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Grace, mercy, and peace to you from God our Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. The text for today’s sermon is the Gospel lesson from Mathew chapter 3, focusing on verses 15-17. ¹⁵But Jesus answered him, “Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he consented. ¹⁶And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him; ¹⁷and behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”

Our lives are filled with life changing events; Graduations, weddings, job changes, the birth of children, the death of a spouse, natural disasters, terrorist attacks, and the list goes on and on. I have, in my life, seen many life changing events such as the day that I got married, my graduation from college, and the birth of my three children. Some events are more life changing than others. One of the events that made a substantial change in my life was our decision to move from the Chicago area to the Milwaukee area. This event led me to the decision to attend the seminary and pursue pastoral ministry. In the text for today, we are told of an event that not only changed Jesus’ life but it also changes our lives. This event is the baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist.

The four Gospels tell us very little of the life of Jesus from the time He was born until the time of His baptism when He was around 30 years old. Matthew tells us of the journey to Egypt and the return to Nazareth by Mary, Joseph, and the young child Jesus. Luke tells us in chapter 2 verses 21-24 that Mary and Joseph followed the laws of Moses concerning the child Jesus. ²¹ And at the end of eight days, when he was circumcised, he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb. ²² And when the time came for their purification according to the Law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord ²³ (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every male who first opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord”) ²⁴ and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the Law of the Lord, “a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.” Luke also tells us of the journey to Jerusalem for the Feast of the Passover when Jesus was twelve and how Jesus stayed behind in the temple sitting among the teachers listening and asking them questions. After His parents find Him they went back to Nazareth and Jesus was obedient to them.

Some mistakenly see the baptism of Jesus as the beginning of His earthly ministry. Luke in his Gospel alludes to the work that Jesus was doing before His baptism. From the time of His birth in Bethlehem, Jesus was actively living a life free from sin. Luke’s Gospel tells us that Jesus was circumcised on the eighth day, He was consecrated to the Lord because He was the firstborn male, and Jesus followed the fourth commandment by being obedient to His parents. Jesus perfectly followed the law for us throughout His life, therefore Jesus was truly the spotless Lamb of God.

Jesus, at His baptism, began the public phase of His ministry. This event would change His life in a profound way. This one event takes a man who most people see as an ordinary person and proclaims Him to be the Son of God. Jesus wasn’t an ordinary man, He was the Son of God, He was the spotless lamb that would be sacrificed for the forgiveness sins. So why would He be subjected to baptism? He wasn’t a sinner therefore He didn’t need to repent. So why would He be subjected to baptism? Luther in a sermon on this very text stated the reason in this way: “Jesus must be baptized in order that poor sinners might come to righteousness and be saved. Jesus, for the sake of sinners became a sinner, in order that they might become righteous through Him.” This event of Jesus taking the place of sinners foreshadows a future event, but Jesus public ministry would last for three years before this future event would unfold.

Isaiah in verse 3 of the Old Testament lesson describes the three years of Jesus public ministry; “³a bruised reed he will not break, and a faintly burning wick he will not quench;” Jesus, the Son of God, came to an earth that was full of sin and evil. Jesus, being God incarnate, could have and had every right to come to earth with vengeance and wrath but Jesus came with love and compassion. Matthew 9:36 describes this love; ³⁶ When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Whenever I hear this verse, I visualize sheep who are aimlessly wondering on a hillside. They are unable to find adequate food or water because they don’t have someone to lead them and help them find it. Jesus saw the people in this way and He had compassion on them, He healed them from their illnesses, He made the deaf to hear, the blind to see, the mute to speak, and even raised the dead. Jesus three years of public ministry was filled with acts of mercy and compassion and his final act was the greatest of them all.

Jesus acceptance of the sinners’ baptism foreshadowed His suffering and death. This suffering and death was what we deserved as sinful creatures but Jesus stood in our place. Jesus was nailed to that cross at Calvary with the burden all of our sins. Jesus died the death that you and I and all sinners deserved, and then three days later He rose from the dead opening the kingdom of heaven to all believers.

As you can see, Jesus’ baptism was an event that completely changed His life on earth. It served as a transition from Jesus living a life of virtual obscurity to a life of public ministry. Jesus’ baptism also changes our lives.

First of all, it gives us assurance of who Jesus was. Listen to verse 17 again; ¹⁷and behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.” This verse doesn’t clarify who the voice was, but if we look elsewhere in scripture the identity behind the voice is revealed. Psalm 2:7; I will tell of the decree: The Lord said to me, “You are my Son; today I have begotten you. Hebrews 1:5; For to which of the angels did God ever say, “You are my Son, today I have begotten you”? Or again, “I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son”? These verses tell us that the voice came from God, therefore, Jesus is the Son of God. Now being labeled as the Son of God doesn’t necessarily make one God. Matthew 5:9; “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. This verse clearly shows that being called the sons of God doesn’t make one God. If we look at verse 16 again we will see a sign that Jesus is God; “and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him;” John the Baptist’s proclamation recorded in John chapter one tells us what this sign means; “He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ ³⁴And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God.” Knowing that Jesus is God incarnate is reassuring because then we know that Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection have surely redeemed all of creation for we know that only God is the true redeemer.

Secondly, Jesus’ baptism gives all of us who have been baptized a connection to Jesus. Let’s look at the Sacrament of Holy Baptism in Luther’s Small Catechism to see this connection, it can be found on page 325 of Lutheran Service Book if you would like to follow along.

What is baptism?

Baptism is not just plain water, but it is water included in God’s command and combined with God’s Word.

What benefits does baptism give?

It works forgiveness of sins, rescues from death and the devil, and gives eternal salvation to all who believe this, as the words and promise of God declare.

How can water do such great things?

Certainly not just water, but the Word of God in and with the water does these things, along with the faith which trusts this Word of God in the water. For without God’s Word the water is plain water and no baptism. But with the Word of God it is a baptism, that is, a life-giving water, rich in grace, and a washing of the new birth in the Holy Spirit.

What does such a baptizing with water indicate?

It indicates that the old Adam in us should by daily contrition and repentance be drowned and die with all sins and evil desires, and that a new man should daily emerge and arise to live before God in righteousness and purity forever.

Where is this written?

St. Paul says in Romans 6:4, “We were buried with Christ through baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we, too, are to walk in a new life.”

In baptism, not only do we receive the forgiveness of sins and eternal life but we also receive a connection to Jesus. Through our baptisms we were buried with Christ into death and just as Christ was raised from the dead, we too can look forward to a resurrection like His. Just as Jesus, when he was baptized, was identified with sinners, when we are baptized we are identified with the righteous Son of God. When the Father looks down from heaven and sees us, He doesn’t see poor miserable sinners but sees His children made righteous through the sacrifice of the spotless Lamb of God.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, the baptism of Jesus not only changed His life by ushering in His public ministry but it also changed ours. We are now identified with the righteous Son of God who has forgiven all of our sins and promises eternal life. May we daily remember our baptism and be reminded of the connection that we have with Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. Amen. Go in peace and serve the Lord. Amen