January 12, 2020, Matthew
MATTHEW 3:13-17
Today we’re going to look at an event that made it into all four Gospels. Matthew, Mark, Luke and John found this event so inspiring and important that it was included. This is the day that we celebrate the baptism of our Lord Jesus by John the Baptist in the waters of the Jordan River. We all know John the Baptist, the man who wandered the wilderness eating locust and wearing a camel hair robe. In John 1:23 John the Baptist tells those who were interrogating him exactly what asked him to do, “I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, make straight the way of the Lord.” John the Baptist’s baptism was a baptism of repentance, a symbolic act demonstrating that the person being baptized recognized that they were sinners and had drifted away from God’s law. The baptism was a commitment to follow God’s law as they waited for the Messiah to come into the world. John stressed to those who followed after him listening to his words, that they needed to believe in the one coming after him, that is Jesus.
Interestingly, Jesus began His formal ministry by being baptized, and at the end of His time here on earth, Jesus gave us all what is known as the great commission. Jesus said to the disciples, including us today, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely, I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28)
It is easy to understand why we should be baptized; we are all sinners and have fallen short of the glory of God, but the question that jumps out of our Scripture lesson today, is why on earth did Jesus need to be baptized at all? We all know that Jesus was without sin, why would he want John the Baptist to baptize Him when John’s was a baptism of repentance? If you had no sin, why would you repent?
John the Baptist was wondering the same thing. John knew he himself was a sinner, and completely unworthy to baptize Jesus. We are told that John tried to deter Jesus, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” In today’s language, Wait, wait, shouldn’t you be baptizing me? I’m the sinner.
Jesus replied, “Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.” Then John consented. By being baptized, Jesus identified Himself with us. The sinless one identifies Himself with the sinners, us. Thus, He actively fulfills the law of God and receives God’s grace on behalf of all sinners and therefore us. Through His baptism, where He is anointed, that is, set a part, as the Lamb of God, God reveals Him who will baptize His own with the Holy Spirit.
Jesus selfless act of solidarity, that is identifying himself with each of us, and standing with us, demonstrates the kind of solidarity that God wants for all of us. As disciples of Christ, we too, are to demonstrate our solidarity with all of God’s children regardless of race, age, nationality, or economic standing. In today’s world disrespect, hatred, and even undervaluing human life seems to be rampant. At times even religious denominations pit themselves against other religious denominations who do not have the exact same theology.
There is no doubt about how Jesus wants us to live our lives. Just listen to a few of these Bible verses:
For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit.
Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight.
Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind.
Baptism is a wonderful gift from God. A gift that we as sinners are in great need Sure we have been baptized, but do we consciously live our baptism? Do we even really think about it and what it means for us in our daily lives. Out catechism tells us that we drown our Old Adam daily by repentance, so that the new man emerges in faith, but do we consciously do it each day?
Let us leave here this morning, remembering what our own baptism means in terms of how we live our lives resolving to live in solidarity with other Christian around the world; for we are all to be united in bringing others to believe in our Lord, Jesus Christ. Let us recommit ourselves to the mission that God has given us as His disciples. Let us listen for the small voice of the Holy Spirit who resides in us, and strive to be worthy of God’s great love and grace. For we are saved by Grace alone. May we each experience the joy of knowing that we have been claimed by God! For we are beloved Children of God.
Amen