Sunday 01/08/23 - Sidney UMC
Sermon Title:
“Baptism and the Holy Trinity!”
Old Testament Scripture: Psalm 29
New Testament Scripture: Acts 10:34-43
Gospel Lesson: Matthew 3:13-17
As I mentioned earlier in
the service, you might have noticed that our church baptismal font is in the
center of sanctuary this morning. You might have even thought to yourself or
said, “why is the church baptismal font in the middle of the sanctuary this
morning!” This morning, we are talking about baptism, and specifically the
baptism of Jesus Christ. Jesus was baptized in the Jordan River, in the modern-day
Israel/Palestine. Jesus’ cousin, John the Baptist immersed or “dunked” Jesus in
the Jordan River, to baptize him. Some of us might have been baptized with the sprinkling
of water from a baptismal font, and some of us may have been baptized by
immersion or “dunking” in water. If you have never been baptized, that is ok, because
I would be more than happy to baptize you!
In many Christian traditions
part of baptism is removing the original sin of the fall of Adam and Eve. This
mark of sin that has become part of our shared humanity is something that many
Christian traditions believe that the Holy Spirit removes in baptism. In our
United Methodist beliefs, one of the reasons that we baptize babies and
children, is in part because of original sin, but also because it is the entry
point into the Universal Christian Church. We do not believe in the United Methodist
Church that an unbaptized child is condemned, as they are only a child, and not
old enough to understand faith. As a Jewish boy is historically circumcised on his
eighth day of his life as the entry point into the Jewish faith, baptism in the
United Methodist Church and other churches is, in part, the entry point into
the Universal Christian Church.
Baptism does not save our
souls or offer us eternity with God, as I believe only faith and repentance can
do that. While different Christian traditions have differing views on what
baptism is and why it is done, we generally agree that baptism is the mark of a
Christian. If faith saves us, then baptism is an outward and visible sign to
the world of an inward spiritual grace. Baptism is significant for the reasons
that I cited, and again, it is how you are permanently made part of the Universal
Christian Church. In doing so, we are claiming the baby or child being baptized
as one of us, with hope that when they are old enough to understand faith and repentance,
they will except Christ for themselves.
All that said, baptism also
matters, as we generally only get baptized once in our lives. Maybe, we were an
infant or baby and do not remember our baptism, or maybe we were of age and do
remember our baptism. Or maybe, you are yet to be baptized, and, again, I can
help with this! Either way, the baptismal font is in the center of the church
this morning, as a reminder of our baptisms. At any point during this service,
if you have not already done so, you are invited to touch the water in the baptismal
font to remember your own baptism and be thankful. To remember the moment that
God claimed you, and you became part of the Universal Christian Church.
It is true to say too that
it would be rather strange to get baptized and then never accept Christ, but we
have free will to accept or reject Christ. Either way, you are invited once
again to touch the water of baptism in our church baptismal font at any point this
morning, to remember your baptism and to be thankful. Perhaps some of you were
baptized at this actual baptismal font, or maybe your family and friends were.
Remember your baptism and be thankful.
On this day, Baptism of
the Lord Sunday, we celebrate the baptism of Jesus Christ our Lord in the Jordan.
Jesus did not inherit the stain of sin that all of us are born into this world
with. Jesus also did not need to be cleansed of sin, for he had none. Jesus did
not need to be baptized to become part of the Universal Christian Church, as
Jesus is the Universal Christian Church. So why, on this day that we celebrate
Jesus’ baptism, did Jesus get baptized? I mean he did not have to, but it is interesting.
You see after Jesus is baptized, in the gospel of Matthew 4, Jesus then goes
into the wilderness and was tempted and tested by the devil for 40-days and
40-nights. Immediately after this time of trial in wilderness, Jesus begins his
public ministry. Jesus calls his first disciples, and begins preaching, loving,
healing, and forgiving. Before this, Jesus had not begun to preach, heal, love,
or forgive.
Jesus’ baptism, therefore,
began his public ministry. First, he went through a time of trial and
temptation in the wilderness, and then everything we read in the gospels after
this. So, Jesus then, if can imagine this, asked his cousin John the Baptist,
to baptize him, as the starting point for his ministry. Jesus revealed himself to
the world as messiah and Lord after his baptism. The outward sign of Jesus
beginning his ministry was baptism, and because of this many Christian Churches,
like the United Methodist Church believe that baptism is the entry point into
the Universal Christian Church. Baptism tethers us to the Christian Community,
removes the stain of sin, and brings us together in a family covenant. The hope
is that this child will then grow and receive God’s grace through Jesus Christ
themselves.
Further, what I love about
our gospel of Matthew reading for this morning, is in this reading, we have all
three persons of God. God the Father is present, God’s son Jesus Christ is
present, getting baptized, and the Holy Spirit of God descends like a dove. All
three persons of God, all separate, all present, and all magnifying the
fullness, wonder, power, and glory of God.
