“In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And when he came up out of the water, immediately he saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, ‘You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.’” (Mark 1:9-11)
Our lectionary readings this week speak about the light of God’s truth. These days our world no longer considers truth something that is absolute. Instead, truth is considered to be relative to what individuals think, feel, or experience. And it can be fluid and changing, a concept promoted by the media and academia and enforced by the government, social pressure, and virtue shaming mobs. All of these are rebelling against the Word of God and His Kingdom. He has established laws and rules and holds mankind accountable to them. If His words are rejected and His laws violated as many are doing these days, the result will be trouble, emotional distress, illness, and God’s judgment.
The truth of God which He has revealed in the Scriptures is not subject to human whims and desires. As John the Baptist taught, all human beings need to repent of their sins and place their faith in God’s savior, that is, Jesus Christ. When Jesus came to him to be baptized, He showed His willingness to identify with us and take on our sins. He also demonstrated His obedience to the Father in all things. A lesson we need to heed.
But another absolute truth was revealed when Jesus was baptized for the Father proclaimed Him to be His Son. This proclamation confirmed to John, and to us, that Jesus has a unique relationship with the Father. Jesus is equal in divinity, status, and power. In addition, that statement reveals another absolute that applies to all those who are baptized into Christ. That same declaration of relationship is made of everyone who is baptized into Christ. We are sons of God. We are pleasing in God’s sight because when God sees us, He sees Jesus. And though we are not equal to Jesus terms of power, status, or divinity, we have His righteousness. This is the greatest news we can hear, the greatest news we can give to people in our sin-filled world. Unity with God as our Father is only by faith in Jesus. And so because believers are one in Christ, we are one with all believers. This is the truth that will rid the world of hatred and racism.