Sermon - Epiphany 2 - Luke 3:15-22

Greater than Jesus?

Luke 3:15–22

The Epiphany season brings us, every year, to the Jordan River where we commemorate the Baptism of our Lord. It is undeniably one of the most important events in the life of Christ. Matthew, Mark and Luke tells us about it explicitly, and John kind of “talks around it” in a sideways fashion. It's an important step in Christ's work for us, and for telling and showing us more of who he is and what he is about. It answers the great Epiphany question, “who is this, this Messiah who has appeared?” So let's take it verse by verse, this morning, according to Luke's account.

15 As the people were in expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Christ, 
Here we are back in Advent, with the expectations of the Messiah, the Christ. Here we are again with John the Baptist, whose popularity has grown and grown. So much so that everyone seems to be wondering if he is the Christ.

The people had their collective eyes peeled, you might say, for the appearance, the epiphany of the Christ. The expectations were high. The voice of prophecy had gone quiet for 400 years, but as recently as 100 years or so before, the Jews had a brief taste of freedom. Between the remnants of Alexander the Great's successors and the Imperial subjugation that came with Rome, there was a tiny window during the time of the Macabees, in which the Jews ruled themselves, enjoyed their independence at the time of the Macabees. But it wouldn't last. Judas Macabeus was not the Messiah. And so they waited. And hoped and prayed that someday Messiah would come, and fulfill all the promises.

As we always say, though, he would be no earthly Messiah, no king of this world. He was much more, much greater, much better. And all of that beginning to unfold.

16 John answered them all, saying, “I baptize you with water, but he who is mightier than I is coming, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 
John could have used his newfound fame for his own advantage and gain, like so many popular prophets have done, both then and now. He could have joined the ranks of false messiahs and personality cult leaders, riding the wave to greater heights. But John was a true prophet. A truly great prophet. And he would have no such self-aggrandizing.

Rather, John humbled himself. He said, “You people think I'm so great, do you? Well just wait! Because very soon someone even greater is coming. And not just a little greater. So much greater that I'm not even worthy to be his slave. I'm not worthy to do the most menial tasks for him, say, untie his sandal. I don't even compare to him. He is mightier than I. And my baptism with water, he will also out-do it, surpass it, fulfill it. I baptize with water. He will baptize with the Holy Spirit and with Fire.”

Now books could be written, and have been, parsing out exactly how John's baptism related to Jesus'. But we can say this much. John's baptism pointed to Jesus' baptism, and prepared the way for it. Just as John's preaching pointed to Jesus, and prepared the way for him. John was the prophet. Jesus was the fulfillment. John had a message, Jesus was the very message.

Jesus said John was great – as great a man as ever was born of a woman – but John says Jesus is even greater, and he is. For Jesus becomes least in the kingdom, servant of all, by making himself the Lamb of God, the sacrifice for the sins of the world.

17 His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”
Like John, there's a good news bad news aspect to Jesus. Greater than John, of course. John preaches repentance and forgiveness. So, too, does Jesus, but he also brings the winnowing fork. He brings a judgment, even a final judgment. He becomes the dividing line for all men – righteous or unrighteous, saved or unsaved, gathered wheat or chaff to be burned in hell's eternal flames.

Jesus, greater than John, would face greater opposition, greater enemies, and also like John meet a violent death. But Jesus, greater than John, would by that death redeem the world and crush the head of Satan. And Jesus, greater than John would conquer death in a glorious resurrection that echoes in the resurrection of his people.

18 So with many other exhortations he preached good news to the people. 
And you might say, “what do you mean, with many other exhortations John preached good news?” Ah, but the news of Jesus is good for those who have ears to hear and hearts to believe. For those who cling to sin, Jesus is just more judgment. He wreaks of death. For those who believe on his name he gives the power to become the children of God – good news, indeed! But for those who reject him, there is only weeping and gnashing of teeth. It all boils down to repentance and faith – who will receive Jesus, and who will not?

