Life is complicated, but I am a simple man who likes to simplify complex concepts without losing their essence. Many philosophers have tried to resolve life’s issues, but I feel they still make it more complicated than I like. I want to find a secret of life that I can succinctly articulate and live by.
I admire Einstein, who found the secret of energy and put it into a simple formula: e=mc2. It’s so simple that we all know it, but it solves a complex problem. With that simple formula, scientists have solved many complicated energy issues, built nuclear power plants, and even created shockingly powerful atomic bombs.
If we can simplify life into a simple formula, I can solve my own life problems and help others solve their problems. Can we make life simple? By simple, I do not mean a minimalist lifestyle. I mean a simple formula to make life easier to navigate.
After decades of scouring the scriptures, I have found the formula. The simple secret of life is revealed in the early story of the wise King Solomon, and also at Jesus’ baptism. Let’s talk about Solomon first. When King Solomon became the king of Israel, he was nervous, feeling inadequate to lead the country. The Bible says,
“Solomon loved the LORD, walking in the statutes of his father David.” (1 Ki 3:3).
The king went to Gibeon and offered burnt offerings to the Lord. The Lord saw his devotion, and the Bible says,
“At Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream by night; and God said, “Ask what I should give you.” (1 Ki 3:5).
What would you ask if God gave you a blank check like that? When God asks them this question, most people might think they won a jackpot. However, Solomon began by praising God for God’s faithfulness to his father, and then he showed his self-awareness, a sign of maturity, knowing his inadequacy for the job. He said,
“And now, O LORD my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David, although I am only a little child; I do not know how to go out or come in.” (1 Ki 3:7).
Solomon was only twenty years old when he became king. Yet he seemed mature enough not to become haughty but was fully aware of his age and lack of skill and experience, so he asked,
“Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern your people, able to discern between good and evil; for who can govern this your great people?” (1 Ki 3:9).
He asked for wisdom and understanding to govern the people God entrusted in him. The next verse says,
“It pleased the Lord that Solomon had asked this.” (1 Ki 3:10).
This is where the secret of life is: to please God. Then God explained why he was pleased. Solomon didn’t ask for wealth and military might. With consciousness of his situation, he sincerely expresses his desire to serve God’s people effectively with wisdom and understanding.
How do we please God? Serve people! Many people have it backward; they try to please people and serve God instead. God doesn’t need us to serve Him because He has many angels and heavenly beings who can do a better job. But God wants us to serve his people on earth.
King Solomon wasn’t perfect, but he learned this from his father, King David. King David wasn’t perfect either. They are all imperfect human beings. The point is not about perfection but about the secret of life. And they got it. They knew the secret chord that pleases the Lord.
Later God sends a perfect on who pleases the Lord perfectly and we all must emulate. The Bible says, after Jesus received his baptism, God’s voice came from heaven, saying,
“You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.” (Lk 3:22b).
Many people don’t understand why God was pleased. They thought God was pleased because Jesus was his Son. When you put it in the context of the entire Bible, it becomes clear why God was pleased. It’s because Jesus came to serve. Jesus said,
“For the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve and to give his life a ransom for many.” (Mk 10:45).
God was pleased because Jesus came to serve the people; his service is ultimate because he gave his life. To serve is to give; what more can a person give than his own life? That’s why his service is the ultimate service.
So today, we will review the secret of life revealed in the Bible and ultimately exemplified by God’s own Son, Jesus Christ. Today is the Sunday commemorating The Baptism of the Lord. From Jesus’ baptism, we will explore the simple formula of life. I’ll put it this way:
L = PS2 (Life equals Pleasing God and Serving People Sacrificially. Square means more than mere serving but serving sacrificially like Jesus did). If you follow this simple formula, life becomes meaningful because that’s the Great Commandment in practice. Let’s dive into it and see how we can apply it in our lives based on today’s scripture lesson. Let’s begin!
This scripture lesson for this week is from the Gospel According to Luke 3:15-17, 21-22. [Listen to the Word of the Lord!]
15 As the people were filled with expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Messiah, 16 John answered all of them by saying, “I baptize you with water; but one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 17 His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”
The Baptism of Jesus
(Mt 3:13–17; Mk 1:9–11; Jn 1:29–34)
21 Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heaven was opened, 22 and the Holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.” (Lk 3:15-17, 21-22).
[Blessed are those who delight in God’s Word. Thanks be to God!]
This passage shows the transition between John the Baptist and Jesus. John boldly proclaimed the baptism of repentance, and people began to suspect that he must be the Messiah. But he told them that he was far from being the Messiah. In fact, he was not even worthy of untying the thongs of his sandals. The difference between Jesus and John is heaven and earth. One is a flesh at his best, the other is God became flesh.
Luke’s record of Jesus’ baptism is extremely brief. He said,
“Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heaven was opened,” (Lk 3:21).
In Matthew’s version, John and Jesus have a brief conversation. John said how could you come to me to be baptized. You should baptize me instead. But Jesus said,
“Let it be so now; for it is proper for us in this way to fulfill all righteousness.” (Mt 3:15).
Righteousness is fulfilling the commandments. According to Jesus, the entire Bible is summarized into one Great Commandment: Love God and love people, nothing more and nothing less.
The question is how to love God and love people? The answer is, “Please God by serving people.”
Jesus’ baptism initiates his service to people. As mentioned, he said that he came not to be served but to serve and give his life a ransom for many. That’s why God was pleased. Jesus didn’t have to do that and he could enjoy his heavenly prince life above.
