In at the deep end - the Baptism of Christ

In the parish we lock out baptismal record in the safe i suppose for a number of reasons - one it is a requirement for such a document but probably and more importantly as it is special containing the names of those who have come into the family of God.

Maybe the safe signifies being held in God's safe keeping (or is that too much of a jump in anyone's mind).

in the Isaiah reading (43:1-3) today it talks about not fearing no matter we are as God is with us - even as we pass through the waters.

Knowing that God is with us is so important. Yes we can all have times when He seems millions of miles away but we must realise that the God promises to never leave us nor forsake us nor can we fall from the hollow of His hand.

In baptism we are brought into God's family and by baptism we are washed, cleansed and purified. The old picture of baptism in a stream or river enables us to picture the sins being washed away down stream - and as we go under we die to sin and rise to new life in Christ.

so if that is what baptism is meant to signify - why on earth did Jesus need to be baptised? Why on earth was it important before his earthly minstry began? If he was the sinless son of God, then why does he need John's baptism for the remission of sin?

I suppose in the baptism of Christ we see something of the Son of God identifying with us the sinful. He was happy to be seen with murderers, rapists, theifs. tax collectors, sinners, prositiutes, gluttons, and in his baptism He identified with all of them. His baptism and identification with human kind points to the time when he would take all of the sins of these people upon himself. God doesnt stand back from the sinful who turned away from Him, but rather in the incarnation He comes among them and is prepared to identify with them in their sinfulness and in His Epiphany Christ is prepared to be shown to the world in His identification with sinful human kind.

Maybe such an action removes our ability to say "God you dont know how it feels" - but He is a Saviour who has passed through the waters, not only of lifes difficulties but of birth itself. He has lived with a family; his freinds turn away and He is taken out and crucified. What other person would do that for us only our loving God?

So is the baptism of Christ important for us - of course it is and as we have been baptised we too identify with our Lord and Saviour - passing through the waters, having our sins washed away so we in our sinfulness can identify in His sinlessness.

We turn to Christ. We Repent of our Sins and we are held in that great safe - the Eternal Love of God and registered in that Great baptismal record.