Why Baptism - A Sermon for January 8 2023
GOSPEL: Matthew 3:13-17
The holy gospel according to Matthew.
Glory to you, O Lord.
13Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan, to be baptized by him. 14John would have prevented him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” 15But Jesus answered him, “Let it be so now; for it is proper for us in this way to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he consented. 16And when Jesus had been baptized, just as he came up from the water, suddenly the heavens were opened to him and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. 17And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased.”
The gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, O Christ.
Why were you baptized?
Were you an infant and had no say in the matter?
Were you old enough to remember it?
Was it even your decision?
Maybe you’re not baptized,
and if not,
I’d love to have a conversation sometime.
There are various reasons why we were baptized:
tradition,
welcome into the church,
forgiveness of sins,
new life,
salvation,
the gift of the Holy Spirit.
So why was Jesus baptized?
Christians have wondered
and debated over it for centuries.
The church understands baptism
to be about the forgiveness of sins,
and Christians believe that
Jesus was the One without sin,
so some argue that there was
no need for Jesus to be baptized.
There are many different reasons out there
for why Jesus was baptized,
and it’s not that some are right
and some are wrong.
For us gathered today,
I suggest there are 3 main reasons
that we need to pay attention to;
for why Jesus was baptized.
First - Jesus’ baptism is about solidarity.
Many were leaving the cities and towns,
and heading out into the wilderness
to listen to John preach,
to be baptized by John,
and Jesus joins the many.
Jesus’s ministry, preaching, teaching, healing,
is given for the whole diverse crowd
that is following.
By being baptized,
Jesus stands in solidarity
with all of the people
who believe they are unworthy
of God’s love,
and need to be made clean.
By being baptized,
Jesus stands in solidarity
with all sinners who
hunger and thirst for the living God.
Whatever the reason the crowds went for baptism,
Jesus stands in solidarity with the crowd.
Jesus being baptized, shows us
that God shows no partiality,
that all people in the diverse crowd
are invited into these baptismal waters.
Why baptism?
You may think that you don’t belong,
you may think you’re too sinful,
or you might even think
you’re not sinful enough for Baptism,
for forgiveness -
Despite all the reasons that we may come up with -
Jesus’ Baptism is for you,
Jesus’ baptism is for all of us -
whether we want it or not.
The second focus for us today:
Jesus is baptized to show us that
we are all beloved children of God.
Matthew tells us that as Jesus comes out of the water -
God’s Spirit descends like a dove,
and the voice comes from the skies -
“This is my Son, the beloved,
with whom I am well pleased”
It must have been a curious scene for those watching,
yet this exactly what happens
when the water meets the Word of God.
When we are baptized into Jesus Christ,
the One who stands in solidarity with all of us,
we too receive this same promise
echoing through the skies:
The words that God speaks
“This is my beloved,
with whom I am well pleased.”
these are God’s words over you:
the day of your baptism,
and every day.
In your baptism, God says:
“I love you. You are mine.”
Don’t lose sight of this promise:
God is pleased with you,
just as you are!
Baptism is not just for the pious,
or the religious elite,
Baptism is not just for the law abiding,
the upright,
good, Christian folk.
Baptism is for all
Because Jesus stands in solidarity with the crowd,
with all of us:
Through baptism,
God’s gifts of love, forgiveness,
and the Holy Spirit really are
for all of us.
Why Baptism?
1. Baptism is Jesus in solidarity with us.
2. Baptism is God’s gift for all,
for God accepts us just as we are.
And the third focus for us today:
Jesus’ baptism is significant because
it marks the beginning of Christ’s ministry.
Part of what led Jesus to baptism
was Jesus’ earnest desire to live faithfully,
to search earnestly for God.
This is the same Jesus, who,
at 12 years old,
sits with the Rabbi’s in the temple
as Mary and Joseph
do their best Home Alone impression
and travel home
without the young Jesus.
Yet as Jesus searches earnestly for God,
What Jesus reveals to us through baptism,
and through Jesus’ life,
is that God searches earnestly for us.
Jesus shows us that we are loved by God,
so much so that God comes to us in Jesus
to be in solidarity with us,
Jesus’ shows us that we are accepted by God
just as we are:
and that in baptism, we are all infused
with the gift of God’s Holy Spirit,
so that we may live in Christ,
and love and serve in Jesus’ name.
Jesus’ ministry began with baptism.
Our Ministry in Jesus’ name begins in baptism.
Jesus’ life was no ordinary life.
Beginning in baptism,
Jesus’ life and ministry takes off
and becomes something greater.
Jesus becomes more than
just a poor baby born in a stable,
more than a man being killed
for going against the government.
Jesus’ baptism set him apart for God’s purposes:
it confirmed that Jesus really is God’s Son,
and that his life
will be something greater.
In baptism, we are all invited into something greater.
In baptism, we are all set apart
to live in Christ Jesus.
Why Baptism?
1. Jesus is in solidarity with us.
2. Jesus welcomes us all, just as we are.
3. Life truly begins at baptism.
Something greater happens with baptism.
Ministry begins with baptism.
Dear siblings in Christ,
You are the baptized.
You are filled with the Holy Spirit.
You are loved,
You are forgiven,
You are set free
to love and serve like Jesus.
Everything Jesus does
is for the diverse crowd that follows.
Baptism is for everyone,
for all of us,
God’s welcome just as we are.
So we, the baptized,
like Jesus
can stand in solidarity with the crowd.
We can stand in solidarity with
the dwindling crowds that gather
in sanctuaries and on Zoom links,
or the crowds that are still waiting in line
with Christmas gift returns
or with the crowds
seeking affordable food or medicines,
or the crowds who gather for sports events
or the crowds who gather in emergency rooms.
The crowd is diverse,
and our God loves diversity.
Jesus was baptized for the crowd, for the many,
to stand in solidarity with them,
to tell them that they are all beloved children,
and to begin ministry for the crowd.
That’s why we are the baptized.
Because we are part of that same crowd,
loved just as we are,
set apart for ministry
for the good of the same crowd.
May we remember our baptism,
giving thanks that Jesus stands with us,
and the diverse crowd.
May we find our meaning and purpose
and that something greater
as God’s beloved children.
May we live our baptism,
following Jesus for the good of the diverse crowd.
Thanks be to God. Amen.
