John the Baptist. That name brings powerful images to mind. Camel’s hair clothes held together with a leather belt. Grasshoppers dipped in wild honey for a sweet and crunchy meal. Saying the morally right thing at the socially wrong time. John was the one who called the people who came to hear him preach a slimy gathering of slithering snakes. How is that for winning friends and influencing people? “Repent,” he shouted, “for the kingdom of heaven is near!” In spite of his outward strangeness and his directness in condemning sin he also baptized thousands for the forgiveness of their sins. He also preached the good news that God had pity on this planet and was sending a Savior.
Although John didn’t care what people thought of him and he seems to have never been at a loss for words there was one time in John’s ministry when he almost came unglued. Jesus, the Lamb of God himself, came to John to be baptized. We are told in Matthew’s gospel that John tried to stop him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” (Matthew 3:14) From what John knew about Jesus, baptism didn’t seem to fit him. Jesus was the sinless Son of God. Baptism was for sinners. John also knew that he himself was a sinner in need of God’s love and forgiveness. What right did he have to baptize Jesus? It made much more sense for Jesus to baptize John instead of the other way around.
John the Baptist’s statement about his own need for baptism and his question about Jesus’ need for baptism are two thoughts that would be appropriate for us to consider this morning. On this “Baptism of Jesus” Sunday we might very well ask what John asked. Why did Jesus need to be baptized? Like John it is also good for us to see our need for baptism by Jesus.
The Word of God that will lead us to a better understanding of both points is our gospel lesson from Luke 3:15-17, 21 & 22. Let’s use the amazing truth expressed by Luke in verse 21 for the theme of our sermon. Luke says that:
“JESUS WAS BAPTIZED TOO”
I. He was baptized like a sinner to serve as their Savior
II. He provides a baptism for sinners in order to save them
Stories often “flash ahead” in time. Perhaps you have seen a movie that began with a powerful scene of some kind. Then in the very next frame of film you read a subtitle that said, “30 years later.” If we were watching the life of Jesus played for us like a movie our gospel lesson for this morning would be just such a jump ahead in time. Two weeks ago we celebrated Jesus’ birth. Today we hear about him when he is around age 30. Other than one report about something that happened in Jesus’ life when he was twelve years old we simply are not told what happened from his birth to the time of his baptism.
Our gospel lesson for this morning takes us to that turning point in the written history of Jesus’ life. “When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. And as he was praying, heaven was opened 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.’” Jesus was baptized too. That statement brings us back to the question John the Baptist expressed. Why did Jesus need to be baptized? It also leads us to see our unworthiness and our need for a baptism provided by Jesus.
I.
As Lutheran Christians we answer any question that we have about one part of the Bible by looking at the rest of the Bible for answers. Why was Jesus baptized? The logical answer would be that he needed it. He was in need of forgiveness. But does that answer fit with the rest of Scripture? No. Hebrews 4:15 tells us that Jesus was “tempted in every way, just as we are yet was without sin.” 1 John 3:5 says of Jesus, “But you know that he appeared so that he might take away our sins. And in him is no sin.” 1 Peter 1:19 tells us that Jesus is the lamb of God (the sacrifice for sin) “without blemish or defect.” So if Jesus wasn’t a sinner and didn’t need baptism them why was he baptized? If you looked in a mirror this morning you saw the reason. As you look at me and I look at you we see why Jesus was baptized. It was to join us in our sinful, helpless, pitiful condition.
Jesus’ baptism with sinners marked him as the substitute for sinners. By being baptized like a sinner Jesus showed his willingness to become our Savior. 2 Corinthians 5:21 explains the reason for Jesus’ baptism in this way, “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” The great exchange where God swaps the holiness of his Son for the sinfulness of our fallen race is pictured at Jesus’ baptism. He was baptized like a sinner to serve as their Savior.
“Jesus was baptized too.” That short phrase penned by Luke says so much. At the Jordan River two thousand years ago the Son of God received the same baptism as the prostitutes and tax collectors. The same water that was used to baptize those separated from God because of their sins was used to baptize the one who brought sinners back to God. The baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins that soldiers and farmers, husbands and wives, young and old received was also given to Jesus.
And although we are living many years after John did his baptizing we can see ourselves in the crowd that came out to him. Like them we have broken God’s Commandments. Like the soldiers who came to John we have not always been content with what we receive in life. We have grumbled about our job and complained about our pay. The cheating done by the tax collectors has been reproduced in us through similar actions. Anytime we receive pay for less than our best we are guilty of cheating another. We too have been like the prostitutes who came to John the Baptist by our sexual sins through our thoughts, words, and actions. We have even harbored the pride and arrogance of the Pharisees who rejected John’s baptism. Yes, friends in Christ, we too stand at the Jordan River with the stream of sinners called humanity.
