The Divine Service for The Baptism of Our Lord will be celebrated on Sunday, January 7th at 10:00 am.
But Jesus answered and said to [John], "Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness." Then he allowed Him. (Matthew 3:15)
O God, our heavenly Father, whose voice was heard at the baptism of Your only-begotten Son, declaring Him to be the One with whom You are well-pleased, pour down Your Holy Spirit upon Your faithful people that we may rejoice in this same sonship that we have received from You through our baptism into Christ; who lives and reigns with You and the same Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen. (Collect for the Baptism of Our Lord)
John was in the Jordan River baptizing sinners. Why would Jesus come to be baptized? He's not a sinner! He is "like us in every way, yet without sin." What's He doing? He's going where the sinners are. They are baptized by John, confessing their sins. John baptized for repentance unto the forgiveness of sins. Those who were baptized went up with their sins forgiven.
So why is Jesus there? To fulfill all righteousness. What does that mean? To TAKE ON our sins. He has no sins to get rid of. So He takes the sins of sinners. He doesn't hold Himself aloof from the sinners as if He can stand by and watch them get baptized while He stands there being all perfect and holy. No, Jesus goes where they are to show that He came for sinners and to take their sins on and take those sins to Calvary to get rid of them once and for all.
The Baptism of Jesus is a mirror image of your Baptism. In Baptism, your sins are washed away. In Jesus' Baptism, He takes your sins and makes them His own. In your Baptism, the Holy Spirit descends upon you to mark you as one saved by what Jesus has done in His death and resurrection. At Jesus' Baptism, the Spirit descends to show that He is the Lamb of God who does the taking away of the sins. In your Baptism, the Father declares you are His beloved son and a part of His family. At His Baptism, the Father declares that Jesus is His beloved Son because He will obey the Father and go and die for sinners.
Jesus goes where the sinners are. That's good news for you. It means He is serious about saving sinners. That's why He is the Beloved Son of God. And it is His doing so that fulfills all righteousness so that in your Baptism, you receive all of His righteousness and holiness and a good standing before the Lord.
We celebrate the Baptism of Our Lord on Sunday, January 10th with the Divine Service of Word and Sacrament.
But Jesus answered and said to [John], "Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness." Then he allowed Him. (Matthew 3:15)
O God, our heavenly Father, whose voice was heard at the baptism of Your only-begotten Son, declaring Him to be the One with whom You are well-pleased, pour down Your Holy Spirit upon Your faithful people that we may rejoice in this same sonship that we have received from You through our baptism into Christ; who lives and reigns with You and the same Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen. (Collect for the Baptism of Our Lord)
John was in the Jordan River baptizing sinners. Why would Jesus come to be baptized? He's not a sinner! He is "like us in every way, yet without sin." What's He doing? He's going where the sinners are. They are baptized by John, confessing their sins. John baptized for repentance unto the forgiveness of sins. Those who were baptized went up with their sins forgiven.
So why is Jesus there? To fulfill all righteousness. What does that mean? To TAKE ON our sins. He has no sins to get rid of. So He takes the sins of sinners. He doesn't hold Himself aloof from the sinners as if He can stand by and watch them get baptized while He stands there being all perfect and holy. No, Jesus goes where they are to show that He came for sinners and to take their sins on and take those sins to Calvary to get rid of them once and for all.
The Baptism of Jesus is a mirror image of your Baptism. In Baptism, your sins are washed away. In Jesus' Baptism, He takes your sins and makes them His own. In your Baptism, the Holy Spirit descends upon you to mark you as one saved by what Jesus has done in His death and resurrection. At Jesus' Baptism, the Spirit descends to show that He is the Lamb of God who does the taking away of the sins. In your Baptism, the Father declares you are His beloved son and a part of His family. At His Baptism, the Father declares that Jesus is His beloved Son because He will obey the Father and go and die for sinners.
Jesus goes where the sinners are. That's good news for you. It means He is serious about saving sinners. That's why He is the Beloved Son of God. And it is His doing so that fulfills all righteousness so that in your Baptism, you receive all of His righteousness and holiness and a good standing before the Lord.
We celebrate the Baptism of Our Lord on Sunday, January 10th with the Divine Service of Word and Sacrament.