The Epiphany of Christ’s Baptism
Text: Matthew 3:13-17
INTRODUCTION:
“May the words of my lips and meditations of my heart be always acceptable in Your sight, giving praise, glory and honor to your name, our Rock and Redeemer. Amen.
Today we celebrate the feast of Epiphany, which in the Greek literally means to “shine forth”. It is a time for reflection upon the theophanies (visible manifestations) of Christ. In the Orthodox Church specifically, there is a heavy emphasis upon Christ’s baptism in the Jordan, as it is a moment of surprise as His true nature is revealed.
ILLUSTRATION:
Don’t you just love surprises? I know I do, I can remember once as a kid, waiting at the bus stop while it was snowing. I waited and waited for almost ½ an hour I stood in the cold waiting for the bus. I thought to myself, this is unusual? Finally, a man came driving by in a truck, he rolled down his window and said, “didn’t you hear”, school is canceled today! I ran home with glee, thinking about what I was going to do with my day.
One of the reasons I love scripture so, is because it is full of surprises. It seems that every time I dig into the scriptures, God gives me a wonderful surprise.
Well today, I believe we are going to see that God has a few surprises in store for John the Baptist in Matthews’s narrative of Jesus baptism. So if you have your bible with you, please open up to Matthew 3:13-17.
PROPOSITION:
Today I hope to show you that Johns surprise at who Christ is, is ours as well.
ORIENTATION:
In our sermon time together we will look at:
• Johns Surprise At Christ’s Humility – v.13
• Johns Surprise At Christ’s Obedience – v.15
• Johns Surprise At Christ’s Divinity - v.16,17
TRANSITION: So let’s look at these surprises one at a time, beginning with…
I. Johns Surprise At Christ’s Humility
EXPLAINATION:
Observation – (v. 13, 14)
v.13 “Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John”
• One of the things we need to understand is that Jesus did not fit the requirements of a candidate for a baptism of repentance. Actually NO JEW DID! Particularly Jesus. Baptism was for the proselyte (literal Gk. “Stranger”), the dirty gentile if you will. (See Matthew 3:9 “we have Abraham for our father.”
• Actually, Jews in general were not baptized at all, baptism was for the gentile postulates. Yet Jesus not only came to the Jordan, where sinners were called to repentance, Jesus came to John, the prophet calling sinners to repentance.
• Yet Jesus came, and He came not just to the river Jordan where the sins of the repentant Jews had stained the waters, He came to John, His own cousin and He came humbly.
v.14 “John would have prevented Him, saying I need to be baptized by you!”
• I am certain that John an Essene, alone in the desert for so many years spent a lot of time considering the moment when the messiah would come. He probably had all of the details worked out in His mind.
• I am also certain John never considered the messiah to be humble, approaching him for of all things baptism?
• This is clearly demonstrated by Johns imperative statement, “I need to be baptized by You!”
Interpretation – (v. 13, 14)
• John was absolutely blown away that Jesus had come to the river Jordan that day. But I am certain He was even more surprised by the humility of Christ in not wanting to take over the baptism’s (John 4:2 “it was not Jesus who baptized but His disciples.) but rather to Himself be baptized.
• John was absolutely surprised by Christ’s humility. I am certain He expected Jesus to be far more aggressive and imperial like.
Illustration –
• Have you ever had unexpected guests? You know, your just going about your business and then it happens, the doorbell rings and outside awaits a group of people you which you could avoid.
• Well I think in a sense, that’s how John must have felt. Jesus showed up at the wrong time, in the wrong place and did all the wrong things.
• John must have been surprised at Jesus humility.
Application -
• May I ask you, who do you perceive Jesus to be?
• Orthodox Metropolitan Anthony Bloom said in his book “beginning prayer” – as soon as you consider Christ, you limit Him.
• What if Christ is not who you think He is? What if the surprise is on you and Jesus say’s to you the equivalent of “baptize me” or “let me wash your feet”? What if He is different that you expected?
• One of the great things about Jesus is that He is never concerned with what others think in His humility.
• I want us to see today that John’s surprise at Jesus humility should be our own surprise. That Jesus humility should surprise you, just like it did John.
