21 When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too.
And as he was praying, heaven was opened 22 and the Holy Spirit descended on
him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: "You are
my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased."
- Luke 3:21,22, The New International Version, (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan
Publishing House) 1984.
In the name of Christ Jesus, dear friends:
If you attend second service at St. John’s next Sunday, things will be a little different than what you are used to. You will probably see an unusually large number of new faces in the narthex before the service. You might have to sit farther back because the front pews on the left side will be reserved. It is entirely possible that you will see a baby wearing a long white gown.
What’s going on next Sunday? A baptism. Even our order of service will be slightly altered. The first hymn will be a baptism hymn. Parents and sponsors will gather around the baptismal font with the pastor at the beginning of the service. The pastor will sprinkle a few drops of water on the baby’s head and then ask the parents questions in front of the entire congregation.
This is also probably the only Sunday when the parents of a newborn won’t be eager to leave as soon as church is over. Instead, they will want to stay and take some pictures. They may even have a party that afternoon to celebrate with family and friends.
What I just described is really not all that strange. These are the kinds of outward things we normally associate with a baptism. We have almost come to expect them. It is only natural for parents to want their loved ones to be present when their child is baptized. It is only natural for parents to celebrate because their son or daughter has been brought into the family of faith.
The text before us tells the story of another baptism. But this was not an ordinary baptism. This baptism was more supernatural than it was natural. In fact, this baptism was different from any other because the person who came to be baptized was the sinless Son of God.
Whenever a baby is baptized, a miracle takes place. God plants the seed of saving faith in a heart where there was none before. We may not be able to understand exactly how that happens, but the power of God is at work. When Jesus was baptized by John in the Jordan River, another miracle took place. But in this case, the power and presence of God were clearly visible.
I want you to use your imagination this morning. Imagine that you are there. You are there with Jesus and John. You are standing on the banks of the Jordan. You are able to tell people that you were an eyewitness when.
The Heavens Were Opened at Jesus’ Baptism
I. They were opened as the Son prayed
II. They were open as the Spirit descended
III. They were open as the Father spoke
As Lutheran Christians, baptism is very important to us. It is more than a symbolic washing with water. The act of baptism does more than remind us that Jesus washed away our sins with his blood. In his Catechism, Luther explains what baptism is: "Baptism is not just plain water, but it is water used by God’s command and connected with God’s Word."
We believe that the water of baptism has power because it is connected with the powerful Word of God. Baptism is a means of grace. Through the water and the Word, the baptized person receives the benefits of God’s undeserved love.
What exactly does baptism do for us? Listen again to Luther’s words: " Baptism works forgiveness of sins, delivers from death and the devil and gives eternal salvation to all who believe this, as the words and promises of God declare."
For most of us, the day of our baptism was a day we can’t even remember. But there is no more important day in the life of a Christian. Jesus said: "Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved" (Mark 16:16). Paul wrote: "He (God) saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit" (Titus 3:5). Peter declared that "baptism.saves you" (I Peter 3:21).
These passages make it clear that baptism has saving power. When you were baptized, the Lord miraculously changed a little heart that belonged to Satan into a place where he dwells. In baptism, God makes us his children. In baptism, God forgives our sins. In baptism, God makes us heirs of eternal life in heaven.
The text for today does not talk about baptism in general. It talks about one specific baptism, the baptism of Jesus. There was a time when I found this story somewhat confusing. I understood why baptism was important for me. I was born sinful. I needed God’s forgiveness. But why did Jesus want to be baptized? What was the significance? He didn’t need forgiveness. He had no need to repent. He was perfect.
I wasn’t the only one who was confused. When Jesus came to the Jordan, he asked John to baptize him. Matthew reports that John the Baptist tried to stop him. He told Jesus: "I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me" (Matthew 3:14)? John was called to be the forerunner of Jesus. John announced that the Savior was coming, but even he didn’t fully understand why Jesus wanted this to happen.
Jesus had the answer. He told John: "Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness" (Matthew 3:15). Jesus knew that he didn’t need baptism for forgiveness. Still, Jesus insisted that John baptize him in order to "fulfill all righteousness."
Jesus was on a mission. He came into this world to save us. And he was born into the world as one of us. He had human flesh and blood. He had human feelings and emotions. By his baptism, Jesus completely identified himself with man’s sin and failure.
At his baptism, Jesus could see the difficult road that lay before him. He knew that it would not be easy, but he also knew that it was God’s will. When Jesus came up out of the water, he talked to his Father in prayer. As he prayed, the heavens were opened and the Holy Spirit descended from above.
What exactly transpired that day on the banks of the Jordan? It was more than just fog lifting or clouds parting. Mark indicates that Jesus saw "heaven being torn open" (Mark 1:10). But that was not all Jesus saw. "The Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove" (Luke 3:22).
