Homily January 11, 2026, Rev. Holly Cardone

The Baptism of Jesus

January 11, 202

We’ve spoken about the writer of Matthew’s gospel being Jewish and writing to a Jewish audience. This is why, through the gospel of Matthew, the writer shows the relationship between the prophecy in the Hebrew scripture of the Messiah and Jesus. In the Isaiah reading this morning, the prophet says, “Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights; I have put my spirit upon him; he will bring forth justice to the nations.” Sounds familiar right?

This is what is known as the Deutero-Isaiah, meaning “Second Isaiah.” The first being written most likely by the prophet Isaiah in the 8th century BCE while the second portion, chapter 40-55, are written during the Babylonian exile in the 6th century BCE.

These later chapters in Isaiah are written to a people who are not on top of their game. They have lost their land, their temple has been destroyed, and their identity has been fractured. We can imagine that they feel the shame of a people who have let their God down. The writer doesn’t kick the people while they are already down, instead the prophet speaks a word of hope.

“I am the Lord, I have called you in righteousness, I have taken you by the hand and kept you. I have given you as a covenant to the people, a light to the nations, to open the eyes to the blind, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon.”

God declares the people as loved, chosen and calls them by name in exile. Claimed by God in the middle of the mistakes they’ve made, the regrets they hold and the despair that overwhelms them.

In the Acts of the Apostles, Peter is preaching to Cornelious, a Roman centurion, a Gentile. According to Jewish law and custom, Peter should not be in his house, much less even talking to him. But just before Peter goes to meet Cornelius he has this vision. Perhaps it’s familiar to you. As Cornelius’s men were on their way to get Peter, Peter decided to go up on the roof of where he was staying to pray. While on the roof he became hungry and wanted something to eat. While the meal was being prepared, he fell into a trance, heaven opened, a large sheet was let down and it contained all kinds of four-footed animals. A voice said, Peter, get up and eat, but Peter declares, “No I won’t. I have never eaten anything unclean. And again, he hears the voice, saying, “Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.”

So, Peter is at Cornelius’s house, and he tells all the people gathered there the story of Jesus. His death, resurrection and appearing to witnesses. Peter, with people he’s not supposed to be with, in a house he’s not supposed to be in, preaching the good news of restoration, renewal and radical inclusion. Just like there is nothing impure that God has made clean, there is no human being outside of God’s love. The Jesus story is a story, not for some, but for all.

Now we’re at the river. Here comes Jesus, up to a great preacher, maybe the greatest of his generation, and John says to Jesus, “I need to be baptized by you, and you come to me?”

Maybe John is feeling some hesitancy in baptizing Jesus. He’s been preaching about the one who is to come. The one who will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire, not water. Jesus doesn’t fit the image of the person coming to be baptized by John. But Jesus says, “No. I need to be baptized with you. It must be this way to fulfill all righteousness.” This is what God wants. And when Jesus comes up from the water, the heavens split open, the Spirit descends and a voice says, “This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased.”

This is an epiphany moment. A revelation for John, the confirmation of who he believed Jesus to be. And for Jesus, that he is who he thinks he is, the son of God come to teach the way of love and compassion. To work miracles in people’s lives. To give people dignity, hope and a new way to live. It a reminder for us, people of the baptismal covenant, that what God gives at baptism: forgiveness, mercy and love, can never be taken away. God speaks at our baptism, and we every time we turn towards God, “You are my child, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased.” A baptism is not repeatable, because God does not change God’s mind about us, ever. Which is good news.

Jesus is about thirty years old here. We don’t know what happened between his birth and this moment. And I’m not sure it’s that important. What is important is that Jesus goes into the water not to escape his humanity but to inhabit it fully. And God is right there. After this moment, Jesus goes into the wilderness. The Baptism of Jesus reminds us of our identity, and that baptism doesn’t spare us the wilderness but gives us an identity that survives it. And identity that embodies covenant, creation and a new name.

Beloved.

Amen.