We all have a stake in making sure that our young people get up and running. This is a given for families, but it is also true for congregational families too, for the simple and obvious reason that today's young people represent tomorrow's church leaders. Our text is about the process whereby we get up and running. 

It begins with a curious picture of Jesus being baptized. On a wall somewhere in a church building you have seen an artist's depiction of this. Jesus' experience is such that he sees the opening of the heavens and out of those heavens comes the Spirit "descending like a dove on him." Jesus' baptism even has an auditory dimension. "You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased" (Mark 1:9-11). 

If you juxtapose his baptism to yours, yours probably pales in comparison…