Matthew 3:13-17 (New International Version)
13Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized
by John. 14But John tried to deter him, saying, “I
need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?”
15Jesus replied, “Let it be so now; it is proper for
us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.” Then
John consented.
16As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water.
At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of
God descending like a dove and lighting on him.
17And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son,
whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”
Allen Boesak is credited with these amazing words of wisdom
entitled "Called
to Care":
"We are not called to be fearful,
we are called to love;
We are not called to be perfect,
we are called to be faithful;
We are not called to be fearless,
we are called to be obedient;
We are not called to claim,
we are called to give;
We are not called to be victorious,
we are called to be courageous;
We are not called to lord it over others,
we are called to serve others.
For it is in serving that we shall reign;
it is through courage that we shall find victory;
it is in giving all that we shall gain all;
it is in believing that we shall find certainty;
it is in obedience that we shall overcome;
it is in loving that we shall dispel fear;
it is in faithfulness that we shall find perfection;
it is in slavery to God and God's justice that we shall find freedom,
now and forever, for ourselves and our world."
These words remind us that, as Christians, each and every one of us has
been called to faith. That call to faith is followed by other calls from
God—calls
to service, calls to obedience, calls to minister according to the gifts
God has given to us.
These words remind us of the nobility and dignity and honour
of our call.
Our calling to faith, and to acting out our faith, is one
of the most special privileges we can ever receive.
It goes against the increasingly common idea that faith
is only personal and individual—the idea of faith that
expresses itself more in terms of what God can do for me
rather than what God and I can do for others in God’s
name.
When we think of our call from Christ to serve, we often
forget that Christ had to answer a call of His own before
anything else could happen. Once He answered His own call,
then He was free to offer a calling to others.
Our lesson from Matthew, about the baptism of Jesus, speaks about that.
Matthew tells us that Jesus very intentionally made His
way from Galilee so that He could be baptized by John.
This wasn’t a spur of the moment decision. Jesus answered
John's call to be baptized for the repentance of sin
even though Jesus was sinless. Though Jesus didn't need to
be
baptized, He accepted baptism so that He could show His
affinity with humanity.
John, himself, recognized how strange it was for Jesus
to come to him. John couldn't believe what he saw. He tried
to dissuade the Lord but Jesus sought such an association
with the world that He accepted what He didn't deserve both
at baptism and at the Cross.
As far as John was concerned things were upside down.
In verse 14 we read:
Matt 3:14 (NIV) "But John tried to deter him, saying, "I
need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?""
The Lord—the Messiah—the Saviour had come to
John.
Jesus' baptism became the initiation of His ministry.
It became His public answer to God's call for Him to begin
the plan for the salvation of the world.
It became a time of affirming who Jesus was and what He
was to do.
In accepting His ministry, Jesus had to show obedience
to His call—an obedience that required baptism.
Jesus needed John to do something for Him.
And, only John could do it.
What an incredible honour and privilege to serve the Lord
in such a way!
Jesus had come to John, to call John to service.
That service allowed the ministry of Christ to begin and,
eventually, led to the most remarkable and meaningful events
in the history of the world.
As Jesus answered His own call and then called John and
others, Jesus continues to come to call people.
Jesus continues to come and ask people to be of help to
Him—of help to His ministry.
Like John, God has gifted all believers with ministries that are designed to
make a difference in our world.
Like John, often when Jesus comes to us, we are surprised.
Our reaction to realizing that we have something special
to offer, in the name of the Lord, can be amazement.
Like John, we feel touched personally by Christ.
We recognize, in a dawning kind of way, that God is nudging
us to action. Our abilities, that we take for granted,
become more interesting to us as we realize God's interest
in using them for ministry.
Like John, we begin to acknowledge that the Lord needs
us.
It’s a calling that we seek to respond to with humility
and joy.
Humility because we know that being called isn’t
meant to result in pride or arrogance.
Joy because of the honour to serve God in a way that feels
right and works out so well.
When we recognize that Jesus has come to us and seeks to draw us into our own
ministry for Him, then we not only serve the Lord, but, we show the world
that faith is not ego-centred. Faith is lived out in action for others. It
is other centred.
Rick Warren, a minister in California, said, "The
church is measured, not by its seating capacity but by
its sending capacity."
How our society needs to know that and understand it.
How our society needs to see faith and spirituality in terms of a personal
relationship with God, which moves us out into ministry for others.
How our society needs to understand that each believer's ministry makes
life special for the believer but even more, it makes life special for
those who
are served in Christ’s name.
I’d like you to close your eyes for a few moments
and imagine a dream.
In your dream Jesus comes to you.
Don't worry about what Jesus looks like. Don't concentrate
on physical features.
Just know that Jesus is there and He is there knowing you
in all your strengths and weaknesses.
Imagine Jesus saying to you: "I need you to do something
for me. Only you can do what I have in mind. I know you
can do it because I know you and I wouldn't ask you to do
what
you couldn't do well. What I want you to do is very important
to me. "
Imagine how you would feel.
Now open your eyes and know that Jesus does this for each
and every one of us. Usually it isn’t quite so direct
but the Scriptures speak, over and over again, about the
important ministries God has in mind for God’s people—ministries
that God equips us to do and then calls us to do.
The church isn’t about seating capacity—it’s
about sending capacity!
We aren’t just to sit—we are sent.
Sent to work in the Church—in our families—in
our community—outside our community.
Jesus has come to call us in many ways. Many of you are
already actively using the gifts and abilities God has given
you to make a difference for Him.
Many of you are sensing a call.
May I encourage you to be open to God's leadings.
In your bulletin is an insert which describes some needs
we have at St. Timothy’s
for people to use their gifts in ministry by way of Committee work.
These Committees allow more input from the congregation
and a greater ownership of the things that we are doing now
and will be doing in the future. These Committees are working
committees. They are meant to, and do, make a difference
in what we do here. Your efforts will add to that difference
in the ministry of our congregation locally and beyond.
Each and every one of us here is called by God to put our
faith into action—to develop a ministry according
to the gifts and abilities God has given to us.
John R. Mott was an amazing man. During his years as secretary of the World
Student Volunteer Movement, Mott's travels took him everywhere: to Europe,
the Middle East, Africa, India, Latin America, Australia, China, Japan, and
the islands of the Pacific. And everywhere he went, he led young men and
women to Christ.
Mott offered an excellent definition of a call: "The awareness of
a need, and the capacity to meet that need: this constitutes a call."
Jesus has come to call.
What an incredible honour and privilege to receive Him.
What an opportunity to reinforce for ourselves and to show
our society that Christianity is relevant and full of
purpose because we have an awareness
of needs, and the capacity to meet those needs—because our calling
provides us with the challenge to be sent rather than just to sit.
(1478)
©
The Rev. Dennis Cook, St. Timothy’s Presbyterian Church,
Ajax, ON, Canada