In our reading for this
morning from Psalm 29, it says once again, in 29:3:
3 The voice of the Lord is over the waters; the God of glory thunders, the Lord, over mighty waters (Ps. 29:3, NRSV).
This morning
in our gospel of Matthew reading, God the Father speaks over the waters of
Jesus’ baptism. In looking at our Book of Acts 10:34-43 reading for this
morning, we hear more about the Baptism of Jesus Christ. In fact, starting in
Acts 10:36 for this morning, it says once again:
36 You know the message he sent to the people of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ—he is Lord of all. 37 That message spread throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John announced: 38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power; how he went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. 39 We are witnesses to all that he did both in Judea and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree, 40 but God raised him on the third day and allowed him to appear, (Acts 10:36-40, NRSV).
So according
to the Book of Acts reading for this morning, Jesus began preaching and
spreading the gospel, not before, but after his baptism. Our reading for this
morning from the Book of Acts cites how God was present and the Holy Spirit,
and how Jesus then went forth doing all of the amazing things that he did. We
then hear that all those who new and saw Jesus are witnesses to all of the amazing
thing Jesus said and did, including his resurrection from the dead, on Easter.
Amazing to know that all of this started with the baptism of our Lord Jesus Christ.
This is why my friends, I put our baptismal font in the center of the church, invited
us all to touch the water of baptism, to remember our baptism and be thankful.
In looking at
our gospel of Matthew 3:13-17 reading for this morning, once again, we hear one
of the gospel narratives of Jesus’ baptism. Starting in Matthew 3:13 for this
morning, it says:
13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to John
at the Jordan, to be baptized by him. 14 John would have prevented him, saying, “I
need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” (Matt. 3:13-14, NRSV).
John the Baptist prepares
the way for Jesus, as Jesus is Lord and Savior. John the Baptist is taken aback
that Jesus would want John to baptize him. In fact, John the Baptist tells
Jesus that he needs to be baptized by him.
It makes sense
to me that John the Baptist would want to be baptized by Jesus, I mean would
not we feel uncomfortable baptizing our Lord and Savior? I know I would. I am
not worthy to baptize Jesus, and in fact, John the Baptist says in another
gospel that is not even worthy to untie Jesus’ sandals.
Yet, starting
in Matthew 3:15 it says:
15 But Jesus answered him, “Let it be so now, for it is proper for us in this way to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he consented (Matt. 3:15, NRSV).
Jesus is
telling his cousin John the Baptist that he wants him to baptize him so that
his mission, his public ministry could begin. Jesus wanted to be baptized
before calling the twelve disciples, preaching, loving, healing, forgiving, and
dying for the sins of the world. Jesus chose his starting point to be baptism,
and baptism is what makes us part of the Universal Christian Church. Jesus’
ministry on earth started with baptism, and baptism brings us into the
Universal Christian Church.
In looking more closely
at the details of Jesus’ baptism in the gospel of Matthew’s account of Jesus’
baptism for this morning, the gospel says in 3:16-17:
16 And when Jesus had been baptized, just as he came up from the water, suddenly the heavens were opened to him and he saw God’s Spirit descending like a dove and alighting on him. 17 And a voice from the heavens said, “This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased” (Matt. 3:16-17, NRSV).
So, Jesus is
immersed or “dunked” by his cousin John the Baptist into the Jordan River.
Jesus is Baptized in the Jordan, Upon coming back up out the Jordan River, the
gospel says that suddenly the heavens opened up. When this happened the Holy Spirit
of God descended upon Jesus like a dove. It alighted upon him. It did not enter
Jesus but was separate from him. Jesus, our Lord, and Savior was present, and
the Holy Spirt, God, was also present.
Then, after
the heavens open, and the Holy Spirit descends like a dove, and voice from the
opened heavens speak. This voice is God, the Father, the creator of all that
ever was or is. God speaks loudly, letting all who will listen know that Jesus,
is his son, his beloved, and that he is well pleased with him.
On this
morning then, we not only revisit the importance of baptism, our baptisms, and
the baptism of Jesus, we see a scene in Jesus’ baptism for this morning in the gospel
of Matthew, where Jesus is present with the Father, him the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
All God, one substance, in three distinct forms. God the Father, God the Son,
and God the Holy Spirit.
Then later in
the same gospel of Matthew, Jesus gives his disciples in Matthew 28:16-20 what
we know as “The Great Commission.” Matthew 28:16-20 says once again:
16 Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. 17 When they saw him, they worshiped him, but they doubted. 18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit 20 and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Jesus tells
his disciples and us in Matthew 28:16-20 to form and make disciples of all people,
and then baptize them in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Spirit.
We are then to teach these new disciples everything that we know about Jesus. Faith is what saves us, but the Sacrament of Holy Baptism is what
brings us into the Universal Christian Church. It is an expression of dying to
ourselves and raising with Christ, but most Christian Churches want people to
be baptized before joining the church. Why? It is because the mark of a
Christian is that of baptism.
We will likely never agree on the best
form or way to baptize, but we can agree that we do this because Jesus
commanded us to do, and it because it makes us part of his church. We also
reaffirm the Holy Trinity for this morning of God three in one, or God one in
three, as in the scene of Jesus Baptism for this morning in the gospel of Matthew,
we have the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. All present, all powerful,
all co-equal, and all God. This is why “Baptism and the Holy Trinity” is important.
Amen.
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