Sermon Sunday January 13, 2008
Baptism of our Lord
Brothers and sisters,
Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Today we remember the baptism of our Lord. The baptism of our Lord. Why would our Lord need to be baptized? Why would Jesus the sinless Son of God and Savior of all God’s people need to be baptized? If this question doesn’t seem strange to you then maybe we should begin by reminding ourselves of just why we need to be baptized.
In his instruction on baptism in the Large Catechism Martin Luther begins first of all by pointing out that baptism is necessary because it is commanded by God. Indeed in the great commission from Matthew 28 we are commanded by Jesus to go therefore and make disciples of all nations. And the first step Jesus gives us in that process is baptism.
Luther points out that this command reminds us that baptism is “no human plaything but instituted by God Himself.” He goes on to say that it is solemnly and strictly commanded that we must be baptized or we shall not be saved, and that we should not regard it as an indifferent matter like putting on a new red coat.
Luther contends that it is of the greatest importance that we regard baptism as excellent, glorious, and exalted. Do we do that? Do we regard baptism as excellent, glorious, and exalted? Or do we think of it as just a ceremony? Perhaps it’s a nice little ritual that we do, but not really anything more than that. We go through all the motions like we think as highly of it as Luther says we should. We say all the right words. We dress up. We pick out sponsors. Family comes in from out of the area and attends the service. There might even be a nice meal after the service.
But when we have a baptism do we really think about what it means for the one being baptized? Do we really think about what God does in baptism? For that matter do we even really believe that God does something in baptism? Or do we allow ourselves to be convinced of one of the biggest lies and myths that has infected Christianity? This is the lie that we are the ones who do something in baptism.
Or do we take our Lord at His Word when He tells us that baptism is necessary and that He is the actor in baptism and through baptism He is at work killing the sinner in us and bringing forth the new creation in us? Do we take our Lord at His Word when He promises us that through baptism He is at work making disciples?
And so now having been reminded of why we need to be baptized the question still remains, why would Jesus need to be baptized? And indeed in today’s Lesson as Jesus approaches John the Baptist in the Jordan to be baptized, John himself seems to be a little confused telling Jesus that he should be baptized by Jesus. But Jesus wouldn’t have it and He tells John that it is proper for Jesus to be baptized by John to fulfill all righteousness.
Righteousness here is referring simply to the will of God. Jesus corrects John but He does not scold him. This was not like Peter rebuking Jesus or asking Him who would be the greatest in the kingdom of Heaven. This was not a situation where John was blinded by his own pride or sinfulness. John was right in recognizing His need to be baptized by Jesus, after all he did say that Jesus would come baptizing with the Holy Spirit and fire. John’s timing was just off a bit, well by about three years. The time when Jesus brought baptism with the Holy Spirit and fire would come but this was the time for Jesus to be baptized.
By submitting to baptism Jesus was beginning the process of emptying Himself by identifying with sinful humanity. Jesus said that He came to serve and not to be served, and that service begins with Jesus submitting Himself to John’s baptism. But that emptying of Himself that is marked by service to others would continue with Jesus fellowshipping and eating with unholy sinners, and Jesus reaching out to sinners and bringing miracles and healings and recovery of sight for the blind, both physical and spiritual, and this service-bound emptying of Himself would ultimately culminate in Christ Jesus dying a sinners death, dying your death on the cross. It is all part of the emptying of Himself-the God who becomes truly human.
And after seeing the faithfulness of the sinless Son of God we see the response of the Father in Heaven who says “This is my Son, the beloved in whom I am well pleased.” And indeed He is the sinless Son of God who yet comes as a servant; the servant whom the prophet Isaiah alludes to in today’s Old Testament lesson when the Lord proclaims through Isaiah “Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights; I have put my spirit upon Him;” This is the one whom Isaiah promises would open the eyes of the blind, and bring out the prisoners from the dungeon.
What we see with Jesus’ baptism is the Son of God answering the call of His Father in Heaven who calls Jesus in righteousness. And He calls Jesus to the emptying of Himself that would begin with submission to John’s baptism and would continue as He continued to call unholy sinners to repentance and forgiveness, and called those same unholy sinners to proclaim His name throughout the world.
In this baptism of Jesus from today’s Gospel lesson we see the anointing of the Vessel through which God would use to bring healing to a broken world; to bring new life to a world and to a people held captive to death. Jesus’ baptism was the beginning of what would end up being fulfilled with Jesus going through death, dying on the cross, bringing your sin with Him, but then three days later walking victoriously out of the tomb.
