His Epiphany Is Yours
JESUS APPEARS AS THE ANOINTED ONE: First Sunday after the Epiphany (Baptism of Our Lord), January 12, 2020
THE SEASON OF EPIPHANY
The season of Epiphany (the Greek word for “appearance”) celebrates God's revealing or manifesting of Jesus' identity as true God, Messiah, and Savior of the world. Epiphany not only commemorates the fact that Jesus appeared to save us, but that God revealed the identity of Jesus to the world. A frequent focus of Epiphany lessons are the miracles of Jesus.
BAPTISM OF OUR LORD
Today’s service underscores the lasting value and comfort of baptism. In the Gospel lesson, Jesus himself was baptized by John the Baptist. Even though John tried to stop it, Jesus insisted with the words, "It is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness." At Jesus' baptism God the Father was present as a voice from heaven, and the Holy Spirit descended upon him like a dove.
As Jesus was once baptized, so too we are baptized. Our baptisms are not merely symbolic, as in "I'm baptized because Jesus was." They are sacramental, as in "something real, significant, and supernatural happens to me when I'm baptized." The Bible teaches that in baptism God forgives sin, creates faith, and adopts us as his children. Just as the Triune God was present at Jesus' baptism, the Triune God is present at ours.
When a person is baptized, the minister makes the sign of the cross "on the head and heart to mark you as a redeemed child of Christ." Ever since, Christians have always treasured the visible sign of the cross in church - in the invocation, at the time of communion, or during the final blessing - because it reminds them of their baptisms and their family status with God. Baptism is pure Gospel. It chases away the devil and fills our hearts with comfort and joy. We do well to celebrate our baptisms yearly and remember baptism's promises daily.
► Readings:
• Isaiah 42:1-7: God chooses his Servant to bring righteousness.
• Acts 10:34-38: God accepts men from every nation who fear him.
• Matthew 3:13-17: Jesus is baptized by John.
• Psalm: 45
► Sermon theme on Acts 10:34-38: "His Epiphany Is Yours" (Click here for sermon transcript.)