We have just read through chapter 3 of Luke in our year long chapter at a time challenge with the gospel and the acts of the apostles. Chapter three includes the baptism of Jesus by John in the Jordan.
There are some great moments in this story because it relates to a lot of what we go through now. We look around and hear the news, see magazines and TV reports that can be very discouraging, and wonder "is now the time for God to do something dramatic?" This is much like the time in John the Baptist's era, where the Israelites were really tired of the Roman rule and expected a dramatic rescue from a Messiah warrior king, like David had been a thousand years earlier. The expectations were very high for that kind of dramatic change in their world.
Could John the Baptist be him? Actually the introduction to John includes the reminder of Isaiah the prophet who announced that there was one who was to come to prepare the way for the Lord. That passage is pretty exciting in itself, because we all feel like we could use that kind of delivery.
"A voice crying out in the wilderness: "prepare the way for the Lord; make his paths straight. Every valley will be filled, and every mountain and hill will be leveled. The crooked will be made straight and the rough places made smooth. All humanity will see God's salvation." Isa 40:3-5 quoted in Luke 3: 4-6 CEB.
Imagine how relieved you might be to know that the valleys of depression, discouragement, uncertainty and darkness would be filled in, raised up, brought back to where it should be. And imagine that the mountains, the walls, the barriers that keep you from seeing what God is doing would be leveled so you could see clearly for the way forward. Imagine that the crooked, back and forth going here and there, would come to an end and the rough places, even the horrible pot holes that eat cars, would be smoothed over, and the way made straight and purposeful? What joy that could mean.
John was not going to make those changes from a political or military standpoint, and neither was the Messiah. The Christ was coming to restore our relationship to God. The announcement meant that we would have our valleys spiritually filled in, that those threatening mountains would be leveled, so we could move directly and smoothly toward God. That is what John was announcing would happen. And that approach to God would involve the baptism for forgiveness of sins, a sign that we had overcome the missing the target and plan God had for us, and so we could experience a complete and fulfilling connection to God.
John calls us to repent, not so much a religious word, but a directional word, to turn around, to leave the wrong path for the correct path. To go from missing your exit on the expressway, to turning to get you back on track. The GPS announces that at the next available place, turn around to get back to your destination. The invitation was to put us back in touch with God and the life God wanted for us. He offered suggestions to those who came, share your clothes, your food and do the right thing for each other. We are invited to repent, to get away from missing what was planned for us, and become the people God called us to be, so that all humanity would feel and see God's salvation, God's peace, God's redemption and healing. What a glorious opportunity this is.
Stay tuned for the rest of the lesson, Jesus comes to be baptized, not for his sin, but to collect our sins, so that he could truly remove them, so that by his wounds, we are healed.
Blessings
Pastor Jeff
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