Dear Christian friends:

I'm sure that most of us have been baptized. When we think about our baptism, we usually think of it as a way through which God blesses us or gives us something. And that is right! Through baptism God does bless us. Mercies us; forgives our sins; gives us second birth and new life and light. But we often forget that when God blesses us He blesses us so that we can be a blessing. Through baptism God gives us power to serve Himself and others. God said to Abraham: "I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. (Genesis 12:2)

Our text for this Sunday tells about Jesus' baptism. It shows that Jesus was baptized so that He could do God's work. We, like Jesus, are baptized so that we can do God's work.

I. Baptism enables us to serve God, as it enabled Jesus.

A. Baptism gave Jesus the power to do God's work. After John baptized Jesus a wonderful thing happened. The heavens were opened and the Spirit of God descended on Jesus like a dove and alighted on Him. (v. 16)

Both the Old Testament and the Epistle lesson for this Sunday emphasize that Jesus received the Holy Spirit in baptism, so that He could do God's work here on earth. In the Old Testament lesson God says through the prophet:

"Behold My Servant, whom I uphold, My chosen One, in whom My soul delights; I have put my Spirit upon Him, He will bring forth justice to the nations." (Isaiah 42:1)

In the Epistle Lesson we read: "God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power; He went about doing good and healing all that were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him." (Acts 10:38)

In baptism God gave Jesus the Holy Spirit so that He could do God's work, save the world from sin and eternal punishment.

B. As God gave the Holy Spirit to Jesus in baptism, so He also gives the Holy Spirit to us in baptism so that we have new birth and new life and can serve Him.

In Titus 3:5-6 we read:

"He saved us. It was not because of any good works that we had done, but because of His own mercy that He saved us through the washing (baptism) by which the Holy Spirit gives us new birth and new life."

2. Perhaps you say, "I have been baptized, but I do not seem to have new life and power and joy for doing God's work. Why? What's wrong with me?"

True, often we Christians do not feel like or act like God's children. Maybe we often feel and act like unbelievers and those who are not baptized. Our baptism does not seem to help us. Why? Two reasons: 1) we forget about it, and 2) we don't realize the significance of it.

a. We forget about our baptism. How many of you know your birthday? All of you know your birthday. That's fine! That's good! You should know your birthday and celebrate it and thank God for your birth and your life. That is God's precious gift to you and to your family. But how many of you know your baptism date? Anyone? How many of you still have your baptism certificate? As you know and celebrate your birthday so you should know and celebrate your baptism day. Yes, we should really celebrate our baptism day more than our birthday! On your baptism day you were born again by water and the Holy Spirit! That is the day you became a child of God, a member of His family, the Church! If you once a year celebrate your baptism and every day remember your baptism that will help you to serve God and not Satan.

b. We often are weak and not strong for serving God because we do not remember our baptism, and also do not think what it means.

"What does such baptizing with water signify (mean or show)?"

Luther answers this important question:

"It (baptism) signifies (shows) that the old Adam in us should, by daily contrition (sorrow for sin) and repentance (turning to Jesus), be drowned and die with all sins and evil lusts (wishes) and, again a new man daily come forth and arise, who shall live before God in righteousness and purity forever." (Romans 6:3-4)

So if we daily remember our baptism and think what it means, we will receive the Holy Spirit more and more and have power to serve God. And this will please God very much.

II. Our new life of service pleases God.

A. When Jesus obeyed and served His heavenly Father that pleased God very much. In our text we read how God was very much pleased with Jesus. After He was baptized and after the Spirit came upon Him a voice said from heaven:


Because Jesus loved God, His Father, and obeyed Him by coming from heaven to earth and accepting our sin and dying on the cross for us, God very highly exalted Jesus and gave Him a name above all other names, that before the name Jesus every knee must bend and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. (Phil. 9-11)

B. We also please God by loving Him and serving Him. True, we are not perfect in serving God as Jesus was, yet God forgives our faults and failures because of Jesus, and He is very pleased when we resist sin and temptation and live as His new-born children.

God will also highly honor us one day in heaven if we love Him and serve Him now. He promises:


"They that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the sun; and they that turn many to righteousness shall shine as the stars forever and ever." (Daniel 12:3)

If we love and serve God now on earth we please Him very much and He will make us real stars, not Hollywood stars, but heavenly stars!

Amen