January 9 2022
Baptism of Jesus January 9th 2022
Old Testament: Isaiah 43:1-7 “Fear not! I have redeemed you”
Psalm: Psalm 29 “The voice of the Lord is powerful”
Epistle: Romans 6:1-11 “Dead to sin, alive to God”
Gospel: Luke 3:15-22 “My beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased”
Sermon Text: Isaiah 43:1-7
Sermon Title: “Fear Not”
Grace to you and peace to you, from God the Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.
Today is the churches annual celebration of the baptism of Jesus. Luke gives the shortest of the four Gospel accounts of this event; simply saying, “when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus had also been baptized, and was praying, the heavens were opened, and the Holy Spirit descended on Him in bodily form, like a dove, and a voice came from heaven, You are My beloved Son, with You I am well pleased”. (Luke 3:21-22)
The approval of God the Father echoes two Old Testament prophesies about the Messiah/Christ. The first is from Isaiah 42:1; which is the traditional Old Testament reading for this day. There the Lord said, “Behold My servant … My chosen, in whom My soul delights; I have put My Spirit upon Him”. (Isaiah 42:1) In the second, the psalmist also declared; “the Lord said to Me; You are My Son”. (Psalm 2:7b) As we heard in the psalm for today, “the voice of the Lord is powerful, the voice of the Lord is full of majesty” (Psalm 29:4) in declaring Jesus, His only begotten Son.
Jesus’ baptism also provides an opportunity for the church to speak about the triune nature of our Lord; Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Jesus is there in the flesh, being baptized; the Father speaks of His beloved Son in a thunderous voice; and the Holy Spirit descends upon Jesus in bodily form; that of a dove. We worship one God in three persons; blessed Trinity.
Of course, Jesus did not need to be baptized for Himself, because He is sinless, but rather as He told John the Baptist; “let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness”. (Matthew 3:15a) In the waters of the Jordan River, “Jesus entered into our stead … becoming a sinner for us; taking upon Himself the sins which He had not committed and wiping them out, drowning them”. So said, Martin Luther regarding Jesus’ baptism.
Although different, Jesus’ baptism also reminds us of our own baptism, where “He saved us, not by deeds done by us in righteousness, but by the washing of regeneration and the renewal of the Holy Spirit”. (Titus 3:5) In the Epistle reading, the Apostle Paul wrote, “we were buried 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”. (Romans 6:4) “So, you/we must also consider ourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus”. (Romans 6:11)
So, because we have been saved/born again by the grace and mercy of God in our baptism, (for baptism is God’s work, not our own) Paul wrote, we are “by no means, to continue in sin” (Romans 6:2, 1b) Instead, we are to do battle with the old nature in us. This is what Luther speaks of in the 4th part of baptism in the Small Catechism, “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”. He added, “the Christian life is nothing else than a daily baptism, once begun and ever continued”; day after day, until our life’s end. (Large Catechism, Baptism, par. 65)
In the Old Testament reading from Isaiah, we see that we can only do this because of what Christ has already done for us, by His atoning death on the cross and His bodily resurrection from the dead. “Now, thus says the Lord; He who created you, O Jacob; He who formed you, O Israel; Fear Not!”. (Isaiah 43:1a) According to Holy Scripture, God is our creator and “the creator of the ends of the earth”. (Isaiah 40:28a) It is by God’s goodness and mercy that we were created. It was also by God’s goodness and mercy that we are made new in Christ; for the Lord said, “I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; You are mine”. (Isaiah 43:1b)
What does it mean that the Lord redeems you? It means that the Lord Jesus has purchased your eternal salvation and set you free from your enemies; from the power of sin, death, and devil; by His own death and resurrection; “that we would no longer be enslaved to sin”. (Romans 6:6b) Therefore, we who belong to Christ, need not fear, “for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom”. (Luke 12:32)
When did Christ do this; calling you by name saying “You are mine”? (Isaiah 43:1b) He won/purchased your redemption by His atoning death on the cross, but He “called you by name” (Isaiah 43:1b) and delivered your salvation to you, at your baptism when the pastor said, “I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit”. At that moment you became a child of God; God said, (This one) “You are mine”. (Isaiah 43:1b)
“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you and through the rivers, they will not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame will not consume you”. (Isaiah 43:2) Of course, this is not literally a promise that you or any other believer in Christ will never drown or be burned in a fire; (one of Emma’s best friends died in a house fire when we were at the seminary);
Rather He is saying that if you belong to Him, nothing in this world, not suffering, not even death; will permanently harm you; “for if we have been united with Him in a death like His, we shall certainly be united with Him in a resurrection like His”. (Romans 6:5) “Nothing in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord”. (Romans 8:39b)
“For I am the Lord, your God; the Holy One of Israel, and your Savior”. (Isaiah 43:3a) We just finished the season of Christmas, where we heard of the good news “for to you is born this day in the city of David, a Savior who is Christ the Lord”. (Luke 2:11) “And you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins”. (Matthew 1:21b) “And He will be great and will be called the Son of the most-High … and of His kingdom there will be no end”. (Luke 1:32-33)
Therefore, there is no need to fear, beloved! For the Lord Jesus Christ will keep His promises to (you) His people. He has provided for everything you need for life and salvation. In your baptism, you have received what you could in no way earn; “for baptism effects forgiveness of sins, delivers from death and devil and grants eternal salvation to all who believe”. (Baptism 2)
“When the fulness of time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, that we might receive adoption as sons”. (Galatians 4:4-5) “Because you are precious in My sight and honored, and I love you … Fear not, I am with you … every one who is called by My name, whom I created for My glory, whom I formed and made”. (Isaiah 43:4a, 5a, 7) Fear not because Jesus promised before His ascension into heaven, “I am with you always, even to the close of the age” (Matthew 28:20) when He will return visibly to judge the living and the dead.
Of course, the words, “fear not” are easier to say, than to do; with any number of sicknesses and trials and sufferings and persecutions that are going on in the world. Our own family is facing an uncertain future, therefore, we, like you need to be reminded of the promises from the Word of God which never lies;
So, hear again the good news from the prophet Isaiah; “Thus says the Lord! He who created you … He who formed you, (says) Fear Not! I have redeemed you! I have called you by name! (in your baptism) You are mine! When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they will not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire, you will not be burned and the flame will not consume you. For I Am the Lord, your God; the Holy One of Israel; (and your) Savior … You are precious in My eyes … and I love you … Fear not! I am with you”. (Isaiah 43:1-3a, 4a-5a) Amen
The peace of God …