Consent
Consent
Well, hello, Twig.
We’ve made it through Christmas, and we’ve made it into the new year. Now here we are in this beautiful season of January—Epiphany.
Epiphany begins with the story of John the Baptist baptizing Jesus in the Jordan River, and it’s an intriguing moment. Jesus is born, the story is full of wonder, and then there’s a long stretch of silence—nearly thirty years we know very little about. And then, one day, Jesus shows up at the river and says to John, “I want you to baptize me.”
An Unexpected Request
What makes this moment so interesting is that John doesn’t immediately agree.
John the Baptist and Jesus are cousins, but they’ve never met. In John 1:33, John says plainly:
“I myself did not know him.”
John only recognizes Jesus as the Messiah because God reveals it—through the Spirit descending on Him.
So when Jesus asks to be baptized, John resists. He tries to stop it.
And honestly, that feels relatable.
Not because Jesus is standing in front of us asking to be baptized—but because Jesus regularly prompts us, too.
Love your neighbor.
Forgive someone who isn’t asking for forgiveness.
Show kindness when it’s inconvenient.
And often, we resist.
Why We Resist
John’s resistance makes sense.
First, he feels unworthy. “I should be baptized by you,” he says.
Second, it doesn’t fit his framework. John baptizes people who are repenting and returning to God. Jesus doesn’t need that.
So John says, “This isn’t for you.”
But Jesus gently responds:
“Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.”
Jesus isn’t standing apart from humanity. He’s stepping fully into it.
By being baptized, Jesus is continuing the movement of heaven coming to earth—choosing humility, solidarity, and participation. He goes under the water, comes back up, stands there wet and vulnerable, saying, “I am one of you.”
Consent Opens the Heavens
Eventually, John consents.
That word matters.
John disagrees at first, but then he agrees. He consents.
And it’s in that moment—when John consents—that the heavens open. The Spirit descends like a dove. A voice declares:
“This is my Son, whom I love.”
Consent creates space for revelation.
Consent requires a shift—away from our own assumptions, preferences, or resistance, and toward what God is doing in front of us.
Living with an Attitude of Consent
Most of our resistance isn’t as thoughtful as John’s.
Often, it’s self-oriented:
This isn’t my preference.
That person doesn’t deserve forgiveness.
I don’t feel worthy enough to give grace.
And yet, God continues to invite us—not to like everything in our lives, but to consent to what is present.
Consent doesn’t mean approval.
Consent doesn’t mean resignation.
It means saying: “God, this is what is in my life right now. I will meet You here.”
That might look like:
Showing up to a job you don’t love with integrity and effort
Facing a health diagnosis you didn’t want while choosing courage and care
Continuing to pray unanswered prayers with the words, “Your will be done”
When Consent Feels Impossible
If consent feels impossible today, you’re not alone.
These are not things we naturally say yes to.
But God’s grace gives us the capacity to pray a simple, honest prayer:
“God, how can I live with an attitude of consent to You today?”
Not tomorrow.
Not forever.
Just today.
Thanks for being with us.
We’ll see you next time.
