Reflection for the baptism of Jesus – Epiphany season 2023 – the God who shows no partiality
“Then Peter began to speak to them: ‘I truly understand that God shows no partiality…’” (Acts 10:34)
Peter’s world-view and his understanding of God’s love went through a paradigm shift while praying on a roof-top one noon at his fellow disciple Simon’s house. What we would call an epiphany – sent to him by God.
The epiphany for Peter was that all people, regardless of ethnicity, are regarded by God as worthy. Even those considered unclean by Jewish law – the gentiles.
When Peter talks to a household of gentiles about the work of God through Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit falls on all those gathered there and they are subsequently baptised in the name of Jesus Christ, because as Peter exclaims:
‘Can anyone withhold the water for baptizing these people who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?’
Jesus’ baptism by John in Matthew’s gospel, despite John’s feelings of inadequacy, is another sign of the Epiphany – God is truly with us. No matter who we are, what we have done, the invitation to respond to God’s love is given equally and abundantly to all.
In the family of God, baptised in the name of Jesus Christ, we ARE brothers and sisters of Christ. That is the promise of the ‘the God who shows no partiality’. Not one of us is regarded as less or more favoured.
A sobering but also quite wonderful message!
Blessings
Ceri
