First Sunday after the Epiphany (Wednesday)

Jesus, Why Do You Seek a Sinner’s Baptism?

Some called Jesus baptism his ordination into his mission as savior of the world. The Manger story, the arrival of the wise men, the 12 year old in the temple are all prologue. Now the hour for his ministry had come, and on the schedule of God's timetable he appeared at the Jordan where John was baptizing. Matthew tells us that John had been preaching, warning people of the quote wrath to come End Quote and calling for repentance and baptism. He reports that John hesitated about baptizing Jesus, for he should rather be baptized by Jesus. But, Matthew explains, Jesus must be baptized with John's baptism in order to fulfill all righteousness--for the “wrath to come” could not be stayed except as the righteousness, the will of the father, was accomplished so Jesus stepped into the water, and John, however reluctantly, baptized him.

Then the appearance of the Trinity! The spirit as a dove, the voice of the father, Jesus, the son of God, manifesting themselves to all who are present! The announcement of the father is all important period quote this is my beloved son, in whom I am well pleased.” the relation of the fathers announcement to the fulfillment of all righteousness is crucial to understanding Jesus baptism. Sonship grants privileges and imposes purpose. Jesus, as son, will have immediate access to the Father- to his house and his heart. But he will be at the father's disposal, bound by his sonship to do the father's will- in this case to quote fulfill all righteousness,” or, more specifically, to interpose himself between the quote wrath to come” and the sinful world. No wonder God, who loved the world so much that he was not willing that any should perish, was pleased to make the announcement and pleased as well with his son who in his baptism had accepted sonship with all the privileges and responsibilities. This is my beloved son is Matthew's way of announcing to the world who Jesus is.

Jesus did not need baptism he is the sinless son of God. Yet he desires to be baptized with John's baptism of repentance that he might identify himself with all humanity. By this opening act of his ministry he is proclaiming his oneness with all the people. He thus makes himself Sinner with us as Sinner he too would have to face the wrath to come. As Sinner he would endure the wrath of God for all sinners's sake. He would place himself under the very judgment of the father and all sinners instead, and suffered the terrible and terrifying sentence pronounced against them. He would save mankind from perdition and make possible a citizenry for heaven.

We must understand the nature of Jesus involvement and our humanity as he steps into the Jordan river that day. Jesus being baptized by John identifies himself with every Sinner. He will accept their punishment, their death. Jesus will even go into his death that all sinners would have life, and have it more abundantly. Because you see Jesus baptism at the Jordan set him on a course that would not be completed until he survived the passion. The Jordan baptism necessitated his suffering under the judgment of the father and could not be separated from the cross. Later he spoke of his baptism on several occasions as the suffering he would experience in Jerusalem. The purpose of his sonship, the fulfilling of all righteousness, the will of the father to redeem himself of people, was never far from his mind.

So the Jordan event. Becomes the official beginning. The ordination, as it were, of Jesus for his mission. There are other words we could use. It's his christening. That is his anointing to be our Prophet, priest and king. It is the moment of his commissioning in a public place for all the world to know. From this moment on, he will be about the father's business, doing the father's will, fulfilling the father's plan for the world's redemption. He will be the son of God and a man in mission.

The Purpose: Our Baptism

What Jesus mission had been accomplished-when all righteousness had been fulfilled and the wall of? Separation between people and God had been broken down.-On the Mount Ascension. Jesus gave a mandate. To teach and baptize all nations. Pentecost saw 3000 people baptized. Baptism for them. Met Son and Daughtership. It meant they had access to the father and that they had accepted the responsibility of their adoption into the father's family. Their baptism brought forgiveness. From the sin in which they were born. And from their sins of Commission and omission. By their baptism, they were grafted into the body of Christ, that is, they became members of the communion of Saints. Of the new and Holy Christian Church. They were ordained, as it were, and to the royal priesthood, with privileges of the father's house and with all the responsibility at being. At the father's disposal. they were people on a mission with the mandate to preach the gospel of repentance and faith in christ and to baptize into his kingdom.

They went out, those sons and daughters of the king in obedience and enjoy. Their mission took them across streets, across nations, across continents, across time. Until in a quiet, wondrous moment. They came to you and me. The water and the word of baptism conveyed to you the great blessings and the same responsibility that all who are baptized are given. You in baptism had the washing of regeneration and the renewing of in the Holy Spirit. You received the Holy Spirit. You were received into the community of believers. You are ordained into the royal priesthood. You, like Jesus, were given a Commission and mission that would maintain the Kingdom of God and push back its boundaries.

Jesus baptism led. To his cross and death and resurrection. Your baptism identifies you with Christ, who identified himself with you. With him in him in baptism you died and were buried you were. You are quickened. That is, you were raised to new life. His baptism led him under the judgment of God's wrath. Yours leads you to mansions. The same spirit who led Jesus leads and blesses, guides and sustains you. do not discount the wonder the miracle of your baptism do not ignore the responsibility it has placed upon you.

The Purpose: If Only…

Many Christians are involved in bringing. Christ to the nations. Others have extended their vision and find their mission and. In collecting various things in order to advance the cause of the Kingdom. And we haven't even mentioned the teachers of our Christian schools, our Sunday schools, our high schools and colleges. We haven't touched on those who have been called into the Holy Ministry. From various parishes or the young women who have become deaconesses to serve the Lord. To each of us, because Christ is in us, has been given the gift of loving and caring. Precious to those who need our care. Who of us cannot speak a word of comfort to someone in distress, or the saving word to some troubled conscience? Who of us has no reason to smile when Christ and the spirit are in us? The King's Great speech and the parable of the Last Judgment- I was hungry. I was in prison. I was in. I was naked, I was persecuted-has set goals for those who respond to Christ and live out their baptismal mission. If only everyone brought one soul to Christ in a year. In a decade. Simple mathematics tells us. If no one is brought to Christ, the Christian Church would disappear from the face of the Earth and a single generation.

The end result

We are in the church by the power of the spirit. By our baptism into Christ, we are placed into it. And the heavens rejoiced. We were set into mission. To the world for for our three score years and ten. When at last the divine summons comes for us to cross the deep abyss, we, by virtue of our baptismal faith, will join the ranks of the Saints and angels to sing songs of eternity. Do not discount the solemn. Yet glorious moment of your baptism when the blessed Holy Trinity came to you. Gave you the guarantee of the Holy Spirit and claimed you for all eternity. When the record of our Lord's baptism is heard again. Think of those things.