Rev. George Miller
Dec 31, 2023
Mark 1:1-11
After weeks of anticipation, our Christmas Season nears
its end.
Today is Day 6 of the 12 Days of Christmas. On Saturday our Puerto Rican friends will celebrate
Dia de Los Reyes Magos- when The Wise Men come to Jesus with gold, frankincense,
and myrrh.
These stories appear in Matthew and Luke, but not in Mark.
Mark’s Gospel does not begin in a Temple or a home, or
feature shepherds or Reyes Magos. It
begins in the wilderness with a call to baptism.
How interesting that Wise Men travel from afar, so they
can come to a town and offer gifts to Jesus.
While Mark has people leave their towns so they can travel
into the wilderness to leave their sins behind and be baptized.
In Matthew, the Wise Men travel to see the face of Jesus,
but in Mark, Jesus travels to the people.
While the Wise Men travel to give Jesus worldly gifts of
economic value, Mark has Jesus travel to the people so they can receive gifts
of the Heavenly kind.
Matthew shows Jesus receiving gold and myrrh, but Mark shows
Jesus traveling to us so we can receive goodness and eternal life.
Here we are- the mystery and “the why?” and wonder of
Jesus.
That while Jesus is the Son of David, the Son of God, Jesus
does not use those titles to demand or seek gifts, rewards and accolades.
Instead, Jesus as the Son of David, Son of God, uses his
position to seek us out, to give us heavenly gifts and to welcome us into the
Kingdom of God.
Last week we prepared for Heaven to enter into our world
through the birth of Mary’s Baby.
Today we prepare to become participants of Heaven through
the words, miracles and actions of Jesus.
John invites folk into the wilderness so they can turn
from their mistakes and be baptized in preparation for the Lord.
Jesus comes to John to be baptized and begin his earthly ministry
and heal the world.
Jesus does not go to the Temple or City Hall, he does not
go to the University…he goes to where the people are-
He goes into the wilderness, the lonely place, the scary
place, the deserted place.
If Jesus were in Germany, he would have gone into the
Black Forest. If Jesus was in Florida,
he may have gone to the Everglades.
Jesus go into the mysterious, unsafe place to be baptized
and to begin his ministry to us and his ministry for Heaven.
How amazing that Jesus as the Son of God, doesn’t simply
sit on a throne and say “You want to be healed, you want to be loved, you want to
be seen- come and grovel at my feet.”
Jesus comes to the wilderness where we are. He is baptized alongside us so that he can
speak and share and be the Good News.
Today we have a chance to meet Jesus again and to follow.
Today, no matter who you are, no matter where you have
been in your journey, no matter what cities, towns, desserts you have traveled
through, you are invited to come forward.
You already confessed within your heart, you’ve already
received the gifts of forgiveness. Because
you have repented, you are ready to recall and restore.
You are invited to come to this Holy Font, to
reexperience the waters of Heaven and to remember your baptism.
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