Grace and Peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ and may our Lord and Savior sanctify you in the truth, for His word is truth. Amen

The Baptism of Our Lord (2010)

Baptism; a Washing of Regeneration Rev. Toby Byrd

Luke 3:15-22 (ESV)

As the people were in expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Christ, [16] John answered them all, saying, "I baptize you with water, but he who is mightier than I is coming, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. [17] His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire."

[18] So with many other exhortations he preached good news to the people. [19] But Herod the tetrarch, who had been reproved by him for Herodias, his brother's wife, and for all the evil things that Herod had done, [20] added this to them all, that he locked up John in prison.

[21] Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heavens were opened, [22] 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."

Often when the Gospel for today becomes the topic for preaching, people want to ask, “Why did Jesus need to be baptized? He wasn’t guilty of sin and since He was the Son of God, He certainly wasn’t born with original sin. Then, why did He need to be baptized?” To answer this question we must rely solely on God’s Word of Holy Scripture. For there the Holy Spirit opens our eyes to see the wisdom of God in the baptism of His Son. Then, knowing why our Lord was baptized, it becomes even clearer why we are baptized. Thus, let us rely on the power of the Holy Spirit as He leads us this morning in understanding, Baptism; a Washing of Regeneration.

St. Luke begins relating the baptism of our Lord by speaking of the one who baptizes our Lord; John the Baptist. John, as we all know, was the last and greatest prophet; because he came to prepare the way for Jesus. Since he was such a great prophet who had had been called by God into his specific ministry of preparing the way for Jesus, God gave him the ability to discern the thoughts of men. We read, “As the people were in expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Christ, John answered them all, saying, "I baptize you with water, but he who is mightier than I is coming, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie” (vv. 15-16). No one had specifically asked John if he was the Messiah, but many thought he might be. However, John quickly crushes all speculation comparing him to the Messiah. He knew who he was and he paled in comparison to the Messiah who was coming. Moreover, this is the point.

John preached of the “Coming One”; the one who was born of a Virgin and was the Son of God; the One whose ministry would heal the sick of body and spirit; the One who would earn forgiveness and eternal life for all mankind through His life, death, and resurrection; and the One who would come again on the Last Day to judge the world and offer eternal life to all who believe and are baptized (Mark 16:16). This is the One of whom John preached and pointed to as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29). Therefore, John and those who heard him had no allusions as to who John was and who was coming to fulfill his preaching.

Today many put great store in their pastors or televangelist; however none of these are as great as John the Baptist. Our Lord Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has arisen no one greater than John the Baptist. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he” (Matthew 11:11 (ESV). Given the words of our Lord, then the words of John the Baptist rang even clearer as to his worthiness compared to Christ when he states he is not even worthy to untie the straps of Jesus’ sandals. He is unworthy because he knows that our Lord Jesus is God’s own Son; He is God incarnate. Thus, before we start to place a pastor or television personality upon the proverbial pillar of sainthood, we need to recall the words of John the Baptist and the words of our Lord, Jesus; knowing there is no man greater than John the Baptist and no one greater than our Lord Jesus.

However, it does seem strange that our Lord Jesus would come to John submitting to baptism. Why, is the question? To know the answer to this perplexing question, let’s listen to our Lord Jesus.

Jesus came into the wilderness to be baptized by John. When asked by Jesus to baptize Him, St. Matthew tells us, “John would have prevented him, saying, "I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?" But Jesus answered him, "Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness." Then he consented. (Matthew 3:14-15 ESV).

The time has come for our Lord to transition from His life as the Son of Mary to His life as the Son of God. It is time for Him to assume His office as priest and sacrifice where He will atone for the sins of all mankind. Thus, sufficient reason exists for His immediate baptism. Our Lord has been commissioned by His heavenly Father to be the perfect propitiation for all our sins; as such, He had to become sin for us (2 Cor. 5:21). Since He had no sin, He is not like us; sinners who have a need for baptism to eradicate our sin. No, the purpose for our Lord’s baptism was entirely different from ours. Our Lord asked John to baptize Him because it would fulfill all righteousness. Our Lord, the Sinless One, the very Son of God, chooses to put Himself alongside all the sinful ones for whom John’s baptism was ordained. Thus, through His baptism, He connects Himself to all those who were baptized before and all those who have been baptized since. Thus, He is now ready to accept upon Himself the sins of all mankind, that is, His baptism is His ordination into His redemptive office and places Him on the path to the Cross.

