In Baptism I Chose You

(The Baptism of Our Lord)

Pastor Steven D. Spencer

Mark 1:4-11

Mark 1:4 John came baptizing in the wilderness and preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins. 5 Then all the land of Judea, and those from Jerusalem, went out to him and were all baptized by him in the Jordan River, confessing their sins. 6 Now John was clothed with camel's hair and with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. 7 And he preached, saying, "There comes One after me who is mightier than I, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to stoop down and loose. 8 "I indeed baptized you with water, but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit." 9 It came to pass in those days that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 10 And immediately, coming up from the water, He saw the heavens parting and the Spirit descending upon Him like a dove. 11 Then a voice came from heaven, "You are My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."

When I think of baptism I think of babies. A baby is such a beautiful creation of God. Those fingers are so tiny, count them they're all there. Ten toes too! When a baby is baptized often they are wear a pure white gown. Representing the cleansing, the purification, and the regeneration of becoming a new creature in Christ. As I look at the child, in the gown of white, I see an angelic look. That's what I think when I ponder baptism. Our picture today is much different.

"John [John the Baptist] came baptizing in the wilderness and preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins. Then all the land of Judea, and those from Jerusalem, went out to him and were baptized by him in the Jordan River, confessing their sins." You know scene well. Great crowds of people are going out be baptized by John. The crowd is well diversified; religious leaders, plain folks, tax collectors, soldiers, housewives and children. They had one thing in common; they were all sinful. They had come to hear John proclaiming the baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. You see the crowds got it right. Here was means by which sins would be washed away. It was simple and easy. It was the great equalizer. For in the wilderness, there was no fanfare, no priestly control, just a simple message for a simple need: Repentance and baptism for the remission of sins. This was the place where people admitted they had a problem, one with which they could not deal! The problem of their sin!

John was in the family business, the business of dealing with sins. Now, his cousin joins him. "It came to pass in those days that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized by John in the Jordan." What is Jesus doing there? He has no sin to be washed away. So why be present for a baptism for sinners. Not just any sinner but for all sinners the worst sinners: Because Jesus baptism was for the sinners too. Jesus, who had no sin, by voluntarily accepting God's method of dealing with sin, puts himself under sin. You see Jesus puts Himself in our place. Take the worse thing you've ever done, take your greatest sin, take your most heinous crime against your fellow man and know Jesus was born, baptized and died for that sin. That sin no longer holds you captive, you are free from the guilt and the shame of it. Jesus came to the Jordan River--as He came into world--to gently care for helpless, like helpless sinners. Our Old Testament reading puts it this way. "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. 2 "He will not cry out or raise His voice, Nor make His voice heard in the street. 3 "A bruised reed He will not break, And a dimly burning wick He will not extinguish; He will faithfully bring forth justice. (Isaiah 42:1-3)

For those that could not save themselves, Jesus came. He came for us, "that bruised reed that was hanging limp." He lifted us up and held us so that we might not break. He came for us, "the dying glow of a candlewick, and He gently fanned us to a flame." For those who could not deliver themselves from sin, Jesus took their place as sinner. You see the sins of whole world Jesus took on Himself when he was baptized. He truly became worst sinner, in the eyes of God because He became guilty every sin that you and I, and every other sinner, has every committed.

And yet "Immediately, coming up from the water, He saw the heavens parting and the Spirit descending upon Him like a dove. Then a voice came from heaven, 'You are My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.'" Jesus came up from the water as 'the worst sinner', and yet God the Father is says; "You are My beloved Son; in You I am well pleased." God is pleased with the Worst Sinner, His Son and His Son still His beloved! As God speaks these words, saying, "I am well pleased" it is because Jesus is willing to follow His Father's plan, by putting Himself in our place. Pleased because: Jesus took our sin upon Himself. Pleased because: Jesus is willing to be baptized.

Jesus' baptism means He is willing to go all the way in our place, bearing our sin, all way to the cross. The Father knew how difficult this would be. So at Jesus baptism He speaks tenderly and directly to His son, His beloved, the one in whom He is well pleased.

