In one of our Lutheran churches from back in Luther’s time there is an altar picture showing John the Baptizer with a bony finger pointing at Jesus on the cross – the LAMB who takes away the sin of the world
The Anointing and the Baptizer. We need to think about him because this is where it all started. What happened at the Baptism of Jesus was His anointing to be Prophet, Priest, and King. “When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. And as he was praying, heaven was opened and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: ‘You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased’” (Luke 3:21). John preached that the kingdom of God was at hand and that the mighty one of God was coming. He would baptize with the Holy Spirit and with fire, He would be the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world.
My uncle grew up surrounded by what some call “fundamentalist Christians” in the South. He tells how on weekends he would wake up to a parade outside his house with all sorts of folks walking to the river and how the boys at the sides of the crowd would shout, “come on, you all, there’s going to be a dunking.” He would go down to the river and watch out of a morbid fascination The folks at the Jordan when Jesus was baptized might have heard someone say, “come on, you all, there’s going to be an anointing.” Jesus was anointed with the Holy Spirit and with power to be Prophet, Priest, and King.
