The First Sunday after the Epiphany, Jan. 9, 2005
BCP: Isaiah 42:1-9; Psalm 89:1-29 or 89:20-29; Acts 10:34-38; Matt. 3:13-17; RCL: Isaiah 42:1-9; Psalm 29; Acts 10:34-43; Matt. 3:13-17
The prophet Isaiah envisions the coming of God’s chosen One into the world. Anointed and empowered by God’s own Spirit, the Servant will bring justice to all people everywhere. He shall cast out all darkness and replace it with light. He will open the eyes of the blind, and bring freedom to all who are imprisoned or oppressed. “See, the former things have come to pass,” proclaims the prophet, “and new things I now declare; before they spring forth, I tell you of them” (Isaiah 42:9).
The vision of Isaiah is fulfilled this day as Jesus of Nazareth is shown to be the chosen One. Baptized by John in the Jordan River, Jesus is anointed and empowered by the Spirit for his earthly ministry. He is strengthened for the work of healing the sick, restoring sight to the blind, and proclaiming liberty to any and all who are enslaved. Indeed, all things are beginning to be made new with the showing of Jesus to be the Christ.
The operative word here, of course, is beginning. For us as Christians, the baptism of Christ is no mere historical memory. It is the very type of the Lord’s passion and death -- and as such it is the precondition for his resurrection body, of which each of us is now a part. “[Y]ou were buried with him in baptism,” Paul reminds us, “in which you were also raised with him through faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead” (Col. 2:12). Through our own baptismal anointing, we ourselves have been empowered by the Spirit, both individually and collectively, to continue Christ’s saving work until the coming of the kingdom in its fullness.
The readings for this Feast of the Baptism of Christ call us to claim and embrace our inheritance and ministry as members of Christ’s body, the Church. They challenge us to live out our own baptismal covenant.
Look It Up
In what ways are we made like Christ through our own baptism into his death? (Col. 2:14-18)
Think About It
How might we be called to further the work of the Lord in our own lives? In the lives of our families? In the life of the world?
Next Sunday
The Second Sunday after the Epiphany, Jan. 16, 2004
BCP: Isaiah 49:1-7; Psalm 40:1-10; 1 Cor. 1:1-9; John 1:29-41;
RCL: Isaiah 49:1-7; Psalm 40:1-12; 1 Cor. 1:1-9; John 1:29-42