In the baptism of Jesus, God speaks those blessed words even to the Worst Sinner, Christ Himself. Because Jesus became the Worst Sinner--by taking our sins and taking the punishment for all our sins so that now our baptisms bring those same wonderful words of God to all the worst sinners that we know we are. In our baptisms God declares to us, "You are My beloved Son; in You I am well pleased."

Remember how I mentioned how baptism makes me think of babies. And how they seem almost angelic to me. Even before birth, each child is by nature a total sinner. It is the curse we inherited from Adam. David writes in Psalm 51: "Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me." Every baby by nature is in desperate need for forgiveness. That's why God gave us Scriptural Baptism. In baptism, God takes baby His arms and says, "You My beloved child; with you, I am well pleased" Every child is precious and personal to God. God loves every child so much, that He provides a means of grace available to them.

In baptism St. Paul tells us we put on Christ. "For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ." In baptism we are dressed in Christ garment, salvation, the robes of righteousness. Luther says: "Repent and remember your baptism, or be baptized for your sins are washed away." In baptism, God declares His pleasure to all us the worst sinners and chooses us as His own children. God no longer sees your sin when you are baptized; he sees Christ righteousness. For you have put on Christ righteousness and your sin is seen no more.

I heard a story some years ago, about a prince in a far away land. The prince was a young man just coming of age to marry. As was the tradition in his land he would be able to choose from any of the unmarried maidens in his land when he came of age. The custom of the land was to give the prince 3 days to choose his bride. The time came and many young maidens visited the prince, but alas none moved him to marriage. On the second day the prince mounted his white steed and began riding through the land. The third day came and the king became concerned for his son. For he had not returned on the second day, so he sent forth his royal guard to find the boy and protect him. Late in the afternoon they spotted the prince from a hilltop. The prince was riding valiantly towards a leper's colony. At full run the guard traversed the countryside in hope of cutting off the princes entry into the leper's colony. But alas they were too late. When they arrived the prince was already in the courtyard talking with several young women.

Leprosy is a terrible disease and in the prince's day it always it ended in death. Leprosy causes the flesh to decay. Fingers, toes and other appendages would fall off. The odor created by the disease was horrendous; it was called the odor of death. It was considered a curse and spiritually unclean in the prince's day and no honorable man would associate with such ones as these. The leader of the guard approached the prince and begged him to leave before it was to late. The prince pointed to a woman in final stages of leprosy and said she shall be my bride. The guard begged him to leave but the prince stood and announced the words that could not be taken back. For you see a decree is irreversible. The prince pointed to the woman and said she shall be my bride; I hereby call her, my own. All that were present gasped, those with leprosy out of joy and those of the guard out of disbelief. The guard bundled the woman up, set on horseback and took her back to the palace. The next day she was to be the bride to the prince. They were we married, she was clothed in the finest gown, a ring was placed on her finger and he gave her all his love. Do you know what happen? ------------------ "She was healed, his love for her healed her." The woman who was disgusting riddled with disease, smelling of death was healed by his love.

You are that person. Your sin is that revolting to God. Yet by His love he chooses you in the waters of baptism. And though those waters you are healed. Your deadly disease, sin is washed away. And through those waters he places a glorious garment of salvation on you, for you are clothed in Christ's righteousness. Being generous He doesn't stop there but continues showering His love upon you with gifts of healing by giving you the Lord's Supper.

We the worst sinners; we are responsible for Christ death. Christ, who knew no sin, took on our sin as His very own; and is responsible for us having life. Christ is the prince who showed his love to us while we were dead in our sins. As St. Paul wrote in Romans 5, "God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."

Every one of us is the worst of sinners even the wee little baby. We're really not so different from even the most monstrous of criminals; we're all together in sin. The truly amazing thing is that God has found that way to bring us back together with Him, to resurrect us from spiritual death, with His holiness, through baptism. And by His washing, incredibly, we all become His beloved, His children, with whom He is well pleased. Through your baptism know your sins are forgiven you, and God has chosen you to call His beloved. In Jesus Name - Amen!