Baptism of Jesus A
Matthew 3:3-17
January 9, 2005

Let’s say you’re at a party, or on an airplane, and you strike up a conversation with a stranger who you have never met before. One of the first questions you will probably be asked is this, “So, what do you do?” And you’ll go on to tell your new acquaintance that you go to school, or sell real estate, or work as a nurse or an accountant, or whatever it is that you do with most of your time. And what you say about what you do is important, because it forms an important part of your identity. But what you do is not your whole identity. Your true identity lies not so much in what you do, but in what you are.

So who are you? I’m not asking a deep philosophical question here, but a simple question, that each of us here can answer in the same way. In spite of how different we are from one another, we can all answer in the same way. All of us here who have been baptized can say with confidence: I am God’s beloved child, with whom God is well pleased.

In today’s gospel Jesus is given his identity at his baptism in the Jordan River. As Jesus comes up from the water, God says; “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.” In the same way, each of us, when we were baptized, received our identity. We were called by name: _________, Child of God; __________, Child of God; ___________, Child of God.

Child of God. Regardless of what we DO, what we ARE is children of God. That is our true identity. In our baptisms, God claimed us as his precious children, just as God claimed his beloved Son. The claim that God has made on us does not evaporate once the baptismal water on our head has dried up. It is a promise from God—a promise that lasts forever.

It’s amazing, isn’t it? That a little water, splashed on our heads could have such power? But of course, it is more than water alone. It is water combined with the promise of God. John the Baptist says that he baptizes with water, but that Jesus, who is coming after him, will baptize with the Holy Spirit and with fire. These three elements; 1) Water, 2) Fire, and 3) the Holy Spirit, along with the promise of God, all continue to have a part in our liturgy for Holy Baptism.

WATER: We can’t live without it. In the Creation story in the Bible, and in the mythology of other ancient peoples, water was the primary cosmic element from which life emerged. Water means life, both symbolically, and in reality. Without it, we die.

But water has the power to take life, too. We have just seen the destructive power of water in the tsunami that hit Southeast Asia two weeks ago. Because water has this dual nature, it is a very powerful symbol. Water gives life, and water takes life. Baptism takes advantage of both the life-giving and the destructive nature of water. In baptism, the old self is destroyed—drowned, if you will, and the new self is born. God’s new creation emerges cleansed and refreshed.

Luther sums it up in his “Flood Prayer”, which is part of the service for Holy Baptism. We’ll be using that prayer today in the Thanksgiving for Baptism.

The prayer tells us that we are brought forth through the waters of baptism, just as Noah and his family were brought forth from the waters of the Flood. We pass through the waters of baptism, just as the children of Israel passed safely through the waters of the Red Sea. We are cleansed, reborn, and brought forth as inheritors of the kingdom of God. Every time a person is baptized, each of us is reminded of what God has promised to all the baptized; New life, as children of God. May that promise refresh and renew you as we begin this new year together.

A second and vital element in baptism is the presence of the Holy Spirit. In Jesus’ baptism in the Jordan, the Holy Spirit appeared in a dramatic way—in the form of a dove that descended upon Jesus. You may remember that Noah sent a dove out from the ark, and when the dove did not return, Noah knew that the waters of the Flood had subsided. He knew that the dove had found dry land, and that God had brought them safely out of the waters. Because we do not often see doves descending when we baptize, we use other ancient symbols to show the coming of the Spirit; anointing with oil, and the laying on of hands.

The final element or symbol that is essential in Baptism is fire, or the light that comes from fire. Fire is used in the Bible to signify an appearance of God, as in the burning bush. The light that fire gives off symbolizes the light of Christ, who vanquishes darkness. And so, when we baptize, we light the Paschal candle, to signify the presence of Christ in our midst. This symbol is particularly significant now, in the season of Epiphany, when we celebrate the light of Christ being revealed to the nations. And we are to be a part of that work. Those who are baptized are told; “Let your light so shine before others, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father in heaven.” These are our marching orders as children of God. We have been washed, marked, and now are sent out, to live out our baptismal identities as “Little Christs.”

Baptism is a privilege, a gracious gift imparted to us by God. But with this privilege, as with any privilege, come responsibility. Jesus began his ministry after his baptism, and that is what we are called to do as well. As God’s baptized children, we are to be “a light to the nations, to open the eyes that are blind, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon, those who sit in darkness,” as Isaiah reminds us.

A final note on the liturgy—and now I turn from the liturgy for Holy Baptism to the funeral liturgy, for it is here where we see most clearly just how sure and true the promise of baptism is. The service begins with these familiar words; “When we were baptized into Christ, we were baptized into his death. We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might live a new life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.”

That’s the deal that’s made at baptism. We are baptized into Christ’s death at the beginning of our lives, so that at the end of our lives, we can be baptized into his resurrection. It sounds like a pretty good deal to me.

Our baptism is in force all through our lives, and even after. So cling to your baptismal identity. Revel in it. Trust in the promise and the identity given to you by God.

So who are you? Not what do you do, but who are you, and whose are you? By your baptism, you have been made God’s beloved child, with whom God is well pleased. Who are you? You are a Child of God, both now, and forever. AMEN

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