Sunday, January 13, 2008 - Matthew 3:13-17

The celebration of the Baptism of our Lord, is the day that we, as the church, especially set aside to talk about the power and meaning of Baptism. But every day is a day to remember our Baptism.

Since the days of John the Baptist, the Christian church has enthusiastically celebrated the richness of God’s power and grace shown to us in the mysterious combination of water and God’s Word. In His wisdom, God chose the most basic and plentiful resource to be the vehicle by which He first brings us His Holy Word and invites us into His family.

Yet, in spite of all God’s goodness, wisdom, power, and grace; there are critics of this means of grace called Baptism. The detractors of Baptism try to deny its power and say that it is only symbolic, an initiation ritual, a naming ceremony. It is a naming ceremony. However, it is not the simple ceremony of the parents giving a name to the clild being baptized, but rather it is God giving His Name. We are baptized in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. We are baptized into that Name most holy, as we sang in the hymn. And it is once and for all announced that we are adopted into God’s family and are true children of the Father.

In Christ’s Baptism, the same is true. Jesus is not given His name by John the Baptist. The angel Gabriel told Mary that His name was to be Jesus even before He was conceived. So why did Jesus need to be baptized? Our Baptism is a washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit -- as is so eloquently stated by St. Paul in Titus chapter 3.

But Jesus needed no such rebirth. Jesus had no need for the forgiveness of sin. And John the Baptist recognized this. A little confused, John said to Jesus, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?”

John’s Baptism was a Baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. But it was not to receive forgiveness that Jesus came to John. Nor did He come to be adopted into the family of God as we are at our Baptism. He was already a true Son; He was the only-begotten Son of God, begotten from eternity.

However, at Christ’s Baptism, the Father speaks and says “This is My Son.” He announces for all to hear that this man who stands before them is the Son of God. This is the first event of Christ’s public ministry. He hadn’t turned any water into wine; He hadn’t healed any sick; He hadn’t preached any sermons.

The first event of Christ’s ministry is to have His Father announce from heaven, “This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.” Christ’s ministry is not based upon His own authority. The foundation of Christ’s ministry is not based upon His testimony of Himself, but is built upon the testimony of His Father’s voice from heaven and the words of Holy Scripture.

This same pattern holds true with our own baptismal experience. Our baptismal faith is not based upon our desire for Baptism. The power and effectiveness of our washing of rebirth at Baptism, and our entrance into our new life under the umbrella of forgiveness and grace; the power and effectiveness of this is not in the least bit reliant upon us.

Now, you may say that if I had no desire to be baptized, or if I despise the fact that I was baptized, then my baptismal faith, or lack thereof, would certainly by based upon my own desire or authority. This is true. A lack of faith is certainly fully credited to the man who allows himself to be ruled by the sinful nature.

However, my previous statement still holds true. Our baptismal faith is not based upon our desire, and the effectiveness of Baptism is not reliant upon us. It is true that if we reject God, we have no one to blame but ourselves. However, if God is received into our hearts, it happens through no work of our own.

St. Paul writes in his letter to the Ephesians, “We are saved by grace through faith; it is a gift from God, apart from works.” Our entrance into our new life in Christ at Baptism is solely the work of God done through His adopting us into His family, His announcing to the world (as I know He did for me on the day of my Baptism) announcing to the world, “This is my beloved son, with whom I am well pleased.” We have been cleansed of all our sin, and therefore we stand in righteousness before our God.

But God has established His kingdom on earth, not on the authority of the people in His church, but He has built upon the foundation of His Word -- His Word written down for all generations to hear; His Word joined with water in Holy Baptism; and His Word made flesh who was once baptized by John the Baptist in the Jordan River, and who is now found in, with, and under the forms of bread and wine.

And so we gather here today to once again enthusiastically celebrate the richness of God’s power and grace shown to us in the mysterious combination of water and the Word. You have been baptized into God’s Name most holy. You are his beloved children with whom He is well pleased. Amen.

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