This is pure Gospel. There is no law here, no commandment, nor an act of obedience to earn righteousness. Moreover, here, through our Lord Jesus’ baptism, all who are baptized are connected to Him. St. Paul makes this clear in his letter to the church at Rome.

St. Paul reminds us that we are believers who have been baptized and have died to sin. He wrote, “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” (Romans 6:3-4 ESV). Now I ask does this sound like a work of ours. Sadly, so many teach that baptism is nothing more than a symbolic gesture of ones faith. That it is nothing more than an act of man which signifies to others they are Christians. However, I find it strange to believe that a human work could carry with it the effect of being buried with Jesus? How would that happen?

Moreover, St. Paul tells us that, “We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin” (Romans 6:6 ESV). The waters of baptism are equated with crucifixion; that ancient form of Roman torture and death. However, it is not a real death but a spiritual death that we undergo through the holy waters of baptism; a death from which we are resurrected, just as we shall be resurrected on the Last Day. Since when does man have the ability to perform such a miraculous work? Truly, this is accomplished only through the divine work of God. In fact, that is exactly what baptism is; God’s divine work which cleanses you from all sin, including original sin, rescues you from death and the devil, provides the gift of the Holy Spirit, works faith, makes all who are baptized children of His and gives eternal salvation to all who believe. It is God’s Word at work in the world fulfilling its promise regardless of who or the age of the person.

Martin Luther taught in the Small Catechism, “Baptism is not just plain water, but it is the water included in God’s command and combined with God’s word.” Thus, baptism is a sacrament, a holy work commanded by God. Water is the physical means through which this sacrament is applied but it is the Word of God in and with the water that affects God’s Will. Thus plain water combined with God’s Word becomes life-giving water, rich in grace, it becomes as St. Paul says in Titus; “a washing of regeneration and a renewal of the Holy Spirit” (Titus 3:5).

This magnificent truth is in fact one of my favorite passages in Holy Scripture. It so clearly details God’s merciful and gracious act of saving a sinner. Moreover, it applies to every one of us. St. Paul wrote, “For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another. But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life” (Titus 3:3-7 ESV).

For me no other passage of Holy Scripture says so clearly, we have nothing to do with our salvation. Our salvation is solely the gracious and loving gift of a merciful God who for the sake of His Son had mercy on us poor, wretched, miserable sinners. He sends His Son into this vale of tears to rescue us from Satan’s grip. However, the only way that can be accomplished is for His Son to take our sin upon Himself and die in our place, justifying us to our heavenly Father, opening the door to eternal life in heaven. Thus, our Lord is baptized but the effects of baptism on Him are just the opposite as on us. In His baptism He positions Himself to become our sin, to take upon Himself our sins, carrying the total burden with Him to the cross. There, weighed down with our sins, He is tortured and crucified, shunned by His heavenly Father, and dies because of our sins which He took upon Himself. The guiltless paid the penalty of the guilty.

Today, our Lord leads us to the baptismal font so we can become recipients of the blessings of His death; salvation from sin and rescue from eternal damnation. The Old Adam in us, original sin, is drowned in the waters of baptism and we are raised as new, cleansed, spiritually refreshed children of God. However, our baptism doesn’t end at the font. Rather, each day we are to live the baptized life. Rising from bed, as soon as your feet hit the floor, thank God you are a baptized child. As you go about your daily routine be contrite and humble, seeking God’s forgiveness for your daily sins. For, as St. Paul asked, “Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound?” To which he answered, “By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it?” (Romans 6:1-2 ESV). Thus, everyday the new man, created through the washing of regeneration, should emerge to rise and live before God in righteousness and purity forever. Without our Lord’s baptism ours would be fruitless.

St. Mark tells us that he “Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved” (Mark 16:16). Moreover, our Lord instructed His apostles, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19 ESV), thus baptism is not an arbitrary act by a believer, but it is of divine origin and commanded by God. He who refuses baptism places their very soul in danger because such as refuse baptism places themselves over God. They become idolaters; worshippers of self; failing to understand the gracious gift God is giving them through the cleansing, holy waters of baptism.

Our Lord came to John in the wilderness and requested a baptism to fulfill all righteousness. He knew its importance and that this was His heavenly Father’s Will. Standing in the waters of the Jordan as John poured water over His head, “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” (v. 22). When you came to the font to receive the blessing of baptism these things happened to you as well. Oh you may not have heard angelic voices or the voice of God, but we are assured that He is pleased, that your sins are forgiven, and that the Holy Spirit has taken up residence in your hearts. This is God’s will, accomplished by His Word. This is Baptism, a true and blessed washing of regeneration by the Holy Spirit. Amen.

May the Peace of God, which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.