Matthew 3:13-17 (NRSV)
Read Matthew 3:13-17 on biblegateway.com
Verse 13Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan, to be baptized by him. Verse 14John would have prevented him, saying, "I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?" Verse 15But Jesus answered him, "Let it be so now; for it is proper for us in this way to fulfill all righteousness." Then he consented. Verse 16And when Jesus had been baptized, just as he came up from the water, suddenly the heavens were opened to him and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. Verse 17And a voice from heaven said, "This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased."
Devotion
I have visited the Washington Monument, Lincoln Memorial, Kitty Hawk, the memorial at Wounded Knee, Anne Frank’s home, Dachau concentration camp and St. Anne’s Church in Augsburg, Germany. Each recalls a bit of history. Likewise, the Jordan River must have summoned up history for John and Jesus. There, Joshua had led the people from the wilderness to the Promised Land.
People build upon and move forward from their histories. We Christians strive to become what we were called to be in baptism. There are always forces attempting to undo human achievements like the Constitution, the Emancipation Proclamation, scientific and technological breakthroughs, even the Reformation.
When calling disciples, Jesus said, “Don’t go back to the plow. Come forward.” Peacemakers are not called to repeat holocausts. The Jordan baptism called Jesus to Jerusalem, not back to Sinai. Today we must choose. Forward or backward?
Prayer
O God, we have choices to make. Keep us faithful. Amen.