it. He came to earth to bring us eternal life with Him in Heaven by paying the price for our sins on Calvary. The manger and the cross are bound together in God’s gracious plan for you and me.

Jesus is life Himself. He overcomes death and has power over it. To all those who place their trust in Him, He has given power to become the children of God, born not just of flesh and blood, but also of the Spirit of God into a new life that is eternal. The world stills groans under the weight of sin, but we know there is purpose and meaning in it all because the One who speaks to us on behalf of God has said it is so. 

Today we share in Jesus Christ through our study of the written word of God. He is also the living Word, both in His life 2,000 years ago, and in the hearts of believers everywhere today. When we share what He does in our lives, our testimony of Him and to Him becomes the spoken word. Truly, He was in the beginning, and He was with God, and He was and is God. In the language of the Greeks and of the street langauge of today too, Jesus is the Word.

And all God’s children said: “Amen.”

18 Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. 19 Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly. 20 But just when he had resolved to do this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” 22 All this took place to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet: 23 ”Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel,” which means, “God is with us.” 24 When Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took her as his wife, 25 but had no marital relations with her until she had borne a son; and he named him Jesus.

Humble, hard working, and kind to others. A quiet man; a carpenter by trade. No doubt more comfortable working with his hands than with his mouth. A Godly man. A family man. A thoroughly decent man.

Like the other people we meet in the Bible, we don’t know much about what Joseph looked like. Although he appears to be Caucasian in most of our Nativity sets, clearly he was not from Europe, but rather, from the Middle East. No doubt he looked a lot like modern day people in that region of the world. However, we do know something important about this man who made and supported a family for the Christ child.

Gentlemen, can you imagine how it would feel to discover your fiancé was already with child, even though you knew it was not possible for the child to be yours biologically? How would you react to that news? I can’t imagine I would be able to handle that very well, especially if I was a mere teenager and my fiancé was not yet 15 years old. (Most ladies were married by the age of 15 in their society.) The way that Joseph reacts tells us a lot about him and the God he serves.

According to the Law of Moses, Joseph had the right to call for Mary to be put to death by stoning. Chapter 22 of Deuteronomy tells us that: “If there is a young woman, a virgin already engaged to be married, and a man meets her in the town and lies with her, you shall bring both of them to the gate of that town and stone them to death, the young woman because she did not cry for help in the town and the man because he violated his neighbor’s wife.” Among the Jews, engagement was just as legally binding as marriage.

Remember that this news came to him before he knew of God’s plan for Mary to be the mother of the Messiah. A typical young, man full of the insecurities young people experience, would no doubt be crushed by such news. Coming from a middle class family, his parents had likely taken great care in choosing Mary to be his wife. All of their hopes would also appear to be destroyed by this news.

Yet Joseph does something unexpected. On his own, he decides to simply call off the engagement, and allow Mary to go her own way. The gospel writer, Luke, makes it clear to us that Joseph “planned to dismiss her quietly,” because he was a “righteous man and was unwilling to submit her to public disgrace.” That is remarkable, but it gets even better.

An angel appears to Joseph in a dream and explains God’s plan to rescue all of us from our sins. Mary will remain a virgin for now, yet deliver a son miraculously, through the work of the Holy Spirit. The angel tells Joseph to “have no fear” in marrying this woman because her delivery of the child is all part of God’s plan; a plan prophesized by Isaiah hundreds of years earlier.

There is a program on cable TV that is called “Cheaters.” I find it to be truly depressing, and I do not recommend it for your viewing pleasure. Based on a premise of helping people to determine if their significant other is being unfaithful to them, the show follows people around with a camera to find out what they are doing when they are not with their loved one. The climax of the show happens at the end when the cheater is confronted on camera in front of God and everyone.

Emotions run high and most of the conversation is thankfully beeped out. It seems rare that the couple is reconciled. (Actually, I have never seen that happen in the few times I have watched the show.) Comparing the reactions of the people on this show to the reaction of Joseph is revealing. At the end of this show, viewers are left angry, discouraged,  and feeling pity for the person who loved and lost.