Thankfully Jesus stepped into that stream. He was baptized like a sinner to serve as their Savior. When Jesus was baptized like a sinner it marked the beginning of his public work as Savior. Although Jesus began living as our substitute when he was conceived in the virgin Mary he didn’t present himself as the sacrifice for sin until he was in his thirties. And it was at his baptism that he openly showed his willingness to go to the cross. So we can understand what happened after he was baptized. Luke wrote, “And as he was praying, heaven was opened 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.’” The Holy Spirit confirmed that although Jesus was baptized like a sinner he was their Savior. God the Father declared to all the sinners who were baptized with Jesus that he would accept his sinless Son as their substitute. And for us these verses still confirm our faith in the work of Jesus.
“Jesus was baptized too.” We can’t let that amazing fact pass quickly out of our minds. Jesus was baptized like a sinner to serve as their Savior. He didn’t need baptism. Scripture clearly teaches that Jesus was sinless. No, Jesus was baptized like a sinner to be the substitute for sinners. In fact he was made sin for us. He united himself with us who need baptism to serve as our Savior.
II.
Understanding that Jesus was baptized like a sinner to serve as Savior helps us understand John’s words about the baptism for sinners that Jesus provides. Let’s listen again to Luke’s report about what John said concerning Jesus. “The people were waiting expectantly and were all wondering in their hearts if John might possibly be the Christ. John answered them all, “I baptize you with water. But one more powerful than I will come, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.” Not one to soften his words John confidently declared that he was not the Christ. He also did his job of directing people to Jesus by telling them that Jesus was going to provide a baptism for sinners.
These verses have led some people to question John’s baptism. Was it only a symbolic action? Did it have any power? Did it give the forgiveness of sins to those who were baptized? Once again we must use all of God’s Word to help us understand this part of God’s Word.
In three places in the Bible we are told that John’s baptism did give the forgiveness of sins. Mark 1:4 tells us, “And so John came, baptizing in the desert region and preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.” Luke 3:3 declares, “He went into all the country around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.” The Apostle Paul said in Acts 19:4, “John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance.”
So if John’s baptism gave the forgiveness of sins why did he downplay its importance in comparison to the baptism Jesus was going to provide for sinners? We must remember that John had one purpose in life. He was born to be a human flashlight shining on Jesus and directing people to him. He knew that Jesus would provide a baptism for sinners with additional blessings and greater significance.
Here we see the second truth behind the fact that Jesus was baptized. Joining sinners in baptism gave Jesus the opportunity to provide a baptism for sinners. Galatians 3:26 27 tells us how the one who was baptized with us has joined us to him through the baptism he has given. “You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.”
What additional blessings did John say Jesus would give through his baptism? After his suffering and death for sinners, and after his victory over death, he would baptize his believers with the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit would equip the followers of Jesus for service. Fifty days after the first Easter, on the Sunday called Pentecost, John’s words about the baptism Jesus would provide for sinners came true. On that day Peter told the crowd, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” (Acts 2:38) “Jesus was baptized too.” There are some deep truths in those four words! When Jesus joined himself to sinners in that way he opened the way to provide a baptism for sinners that would give them the Holy Spirit.
Fellow sinners, who have been baptized. The baptism that Jesus provided for us has given us the Holy Spirit. Perhaps we have forgotten what that means. Having the Holy Spirit dwelling in us enables and empowers us to live a new life for our Savior. Through baptism we have the “fruit of the Spirit” which is “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control.” (Galatians 5:22 23) Since Jesus was baptized like a sinner he can now provide sinners with a baptism.
John said that Jesus would not only baptize us with the Holy Spirit but he would also baptize us with fire. What does that mean? Throughout the Old Testament fire was a symbol of purifying and cleansing. The baptism that Jesus provides for sinners brings fire into their hearts to purify them from their sins. Like the mythical phoenix we rise from fires of baptism as a new person. In chapter six of his letter to the Romans the Apostle Paul wrote, “Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.” (Romans 6:3 4) The fire of Jesus’ baptism has burned up the old sinful nature with which you were born. You are free to live a new life for him.
Continuing on with the idea of fire John also said of Jesus, “His winnowing fork is in his hand to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.” John looked right past Jesus’ baptism. He looked past his miracles, and his preaching and teaching and even his suffering, death, and resurrection. John looked at the rest of history as the time when Jesus would gather believers. He also looked ahead to the Last Day when Jesus will judge the living and the dead. The harvest of souls still continues as his followers obey his great commission to, “make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” (Matthew 28:19) The baptism Jesus provided for sinners is still bringing sinners to God.
“Jesus was baptized too.” That sentence reminds us that Jesus became our substitute. It also explains how he was able to provide a baptism for sinners. Through his work as Savior he opened the way for the living water of Holy Spirit to flow to us.
We can understand John’s confusion when Jesus came to receive baptism. John said, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” John saw his own need for baptism but certainly didn’t understand why Jesus needed it. Do you remember how Jesus answered John’s concerns? He replied, “Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.” (Matthew 3:15) Then John consented and Jesus was baptized too. He was baptized like a sinner to serve as Savior. He provided a baptism for sinners to save them. On this Sunday when we recall Jesus’ baptism let’s see him as our Savior who became sin for us. Then let’s put our faith in him and in the baptism he provides. Amen.
