Baptism of the Lord

Good Morning, I am glad that we can be here this morning. Today marks the first week after Epiphany and is the day that we celebrate the Baptism of the Lord.

One of the greatest challenges in working retail as a manager is the way that employees look at you. Retail like most other service jobs there is an element of hands on work that can’t be avoided.

For many workers, to earn the respect or to be seen as a good boss you have to get your hands dirty and work with employees and not be afraid to do things.

Yet, there is a problem with that. If a manager only spends their time out on the floor doing the work of a team member, who’s main job is the hands on work of the store they won’t get the work that they are expected to do done.

The floor associate doesn’t realize what jobs that Manager has to do. Yet, if the manager isn’t careful they forget the responsibilities and demands on a floor associate. It is a tough balance.

Now, you might be asking what in the world does this have to do with the Lord’s Baptism.

A Retail manager is not on the same level of Jesus.

The idea though is that Jesus came and did something that he wasn’t really required to do but he did it for reasons that we may not see or fully understand because he has a job that is bigger than what both the people at the time and we can realize fully today.

Let’s look at that this morning.

Matthew 3:13–17 NIV

13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. 14 But John tried to deter him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” 15 Jesus replied, “Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.” Then John consented. 16 As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. 17 And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”

Why did Jesus Get Baptized?

Now this is an interesting question that I thought was an important one when we start looking at this scripture but to fully understand it we need to know something about John the baptist and what his ministry and baptism was about. We need to back up a couple of verses.

Matthew 3:11–12 NIV

11 “I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me comes one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 12 His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor, gathering his wheat into the barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”

John Baptized with water for the sake of repentance. He was preparing the way for the people of Israel to see that the Messiah was coming.

This fact presents us with another interesting wrinkle to the question of did Jesus need to get baptized?

Why did Jesus Get Baptized?

Think about this for a moment. If John baptized for repentance but Jesus never sinned, why would he need to be baptized with a Baptism that’s goal and objective was about repentance?

Do you see how this gets a little confusing?

In fact, John the Baptist even recognized this difficulty.

Matthew 3:14 NIV

14 But John tried to deter him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?”

John recognized or saw who Jesus was and knew that he was inferior and that he needed what Jesus had and not the other way around.

How would you respond in this situation?

Is it really that surprising that John reacted this way. Yet, Jesus tells him no.

Matthew 3:15 NIV

15 Jesus replied, “Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.” Then John consented.

This is the challenge we face why is Jesus doing this. He helps us though in providing the answer in his response to John.

To Fulfill all Righteousness

When Jesus gives this response we must ask ourselves the question.

What is Righteousness?

Righteousness is one of the most widely discussed topics in Biblical studies. It is a topic that is very important to many scholars, pastors, and even lay people. Let’s talk about it for a moment than.

First, we need to understand it from an Old Testament understanding.

Righteousness describes God’s own Covenantal Faithfulness

The Faithfulness to the promise the God has made to his people is essential in our understanding of who God is and what is righteousness looks like. It is the very foundation of his moral integrity. Scripture helps us with this.

Psalm 98:2–3 NIV

2 The Lord has made his salvation known and revealed his righteousness to the nations. 3 He has remembered his love and his faithfulness to Israel; all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.

and

Isaiah 51:4–5 NIV

4 “Listen to me, my people; hear me, my nation: Instruction will go out from me; my justice will become a light to the nations. 5 My righteousness draws near speedily, my salvation is on the way, and my arm will bring justice to the nations. The islands will look to me and wait in hope for my arm.

these are just two examples of God’s fulfillment of his promise and his salvation coming. In light of the context of what is happening with Jesus Baptism this is even more powerful because the means of our salvation is actively present amongst the people.

The thing is about Righteousness is it didn’t only describe God’s actions or qualities but it draws us to the response of God’s people.

God’s People were called to be Righteous

This is found in the fact that the people of God are called to follow his commands. The Israelites were commanded to follow the Torah the books of the Law. For us as Christians Jesus didn’t give us different instructions but shared with us the truth that the Law is summed up in two Commands. To love God with all of who we are and to love our neighbor.

