The Power of Presence 1.11.2026

``Most of us, when we picture the baptism of Jesus, might imagine something serene and holy and peaceful, and it is. But it's also something very ordinary. A river, crowds of people, mud between the toes, a prophet calling folks to repentance, a change of heart and life. And right there in the middle of all that messiness, Jesus shows up. Matthew tells us Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan River so that John would baptize him, not to stand apart, not to supervise supervise the the baptismal ritual, but to step into the water with everyone else. And that matters because Jesus' baptism isn't about distance or superiority. [00:26:38] (62 seconds)  #JesusInTheWater

So much of modern life is built around curated presence, making sure that all your flaws are covered and looking good to those who see you. We show up online, filtered, edited, and optimized. We belong to groups, often without obligation. We follow one another but rarely commit to one another in genuine love and relationship. Baptism pushes back on all of that. Baptism says you belong to real people in real time with real responsibility all for a real God. [00:32:38] (53 seconds)  #AuthenticBelonging

You don't get bapt baptized into an idea. You don't get baptized into a brand. You don't you get baptized into a body. The body of Christ, the church. And that's why baptism is not just, hear that, not just about the forgiveness of sins or personal salvation, though grace is very real, present, and abundant. Baptism is initiation into something greater than any one of us can be on our own. [00:33:31] (43 seconds)  #BaptizedIntoCommunity

And grace draws us into this relationship with God and with one another. And that's exactly what we envision when we celebrate the sacrament of holy baptism. In baptism, we are named beloved before we get anything right, before we're even given a chance to get anything right. God goes ahead and says, you are my beloved. We are claimed before we can choose god, before we can respond to anybody's question, and God's grace welcomes us into a story that began long before we were born and will continue long after we depart this earth. [00:35:50] (50 seconds)  #NamedBeloved

What God does for Jesus in baptism, he does for each one of us. And that's why this Sunday baptism of the Lord is so important, not because Jesus needed healing from sin, but because Jesus wants to experience everything that we experience so that the salvation will be intimate, and so that our hearts will truly know that we've been in the presence of a god who loves us more than anything. [00:36:40] (34 seconds)  #JesusWithUs

Baptism is one of the many ways that the church practices this in its worship, this truth, by committing to nurture and teach, protect, and walk alongside those who come forth for baptism. At Jesus' baptism, all of God shows up. All of God shows up without reservation. And when we experience the sacrament of holy baptism today, God still shows up in those holy moments. [00:38:43] (38 seconds)  #GodShowsUp

Meeting us in ordinary water, calling us beloved, binding us together in community, and when we reaffirm our baptismal covenant today, we're not just remembering something from the past so long ago that we can't remember the physical moment probably. We are stepping into the water again and renewing our commitment to live as people who belong to God and to one another. People who reveal God's love and live as God's light in the world that is blinded by sin and indifference. [00:39:21] (41 seconds)  #BelovedAndRenewed

Sometimes there are no words for a situation, but just being there, sitting with, holding solidarity with a brother or sister can be more healing than any words that can be said. So I think it's fitting that before Jesus goes to the wilderness and before he is goes into his ministry, the first thing Jesus does is hold solidarity with people like you and me so we can trust that God's love and grace is for us, and that god knows how difficult the journey can be but never gives up on those whom he's chosen. [00:40:41] (64 seconds)  #SolidarityFirst