Loving God, you remind us today of our own baptism as we hear about the baptism of Jesus.  Make us aware of the presence and power of your Holy Spirit, filling us with your love and empowering us for ministry; through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

          Last week, you might recall, Jesus was still an infant.  This week, he is approximately 30 years old and shows up where John has been baptizing people in the wilderness of Judea.  While this might seem kind of sudden to us, this is exactly the order of events in the gospel of Matthew.  Chapter 2 ends with Mary and Joseph and the child Jesus returning from Egypt, and making their home in Nazareth.  Chapter 3 (which we heard today) begins with John the Baptist.

         Before Jesus shows up at the river Jordan, many others have come to John for baptism.  Some of these people are Pharisees and Sadducees, which prompts John to launch into a rant.  “You brood of vipers!  Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?” (Mt. 3:7).  Doesn’t it make you wonder what prompted all of this from John?

         Prior to this in the gospel of Matthew, the Pharisees and Sadducees haven’t even been mentioned. We haven’t been told anything about them until now, and they are being described as unrepentant and poisonous and counting on their ancestor Abraham to save them.  This is one of those cases where you need to keep reading in the gospel of Matthew in order to get the full picture.

         As it turns out, the Pharisees and Sadducees are the religious leaders and the members of the Sanhedrin.  While normally they would oppose one another, when Jesus comes along, they all end up opposing Jesus.  And so, when ordinary people come to John for baptism, he welcomes them.  However, when the religious leaders show up, they are greeted with a rant.  And then, of course, Jesus shows up.

         The change in John the Baptist is actually quite striking.  Just moments ago he was bold and confident and speaking truth to power. He was full of fire and brimstone and judgment and was expecting a Messiah who is full of the same. However, as soon as Jesus comes to him for baptism, John immediately feels unworthy and insecure.  “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” (Mt. 3:14).

         John knows that there is something backwards about this.  John suddenly knows his own sinfulness, and probably at least has a sense that Jesus doesn’t really need to repent of anything.  Yet, Jesus insists.  He insists that he needs to be baptized by John in order to fulfill God’s will.  So why, do you think, would God’s will have included Jesus being baptized by John?...

         For Jesus’ part, he is humbling himself when he comes to be baptized.  He is sharing in the lot of sinners and is identifying with the ones to whom he will minister.  However, there is even more that is going on here.  It seems that at the time of Jesus’ baptism there was something that needed to be revealed.  The Spirit visibly descends on Jesus, which is perhaps a revelation that he needed, and the voice from heaven declares who Jesus is.  Not only is Jesus proclaimed to be Beloved and the Son of God, but he is also declared to be a Messiah, a king and a servant.

         You might wonder, of course, how all of that is revealed in one little sentence.  As it turns out, the voice speaks the Scriptures.  Part of it comes from the Psalm that we read today, a Psalm that was addressed to a messiah and a king (Ps. 2).  The rest of it comes from Isaiah 42:1, a verse that is talking about God’s servant.  And so, Jesus’ identity is revealed at his baptism, as well as the presence and activity of Father, Son and Holy Spirit in baptism.  That part points ahead to the baptism that will be received by those who follow Jesus.

         For us, remembering the baptism of Jesus prompts us to remember a few things about our own baptism. We, too, are baptized by water and the Spirit.  The same Spirit that was given to Jesus is given to us at our baptism, and the same triune God that was present at the baptism of Jesus is active in our baptism.

         At the same time, while there was probably not a voice from heaven at our baptism, nevertheless God speaks to us through our baptism.  God says to each one of us, “You are my beloved child.  You are mine because of Jesus.”  God adopts us as beloved children and gives us a commission, just as Jesus was commissioned at his baptism.  Jesus would be the Messiah, the King, but would also live as God’s Servant. In fact, his public ministry doesn’t start until after his baptism.

         For us, too, we are set apart for ministry when we are baptized.  It doesn’t matter how old you were.  It doesn’t matter how much water was used.  It doesn’t even matter if you know the date for sure.  When you were baptized God united you with Jesus so that you share, not only in Jesus’ death and resurrection, but also in his servant life. In our baptism, God calls us into ministry, gives us the Holy Spirit, and empowers us to continue the ministry of Jesus in this world.

         This means finding and including those who are lost and lonely.  This means setting free those who have been bound by oppression or addictions or fear.  This means treating people with compassion and respect, and ministering to those who are hungry or thirsty or homeless.  This means showing people what God is like by how we act and what we say.

         This is no small thing, of course, which is why we are part of the body of Christ.  We can do more together than we could ever do on our own, and the only reason that we can do any of this is the power of the Holy Spirit, at work within us and through us for the sake of the world.  Thanks be to God for this indescribable gift!  Amen.

Epiphany 1 (NL 1)                            Matthew 3:1-17

January 13, 2019                             Psalm 2:7-8

St. Luke’s Zion Lutheran Church

Pastor Lynne Hutchison

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