Standing in the Water

Jesus gives a lot of instructions during his ministry. He tells us to repent, to love, how to pray, to forgive, and much more. But there are only two sacraments, two physical rituals, that Jesus explicitly instructs his followers to do, and those are the Eucharist and Baptism. Sharing the bread and cup, he says ‘do this in remembrance of me’, and after his resurrection Jesus tells his disciples ‘make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit’. That’s why baptism is so important. Among all the traditions and rituals of the church, alongside the Eucharist, it is the bedrock of what it is to be a Christian.

There are a few different ways that churches follow this instruction and it’s fun to see the variety even in a single congregation.

• So, if you were baptised in a church that isn’t Episcopalian, please raise your hand.
• If you were baptised by immersion, where you go fully under water, raise your hand.
• If you were baptised as a baby, raise your hand.
• If you were a teenager or adult, raise your hand.

Jesus himself is an adult when he is baptised. The timeline can feel a little abrupt, having barely finished celebrating Christmas, and Epiphany being only last Sunday. But in the gospels, the only other story we have of Jesus between his birth and the start of his ministry is when his parents take him to Jerusalem and lose him. It turns out he is busy talking with the teachers at the temple - ‘his father’s house’ - but this story of 12 year old Jesus only appears in Luke’s gospel, so for Matthew, who gives us today’s gospel reading, the narrative just jumps nearly 30 years. So while it may feel sudden, we are still following Jesus’ life chronologically! His baptism marks the start of his ministry; it’s his entry onto the public scene.

Which leads us to the next question: Why does Jesus get baptised? Even his cousin John the Baptist tries to stop him. Jesus doesn’t have sin, doesn’t need to repent, doesn’t need a new birth into a new spiritual life. He isn’t following another spiritual leader, isn’t trying to impress people, and while maybe he just really needed a bath, I don’t think that’s the reason either! So why does he do it?

There are a couple of answers, but the heart of it is this: Jesus enters the water in order to stand fully with us. He steps into our story. And when he comes up from the water, the heavens open, the Spirit descends, and a voice declares: “This is my Son, the Beloved.” Jesus is named by God. He is claimed by God. Then he is sent forth.

That same pattern lies at the heart of our own baptism. In baptism, we too are named as God’s beloved, claimed as Christ’s own, and sent into the world as his disciples. But baptism is more than something that happened to us once in the past; it is the foundation of our identity and calling as Christians, the bedrock to faith for the rest of our lives. And none of us live that Christian life in isolation. We do it in community, in relationship with others.

So I’m going to ask you to think about a question and share the answer with someone next to you. I’d like you to think of someone who has been important to you in faith. Perhaps they taught you to pray. Maybe it’s someone whose faith you admire. It could be that there’s someone who encouraged you when you needed it during a hard time. Whoever comes to mind for you who has been significant in your own faith story - take a minute, and share with someone near you, in twos or threes. I’ll give you a couple of minutes. …

Hopefully that was interesting, and you could think of someone who has helped guide you along the way in faith. The reason I asked you to do that was because while our faith story is personal, it is also something we receive from others. We are shaped and formed by those around us, those who teach us about God.

The early church understood this deeply. As early as the second century, every person coming to baptism was required to have a sponsor. The Latin word is spondere, which means “to promise.” A sponsor was someone who made a promise to stand with the newly baptized, to vouch for their faith, and to walk with them in the life of discipleship. Then when infant baptism became more common, that role did not disappear, it simply became what we now call godparents.

At their best, godparents do four simple and holy things as they ‘parent’ their godchild: they pray, they talk about faith, they model Christ, and they walk alongside. Godparenting is baptism lived out over time. It is the quiet, steady work of love, helping another person grow into their identity as Christ’s own. Now not everybody has a godparent; I don’t because I was brought up in a Baptist church which didn’t follow that tradition. However, baptism is never something we do on our own, and developing in faith isn’t a solo sport either. Instead, these things happen in community. Jesus’ own baptism shows us this. He is baptised by John with other people gathered around. And immediately afterward, Jesus begins calling his disciples to follow him.

Faith grows through relationship. It always has. So while godparents and godchildren are great gifts to each other, the beauty of our Episcopal tradition is also this: godparenting is not only for those who officially take that role. For our baptismal covenant makes every baptized person responsible for one another’s faith. When we promise to “continue in the apostles’ teaching and fellowship,” when we promise to “seek and serve Christ in all persons,” when we promise to “persevere in resisting evil,” we are making those promises not just for ourselves, but for each other.

We are companions in faith together. A community of people who remind one another who they are when they forget. A people who carry each other’s faith when it grows thin. A people who walk together toward Christ. And so today we are remembering a calling. A calling rooted in the waters of baptism. Jesus steps out of the water named, claimed, and sent. And as we renew our baptismal promises today, we are invited to hear that same voice spoken over us once again: You are my beloved. You belong. Now go and live it out.

Amen.

A Prayer for the Search Committee Gracious God, we give you thanks for these servants whom you have called to this holy work of discernment. Send your Holy Spirit upon them, that in all things they may seek your will and not their own. Give them wisdom, patience, and unity of heart, that they may faithfully call the rector you have chosen for this parish; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Matthew 3:13-17