On this first Sunday after the Epiphany, the manifestation of God in Christ Jesus continues through the adult Jesus at his baptism. John baptizes Jesus in the river Jordan. And the Spirit of God is palpably present, lest we miss it. It is visible like a dove and it is audible as a voice, saying, "This is my beloved Child, in whom I am well pleased."

In these weeks of the church year that we call "the season of Epiphany," the Spirit of God acts again and again to make sure we see the presence of God in the birth and life of Jesus Christ. The same Spirit that was present in the very beginning in Genesis is present in the beginning of this new life. This new beginning has been marked with theatrical effects: that big star in the sky, choirs of angels in the heavens singing at the top of their lungs, exotic Kings traveling from the East. It continues with a voice from heaven itself-all to make sure we get the point: this new beginning is Emmanuel, God-with-us, the Savior of the world. He is the one God has been promising to send.

On this day, the day of his baptism, Jesus is given power through the Holy Spirit to bring new life to God's people. He is given the power to proclaim Good News to you who are poor, to bind up you who are brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to you who are captives, to release you who are imprisoned, to comfort all you who mourn.

In a sense, all during the season of Epiphany, God is saying to people as lonely and frightened and confused as we sometimes are: "Look, you people, I am here. I am with you. I share your life. And I give you power to live as my children and to share in my plans and dreams for this world."

Do we believe that? Do we believe that Jesus was given the power to do all that, on God's behalf, in our lives and our world? Do we believe that we have that power, too, through OUR baptism, power just waiting to be claimed and actualized? Are we brave enough to claim it for our lives and act accordingly?

I fear we are not. We get content muddling around and feeling sorry for ourselves and worrying a lot about one thing or another. We despair. We complain that somebody else isn't taking care of the world, or isn't taking care of us, or that the problems are just too overwhelming. Taking responsibility-for our lives, our relationships, our faith, all the things we care about, including our church!-can be scary. A lot is asked of us in Christian discipleship, even as all power in heaven and earth is offered to us in our baptism.

All we really need to do is to stand there again next to Jesus, on the banks of that river, and take a deep breath and walk with him right down into the waters-the ancient symbol, remember, of chaos and destruction-walk right down into those waters and open our hearts wide to the presence of God and receive the power.

Let's think, just for a moment, about that river, the Jordan, and what it means for us that Jesus went down into the waters of that river to be baptized. You know, at the time, there were other water purification rituals that could have been used to teach us about baptism. There were baths at the entrance to temples and even private ceremonial baths in the homes of the wealthy. But Jesus was baptized in a river and that's an important feature of this story.

Think about it. As a child, I loved to swim in swimming pools. I grew up in the Arizona desert and we didn't have much in the way of rivers or lakes. We had swimming pools. And they were clean and the bottom was smooth and you could see where your feet would land when you stepped in.

But ponds, lakes, rivers, that's a whole different thing! Step into one of those and you step into God knows what! Mud, muck, slippery stuff, sharp rocks. And if it's a river, the current may be moving along and you'd better be ready. Jesus was baptized in a river. He waded into that muck to receive the Holy Spirit. He stood firm in that flowing current. And then he climbed boldly back up the muddy bank, dripping wet, changed, renewed, transformed, alive, at peace, hungry for justice and truth and freedom and beauty and love.

You see, sisters and brothers, this religion stuff, this faith we talk about, isn't just for when we're sort of dressed up and in the safety and comfort of this beautiful sanctuary. It's faith for every day and night of our lives. It's faith for the most beautiful things and for the ugliest things. It's faith for the things that come easy and for the hardest, most challenging things we face. It's faith for the times of ease and joy, and faith for the times of challenge and conflict. It's faith for our celebrations and faith for our most painful losses. It's faith with its feet firmly planted in the muck, while its heart is lifted to the highest heaven.

Today we participate in a time of baptismal renewal, to remember this story, and remember our baptism. We come to feel the water on our foreheads, the sign and the seal of God's presence and power still in our lives, still available to us with just as much potency as ever, with just as much life-changing potential as ever.

We come to reconnect to God, to our deepest selves, to human community, to the creation, and to purpose in our lives, and to God's purpose in Jesus' ministry. You see, we are not just given power for our own personal enhancement or fulfillment. We are given the power of God through the Holy Spirit to participate in the peace-making, justice-creating, love-enacting work of being disciples of Jesus Christ.

Hear this prayer from the church in England for this day:

Jesus, you are the one who rises from the water and the tomb to offer new life to all.
We offer our life as a sign of our worship.

Jesus, you are the one who agrees to be baptized to be at one with us.
We offer our baptism as a sign of being with you.

Jesus, you are the one for whom the heavens open to allow the Spirit to descend.
We offer our ready heart as a sign of our open life.

Jesus, you are the one who is the Son so well loved that God's delight is in you.
We offer you our delight and joy as a sign of our everlasting love. Amen.

I invite you now, today, to remember your baptism, and be thankful. If you have not been baptized and want to consider that commitment, please speak with one of the pastors following the service. Come, ready to receive the power available to you here for new life, new joy, new courage.

1. Jean McCallum in Resources for Preaching and Worship, Year B: Hannah Ward and JenniferWild.

© Patricia E. Farris, 2003. Permission is given for brief quotation with attribution. All other rights reserved.