And so He paved the way for the arrival of the baptism of the Holy Spirit with fire. And this is the baptism through which you have been claimed by Christ. This is the baptism through which you were sealed by the Holy Spirit. This is the baptism through which the death of your sinful self began. This is the baptism through which you have been called to righteousness.
Perhaps you have seen the commercials on television for Las Vegas that say “What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas.” Well the same cannot be said for the waters and the Word in baptism. What happens at the font does not stay at the font.
The claim that Christ Jesus makes on you in baptism stays with you. The righteousness that your Lord calls you to in baptism stays with you. The emergence of the new creation in you that began at your baptism continues through your whole life on into it’s fulfillment at the resurrection. The declaration of you as a beloved child of God that began at your baptism stays with you.
As you sit right now listening to the Word being proclaimed to you, you are being renewed in your baptism. You are being called in righteousness. The faith that calls you in baptism is being preserved, nurtured, and sustained. You are reminded again of the claim that Christ has made over you in the waters of baptism; the claim of the One who’s love you can never be separated from. And none of this is of your own doing. None of this comes from anything that you did at your baptism. It all comes from what your Lord did for you at your baptism and continues to do through Word, sacrament and fellowship as you live in your baptism.
And so you don’t have to worry about making yourself righteous, you are being made righteous as you live in your baptism; as the Holy Spirit comes to you, and makes you righteous by bringing you faith in the One who fulfills all righteousness. And so now you have been freed to answer your call to be a witness to all that Christ did. You can answer the command to preach and to testify that Christ Jesus is the One ordained by God as the judge of the living and the dead.
He is the judge and we have been judged guilty. But He has taken the sin that condemns us and left it in the tomb. And through the faith that the Holy Spirit calls us to and brings to us, we have been pronounced forgiven. And it began with the baptism of our Lord.
Amen
Brothers and sisters,
Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Today we remember the baptism of our Lord. The baptism of our Lord. Why would our Lord need to be baptized? Why would Jesus the sinless Son of God and Savior of all God’s people need to be baptized? If this question doesn’t seem strange to you then maybe we should begin by reminding ourselves of just why we need to be baptized.
In his instruction on baptism in the Large Catechism Martin Luther begins first of all by pointing out that baptism is necessary because it is commanded by God. Indeed in the great commission from Matthew 28 we are commanded by Jesus to go therefore and make disciples of all nations. And the first step Jesus gives us in that process is baptism.
Luther points out that this command reminds us that baptism is “no human plaything but instituted by God Himself.” He goes on to say that it is solemnly and strictly commanded that we must be baptized or we shall not be saved, and that we should not regard it as an indifferent matter like putting on a new red coat.
Luther contends that it is of the greatest importance that we regard baptism as excellent, glorious, and exalted. Do we do that? Do we regard baptism as excellent, glorious, and exalted? Or do we think of it as just a ceremony? Perhaps it’s a nice little ritual that we do, but not really anything more than that. We go through all the motions like we think as highly of it as Luther says we should. We say all the right words. We dress up. We pick out sponsors. Family comes in from out of the area and attends the service. There might even be a nice meal after the service.
But when we have a baptism do we really think about what it means for the one being baptized? Do we really think about what God does in baptism? For that matter do we even really believe that God does something in baptism? Or do we allow ourselves to be convinced of one of the biggest lies and myths that has infected Christianity? This is the lie that we are the ones who do something in baptism.
Or do we take our Lord at His Word when He tells us that baptism is necessary and that He is the actor in baptism and through baptism He is at work killing the sinner in us and bringing forth the new creation in us? Do we take our Lord at His Word when He promises us that through baptism He is at work making disciples?
And so now having been reminded of why we need to be baptized the question still remains, why would Jesus need to be baptized? And indeed in today’s Lesson as Jesus approaches John the Baptist in the Jordan to be baptized, John himself seems to be a little confused telling Jesus that he should be baptized by Jesus. But Jesus wouldn’t have it and He tells John that it is proper for Jesus to be baptized by John to fulfill all righteousness.
Righteousness here is referring simply to the will of God. Jesus corrects John but He does not scold him. This was not like Peter rebuking Jesus or asking Him who would be the greatest in the kingdom of Heaven. This was not a situation where John was blinded by his own pride or sinfulness. John was right in recognizing His need to be baptized by Jesus, after all he did say that Jesus would come baptizing with the Holy Spirit and fire. John’s timing was just off a bit, well by about three years. The time when Jesus brought baptism with the Holy Spirit and fire would come but this was the time for Jesus to be baptized.