Our acts or Righteousness are found in how we show and follow God’s commands. Loving him and loving our neighbor. The Law still has merit and direction for us in our lives. We find its fulfillment in Jesus.

This leads us to the idea that...

Righteousness is Relationship

When we say that righteousness is relationship we need to see it in two ways. The first is that righteousness if the Language between God and his people.

Yes, righteousness is about following God’s commands but it is less about following a particular set of rules and more about staying in relationship with him.

The Bible is full of examples of hero’s of the faith that are far from perfect. They committed sins many of us would never even dream of. Yet, God used them and they were important people in the work of God’s Kingdom.

It is because of our relationship with God that we are able to become righteous. It is through Jesus that this is possible.

Yet, there is more there. Not only is this for us but the relationship that exists between God the Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit is at its forefront in this story.

Jesus the Son commits himself to the reason that he has come. He chooses to set the stage for his ministry and ultimately his sacrifice. Mirroring the willingness of Abraham and Isaac. Jesus, knowing that this was the beginning that would lead to the cross committed himself to his Father and this love is shown by the Spirit descending upon him and then further in the wilderness experience.

All of this to fulfill righteousness that Jesus spoke of. To be Right with God.

Yet, there are other reasons that Jesus came and was Baptized.

Fulfillment and Preparation

The Baptism of Jesus points us to the examine and see the fulfillment of God’s promises and the hope for his salvation.

One of the most powerful examples of this is found in the connection that many make between Jesus starting his ministry and the immediate time in the wilderness.

Jesus spent 40 days after a great moment and interaction with God.

The People of Israel had been delivered from Egypt and spent 40 years in the wilderness.

Both examples show a time of teaching and training.

The Israelites had to endure because they didn’t trust God as they should.

Both are times to train and teach and to see that even Jesus needed preparation for what was to come. It also shows the fulfillment and movement of God through the years drawing back to both history and the present.

Not only that but there are passages of Scripture and promises that Jesus fulfilled in his baptism.

Isaiah 42:1–9 NIV

1 “Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen one in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him, and he will bring justice to the nations. 2 He will not shout or cry out, or raise his voice in the streets. 3 A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out. In faithfulness he will bring forth justice; 4 he will not falter or be discouraged till he establishes justice on earth. In his teaching the islands will put their hope.” 5 This is what God the Lord says— the Creator of the heavens, who stretches them out, who spreads out the earth with all that springs from it, who gives breath to its people, and life to those who walk on it: 6 “I, the Lord, have called you in righteousness; I will take hold of your hand. I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people and a light for the Gentiles, 7 to open eyes that are blind, to free captives from prison and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness. 8 “I am the Lord; that is my name! I will not yield my glory to another or my praise to idols. 9 See, the former things have taken place, and new things I declare; before they spring into being I announce them to you.”

Let’s go back to that first verse.

Isaiah 42:1 NIV

1 “Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen one in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him, and he will bring justice to the nations.

What a powerful reminder that this is who Jesus is. That God is working through him. Not only that but the foreshadowing of the cross is overwhelming and a powerful reminder of what Christ came to do.

Why did Jesus need to be Baptized?

We go back to this question and we have to see that there are a couple reasons.

Why did Jesus need to be Baptized?

To show us that we are called to live a life of right Relationship with God just as he did. He called us to righteousness. To live a life that is centered on our love for God and for our neighbor. He set this in how he treated us. He is the one to show us that we are called to it.

Not only did Jesus show us what we are called to he lived it out. He is that savior who is present and actively showing us the path forward. He is our hope. He started his ministry in a fashion to show that Baptism and repetence are important. That we must come ready. Yet, true salvation wasn’t found in the water it is found in him. It is found on the cross.

This is why Jesus is our hope. He is the one we look to.

Invite the worship team up.

This morning if you needed to hear that to be reminded that he is our hope I hope you hear this song and it hits deep. Listen to its words take it in as we enter into this time of prayer.