What a difference we find with Joseph. There he is on Christmas morning, an important part of the holy family that brought salvation to humankind. He is there in every Nativity set. (At our house, that means we have 10 versions of this fellow because we have 10 nativity sets for the grandkids to enjoy.)

Can you picture it? The stars are aglow in a clear sky, with one special one pointing the way to the stable. Whether seen or not, the angels are gathered all around, praising God . Shepherds come to worship the tiny child who is their hope for life beyond anything they have known before. In the middle of it all, there is Joseph, ever faithful in caring for Mary and the baby. He has a look of heavenly peace on his face, even though he has been forced by circumstances to place his family in humble surroundings rather than in a house more appropriate for the Son of God.

How can this be? Looking back at our Scripture passage, we find that when he awoke from his dream, Joseph “did as the angel of the Lord commanded him.” Reacting in obedience and love, Joseph provides a wonderful model of a Godly man; a real man. A man big enough to handle even the difficult times with humble reliance on God.

We can only imagine the pain Joseph suffered throughout his life for this obedience. Since everyone in town knew when they were engaged and when the baby was delivered, that means everyone also thought they knew what Joseph and Mary had been doing in their spare time. (I suspect there is a lesson here about assuming people have done something wrong.) Considering Joseph’s love for the Lord, the pain of living with the permanent damage to his reputation must have been quite a burden to bear.

We don’t find much more about Joseph in our Bibles, except that he and Mary somehow lose track of Jesus when he is a prepubescent teenager. They find him in the temple teaching the rabbis about the Scriptures. Can you imagine that? The elders of the faith listening to the teaching of a mere child. Clearly, this is no ordinary child.

I suspect there is a good reason that our knowledge of Joseph ends there. It is likely because we already know what we need to know. Joseph is a loving, merciful, and obedient man. God chooses him to be the adoptive human father to the child Jesus. Clearly, God values Joseph because of how he behaves.

That seems like something we should also value at this Christmas time of the year. Joseph shows us that knowing and following God’s law is very important, but that showing mercy for others may just be even more important. After all, isn’t that how Jesus responded to sinners like the woman taken in adultery? The woman at the well? Zacchaeus, and the apostles Matthew, and Peter? All of them received mercy that they did not deserve.

As we close our brief look at Joseph this morning, allow me to share some thoughts about how I think Joseph might respond to the people we encounter in our lives today. Instead of looking down on all the people who slept in rather than attending church today, let us lift them up in prayer that they might receive God’s mercy in their lives. Instead of fighting for that parking spot during your last minute shopping at the mall, consider parking further away so that others can park closer to the stores. (That can also buy you a bit of exercise if you find yourself horizontally challenged as I am myself.) Instead of losing patience with the kids making noise at the family gathering, think about spending some time with them on their level so they can enjoy the holiday family time also.

Small demonstrations of the big love that God has shown to us in sending His Son to free us from our sin. Isn’t that what Christmas is all about?

And all God’s children said: “Amen.”

1 The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. 2 As it is written in the prophet Isaiah, “See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way; 3 the voice of one crying out in the wilderness: “Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight,’ ” 4 John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 5 And people from the whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem were going out to him, and were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. 6 Now John was clothed with camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. 7 He proclaimed, “The one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the thong of his sandals. 8 I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

30 years ago I moved with my job at NCR Corporation from Dayton, Ohio to Atlanta, Georgia. (It was an offer I could not refuse.) Shortly after that, we learned that the president of the company was coming to visit the facility for the first time ever. I thought we would need to do some thorough housekeeping prior to the visit, but I had no idea of what would actually be involved.

We painted all the walls, installed new carpet, remodeled the rest rooms, and purchased a huge new sign to place in front of the building. We replaced old equipment, hired additional administrative staff, and arranged meetings with the largest customer accounts in the area. Altogether, the costs easily exceeded $50,000.00 in 1985 dollars.

