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“JESUS ALSO WAS BAPTIZED”

Luke 3:15-22

Whenever we hear of Jesus’ baptism in the Jordan River, the question inevitably crosses our minds, “Why did Jesus have to be baptized?” We ask that question in the knowledge that baptism is something that we certainly need because, through it, our sins are washed away. In Baptism we are born again. We are forgiven and adopted into God’s family.

But why would Jesus need to be baptized? He had no sin. His life didn’t need to be renewed like ours does. And He certainly didn’t need to be make a part of God’s family because He was, is, and ever will be, the Son of God from all eternity.

But then we recall the reason why the Lord came into this world. He came to save us. In order to do that, He would have to bear our sins upon the cross. And, that is what His baptism in the Jordan River was all about. Jesus was proclaiming His willingness to do the will of His Father and to take on that role of being the sin-bearer, by submitting Himself to a sinner’s baptism.

Now, consider for a moment, what that actually meant for Jesus to do that. It was one thing that He would take that step that we just celebrated at Christmastime—that the Son of God would humble Himself to become one of His own creation. But, it is quite another thing that the holy Son of God then would agree to take the guilt of the world’s sin upon Himself. That is something which is beyond our comprehension.

But that is precisely what He did for us. As it says in Second Corinthians, “God made Him, Who knew no sin, to be sin for us, in order that, in Him, we might become the righteousness of God,” (2 Cor. 5:21). And, so, we also read in the book of Hebrews, “Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery,” (Heb. 2:14,15).

The Son of God shared in our humanity. In doing so, He took ownership of our sin and was punished by God in our stead. And now, we share in the benefits of His atoning death for us through our own baptism. As today’s Epistle reading states: “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. 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.”

If there is a key word that expresses what Jesus’ baptism and our own baptism into Him means, it would be the word, ‘united.’ Christ became one with us and we are one with Him. It is an inseparable bond which the Lord created when He adopted us into His holy family through the washing of water with the Word; one which holds tremendous blessings in store for those who live by that Holy Word.

You heard of one of those blessings in that passage which was just read from the Epistle for today—a passage which, by the way, was read on two other occasions in this sanctuary, earlier this week, to those who were mourning the losses of loved ones. This text is included in our funeral liturgy to give hope to those who are confronted with the harsh reality of death. It is the assurance that—because we are united with Christ through Holy Baptism, the grave cannot hold us because it could not hold Jesus. One day, all those who have died in the faith, will burst the bonds of death and be raised to life everlasting because they are joined together with Christ.

If we simply had that one promise alone, it would be enough to cause us to live our lives in hope and peace, with both joy and purpose. “For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.” Don’t think of your life as your own to decide what should be done with it. Rather, think of being so united to Christ that your words, your conduct, and your behavior, are the Lord’s own words, conduct, and behavior. It is not a pretend role that you have to play; on the contrary—it is reality; for, Christ really does live within you.

We know how the Bible speaks of husband and wife being one flesh in marriage—well, the apostle Paul says that that relationship is simply a picture of the unity which Christ shares with the Church; meaning, with all believers. St. Paul writes: “husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, because we are members of his body. “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church,” (Eph. 5:28-32).

The consideration, the love, the concern that an individual should have for their spouse certainly, should be no less than the consideration, the love, and the concern that you have for the Lord, Who is ever with you, Who also is one flesh with you—and even more so. What a difference it would make in our spiritual walk if we would simply remember that the Lord isn’t simply watching over us, but that we are, at every moment, one flesh with Him.

And should we at times forget that reality—as we too often do—then consider the gift that we have in the forgiveness of our sins through the Lord’s Supper; where, once again, we are reminded: “The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ? Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread,” (1 Cor. 10:16,17). Here, the unity extends, not just between each one of us and Christ; but—because are all one in Him—it is a unity that encompasses all of us together.

So that, even in the words that we speak to God in prayer, we are taught by our Lord to say, “Our Father…” Yes, the Heavenly Father is the Father of us all—that is something that we all have that in common. But understand that when we pray the “Our Father,” Christ Jesus prays with us. He is Jesus’ Father as well. Therefore, our words are His words; His words are our words. And what a comforting thought that is to know that we have such an Advocate speaking with us and for us, Who is none other than the eternal Son with Whom the Father is well pleased!

As Christ came into this world to join us to Himself in all respects—even to the point of taking our sin upon Himself—let us, in turn, recognize all that we have gained from Him in Holy Baptism! In the words of the prayer that Jesus spoke to His Father, on the eve of His crucifixion: “The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me,” (John 17:22,23).



Isaiah 43:1–7 1But now thus says the LORD, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. 2When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. 3For I am the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. I give Egypt as your ransom, Cush and Seba in exchange for you. 4Because you are precious in my eyes, and honored, and I love you, I give men in return for you, peoples in exchange for your life. 5Fear not, for I am with you; I will bring your offspring from the east, and from the west I will gather you. 6I will say to the north, Give up, and to the south, Do not withhold; bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the end of the earth, 7everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.”

Romans 6:1–11 1What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? 2By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? 3Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4We 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. 5For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. 6We 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. 7For one who has died has been set free from sin. 8Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. 9We know that Christ being raised from the dead will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. 10For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. 11So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.

Luke 3:15–22 15As the people were in expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Christ, 16John 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. 17His 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.” 18So with many other exhortations he preached good news to the people. 19But 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, 20added this to them all, that he locked up John in prison. 21Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heavens were opened, 22and 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.”