Dear Christian friends:

When Jesus was born in Bethlehem God announced and showed that the Savior was a true man. The shepherds came and saw a real baby lying in the manger. He was born like any other baby. He cried, ate and slept like any other baby. Later on He grew up and became a man like other babies do. Anyone could see that Jesus of Nazareth, son of Mary and Joseph was a true man.

But Jesus was more than a true man; He was also true God, the Son of the heavenly Father, the eternal Word become flesh. (John 1:1-14) This was not easy to see or believe. Also we today have a hard time to believe this. It is beyond man's understanding. So God must show this wonderful truth to the people again and again and also help them to believe it. We, too, need to hear it again and again or our faith will die. That is why the lessons during this Epiphany Season show in various ways and places that Jesus, the Son of Mary, is also the eternal Son of God, the promised Savior.

Our text today is one of the Epiphany lessons. It is a beautiful, wonderful showing of Jesus. It is the showing at the river.


God sent John the Baptizer to show Jesus to the Jewish people. He did this showing in the desert by the Jordan River. Why by the river? Because God intended to use water in this epiphany.

John did it through his preaching and baptizing. He preached that the people get ready for Jesus by repenting and confessing their sins and receiving baptism so that they could have forgiveness when the Savior appeared. In this way John impressed upon the people that the Savior's Kingdom is a spiritual, eternal kingdom, and not an earthly, short-time kingdom. The Savior will not free them from the Roman rulers as many wrongly believed and hoped. He will not give them earthly riches as silver and gold, which their greedy hearts desire. But He will give them freedom from sin and Satan's rule. He will give them the true riches: peace with God, holiness, righteousness, kindness, true love, and eternal life. Even John's clothes admonish the people about this. He wore plain clothes and ate plain food. (verse 6) They should not be greedy for fine clothes and rich foods. They should hunger for God's Word and His righteousness. The Savior's Kingdom is a spiritual, eternal Kingdom, not an earthly dying one. John's preaching and clothes show this.

John also preached that the Savior is the Son of God. He said, "I am not good enough to tie His shoes." (verse 7) John also said, "He that comes after me is better than me: for He was before me." (John 1:15,27) Is that true? Did Jesus live before John? No! John was born six months before Jesus. (Luke 1:36) Does John tell a lie? He says that the Savior was before Him. What does John mean? He means that the Savior is the eternal Son of God. In one way Jesus lived long time before John. He is the eternal Word who was with God in the beginning. He made all things. (John 1:1-4) He was born of woman after John, but He was before John.

John also showed that the Savior's baptism will be better than his. He says, "I have baptized you with water; but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit." (verse 8) John's baptism was only to prepare the people for Jesus' baptism. John could not give forgiveness of sins or the Holy Spirit. His baptism did not give new birth and new life to anyone. The Holy Spirit was not yet given. The Savior's baptism is the real baptism.

So John showed the Savior at the Jordan River. John gave a good showing of the Savior, but now we see a better one. We see God's epiphany at the River.

We read in our text, "A short time later Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee, and John baptized Jesus in the Jordan River. And when Jesus came out of the water He saw the heavens opened and the Holy Spirit coming down on Him, appearing like a dove, and staying over Him. And a voice said to Jesus, You are My dear Son. I am very pleased in You." (verses 9-11)

This is the most clear and wonderful showing of Jesus. It is more wonderful than Christmas night when the angels announced Jesus' birth to the shepherds. It is more wonderful than the star which announced the Savior King's birth to the Wise Men. Here the heaven is opened and God gives us His own Son. He recommends Him to us, and tells us to listen to Him. God means to say,"Here is My Savior I promised long ago, My own dear Son. I am very pleased with Him because now He accepts baptism and begins my saving work which I asked Him to do. See I am now anointing Him with the Holy Spirit so that you may know and believe that He is your Teacher, Savior and King. And He will not fail in doing My saving work because I have given Him the power of My Spirit. You better attend to Him and believe in Him and serve Him. He is your only Savior. Because of Him heaven is open and I forgive your sins, and you can have peace with Me and be my dear children also."

Here by the River Jordan God has shown His Savior to the world and to us. Let us confess our sins and believe in Jesus and serve Him.

If you have not yet received baptism, talk to me and I will teach you and baptize you in the name of the Triune God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. I do Jesus' Baptism, the one He commanded His Church to do. Jesus' baptism is better than John's. It really gives forgiveness of sins. It gives the Holy Spirit, new birth and new eternal life.

If you have already received Jesus' Baptism, rejoice and thank God: Let your baptism be your greatest comfort in time of temptation, trouble and death. In Jesus' Baptism God has sealed forgiveness of sins to you and you have new birth and new, eternal life. So resist temptation and sin and live that new life more and more. And remember, you have the honor and responsibility to do Jesus' Baptism. You who have received baptism should go and baptize all nations. You are greater than John the Baptist. He never received baptism in Jesus' name, and he did not baptise in Jesus' name. By doing baptism in Jesus' name you can give to people forgiveness of sins, new birth and new eternal life! Don't say, "That is pastor's duty, not mine." Yes,it is my duty because you have called me do do it in church for you. But every Christian has that joyful duty, to help support it. You are Jesus' Church; so be it!

Amen.