St, John Baptist

St. John Baptist June 24 18

Today Lutherans and Roman Catholics celebrate John the Baptist’s birth today. Oher churches celebrate it tomorrow. We give thanks to God for John’s birth, life and ministry. This is the hinge of the year – 6 months to Christmas! Since Christmas the days have been getting longer; now they will gradually get shorter. Christians see John as the last of the Old Testament prophets who point us to Christ. John preached a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins, a renewed commitment to the Law of Moses. John’s baptism pointed toward baptism in Christ, a new life of grace in the power and truth of the Holy Spirit.

          We learn about John’s birth in St. Luke, Chapter 1. John’s father Zechariah was a priest of the Old Covenant. He served at the Jerusalem Temple twice a year. So John the Baptist is the patron saint of clergy kids! His mother Elizabeth was also a descendant of Aaron, so of a priestly family. Like Abraham and Sarah, they were old and childless. Serbing in the Temple Zechariah received a vision of the archangel Gabriel, but because he did not believe he was struck dumb. Despite Zechariah’s affliction Elizabeth conceived (marital nonverbal communication). In Elizabeth’s 6^th month Gabriel announced to Mary the virgin that Mary also would bear a son. Mary’s response is at the core of the Christian life, “Be it unto me according ro thy will,” or in two words, “Yes, Lord.”

          God is a God of love, a God of freedom, a God of grace. God is good; God is trustworthy. God loves us and we can trust our lives to God’s goodness and God’s love.  We are not alone; God is always present in and with us. The prophets revealed God’s love, God’s freedom, God’s grace. Fast forward 30 years to chapter 3 of St. Luke. John the Baptist appeared at the Jordan River, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sin.

          God chooses to use simple things to convey spiritual grace: water for baptism, bread and wine for communion. Marriage is a handshake contract, oil heals, hands on head confirm and ordain, a word forgives. 

          Lutheran and Episcopal churches teach that the ceremonial law of the Old Testament does not bind the church. (Article 28 Augsburg Confession Tappert p.91 line 59,  Article 7 of the 39)  The Jewish community interprets Leviticus 15  to require immersion in a ritual bath, called a mikvah, with this prayer:  “Barukh atah Ado-nai Elohenu melekh ha’olam asher kideshanu b’mitzvotav v’tzivanu al ha’tevillah. Blessed are You, O Lord, our God, King of the universe, who has sanctified us with His commandments and commanded us regarding the immersion.” Orthodox Jewish women go to the mikvah each month after their menstrual period. Orthodox Jewish men go at least once a year before Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. The Orthodox recite the prayer in the mikvah before immersing themselves. But converts to Judaism immerse themselves, then say the prayer and then immerse themselves again. The immersion, the ritual bath, is the outward and visible sign of accepting the responsibilities of the Law of Moses.  The prayer is the sign of obedience to the Law.

          One way to understand John’s baptism is that sin so separates us from God and from God’s people that we need to be reconverted to God; we need to ask God to renew our membership in the people of Israel, the people who know and obey God’s law. This was radical teaching. It emphasized personal commitment, not passive acceptance of membership in a privileged group, membership by birth. It said we can lose our birthright and need to claim it again. 

          Let me finish with John’s story and get back to his baptism. John went from preaching to meddling. St. Luke says he condemned the ruler Herod Antipas for marrying his brother’s wife and Herod cast him in prison and eventually beheaded him.  Another writer agrees he was imprisoned but says he was killed to prevent a rebellion.

          In St. John’s gospel chapter 4 we learn that Jesus’ disciples continued John’s baptismal ministry. Acts tells of John’s disciples in Asia Minor. John’s baptism was a promise of a new life of commitment to obey the Law of Moses, the moral law and the ceremonial law. It both a sign of repentance and also a promise of a new birth into the community of Israel. But John also promised the baptism of Jesus. “After me comes one who is mightier than I, I have baptized you with water; he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.” (Mark 1:7-8). The baptism of Jesus adds to washing away of sin and rebirth into the community of obedience the third element of the gift of the Holy Spirit, the spirit of truth and power.

          Both the Prayer Book Catechism, and Luther’s Catechism tell us Christian baptism “works forgiveness of sins, rescues from death and the devil, and gives eternal salvation to all who believe. Baptism is a life-giving water, rich in grace, and a washing of the new birth in the Holy Spirit.”  

          So as we celebrate today the birth of John the Baptist, let us give thanks to God for John’s  life and ministry, give thanks to God for Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection, and give thsnks for God’s gift to us of new and eternal life in holy baptism, for the forgiveness of sins and the truth and power of the Holy Spirit. Amen.