Scripture reading: Psalm 29.
Sermon text: Matthew 3:13-17.
I love J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings. Not only do I have the books; I also have the movies (the extended editions). When you read the books or watch the movies, you first meet a scruffy character named Strider in an inn located in the town of Bree. The hobbits don’t know if they can trust the guy or not; he seems somewhat dodgy, but he’s their only hope to make it to safety. Over the course of the work, we learn that the scruffy Strider actually is the lost king of Men, Aragorn. At the end, Aragorn assumes his throne and brings peace to the lands of his world.
Today, the Church enters the season of Epiphany, the time of the Church year when we celebrate the revelation of Jesus as the Son of God. The Gospel writers record Jesus’ baptism, the miracle of the wedding at Cana, and the visit of the Wise Men (from last week) as key events that revealed Jesus’ true identity. Today’s passage from the Gospel of St. Matthew tells us of the baptism of Jesus. At this event a small-town carpenter from Nazareth is revealed to be the Son of God Himself.
St. Matthew opened his account of Jesus’ baptism with a description of John the Baptist’s ministry. If you’ll recall from St. Luke’s Gospel, John’s mother, Elizabeth, was a cousin of the Virgin Mary, Jesus’ mother. We don’t know anything about John’s life before he began his ministry in the valley of the Jordan River. Like an Old Testament prophet, John appeared from the wilderness preaching to the people of Judea. John’s appearance reminded the people of Elijah: “John wore a garment of camel’s hair and a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey” (Matthew 3:4). John’s message called the people to return to God: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
All 3 Synoptic Gospel writers record the Jews didn’t exactly know what to think about John. Many came to hear him; many of them felt led to renew their commitment to God and undergo baptism. However, the Jewish leadership in Jerusalem found John’s message offensive. (John’s description of them as a “brood of vipers” certainly didn’t help their opinion of him.) The political leadership didn’t like John, either. Herod Antipas, Herod the Great’s son and successor, would eventually execute John because of his condemnation of Antipas’ adultery with his sister-in-law.
John seemed to have established a successful ministry. Even Roman soldiers came to him, drawn to his teachings, to his love of God, and his commitment to holiness. One day, a Man walked from the crowd and asked John to baptize Him. John recognized Him: Jesus of Nazareth had come to visit John; Jesus requested baptism.
John immediately objected. If you read St. Luke’s account of Mary’s visit with Elizabeth, you’ll find that John recognized Jesus’ presence even before their births. Now, John recognized Jesus as his Lord. St. John recorded that when Jesus stepped from the crowd, John told his disciples, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29). Instead of baptizing Jesus, John told Him, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” With this question, John distinguished Jesus from the rest of the crowd. Everyone there heard John acknowledge Jesus’ supremacy over him. No one would mistake Jesus as another person requesting baptism as a sign of repentance, for Jesus had no reason to repent.
Jesus had a reason for requesting John’s baptism. “Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” John didn’t know Jesus’ plans; John couldn’t have known that Jesus would fulfill the Jewish covenant, the only Jew ever to achieve this feat. Jesus didn’t need baptism as a sign of repentance; He requested John’s baptism as a sign He would provide the ultimate sacrifice for the covenant.
After John consented and baptized Jesus, the real revelation occurred. “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; and behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.” Everyone present saw the dove; everyone present heard the voice. For the first time in history, the Trinity of God revealed Himself to the world. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit all appeared, revealing the Son of God as God’s chosen, the One who would bring salvation to the world.
This passage gives us a great time to reflect on our own baptism. With the benefit of the hindsight given to us by the New Testament, we can see several reasons why Jesus’ baptism continues to proclaim Him as the Son of God. We can also understand why Christians undergo baptism today to proclaim Jesus as our Lord.
From the day of Pentecost, new believers have undergone the rite of Christian baptism as a sign of a new commitment, of a new life in Christ. Three thousand new believers were baptized on that day. St. Paul later wrote to the Romans, “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). Baptism signifies the death of one life and the beginning of another.
This new life comes at a cost. Death costs us everything. When we are born again, we receive the Holy Spirit into our lives to guide us as Jesus would lead, not as we would choose for ourselves. We must live differently from a society driven by pride and greed. Christians must live by Jesus’ commandments to love God and love our neighbors as ourselves (Mark 12:30-31; Luke 10:27). Pride destroys; love builds others. As we place others above ourselves, we follow Our Lord’s example of sacrifice demonstrated by His crucifixion.
Christian baptism also unites us formally to the Church, the Body of Christ on earth. St. Paul wrote of this unity in many of his letters. At our spiritual birth, the Holy Spirit indwells us and joins us to the family of God consisting of all born again believers in Jesus Christ. St. Paul told the Corinthians, “For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit” (1 Corinthians 12:13). When the Spirit guides and directs us, we live in ways that will reveal Jesus’ presence in our lives.
This body — the Church — may resemble an organization, but “family” better describes our bond to one another. This family crosses ethnic, national, and denominational barriers. Writing to the Romans, St. Paul said, “For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him” (Romans 8:14-17). Countless believers have faced ostracism and expulsion when they believe in Jesus and join His family. Regardless of what you face outside, within the Church, you find family.
Centuries ago, a believer composed a hymn call the “Te Deum Laudamus,” or “Praise to God.” This hymn expresses our joy that Jesus, the Son of God, sacrificed His life for our sins and conquered death for us in His glorious resurrection:
You are God: we praise you;
You are the Lord; we acclaim you;
You are the eternal Father:
All creation worships you.
To you all angels, all the powers of heaven,
Cherubim and Seraphim, sing in endless praise:
"Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might,
heaven and earth are full of your glory."
The glorious company of apostles praise you.
The noble fellowship of prophets praise you.
The white-robed army of martyrs praise you.
Throughout the world the holy Church acclaims you;
Father, of majesty unbounded,
your true and only Son, worthy of all worship,
and the Holy Spirit, advocate and guide.
You, Christ, are the king of glory,
the eternal Son of the Father.
When you became man to set us free
you did not shun the Virgin's womb.
You overcame the sting of death
and opened the kingdom of heaven to all believers.
You are seated at God's right hand in glory.
We believe that you will come and be our judge.
Come then, Lord, and help your people,
bought with the price of your own blood,
and bring us with your saints to glory everlasting.
In all that you do in this new year, live in praise of God; let your actions and words cause others to praise God.