The heavens opened up. The Holy Spirit descended upon Jesus in dove-like form. But what did it all mean? For one, this event was a direct fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy. Seven hundred years before the birth of Christ, Isaiah prophesied: " The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to preach good news to the poor" (61:1).
Some seven hundred years later, shortly after his baptism, Jesus quoted those exact words in his hometown of Nazareth. He read the words of Isaiah, rolled up the scroll, and proclaimed to everyone in the synagogue: "Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing" (Luke 4:21)
The Holy Spirit’s descent also identified who Jesus was. John the Baptist gave this testimony about what he had seen: "I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him. I would not have known him, except that the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is he who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’ I have seen and I testify that this is the Son of God" (John 1:32-34).
The Old Testament lesson for today describes how David was chosen to be the king of Israel. The Lord sent Samuel to Jesse to anoint one of his sons as king. Seven sons came before Samuel, but the Lord rejected all of them. Instead, the Lord chose the youngest son, David, who was out in the fields tending the sheep.
Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed David in the presence of his brothers. This act of anointing was important. In the Old Testament, anointing with oil was God’s way of setting a person apart for a sacred purpose. In this case, God was declaring that David was his choice to be the leader of his people.
After Jesus was baptized, God set him apart for a sacred purpose. Jesus was anointed, but not with oil. He was anointed with the Holy Spirit. And there is even a name for Jesus in the New Testament that uses this picture. In many passages, Jesus is called "Christ."
Sometimes Christians are guilty of using the different names of God casually. I am not talking about when we take God’s name in vain. I am referring to those times when we treat the names of God almost like clichés. One example might be when a pastor can’t get through a paragraph in a sermon without making reference to "our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ."
I remember reading about a conversation between a boy and his father in the humor section of a Christian periodical. Apparently, their pastor was in the habit on piling on names for God in his sermons. As they were coming home from church, the boy asked his father if Christ was Jesus’ last name.
One of my high school professors had a remedy for that problem. When he led our morning chapel, he never used the phrase "Jesus Christ" in his devotions. Instead he would say, "Jesus THE Christ." At first, I thought that was kind of odd, but now I can appreciate it.
The name "Christ" means ‘the anointed one." Jesus is "the Christ." He was anointed by God. He was anointed with the Holy Spirit. At his baptism, God set Jesus apart for a very special purpose. In fact, Jesus was the only one who could accomplish this work. The Holy Spirit came upon Jesus in the form of a dove to equip him for his soul-saving mission.
After his baptism, Jesus prayed. The Holy Spirit came down. The third person of the Trinity was not going to be left out. The heavens were open as the Father spoke: "You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased" (Luke 3:22).
Let’s analyze this statement. The Father called Jesus "my Son." Theirs was a Father-Son relationship like no other. The Father is true God. The Son is true God. They are distinct persons, separate and yet inseparably linked. This is the mystery of the Trinity.
What is their relationship like? The Father said: "You are my Son, whom I love." God is love. God so loved the world. God loves every sinner. But the love that exists between God the Father and God the Son is beyond our comprehension. Think about the deepest, most intimate love that two people can share. It is nothing compared to God’s love for his one and only Son.
How does the Father feel about his Son? His final words leave no question: "You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased." Jesus’ baptism was a turning point in his life. His private life was coming to an end. His public ministry was about to begin.
And he was prepared to carry out his Father’s will. He was prepared to meet the Devil head on. He was prepared to face his enemies. He was determined to give up his life on the cross to take away the sins of the world. The Father knew this, and he voiced his approval.
One commentator makes the bold claim that outside of the crucifixion and the resurrection, Jesus’ baptism is the most important event in his ministry. Maybe you agree. Maybe you disagree. But even if it doesn’t rank at the very top of your list, Jesus’ baptism is still important. It was an important event in the life of Jesus. It still has meaning for the life of every Christian.
Jesus’ baptism was like firing of a starter’s pistol. It signaled the beginning of his public ministry, the beginning of three years of preaching and teaching. His baptism was immediately followed by several important events: the announcement of John, the anointing of the Spirit and the approval of the Father. But Jesus’ baptism was just the beginning.
The work that began at the Jordan ended in Jerusalem. If Jesus had not finished what he started, your baptismal certificate would be about as valuable as the paper it is printed on. But Jesus did shed his blood on the cross for you. Jesus was your perfect Savior from beginning to end. Therefore, your baptism has value. Your baptism has power. Your baptism saves.
Finally, Jesus’ baptism demonstrates that he was like us in every way. He who had no sin became sin for us. He was baptized to fulfill all righteousness so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. Thank the Lord for the blessings of baptism. And thank God for Jesus’ baptism. Amen.