Baptism of Our Lord

"Baptism of Christ" by Genelda Woggin

Who is Jesus?

If someone asked you that question, what would you say? What would be the first thing that would pop out of your mouth? A title, like Redeemer, or Messiah? The Son of God? A human man? The savior of the world? What would you say?

During Christmas we heard what the shepherds would say. They would say what the angels told them: unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.

On Epiphany, we learned what the wise men said. They brought Jesus gold for a king, frankincense for God, myrrh for a sacrifice, for burial.

This week we have more answers to the question, “Who is Jesus”. In the second lesson, Paul says that Jesus is Lord of All, judge of the living and the dead, a doer of good and a healer of all oppressed by the devil. Isaiah tells how God says that the Messiah is a bringer of justice, a covenant to the nations, a servant whom God upholds. The Messiah will unlock the prisoners and bring light to those who sit in darkness.

And then, in the Gospel, we get even more answers to the question, “who is Jesus.”

By his reaction, John the Baptist recognizes Jesus as the one who should be baptizing him, not the other way around. Here is John at the Jordan baptizing people as a sign of repentance. John sees Jesus coming and knows that Jesus is without sin, one who does not need this baptism. Instead, John is the sinner whom Jesus should wash clean. Jesus, however, submits to John’s baptism in order to satisfy the demands of righteousness, in order to show his oneness with us, and in order to pave the way for a greater baptism than John’s, a baptism that will come from Jesus’ agony and death.

The final answer we get today in response to the question, “who is Jesus” is from God the Father himself. Jesus comes up from the water after he is baptized, the clouds part, the Spirit of God comes down in the form of a dove, and the Father says, “This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased.”

So now let’s go back to what I asked at the beginning: what if someone were to come up to you and ask who Jesus is? Now you have an answer: just based on the lessons in the last three weeks: He is God’s Son. And Mary’s. Human and divine. He is pleasing to the Father. Sinless. Bringer of forgiveness and justice. Liberator of prisoners, light for those in the dark.. Savior. Christ, the Messiah. Lord of All. Judge. Healer. Good-doer. King of the world. God himself. He is the sacrifice for our sin, the one who will die in our place to give us new life, to rescue us from sin, death and the power of the devil.

This is who Jesus is. The One--the only one--who could do all this is Jesus.

Of course, there’s more, and you’ve heard this all before, I suppose. But there is a reason that the Church, in its wisdom, devotes the season of Epiphany to asking and answering the question, “who is Jesus.” You and I already know these things, but we forget. All the time, we forget who Jesus is, what kind of power he has in our lives, and what we are supposed to be in response to him. We know who Jesus is, but forget, and we forget who we are, too. Plus, there’s all sorts of people out there in the world who have never heard who Jesus is, and who he makes them. People across the world, and people sitting right next to us at work, at school, at home. There’s also people who maybe have heard, but forgot a long time ago, and wandered away from God. There are people sitting right here in these pews who need to remember who Jesus is and what he does to and for us. All of us!

When Jesus came up out of the baptismal waters, the Father sent the Holy Spirit on him, named him his child, called him loved and told him how much he pleased God. Jesus was then sent into the world to do the Father’s will.

When you and I came up from the waters of our baptisms, God said the same stuff, did the same thing. On the day you were baptized, the Holy Spirit came down on you, and God said, “You are my son, my daughter. You are my beloved. I love you. I am well pleased by you.” And then God also said to you, “ Now go, do my work in the world. Follow me. Believe in me. I will be with you always. Your sins are forgiven, and you are free. Your darkness is turned into light. Tell others what you have seen and heard and felt. You are my witness.”

You might forget who Jesus is, but he never forgets who you are. You are his own children, freed by his death, washed in his blood, sealed with his cross. You are his witnesses in the world, the ones who are commanded to testify that he is the one ordained by God as judge of the living and the dead.

When Jesus came to John to be baptized, he was preparing the way for you to receive forgiveness in the waters of the font. When the heavens opened, God was telling the world and us exactly who Jesus is—God’s only Son, who will save his people from their sins.

And when the dove rested on Jesus, he received the power of the Holy Spirit to pass on to each of you at your baptisms so that you have the power to answer the question, “who is Jesus?” He is your king, your Lord, the Messiah, the one who gave his life for you so that you could live, the one who loves you enough to die for you,  the Savior of us and everyone. That’s who Jesus is.

And when God sent his Son out into the world, he called us to follow him to do the work he did and does.

You are baptized into Christ’s death and resurrection. You are freed and forgiven. You are the prisoners brought out from the dungeon of sin. You are the dimly burning wicks that will not be quenched, the bruised reeds that will not be broken. You are the witnesses commanded to testify.

With you, God is always doing a new thing in your life—he is setting you free every day to serve him. He is telling you every day that you are his beloved child. He is calling you to trust him so that you receive forgiveness of sins through his name. He is reminding you again and again who Jesus is, and who you are because of him. You are bruised but not broken, dim but not out, sinners but not dead. Not dead. Instead alive. Alive through Christ. Amen.