Year C January 10 Luke 3:15-17

Baptism of the Lord

Luke 3:15-17, 21-22

"I baptize you with water; but one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire."(v.16, 17 NRSV)

One of the unique aspects of The Salvation Army is the non-observance of the sacraments. Baptism and the celebration of the Eucharist are not part of the worship of the church. Against this background we must face the fact that both baptism and the Eucharist are part of the life of the church.

In this particular text we find an unusual combination of images related to baptism. John baptises with water, Jesus with the Holy Spirit and with fire, and then the chaff is to be burned "with unquenchable fire". The burning of chaff is an image of judgement which fits with the "axe lying at the root of the trees" (v.10) but in this context the baptism with water, the Holy Spirit and fire seem to represent a hierarchy of sorts.

John baptises with water - but Jesus is much greater than he is and will baptise with the Holy Spirit and with fire. This would suggest that baptism that Jesus offers is of a different nature than the baptism of John. It is also far more important that John's water baptism.

Within the various churches baptism with water is imbued with particular significance. For some it is baptism into faith. For others baptism into the faith of the church or community. In some churches infants are baptised while only adult baptism is practised in others. Despite the variants each tradition recognises various steps in the journey of faith in particular ways. Among the reasons for The Salvation Army stance was the proliferation of practices, the varied theological understandings, a reluctance to be identified as a denomination, and an attempt to avoid reliance upon symbol rather than experience. The result has been that the movement substituted its own ceremonies in place of water baptism.

What has not been replaced is baptism with the Holy Spirit and with fire. No church or organisation has been able to make this experience a ceremony or a sacrament. What God gives through Jesus is not something that can be organised, manufactured or scheduled. It comes as a work of grace through our relationship with God in Christ.

Among the criticisms of the Pharisees was the emphasis on rules and regulations rather than relationship. It is easy for us to identify how people should come to faith, and how they should grow in faith. That makes it manageable and measurable, but identification must never become regulation. The work of God cannot always be measured, and it certainly cannot be managed. No matter what the messenger of God does, what God will do in Christ is greater. Our small but significant ceremonies must not be confused with the work of God which may take place with, through, or even despite our ceremonies.

It is my prayer that we might all experience the baptism of the Holy Spirit that Jesus offers to all who enter into relationship with God through him.


Other readings:

Isaiah 43:1-7;
Psalm 29; Acts 8:14-17;
Luke 3:15-17, 21-22.