Beyond his lament of the dreadful judgment which earned Jeremiah the title, "The Weeping Prophet," is the promise of restoration. Where once there had been only the sounds of weeping, there will be shouts of joy. There will be new wine and oil; mourning exchanged for gladness. God's plan is for His people to be satisfied with His bounty, even though they experience times of hardship and chastening.

God's plan is for the people to sing songs of praise to Him. (Mark A. Johnson).

Baptism of the Lord (C)

Sunday, January 11, 1997

Looking for a Role Model?

Luke 3:15-17,21,22

Does it seem like America is running out of role models today? America's Team, the Dallas Cowboys could well be "America's Most Wanted Team," because of the behavioral problems of the past few years. Dennis Rodman and Charles Barkley seemed determined not to present a positive image to young people. And, few television or movie stars offer a positive alternative.

In the midst of all that, we can still discover that Jesus Christ is a great role model for us and our children today. In our passage, Jesus models three important steps of beginning the journey of faith.

I. Jesus Is a Model for Us in His Baptism

The first thing Jesus models for us is obedience in baptism. In our passage, Jesus comes by the river and sees people being baptized. He moves into the water, and in obedience, is baptized with the others.

The question that often comes from this story is "Why did Jesus get baptized?" If baptism is an outward sign of inward repentance, how did that apply to Jesus? The Bible tells us that Jesus was free from sin. Why was he baptized? He was baptized to show His identification with us. He was baptized to serve as a model for us. He was baptized to set a standard for us.

Why do you and I need to be baptized today? The Bible teaches that baptism doesn't lead to salvation. It's by trusting in Christ that we find forgiveness for sin. Baptism is an important testimony of the life changing power of Christ. In baptism, we identify with the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. In baptism, we follow the example of Jesus, who did not think too highly of himself to submit to being baptized.

II. Jesus Is a Model for Us in His Blessing

As Jesus was praying, the Holy Spirit descended upon him, and a voice from Heaven spoke to him. Notice that while Jesus was praying, a voice from heaven spoke. Jesus models for us the importance of connecting with God in prayer regularly. Throughout Luke, Jesus prays at significant moments in his ministry. Before calling his disciples (6:12), at Caesarea Philippi (9:18), before the transfiguration (9:28), before his arrest and trial (22:40-46), and on the cross (23:34, 46), Jesus prays. Jesus made prayer avital part of his life. He models the importance of continually seeking God's guidance and direction in prayer.

When I'm at home, I can flip a switch on the wall, and a light comes on. When the room is dark, that doesn't mean that power is not available to that room. It means no one has flipped the switch and released the power. God's power is available to me. I have to "flip the switch" through prayer. Jesus models for us the importance of staying in touch with the power source.