HELLO!

There’s a wonderful scene from the movie, “O Brother, Where Art Thou?” where Delmar, one of three escapees from a 1920’s southern prison, gets caught up in the spirit of a riverside revival, wades into the water, and is baptized. He comes up sputtering, and as he staggers out of the river toward his two fellow escapees says, “Well that’s it, boys. I’ve been redeemed. The preacher’s done warshed away all my sins and transgressions. It’s the straight and narrow from here on out, and heaven everlasting’s my reward.” George Clooney’s character asks, “Delmar, what are you talking about? We’ve got bigger fish to fry.” Delmar replies, “The preacher says all my sins is warshed away, including that Piggly Wiggly I knocked over in Yazoo.” His friend points out, “I thought you said you was innocent of those charges?” Delmar recoils slightly and then happily remembers, “Well I was lyin’. And the preacher says that that sin’s been warshed away too. Neither God nor man’s got nothin’ on me now. C’mon in boys, the water is fine.” The water is fine. For everyone.

Even Jesus. In Matthew’s telling of Jesus’ baptism, John is reluctant to baptize Jesus. I don’t blame him. Why would Jesus, the incarnation of the living God, need to be baptized? John knows who Jesus is and asks, “You want me to baptize you? I should be so lucky as to have you baptize me!” We are right to join John in wondering, “Why did Jesus need to be baptized?” It’s important for us to reflect on Jesus’ baptism.

Jesus wades into the River Jordan with all the other people from all over the country and from all backgrounds of society who are turning back, repenting, reorienting their lives to the God who gives life, the Love that lives for relationship. By joining us in the waters of baptism, Jesus joins all of human life to all the fullness of divine life.

But we also know that Jesus didn’t remain in the Jordan River. From the water, he moved to the desert where he was tempted and tested. From there he moved on to heal and teach; to invite, include, those who were the last, the lost, and the least; and ultimately to demonstrate—with all that he had—that love is the most powerful force in the universe. Jesus joins us in the waters of baptism, but we can’t stay there. He’s like a lifeguard—the ultimate lifeguard, life giver, life restorer—saving us by jumping in and hauling us to firm ground. Jesus meets us where we are, but he doesn’t leave us where we are. By remembering Jesus’ baptism, we also remember what comes after our baptisms—a new way of living, a different way of seeing, an alternative way of relating to God and one another. Delmar was right when he said, “C’mon in! The water is fine!” And he was also right to come out of those waters recognizing a different life on the other side of it. Jesus meets us in the reality of our lives and then leads us in the ways that lead to real, everlasting life.

See you on Sunday, in-person or on livestream. Peace, Kevin