Readings

Acts 10.34–43 – Then Peter began to speak to them: ‘I truly understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him. You know the message he sent to the people of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ—he is Lord of all. That message spread throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John announced: how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power; how he went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. We are witnesses to all that he did both in Judea and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree; but God raised him on the third day and allowed him to appear, not to all the people but to us who were chosen by God as witnesses, and who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one ordained by God as judge of the living and the dead. All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.’

Matthew 3.13–end – Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan, to be baptized by him. John would have prevented him, saying, ‘I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?’ But Jesus answered him, ‘Let it be so now; for it is proper for us in this way to fulfil all righteousness.’ Then he consented. And when Jesus had been baptized, just as he came up from the water, suddenly the heavens were opened to him and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, ‘This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased.’

Sermon

Today we stand at a turning point in the Christian year. The Christmas celebrations are drawing to a close, Epiphany light still shines, and we find ourselves by the waters of the River Jordan. The Feast of the Baptism of Christ invites us to watch Jesus step forward from the quiet years of Nazareth and into the public life that will lead him to the cross and beyond.

Matthew tells us that Jesus comes to John the Baptist to be baptised. This is surprising. John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance, a sign of turning away from sin and preparing for the coming of God’s kingdom. John himself is baffled: “I need to be baptised by you, and do you come to me?” Why would the one who is without sin submit to a baptism meant for sinners?

Jesus’ answer is brief but profound: “Let it be so now; for it is proper for us in this way to fulfil all righteousness.” In other words, Jesus chooses to stand exactly where humanity stands. He does not remain at a distance. He does not begin his ministry with power or spectacle, but with humility and solidarity. He steps into the water with everyone else.

This moment at the Jordan tells us something essential about who Jesus is and how God chooses to work. Jesus does not save us from afar; he saves us by entering fully into our life. He goes down into the water not because he needs cleansing, but because we do. From the very start of his ministry, Jesus aligns himself with the broken, the searching, the repentant, and the hopeful.

And then something extraordinary happens. As Jesus comes up from the water, the heavens are opened, the Spirit descends like a dove, and a voice from heaven declares: “This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased.” This is one of the great revealing moments of the gospel. Here, at the river, the identity of Jesus is made known. He is God’s Son. He is beloved. He is pleasing to the Father.

It is important to notice when this affirmation comes. It comes before Jesus has preached a sermon, before he has healed the sick, before he has challenged the authorities or gone to the cross. God’s declaration of love does not depend on Jesus’ achievements; it rests on who he is. This is not only a truth about Jesus—it is a truth that echoes into our own baptismal identity.

The Feast of the Baptism of Christ is not only about Jesus; it is also about us. In our own baptism, we are joined to Christ, united with him in his life, death, and resurrection. We, too, are named and claimed by God. We, too, are called beloved—not because we have earned it, but because God has chosen us in Christ.

Our reading from Acts helps us see how far-reaching this truth is. Peter, speaking in the house of Cornelius, makes a remarkable confession: “I truly understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him.” This is a watershed moment in the life of the early Church. Peter realises that the good news of Jesus is not limited by ethnicity, culture, or background. The Spirit who descended on Jesus at the Jordan is being poured out far beyond the boundaries people expected.

Peter goes on to summarise the heart of the gospel: Jesus was anointed with the Holy Spirit and with power; he went about doing good and healing those oppressed by evil; he was put to death; and God raised him on the third day. This is the story that begins at the Jordan. Baptism marks the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry, a ministry shaped by the Spirit and characterised by compassion, justice, and life-giving love.

What connects the river Jordan and the house of Cornelius is this: God’s saving work is for all, and it begins in humility. Jesus steps into the water. Peter steps across cultural and religious boundaries. In both cases, God is doing something new—opening up the heavens, opening up the Church, opening up the possibility of life for all people.

For us, this feast is an invitation to remember who we are and whose we are. Baptism is not just something that happened in the past; it is a present reality that shapes how we live. To be baptised into Christ is to share in his way of life: a life of humility, service, and trust in the Father’s love.

It also challenges us. If Jesus, the beloved Son, was willing to stand in solidarity with sinners, where are we being called to stand? If God shows no partiality, how are we called to widen our hearts, our churches, and our communities? Baptism sends us out into the world, just as Jesus was sent out from the Jordan, to bear witness to God’s love in word and action.

As we reflect today, we might hold onto that voice from heaven: “This is my Son, the Beloved.” Through Christ, those words are spoken over us too. In a world that often measures worth by success, status, or strength, baptism reminds us that our deepest identity is gift, not achievement. We are loved before we do anything at all.

So, on this Feast of the Baptism of Christ, we give thanks for the waters that cleanse, the Spirit that empowers, and the voice that calls us beloved. And we pray that, like Jesus, we may step faithfully into the life God sets before us—trusting that the heavens are still open, and that God is still at work in us and through us.

Amen.