In the Name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit
Everything changes for Jesus Christ when He goes up out of the Jordan
River. Before His baptism by John, the world knew Jesus as a
30-year-old carpenter’s Son. He looked after His mother and helped His
father in the family business. The star that shone over His manger and
His home in Bethlehem was long gone when the family moved to Nazareth.
Then one day He left Mary and Joseph behind and went to find John the
Baptist. When Jesus enters the river, John does what seems to us the
right thing. He dissuades Jesus from being baptized. Perhaps John knew
Who Jesus was and why He came. Perhaps he had his doubts like you and I
have. John certainly thought himself unworthy to baptize Jesus. Jesus
stops any notion of unworthiness on John’s part with one simple
sentence: Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to
fulfill all righteousness.
The sinless Son of God takes on the mantle of friend of sinners. So
begins the task of bringing creation once again to paradise. It all
starts with this magnificent epiphany as the Holy Spirit descends on
Christ in the form of a dove and the Father’s Voice says: This is My
beloved Son, in Whom I am well pleased.
You would think the glorious epiphany after our Lord’s Baptism would be
enough to make a believer out of all who witnessed it. Not so. The
same can be said for Holy Scripture’s clear teaching of the blessings of
Holy Baptism. Very few topics start a verbal war more than how
different Christian congregations regard Baptism.
Some deny the regenerative power of God’s Word with water. They believe
that Baptism is the solemn public acknowledgment of a private matter
between God and man, where man “accepts” Jesus as Lord and Savior. The
public baptism is done because you have to be baptized. Jesus said so.
Baptism is obedience to His Word. The more important matter is what
happened privately between God and man.
Others confess the regenerative power of Holy Baptism, but say it
doesn’t wipe away all sin. You must make oral confession of sin and
receive penance before absolution. This teaching denies baptism
cleanses a person of all sin.
Those churches who misunderstand what Scripture says about the benefits
of Baptism believe that man has some sort of inborn righteousness in
him. All that’s needed is God’s righteousness to put man over the top,
as it were, in his own righteousness.
Denying that man has no divine righteousness in him confesses that our
Lord’s Baptism is, crassly speaking, jumping through a hoop. Jesus had
to do it because His Father said so. When He is baptized, the world
understands once and for all that Jesus is Messiah. As Jesus jumps
through the hoop, so do you.
Baptism is not merely jumping through a hoop. Baptism washes away your
filthy unrighteousness. Your righteousness is nothing compared with
God’s pure, holy, sinless righteousness. God’s Word is put in your
life. The forgiving Word of grace goes through your ear canal and puts
down roots in your life. You can’t help but want to be a part of the
Kingdom of God. That is why your parents, grandparents, or another
family member brought you to the font. Someone cared enough to make
sure you missed eternal death.
Martin Luther was ready for you to ask the important question: How can
water do such great things? We just sang the answer in the chief hymn:
All that the mortal eye beholds
Is water as we pour it.
Before the eye of faith unfolds
The pow’r of Jesus’ merit.
For here it sees the crimson flood
To all our ills bring healing;
The wonders of His precious blood
The love of God revealing,
Assuring His own pardon.
Baptism unites Christ with you and you with Christ. The naked eye sees
water and thinks nothing special happens. The eye of faith sees water
with the Word of God bringing someone safely from death through to life
everlasting. Baptism is nothing short of a miracle. God puts His Name
on you. God bestows sonship on you. Everything His Son does, He does
for you. Everything His Son says, He says about you. You are His, and
He is yours. When you came up out of the baptismal waters, you were and
are not the same.
When our heavenly Father sees you, He sees Christ in you, the hope of
glory. He doesn’t see someone He is ashamed to call His precious child.
He sees Jesus all over you, filling you with righteousness that comes
through Word, water, bread, wine, body, and blood.
Things are different when Jesus comes up out of the water. Jesus
manifests His glory before the world so the world may be made glorious
in Him. Jesus reckons Himself a sinner that you become a saint through
His life lived for you. Things are different for you after your baptism
too. What our Father says about Jesus, He will say about you on
Judgment Day: This is my beloved son, in whom I am well pleased.
Believe it for Jesus’ sake.
In the Name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit
--
Rev. David M. Juhl
Our Savior Evangelical-Lutheran Church
Momence, IL
http://oselcmomence.googlepages.com
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