By submitting to baptism Jesus was beginning the process of emptying Himself by identifying with sinful humanity. Jesus said that He came to serve and not to be served, and that service begins with Jesus submitting Himself to John’s baptism. But that emptying of Himself that is marked by service to others would continue with Jesus fellowshipping and eating with unholy sinners, and Jesus reaching out to sinners and bringing miracles and healings and recovery of sight for the blind, both physical and spiritual, and this service-bound emptying of Himself would ultimately culminate in Christ Jesus dying a sinners death, dying your death on the cross. It is all part of the emptying of Himself-the God who becomes truly human.
And after seeing the faithfulness of the sinless Son of God we see the response of the Father in Heaven who says “This is my Son, the beloved in whom I am well pleased.” And indeed He is the sinless Son of God who yet comes as a servant; the servant whom the prophet Isaiah alludes to in today’s Old Testament lesson when the Lord proclaims through Isaiah “Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights; I have put my spirit upon Him;” This is the one whom Isaiah promises would open the eyes of the blind, and bring out the prisoners from the dungeon.
What we see with Jesus’ baptism is the Son of God answering the call of His Father in Heaven who calls Jesus in righteousness. And He calls Jesus to the emptying of Himself that would begin with submission to John’s baptism and would continue as He continued to call unholy sinners to repentance and forgiveness, and called those same unholy sinners to proclaim His name throughout the world.
In this baptism of Jesus from today’s Gospel lesson we see the anointing of the Vessel through which God would use to bring healing to a broken world; to bring new life to a world and to a people held captive to death. Jesus’ baptism was the beginning of what would end up being fulfilled with Jesus going through death, dying on the cross, bringing your sin with Him, but then three days later walking victoriously out of the tomb.
And so He paved the way for the arrival of the baptism of the Holy Spirit with fire. And this is the baptism through which you have been claimed by Christ. This is the baptism through which you were sealed by the Holy Spirit. This is the baptism through which the death of your sinful self began. This is the baptism through which you have been called to righteousness.
Perhaps you have seen the commercials on television for Las Vegas that say “What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas.” Well the same cannot be said for the waters and the Word in baptism. What happens at the font does not stay at the font.
The claim that Christ Jesus makes on you in baptism stays with you. The righteousness that your Lord calls you to in baptism stays with you. The emergence of the new creation in you that began at your baptism continues through your whole life on into it’s fulfillment at the resurrection. The declaration of you as a beloved child of God that began at your baptism stays with you.
As you sit right now listening to the Word being proclaimed to you, you are being renewed in your baptism. You are being called in righteousness. The faith that calls you in baptism is being preserved, nurtured, and sustained. You are reminded again of the claim that Christ has made over you in the waters of baptism; the claim of the One who’s love you can never be separated from. And none of this is of your own doing. None of this comes from anything that you did at your baptism. It all comes from what your Lord did for you at your baptism and continues to do through Word, sacrament and fellowship as you live in your baptism.
And so you don’t have to worry about making yourself righteous, you are being made righteous as you live in your baptism; as the Holy Spirit comes to you, and makes you righteous by bringing you faith in the One who fulfills all righteousness. And so now you have been freed to answer your call to be a witness to all that Christ did. You can answer the command to preach and to testify that Christ Jesus is the One ordained by God as the judge of the living and the dead.
He is the judge and we have been judged guilty. But He has taken the sin that condemns us and left it in the tomb. And through the faith that the Holy Spirit calls us to and brings to us, we have been pronounced forgiven. And it began with the baptism of our Lord.
Amen
posted by Steve at 8:47 AM
1 Comments:
Man, you have certainly hit a stride in preaching. These are gold, Jerry, pure gold.
I LOVED this part
"What we see with Jesus’ baptism is the Son of God answering the call of His Father in Heaven who calls Jesus in righteousness. And He calls Jesus to the emptying of Himself that would begin with submission to John’s baptism and would continue as He continued to call unholy sinners to repentance and forgiveness, and called those same unholy sinners to proclaim His name throughout the world.
In this baptism of Jesus from today’s Gospel lesson we see the anointing of the Vessel through which God would use to bring healing to a broken world; to bring new life to a world and to a people held captive to death. Jesus’ baptism was the beginning of what would end up being fulfilled with Jesus going through death, dying on the cross, bringing your sin with Him, but then three days later walking victoriously out of the tomb.
And so He paved the way for the arrival of the baptism of the Holy Spirit with fire. And this is the baptism through which you have been claimed by Christ. This is the baptism through which you were sealed by the Holy Spirit. This is the baptism through which the death of your sinful self began. This is the baptism through which you have been called to righteousness.
Perhaps you have seen the commercials on television for Las Vegas that say “What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas.” Well the same cannot be said for the waters and the Word in baptism. What happens at the font does not stay at the font."
That line from the Vegas commercial is brilliant. Absolutely brilliant.
This was delicious to read
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