Goal: That the hearers are reassured that Jesus gives them their identity.

Transcription

1 Goal: That the hearers are reassured that Jesus gives them their identity. The Baptism of Our Lord Year C Luke 3:15-22 Your Identity Is In Christ It s pretty obvious that many problems face our society today. Violence, poverty, drug use and even addiction to technology are all around. Surrounded by problems, I want to make this case for you this morning. People who do not know who they really are before God just might be the underlying problem of many of the troubles confronting so many people in today s world. Again, this is the case I want to make for you to consider: People who do not know who they really are before God just might be the underlying problem of many of the troubles confronting so many people in today s world. (Pause) One example of this might be the man who works and claws to get ahead in life. On the one hand, this work pattern might be justified. But on the other hand, it hardly exhibits a life of godly contentment with what he has been given. The man can do all of this while literally breaking his back only to see someone else get the promotion. His response: it s one of anger as he does and says things that hurt and harm others. Here s another example. A young girl is dying of cancer. She keeps wondering why God would let this happen. She comes to the conclusion that God must hate her and is punishing her for her sins. As a result, she falls into deep despair. These, plus many more, are undoubtedly difficult issues. But knowing God and His love for us in Christ will do this: It will help us to know ourselves and our purpose in this life even amid the problems and challenges we face. The ministry of John the Baptist and the baptism of Jesus give us some valuable lessons on knowing God, ourselves and our purpose.

2 (Pause) Today, we focus on the Baptism of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. To help get us to that point of Jesus being baptized in the Jordan River, we have to mention the one, in fact the last one, who prepared the way before Him. We are told in the earlier parts of Luke 3 that the word of the Lord came to a man called John in the desert. This word told him that he was sent by God to prepare the way for the coming Messiah. John the Baptist knew who he was. This son of Zechariah and Elizabeth was brought up knowing the Scriptures. By God s word and by Spirit-given faith, John would know Jesus as the Lamb of God who would take away the sins of the world (cf. John 1:29). The God of John was a saving God, a gracious God. But John also knew Him as a just and holy God. John knew full well this message of Scripture before God, he and all people are sinners. He perfectly realized his place. In fact when questioned by people about whether or not he was the Christ, this is what John had to say about himself when compared to Jesus in Luke 3:16, He who is coming is mightier than I, so much so, that I am not even worthy to stoop down and untie the straps of His sandals. When John said that he was not worthy to untie the strap of Jesus sandal, he was saying that there was no way that he could ever be compared to Him. His reference to saying this is very significant. Why? Because John fully realizes that he is grossly inferior to Jesus. But it s not an inferiority of how educated he was or where he was from. It was an inferiority of who he was before God. You see, John knew his sin. No matter how great or small, it separated him from the Father s love. Yet this One whom John said that he was unworthy of had come to save even those such as John. So John carried out his appointed task. He prepared the way for the

3 Messiah. Alert to his own sin, he alerted others (3:17). Comforted by the forgiveness of His God, he would announce such comfort to others (3:18). And even he would be the baptizer of the Messiah! (Pause) I have to tell you that I really hate standing or waiting in line. And it never seems to fail, I can pick the shortest line in the grocery store, and it will turn out to be the longest wait possible. There was only one line open at the Jordan River that day. This line didn t feature such things as self-checkout. You didn t have the opportunity to speed through with a turnpike pass. No, this line was headed for John the Baptist. The people gathered in that line knew what they were doing. They had heard John s message. They were sinners in need of God s grace and forgiveness. When the Holy Spirit worked through that word and convicted them of their sin, they were called to repent, that is, to turn from their sin. So there, in that line, they were waiting to be baptized by John. They were waiting patiently to receive the baptism that would look forward to what Christ was going to do for them on Calvary s Cross. Imagine what it must have been like if you were standing in line at the Jordan River that day. You had heard the message. You had been convicted. You needed to be there. But there was something odd about that day as well. There standing in line with all those sinners was the Son of God Himself waiting to be baptized by John. Why would Jesus need to be baptized? Wasn t He fully conceived without sin? But just as John knew God, himself and his purpose in life, so it also was with Jesus. Jesus knew His Father, Himself and His purpose.

4 Jesus knew His Father. He had known Him from eternity. He knew His love, and He heard the Father s public affirmation of that love as the waters swirled around Him. Jesus knew that divine love had brought Him to the day of His baptism. Make no doubt about it: Jesus didn t need to be baptized. But this beloved Son was committed to doing the Father s loving will for the entire world. When Jesus was baptized by John, He took the first step in fulfilling His mission of salvation by identifying Himself with the masses through this baptism. By aligning Himself with sinners, Jesus was taking one humble step among so many humbling steps along the road of salvation for us. Here was the Son of God submitting Himself to an act He didn t need, so that sinners would, on that Friday we call Good, get what we don t deserve forgiveness through His suffering and death on a cross. (Pause) Do you know who you are? No doubt the message of Scripture is very clear. Without being convicted by God s Word of your sin and without repentance, there is the certainty of judgment for you. After all, Jesus comes to baptize with the Holy Spirit and with fire. You see, the One who is much stronger than John is in fact the Judge of the world. But in Baptism it becomes clear that He is also our Savior. For in Baptism we are given the benefits of His death and resurrection. We are given the washing which cleanses us from sin. Washed in the blood of the Lamb, who were formerly the unrighteous enemies of God, are now reconciled to Him and forgiven in His sight. Faith is planted in us. New life is given by the Spirit. (Pause) The story goes that two boys from the same family registered for Sunday school. They both said they were nine years old, one born June 2, the other born June 23. The superintendent said, Are you sure you both were born in the same year? Oh yes, said

5 the one. One of us is adopted. Without thinking the superintendent asked, Which one is adopted? We don t know! said the other boy. We asked once, but Dad said we were both Bergmans, that it didn t make any difference. In fact, said the other boy, he said he loved us both the same and had actually forgotten which one was adopted. At your Baptism, you were adopted. God said that you were now His beloved sons and daughters. That is your identity. Because of Christ s work on your behalf, there are no societal boundaries for you to cross. You are now equal with everyone else. Think of the way that has changed you, both now and eternally. Empowered by God s love and forgiveness first brought to you in Baptism, He still brings that love and forgiveness to you through His Word and Supper. As you worship, you hear time and again the forgiveness which is yours because of Jesus work for you. You are not left to wonder about what you are now to do. You have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. You live with a new purpose: you are dead to sin but alive to God in Christ. You produce the fruits in keeping with repentance. Forgiven by God, you forgive. Comforted by Him, you comfort. Loved, you love. First given to, you give. Called by Christ, you proclaim Him to others. It is my prayer that this identifying message of Good News guide and direct you as God s adopted children now and forever. Amen.