Baptismal Witness

Acts 10:34-43; Matthew 3:13-17

The Jordon River defines Israel.  I do not simply mean geographically.  Just as Noah and seven other from his family were saved by God, the Hebrews were saved through the Red Sea as we know, and completed when the people were delivered through the Jordon River led by Joshua.  The Promised Land was was acquired by military victory.  The salvation was completed through violence.  I do not believe God desired this type of salvation, rather God wanted the Chosen People to follow God, alone, but humanity could not comprehend God’s salvation.  The Hebrew scriptures are full of God’s compassion as well as the victories over the inhabitants of the land west of the Jordon River.  Their salvation was defined by that river, in that, those promised that land were saved by the one true God. 

Peter and all the disciples, too were confused about salvation as they also awaited for a Messiah that would save them from the oppression of Rome.  They truly thought Jesus came simply for those of Israel.  That was the question for first century followers of Christ, “Could non-Jews, gentiles, be saved?” (Not if Jews would be saved?) Paul is clear on that of course the gentiles could receive salvation, but Peter and James, among others, believed at first, as good Jewish men, that Jesus came to the Chosen People and one had to follow Jewish Law to accept the Messiah and His salvation.  This conflict is hinted at through out the New Testament, and Jesus often pushes the envelope to include those outside the Jewish people, the most famous is the story of the Good Samaritan.  Yet I share with you the story of the Canaanite Woman were even Jesus seems to suggest (at first) that He came only for the Jews, Matthew 15:21-28:

Jesus left that place and went away to the district of Tyre and Sidon.Just then a Canaanite woman from that region came out and started shouting, ‘Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David; my daughter is tormented by a demon.’ But he did not answer her at all. And his disciples came and urged him, saying, ‘Send her away, for she keeps shouting after us.’ He answered, ‘I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.’ But she came and knelt before him, saying, ‘Lord, help me.’ He answered, ‘It is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs.’ She said, ‘Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.’ Then Jesus answered her, ‘Woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.’ And her daughter was healed instantly.

Clearly it was an issue that some believed Jesus came to the “lost sheep of Israel,” and had to be convinced that Jesus brought salvation to all.  This sermon that Peter preached (Acts 10) was the culmination of answering that very question, who could be saved.  The greatest voice Peter listened to, was that of God’s through his visions and sending him to the centurion Cornelius’ home (Acts 10).  Peter realized Jesus did not come only for the Jews, but for all humanity.  Thus Peter says, “God shows no partiality…He is Lord of All.”  We know Jesus came and made it clear that salvation was available for the whole world.

John the Baptist was baptizing people in the first century, and there were other Jewish sects that did that same, for various reasons.  John baptized preaching, “Repent for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”  Jesus did not need to repent or be washed clean of sin, for He has no sin, but He asked to be baptized.  This was to change the meaning of this rite and the river.  No longer would it be simply a washing of sin, but a reflection and commitment that we participate in the death and resurrection of Jesus, which opens salvation to all.  Matthew writes, “suddenly the heaven was opened to Him.”  Thus salvation was no longer about being rescued in the earthly sense, but rescued from sin.  Peter understood what baptism is for us and writes in 1 Peter 3:18-22

For Christ also suffered for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, in order to bring you to God. He was put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit, in which also he went and made a proclamation to the spirits in prison, who in former times did not obey, when God waited patiently in the days of Noah, during the building of the ark, in which a few, that is, eight people, were saved through water. And baptism, which this prefigured, now saves you—not as a removal of dirt from the body, but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers made subject to him.

No longer would the Jordon River define the chosen people, no longer would it be a boundary, rather it becomes the heart of salvation.  Both sides of the river could be freed by Jesus’ death and resurrection.  Salvation came from this sacrifice that came with no retaliation.  Thus Salvation was made known without violence.  Victory was gained when the heaven was opened to us through our Lord Jesus death and resurrection, and our baptism is a witness to this salvation.