Baptism of the Lord: When Jesus Came to Jordan

Baptism of the Lord

In submitting to baptism, Jesus identifies with sinners. As John reminds us, however, the baptism Jesus brings is a baptism with the Holy Spirit and with fire. John prepares the way for Jesus to come in judgment against sinners, but Jesus identifies with those very sinners he came to judge. His is a judgment of separation. The wheat will be separated from the chaff, but the standard of judgment will not be how "religious" you are. Rather, it will be whether or not you have identified with the Christ who identifies with you.

John's preaching of fiery judgment is tempered by Jesus' humble action of identification. God's judgment is real and very much present and imminent. To proclaim it with integrity, however, we must identify with the sinners--the very sinners whom Jesus came to judge, but longs to save.

This is the true tension in which we live as citizens of the kingdom of God in the midst of the kingdom of this world. It is the tension between incarnation and identification. We are to live as the ongoing incarnation of Christ in the world,  yet also identify with the sinners. In fact, such identification is part and parcel to incarnational living. We must recognize that there is no one who stands in more need of redemption than ourselves. We do not look to ourselves, however, for that redemption. We look to Christ, and when we look to Christ, we look to the One who calls us to live by his example. He was without sin, yet became sin on our behalf. Thus, the tension between incarnation and identification is the definitive Christian life. We cannot live incarnationally without identifying with sinners, yet we cannot identify with sinners without looking to and placing our whole trust in the One who says, "Follow me."

The Baptism of our Lord: Covenant renewal

Opening Sentence

Nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising. Isaiah 60:3

Collect of the Day: The Baptism of our Lord

Father in heaven, who at the baptism of Jesus in the River Jordan proclaimed him your beloved Son and anointed him with the Holy Spirit: Grant that all who are baptized into his Name may keep the covenant they have made, and boldly confess him as Lord and Savior; who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen.

Psalter: Psalm 146, 147

Lessons: Genesis 1-2:3, Ephesians 1:3-14, John 1:29-34

Hereby, God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, I renew the covenant of my Holy Baptism, this day and for all times renouncing the devil, all his works and all his pomp, also the ways of the wicked world and of my sinful flesh. I anew consecrate to Thee, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, my body and soul, and commit to Thee the temporal, spiritual and eternal welfare of my self and my kin. O God, my Father, I entrust myself fully to Thy care, grace, love and truth. O Jesus, my Redeemer, I clothe myself with Thy merits, with Thy blood, wounds and blessed communion. O Holy Spirit, my Comforter, I consign myself wholly to Thy guidance, power, light and comfort. O Triune God, Thou art mine, I am Thine; Thou art my Father, I am Thy child; Thou art my shepherd, I am Thy sheep; Thou art my Lord, I am Thine own. O my God, how can I sufficiently thank Thee that Thou hast deigned to raise me, a wretched sinner, to the blessed relation of a Christian by means of Holy Baptism, that gracious washing of regeneration! Oh, keep and preserve me in this state of grace even unto death. Grant, O Lord, that this consciousness of being Thy child may ever be my comfort against Satan, sin and death, and may I value it more highly than all worldly honor or temporal dignity; may I conform my life thereto and finally die a Christian death. Grant this, O Lord in the power of the Holy Spirit, and for the sake of Thy dear Son Jesus Christ. Honor, glory and thanks be to the Triune God forever and ever. Amen.

Abridged Treasury of Prayers

Morning Has Broken