• Today, I call on you to reflect upon Christ’s humility and then consider a situations or relationships in your own life where Jesus is calling you to emulate His humility.
• Your boss or your spouse or even your children. Where you need to apply this lesson of Christ’s humility.
Transition – So we have seen Johns surprise in Christ’s humility but let’s also see…
II. Johns Surprise At Christ’s Obedience
EXPLAINATION:
The question of Jesus baptism is a common one. Certainly He did not need a baptism of repentance, for He had never sinned (2 Cor. 5:21, 1Peter 2:22, Heb. 7:26, James 5:6) so why baptism and why at that specific time?
Observation – (v. 15)
v.15 “Let it be so now…” – Obedient to the call
• When Jesus say’s “let it be” He is openly saying “I understand this doesn’t make sense and I agree I am sinless but let it be.” He never says – John “you’ve got it all wrong”, He in fact agrees with John about His not needing to repent, but see a larger picture that John cannot see.
• When Jesus say’s “now” – Two things should come to mind:
o The first is that Jesus means, this will not be repeated, that this is a onetime event that is proper now and in the future it will not be necessary.
o The Second – Jesus had waited on God for exactly the correct moment to begin His ministry of reconciling the world to God. (See John 2:4 “my hour has not yet come.” He wait 30 years. But now was the time as evidenced by the mass exodus of Jews repenting in the Jordan and the “voice in the wilderness crying out prepare the way of the Lord.” So it was now that Jesus came to the river Jordan.
v.15 “It is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness” – Obedient to the command
• As was the cross, Jesus baptism while completely voluntary was part of God’s call to fulfill all righteousness.
o It was the inauguration of His baptism into death (Luke 12:50) “I have a baptism to be baptized with; and how I am constrained until it is accomplished!” It begins in the waters of the Jordan and ends with the water pouring out of His side.
o It was also how Christ identified with us. Jesus was fully human and fully identified with our brokenness. By being Baptized Jesus fully identified with humanity.
o It was also the duty of the High Priest – Remember, until the Curtin was torn at the moment of Christ’s death, and the sacrifice of the lamb was complete, The Jews were living in OT times. This means that Jesus assuming the role of High Priest (Melchizedek) was bound to the customs of the Levitical priesthood. Part of the installation was purifying and washing.
Interpretation – (v. 13, 14)
• My guess is that later in the day, after all the baptisms and after all had retired for the evening, John the Baptist asked Jesus what He meant and why He had in fact been baptized, and I will bet you He was blown away at Christ’s obedience to the Fathers plan and probably did not fully understand it.
(this is speculation on my part)
o This can be seen in His bewilderment of Christ – Luke 7:20 “When the men came to Jesus, they said, “John the Baptist sent us to you to ask, ‘Are you the one who was to come, or should we expect someone else?”
o This can also be demonstrated by the comments of others who spent time listening to Jesus discuss the plan of God – Luke 24:32 “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?”
• Here is the point, Johns surprise at Jesus obedience should be ours also! The fact that Jesus was baptized according to the plan of God and submitted Himself in full obedience to life on the same level as sinful humanity should blow us away!
Illustration -
Try to track with me on this: - I want you to consider what it cost Jesus to be baptized. Whenever we consider baptism, the first thing that comes to our mind is cleanliness. We watch the sins wash way and the water clean and the Holy Spirit enter into us. But consider this for a moment, while all of sinful humanity entered the waters of the Jordan to repent and confess, dumping their dirt into the water, Jesus came with a white robe and absorbed all of it. He in entering the baptismal waters, left not clean but rather filthy, having taken the first step toward taking upon Himself the sin of the world.
Application –
• Today, are you surprised by Jesus complete obedience as John was? Are you amazed at how beautifully Jesus submitted the Fathers will?
• How does this example carry over into your life? Today are there areas in your life where God is calling you to humbly submit?
• I want us to see today that John’s surprise at Jesus obedience should be our own surprise. That Jesus humility should surprise you, just like it did John.
• Consider the area’s in your life that you try not to think about, the areas where you know God is calling you to submit and pray that Jesus obedience would motivate you forward.
