Baptism, why? (VII) Now..baptism..

--------continuing

Finally we mention something about baptism. And this is really what Jesus did. After He talked with Nicodemus that we Must be born anew, Jesus went and baptized.

Many of us, I believe, would feel that this topic "dying to oneself and rising to new Life with God" is something that is too theological. This is not something practical or something down to earth. This belongs to the spiritual realm that we do not understand.

But as I think again, this is not so. This is human being Life. This is what Nature lives. Look at the seed that dies to give life to the new plants. Look at the caterpillar which dies to itself and become a butterfly. Look at our family.

What is better to express this dying and living to new life rather than when a man and a woman enters into a communion of life. As the man or the woman stops living for themselves only, they start to live for each other. They leave their old lives and enter into a new life that is self-giving. As they become parents, they stop to think of their own happiness and they start to give themselves to love the children. How many sacrifices that each has to made for the love of the other. And this is what the church says about marriage

1609 ..... After the fall, marriage helps to overcome self-absorption, egoism, pursuit of one's own pleasure, and to open oneself to the other, to mutual aid and to self-giving.

And so are we with God. This is not "not down to earth". This is human life. As we enter into a communion with God which is self-giving and loving unconditionally, we have to died to our old life that is full of self-absorption, egoism, pursuing our own pleasure.

As Jesus said, "You must be born anew".

And it is interesting to see that as Jesus put the necessity to be born anew, He started to baptize. Several time Jesus talked about baptism. This is one occasion when Jesus mention about His own baptism

Another passage is at Luke

"I have a baptism to be baptized with; and how I am constrained until it is accomplished! " Luke 12:50

Hey, take a look at the chapter where gospel writer put it. It is Luke chapter 12. But Jesus is baptized at the Jordan in Luke chapter 3. So what does that mean? What baptism that Jesus is talking about in chapter 12? What kind of baptism that Jesus wishes to be accomplished?

Let us look at another passage from Mark.

37 And they said to him, "Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory."

38 But Jesus said to them, "You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?"

39 And they said to him, "We are able." And Jesus said to them, "The cup that I drink you will drink; and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized;

Mark 10:37-39

James and John want to sit in Jesus' Glory, but what did Jesus answer? Are you able to drink the cup that I drink? to be baptized with my baptism?

What baptism is it?

Jesus is refering to His Passion and His Ressurection. This is Jesus Baptism. This is what Jesus wishes to be accomplished. And this is the way the He said to James and John if they want to sit with Him in Glory. This is what Jesus is telling each and everyone of us to be united with God, to enter into this communion of Love, to love as God loves us. This is our baptism.

Next: Baptism...amazing Love
------to be continued