That makes us think about our own baptism. It is a baptism of repentance and initiation to serve people like Jesus did. We receive baptism in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Here, at Jesus’ baptism, we see the appearance of the Trinity all at once. The Father appeared in voice, the Holy Spirit came down as a dove, and the Son was that as Jesus Christ.
The moment we commit to serving people, remember God is pleased: “This is my child, the beloved, with whom I am well pleased” because, through Jesus Christ, we have also become God’s children, and God expects us to serve like his Son.
Now, let’s look at what we need to please God and serve people. The first element of pleasing God and serving people is:
1. Humility
Some time back, a man told me that he would not want to worship the God who wants us to worship Him. I have never heard a thought like that. Maybe he had a point. Why does God want us to worship him? Isn’t it self-serving? “Come, worship me!” Does it sound like a dictator?
After some research, I found that many scholars have grappled with this question throughout history. The term “God,” by nature, is someone to be worshiped. Before him, we humble ourselves.
Furthermore, our God is worthy of our worship because he created us and loved us sacrificially. His love for us is revealed through Jesus Christ.
God does not demand that we worship him, but he wants us to love him. To worship him is to express our love for him.
Most importantly, we are created to love God. God created us, so He knows that we can never be happy without Him. So, it’s for our own benefit that God wants us to worship Him. God doesn’t need us to worship Him but wants us to worship Him for our own good.
King Solomon said, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” (Pr 9:10a). So, by refusing to worship him, we do ourselves a disservice. Humility is the first principle of life. All sins start from ego and arrogance. The fall in the Garden of Eden began with arrogance. We all know that story.
Jesus’ baptism shows his humility. He has no sin, and there is no reason for him to receive John’s baptism of repentance. However, his repentance is on behalf of all humanity. He determined to carry our sin from his baptism all the way to the cross bearing the fruit of repentance.
Paul wrote to the Philippians:
Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus,
who, though he was in the form of God,
did not regard equality with God
as something to be exploited,
but emptied himself,
taking the form of a slave,
being born in human likeness.
And being found in human form,
he humbled himself
and became obedient to the point of death—
even death on a cross. (Php 2:5–8).
We are called to have the mind of Christ. His mind is the mind of wisdom, which begins with humility. We see this mindset in King Solomon, too. His wisdom began from humility. Having lived three scores on earth, I see that the smartest people are the humblest.
Then God gives us two components to serve people better and please Him greater.
2. Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit was present at Jesus’ baptism, which also represents the immersion of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is wisdom because Jesus said it guides us into truth. It teaches us and helps us remember what Jesus has taught us. It helps us bear the fruit of the Spirit.
From this point on, we see that the Holy Spirit was with Jesus wherever he went and guided him in whatever he says. The Holy Spirit is God’s guidance and empowerment to help us do what we normally cannot do.
It means God gives us the guidance and power to please Him by serving people effectively. As the saying goes, “God helps those who help themselves.” Providence empowers us when we commit to serve.
At baptism, Jesus took the initiative to serve humanity; the Holy Spirit empowered him to ensure success. How do you receive the Holy Spirit to guide and empower you? Jesus said,
“If you love me, you will keep my commandments. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, to be with you forever. 17 This is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, because he abides with you, and he will be in you.” (Jn 14:15–17).
Advocate is translated from Greek, “Parakletos” (παράκλητος), meaning Helper, or someone who stays by our side, defending us. Jesus was our Advocate. He said he would send us another Advocate, the Holy Spirit. That means having the Holy Spirit with us and in us is the same as having Jesus with us.
That’s encouraging because we know serving people is not easy. We live in a fallen world and deal with fallen people. It’s easy to love the lovable but not so easy to love the unlovable. Jesus wants us to love even our enemies. How can we do that without the help of the Holy Spirit?
We are not only called to serve but also empowered to serve, leaving us no room for excuses. In other words, “God helps us to please Himself!” God doesn’t ask us to do anything without providing us the help.
So, humility enables us to serve, and the Holy Spirit empowers us to serve, and thirdly,
3. Purification
John said,
“He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.” (Lk 3:16b).
We’ve talked about the Holy Spirit above. What does baptism with fire mean? I’ve met some Pentecostal preachers who claim that the baptism with fire is the same as the baptism of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit will set us on fire with passion to serve. However, when we put it in context, we discover the purpose of fire here:
“His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.” (Lk 3:17).
At a glance, it sounds scary, as if it’s talking about burning in hell. But when we study the context of the entire Bible, the fire serves two purposes: purification and judgment.
If we are committed to serving people, the fire serves as the refining fire to purify us into pure silver or gold to make us serve better. Jesus also uses pruning as a metaphor,
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinegrower. He removes every branch in me that bears no fruit. Every branch that bears fruit he prunes to make it bear more fruit.” (Jn 15:1–2).
The fruit of a vine is primarily to feed others. It represents service. The branches that do not bear fruit will be cut off and thrown into the fire. The branches that bear fruit will be pruned. Pruning is painful, but it makes us fruitful. Ultimately, it’s to help us serve people better and please God greater. The Lord said through Prophet Zechariah,
“This third I will put into the fire;
I will refine them like silver
and test them like gold.
They will call on my name
and I will answer them;
I will say, ‘They are my people,’
and they will say, ‘The LORD is our God.’” (Zec 13:9).
To please God by serving people is not for the faint of heart. But these three elements will ensure our success:
1. Humility
2. Holy Spirit and
3. Purification
Let’s please God by serving people because that’s the simple secret of life, which gives us meaning and joy.
Until we meet again, keep your light shining brighter and broader and harvest the fruit of profound felicity, freedom, and fulfillment.
Amen!
Bye now!