Baptism by Fire

[T]he Holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, ‘You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.’ Luke 3:22

With the terrible fires in California, the words “baptism by fire” have been in my head.  It’s an interesting phrase alongside thoughts of Jesus and Baptism. John the Baptist says, of Jesus, “He will baptize with the Holy Spirit and with fire,” and a few verses later “…and the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.” Those are troubling images this week, showing the limitations of metaphor in close contact with real life. That day in the Jordan River, no one would say Jesus was baptized by fire. Like everyone else, Jesus also was immersed in the cool, soothing water of the river. Nothing remotely close to a personal ordeal, his baptism was an act of solidarity with the rest of the people. Jesus is that one more powerful than John, and yet he submitted to the same immersion as everyone else: God with us, in every experience of our lives, the good and the bad.   

Older commentaries often worry about why Jesus NEEDED to be baptized. But maybe he simply WANTED to be baptized by John. John offered a baptism of repentance, challenging the people to live differently, with integrity and concern for each other’s well-being. That’s how Jesus lived and how he taught the people who followed him to live, then and now. That day at the Jordan River, Jesus stood with the people who were also compelled by John’s message, who wanted something more from life than the shallow self-interest the Herods of their day could offer.

Jesus’ baptisms by fire were coming. From his temptations in the wilderness, to run-ins with the authorities, all the way to the cross, Jesus faced trials and tribulations that must have been daunting to him, terrifying at times. After all, he may have been divine, but he was also fully human. I imagine he remembered the words that rang out at his baptism and that they helped him through all that was to come—giving him whatever it was he needed to persevere, knowing God would not abandon him. 

None of us can know what challenges we will face in our lifetimes, only that there will be some. Hopefully they’re limited to ordinary, everyday sorts of troubles. But there are no guarantees, as our neighbors in California know all too well. I hope the words we hear spoken over our lives at the font, at the Communion table, in words of Confession and Forgiveness will likewise strengthen and encourage us, helping us trust that  we also are God’s beloved and that nothing--neither the things that happen to us, nor the things we do or fail to do—can separate us from God’s love. By the ways we accompany and help each other through whatever life throws at us, we complete the circle and become the Spirit-formed community John the Baptist envisioned, embodying for each other God’s relentless love.

In every way possible, may we rise to that baptismal challenge.

Pastor Sue

If you want to offer than thoughts and prayers to communities impacted by the California wildfires. Lutheran Disaster Response is a good place to start. They will be on the ground in those communities long after the headlines have moved on to something else.