Date: January 6th & 9th
Preacher: Rick Schantz
First Reading: Isaiah 43:1-7
Psalmody: Psalm 29
Second Reading: Acts 8:14-17
Gospel: Luke 3:15-17, 21-22
Let us pray! Heavenly Father, as we remember the Baptism of our Lord and
Savior; help us to reflect on our own baptism and be joyous for the gracious gift of
the Holy Spirit and rejoice that we are adopted children of God. Amen!
Today, is the First Sunday after Epiphany, it is also known as the Baptism of Our Lord Sunday. It is a day where we remember the baptism of our Savior Jesus Christ, but is also a day that we should reflect, celebrate and rejoice in our own baptism.
In today’s Gospel reading from Luke, we read in verse 15; that “the people were waiting expectantly and were wondering in their hearts if John might possibly be the Messiah.” John clears things up as we learn in the very next verse that Jesus is the true Messiah as John answers the people by telling them “I baptize you with water. But one who is more powerful than I will come, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.” John seems to be making a point that Jesus will have an awesome power over us that will be enacted through baptism. In verse 17, John confirms that Jesus will have the authority to judge souls: “His winnowing fork is in his hand to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.” The winnowing fork separates the wheat from the chaff. Figuratively, he will gather the wheat, or believers, into the barn; but the non-believers will be burned up in hell. Christ came to die on the cross so that those who believe in him can be forgiven of their sins. He came to save but those who will reject him will be separated on judgement day.
As we read further in verses 21 and 22, Luke tells us “When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. And as he was praying, heaven was opened and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.” God is affirming through his voice: 1. Jesus is God’s son 2. Jesus is loved by God and 3. God is well pleased with Jesus. In our own baptism, these same three things are affirmed about us:
1. We are God’s children
2. We are loved by God and
3. God is well pleased with us, well, at least most of the time!
Have you ever questioned why Jesus was baptized in the first place? After all, there are numerous verses in the scriptures where we read that Jesus was sinless! In Hebrews 4:15, we read that Jesus was “tempted in every way, just as we are, yet was without sin. 1 Peter 1:19 tells us that Jesus is the Lamb of God, “without blemish or defect” and in 1John 3:5 we hear “But you know that he appeared so that he might take away our sins, and in him is no sin.” This verse from 1John gives us a hint why Jesus was baptized. The sinless Son of God was baptized to take upon himself all the sins of the world. Jesus’ baptism was a baptism of repentance and a forgiveness of sins – not his, but ours. His baptism was for our sake and for our salvation! The Son of Gods’ baptism makes our own baptism possible and is our connection with Jesus as children of God!
Jesus’ baptism was the start of his ministry and through our baptism we are called to be his disciples and spread the Good News. This baptism into discipleship is a lifelong journey. In our service of Holy Baptism we as parents, sponsors and members of the congregation are called to live with the newly baptized in Christ, teach them, nurture them, support them and pray with them. Just as others have committed to us in our baptism, we are to be committed to the newly baptized. This is why we baptize during a worship service rather that privately. Our commitment does not end until we end.
I read this story the other day and at first I got a pretty good chuckle from it, but after thinking about it for awhile the truth of the story really spoke to me. Three pastors were having lunch and one pastor goes off about his problem with rats at his church. “I’ve tried everything to rid of them, they just won’t leave.” The second pastor relates to the first. “I know! I’ve tried everything too! Cats, repellent, noise. They just won’t go away.” The third pastor says, “Well I baptized my rats; confirmed them and made them the newest members of my congregation, haven’t seen one since.”
How true does this story sound in our own lives? Have you ever been familiar with a “rat” problem. I know I have and actually have probably been one myself at one point in my life! Despite my baptism I have, like every one of you, dealt with difficulties and struggles, suffered grief and losses, had to face changes of life I would rather have avoided. These challenges of faith may take our focus away from our baptism and might even draw us away from church.
Unfortunately, baptism does not eliminate our struggles, fix our problems, take away our pain, or change the circumstances in our lives. But the Good News is that it changes us and offers us a way through these issues and ultimately a way through death to life with Christ forever. It offers us a new way of being, by having a relationship with God. It is through this relationship with God that we have someone we can lean on and receive comfort, strength and peace during our times of sorrow and grief. It is also in this relationship with God that we have one we can go to in prayer for guidance and direction when we face our struggles, difficulties and the changes and tough choices in our lives. The water of baptism gives us new life through Jesus.
When we recite the Nicene Creed, we acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. Ritually we are baptized only once, but we need to return to our baptismal waters throughout our whole lives and live through our baptismal vows daily. One way to do this is like we did to earlier in our service with the Thanksgiving for Baptism.
We live through our vows by:
1. Confessing our belief in God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, because he first loved and chose us.
2. Continuing in the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in the prayers because we have been filled with the Holy Spirit.
3. We continue to fight and resist evil, and whenever we fall into sin, repent and return to the Lord for forgiveness.
4. We spread the Good News of God and live by example because we are his children with whom he is well pleased.
5. We seek and serve our Lord, loving our neighbors as ourselves, striving for justice, peace and dignity for all, because that is how God has treated us and we should do nothing less for another one of his children.
As we reflect on our baptism today, may we remember it is because of Jesus’ baptism that we receive the ultimate gift of forgiveness and salvation.
This is the Good News of the Gospel! Thanks be to God!