There was John and then
there was Jesus.
In our chronological telling
of story this is how we have heard the gospel.
I am a great reader of
novels. Every so often I come across one where the author begins the story following
one character. In the next chapter the author moves to another character to
follow through the same time or perhaps jumps to a completely different era. In
the next chapter the author moves to yet another place and readers enter someone
else’s life. Eventually the story returns to the original character, and by the
end of the book connects the dots between all the persons met through the
story. Some don’t like reading novels that jump around time from person to
person or place to place. Many prefer a chronological timeline.
There was John and then
there was Jesus.
What we hear in this
morning’s gospel is that there was John AND there was Jesus.
Both were called and working
as God’s servant, simultaneously. John the Baptist did not stop baptizing when
Jesus left the waters of the Jordan. John kept baptizing. There were people
waiting in line. There were curious people still going to the desert to investigate
the call to repentance. In today’s Gospel we hear of John standing with some of
his disciples. We hear that John testifies to what he saw of Jesus in the
Jordan River. John is continuing the work that he was called to do.
I learn an important lesson
from today’s passage. Both John and Jesus know who they are and what they are
about. Both are God’s servant – bearing God’s redeeming word, preaching the good
news, and articulating a vision of kindom that is different from the empire in
which people live. There seems to not be jealousy or enmity, but rather, a co-operative
co-existence.
This is important. In John
and Jesus’ time the world around them is rapidly changing. The people are oppressed
by a foreign power, the poor become poorer, leaders are unpredictable and default
to violence, and movements of religious, philosophical, and political nature are
stirring up the people.
Facing the noise around
them, John and Jesus recognize a shared message that is mutually beneficial and
so respect each other’s call. Both, in their own style, stand up to Empire and
actively work towards kindom by walking an alternative path. Both encourage
turning towards God and a foundation of faith that leads to hope.
Amid the noise of the past
week, in a letter to Lutheran congregations in Minnesota, the six ELCA Bishops of
Minnesota, shared John’s message, Jesus’ message, words of encouragement, faith
and hope:
Through the waters of
baptism, we have been named and claimed as beloved children of God.
It is our sure confidence in
this that sustains us. We know we are God’s children, and we know that you are
too. We pray that this truth will continue to anchor, guide and compel all of
us as we work for justice for all people in every place.
We also know there are
voices around us that challenge the truth of who we are and who our neighbours
are. It is our fervent hope that every one of us would remain deeply rooted in
our identity as God’s beloved.
To that end, we write with a
word of encouragement: go to church or your place of worship, ground yourselves
with those who will echo the voice of God for you. This is the nourishment that
will sustain us.
There was John and there was
Jesus and there was in following centuries many chosen, many beloved children
of God who carried on, and carry on, proclaiming God’s redeeming word and
actively working to bring God’s kindom; living lives that articulate an
alternative to the oppressive power of empire.
Today marks the beginning of
the 2026 Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. The resources for praying together
were written by the Armenian Orthodox Church.
This church is the oldest
Christian church in the world. It is deeply routed in the 1st
Century teachings of the Apostles Thaddeus and Bartholemew; yes, two disciples
of Jesus. The Armenians were the 1st
nation to declare Christianity as its official religion in 301 CE, well before
the Roman Empire did. St. Gregory, called “the Illuminator,” brought the Light
of Christ to the Armenian people.
It is timely that the Armenian
Orthodox Church shares God’s redeeming word and their testimony of Christ with
a world in the clutches of empire. From the early days of turning towards God
and a foundation of faith that leads to hope, the Armenian people have kept
faith through difficult times. The people kept faith through the foreign rule of
Arabs, Monguls, Persians, and Ottomans. Despite persecution the church remained
faithful and also guarded language, literature, and the arts. Monasteries preserved
manuscripts and were intentional centres of education. During the Soviet regime
the church maintained a quiet yet resilient presence. In recent years, in conflict
in Nagomo-Karabakh and the displacement of the Artsakh population, the church
continues to serve as a source of strength and solace, a beacon of faith,
unity, and a continuity for Armenians worldwide.
Church has and is vital to the
survival and resilience of the Armenian people and enacts a continuity and
stability amid persecution and forced migrations. Living an alternative to
empire, the church is a sanctuary for the suffering, offering solace and preserving
hope for a brighter future.
Whether John and Jesus
oppressed by the Roman Empire, the Armenian Church oppressed by an array of foreign
powers, Minnesota Lutherans threatened by presidential actions – there is no
option but to face the noise of empire. The lesson from John and Jesus is to recognize
that there is more than one voice addressing the noise. The voices share a
message but have their own style of delivery. Neither is better than the other,
just different. What matters is that a community is authentic in their standing
up to Empire through their active work bringing God’s kindom by walking an
alternative path. Called voices are present, as are we, voices that encourage
turning towards God and a foundation of faith that leads to hope.
The Armenian Orthodox church
writes to the Christians worldwide:
Spiritual maturity involves
embracing our difference while pursuing unity with the same vigour as for
doctrinal accuracy. Our strength lies in our ability to reflect Christ through
our unity, demonstrating His love and grace to the world. By living out this
divine call, we fulfil our mission and honour Christ, advancing Hi s Kingdom on
earth.
Let us embrace this divine
calling to unity, not as an abstract ideal but as a vital expression of our
faith. In a world where the Body of Christ is wounded by divisions within and
between tradition and confessions the Apostle’s call to unity is addressed to
each of us, not only as separated church communities, but also as individuals
within our communities. By living in unity, we not only witness to the love and
power of our Lord Jesus Christ but also embody the essence of His teachings. As
we support one another and celebrate our diverse gifts and talents, let us
reflect the heart of Christ and further His work on earth. -pg 10 of Week of Prayer
2026 resources
Today we pray for godly
servants, and called voices, who actively face the noise and articulate an
alternative to empire. As a Christian community we promise not to undermine
God’s work through voices not our own.
We will with joy, not
jealousy, point to other’s ministries. We celebrate communities with foundations
of faith that lead to hope. We hold up that which is good and carry on being
who we are called to be through the waters of baptism.
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