Listen to Sermon
Pastor Tom Johnson, January 8, 2017
People are leaving their homes to go to a remote place in the wilderness. They are going to the River Jordan to see the prophet John the Baptist. They confess their sins and receive a ceremonial washing. They want a fresh start for a more godly life. They are also worried about the state of things. Like us, they would say, “No news is good news” or “There is so much that is wrong with the world.” They live under foreign occupation. Most people are truly second-class citizens. There are constant uprisings and violence in their homeland. There is a steady stream of the news of wars and rumors of wars throughout the world. People question the legitimacy of their leaders like Herod. John the Baptist publicly criticizes and calls Herod to repentance for his wrongdoings. And it ultimately takes his life. There is so much wrong in the world. And it needs to be made right.
But what I admire about these people coming to be baptized is that they are not just pointing the finger at the world, leaders, and other injustices they see. They point their fingers at themselves. They hear John name their sins. He tells them the wrongs that need to be made right. They acknowledge their sin. They recognize their need to turn away from harmful thoughts, words, and actions. They embrace their need to turn toward godly and righteous living. Their calling is now to fulfill God’s call for justice—to love God with their whole being and their neighbor as themselves. They come into the river. And John washes them. And they trust in God’s forgiveness and strength to make a new start.
That is what is so confusing about Jesus. He is, as John says, “The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” There are no wrongs to right. There is no injustice to repair. In him there are no sins to forgive. John would have prevented him. John is ready to deny Jesus baptism! He needs no repentance. Why give someone a bath or a shower when they are already cleaner than the river water Jesus asks John to simply trust him. “Go ahead and baptize me,” Jesus says, “because it will fulfill all righteousness.” And so John baptizes Jesus who promises it will result in changing everything for good—to fulfill all righteousness.
That is a bold claim. That is a huge order. That is what everyone was looking for—to fulfill all righteousness—to correct every error—to right every wrong—to rectify every misdeed—to repair all damage—to amend every inequity—to clean up every mess—to reclaim the forsaken—to straighten out what has been twisted—to forgive every sin—to produce every fruit of the Spirit. To fulfill all righteousness is what we are praying for when we say, “Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done.” To fulfill all righteousness is what we confess when we say, “He will come again to judge the living and the dead.” Jesus is not baptized for himself. He was baptized for for the world. John washes him with water from the Jordan to show that he is the Son of God who will clean us up globally. He is the Lamb that will take away the sin of the world.
And so we come to the water. We long for righteousness. We hunger and thirst for justice. We name the wrongs we want made right in the world. But we begin with ourselves. We confess that we have not fulfilled righteousness. “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” We come to the water for a fresh start. We come for cleansing. We come for strength to live as God has called us to live—with love toward our Creator and love for our fellow creatures. We come to make the world a better place one soul at a time. We come to the water. And the Word and the Holy Spirit come to us. The Word adopts us as his beloved children as the Father speaks from heaven of his Son. “You are my beloved Son with whom I am well pleased.” He speaks of us, “You are my royal child whom I love.” The Holy Spirit fulfills righteousness through us as he promises to do. The Holy Spirit descends on us to make us holy, to transform our lives, and to give us strength to live for God. When we are baptized we are not just receiving forgiveness for our sins and cleansing. We are putting on the righteousness of Christ. We are dressing up. We are receiving the work of Jesus who fulfills every injustice and rights every wrong.
I bind this day to me for ever
By pow'r of faith, Christ's incarnation,
His Baptism in the Jordan river,
His cross of death for my salvation,
His bursting from the spicèd tomb,
His riding up the heavenly way,
His coming at the day of doom
I bind unto myself today.
Against the demon snares of sin,
The vice that gives temptation force,
The natural lusts that war within,
The hostile foes that mar my course;
Or few or many, far or nigh,
In ev'ry place and in all hours,
Against their fierce hostility,
I bind to me those holy pow'rs.
("I Bind unto Myself Today," LSB 604 vv. 2 & 4)
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