Dear Christian friends:

Again we are preaching about the baptism of Jesus. Every year on this Sunday we do that. Why is Jesus' baptism so important? Why do we celebrate it every year, the same as we celebrate Jesus' birth and His resurrection? Because Jesus' baptism shows that He is the Christ.

You know that here in Los Angeles and in Los Angeles County are living many Jewish people. A few of the Jews believe that Jesus is the Christ. They belong to a church group called "Jews For Jesus." They are working hard to try and win other Jews to accept Jesus for their Christ. We pray that God will bless the ministry of "Jews For Jesus." But most of the Jews living here in Los Angeles, also most of the Jewish deaf do not believe that Jesus is the Christ. They are waiting for another Christ to come. Also many other people who are not Jews do not believe that Jesus is the Christ. They don't care about Christ at all.

Jesus' baptism shows that He is the Christ, the Savior God promised to Eve, and to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the fathers of the Jewish nation. Moses, David, Isaiah, Micah and all the Jewish prophets wrote about Christ. Jesus fulfilled all their prophecies. Jesus, Son of Mary of Nazareth is the Christ. This our text clearly shows.


Our text begins by telling us about the ministry of John the Baptizer. John's ministry prepared the way for the Christ. John, the son of Zacharias, prepared the Jewish nation for Christ by urging them to change from sinful ways and be baptized for their sin forgiveness.

John was very successful is his preaching. Many people were sorry and confessed their sins and let John baptize them for forgiveness. (verse 10-14) The people were expecting Christ to appear any time now. (verse 15) Many people wondered if John himself might be the Christ.

"John confessed; he did not lie; but confessed, I am not the Christ." (St. John 1:20) He told the people,"Christ is much greater than I. I am not worthy to kneel down and untie His shoes." (verse 16) John meant to tell them, "I am only a weak, sinful man; Christ is the mighty, holy Son of God!"

John also told the people about Christ's work. He said to them, "I baptize you with water; Christ will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire." (verse 16) John meant to tell them, "My work, my ministry is not very important. I only prepare for Christ. I must decrease, but He must increase. Christ will do the real work. He will receive the Holy Spirit and give the Holy Spirit! He will give new birth and new life! Christ is the real ONE, not me."

John also told the people that Christ will be the Judge of all the earth, the real supreme court. John told the people, "Christ has His shovel to separate the grain from the straw. The grain He will put into His barn, but the straw He will throw into the fire that burns forever." (verse 17) John meant to tell the people and also us: "After Christ suffers, dies arises and ascends into heaven He will come again with glory and power to judge all nations, the living and the dead. Those who believe in Christ are the "grain." And those who do not believe in Christ are the "straw." The "grain" He will save forever, but the "straw" He will throw into the fire that burns forever."

John the Baptizer prepared for Christ. He was not the Christ. He told the people, "I am not the Christ! Don't look at me! I have now finished my work! I must disappear! Christ must now appear! He is now standing among you! He will come forward any time now! Then He will begin His great work!

Look! Someone is coming now! He is walking into the river and talks to John. Who is he? What does he want? What is he saying to John? Where did he come from? The Bible says, "Then Jesus comes from Nazareth in Galilee to the Jordan river to John and asks John to baptize Him. But John refused, saying, I have need that You baptize me, and You want me to baptize You? And Jesus answering said to him, Let it be now: we must do all that the law demands. Then John baptized Jesus." (Matthew 3:13-15)

Then a most wonderful thing happened to show that Jesus of Nazareth is the Christ. Our text says, "After all the people were baptized, Jesus also was baptized. While He prayed, the heaven was opened, and the Holy Spirit came down on Him in a body shape, same as a dove, and a voice spoke from heaven, and said, "This is My own dear Son. I have much pleasure in Him." (verses 21-22)

Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of Mary, the Baby born in Bethlehem is the Christ: Remember what the angel told the shepherds! "For you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord." (Luke 2:11) And now here at the Jordan River, 30 years later, He is baptized and anointed with the Holy Spirit and sent by His Father in heaven to begin His great work.

Jesus of Nazareth is the Christ: There is not other! I feel so sorry for the Jewish people who are still waiting for Christ. They are waiting in vain. Another Christ will not come to them! We must tell them that Jesus of Nazareth is their Christ! Tell them that in Jesus all the prophesies of their Holy Scriptures have been fulfilled!

And we must tell them with humble heart and with love. We must not think ourselves better than they. We must be so thankful and humble that God has called us to believe that Jesus is the Christ. God's light has arisen upon us and shined on us. Now we can beam and shine to the Jews and to all others who are still sitting in darkness.

"Arise, Shine, for your light has come; the glory of the Lord is risen upon you. Darkness shall cover the earth and gross darkness the nations, but the Lord shall arise upon you, and His glory they will see upon you. And the nations shall come to your light and kings to the brightness of your rising." (Isaiah 60:1-3)

Amen.