Orthodox Sermons & Articles

As we approach the Feast where we comprehend God’s revelation about Jesus Christ, the celebration of the Sunday before the Baptism of our Lord brings to us many unique memories and meanings. By the words, "You are my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased" (Mk. 1:11) God the Father has indicated that Jesus was to be the One Who was sent to help mankind find their way back to God. As John the Baptist witnessed, Jesus was about to baptize His people with the Holy Spirit (Mk. 1:8).

St. Mark the Evangelist describes the situation in the country prior to Jesus’ Baptism in the Jordan River. John the Baptist is the immediate messenger of the Son of God who appears in the world according to prophecy to prepare people for Jesus’ Divine but humble arrival. John started his preliminary work in the wilderness by preaching repentance and baptizing people as a token of their sincere spiritual rehabilitation. In order to welcome the Lord properly, people had to become humble, become clean of all transgressions, and ready for a spiritual change by the Holy Spirit, leaving their old sinful habits behind.

The people of Israel accepted John the Baptist easily. Moreover, and at some point many of them mistakenly acknowledged him as the Messiah (Luke 3:15). John led a very strict life in fasting and prayer and always was largely honored as God’s Prophet. Not only ordinary people came to listen to his sermons and to be baptized, but also many soldiers, and educated and rich people who sincerely wanted to change their lives. This situation illustrates the positive atmosphere the people of Israel lived in when Jesus started His preaching. Also it indicates that the people were ready to meet their Messiah for the first time after the fall in the Garden of Eden.

John helped people to realize their unfortunate position and introduced them to the salvific work of the Holy Spirit through Jesus Christ. In his sermons, John explained to the people that the One that comes after him will baptize them with the Holy Spirit. He indicated that only Jesus Christ, the Son of God, fully possesses and gives the Holy Spirit. In order for us to receive the Spirit, we need to receive Christ first. Many prophets of the Old Testament prophesied about the coming Messiah. They could make people think deeply about how they should live their lives, but none of them could replace Him because the work of redemption that was done by Jesus could not be performed by anyone except God. John the Baptist who was called by Jesus "the greatest among those born of women" (Matt. 11:11) could not save people either because he also was under the same curse of death. As he said about himself, he was not even worthy to loose Jesus’ sandal straps.

Therefore, dear brothers and sisters, John’s self-sacrificing to the work he was sent to do was of great value in terms of preparing the hearts of the people for their Redeemer. Although he had not seen Christ’s resurrection himself, the church honors him as a preacher for those in Hades who waited for the Messiah to come and liberate them as well. Those who died before Jesus’ ministry, but with hope that the Messiah would eventually come and free them from the bondage of death, were liberated by Christ’s descent in Hades on the day of His death on the Cross. John was the first one to preach to the dead that their liberation was near as the Messiah started His victorious campaign.

Today we are getting ready to celebrate the Theophany or God’s revelation that He is a Triune God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit in one essence. Let us listen to the sermon of John the Baptist who taught that repentance is the gateway to our reunion with God that became possible through Christ’s incarnation. Let us review our lives so that we worthily glorify the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Let us be worthy of spiritual baptism by the Holy Spirit that is possible through receiving Jesus as our Savior and following His guarding commandments. Let us praise the Lord for His care for us His unworthy servants. Amen.