Baptism of Jesus
Isaiah 43:1-7
Luke 3 : 13-22
Hope for a community called by name
Some people place great value on being addressed by name: making us feel known, included, and cherished. Are we good at remembering the names of others? And when a name escapes us, how do we go about bridging that gap? A name carries so much—it reflects identity, heritage, and even belonging. Names are not just labels; they are deeply tied to who we are.
Today’s Isaiah reading has these powerful words: “I have called you by name.” Affirming a deep belief that God knows us intimately and personally.
Isaiah offers four statements that invite us to reflect on our relationship with God:
- Don’t be afraid.
- I have redeemed you.
- I have called you by name.
- You are mine.
Do any of these statements resonate with you? Can you imagine God saying these words directly to you? Which words do you most long to hear?
Full of reassurance and hope. It speaks of God’s boundless love, protection, and redemptive purposes for each of us, particularly in moments of uncertainty or struggle. Words emphasising God’s intimate relationship with people. He knows each of us by name , claims us as his own, affirms our value and belonging.
God’s Presence Through Trials
Water and fire imagery symbolises life’s overwhelming challenges. Yet God’s promise is not to remove trials but to sustain us through them. We are never alone, even in the most difficult of circumstances.
In a book Love’s Endeavour, Love’s Expense by Vanstone we read that God’s love remains transforming and compelling. He explores the nature and cost of authentic love, distinguishing it from destructive imitations, and he reflects on the precarious activity of God in creation. God’s ‘sublime self-giving’, which is the ground and source and origin of the universe’ and which requires Creator God to wait upon the response to us his creation. In the Welsh mining tragedy of Aberfan God was with each child and parent in the midst of appalling loss…and that God waits with the community until healing and hope evolves from the coal spoils.
We are also reminded that this special relationship with God is not at the expense of others. Isaiah presents a vision of inclusion: a global mission in which God gathers all people to Himself. Just as parents discover that love grows to encompass all their children, God’s love is limitless—overflowing and inexhaustible.
Jesus’ Baptism: A Moment of Solidarity
Isaiah’s message is developed in the baptism of Jesus and inspired countless artists to depict its rich theological meaning.
Andrea del Verrocchio and Leonardo da Vinci’s “ The Baptism of Christ”, which was painted by both artists, captures John baptising Jesus in the Jordan River, with angels witnessing the scene. Leonardo’s angel, painted when he was a student to Verrocchio, is noted for its ethereal beauty, reflecting the divine moment with exquisite naturalism.
El Greco’s “The Baptism of Christ” is more stylised, with elongated figures and dramatic contrasts of light and colour. The Holy Spirit descends as a radiant dove, connecting heaven and earth in a mystical interplay. A moving picture.
Yet most depictions show Jesus being baptised alone, fitting the accounts in some Gospels. However, Luke’s version offers a broader perspective: “Now when all the people were baptised, and when Jesus also had been baptised and was praying…”
We see Jesus participating in a mass baptism. This isn’t an exclusive moment but one of profound solidarity. Jesus is baptised “with” others, standing among the people in their shared humanity. I wonder what that would look like if painted by an artist?
Being with Others in Love
Jesus’ baptism is a moment of “being with”—fully identifying with humanity’s frailty and need for grace. It reflects God’s commitment to walk alongside us, no matter our circumstances. This communal aspect of baptism reminds us of our calling as the church: to affirm the identity of all as beloved children of God and to stand with one another in love and service.
A Message of Hope and Humility
Just as the people of Jesus’ time awaited the Messiah, we too probably long for change—whether in our personal lives, our communities, or the world. Our daily prayer each day after reflecting on the news of the day might well be prayers of hope for a changed world and humanity. This passage reassures us that God hears our longing and responds with the gift of the Holy Spirit, offering transformation and renewal. But Christian hope is not a wish or some sort of magic wand waving. Rather it is us being with others and God and working to bring about change…. “ Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me” wrote the song writers Jill Jackson-Miller and Sy Miller in 1955 for a children’s choir who performed it at the White House.
At the baptism of Jesus John the Baptist models humility, pointing to Jesus rather than himself. It reminds us that hope arises through selflessness and service rather than power or prestige. It challenges us to approach the world’s needs with humility and purpose.
Finally, the voice of God proclaiming Jesus as His beloved Son is a reminder of our own identity as God’s beloved children, named and valued . In a world where many of us struggle with feelings of inadequacy or isolation, this is a message of profound hope. With recent news articles about the mental health of young people being at an all time low we might need to find ways not just to talk about being valued and loved to young people but to show it and live it through our actions. What might this look like and involve for your church community, I wonder?
We live out this hope grounded in God’s love for us and share it with others as a community bound together in God’s unending love.