Transition – Transition – So we have seen Johns surprise in Christ’s humility but let’s also see…
II. Johns Surprise At Christ’s Divinity
EXPLAINATION:
While I am certain that John was surprised by Christ’s humility and obedience, what happens next makes me wonder how he could have ever doubted Christ as the messiah and savior of the world.
Observation – (v. 16)
v.16 “He went up immediately from the water”
• In His baptism we do not see a mere symbol of Christ’s death and resurrection, but rather the inauguration into that death and resurrection.
v.16 “and behold, the Heavens were opened”
• The veil separating Heaven and Earth was lifted and the glory of God’s dwelling place shone through. If you have ever seen the sun shine through the clouds in a stream of light, that is a very inadequate example of what occurred.
v.16 “The Spirit of God descended like a dove and alighting (ie. landing) on Him”
• This baptism in the Spirit was Christ’s consecration to the ministry. (Ex. 30: 25-30 - “and you shall make of these a sacred anointing oil blended as by the perfumer; a holy anointing oil it shall be.” (dialog on Holy Chrism Oil as a representation of the Holy Spirit.)
• There is some controversy on what is meant here, whether the spirit took on the form of a dove or simply descended upon Christ in the manner of a dove, but in either case the point is that Christ was filled with the Holy Spirit of God in order that He may be equipped to do the work of the ministry of reconciliation.
v.16 “a voice from heaven, saying, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”
• God speaks, not for Jesus sake but for ours, He describes His pleasure in His son in an unmistakable manner, that we may honor and obey Him. (transfiguration – Mt. 17:2 “Listen to Him.”
• What is clear here is that all of the trinity participated in Johns baptism. This really provides an emphasis on Epiphany Sunday, that Christ is part of the God head and that the God head is part of Christ, they are in fact one in the same.
• Note: The Son confirmed His Kingship by “fulfilling all righteousness”, The Spirit empowered the King by resting upon Him, God confirms the spotlessness and purity of the King with His own words “well pleased”.
Interpretation – (v. 13, 14)
• While John was surprised by Christ’s humility and obedience, this was a life transforming moment, it confirmed Johns ministry, it confirmed Christ as the long awaited messiah and it confirms for us today that Christ is God’s only Son. (make me wonder how John could doubt later on that Christ was the “one to come”?)
• What John experienced was the inauguration of Christ’s ministry and He was shocked, but we also should be shocked. Are we so much like John that we also forget who Christ is?
• Today, Christ is the same king, filled with the same Spirit of God and instead of taking His place in the filthy waters of the Jordan, He is seated at the Right hand of the Father in Glory!
• Today, we must allow Christ’s identity to surprise us anew. This passage calls upon us to refresh our understanding of who Christ is.
Illustration -
If you were to spend the day with a president or other royal figure, how would you treat them? Would they just be your bud? How would you address them? How would you behave around them?
Today, lets give the Lord of Lords at least the same courtesy. Let this example of Christ’s divinity shock us awake! Let’s be attentative to who Christ is and give Him the glory He deserves.
Application –
• Today, have you forgotten that Christ is God’s only Son with whom God is well pleased?
• Is Christ more of a personal friend than a personal Lord.
• I want us to see today that John’s surprise at Jesus divinity should be our own surprise. That Jesus divinity should surprise you, just like it did John.
• Take time to consider your own walk with Christ and make a concerted effort to remember whom it is you worship.
Conclusion
Today this epiphany Sunday, we have seen –
I. Johns Surprise At Christ’s Humility
II. Johns Surprise At Christ’s Obedience
III. Johns Surprise At Christ’s Divinity
And the point of Epiphany is to join in Johns Surprise. To in fact have an Epiphany of our own.
• In Revelation 4:8 – The throne room of God is described as containing 4 living creatures that cry out “Holy, Holy, Holy” day and night for all eternity. Some has speculated that each and every time they say it, they receive a new revelation of who God is driving them to say it again.
• That is the point of Epiphany Sunday, to allow God to surprise you, to join in the surprise that God took on the form of man and came for our sake, to suffer and die a brutal death in our place. And beyond that Christ is in the process of restoring all things.
• Today can we, like the 4 living creatures cry out in our lives – “Holy, Holy, Holy” and with each cry pray for a new epiphany of God’s wonderful gift found in the person of Jesus Christ. Amen!!!
