Matthew 3:13-4:1 page 1

The Internet offers a fast track to ordination. In the United States, the Revd Daniel Zimmerman is offering ordination in his Universal Life Church on the World Wide Web for the incredible bargain price of $7. This will empower you to absolve your own sins as well as other people's in the name of 'whatever your belief system dictates'. But that's not all. If you manage to persuade fifteen people to sign up on the Church's 'chapel' - otherwise known as its website - you will be canonised as a 'saint'!
[Simon Coupland, Spicing Up Your Speaking, p184f #172.]

In fact it is so easy to be ordained on the Internet that in California a labrador dog named Venture has been ordained as a minister. His owner, Dr Diana Dawne, wanted to show how easy it is to get awards by mail order in the United States, and as well as getting Venture ordained, she has also obtained twelve university degrees for him. These include psychology, philosophy, law, archaeology, and - of course - zoology.
[ibid., p225 #218.]

Now looking at some of the people who do get ordained in the conventional sense, you might wonder whether some of us could only get to that privilege by paying $7. But please don't compare us with dogs!

Our Gospel reading today is about what I would call the ordination service of Jesus. Here is where his public ministry begins. Woven into the story of his baptism and testing are key themes for his ministry, which are also key themes for the life of every Christian. In other words, the way in which God works in Jesus' life at this time has much to teach us about the resources he also gives us for the sake of our Christian service.

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Copyright © David D Faulkner, 2006 except where other sources are attributed or noted as inspiration.