I am reminded of all this preparation for a mere human visitor when I hear the John the Baptist proclaiming the words of the prophet Isaiah: “Prepare the way of the Lord.” It is only natural that we all want to present ourselves in the best light possible when an important visitor comes to us. However, everything we have talked about here is external in nature. The real work begins with the internal spiritual matters that are so important when we speak of a visit from God’s own Son.

The very life of John the Baptist was part of the preparation for the coming of Jesus. He was born miraculously to a couple too old to have children anymore, and especially called by God to tell people to prepare for the coming of the Jewish Messiah. Over 300 years earlier, the prophet Isaiah predicted that the Messiah was coming and that a prophet would come before Him, telling everyone it was time to get ready.

Of course, this announcement was a mixture of good news and bad news. People were called to change their behavior and their hearts because Jesus was coming. They knew from the Scriptures that there was salvation in the coming of Messiah. It was the beginning of the kingdom of God on earth, and the Jewish people knew that they could place their hope for salvation in His Son Jesus Christ. 

Even tax collectors and soldiers (both groups considered especially ungodly at the time) came to be baptized by John in the River Jordan. When they asked what they should do to prepare for the coming of Messiah, John told them to start dealing honestly with people, and stop extorting money from people by abusing their authority over others. When the Pharisees and Sadducees also came to be baptized, John asked them: “Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruit worthy of repentance.” Clearly John saw life style change an important part of preparing for the coming of the Lord.

I sometimes wonder if John was surprised by the tremendous response to his own preaching. We know that the prophet Jonah was surprised when the Ninevites repented of their sins and changed their behavior in response to God’s message. Maybe John was too.

John seems like a pretty serious fellow though. I picture him as about 7 feet tall, with skin tougher than a buffalo hide, and dark piercing eyes that see right through to your very soul. I know that anyone who eats locusts as a staple in their diet is serious. Considering how dedicated he was to God’s call on his own life, it would not be too much of a stretch to find him expecting everyone to respond with complete obedience to God’s Word. I know I would not like to be the one to tell him anything he did not want to hear.

Augustine of Hippo once said there is a “God shaped void” in the heart of every person. I suspect that void had much to do with the response of the people, both in Nineveh and in Jerusalem. Knowing that God was coming to earth to bring hope to people suffering from the burden of sin was more than enough good news to compensate for the work of being convicted of sin and turning to God in repentance.

Isn’t that what the season of Advent is all about? We implore God to come down to earth to save us from ourselves. And, He answers with the Eternal Word made flesh – Jesus Christ. In Jesus there is hope for salvation, now and in the future. Despite our fallen nature and our sin, in Jesus there is the hope for fellowship with God.

Yet, even at this time of year we are surrounded with our failures as human beings. Yes, Santa Claus is coming to town. But there is a catch to pleasing Santa. You remember the song, don’t you: “You’d better watch out, you’d better not cry, you’d better not pout; I’m telling you why.” The message is that you get out of Santa exactly what you deserve.

The threat continues: “He sees you when you’re sleeping, and he knows when you’re awake. He knows when you’ve been bad or good, so be good for goodness sake.” I personally never received a lump of coal on Christmas, but my parents did threaten me with it from time to time. Aren’t you glad that God does not give us what we deserve?

Back in my seminary days, I took a course that examined Christianity in children’s books. I discovered something amazing. Do you remember the story of the little engine that could? You know, the little engine said: “I think I can. I think I can.” The words have become synonymous with positive self-esteem for several generations of Americans.

Now, do you remember what the little engine was doing that was so important? He was bringing food to the other side of the mountain for good little girls and boys. Even in the beloved childhood story, the requirement for being good is emphasized. The food was not intended for bad girls and boys. I look back on how I behaved and I have to wonder if the “little engine that could” would have tried quiet as hard to bring food to people like me and my friends. I know I was not always a good boy.

Fortunately, Jesus is not the savior of perfect people. Jesus is the savior of imperfect people like you and me. Jesus is actually in the recycling business. He changes lives, setting people free from sin. Throughout the gospel narratives we see that Jesus has fellowship with sinners. He eats with them. He teaches them about the kingdom of God. He cures them of illnesses. He enables sinners to become saints.

