The Beloved Son... again...

Matthew 3:13-17 is the text for Baptism of the Lord on Sunday, January 12.

The prophet's yoke was transmitted.
John (Elijah) had completed the mission in preparation for the Sent One.
And the spectacle of this Rite was hardly subtle.  It was clear to any who would read this Gospel.
Jesus is Son of God and Messiah, the one for whom they had waited for so long.

But it is different this time, and not just because Jesus is identified as Messiah.
It is a complete change from before.  This is not just another new prophet being ordained.

Because the people had "sat in deep darkness" for a long time under Rome, the corrupt King and Temple Cult Leaders.  They had been occupied, oppressed and demoralized for generations.  The King was no longer a Sovereign, but a Vassal under Rome, who did what he could to benefit himself and his own instead of faithfully leading the people of God.  The Law and Prophets had been so twisted that the children of God were being led to live in compliance with empire values.  People were being held down, back and out by their own government and religious leaders, and under the evils of empire.

Enter John the Baptist (Elijah), in preparation for Jesus.
Enter Jesus, the promised Messiah.

This was different from one more prophet in a long line of true and false prophets.
This one was Son of God, the Sent One anticipated for generations.

This was Son of God, who was born as the most poor and humble are born, who was forced to be a Refugee in a foreign land because of the political persecution aimed at him, a Son of God who could identify with the children of God under empire.

John knew this was different.  His baptism of repentance for preparation could not touch into what this Jesus, Messiah would baptize the children of God.  This was different.

This is God, reaching into a world of quid pro quo and merit based society and interaction, calling and commanding the people to live a life of Agape Love (unconditional love).
This is God, reaching into a norm of Greed-based interactions dominated by those already with wealth, calling and commanding the people to live a life of Generosity and selflessness with others as children of God.
This is God, reaching into an environment of oppressive, abusive force imposed on the people by megalomaniacs, calling and commanding the people to live a life of shared power for the equal empowerment of all people in community.
This is God, reaching into a climate of celebrity and status, fame and self-glorification by those considered elite, calling and commanding the people to live a life of humility instead of hubris, and finding their worth in their relationships with God and Neighbor.

This is Kingdom of God values brought to bear on the empire values that had divided and destroyed healthy lives of well-being and community, and had left the many in deep despair.
This is the New Covenant in the flesh.
This is Grace and Agape Love shined into the darkness of Abusive Law and Hatred.
This is The New, Greatest Commandment brought to bear in the lives of people who were beaten down.
This is God's big "turning it upside down" moment.
This is Word made Flesh, dwelling among us.  God's Kingdom come.  God's Will to be done.

And it would resist empire and bring new hope to the masses whose lives were touched by this Good News.
And, for a while, as it was lived by those who followed Jesus, it changed the lives of many in the First Century world.
And, then, empire subsumed it, manipulated the Good News to the point of it being unrecognizable and then took what it had created and packaged and sold it as "faithfulness" to God.

And so, here we are, having sat in deep darkness again for a generation (38 years in earnest), under empire.

And on next Sunday, this text will be read and preached.
And empire preachers will focus on the miracle, the power for adherents, the personal salvation and prosperity available through Him, the wonderful status of claiming the name of Jesus and the need to offer praise and tithes to this Son of God who came to save souls.
And some followers of Jesus will preach about the transformation of lives, community and society available in the Good News of Jesus, when folk heed the command to live Agape Love and Grace in the world around them, in resistance to the prevalent empire values normalized in our culture and churches.

Which will it be for you?

Pastor Jamie