19 But Herod the tetrarch, who had been reproved by him for Herodias, his brother’s wife, and for all the evil things that Herod had done, 20 added this to them all, that he locked up John in prison.
Herod obviously rejected John, and rejected Jesus. At first trying to protect John, trying to ride the fence, Herod locked him up for a while. But we know how the story ends with John's head on a platter. This is the picture of what sin would do with the message and the messenger of God. Ignore the voice of the law if you can. Find a way to silence it if you must – deaden your conscience, marginialize the messenger, heck resort to violence if you can get away with it. Sinners caught in sin don't like the law, don't want to hear it, and will flee from it. Well you can kill the messenger, but the word of the Lord endures forever.

And so in this way, John is forcibly removed from the picture, and Jesus takes center stage. His work of preparing the way is completed, on God's timetable. “I must decrease, that he may increase”. And in a way, John speaks for all of us that must decrease that Christ may increase.
But before all of that, John baptizes Jesus:

21 Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heavens were opened,
Luke is slim on the details, compared to Matthew and Mark. They tell of John's protestation, and Jesus' words about fulfilling all righteousness. Luke seems to simply lump Jesus in with all the others, the people, who were baptized. And there's something to that...

Many have shown how Jesus' baptize, among other things, represents his identification with sinners. Surely he had no sin of his own, but he became the bearer of sin for us. He took our sins, and would march them all the way to Jerusalem, to Calvary, and into the very jaws of death itself.

Here, at the Jordan, in his baptism, Jesus begins that lonely course to the cross. He takes his first public steps as Messiah, no longer an obscure carpenter in Nazareth, but now the one John pointed out, now the preacher of Good News. Now the one proclaiming the kingdom of God, and ushering it in – in himself.
Luke does mention Jesus' praying. Surely an example for us to follow, that by prayer we may consecrate all things, all of life.

But then, heaven itself is opened. And let's not pass this by, for it doesn't happen every day. Only in Jesus is heaven opened. Only through Jesus do we have access there.

 22 and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form, like a dove; and a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”
Does it get any greater than that? God's own beloved Son, with whom he is well pleased? Is there any higher compliment uttered by any better voice? Is there any better affirmation than the witness of the Spirit, in bodily form? A testimony that the entire Godhead is united in purpose and will, that this Jesus is the one, the one to watch, the one that was sent, the true Messiah, the Lamb of God, the Savior of the nations, the Sacrifice for sin, the God-man, the Christ?

Now the piercing question. Do you think you're greater than Jesus? Oh, of course not, pastor. Jesus is the best! No, wait. Do you think you're greater than Jesus? Is you agenda more important than Jesus? Are your priorities in line with Jesus? Do you know better than Jesus?
“I tell you if you are even angry in your heart...” Oh, come on, Jesus, do you really mean that?
“Or if you look at a woman lustfully, you have committed adultery...” Surely, Jesus, that's asking too much.
“If someone wants your cloak, give him your tunic also” That's a bit excessive, isn't it, Jesus?
“Turn the other cheek” Now, Jesus, that's just not fair!
“Take up your cross and follow me” I don't like crosses, Jesus, I'm better than that.
“If anyone would gain his life, he would lose it...” I think life is pretty great, Jesus.

In fact, Jesus, maybe I want to earn my own salvation, in whole or in part. Pay for my own sins, with my own poor excuse for righteousness, and my good works that don't pass muster. Rather than receive the forgiveness that you offer for free, Jesus, I think I'll manufacture my own grace, print and stamp my own ticket to heaven, thank you very much. I'll do it better than you, anyway.

Perish those thoughts!

No, you're not better than Jesus. You're not smarter, tougher, stronger, or more pure. You can't stand up to the devil like he did. You can't carry your own sins, let alone the sins of the world. If Jesus is greater than John, he's surely greater than you.

If baptism is good enough for Jesus who is without sin- even though John tried to object, then baptism is surely good enough for you. And if being served by Jesus, having your feet washed by Jesus, is good enough for the disciples – even though Peter tried to object – ah but, “If I don't wash you you have no part with me!”. Then let Jesus be greater than you, and become your servant, and wash your feet, and your head and your body and soul. Let his baptism be your baptism. Let his death be your death, and his life your life. And let him open heaven for you, and to you. That through Jesus, God may say of you, this is my own child, in this one I am well pleased.

Yes, Jesus is greater than John. Of course, Jesus is greater than you. But the good news is Jesus is for you, and for all. And in the greatness of his service, his life, his death, his resurrection, and yes, his baptism.... we receive the greatest blessings.