The Baptism of our Lord, January 13, 2008

GOSPEL LESSON: Matthew 3:13?17 [The baptism of Jesus.]
@13Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan, to be baptized by him. 14John would have prevented him, saying, "I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?" 15But Jesus answered him, "Let it be so now; for it is proper for us in this way to fulfill all righteousness." Then he consented. 16And when Jesus had been baptized, just as he came up from the water, suddenly the heavens were opened to him and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. 17And a voice from heaven said, "This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased."

When Jesus came to the Jordan River to be baptized, there was this dialogue between John and Jesus. John said, gI need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?h But Jesus answered him, gLet it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.h John baptized people to forgive their sins. Jesus was sinless so didnft need forgiveness for himself, but when Jesus died on the cross, he became the sacrifice to take away the sin of the world.

We are sinners and so we need baptism. For us, baptism does indeed forgive our sin. And it keeps forgiving our sin for all our lives, because baptism is not just a one-time event. Oh, we can put it on the calendar. Do you know the date of your baptism? I was baptized on November 6, 1949. But as I said, baptism is not just a one-time event. Baptism changes our identity. It changes who we are and what we are. It is like a chemical reaction. The test tube is the baptismal fount. It is a spiritual reaction. H2O + the Word of God + our Faith. And a new person is reborn, a changed person. A person who has become gright with God,h or as Jesus said, it is gto fulfill all righteousness.h We now have the right connection with God. It is water plus the word of Godfs promise. That promise is, gwhoever believes and is baptized will be saved.h And whenever in faith we remember that promise, our sins are forgiven again and the promise of God is made more sure. We are saved. We are not saved because of what we do, but because God has given his promise in Baptism which is stronger than our faith, and more powerful than all the water in all the oceans of the world. Baptism is not just a one-time event, it is the new existence we have in Jesus Christ.

Oftentimes Baptisms is looked at as an entrance rite, an initiation. It is the ceremony that marks our officially becoming a Christian. It is a public witness to our faith. If you were baptized as a baby, then it is a public witness to the faith of your parents. When you get older you make a public witness of this faith by yourself, you confirm your faith. This witness is renewed every time we come to church, whenever we confess our sins and receive absolution, whenever we come to the altar, whenever we give an offering to church, whenever we share the Gospel in word and deed.

At the time of our baptism we are asked to confess our faith and to renounce the devil and to promise to live as a Christian. Baptism is like a contract, a covenant, and agreement or promise. We make a promise, and so does God. We promise to be Godfs people, and God promises to be our god. As god, he promises to take care of us, to save us, and to give us eternal life. As his people, we promise to live in a way that God will not be ashamed of us. Baptism is not just a one-time event, but rather the beginning of a promise, the beginning of a life together with the Triune God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Baptism is for the forgiveness of sin, but even though we have been baptized, we humans continue to sin. Why do we sin? It is kind of a mystery, even for St. Paul. Why do we sin if we are the people of God? St. Paul asked, gHow can we who died to sin still live in it? Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.h St. Paul says that Baptism is the power to live a new life. It is because in Baptism we have been joined with Christ in a wonderful way. We live with Christ in such a close way that his death and resurrection are ours, too. It is like we too were crucified on the cross, like we too arose on the third day. St. Paul said, gFor if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.h St. Paul tells us that this is the power of our new life. We have died to sin, and so are alive to God in Christ Jesus. This is ethical power for our lives. St. Paul says, gFor one who has died has been set free from sin. Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him.h We are no longer slaves to sin, but free in Christ. Christ is our new way of life.

Oftentimes Baptism is looked at as an entrance rite, an initiation. It is an easy initiation. Some religions or cults or societies have very strange or cruel initiation rites. Sometimes it is a tattoo. The Mafia cuts off a finger. Some cults demand a person to give all their money and possessions to the cult. Christianity is easy. Just splash some water. Total immersion might be more difficult, but it is painless. Baptism leaves no permanent mark on a personfs body. Rather than water baptism, maybe it would be easier to be a Christian if we had a tattoo of a cross on our forehead. Some places in the world it would be more dangerous! But baptism is invisible. Christianity is a religion of the heart. Yet, when we remember our baptism, when we in faith call upon Jesus, it is like getting splashed again. Our souls become wet again. Baptism is not a one-time event, but a continuous condition. Grammatically speaking, not gI was baptized,h but rather, gI have been baptizedh or gI am baptized.h I died with Christ. I drowned in baptism. My sin was washed away. And now I am alive in Christ.

Amen.

Michael Nearhood, Pastor
Okinawa Lutheran Church