Could These Be the Most Important Words That We Need to Hear From God?

The River Jordan, Israel

This week we are going to hear about a baptism. It could be a story about Jesus, or a drama between Jesus and John.   Or, if you pray like the Jesuits do, you could be the one in this story. 

I invite you to read this week’s scripture passage imagining yourself as the one being baptized…in the River Jordan. 

Luke 3:15-17, 21-22 MSG

The interest of the people by now was building. They were all beginning to wonder, “Could this John be the Messiah?”

 But John intervened: “I’m baptizing you here in the river.         The main character in this drama, to whom I’m a mere stagehand, will ignite the kingdom life, a fire, the Holy Spirit within you, changing you from the inside out. He’s going to clean house—make a clean sweep of your lives. He’ll place everything true in its proper place before God; everything false he’ll put out with the trash to be burned.”

After all the people were baptized, Jesus was baptized. As he was praying, the sky opened up and the Holy Spirit, like a dove descending, came down on him. And along with the Spirit, a voice: “You are my Son, chosen and marked by my love, pride of my life.”

The water is pretty muddy looking, isn't it?  It's raining, and about 10°C at the River Jordan in January. As you come out of the water, shivering, you begin to pray.  You hear the voice of God, the perfect parent, saying to you "You are my beloved…With you I am well pleased."

Despite what you may have done yesterday, last week or earlier today that makes you cringe, despite your difficult circumstances, God says, "You are my beloved…With you I am well pleased."  Sit with that for a moment. 

How do you feel?  Could these be the words that save you today?  Doesn't everyone need to hear these words?

Father Greg Boyle, founder of the world's largest drug and gang intervention program,The Homeboys, says that everyone is unshakably good.  

Everyone…me, you, and all the people that may have annoyed us today.  Do we see everyone the way God does?  I'm going to try to do that today. 

What Challenges are You Facing in 2025?

I hope your Advent and Christmas were as spiritually rich as mine. Every story I read contained signs, dreams, angels or stars, and characters who challenged me with their belief in these things and their trust in God. So many people who were willing to say, "Yes" to the call of God asking them to do things and who were excited by the promises given to them. 

And now we have Simeon, in the temple in Jerusalem:

Model of the Temple in 66 AD, The Israel Museum, Jerusalem

Luke 2. 21-40 (MSG, excerpts)

When the eighth day arrived, the day of circumcision, the child was named Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived.

Then when the days stipulated by Moses for purification were complete, they took him up to Jerusalem to offer him to God as commanded in God’s Law… 

In Jerusalem at the time, there was a man, Simeon by name, a good man, a man who lived in the prayerful expectancy of help for Israel. And the Holy Spirit was on him. The Holy Spirit had shown him that he would see the Messiah of God before he died.                                             

Led by the Spirit, he entered the Temple. As the parents of the child Jesus brought him in to carry out the rituals of the Law, Simeon took him into his arms and blessed God:

God, you can now release your servant;
    release me in peace as you promised.
With my own eyes I’ve seen your salvation;
    it’s now out in the open for everyone to see:
A God-revealing light to the non-Jewish nations,
    and of glory for your people Israel.

Jesus’ father and mother were speechless with surprise at these words. Simeon went on to bless them, and said to Mary his mother, 

This child marks both the failure and
    the recovery of many in Israel,
A figure misunderstood and contradicted—
    the pain of a sword-thrust through you—
But the rejection will force honesty,
    as God reveals who they really are.

When they finished everything required by God in the Law, they returned to Galilee and their own town, Nazareth.  There the child grew strong in body and wise in spirit.  And the grace of God was on him.

This passage doesn’t say how old Simeon is, but we do know that The Holy Spirit had shown him that he would see the Messiah of God before he died.  Most people assume that Simeon is elderly.  If so, we know that he may be facing one of the biggest challenges of his life - old age and death.

When he sees the baby Jesus, he says, God, you can now release your servant; release me in peace as you promised. Do you notice the word "peace"? 

He continues with a blessing and some challenging words for Mary. 

This child marks both the failure and
    the recovery of many in Israel,
A figure misunderstood and contradicted—
    the pain of a sword-thrust through you—
But the rejection will force honesty,
    as God reveals who they really are.

Can you imagine how Mary and Joseph must have felt at Simeon's words?  Joy and great challenge both at the same time, perhaps?

What challenges are you facing in 2025?  Are you ready to say, “Yes” to them?  In peace?  Joy?  If not, that’s OK.  Know that God loves you, and you can ask Him to help you with this.