So it was with the people that lived in the city of Corinth during the time of the apostle Paul. Historians tell us that Corinth was such an immoral city that it was considered insulting to call anyone a “Corinthian.” It was synonymous with terms like “liar,” “cheater,” and “thief.” Yet our Bible contains not one but two letters addressed to the people who comprised the church that grew up in Corinth. Paul calls them “brothers and sisters” and he calls them “saints.” You see, anyone who trusts in Jesus Christ is a saint. According to the Bible, you don’t have to have your picture on a stained glass window to be a saint. You just have to be a believing Christian.

Paul tells the people at Corinth that he gives thanks to God always for them. The grace of God has been given to them in Jesus Christ. Since grace is, by definition, a free gift, this means that they did not get what they deserved. Instead, they received a gift from God – the gift of salvation in Jesus Christ.

Paul also says that the “testimony of Christ has been strengthened among you.” That means that people in other towns look at what has happened to the Christians at Corinth. They are not perfect, but they no longer lie or cheat or steal as a way of living. Their lives have changed dramatically, and that change is testimony all over the world to the power of Jesus Christ in the lives of believers.

Many of you have met my wife Ginger, and you know that she is the better half of our relationship. I tell people I “married up,” and so far, no one has ever argued with me about it. She is answered prayer in my life.

I am looking forward to her visit here in less than a week. It is the first time she has been in California since last summer. We have been able to spend some time together because I have been traveling to Atlanta to work on my doctoral studies at Columbia Seminary. However, traveling is difficult for her right now due to the deteriorating condition of a bad hip. (X-rays show that the cartilage is gone, so that the bones are now rubbing together when she walks.) we are planning for her to have surgery on it some time this spring.

Naturally, I am exciting about seeing her, as I always am. However, there is a bit of a problem involved with her upcoming visit. Like most women, Ginger likes things nice and neat in the home. Like most men, housekeeping is not the area of greatest interest or talent for me. Right now, things are not as bad as a college dorm room, but they are also not nearly as good as they would be if Ginger were here. I have lots of work to do in the next few days.

I need to prepare the way for Ginger’s upcoming visit. It will be well worth the effort to find she approves of my housekeeping and feels comfortable with the cleanliness of the home. In like manner, so it is for all of us with Christmas and preparing for it spiritually. That is what the season of Advent is all about, and why we have been preparing our hearts for the past several weeks for the coming of the Christ child.

It is a good time to think seriously about who we are and how we behave. Consider the following:

• Am I praying regularly, lifting my friends and loved ones to the Lord, in addition to asking God to supply my own needs?
• Do I study the Bible faithfully on a routine basis, and does it change my life?
• Do I reach out to those who are sick and hurting?
• Do I spend all my time worrying about tomorrow, or, after reasonable diligence, do I allow God to decide what the future will bring?
• Do I share from all that God has given me to those who are in need?
• Do I build others up with love and kindness, or do I criticize others who receive praise for what they have done?
• Do I look for ways to share Jesus with others, in word or in deed?

And so, on this third Sunday in Advent we anxiously await the coming of Christ. We think about what it means for God to become a human being. We think of the Christ child lying in a manger, totally dependent upon others to provide for every need. We see that same child, become a man, sentenced to death on a cross to pay the price for our sins. How can we ignore that kind of love?

Charles Wesley put all of this to words in the year 1744. It was then that the brother of the great evangelist John Wesley wrote a song that expresses the meaning of Advent. We sang this song a few minutes ago. Now listen to the words:

Come thou long expected Jesus,

Born to set Thy people free;

From our fears and sins release us;

Let us find our rest in Thee.

Israel’s strength and consolation,

Hope of all the earth Thou art;

Dear desire of every nation,

Joy of every longing heart.

Born Thy people to deliver,

Born a child and yet a King,

Born to reign in us forever,

Now thy gracious kingdom bring,

By Thine own eternal Spirit

Rule in all our hearts alone;

By Thine all sufficient merit

Raise us to Thy glorious throne.

In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.