Baptism of our Lord (Observed) (2024)
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Matthew 3:13-17
Matthew 3:13-17
My Brothers and Sisters in our Gospel Lesson today, we witness the Baptism of Jesus as the heavens above open and the Spirit descends in the form of a dove to light upon Christ, as the Father speaks, this is my beloved son with whom I am well pleased. The importance of Baptism cannot be expressed enough for Christ did this for us to fulfill all righteousness for our sake for in the waters of Holy Baptism we receive God’s bountiful gifts that give to us the blessings of salvation.
The Baptism of Jesus
John’s baptism was for the forgiveness of sins.
The would come to John confessing their sins, and receiving the gift of forgiveness. Why was John able to offer this? It is because the Baptism of John did not come from man, or from this earth, but rather was a gift from heaven above to mankind. This is why John the baptist chastises and rebukes the pharisees so harshly, because they believe they have no need of the forgiveness that he offers, for they have no sin.
This is why John refuses Jesus at first.
For Jesus has no sin to confess, no sin that he bears, rather it is John who ought to be baptized by Christ, for John is the sinner not Jesus. Jesus tells John that He is there to
Jesus is there to fulfill all righteousness.
For whom? Jesus is the Holy one of God, the one through whom all things were made, but now he stands before John to fulfill all righteousness, not for his own sake, but for the sake of sinners. That the baptism of John might be fulfilled as Christ descends into the waters.
Righteousness Received by Faith
What is baptism?
Christians baptism is the washing of water with the Word of God. That is it’s plain and simple form. That the water is applied to a person’s in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit for the forgiveness of sins eternal life and salvation.
Is it the work of man or of god?
If baptism is the work of man, could it fulfill righteousness? Could it forgive sins? Would it give to us the Holy Spirit, regenerate sinners dead in their trespasses and sins? Would make us heirs of the Kingdom of heaven, grant to us the Divine and Holy name of God? No. For by works of the law no human being will be justified, that is declared righteous, in God’s sight. Well why?
What is joined with the water?
Who is in the water right at the Jordan? The Word made flesh, Jesus Christ our Lord. If Jesus is there, then the one that is fulfilling all righteousness is God himself.
That is why Baptism now saves you.
It’s not about the removal of dirt from body, but it is rather the water that has been joined with those waters to give you eternal life. For it is in Christ that we find eternal life and salvation, and if He is the in the water, then what do those waters offer to you? Forgiveness, life, and salvation.
What Can We Offer at Baptism?
All we are born with is our sins.
It is what we have inherited from our parents and what has been passed down throughout the ages. Original sin that has plagued and corrupted us from the beginning.
Whatever does not proceed from faith is sin. (Rom 14:23)
So without faith all we have to offer up is sin throughout our entire life. This is why we have to be saved by Grace, for we are brought to life, regenerated by the power of the Holy Spirit, and we are able to confess with our hearts and our lips. Without faith, we remain dead.
How then our are sins removed?
To us it seems a strange thing that water would wash away our sins, but it isn’t the water itself, it is the word of God that is in the water that does this for you. That is how you can be sure of your salvation. To understand this, I want to talk about something in the Old Testament.
The Waters of Marah
In Exodus 15, the Israelites needed water.
They had left the land of Egypt and found themselves in trouble, there were nearly 2 million of them, and the waters that they found were bitter and unusable for consumption. So Moses asks God for help, asking what shall we drink.
God commanded Moses to throw in a tree.
Those waters that had been bitter adn unusable became sweet and drinkable to the people a miracle that relied upon the Word of God so that this tree would sweeten these waters that the people might drink and live.
We are baptized into the death of Jesus.
That sounds strange, why Jesus’ death, well in Jesus’ death He took upon himself our sins, and brought them to the cross in order that He might win for us forgiveness and salvation and fulfill righteousness for our sake. For our sake, God made him to be sin, who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. The cross of Jesus is the tree that is thrown in those waters.
The waters, which were filled with sin, now give life.
It becomes for us a fount of living water that springs up within us that we may have life and have it in abundance. It is Jesus that gives these precious gifts to us, and we ought to treasure them and hold on to them dearly through faith.
Faith in God’s Word
God promises “whoever believes and is baptized shall be saved.”
That is quite a promise, and the question that we ought to ask is believe what? Have faith in what? Well the only object and promise that we have in that passage is baptism. Whoever believes the Word of God spoken in their baptism shall be saved. That Jesus has won for you eternal life and salvation.
It isn’t once baptized always saved.
That is why, right after that passage it says whoever does not believe will be condemned. Both faith and baptism are integral parts to the Christian life. Now thankfully faith is not about the power of the ability of our mind, but rather the work of the Holy Spirit, which is why we are urged to baptize everyone.
Here is where you are joined to Christ and made an heir.
This is where God claims you as His own, and it doesn’t depend upon your worth, your merit, your ability, anything that you have to offer up to God for you have nothing, which is why you ought to despair of all of your works when it comes to fulfilling righteousness. Rather here Jesus fulfilled all righteousness for you and has given it to you as a gift.
Remember Your Baptism
We are encouraged to make the sign of the cross.
Luther urges Christians in the Small Catechism to make the sign of the Cross to remember the day that it was made upon your forehead and upon your heart to mark you as one redeemed by Christ the Crucified. He would have people do it at the start of the day, to remember who they are God’s Child, and at the end of the day, so that no matter what has happened you remember your Father who loves you, and will bring you through this life and into eternity.
The world is confused by identity.
Is it any surprise? When we no longer look to our creator, and don’t look to the one who made us to figure out why we are here and what purpose and calling we have. People try to find it out on their own, but have no idea where to look and told that they can be whatever they want, which means your identity comes from within you, if you can figure out in that mess who you are, but Baptism is outside of you, and it declares that you
You are God’s child.
That is something we can say gladly. For like the Baptism of Jesus The Father in heaven looked down at you on the day of your baptism, and declare this is my beloved son, or my beloved daughter, for by the work of Christ, God does not see your sins, but a child of faith, in whom he is well pleased.
So my Brothers and Sisters in Christ, Remember your Baptism, and I don’t say this lightly, but with all seriousness for this gives our existence shape and form, and gives to us hope when everything else falls apart, your baptism stands and makes you whole. So let us rejoice this day, that Jesus was baptized to fulfill all righteousness, because By the Work of Jesus, you are forgiven, and have eternal life. In the name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.