Dear Christian friends:

We have heard again during the past Christmas season about the Baby Jesus. We have heard that Jesus is God's eternal Son who came from heaven to save us from sin and hell. Is this true? Do you believe it?

I'm sure that most of you will answer, "Yes! We believe that Jesus is God's Son and our Savior."

But I want to remind you that talk is cheap. We may say that we believe in Jesus as we do when we confess The Apostles' Creed during the church service. But saying and talking is not the same as believing.

Also our faith has its ups and downs, its highs and lows. Today our faith may be strong; tomorrow weak. Today we have faith but tomorrow during trouble or temptation our faith and love is gone. We show our faith in Jesus by our actions, risking our life on His word and promises.

Here is a story to help you understand how real faith does: A high wire walker stretched his wire over a waterfalls. Then he took his balance pole and walked across the waterfalls on the wire and back. All the people below yelled and clapped. Then the man said over his loud speaker, "Now I will throw away my balancing pole and walk across without it." The people below watched excitedly while the man walked across and back again, then they all yelled wildly and clapped. Now the man said to the crowd below, "Now I intend to walk across with a man riding on my shoulders. Do you believe that I can do it?" All the people yelled, "Yes, yes, we believe you can do it." Then the man asked the people, "Who will volunteer to ride on my shoulders?" The crowd was hushed. Everyone waited for someone to volunteer. But nobody volunteered. Did they really believe in the man?

The same with you and me. We may say that we believe in Jesus, but when the test comes our faith is very weak. So we need the proofs in our text today. They show


John the Baptist says that Jesus is the Son of God our Savior.

Our text tells us that many people thought John the Baptist was the Savior. (verse 15) They asked him, "Are you the Savior God promised to send to us?" John answered, "No! I am not worthy to kneel down and tie His shoes."(verse 16)

John means that Jesus is holy, not a sinner the same as he. All people are sinners, but God is holy, without sin. John the Baptist Himself was a sinner. He was not worthy to tie Jesus shoes. Jesus has no sins, He is the holy Son of God, born from the Virgin Mary by the power of the Holy Spirit. Only God is holy. Jesus is holy. Therefore He is the Son of God.

Another witness of John the Baptist that Jesus is God's Son is this: John says that Jesus has the power to give people the Holy Spirit. (verse 16) Only God has Power to give the Holy Spirit to anyone. Jesus has that power. He is God! Jesus gives the Holy Spirit to all who are sorry about their sins and accept Him for their Savior.

John also says that Jesus has the power to judge all men. (verse 17) Only God has the right to judge all people at the end of the world. Jesus has that right and power! He is God! Believers will be saved; unbelievers condemned.

John the Baptist says that Jesus, Son of Mary, Jesus of Nazareth, is the eternal Son of God. We can depend on John's word and witness. But if anyone still continues to doubt about Jesus, we have a stronger witness than John's. We have the witness of God Himself.

Here in our text God Himself speaks from heaven and says that Jesus is His beloved Son. (verses 21-22)

We read here in our text that Jesus came to John who had been baptizing people in the Jordan river. John baptized Jesus in the river and when "Jesus walked out of the water, the sky opened, and the Holy Spirit came down on Jesus as a dove. And a voice from heaven said, "You are my dear Son. I am very pleased with You." (verses 21-22)

How can anyone doubt that Jesus is God's eternal Son? Here we have wonderful and great proof. God Himself says that Jesus is His Son.

Also God lets us see the Holy Spirit come down on Jesus as a dove so we can see and believe. Usually we can't see the Holy Spirit come to anyone. But here God lets us see. God let this happen to fulfill an ancient prophecy about the Promised Savior. God speaks through Isaiah and says to us, "See My Servant, whom I uphold; My Chosen One, in whom I have pleasure. I have put My Spirit upon Him." (Isaiah 42:1) Also Jesus spoke through Isaiah about this great event 750 years before He was born. Jesus says through Isaiah's writing, "The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because the Lord has chosen Me to bring Good News to the suffering and afflicted." (Isaiah 1:1)

Here in our text we have plenty of proof that Jesus our Savior is the mighty God. But we often doubt and do not really believe it. True, we say that we believe in Jesus. Every Sunday in the church service we confess our faith and say, "I believe in Jesus Christ, His only Son our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Ghost and born of the Virgin Mary etc." But do we really believe that in our heart? Also we often sign-sing that hymn, “Beautiful Savior" here in the church service. We sing:

Beautiful Savior, King of Creation,
Son of God and Son of Man!
Truly I'd love Thee,
Truly I'd serve Thee,
Light of my soul,
My joy, my crown.
(TLH 657, Beautiful Savior)

But do we really believe what we sing? Do we really love Jesus? Do we really serve Jesus? Often we are afraid and have many doubts. We act like Jesus can't hear our prayers or help us. Also, often we are not eager to serve Jesus. We maybe prefer to go watch the Rams play football than go to the Voters' Meeting on Sunday afternoon.

So we need to hear the proofs of John the Baptist and the proofs of God Himself, then our faith and love can grow stronger. God show mercy to us and help us to believe in Jesus.

Amen.